- The G-8 summit will be held at Camp David, not in Chicago as had been scheduled.
The White House announced the change in the following statement:
"In May, the United States looks forward to hosting the G-8 and NATO Summits. To facilitate a free-flowing discussion with our close G-8 partners, the president is inviting his fellow G-8 leaders to Camp David on May 18-19 for the G-8 Summit, which will address a broad range of economic, political and security issues.
"The president will then welcome NATO allies and partners to his hometown of Chicago for the NATO Summit on May 20-21, which will be the premier opportunity this year for the president to continue his efforts to strengthen NATO in order to ensure that the Atlantic Alliance remains the most successful alliance in history, while charting the way forward in Afghanistan."
The 38th G8 summit was to be held in Chicago alongside the NATO summit, and was expected to draw thousands of demonstrators.
Police officials estimated that 2,000 to 10,000 demonstrators were expected to show up for the overlapping G-8 and NATO summits. At least two major demonstrations were already planned for downtown during the summit, and organizers said they wanted to send crowds of marchers down Michigan Avenue in the middle of the day.
More details as they become available. But what a tremendous embarrassment to Rahm and McCarthy that the White House has zero confidence in their ability to host a major undertaking. The years of neglect and outright criminal dismantling of the Chicago Police Department have come home to roost.