The Danish newspaper Politiken reports that Chicago never stood a chance, as the IOC member nations had decided to teach the US Olympic Committee a lesson.
Obama and the Chicago organizers didn't know about the background fallout leading to this result.
European papers reporting that "Obama was set up and humiliated."
Go below the fold for the details.
Politiken ranks as the leading progressive daily in Denmark, think WAPO long before Hiatt screwed it up.
http://politiken.dk/...
"IOC members wanted to punish American greed. This is why Chicago failed resoundingly, when IOC chose a host city for 2016.
It was all a well planned punishment action, as several dissatisfied IOC members agreed in advance that Chicago would be thrown out.
As far as the paper has learned, president Barack Obamas trip to Copenhagen ... was a waste of time."
IOC members acted as reported because of dissatisfaction with the greed of the USOC, which receives substantial sums from the IOC. This stems from a loan the USOC extended to the IOC back in the '80s. When the USOC refused to extend a grant to the poorer IOC nations, by accepting a cut in the money it would receive from the IOC, they chose to punish Chicago.
The USOC people had been warned of such a punishment action in advance, but did not tell the people behind the Chicago bid or Barack Obama's advance coordinators.
As this develops, we'll find out whether the USOC deliberately left Obama out to dry on this one.
BACKGROUND:
Back in the 80s, the IOC was short of funds, and went borrowing among member organizations.
The USOC extended a considerable loan, but secured a percentage of all future rights from sales of IOC contracts. For the 2008-2012 period, the USOC is receiving five times as much from the IOC as it originally extended as a loan. (DKK 2.3 billion - USD 456 million).
The USOC was asked to make a grant of USD 5,5 million to the poorer IOC nations, and refused. Exit Chicago.
Link on the money background, in Danish: http://politiken.dk/...