bush* so screwed the world, that is one major reason Rio got the bid.

[TankLV]

The world is so justifiably fucking angry at the US for the crap the BUSHIES did, that is a big part of why Chicago LOST the bid - IN THE FIRST ROUND!!!

I'm glad for Rio, and yes, S America never has had a venue, but I the fact that the REPUKES and bush* so tarnished the USA's reputation, that even Obama still cannot totally eradicate it yet...

[BootinUp]

1. Absolutely correct.

And obviously Obama considered that when making his case.

[bbinacan]

2. Obama is not to blame and neither is Bush

The Olympics went to Brazil for the sole reason that South America has never hosted one.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I won't blame this one on Bush. It just damn wasn't our turn, this time.

Rio was a good choice. Win some, lose some.

[WillieW]

5. The world has not forgotten the past 8 years that bush was in the Wh.

I am sad for Obama he tried so hard.

[shadowrider]

7. Exactly correct

We've had, I would say, more than our fair share over the past 20 years. Time for someone else, someone new, to show what they can do. Besides, those Carnaval babes are hot. :)

[dysfunctional press]

12. the early exit from the voting was the bitchslap.

rio definitely deserves it more than chicago did this time around- it's their 3rd straight bid to host, and chicago's first.

[Warpy]

4. Imperial paranoia toward foreign visitors

plus our totally fucked health care system are two big reasons, I think. Besides, South America has never hosted an Olympics. For that reason alone, Rio was an inspired choice.

Besides, Atlanta wasn't that long ago.

[shadowrider]

6. Good to know

Because for a while there I thought that maybe the video of the poor kid being beaten to death with a board might have had something to do with it, not to mention the out of control gun violence, even though Chicago has some of the, if not the, toughest anti-gun laws in the country.

Glad you cleared that up.

Personally, I was pulling for Rio. SA has never had an Olympics and it's their turn to shine.

[virgogal]

8. Didn't it ever occur to you that maybe Rio just was the right choice.

A great city in a great country and you think the only reason it won is because of Bush?

What an insult to Rio.

[dysfunctional press]

10. it's not so much rio's ultimate win, as it is chicago's early exit.

they were sending a message.

i always assumed it would go to rio- for one thing- this is their third straight bid to be a host city, and chicago's first try, and the olympics have never been held in south america.

[TankLV]

18. That's not at all what I said or intended...

Rio IS a good choice, and I congratulate them HEARTILY.

But I would stake dollars to donuts that world anger and resentment at what bush* and the REPUKES did to this country and the world is no small part in their decision - sort of like "icing on the cake"...

[GodDamLiberal]

9. How about this

A bombing in Atlanta in 96
A HUGE scandal at Salt Lake City in 02
The 2010 winter games are at Vancouver, Canada
What Arab would really want to fly into the US even today?

That would be more than enough reasons to want it elsewhere for me.

[Mari333]

11. and than there is this (another reason)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAN5x6udi74

[sam sarrha]

13. that and they REALLY KNOW HOW TO PARTY..!!!!

[Enrique]

14. was the U.S. entitled to the Olympics?

remember, it can only be in one country, not everyone can be picked.

[tuvor]

16. I was just gonna say, what's with the sense of US entitlement around here?

You'd think eight times would be sufficient for now.

[TankLV]

19. That's certainly ONE of the reasons, too...

I'm just suggesting that it ALSO hurt that what we went thru for the past EIGHT YEARS...

[Hepburn]

15. I totally support that opinion....

...and when I heard that Chicago was dropped in the first round, that was my first thought: The rest of the world hates us because of that asshole.

JMHO

[applegrove]

17. USA had Atlanta and LA olympics in the last 30 years. This is simply South

America's turn. Don't take it personally because it isn't about you this time.

[Selatius]

20. The USA hosted the Summer Games back in 1996. That probably was a bigger factor.

The US essentially already had its turn the previous decade. It would make sense somebody else who never had it before, such as Brazil, would get it. I'm not saying the disgust with the US didn't register in the voting process.

What I'm saying is likely it was a combination of several factors.