Michelle Obama On Chicago Olympics: Emotional Pitch Planned, "There Won't Be A Dry Eye"

Bloomberg.com:

A top White House adviser said first lady Michelle Obama is planning to make a dramatic presentation when she offers the closing argument for the bid by her hometown of Chicago to win the 2016 Summer Olympics.

"There won't be a dry eye in the room," said Valerie Jarrett, who plans to travel with the first lady to Copenhagen for the Oct. 2 International Olympic Committee vote.

Read the whole story: Bloomberg.com

Comments

[SGMD1]

10:13 AM on 09/26/2009

6 days...let's go Chitown

[mergina]

11:00 AM on 09/19/2009

You see she does not care about the people of Chicago. She is simply doing Daley's bidding. If she cared about the people of Chicago she would HONOUR THE FACT that 3 out of 4 Chicago residents DO NOT WANT THE GAMES HELD HERE. Do not want they run by the gangsters in office and their cronies. You see, it is THEY that stand to make a fortune, and leave Chicago footing the bill for decades. Of course, to think that the Obama's will return to their south side roots after they leave Washington is a silly pipe dream. Like Bush, they will move into a much higher security space, perhaps not in this city at all. So much for the Obama's caring about Chicago, or our crumbling infrastructure, or our rotten schools, our shrinking crime riddled parks, our dangerous streets, our Gangster Welcome to the World...PLEASE COME TO CHICAGO JUST TO LAUGH at the fools that will be left to pay the tab for this POMPOUS EXTRAVAGANZA.

[Joe001]

08:24 AM on 09/21/2009

Your "three out of four" statistic is not borne out by any poll or reporting. Although polls have shown Chicagoans are against using tax money to pay for the Olympics, there's as much support for the games as there is opposition (based on the polling). In fact, there are many Chicagoans who support the Chicago bid, some because they love sports, some because they want to see Chicago at the center of an international event and some because they realize the Olympics would create thousands of new jobs during the six years of preparations during a time of high unemployment when many families are at risk of losing their homes and going deeply in debt.

[Rharte]

03:33 PM on 10/01/2009

Was that "Poll of Four" conducted in your living room? You try too hard. Obviously, you really hate the Obamas but don't know how to approach the subject. Let me help you out. Your post should have read:

"HONOUR THE FACT. DO NOT WANT THE GAMES HELD HERE. PLEASE COME TO CHICAGO JUST TO LAUGH. POMPOUS EXTRAVAGANZA"

That way you save us (and yourself) the time and hassle.

[Melissa]

02:20 AM on 09/19/2009

Such lovely comments on this site.

[47th]

11:12 PM on 09/18/2009

Tears will be shed? Maybe Michelle plans on mentioning the many Black families that will be displaced out of Washington and Douglas Parks! Way to go Michelle!

[BVictor1]

10:54 AM on 09/19/2009

Still fear mongering huh?

So sad.

Well, all I have to say is that some of those people need to go.

[MajorBarbara]

04:27 PM on 09/18/2009

Go get 'em, Michelle!

[Balzac]

03:53 PM on 09/18/2009

Michelle is adorable.

[THORYOU]

02:23 PM on 09/18/2009

you are bliss , you do hot have a job what is the next step? i know to make illegals legal to get the free health care and there VOTE..............

[tploomis]

02:08 PM on 09/18/2009

I'm having a hard time understanding why shedding tears over an Olympic site pitch would be a desirable goal for the pitcher.

[BVictor1]

10:56 AM on 09/19/2009

To get them sympathetic to our bid.

Make them want to give it to us, which is the goal.

[Swampstomper]

01:20 PM on 10/03/2009

So did the IOC.

[gino618]

02:01 PM on 09/18/2009

So - we now have Valerie Jarrett & Michelle O pushing for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics....

The same Valerie Jarrett who is involved in housing funding debacles in Chicago - along with Obama in his role as legislator funnelling money to unscrupulous developers.....

And geez - the proposed Olympic stadium is right next to Grove Park Plaza Apartments - run by the management firm Jarrett ran - Habitat Company (which let the property waste away)......

