Obama Makes Video Pitch For Chicago Olympics
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Chicago presented its 2016 Olympics bid to a key international audience Friday with a powerful endorsement from its highest-profile supporter in America: President-elect Barack Obama.
Obama made a personal appeal for the Olympics to come to his home city in a taped video message played to the general assembly of European Olympic Committees, the largest regional group in the Olympic movement.
"The United States would be honored to have the opportunity to host the games and serve the Olympic movement," said Obama, wearing a dark suit and sitting at a desk in his Chicago transition office. "As president-elect, I see the Olympics and Paralympic Games as an opportunity for our nation to reach out, welcome the world to our shores and strengthen our friendships across the globe."
Obama, who lives a few blocks from Chicago's proposed 2016 Olympic stadium, offers a potential major boost for the city's chances of taking the Summer Games back to the United States for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Chicago is competing against Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, which also made presentations Friday to the European body. The International Olympic Committee will vote on the host city Oct. 2 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"I deeply believe in the Olympic mission and have long supported hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in my home city of Chicago," Obama said in the 90-minute spot. "Over the past two years, I have spoken often about my belief that while we may come from different places and backgrounds, there are certain shared values that unite us, values at the heart of the Olympic movement: friendship, excellence and mutual respect."
Obama went out of his way to appeal to the international audience, which included up to two dozen voting IOC members.
"In the coming years, my administration will bring a fresh perspective on America's role and responsibilities around the world," Obama said. "But if we are to truly meet our shared challenges, we must all work together.
"By uniting the world in a peaceful celebration of human achievement, the Olympic games reminds us that this is possible."
Visible behind Obama in the video was a basketball autographed by former U.S. Olympic basketball player and coach Lenny Wilkens.
Obama's remarks, which were taped last Friday, were greeted by warm applause in the conference hall. His message hit home with a European audience which holds little warmth for outgoing President George W. Bush.
"I think it was very dramatic," said Patrick Hickey, an Irish IOC member who heads the European body. "I think everybody in the room was impressed with that. It added a great touch of spice to the Chicago presentation. The message was excellent. He was very gracious to the Olympic movement."
"But," Hickey added, "nothing would be as dramatic as him turning up in Copenhagen."
Chicago officials are counting on Obama traveling to the Denmark meeting next year to push the bid, just as Tony Blair helped London get the 2012 Olympics and Vladimir Putin was instrumental in Sochi's victory for the 2014 Winter Games.
"It was a good message, reflecting the Olympic world, of coming together," IOC vice president Thomas Bach of Germany said. "The support of a country's head of state or government makes an impact. It's important that the No. 1 in the country is behind the bid."
Asked whether he expects to see Obama in Copenhagen, Bach said, "On this man's shoulders are so many expectations. I don't want to add one more."
Photos of Obama were sprinkled throughout Chicago's 20-minute presentation, including a shot of him delivering his presidential acceptance speech in Grant Park. His taped message was introduced by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who said they share a goal of inspiring young people to participate in sports.
"Chicago 2016 now enjoys a remarkable level of support from our government _ an unprecedented partnership for a U.S. candidate city _ from City Hall in Chicago to the White House in Washington D.C.," bid leader Patrick Ryan said.
The Chicago bid presented one of its videos entirely in French, the official Olympic language along with English.
Chicago also got a jump on its rivals earlier in the day. Delegates awoke to find free copies of the International Herald Tribune newspaper under their hotel doors with a glitzy wraparound advertising supplement promoting Chicago's bid.
The front featured a full-page color photo of Chicago's downtown skyline and Millennium Park with the headline "A Spectacular Setting For Sport."
The Obama effect was felt in the presentation by Rio, which borrowed one of his signature lines to argue why the Olympics should go to South America for the first time.
"Yes, we can," said Sergio Cabral, governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Rio, Madrid and Tokyo all contended that they offer a secure financial choice at a time of global economic turmoil.
Carlos Nuzman, head of the Rio bid and Brazil's national Olympic committee, cited the city's experience of hosting the 2007 Pan Am Games and said the national economy would be the world's fifth largest in 2016.
Spanish IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., son of the former IOC president, said Madrid offers 'the best possible combination of reliability and vitality" and noted that 77 percent of venues were ready or under construction.
Tokyo bid leader Ichiro Kono said the Japanese capital, which hosted the 1964 Olympics, needs the games again to inspire young people, fight youth obesity and transform the metropolitan area.
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STEPHEN WILSON | November 21, 2008 07:09 PM EST |
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