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Views: 4797
"This weekend," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said today, "a plumber concerned that Senator Obama was going to raise his taxes asked him directly about his plan. The response was telling. Senator Obama explained to him that he was going to raise his taxes to quote 'spread the wealth around.'" Is that what happened? Judge for yourself -- here's the exchange.(Watch the video)Outside Toledo, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, a big, bald man with a goatee who asked Obama if he believes in the American dream. "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Obama said, "First off, you would get a 50% tax credit so you'd get a tax cut for your healthcare costs….. if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason why we’re doing that is because 95% of small businesses make less than 250. So what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less, I want to give them a tax cut. And so what we’re doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than 250 that that marginal amount above 250 – they’re gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36% rate.†Responded Wurzelbacher, "the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American dream." "Well," said Obama, "here's a way of thinking about it. How long have been a plumber?" Wurzelbacher said 15 years. Obama says, “Over the last 15 years, when you weren’t making 250, you would have been given a tax cut from me, so you’d actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it – I mean one way of looking at it is, now that you’ve become more successful through hard work – you don’t want to be taxed as much.†“Exactly," Wurzelbacher said. Obama continued, “But another way of looking at it is 95% of folks who are making less than 250, they may be working hard too, but they’re being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes." "No," said Wurzelbacher. "Of course not," said Obama. "But what’s happened is that we end up – we’ve cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than 250. We haven’t given a break to folks who make less, and as a consequence, the average wage and income for ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is – I’ve got a tax cut. The only thing that changes, is I’m gonna cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need and for the 5% of the folks who are doing very well - even though they’ve been working hard and I appreciate that – I just want to make sure they’re paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect the disagreement. I just want you to be clear – it’s not that I want to punish your success – I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you – that they’ve got a chance at success too.†Wurzelbacher said it seemed as though Obama might support a flat tax. Obama says, “you know, I would be open to it except here’s the problem with a flat tax is that if you actually put a flat tax together, in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we’ve got, you’d probably end up having to make it like about a 40% sales tax. I mean that’s the value added, making it up. Now some people say 23 or 25, but in truth when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you’d have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on. And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don’t mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who’s things are slow and she can barely make the rent." Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody." That's the key moment McCain is jumping out…"when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." "But listen," Obama said, shaking Wurzelbacher's hand, "I respect what you do and I respect your question, and even if I don’t get your vote, I’m still gonna be working hard on your behalf, because small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it.†"Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate," Obama said, "but that was pretty good practice right there."From ABC NEWS:By:Jake Tapper - He is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
Views: 4797
"This weekend," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said today, "a plumber concerned that Senator Obama was going to raise his taxes asked him directly about his plan. The response was telling. Senator Obama explained to him that he was going to raise his taxes to quote 'spread the wealth around.'" Is that what happened? Judge for yourself -- here's the exchange.(Watch the video)Outside Toledo, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, a big, bald man with a goatee who asked Obama if he believes in the American dream. "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Obama said, "First off, you would get a 50% tax credit so you'd get a tax cut for your healthcare costs….. if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason why we’re doing that is because 95% of small businesses make less than 250. So what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less, I want to give them a tax cut. And so what we’re doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than 250 that that marginal amount above 250 – they’re gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36% rate.†Responded Wurzelbacher, "the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American dream." "Well," said Obama, "here's a way of thinking about it. How long have been a plumber?" Wurzelbacher said 15 years. Obama says, “Over the last 15 years, when you weren’t making 250, you would have been given a tax cut from me, so you’d actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it – I mean one way of looking at it is, now that you’ve become more successful through hard work – you don’t want to be taxed as much.