Obama: Copenhagen-bound for IOC

Obama: Copenhagen-bound for IOC
by Mark Silva
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
September 28, 2009 7:15 AM
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/09/obama_copenhagenbound_for_ioc.html


Let the games begin:

President Barack Obama, who initially planned to let First Lady Michelle Obama represent the United States in Copenhagen this week, when the International Olympic Committee chooses a site for the 2016 summer games, plans to travel there too. The first couple will appear together at the venue-choosing summit, where Chicago will compete with three other cities for the '16 games.

The White House, which earlier had announced that an advance team was headed to Copenhagen to prepare for a possible presidential trip to Copenhagen, confirmed this morning that Obama will travel Thursday night. The IOC meets Friday.

A senior administration official told the Tribune Washington Bureau this morning that Obama will travel to Copenhagen Thursday night, and return following the Friday meeting. The first lady plans to travel Tuesday, and meet with individual members of the IOC on Wednesday and Thursday to make Chicago's case for the games. The president will join her at the full committee meeting on Friday.

"President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will both make presentations to the IOC during Friday's session,'' the White House press secretary said later this morning, in formally announcing the trip. "They will discuss why Chicago is best to host the 2016 Summer Games, and how the United States is eager to bring the world together to celebrate the ideals of the Olympic movement.''

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs voiced confidence in Chicago's bid for the games this afternoon.

"Obviously the president has mentioned this at meetings when we were at the U.N. and G-20,'' Gibbs said, asked about Obama's own "behind the scenes'' lobbying for the games. "He's going to continue to talk to people, in an effort to bring the 2016 games...

"Having spent some time in Chicago, it is a perfect place to hold the Olympics,'' Gibbs said. "It offers a great place for the world to see... I think, far and away, it's the strongest bid of the four.''

What if the U.S. is not chosen? Call his assistant on Saturday, the press secretary suggested.

And as for that perennial "tomato-tomahto" question, Gibbs was asked about his own pronunciation: "I say Copen-HAYGEN, but I'm not sure I should be the arbiter.''

Chicago is competing with Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo for the 2016 summer games.

Obama isn't the only head of state going to Copenhagen

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, confident in Rio's bid, will travel to the Danish capital ahead of the IOC;s vote.

"This is a fight," Silva said on his weekly radio program today. "And if we don't win, we'll have to prepare for another one. But I think we're going to return from Copenhagen with a victory." Brazil deserves the Olympics, Silva says, because South America has never hosted the games. "For the other nations, it would just be one more Olympics.''

When in Denmark...

The American president and first lady also plan to meet with Queen Margrethe II and His Royal Highness, the Prince Consort. The president also plans a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

The Danish media are chasing suggestions that Obama might get out for a walk-around as well, though the time-frame of the president's planned overnight trip for meetings and return Friday afternoon don't leave a lot of room for tourism. They're hearing that the president's whole presence there may be limited to five hours.

It's big news in Denmark: Obamas besøg er skåret ned til fem timer

Promoters of Chicago's bid for the 2016 games have pressed the president to take the United States' case to Copenhagen personally. And prromoters today praised the president's decision to join the first lady at the IOC meeting.

(Copen-HAYGEN, says Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, pictured above, today, at press briefing. Photo by Gerald Herbert / AP.) And President Barack Obama toyed with a light saber and Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse, who won a silver medal in Men's Saber Fencing at the Beijing Olympics, during a recent event at the White House to promote Chicago's bid for the '16 games. (Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP)

"President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama symbolize the hope, opportunity and inspiration that makes Chicago great, and we are honored to have two of our city's most accomplished residents leading our delegation in Copenhagen," Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said in a statement released this morning.

"Who better to share with members of the International Olympic Committee the commitment and enthusiasm Chicago has for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement than the President and First Lady,'' the mayor said.

"There is no greater expression of the support our bid enjoys, from the highest levels of government and throughout our country, than to have President Obama join us in Copenhagen for the pinnacle moment in our bid," said Chicago 2016 Chairman and CEO Patrick G. Ryan.

"We are honored that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be with us to extend a hand of friendship on behalf of our nation and the City of Chicago as we seek to welcome the world for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,'' Ryan said in a statement issued today.

In addition to the president, first lady and Mayor Daley, other senior governmental officials in the Chicago 2016 delegation to Copenhagen will include White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.