Obamas host event to support Chicago's bid for 2016 Olympics
President Obama fences with US Olympic Fencer Tim Morehouse with a lightsaber. (Photo Credit: Jim Watson/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will try to bolster their hometown's chances of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games Wednesday.
Chicago, Illinois, is competing with Madrid, Spain; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Tokyo, Japan, for the opportunity to hold the Summer Olympics.
Wednesday afternoon, the Obamas will play host to an event at the White House aiming to boost Chicago's bid.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and U.S. Olympians and Paralympians are among those who will participate in the event, the White House said in a statement.
The International Olympic Committee will vote on the host city next month in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Michelle Obama announced last week that she would be traveling to Copenhagen for the meeting to support Chicago's chances.
From CNN Politics
- This working mom is Republicans' best shot at unseating Marjorie Taylor Greene -- if they want to
- Results are in: Best Balance Transfer card of 2022
- Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio gets tough competition in his bid for Congress
- McCormick pushes for undated ballots to be counted in Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary after court ruling
- Republicans are gaining with female voters, as gender gap shrinks
- Untitled
I like it.
So they're having an event at the White House that does nothing for 99.9% of America and the Michelle is going to Denmark to lobby for something that does nothing for 99.9% of America?
Who is paying for all this stuff? Is the first lady flying on her own dime?
Its obvious that Obama wants this to be his ultimate celebration of himself before he leaves office....but unfortunately he'll only be President until 2013. Besides that, do we really want to showcase Chicago and all its corruption to the world?
this is going to be so cool
How much corruption will happen if these olympics come here to chicago? The pockets will be filled of the mayors and obama's cronies. Just a money grab, and the taxpayers will be stuck once again!
Kids are getting shot going to high school here in Chicago...how can we handle an olympics?
YES, Obama is going to help his (adopted) home town – which is still a town in the United States of America (and the only American town in the running for this event) to get the Summer Olympics...
Go AMERICA!
Wonderful, THANK you Mr. President and First Lady Michelle.
GO USA!
GO USA!
GO USA!
Oh, the almighty DEFICIT KING wants to create more DEFICIT.
Go USA! The Olympics in the US is a great opportunity to highlight America (and would be a great boost to the mid-west economy).
Chicago is a beautiful city, and would be a great place to hold the Olympics!
Is the first lady flying on her own dime? Come on. Why is that when the Obamas travel, you worry about who's paying the expense.
Did President pay for his travels to TX every two weeks?
It would be great for Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Olympics; even more if the United States could also host the FIFA 2014 World Cup. Real Football!
All of the Chicago politcal thugs/friends of obamas are sittin there like dogs lickin their chops and thinkin of all the ways this will line their pockets.
That would be great to have them in Chicago, unfortunately it the murder capital so I doubt they get the bid....
How come I never heard about people complaining if Mrs. Bush did something with her husband - or the children? Why is this now coming out that you can't handle Mrs. Obama flying some place to do something? I don't believe this, I just don't.
I think the President should keep out of it; this would be a conflict of interest since he is from this area. But, hey when has anyone in Politics ever done anything questionable for his area or himself! Never huh! I wonder how much stimulas money sent to this state will be used to used to garner this, instead of being used as it should be.
Its not ok for teh SC Governer to use state funds to fly family around the state for vacation, however, its ok for Obama to fly his kids to Political duties to Europe. Now the America has to pay for questionable trips for the Presidents kids huh? What do teh kids do, talk politics with other kids?? Yeah Right!~
YEAH, I'm going to Chicago for the Olympics!
I LOVE AMERICA!
It would be just fab if Chicago got the olympics. I hope the boost from the President has a positive result.
It would also be geat if people who have nothing bu nasty comments to make would log off for the day, just for one day...give us all a breath of fresh air.
did anybody ever ask "who's dime were the Bushes traveling on"?????
Stop hating and move on.
Chicago's my hometown and I love to visit and will be there for the Olympics!
Moved because of all the snow...before you ask!
Chicago, Illinois is in the U.S. and not in Brazil, Spain or any other country competing for the Olympics. Get it.
Great idea. Obamas. Bring some positive light on Chicago and this country. The naysayers will always be naysayers so just ignore them and move forward, everybody else has. In fact, that's how you won the election, the country ignored the naysayers and they'll ignore them again in 2012.
I heard he will coordinate the back sale.
I mean he will coordinate the bake sale.
Too bad Chicago is busting at the seams with crime(both street and political) Chicago vs Spain or Brazil?? We should offer a better city.
I love how the so called "conservatives" have awakened after 8 yrs only to ask a Democrat how he's going to pay for stuff. Careful, after eight yrs with your eyes closed, your hypocrisy might blind you.