Chicago Has Better Case For Olympics Than N.Y. Did Four Years Ago

Chicago has a "much better chance at landing" the '16 Olympics than N.Y. did with the '12 Games "because of a more airtight plan, the same promise of big financial returns and -- perhaps most significant -- because of President Obama," according to a front-page cover story by Vicki Michaelis of USA TODAY. Obama yesterday revealed that he will attend Chicago's bid presentation to the IOC on Friday, and his "extroverted approach to foreign policy plays well in international Olympic circles." IOC member Dick Pound said Obama has done a "tremendous amount in Europe and elsewhere to turn around the perception of the United States, to be perceived as somebody completely open to the world as opposed to completely closed." Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson contends N.Y. four years ago had "no chance with the Bush administration sitting in the White House" because IOC members "just weren't going to vote for the United States in that situation." Obama will be the first sitting U.S. President to attend an IOC vote, and Pound said, "I don't think London would have won if Tony and Cherie Blair hadn't been in Singapore for a couple of days, and Sochi certainly wouldn't have won if [Vladimir] Putin hadn't come and carried the day." Meanwhile, Michaelis notes a Rio de Janeiro Games would be "hard-pressed to match Chicago's money-making potential." Olympic historian Kevin Wamsley said of Friday's vote, "It could be that the IOC is looking at its bottom line" (USA TODAY, 9/29).

SPRINT TO THE FINISH: White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett said that she and First Lady Michelle Obama when they arrive in Copenhagen tomorrow will start "making that final push" on behalf of Chicago's bid. Jarrett: "We will work very hard to offer a broader perspective to the IOC and anyone else we need to talk to when we arrive in Copenhagen." She said she thinks Chicago has a "very good chance," but added, "We can't take anything for granted." Michelle Obama said that she "aims to meet 100 plus IOC members" on site in Copenhagen. She added that her husband's presence, "along with that of several other Cabinet members, shows 'unprecedented commitment throughout our government'" (AROUNDTHERINGS.com, 9/28). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Elizabeth Williamson in a front-page piece notes the White House's efforts "started heating up last week" as Jarrett met with former Great Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair, "quizzing him on how he clinched the London Games." Chicago Olympic officials believe that President Obama's appearance at Friday's meeting "will take them one step closer to the finish line." U.S. Sen. Bobby Rush (D-IL) said, "I don't believe we're gonna lose but I can't guarantee we're not gonna lose" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/29).

How Much Will Obama's Presence In Copenhagen Impact IOC Voters?

MAKING HIS PRESENCE FELT: In Chicago, Hersh & Skiba note some IOC voters were "clearly impressed" with Obama's decision to travel to Copenhagen, though the impact of his trip "will be difficult to assess because voting" by the IOC members is conducted via secret ballot. IOC member Ottavio Cinquanta: "The impact of his presence in the Chicago delegation is not multiplied by double. This impact can be multiplied by 25." IOC Exec Board member Gerhard Heiberg: "It is very good for the Chicago bid. He is a dynamic person who gets his message across." When asked if Obama's presence could "sway a couple of votes," Heiberg said, "He could sway more than that if he does it the right way." But IOC member Peter Tallberg cautioned, "The IOC is the most unpredictable group of human beings in the world" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/29). Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who served as SLOC President for the '02 Salt Lake City Games, said, "His presence makes it almost certain that Chicago will win the bid." He added the city "could have easily lost the bid" if Obama elected not to attend Friday's vote. N.Y.-based Elevate Communications Senior VP & Managing Dir of Global Communications Terry Lyons said Obama's decision is "absolutely huge." Lyons: "It's a statement of his belief in sport as a very important part of society, and I think that will carry a lot of weight with the IOC" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 9/29). NBC News' Savannah Guthrie noted the "hometown pressure on Obama to go was intense" ("Nightly News," NBC, 9/28). 

TAKING A RISK: In N.Y., Baker & Macur note for Obama, "crossing the ocean for a dramatic personal plea on behalf of his adopted hometown involves at least some political hazards." Obama "risks looking parochial at a time of enormous challenges and, perhaps even worse, risks a major international embarrassment if the committee rebuffs him" and awards the Games to Rio, Tokyo or Madrid (N.Y. TIMES, 9/29). The WASHINGTON POST's Peter Slevin in a front-page piece writes, "Obama appears to be taking a calculated risk. He is setting up the Olympic bidding process as a measure of his powers of diplomatic persuasion while simultaneously confronting issues such as health care, Afghan policy and Iran's nuclear ambitions -- potentially raising questions anew about whether he is doing too much at once" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/29). CNBC's Bill Griffeth: "There's a bit of perceptual risk for the president in that the end of the week is when those negotiations with Iran are taking place, and one might ask, 'Why are you spending time on the Olympic Games when you're dealing with a nuclear threat from Iran?'" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 9/28). In L.A., Peter Nicholas notes Obama will be "leaving Washington with thorny foreign and domestic issues unresolved, and risks looking diminished if Chicago's bid falls short." However, the "converse is also true," because a Chicago victory "would be a feel-good moment for both a nation and a president wrestling with crises" (L.A. TIMES, 9/29). In London, O'Connor & Whittell write Obama "wields the least power of the four" heads of state addressing the IOC because he is the "only one not able to underwrite the cost of the Games" (LONDON TIMES, 9/29).

INSIDE INFO? CBS News' Chip Reid reported a theory "making the rounds in Washington is that this trip is really a victory lap for the president, that he has inside information that if he goes Chicago will win. The White House says that's absolutely false" ("Evening News," CBS, 9/28). Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page said, "I find it hard to imagine that President Obama would be making this trip without being sure he's gotten some inside word that the IOC is just right on the fence here, and if you show up in person you can seal the deal." He added one can "only imagine what kind of beating" Obama's standing overseas might take if Chicago does not win the bid ("Countdown with Keith Olbermann," MSNBC, 9/28). 

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: The FINANCIAL TIMES' Hal Weitzman writes for Chicago, "securing the Olympics would confirm its status as a global city." It also would provide a "much-needed fillip" for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, whose "approval rating is at an all-time low" of 35%. However, "expectations in Chicago are so high that losing the bid could leave the city angry and deflated," and Daley's popularity "could take a further hit" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/29). In Chicago, David Haugh notes without N.Y. "finishing fourth in a five-city bid" for the '12 Games, Chicago "never would be in position to finish first Friday." Haugh: "Thank you, New York, for doing everything wrong in 2005 ... so Chicago would know how to do everything right" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/29).