Obama to Make Personal Plea to Olympic Committee

Either that or he's going to make them an offer they can't refuse. From Mark Knoller's Twitter feed:

CBS News confirms that Pres. Obama will travel to Copenhagen at week's end on behald of Chicago's bid to host 2016 summer Olympics.

Initially, the WH said Pres. Obama couldn't go to the Olympic Committee mtg in Copenhagen because of the health care debate at home.

The WH said First Lady Michelle Obama would represent Pres. Obama in Copenhagen on behalf of Chicago's bid.

Now the WH says Pres. Obama will make a quick trip to appear before the Intl Olympic Committee in Copenhagen on Friday.

The decision reflects the importance Pres. Obama places on helping his hometown of Chicago and Mayor Daley get the 2016 Olympics.

WH says Pres. Obama will leave for Copenhagen on Thursday evening, address the IOC meeting there, and return to DC on Friday afternoon.

First Lady Michelle Obama will lead the US delegation to the IOC mtg, arriving in Copenhaven on Wed. She too will address the IOC on Friday.

Given the way the world has swooned over this guy they'll probably just skip the vote and award the Olympics by acclamation, though now that I think about it, Michelle could kill it.

Interesting comment in there about Obama not planning to attend because of the health care debate. Has he given up on it? Probably not, it's just that Obama desperately needs a victory...in something...anything...right now, and this is his current best hope.

Do you get the same feeling I do that Obama owes somebody in Chicago...big time?

These Chicagoans want nothing to do with the Olympics. Seems to be a growing movement in the Second City.