First Lady Michelle Obama is on a mission to win the bid for Chicago to be the host of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. At a round table discussion with reporters in the White House State Dining Room this past Monday, Mrs. Obama, smiling, had this to say, "It's a battle –– we're going to win –– take no prisoners!"
Mrs. Obama arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark, this morning and President Obama is scheduled to leave on Thursday to join his wife and they will be making their presentation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday, October 2.
According to news reports, a "Chicago entourage" will be joining President Obama and the first lady in Copenhagen, including a few from Obama’s administration; Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood; Hollywood powerhouse, Oprah Winfrey; and Chicago is bringing 14 Olympic and two Paralympic gold medalists, including Michael Johnson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Nadia Comaneci and Nastia Liukin.
Obama will be the first U.S. president to appeal in person to the IOC for an Olympic event and many are praising his decision to make this special appearance, while some Republicans consider Obama’s trip “misplaced priorities”. The Associated Press noted that RNC Chairman Michael Steele called the visit “noble”, however, Steele asked, "Where is the focus?" and added, “At a time of war, at a time of recession ... I think this trip is nice but not necessary for the president. The goal should be creating job opportunities not seven years from now, but job opportunities today."
Politico.com weighed in on the Obama trip this past Monday, “White House officials didn't want Obama to be rebuffed and initially hinted the president himself wouldn't make the trip. Now top aides say they want to pull out all the stops, and they hope a personal pitch by Obama, who is highly popular around the world, will give Chicago's bid a major boost”.
The four finalists for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games are Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, and Tokyo and other than the U.S. President, heads of state representing Rio and Madrid will be attending as well. The IOC will be announcing the winner on Friday...will the Obama’s and their "Chicago entourage" bring home the GOLD?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Jeannie Danna
Christine,
I would like to comment on Mr. Steele's statement regarding employment generated by a won bid for the 2016 summer Olympics.
(RNC Chairman Michael Steele called the visit “noble”, however, Steele asked, "Where is the focus?" and added, “At a time of war, at a time of recession ... I think this trip is nice but not necessary for the president. The goal should be creating job opportunities not seven years from now, but job opportunities today.")
I live in the great lakes district and just the preparation and building for a Chicago 2016 Olympics would generate billions in revenue for this area of the country.
Can you see the influx of workers and supportive services for the project? The increase in tourism from people at home and all over the world?
It takes years of planning and construction of venues and accommodations for an event like this.
I for one, hope that people will also visit surrounding attractions. NYC and Niagara Falls come to mind...:)
2 - Joanne Huspek
Seems a little disingenuous that the White House is making the Olympic bid, but that's politics. Who will profit? Not the people looking for work in Chicago, but for the cronies of the Chicago mob.
By the way, I live in the Rust Belt too, but I don't foresee any spillover from the Olympics being held in Chicago. I don't see anyone taking what constitutes an all day car trip to go to Niagara Falls or a longer one to NYC. Of course, there'll be no layovers in Detroit.
The consensus is that Olympics cost money. TAXPAYER money. Calgary is still paying, as is just about every other venue in recent history. We can't afford it.
3 - Christine
Hey Jeannie and Joanne: I get the sense that there are mixed feelings on this possibility for Chicago. And just as your comments relfect, there are two views; profit or loss? Anyone have any facts on this?
4 - Baritone
How is it disingenuous? At any rate, the White House is not "making the bid." The Obamas are simply attempting to give the bid a boost. The leaders of the other 3 countries under consideration will be there as well.
How can these Republican boobs even open their mouths about this? They seem to have very short memories or at least I assume they hope that their constituents do. GWB spent 4 DAYS in Beijing! Obama's trip including flight time will take about 18 hours. Jesus, the hypocracy!
I thought it interesting that that great mind Glenn Beck took pains in his objections to Obama's trip in noting that the Vancouver Olympics had lost millions of dollars. Interesting in that the Vancouver Olympics haven't taken place yet. Very prescient of him.
Joanne, your assumptions about who will or will not profit in Chicago is off base. As Jeanne observes, there will in fact be many hundreds of jobs to build or alter venues and to accomplish all the planning necessary to pull it all off. Will some of the profits be shuffled into undeserving pockets? No doubt. When and where is that NOT the case? And anyhow, cronies and mobsters gotta eat, too.
B
5 - Doug Hunter
I don't think there's anything wrong with Obama throwing his support to pull the Olympics here and I sincerely hope he succeeds. I think there's a bit of danger in tying his name to the bid if we don't get it, a small loss of face. I want the US to succeed in all it's endeavors even if Democrats are running the country.
I also think the people of Chicago with their lukewarm view of the whole concept are seriously hampering our chances. Recent polls have shown the population evenly split or against the idea whereas other potential venues are 85-90% in favor. I don't understand the attitude, hosting the Olympics is another chance to bring people from around the world (and their money) into this country and show them a positive side of the US and stimulate the local economy at the same time.
6 - Jeannie Danna
#2 The number on this comment seems fitting
(Seems a little disingenuous that the White House is making the Olympic bid, but that's politics. Who will profit? Not the people looking for work in Chicago, but for the cronies of the Chicago mob.)
may I ask what specific group you are referring to here? Or Are you one of those individuals who call powerful groups of people not of English decent MAFIA?