†“Exactly," Wurzelbacher said. Obama continued, “But another way of looking at it is 95% of folks who are making less than 250, they may be working hard too, but they’re being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes." "No," said Wurzelbacher. "Of course not," said Obama. "But what’s happened is that we end up – we’ve cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than 250. We haven’t given a break to folks who make less, and as a consequence, the average wage and income for ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is – I’ve got a tax cut. The only thing that changes, is I’m gonna cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need and for the 5% of the folks who are doing very well - even though they’ve been working hard and I appreciate that – I just want to make sure they’re paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect the disagreement. I just want you to be clear – it’s not that I want to punish your success – I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you – that they’ve got a chance at success too.†Wurzelbacher said it seemed as though Obama might support a flat tax. Obama says, “you know, I would be open to it except here’s the problem with a flat tax is that if you actually put a flat tax together, in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we’ve got, you’d probably end up having to make it like about a 40% sales tax. I mean that’s the value added, making it up. Now some people say 23 or 25, but in truth when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you’d have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on. And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don’t mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who’s things are slow and she can barely make the rent." Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody." That's the key moment McCain is jumping out…"when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." "But listen," Obama said, shaking Wurzelbacher's hand, "I respect what you do and I respect your question, and even if I don’t get your vote, I’m still gonna be working hard on your behalf, because small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it.†"Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate," Obama said, "but that was pretty good practice right there."From ABC NEWS:By:Jake Tapper - He is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
Views: 4797
"This weekend," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said today, "a plumber concerned that Senator Obama was going to raise his taxes asked him directly about his plan. The response was telling. Senator Obama explained to him that he was going to raise his taxes to quote 'spread the wealth around.'" Is that what happened? Judge for yourself -- here's the exchange.(Watch the video)Outside Toledo, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, a big, bald man with a goatee who asked Obama if he believes in the American dream. "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Obama said, "First off, you would get a 50% tax credit so you'd get a tax cut for your healthcare costs….. if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason why we’re doing that is because 95% of small businesses make less than 250. So what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less, I want to give them a tax cut. And so what we’re doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than 250 that that marginal amount above 250 – they’re gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36% rate.†Responded Wurzelbacher, "the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American dream." "Well," said Obama, "here's a way of thinking about it. How long have been a plumber?" Wurzelbacher said 15 years. Obama says, “Over the last 15 years, when you weren’t making 250, you would have been given a tax cut from me, so you’d actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it – I mean one way of looking at it is, now that you’ve become more successful through hard work – you don’t want to be taxed as much.†“Exactly," Wurzelbacher said. Obama continued, “But another way of looking at it is 95% of folks who are making less than 250, they may be working hard too, but they’re being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes." "No," said Wurzelbacher. "Of course not," said Obama. "But what’s happened is that we end up – we’ve cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than 250. We haven’t given a break to folks who make less, and as a consequence, the average wage and income for ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is – I’ve got a tax cut. The only thing that changes, is I’m gonna cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need and for the 5% of the folks who are doing very well - even though they’ve been working hard and I appreciate that – I just want to make sure they’re paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect the disagreement. I just want you to be clear – it’s not that I want to punish your success – I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you – that they’ve got a chance at success too.†Wurzelbacher said it seemed as though Obama might support a flat tax. Obama says, “you know, I would be open to it except here’s the problem with a flat tax is that if you actually put a flat tax together, in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we’ve got, you’d probably end up having to make it like about a 40% sales tax. I mean that’s the value added, making it up. Now some people say 23 or 25, but in truth when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you’d have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on. And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don’t mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who’s things are slow and she can barely make the rent." Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody." That's the key moment McCain is jumping out…"when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." "But listen," Obama said, shaking Wurzelbacher's hand, "I respect what you do and I respect your question, and even if I don’t get your vote, I’m still gonna be working hard on your behalf, because small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it.†"Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate," Obama said, "but that was pretty good practice right there."From ABC NEWS:By:Jake Tapper - He is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
Views: 4797
