I really don't understand the controversy. The Atlanta Olympics were not that long ago, no South American country has ever hosted the Olympics and Brazil is an important, emerging economy.

It is only the usual narrowly egocentric American world-view that turns this into a shocker.

Shocker?

I don't think so.

Personally, I'm for either one, and I expect President Obama will take his minor defeat with good cheer and offer his support to the Brazilians (I'll bet he even goes to the games).

For me, I like Chicago a lot, but I've never been to Rio.

Now I have an excuse to go!

Chicago is a s...hole and so is Rio. Rio has rampant crime, corruption beyond reason (much like Chicago) but didn't have some idiot come in at the last second and embarrass themselves in front of the Olympic voting panel. Obama is so egocentric he "actually" thought he could intimidate them into voting for Chicago. Chicago like Detroit is a has been city deserving of it's mediocrity and will forever be know as the city of Obama, a scarlet letter for all eternity.