First Lady Michelle Obama will ‘pitch hit’ for her husband the president and fly to Copenhagen to pitch the bid for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics. Some say that signals defeat for the city, and the bid. However, the Chicago Tribune notes that the city’s mayor, Richard Daley, says he’s “honored” Chicago native and first lady Michelle Obama will travel to Denmark to lobby for the city’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Chicago is in a contest with Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo and according to a report from the Associated Press the city in America most associated with political corruption outside of Washington, DC is at a disadvantage as they “can’t even bribe the voters anymore, a sport in which Chicagoans excel.”
Tim Dahlberg writes in a report titled, “No (President) Obama a sign Chicago Oly bid is shaky,” that “It’s too early to take down the Olympic banners just yet. But Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics seems to be sputtering just as the finalists make one last sprint toward the finish line.”

Michelle Obama

The Sun-Times cites Ed Hula, who runs the Atlanta-based Olympics Web site aroundtherings.com, has been told President Obama’s presence is crucial. “I had an IOC member tell me this morning if Obama goes to Copenhagen, Chicago will win; if he doesn’t go, it will be a very close race.” Can Michelle pull off the upset?