Chicago Knocked Out in First Round of Olympic Voting, Rio Lands South America's First Olympics

Published December 24, 2015

UPDATE: After Fox interview, Axelrod told reporters Olympic politics are tougher than brass-knuckled Chicago politics.

"I come from Chicago so I’m used to intense politics, but nothing quite rivals, apparently, the politics around the IOC and getting these Olympic games," Axelrod said. "The former president of the Olympic Committee, Mr. Samaranch (Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC President from 1980-2001) was leading the bid for Madrid. That has to count for something. He’s been working with the committee for years. He knows all the members. I’m sure that that was a benefit to them, and all these countries made strong bids. So, it is what it is."

UPDATE: Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod just appeared on Fox to offer his take on Chicago's last-place finish in the final round of balloting for the 2016 Olympics.

SECOND UPDATE: IOC Announced at 12:50 p.m. EDT that Rio de Janeiro won the 2016 games.

On Fox News' "Happening Now," White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod lamented Chicago's loss, but said Obama had no regrets making the trip to Copenhagen, saying all he lost was sleep.

"I don't pretend to be an expert on the internal politics of the IOC," Axelrod said. "There was never any guarantee, all the bids were strong. We knew that. This president was proud to go and represent our country and make the case for the US and make the case for Chicago. He'd do it again. We're disappointed it didn't work out, but life goes on."

Axelrod also said it was unusual or a waste of time for Obama to cross the Atlantic, make a swift 11th-hour presentation and fly back to DC.

"The president and the First Lady made wonderful presentations, ones that both the American people and the people in Chicago could be proud of," Axelrod said. "He didn't need any justification for the trip. This wasn't a huge investment of time. It was an investment of sleep that he gave up and it was well worth that."

As to critics who say the president should never have made the trip but focused instead on health care, the economy or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Axelrod said Obama would brush that off.

"Critics are part of this business and critics will say what they will. If the president hadn't gone they would have said he should have gone and that's just the nature of the business. If you can't live with that, you shouldn't be here."

As President Obama and First Lady Michelle returned to Washington aboard Air Force One, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Chicago - the city the Obamas fought for - was eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics.

Tokyo was eliminated in the second round of voting, setting off a final showdown between Madrid, Spain and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rio is pushing to land South America's first-ever Olympics.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicago-knocked-out-in-first-round-of-olympic-voting-rio-lands-south-americas-first-olympics