COPENHAGEN — President Barack Obama is hitting the campaign trail again.
Obama is going to Copenhagen after all, joining first lady Michelle Obama to support Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Obama plans to leave Washington on Thursday, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said Monday, getting to Denmark in time to be part of his adopted hometown’s final presentation to the International Olympic Committee.
“His physical presence just magnifies all of what he’s been saying,” Chicago 2016 chairman Pat Ryan said. “It just puts a huge exclamation point on the support of the bid and the support of the Olympic movement and the respect for the movement and the respect for the IOC members themselves.”
The question remains whether his presence will give Chicago the edge over Madrid, Tokyo and slight favorite Rio de Janeiro in Friday’s vote.
The contest is tight, with the decision expected to come down to a few votes. While IOC president Jacques Rogge has taken great pains to say government leaders aren’t expected to make an appearance, their presence has been instrumental in recent votes.
Obama is the first sitting U.S. president to personally lobby the IOC at a host city vote.
