President Obama Making Olympic Advances

Advance team preparing for Chicago 2016 pitch

The president may be clearing his domestic calendar for October 2.

Obama is dispatching an advance team to Copenhagen just in case he decides to make the trip, an advisor told the Chicago Tribune.

"He wants to preserve his options," the advisor said.

The team will leave Monday to address security issues and accommodations for the president. First Lady Michelle Obama announced earlier this week she will be leading the U.S. delegation, which is set to arrive on Sept. 30. 

Obama's latest move toward joining his wife, Mayor Daley and Chicago 2016's Chairman Patrick Ryan in Copenhagen comes as the First Couple's BFF and senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, talked about the administrations push to bring the games to her home town.

“It is important we work tirelessly to demonstrate, just as the athletes do when they compete, that we’re prepared to work down to the last second,” Jarrett told the Chicago Tribune.

Jarrett said the president is being briefed on the Olympics daily and will take advantage of meetings at the United Nations and the G-20 Summit to lobby on behalf of Chicago.

“Our intent is to meet with as many individual members of the IOC who we think we can swing to our side,” Jarrett told the Tribune.

Chicago is competing with other three cities for the 2016 Olympic Games: Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.


 

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