Chicago Gets Olympic Makeover

IOC shows us the world still likes to thumb its nose at American power

(NEWSER) - The first-round knockout of Chicago’s Olympic bid speaks to an unpleasant fact, writes Mike Lopresti: “A lot of people out there don't like us. They don't care if President Obama is eloquent and the first lady is charming.” If it had come down to just Chicago and Rio, with South America never having hosted the games before, that would’ve been one thing. But “to be the first city eliminated speaks to something deeper. This was a repudiation.” More»

President, first lady stump for their hometown ahead of Olympic vote

(NEWSER) - Barack and Michelle Obama made an impassioned call today to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago, which the president called the "most American of American cities." In his pitch to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen, the president told of how he became "a proud Chicagoan" after a peripatetic childhood and fell in love with the diversity and ambition of the Second City. The first lady made a deeply personal presentation. She spoke about how her father instilled a love of sports in all of his children despite his battle with multiple sclerosis. More»

Rio, Madrid, or Tokyo could leave Obamas empty-handed this week

(NEWSER) - Barack and Michelle Obama arrive in Denmark tomorrow, hoping to win the 2016 Olympics for their hometown. The Windy City has an impressive bid, proposing events in the city's parks and a lakefront Olympic Village. But three other cities are lobbying hard, and any could get the Games come Friday.

• Madrid: Spain has valuable experience from the Barcelona Games, and events would take place in Real Madrid's famous soccer stadium. But after London 2012, another European city is a tough sell. And Madrid's 100-degree summers don't help.

First visit by a president to lobby for Olympics

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen on Thursday to back Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said today. The president will be joined by Michelle Obama and his education and transportation secretaries. Chicago is bidding against Tokyo, Rio de Janiero, and Madrid, but none of the four cities is seen as a favorite ahead of Friday's vote. Japan's new PM, Brazil's president, and the king of Spain will be lobbying as well. More»

Pound suggests Chicago mayor try twisting Obama's arm ahead of IOC vote

(NEWSER) - President Obama's absence will definitely be noticed as the International Olympic Committee meets to pick the host city for the 2016 Olympics, IOC member Dick Pound tells AP. "I don't think there's an IOC member on the planet who wouldn't love to meet your president. He's a transformational figure in the world today," said Pound, a Canadian. Obama, a vocal backer of Chicago's bid, has said he is too busy with health care legislation to attend the Copenhagen meeting, but that Michelle Obama will be there. More»