President-Elect Obama in support of the Chicago bid to host the Olympics in 2016

[DeepBlueDem]

http://www.chicago2016.org/obama2016.aspx <-----------------VIDEO LINK


The International Olympic Committee is divided into five regions. There are more IOC members at the European meeting than at any of the other regions. Sixty votes are needed to win.

On the day after Obama became the first African-American to be elected U.S. president, Daley gushed about using Obama’s superstar status on the world stage to carry Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid over the goal line.

“You can bring your Olympics . . . so far. Your prime minister your president has to then carry the football,” the mayor said on that day.

On Friday, Obama got a running start.

Not only did the president-elect take time out of his busy transition schedule to tape the video played in Istanbul.

Pictures of Obama highlighted Chicago’s 20-minute presentation to the European Olympic Committee. They included a photograph of that balmy and magical night in Grant Park when Obama delivered his acceptance speech before a sea of adoring faces.

In a telephone interview from Istanbul earlier this week, Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan talked about the Obama effect and its impact on Chicago’s European pitch.

“The Obama election has been helpful in that it’s putting a very bright spotlight on Chicago. The acceptance speech in Grant Park, the multi-culturalism and passion of the people, the oustanding acceptance speech resonated around the world. The fact that President-elect Obama is managing the transition from Chicago continues to put a spotlight on Chicago,” Ryan said.

The IOC will meet in Coopenhagen on Oct. 2, 2009 to choose between Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. Barring unforseen circumstances, Ryan said he had “reason to believe” Obama will be in Coopenhagen to help Chicago seal the deal.

[Hope And Change]

1. K & R!

[alwysdrunk]

2. They'll get it

It's about time the Olympics came back to the states anyway.

[monmouth]

3. Now here's a job for Ahnold if he wants to work for PE Obama..LOL....n/t

[genna]

4. What part of Chicago can/should be expanded to handle the Olympic games

I was in Atlanta before the 1996 Olympics. They had to redo the city to handle the influx of athletes, officials, and business which came to the city.


It would be great if they would redo large swaths of the South Side, so that the international money which came to Chicago for infrastructure could remake some of the blight. There are undeveloped portions of the South laying bare unlike the Northside.