"This weekend," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said today, "a plumber concerned that Senator Obama was going to raise his taxes asked him directly about his plan. The response was telling. Senator Obama explained to him that he was going to raise his taxes to quote 'spread the wealth around.'" Is that what happened? Judge for yourself -- here's the exchange.(Watch the video)Outside Toledo, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, a big, bald man with a goatee who asked Obama if he believes in the American dream. "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Obama said, "First off, you would get a 50% tax credit so you'd get a tax cut for your healthcare costs….. if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason why we’re doing that is because 95% of small businesses make less than 250. So what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less, I want to give them a tax cut. And so what we’re doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than 250 that that marginal amount above 250 – they’re gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36% rate.†Responded Wurzelbacher, "the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American dream." "Well," said Obama, "here's a way of thinking about it. How long have been a plumber?" Wurzelbacher said 15 years. Obama says, “Over the last 15 years, when you weren’t making 250, you would have been given a tax cut from me, so you’d actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it – I mean one way of looking at it is, now that you’ve become more successful through hard work – you don’t want to be taxed as much.†“Exactly," Wurzelbacher said. Obama continued, “But another way of looking at it is 95% of folks who are making less than 250, they may be working hard too, but they’re being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes." "No," said Wurzelbacher. "Of course not," said Obama. "But what’s happened is that we end up – we’ve cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than 250. We haven’t given a break to folks who make less, and as a consequence, the average wage and income for ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is – I’ve got a tax cut. The only thing that changes, is I’m gonna cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need and for the 5% of the folks who are doing very well - even though they’ve been working hard and I appreciate that – I just want to make sure they’re paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect the disagreement. I just want you to be clear – it’s not that I want to punish your success – I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you – that they’ve got a chance at success too.†Wurzelbacher said it seemed as though Obama might support a flat tax. Obama says, “you know, I would be open to it except here’s the problem with a flat tax is that if you actually put a flat tax together, in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we’ve got, you’d probably end up having to make it like about a 40% sales tax. I mean that’s the value added, making it up. Now some people say 23 or 25, but in truth when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you’d have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on. And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don’t mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who’s things are slow and she can barely make the rent." Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody." That's the key moment McCain is jumping out…"when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." "But listen," Obama said, shaking Wurzelbacher's hand, "I respect what you do and I respect your question, and even if I don’t get your vote, I’m still gonna be working hard on your behalf, because small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it.†"Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate," Obama said, "but that was pretty good practice right there."From ABC NEWS:By:Jake Tapper - He is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
Views: 4797
"This weekend," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said today, "a plumber concerned that Senator Obama was going to raise his taxes asked him directly about his plan. The response was telling. Senator Obama explained to him that he was going to raise his taxes to quote 'spread the wealth around.'" Is that what happened? Judge for yourself -- here's the exchange.(Watch the video)Outside Toledo, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, a big, bald man with a goatee who asked Obama if he believes in the American dream. "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Obama said, "First off, you would get a 50% tax credit so you'd get a tax cut for your healthcare costs….. if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%, which is what it was under Bill Clinton. And the reason why we’re doing that is because 95% of small businesses make less than 250. So what I want to do is give them a tax cut. I want to give all these folks who are bus drivers, teachers, auto workers who make less, I want to give them a tax cut. And so what we’re doing is, we are saying that folks who make more than 250 that that marginal amount above 250 – they’re gonna be taxed at a 39 instead of a 36% rate.†Responded Wurzelbacher, "the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American dream." "Well," said Obama, "here's a way of thinking about it. How long have been a plumber?" Wurzelbacher said 15 years. Obama says, “Over the last 15 years, when you weren’t making 250, you would have been given a tax cut from me, so you’d actually have more money, which means you would have saved more, which means you would have gotten to the point where you could build your small business quicker than under the current tax code. So there are two ways of looking at it – I mean one way of looking at it is, now that you’ve become more successful through hard work – you don’t want to be taxed as much.