Michelle Obama Pushes Chicago Olympics Bid

(CBS)  By all accounts it's going to be a close one. CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata reports that with just one day to go before the big vote, many judges on the International Olympic Committee are still undecided about where the Summer 2016 Games should be held; Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Madrid, or Chicago.

First Lady Michelle Obama found herself on the campaign trail again, charming Olympic judges at a cocktail party Wednesday night in the hope of bringing the 2016 Summer Olympics to the Windy City.

"Everything about this bid speaks to what this city has to offer," Mrs. Obama said of her hometown.

President Obama will join his wife in Copenhagen Friday in the final push to bring the Olympics to U.S. soil again.

But House Minority Leader John Boehner chastised the president, saying Mr. Obama was "going to go off to Copenhagen when we've got serious issues here at home that need to be debated."

British bookmakers put Chicago's odds of winning the bid at 4 to 5, followed closely by Rio de Janiero at 13 to 8, then Tokyo and Madrid.

Rio is doubtless the toughest challenger. It would be the first time the Olympic Games were held in South America.

Tokyo and Madrid both argue they are better prepared to host the games.

But, Olympic officials say the "Obama factor" may clinch the deal.

"I think it can only help, and certainly can't hurt," said IOC member Dick Pound.

On Friday, committee members will vote out one of the candidate cities, and the thinking is that this is likely to go to three rounds of voting.

[Harden_Tar]

I wonder how many horses heads showed up in the beds of the International Olympic Committee members........

[NewYork-Joey]

Another free vacation for the Obama family.....Michelle spoke about how "hard" it was flying to Denmark to push for Thugcago to get the Olympics.....sorry michelle that the free trip I paid for was Sooooo hard on you.

[pickaguitar1]

Go Michelle! YES WE CAN!

[timetravelr]

Oh, brother.....lol....barf.

[stillwaters6]

NOT SO FAST!!!

AS long as Chicago cannot guarantee the safety of tourists and its own citizens, Chicago should not get anything. I know there's crime everywhere, including RIO, but at least you do not hear OR SEE Brazillian children in $120 Nike sneakers attacking one another with pieces of wood in the street on a school day during an OLYMPIC VOTE.

If the IOC is smart...it would view the ATLANTA OLYMPIC BOMBING and this latest incident as signs that America has some serious INTERNAL ISSUES and no matter how many times America washes her hands she will never come up clean until she confronts the root of her problem...race.

Shakespeare's Macbeth, anyone???


GO OCEAN! GO RIO!

[zamorin44]

It could be they have already decided on Chicago but are trying to get wide publicity by building up the suspense with the Obama couple in attendance.Offers that cannot be refused must be at work here.

[Harden_Tar]

You go girl. Let's bring the Olympics to the most corrupt city in the most corrupt state in America. The thugs that are terrorizing the city will have a field day, your cronies will get rich, and the poor people of Chicago and Illinois will be stuck with the bill.