Mayor Flip Flops on Blank Check – Come Clean, Mr. Mayor!
As reported in the Chicago Tribune:
If confusing political spin was an Olympic event, Mayor Richard Daley would be in line for a gold medal following his attempt Friday to explain whether he’s putting taxpayers on the hook for the 2016 Summer Games.
The mayor’s first public appearance in Chicago since meeting with Olympic officials in Switzerland last week turned into an often bewildering news conference. At issue was his surprise decision to reverse course and tell the International Olympic Committee his city would take full financial responsibility if it wins the Games.
Daley aides and members of Chicago’s Olympics bid team spent all week explaining why the mayor’s about-face was necessary and seeking to dampen the political firestorm it created.
But on Friday, Daley offered muddled and conflicting versions of his pledge to sign the standard Olympics contract in a bid to win the Games.
The anti-Olympic movement is building. People are waking up to the fact apparent from the beginning that ultimately they will be on the hook.
I’m not against hosting the Olympics, per se, but I cannot support an Olympic debacle put on by Rich Daley and Pat Ryan. With those two in charge we will be stuck with the bill for generations. When Daley and Ryan are long gone I may reconsider.