Last Thursday London got the nod from the IOC as the host city for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Pave extends its profuse congratulations. NYC has lost out, for which we, living there, are personally thankful. But the big surprise was the betting chalk, Paris, s'efface.

PARIS July 6, 2005 (Guardian) - [U]ntil 13.49pm the grey skies had failed to dampen the spirits of the thousands of French people who had gathered outside the city's Hotel de Ville.

There was a feeling that Paris could not lose and was in for what the newspaper Le Parisien described as "Seven Years of Happiness".

Then came the announcement that London had won the 2012 Olympics.

There was a collective groan and thousands of hands raised to mouths in shock.
Then stunned silence. Immediately afterwards people began walking out of the square in front of City Hall like zombies. They had come for a party, even in the rain. Now there was nothing to celebrate and only the rain.

"I don't believe it. We knew that we could lose, but we never ever believed it was possible," [Marie-Olga Tarasoff, a 48-year-old Parisian,] said, close to tears.

Unemployed Alan, a 58-year-old Parisian, unfolded a hastily written banner reading: London 2012 Lobbying Gold Medal. "Lobbying is not a French sport," he said. "Not that the decision surprises me, given the clowns like Chirac who are running our country. ... This whole thing is symptomatic of the malaise in our country."

But Jack lobbied hard. He assualted the IOC with his trademark wit, charm and tact, the same magic that some argue made the French EU constitution outcome a sure thing:

SINGAPORE July 5, 2005 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac flew into Singapore on Tuesday to spearhead the final push by Paris to host the 2012 Olympic Games -- and another match-up with British premier Tony Blair.

Chirac moved immediately into lobbying mode, tracing the footsteps of Blair who has been in town since Sunday conducting a high-profile charm offensive in support of the London bid.

Paris has been the frontrunner in the campaign to win the right to host the 2012 Games from the outset, although London has made up enormous ground in recent days and Wednesday's vote in Singapore is expected to be very close. ... But, due to his late arrival, Chirac's window of opportunity to influence will be much smaller than Blair's. ... The Chirac-Blair match up in Singapore has been given added spice due to the apparent deepening personal animosity between the pair, and the historic rivalry between their two nations.

[All emphases added.]

So, Jack aside, we ask the questions: Why not Paris? Why not the French?

We are just guessing here. Perhaps because what is foremost a tourism venue requires a friendly welcoming host. The French by their own reports, here and here, are not. And since the Olympics are a business enterprise, a candidate not subject to whimsical paralyzing or extortionate strikes easily outscores any city sited in France. And lastly a city that does not stink to high heaven, its streets immerded with dog-shit, has it all over Paris.

Oh, the IOC probably prefers host candidates that do not apotheosize convicted cop-killers. Just a guess.

PFFT: Competitiveness 3 | Attraction 1 | Rayonnement français 0

Paris was not "the front runner". IIRC, London got more votes in every round of voting. Only in France could this loss result in shock.

lol@"immerded"