The IOC & USOC have been at odds for quite some time (mostly about $$$). But this was known during the entire bid process.
Methinks the Chicago bid team was into some serious self-delusion.
Exactly. If the NYT knew this, the white house should have known it also. Likewise Obama knew, or should have known, the political landscape of the IOC and the gamble he was taking. Yet after losing the bid Gibbs said, "I don't understand IOC politics." Axelrod told CNN, "I think that there are politics everywhere, and there are politics inside that room."
Getting the Olympic bid required what Obama is best at: politics and campaigning. During the campaign last fall Obama didn't make errors in political judgment like this. Now, everyone should be questioning his judgment in pursuing, not only the Olympics, but his hell bent dash for socialized medicine. Can Obama and his advisers not see the peril in ignoring the political landscape--56% disapproval of health care reform--while holding to the belief that Obama's (supposed) ability to win people over will make everything OK?
And another thing. If the US had been the bad actor on the world stage for all of Michelle's life (until a year ago), how did we manage to win Olympic bids for Lake Placid in 1980, LA in 1984, Atlanta in 1996, and Salt Lake City in 2002? Replacing an imagined national arrogance with the certain personal arrogance of the Obama's is a sure loser. The rest of the world sees it and so should all Americans.