Foul on Republicans: Unsportsman Like Behavior

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This in from a friend: Theresa Poulson, one of the NJ.com reporters was covering a conservative event here in D.C. today in which Michael Steele, GOP chairman, was the featured speaker. She was the only reporter there. Steele interrupted his speech to announce that Chicago had lost and Rio had won the 2016 Olympics.

What Do Europeans Expect from Obama in Copenhagen?

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I had an excellent discussion with former German Green Party Chairman and new European Parliament Member Reinhard Bütikofer and his European Parliament colleague Claude Turmes this past week on what Europe was expecting from the US and President Obama at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. A short exchange is posted ab

Giving Aaron Schock a Pass on Honduras and DeMint

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Congressman Aaron Schock is a highly reasonable, intelligent, balanced Republican Member of Congress — and though I have only met him twice, I was impressed with how he conducted his conversations and views in DC cocktail policy chatter — particularly at an MSNBC party where Rachel Maddow was tending the bar.

And the Winner is…

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Rio de Janeiro! The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Brazil the honor (and burden) of hosting the 2016 Olympics. Despite strong pitches from three heavyweight cities, Madrid, Chicago, and Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro won the bid.

No Obama Effect: Chicago Eliminated

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The International Olympic Committee has just voted that Chicago has been eliminated from consideration as the 2016 host for the Olympic Games. An end to the Obama effect? In about an hour you can watch the announcement live of the 2016 host here. I’m betting on Rio.

I Hope it’s Brazil

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This New York Times piece makes the economic case on why the 2016 Olympics fit Brazil’s needs and bid more than Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo. But more broadly and thinking ahead, Brazil is a key component of the BRICs group — Brazil, Russia, India, and China.