†“Exactly," Wurzelbacher said. Obama continued, “But another way of looking at it is 95% of folks who are making less than 250, they may be working hard too, but they’re being taxed at a higher rate than they would be under mine. So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes." "No," said Wurzelbacher. "Of course not," said Obama. "But what’s happened is that we end up – we’ve cut taxes a lot for folks like me who make a lot more than 250. We haven’t given a break to folks who make less, and as a consequence, the average wage and income for ordinary folks, the vast majority of Americans, has actually gone down over the last eight years. So all I want to do is – I’ve got a tax cut. The only thing that changes, is I’m gonna cut taxes a little bit more for the folks who are most in need and for the 5% of the folks who are doing very well - even though they’ve been working hard and I appreciate that – I just want to make sure they’re paying a little bit more in order to pay for those other tax cuts. Now, I respect the disagreement. I just want you to be clear – it’s not that I want to punish your success – I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you – that they’ve got a chance at success too.†Wurzelbacher said it seemed as though Obama might support a flat tax. Obama says, “you know, I would be open to it except here’s the problem with a flat tax is that if you actually put a flat tax together, in order for it to work and replace all the revenue that we’ve got, you’d probably end up having to make it like about a 40% sales tax. I mean that’s the value added, making it up. Now some people say 23 or 25, but in truth when you add up all the revenue that would need to be raised, you’d have to slap on a whole bunch of sales taxes on. And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don’t mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who’s things are slow and she can barely make the rent." Obama said, "My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody." That's the key moment McCain is jumping out…"when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." "But listen," Obama said, shaking Wurzelbacher's hand, "I respect what you do and I respect your question, and even if I don’t get your vote, I’m still gonna be working hard on your behalf, because small businesses are what creates jobs in this country and I want to encourage it.†"Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate," Obama said, "but that was pretty good practice right there."From ABC NEWS:By:Jake Tapper - He is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
Views: 4292
CHICAGO — One of the least experienced of the elite runners at the Chicago Marathon, Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya proved the fastest on Sunday, winning in 2 hours 6 minutes 25 seconds on a sunny, hot day that had organizers again concerned about the safety of the more than 30,000 average runners in the field. Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia won the women’s race in 2:27:17, tempering an embarrassing summer for her native country, in which five Olympians were suspended before the Beijing Games for using someone else’s urine in an attempt to circumvent doping controls. Meanwhile, as temperatures rose to 78 degrees an hour and a half into Sunday’s 26.2-mile race, organizers were hoping to avoid a repeat of the calamitous 2007 Chicago Marathon, when the race was halted after 3½ hours because of temperatures in the high 80s, oppressive humidity and complaints about lack of available drinking water. This year, 20 aid stations were placed along the course, an increase from 15. More water was made available, along with misting stations and a color-coded alert system on the course. Considering that Chicago is seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, another interruption of the race would have been a public relations — not to mention a health nightmare. No major incidents were reported as the average runners went through the first five aid stations. At Sunday’s 8 a.m. start, the temperature was already 65 degrees — about 10 degrees above optimum for the end of a marathon — and the humidity was 73 percent, though dropping. By 9:30, the mercury had risen to 78, with 41 percent humidity. Some 45,000 runners had registered for the race, but only about 35,000 appeared at the start on Sunday. Some, perhaps, were discouraged by the weather. In the men’s race, Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who had finished second or third in the past five Chicago Marathons, had hoped to finally get a victory on Sunday, but fell off the pace by 11 miles. Meanwhile, the race appeared to distill itself to three other Kenyans: Cheruiyot, who was running in only his second marathon, Emmanuel Mutai and David Mandago. By mile 18, Mutai had drifted, and it was left to Mandago and Cheruiyot to share the lead with a metronic pace of 4:52 per mile. Mandago, a taller runner whose left arm swings wide with each stride, drew ahead and at one point seemed to be pulling away from his countryman. But Cheruiyot, 26, would not fade, though. He drew ahead in the 24th mile and finally forced Mandago to succumb in mile 25 with a steady, short stride. Cheruiyot’s winning time was a personal best by nearly four minutes. Through 21 miles, Cheruiyot and Mandago were on pace to break Khalid Khannouchi’s course record of 2:05:42, set in 1999, until the heat sapped finishing speed from the Kenyans’ legs. Mandago took second more than a minute back in 2:07:37, and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya finished third in 2:11:39. In the women’s race, the Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania tried to win a second marathon only 56 days after taking gold in Beijing. The pace was slow through the halfway point (1:15:26) and Tomescu-Dita hung with a pack of a dozen leaders. The sluggish pace seemed to be playing into her hands. Unlike the Olympic race, though, when Tomescu-Dita broke away at 13.1 miles, she didn’t have enough energy left in her legs on Sunday. Instead, it was two Russians, Grigoryeva and Alevtina Biktimirova, who drew ahead, along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, with a 5:15 mile, by far the fastest in the race. By mile 15, Bekele, too, had dropped away and the two Russian were left to sort the race among themselves. After letting her countrywoman do the hard work in the lead, Grigoryeva surged to the front in mile 21, with another 5:14 mile. She had won Boston in 2007, and on Sunday she won by more than two minutes. Biktimirova took second in 2:29:32. Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan was third in 2:30:19. Tomescu-Dita finished a distant fourth.
