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Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid
This Chicago Reader blog entry offers an insight into why there may be be little political opposition in Chicago - why stick your neck out over something that will probably never happen? No doubt the same practical considerations lie behind much of the passive support for Olympic bids:
Better the IOC than me
March 16th - 6:31 p.m.
I've heard many explanations from aldermen as to why they voted for or against Mayor Daley's Olympic funding package on Wednesday. But the most sensible one I heard for voting for it comes from an alderman who asked to remain anonymous.
"I voted for it 'cause we ain't gonna get it anyway, so why let his honor blame me for something we ain't gonna get anyway? Get it?"
Makes perfect sense to me--as long as we really don't get stuck with the games.
"That's the risk. But even if the U.S. Committee gives the bid to us over LA, there's no way the International Olympic Committee's going to give us the nod so long as we have troops in the Middle East. Better the mayor be mad at the International Committee than at me."
And if you're wrong, and we do wind up with the 2016 Olympics?
"Oh man, the cost overruns . . . I don't even want to think about it."