Chicagoist: The Final Countdown: City Preps For IOC Visit

Stealth

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:02:22 -0600

Well, I didn't mention numbers. The exact totals are not really important. What I was commenting on is that there is apparently a significant and vocal number of opponents as far as the city is concerned, enough that they've devised a whole campaign to counter them.

JessNevins

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:50:48 -0600

All good points. Zogby is infamous for getting you exactly the result you pay for. I'm going to the rally today and I'd love to have the Olympics here. But I want the CTA fixed, I want a better than 50% graduation rate. I want a full force of cops with a contract. I want city hall fumigated of "da guys". I want all that a lot more than the Olympics.

haspfallbazz

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:41:03 -0600

Sears Tower noted that "a March 2009 poll by Zogby International found that 78% of people supported the bid." (a) Zogby can be "wildly inaccurate". (b) In any case, as Ben Joravsky notes: "The mayor waves around a poll his Olympic bid committee took a year ago that found 76 percent of Chicago-area residents favor bringing the Olympics to town. But a Chicago Tribune poll taken in February found that 75 percent are against using public money to pay for them." "And, Obama likes it!" Given the judgment he's displayed since he's been in office, this may be sufficient reason to oppose it.

Sears Tower

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:29:00 -0600

Actually, a March 2009 poll by Zogby International found that 78% of people supported the bid. Excluding the mayor, the supporters simply aren't out bitching one way or the other about this, so it appears more people don't want it. And, Obama likes it!

whatever

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:42:05 -0600

What a coincidence, a shedload of potholes have been filled here in Hyde Park. My friend tells me all the monstrous holes in Washington Park have been filled as well.

Stealth

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:57:07 -0600

You can tell the city is scare of the backlash. They took out an expensive "If you want the games, let your voice be heard" ad in the papers this week (some silly thing you're supposed to clip out - a tiny dotted line with scissors on the side of the page indicated this - and post in your window I guess, and a big banner saying pretty much the same thing that I saw this afternoon as I walked through Daley plaza. They know the majority are against this, hence the backlash campaign. That should be enough for the IOC to say, "Meh" to this idea.

Navin

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:52:47 -0600

We should all go down and video tape the cops protesting like they do to other protesters..

JessNevins

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:45:23 -0600

You've got a nexus point really. Cops, community activists, minority advocates and just plain old angry people who don't want to pay so they can play. I hope it's STAGGERING and it scares the IOC back under their rock.

MinneapolisRedSox

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:40:32 -0600

As of this afternoon, the barricades are set in front of the AON Center for a block or two in each direction. How big is this protest supposed to be?

JessNevins

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:23:42 -0600

I heard the FOP rep on WBEZ trying not to laugh as he said that the IOC being in town was just a coincidence. How much money was spent on those, suddenly blooming, flowers over by Buckingham fountain. Kind of cool for such a lush garden. Federal Plaza, 5pm tomorrow. Come on down and let your voice be heard. Even through limousine glass. http://nogames.wordpress.com/

matty

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:08:15 -0600

yet the idea of an olympics here is really exciting. i dunno, i'm torn.

matty

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:06:09 -0600

I think rio should get it. They've never had an olympics in latin america and they seem to actually want it.