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USOC Officials Hope Obama
Attends IOC Vote October 2 |
USOC officials Thursday said that they did not know if President Obama plans to attend the October 2 IOC vote in Copenhagen in support of Chicago's bid to host the '16 Summer Games, but have "tried to impress upon the White House the importance of his presence," according to Amy Shipley of the WASHINGTON POST. USOC Chair Larry Probst said, "I think we have all clearly communicated to the White House that we think President Obama's presence would greatly assist the bid. I can't provide any update, but we sure would like him there with the team." But when asked if Obama planned to attend the IOC vote, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "Not that I'm aware of, no." Gibbs then added that he would "check to be certain" (
WASHINGTON POST, 9/11). Another White House staffer after Gibbs' remarks said that the answer "was not definitive -- meaning it was not a hard no." White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett -- who was a member of Chicago 2016 before joining Obama's staff -- will be making the trip to Copenhagen (
SUNTIMES.com, 9/10). USOC Acting CEO Stephanie Streeter said of Obama, "We really hope he goes. We would like for him to be there. We think it could make a difference" (
WASHINGTONTIMES.com, 9/10).
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? In Chicago, Skiba & Hersh note two factors "weigh in favor" of Obama going to Copenhagen -- then-U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin both attended the IOC votes when their countries captured the '12 and '14 Games, respectively, and "rival VIPs are expected to lobby the IOC this time." Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Spain's King Juan Carlos both plan to attend the October vote, while Japan "stands to be represented by its royal family and new prime minister" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/11). However, IOC President Jacques Rogge "dismissed speculation that Chicago's chances will be harmed if Obama doesn't go." Rogge: "Absolutely not. There is no obligation to come." Rogge said it would be "absolutely legitimate" if leaders from the four nations attend the vote, but added, "We are not asking for heads of state to come there. They are most welcome, but this is not something that we consider as being the most important thing. It is symbolically important." Chicago 2016 Chair Pat Ryan said of Obama, "He doesn't have to be there physically to make a statement of commitment, he has done that. And if he doesn't come, he'll continue to do that." He added, "Most IOC members, before they go into the room to vote, know who they're going to vote for and have already calculated that, 'If my first vote goes to City A and then City A is knocked out, I'm going to vote for City B or C or D.'" Meanwhile, Rogge Thursday also said there is "really no favorite" among the four cities vying to host the '16 Games. Rogge: "I think it's going to be a very close vote. I think the final vote will be decided by a couple of votes only" (AP, 9/10).
WHAT'S AT RISK? In N.Y., Peter Baker notes if Obama does not attend the vote, he "risks the consternation of his political ally," Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, and if he "does go and Chicago loses, he could be embarrassed by not bringing home the gold" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/11). UNIVERSAL SPORTS' Alan Abrahamson noted every vote Obama "might swing Chicago's way is actually a two-fer," as it also "takes away a vote from Chicago's competition." If Obama does not go to Copenhagen, "absent a crisis that demands his immediate attention, it's going to seem curious indeed to the members of the IOC." Abrahamson: "No Obama -- that's not likely to reflect well on Chicago's chances" (UNIVERSALSPORTS.com, 9/10).
LET THE GAMES BEGIN: In Chicago, Dan Mihalopoulos reported the city's aldermen Wednesday by a 49-0 vote approved a "measure that places the responsibility for cost overruns on taxpayers if Chicago" hosts the '16 Games. The endorsement allows Daley to tell the IOC next month that the City Council "sent 'a very strong message' of support for Chicago's bid, despite tepid public support for playing host and strong opposition to providing an unlimited financial guarantee." Ryan said that the vote "eliminates the city's competitive disadvantage over other finalists whose plans are government-guaranteed." Ryan: "It's a great statement to the world and to the IOC that Chicago is united on this, and Chicago has thought it through." But Daley cautioned, "We don't have this in the bag, I don't care what you think. This is not a sure thing. ... We're not the winners yet." Mihalopoulos noted Wednesday's debate on the new ordinance for the Games, which "imposes reporting requirements on the panel that would organize" the Olympics, "often took on the tone of a pep rally for the 2016 bid" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/10). Also in Chicago, Fran Spielman noted the Chicago Aldermen "demanded and received major concessions from Daley's Olympic planners to avoid a repeat of the lampooning they received for not looking closely enough" at the details of the bid. Over the past few months, the aldermen "unleashed their anger" at Ryan for "keeping them in the dark about the need for a blank check." They forced Ryan to arrange $1.4B in "private insurance to insulate taxpayers and spend 50 long nights conducting public hearings in all 50 wards to shore up public support that started to falter after the mayor's overseas about-face." The City Council now will have "two representatives on the Olympic organizing committee to get reports on virtually all spending, hiring and contracting if the city succeeds in winning the Olympics," which "undoubtedly was more than Ryan wanted to give" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/10).
UNITED WE STAND: The U.S. NGBs Wednesday "declared an informal truce in their Olympic family feud with the new USOC leadership," in the interest of "avoiding any negative publicity that could affect Chicago's Olympic bid." USA Gymnastics President & CEO Steve Penny, a member of the NGB Council, has been "outspoken in expressing reservations over the USOC board's decision to dump CEO Jim Scherr and replace him on an acting basis with board member Stephanie Streeter." But Penny Wednesday said, "Chicago 2016 is the most important objective for everyone in the (U.S. Olympic) movement, and that is the one thing that brings complete consensus at this time." Streeter alluded to the "dissatisfaction in her Wednesday keynote address" to the Olympic Assembly in Chicago, and also "scored points for acknowledging a major criticism of the way the USOC board has operated since it was reorganized after the 2003 leadership turmoil that led to Congressional castigation of the USOC's management." Probst said that he was "pleased the NGBs are holding their fire while the Chicago bid's fate remains undecided." He also acknowledged that the "situation with the NGBs could have been handled better" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 9/9). The CHICAGO TRIBUNE's Philip Hersh noted one day after Streeter "made a public commitment to better dialogue with the NGBs," she characterized NGB leaders who have opposed some of her actions as a "vocal minority." Streeter Thursday said, "Any time you have a situation where you've got a group with a checkbook and more funding and others who are sometimes reliant on that, there are issues." She added, "I'm not dismissing them at all. There are other members of the NGB Council who have not been part of that vocal minority. Any time you have 45 people involved in things who are passionate, you're going to have differences of opinion. I think we are working together to get on the same page" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 9/10).