7 - Jeannie Danna
# 3 Christine,
I can ask you to watch Maddow's piece on this subject; it aired yesterday. This might be akin to you asking me to watch Glen Beck.
I don't think I can Christine, sorry...:(
8 - Christine
Jeannie, I think Valerie Jarrett stands to profit and was even granted an "ethics waiver" by the White House..hmmm???
White House Grants Jarrett Ethics Waiver to Lead Efforts to Bring 2016 Olympics to Chicago
Clavos, I finally figured out how to do links her on the comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9 - Christine
Jeannie #7, I watch Rachel Maddow almost every night, in between CNN and Fox. Must of missed that one.
10 - Jeannie Danna
Ditto #4 & #5 !
11 - Christine
OK, link didn't work, darn it! Back to the tutorial...
12 - Jeannie Danna
#11 Christine I'm having trouble with links also. I used my instructions from before when I was here but they don't work! I don't think it's you.
13 - Christine
Jeannie, ok I don't feel like such a dumbbell!
14 - El Bicho
Steele continues to show what an ill-informed buffoon he is. There will be jobs created if and when they win the bid. They don't start prepping the year it takes place.
LA didn't occur any debt, so the notion that it has to cost money is not an absolute
15 - Doug Hunter
The other issue that seems to cloud these things is that of corrupt politics. That's true regardless of which location the Olympics go to. In big cities connections with the political elite is simply how business gets done and, yes, buddies of Daley and the Obamas will certainly get fat contracts if Chicago wins. That's no reason to try and derail this process. Would you rather corrupt politicians in Rio get the benefit? Bring jobs, money, and prestige to the US when you have the chance and deal with the separate issue of corruption as it presents itself.
16 - roger nowosielski
Still, it's disturbing, Doug, that we can't seem to break this unholy alliance. It's as though graft and corruption are here to stay, and we had better accept it.
17 - Baronius
The financial outcome of a one-time business venture is hard to predict. As I recall, the primary source of revenue for the Olympics is NBC.
I've got no problem with the President visiting Copenhagen.
18 - Doug Hunter
The economic output? Since when did government care about that? The government pays people to delay finding jobs, pays single mothers to have children, pays and rewards people for not claiming enough income and suddenly people are worried about a few billion that will actually be redistributed to middle class workers doing jobs that will actually bring foreign money into the US. That's crazy talk.
19 - Dr Dreadful
It's nothing unusual or outrageous for a head of state to lend his weight to an Olympic bid in his country. Putin did it to help win Russia's bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Blair was a key player in bring the 2012 Summer Games to London. Even way back in 1936, Hitler... never mind, let's not go there! :-)
My objection is that the US has already hosted four Olympics in the last 30 years and can't seem to stop bidding for the damn things. Sure, it's one of the few countries that can afford to hold the Games, but let a few other countries have a go!
Perhaps it's time the IOC put a rotation policy in place, like the one FIFA has which ensures that no country on a continent which has hosted the event can bid on the next two.
20 - Doug Hunter
They could but the last summer games were held here in 1996 so that puts us on the fifth cycle, of seven continents (and really, is Antarctica ever going to get it's fair shot at a summer games). It's not that far out of whack although Canada and Mexico may have something to say about which country on the continent is hogging all the glory.
21 - roger nowosielski
I'm trying not to be partial, but except for Russia or China, the ex satellites countries are rarely considered.
Warsaw, Poland would make an excellent choice with its long term tradition in sports and track and field in particular. And so would Hungary or the Czech Republic. Even Romania.
And what about France? When was the last time that France hosted the games.
But I forget. The French are too chauvinistic and temperamental, so that's two strikes against them.
22 - Dr Dreadful
Poland may yet make a bid before too long, Roger. They're already co-hosting, with Ukraine, the 2012 European Football Championship - and may end up as sole hosts if the Ukrainian preparations, which are by all accounts an absolute shambles, don't make some pretty big strides pretty soon.
A moderately-sized tournament like that is the perfect testing-ground for a country's capability to host one of the Big Two - the Olympics or the World Cup.
23 - roger nowosielski
I don't know when was the last time you've been to Europe, Dreadful, but if and when you do, make sure to visit Warsaw. It's a beautiful city - close to 2 million by now - and it's being reconstructed since the war. Cracow, too, is worth seeing, if only for the traces of the medieval past. And it had not been touched by the war.
24 - Dr Dreadful
Doug, I didn't mean that each continent should take turns. FIFA tried that with the World Cup and it didn't work out too well after it came to South America's turn and nobody except Brazil wanted to put in a bid. Hence the modification. South Africa is hosting it next year, so no African country was allowed to put in a bid for 2014 or 2018, but they can for 2022. I think that's a pretty fair way of doing things.
Of course that would make the US entitled to bid, but since they always seem to be either hosting a Games or bidding on one, I just reckon it might be time for them to step aside for a decade or two. :-)
25 - roger nowosielski
You might enjoy the slide show, Dreadful.