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| Members of the IOC, LA 2024, USOC Chair Larry Probst and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti attended the press event |
Los Angeles ’24 veered into politics during its single official engagement with international media at the Rio Games today, with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti promoting the city’s strict gun control laws and co-chair Casey Wasserman seeking to minimize Donald Trump.
The fourth question of the day came from British journalist Duncan McKay, an editor of Olympics trade Inside the Games. “We hear lots of concerns about security with some of the European cities,” he asked, “but does America’s lack of gun control play just as big a threat to Los Angeles?”
“In Los Angeles, in particular, when it comes to gun control, we have very, very strong laws,” said the mayor, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention last month. “We ban high-capacity magazines, assault rifles are outlawed. California, in some ways, embodies — I’m going to say something political — what I hope the entire nation goes to. But Los Angeles is where America needs to be in terms of our gun laws. It’s probably one of the safest places.”
Garcetti also tried to clarify remarks he made to the Associated Press over the weekend that a Donald Trump presidency would hurt the American bid.
“I was asked the question, and I talked about what I heard from IOC members, so I’m just relating what they said, not my personal opinion,” Garcetti said. “I would say this bid does not depend on any election.” But, he later added: “An America that turns inward, like any country that turns inward, isn’t good for world peace, isn’t good for progress, isn’t good for all of us.”
Bid co-chair Casey Wasserman asked IOC voters to not pre-judge the election. Polls taken since the two parties’ conventions ended show Democrat Hillary Clinton with a clear lead over Trump.
“I think people should judge our country on who our president is, not who runs for president,” Wasserman said.
Both men are Democrats, with Wasserman being a longtime friend of the Clintons who has hosted fundraisers for her campaign. Bid CEO Gene Sykes, an active Republican, did not participate in the press conference.
Aside from politics, the bid committee hit its usual talking points: L.A. represents a very low-risk bid because of its existing infrastructure and strong popular support, and could rejuvenate the IOC with its youthful, innovative spirit.
The IOC will vote on the 2024 Summer Olympics host in September 2017, about nine months after a new presidential administration begins. L.A. is competing with Paris, Rome and Budapest.