Views: 4292
CHICAGO — One of the least experienced of the elite runners at the Chicago Marathon, Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya proved the fastest on Sunday, winning in 2 hours 6 minutes 25 seconds on a sunny, hot day that had organizers again concerned about the safety of the more than 30,000 average runners in the field. Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia won the women’s race in 2:27:17, tempering an embarrassing summer for her native country, in which five Olympians were suspended before the Beijing Games for using someone else’s urine in an attempt to circumvent doping controls. Meanwhile, as temperatures rose to 78 degrees an hour and a half into Sunday’s 26.2-mile race, organizers were hoping to avoid a repeat of the calamitous 2007 Chicago Marathon, when the race was halted after 3½ hours because of temperatures in the high 80s, oppressive humidity and complaints about lack of available drinking water. This year, 20 aid stations were placed along the course, an increase from 15. More water was made available, along with misting stations and a color-coded alert system on the course. Considering that Chicago is seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, another interruption of the race would have been a public relations — not to mention a health nightmare. No major incidents were reported as the average runners went through the first five aid stations. At Sunday’s 8 a.m. start, the temperature was already 65 degrees — about 10 degrees above optimum for the end of a marathon — and the humidity was 73 percent, though dropping. By 9:30, the mercury had risen to 78, with 41 percent humidity. Some 45,000 runners had registered for the race, but only about 35,000 appeared at the start on Sunday. Some, perhaps, were discouraged by the weather. In the men’s race, Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who had finished second or third in the past five Chicago Marathons, had hoped to finally get a victory on Sunday, but fell off the pace by 11 miles. Meanwhile, the race appeared to distill itself to three other Kenyans: Cheruiyot, who was running in only his second marathon, Emmanuel Mutai and David Mandago. By mile 18, Mutai had drifted, and it was left to Mandago and Cheruiyot to share the lead with a metronic pace of 4:52 per mile. Mandago, a taller runner whose left arm swings wide with each stride, drew ahead and at one point seemed to be pulling away from his countryman. But Cheruiyot, 26, would not fade, though. He drew ahead in the 24th mile and finally forced Mandago to succumb in mile 25 with a steady, short stride. Cheruiyot’s winning time was a personal best by nearly four minutes. Through 21 miles, Cheruiyot and Mandago were on pace to break Khalid Khannouchi’s course record of 2:05:42, set in 1999, until the heat sapped finishing speed from the Kenyans’ legs. Mandago took second more than a minute back in 2:07:37, and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya finished third in 2:11:39. In the women’s race, the Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania tried to win a second marathon only 56 days after taking gold in Beijing. The pace was slow through the halfway point (1:15:26) and Tomescu-Dita hung with a pack of a dozen leaders. The sluggish pace seemed to be playing into her hands. Unlike the Olympic race, though, when Tomescu-Dita broke away at 13.1 miles, she didn’t have enough energy left in her legs on Sunday. Instead, it was two Russians, Grigoryeva and Alevtina Biktimirova, who drew ahead, along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, with a 5:15 mile, by far the fastest in the race. By mile 15, Bekele, too, had dropped away and the two Russian were left to sort the race among themselves. After letting her countrywoman do the hard work in the lead, Grigoryeva surged to the front in mile 21, with another 5:14 mile. She had won Boston in 2007, and on Sunday she won by more than two minutes. Biktimirova took second in 2:29:32. Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan was third in 2:30:19. Tomescu-Dita finished a distant fourth.
Views: 4292
CHICAGO — One of the least experienced of the elite runners at the Chicago Marathon, Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya proved the fastest on Sunday, winning in 2 hours 6 minutes 25 seconds on a sunny, hot day that had organizers again concerned about the safety of the more than 30,000 average runners in the field. Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia won the women’s race in 2:27:17, tempering an embarrassing summer for her native country, in which five Olympians were suspended before the Beijing Games for using someone else’s urine in an attempt to circumvent doping controls. Meanwhile, as temperatures rose to 78 degrees an hour and a half into Sunday’s 26.2-mile race, organizers were hoping to avoid a repeat of the calamitous 2007 Chicago Marathon, when the race was halted after 3½ hours because of temperatures in the high 80s, oppressive humidity and complaints about lack of available drinking water. This year, 20 aid stations were placed along the course, an increase from 15. More water was made available, along with misting stations and a color-coded alert system on the course. Considering that Chicago is seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, another interruption of the race would have been a public relations — not to mention a health nightmare. No major incidents were reported as the average runners went through the first five aid stations. At Sunday’s 8 a.m. start, the temperature was already 65 degrees — about 10 degrees above optimum for the end of a marathon — and the humidity was 73 percent, though dropping. By 9:30, the mercury had risen to 78, with 41 percent humidity. Some 45,000 runners had registered for the race, but only about 35,000 appeared at the start on Sunday. Some, perhaps, were discouraged by the weather. In the men’s race, Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who had finished second or third in the past five Chicago Marathons, had hoped to finally get a victory on Sunday, but fell off the pace by 11 miles. Meanwhile, the race