Grove Park is now set to be demolished (after years of neglect from Obama developer friends) .... wonder what that land will be worth if the Olympic Stadium gets built right next to it????

[gino618]

02:04 PM on 09/18/2009

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/

[GeorgeP922]

02:19 PM on 09/18/2009

scary black people from chicago, i know i know

[janehenry]

01:48 PM on 09/18/2009

I just knew that many of the comments here would be disparaging to the first lady. For a minute I thought I was on a "style" thread. You have to be a special kind of person to constantly cut someone else down for no reason. I feel sorry for you that are that ignorant.

[roshni]

02:14 PM on 09/18/2009

I could not agree more.
Our First Lady will be wonderful and they love her abroad. Too bad so many here will disparage her no matter what she does.

[kingfishstew]

05:01 PM on 09/18/2009

If you haven't noticed by now, nearly half the country are 'a special kind of person', enamoured with constantly cutting someone, anything down.

[Michele Himmel]

01:37 PM on 09/18/2009

The Olympics ceased being real sport when they allowed pros to compete. It`s just entertainment now. Michelle should just stay home and spare everyone the drama of her begging on the world stage.

[Czoe]

02:43 PM on 09/18/2009

You're all over the place spewing your h@tred, aren't you?

[shawshank]

03:05 PM on 09/18/2009

Let Michelle do her thing. It hurts no one.

Would you watch rather watch the NCAA finals over the Super Bowl. For a tournament that occurs every four years, I would want to see the best athletes in the world compete. And the best athletes in the world are pros.

Also, little known athletes make names for themselves and become superstars in their own right i.e. Bolt and Phelps, thereby enabling them reap the benefits their efforts deserve. People from all around the world also come together and converge in a single city for a couple of days, turning strangers into friends.

Finally, you say "It`s just entertainment now''. What was it before? The role of the Olympics has always been to entertain. The athletes come to compete against each other, but to also entertain us ,the spectators, in the process.

[cdiasmd]

01:17 PM on 09/18/2009

yeah, the Olympic Selection Commitee will be crying tears of joy that someone wants to host an event that alwys loses money for the city that hosts it..and lines the pockets of the OSC very generously.

[shawshank]

03:12 PM on 09/18/2009

The Olympics is priceless. You can't put a price-tag on it. Learn to respect and regard its grand history. Who gives a hoot about monetary losses?

[47th]

10:50 PM on 09/18/2009

Ya who cares about monetary losses! Not Daley, thats for sure!

[BVictor1]

11:04 AM on 09/19/2009

Your statement is false.

L.A, Atlanta as well as Salt Lake City all made a profit.

L.A. is actually still using money from an endowment that it set up in 1984 from profits the got by hosting to games.

[fcsakes]

01:03 PM on 09/18/2009

If only the Olympics were about amateur athletes competing w/o benefit of multi-million dollar corporate contracts and all those performance-enhancing drugs.

The Olympics stopped being about competition and sport decades ago. They need to dump the whole concept and start over in a vacant lot, if they can find one.

[meede]

12:49 PM on 09/18/2009

The IOOC is to sports what the Insurance Companies are to healthcare.
All for profit for them. They are the only ones that come out with money.
The taxpayers get stuck with paying for years after the games are over.
This is a huge s c Am by the IOOC and the majority of people are blind to it.

[temple62]

12:41 PM on 09/18/2009

Whatever, Lady Bird Johnson planted flowers along the highway as well and Jackie decorated the White House again and again. Anything to in the news and give the media a break from missing the real headlines of the day - missile defense systems, ACORN corruption, illegals aliens violating the nation's sovereignty and "winning" two un-winnable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[cjk002]

12:56 PM on 09/18/2009

Somebody call a whaaaaaambulance.....

[DawnLA]

01:14 PM on 09/18/2009

Just curious. Were the wars un-winnable when Bush was in office?

[47th]

10:52 PM on 09/18/2009

Yes they were, and they still are.