No Obama, No Party
IOC member says Obama would boost city's hopes of hosting 2016 Games
By NICOLA ORICHUIA
Updated 10:23 AM EDT, Wed, Sep 16, 2009
No Obama, No Party.
That’s basically what International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said, referring to the probable absence of President Barack Obama at the Oct. 2 vote in Copenhagen to decide which city between Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympic Games.
“I don’t think there’s an IOC member on the planet that wouldn’t love to meet your president,” said Pound speaking at a symposium on the 2016 Games sponsored by DePaul University and the McCormick Foundation.
“If he can be persuaded to go, I think it makes a huge difference,” said Pound, according to the Chicago Tribune.
"The risk is, your competitors are going to say 'Oh well, you know, he's too busy to come, but he sent his wife.' How that would play, I don't know,"
First Lady Michelle Obama has been announced as head of the U.S. delegation going to Copenhagen.
"Michelle is our best representative," the President was reported saying to Bloomberg News. “I’m in the middle of some very important decisions on health care.”
Full Coverage: Chicago's 2016 Olympic Bid
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Connecticut
First Published: Sep 15, 2009 10:19 AM EDT on NBC Chicago
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