appeared to distill itself to three other Kenyans: Cheruiyot, who was running in only his second marathon, Emmanuel Mutai and David Mandago. By mile 18, Mutai had drifted, and it was left to Mandago and Cheruiyot to share the lead with a metronic pace of 4:52 per mile. Mandago, a taller runner whose left arm swings wide with each stride, drew ahead and at one point seemed to be pulling away from his countryman. But Cheruiyot, 26, would not fade, though. He drew ahead in the 24th mile and finally forced Mandago to succumb in mile 25 with a steady, short stride. Cheruiyot’s winning time was a personal best by nearly four minutes. Through 21 miles, Cheruiyot and Mandago were on pace to break Khalid Khannouchi’s course record of 2:05:42, set in 1999, until the heat sapped finishing speed from the Kenyans’ legs. Mandago took second more than a minute back in 2:07:37, and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya finished third in 2:11:39. In the women’s race, the Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania tried to win a second marathon only 56 days after taking gold in Beijing. The pace was slow through the halfway point (1:15:26) and Tomescu-Dita hung with a pack of a dozen leaders. The sluggish pace seemed to be playing into her hands. Unlike the Olympic race, though, when Tomescu-Dita broke away at 13.1 miles, she didn’t have enough energy left in her legs on Sunday. Instead, it was two Russians, Grigoryeva and Alevtina Biktimirova, who drew ahead, along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, with a 5:15 mile, by far the fastest in the race. By mile 15, Bekele, too, had dropped away and the two Russian were left to sort the race among themselves. After letting her countrywoman do the hard work in the lead, Grigoryeva surged to the front in mile 21, with another 5:14 mile. She had won Boston in 2007, and on Sunday she won by more than two minutes. Biktimirova took second in 2:29:32. Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan was third in 2:30:19. Tomescu-Dita finished a distant fourth.
Views: 4292
CHICAGO — One of the least experienced of the elite runners at the Chicago Marathon, Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya proved the fastest on Sunday, winning in 2 hours 6 minutes 25 seconds on a sunny, hot day that had organizers again concerned about the safety of the more than 30,000 average runners in the field. Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia won the women’s race in 2:27:17, tempering an embarrassing summer for her native country, in which five Olympians were suspended before the Beijing Games for using someone else’s urine in an attempt to circumvent doping controls. Meanwhile, as temperatures rose to 78 degrees an hour and a half into Sunday’s 26.2-mile race, organizers were hoping to avoid a repeat of the calamitous 2007 Chicago Marathon, when the race was halted after 3½ hours because of temperatures in the high 80s, oppressive humidity and complaints about lack of available drinking water. This year, 20 aid stations were placed along the course, an increase from 15. More water was made available, along with misting stations and a color-coded alert system on the course. Considering that Chicago is seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, another interruption of the race would have been a public relations — not to mention a health nightmare. No major incidents were reported as the average runners went through the first five aid stations. At Sunday’s 8 a.m. start, the temperature was already 65 degrees — about 10 degrees above optimum for the end of a marathon — and the humidity was 73 percent, though dropping. By 9:30, the mercury had risen to 78, with 41 percent humidity. Some 45,000 runners had registered for the race, but only about 35,000 appeared at the start on Sunday. Some, perhaps, were discouraged by the weather. In the men’s race, Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who had finished second or third in the past five Chicago Marathons, had hoped to finally get a victory on Sunday, but fell off the pace by 11 miles. Meanwhile, the race appeared to distill itself to three other Kenyans: Cheruiyot, who was running in only his second marathon, Emmanuel Mutai and David Mandago. By mile 18, Mutai had drifted, and it was left to Mandago and Cheruiyot to share the lead with a metronic pace of 4:52 per mile. Mandago, a taller runner whose left arm swings wide with each stride, drew ahead and at one point seemed to be pulling away from his countryman. But Cheruiyot, 26, would not fade, though. He drew ahead in the 24th mile and finally forced Mandago to succumb in mile 25 with a steady, short stride. Cheruiyot’s winning time was a personal best by nearly four minutes. Through 21 miles, Cheruiyot and Mandago were on pace to break Khalid Khannouchi’s course record of 2:05:42, set in 1999, until the heat sapped finishing speed from the Kenyans’ legs. Mandago took second more than a minute back in 2:07:37, and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya finished third in 2:11:39. In the women’s race, the Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania tried to win a second marathon only 56 days after taking gold in Beijing. The pace was slow through the halfway point (1:15:26) and Tomescu-Dita hung with a pack of a dozen leaders. The sluggish pace seemed to be playing into her hands. Unlike the Olympic race, though, when Tomescu-Dita broke away at 13.1 miles, she didn’t have enough energy left in her legs on Sunday. Instead, it was two Russians, Grigoryeva and Alevtina Biktimirova, who drew ahead, along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, with a 5:15 mile, by far the fastest in the race. By mile 15, Bekele, too, had dropped away and the two Russian were left to sort the race among themselves. After letting her countrywoman do the hard work in the lead, Grigoryeva surged to the front in mile 21, with another 5:14 mile. She had won Boston in 2007, and on Sunday she won by more than two minutes. Biktimirova took second in 2:29:32. Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan was third in 2:30:19. Tomescu-Dita finished a distant fourth.
Views: 4292
CHICAGO — One of the least experienced of the elite runners at the Chicago Marathon, Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya proved the fastest on Sunday, winning in 2 hours 6 minutes 25 seconds on a sunny, hot day that had organizers again concerned about the safety of the more than 30,000 average runners in the field. Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia won the women’s race in 2:27:17, tempering an embarrassing summer for her native country, in which five Olympians were suspended before the Beijing Games for using someone else’s urine in an attempt to circumvent doping controls. Meanwhile, as temperatures rose to 78 degrees an hour and a half into Sunday’s 26.2-mile race, organizers were hoping to avoid a repeat of the calamitous 2007 Chicago Marathon, when the race was halted after 3½ hours because of temperatures in the high 80s, oppressive humidity and complaints about lack of available drinking water. This year, 20 aid stations were placed along the course, an increase from 15. More water was made available, along with misting stations and a color-coded alert system on the course. Considering that Chicago is seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, another interruption of the race would have been a public relations — not to mention a health nightmare. No major incidents were reported as the average runners went through the first five aid stations. At Sunday’s 8 a.m. start, the temperature was already 65 degrees — about 10 degrees above optimum for the end of a marathon — and the humidity was 73 percent, though dropping. By 9:30, the mercury had risen to 78, with 41 percent humidity. Some 45,000 runners had registered for the race, but only about 35,000 appeared at the start on Sunday. Some, perhaps, were discouraged by the weather. In the men’s race, Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who had finished second or third in the past five Chicago Marathons, had hoped to finally get a victory on Sunday, but fell off the pace by 11 miles. Meanwhile, the race appeared to distill itself to three other Kenyans: Cheruiyot, who was running in only his second marathon, Emmanuel Mutai and David Mandago. By mile 18, Mutai had drifted, and it was left to Mandago and Cheruiyot to share the lead with a metronic pace of 4:52 per mile. Mandago, a taller runner whose left arm swings wide with each stride, drew ahead and at one point seemed to be pulling away from his countryman. But Cheruiyot, 26, would not fade, though. He drew ahead in the 24th mile and finally forced Mandago to succumb in mile 25 with a steady, short stride. Cheruiyot’s winning time was a personal best by nearly four minutes. Through 21 miles, Cheruiyot and Mandago were on pace to break Khalid Khannouchi’s course record of 2:05:42, set in 1999, until the heat sapped finishing speed from the Kenyans’ legs. Mandago took second more than a minute back in 2:07:37, and Timothy Cherigat of Kenya finished third in 2:11:39. In the women’s race, the Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania tried to win a second marathon only 56 days after taking gold in Beijing. The pace was slow through the halfway point (1:15:26) and Tomescu-Dita hung with a pack of a dozen leaders. The sluggish pace seemed to be playing into her hands. Unlike the Olympic race, though, when Tomescu-Dita broke away at 13.1 miles, she didn’t have enough energy left in her legs on Sunday. Instead, it was two Russians, Grigoryeva and Alevtina Biktimirova, who drew ahead, along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, with a 5:15 mile, by far the fastest in the race. By mile 15, Bekele, too, had dropped away and the two Russian were left to sort the race among themselves. After letting her countrywoman do the hard work in the lead, Grigoryeva surged to the front in mile 21, with another 5:14 mile. She had won Boston in 2007, and on Sunday she won by more than two minutes. Biktimirova took second in 2:29:32. Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan was third in 2:30:19. Tomescu-Dita finished a distant fourth.