FLOTUS Campaigns for Chicago, Is Copenhagen the New Iowa?

From Yunji de Nies and Sunlen Miller:

It’s not the campaign, yet it sure feels like one. 

“We are fired up and ready to go,” First Lady Michelle Obama said at Mayor Daley’s welcome reception in Copenhagen this evening, a familiar phrase the Obama used during the 2208 presidential campaign.

This time Mrs. Obama – with surrogate Oprah in tow – is campaigning for Chicago’s bid at the 2016 Olympics. In the first of many events in Copenhagen the first lady will have – both publically and behind closed doors  to shore up Chicago’s support  – the First Lady appeared at Mayor Daly’s welcome reception for the Chicago 2016 committee in Copenhagen this evening.

The First Lady said that the was “overwhelmed” by the concept presented by the Chicago2016 bid committee, speaking for everything the city has to offer.

“Having the Games right along that beautiful, glorious lakefront; using the existing park structure to ensure that we’re making the kinds of investments and we’ll have the kind of wonderful leave-behinds that will benefit the city over the long run; the notion that Olympic athletes who visit the city will live centrally, they’ll be 15 minutes from any competition site, that they’ll be able to walk, ride or bus to some of the greatest cultural offerings that this nation, that this world has to offer – it will be an athlete’s paradise in so many ways.”

One other benefit: the chilly Chicago winter will be long gone – Mrs. Obama said – and the city’s climate will be “actually nice” during the summer.

But the First Lady – who drew up in the South Side of Chicago – said this is also personal to her.

“In so many ways, we have lived full lives on both sides of that bridge, “ Mrs. Obama said of her and her husband’s upbringing, “And for me, this is one of the best reasons I can think of to bring the Olympics to our city.”

The First lady said that children need to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent, especially a time in the nation’s history “, where athletics is becoming more of a fleeting opportunity.”

She recalled cheering to the TV watching the Olympics as a young child.

“It was an activity in our household when it was time for the Olympic Games, all of us gathered around the TV cheering on and being inspired by people who were doing things that were beyond belief.  And I just think, wouldn’t it be great if that kind of spirit was happening right down the street in our community?”

The First Lady said that is what excites her the most about bring the games to Chicago – “ the impact that it can have on the lives of our young people, and on our entire community.”

The First Lady will meet with International Olympic Committee members who will eventually vote Friday among the four finalists – Rio, Madrid, and Tokyo – for the host city of the games.

“The next few days really provide us with a real opportunity to hold some hands, to have some conversations, to share our visions, to make the world understand that this is an opportunity for the United States to connect to the world in a really important way at a very critical time, and for each of us to show them our passion and sincerity to be part of the world in a very special way.”

Mrs. Obama rallied the Chicago troops and make the parallel to the last few days before her husband went on to win the Iowa caucus during the 2008 presidential campaign.

“Barack and I have looked at this, this is like a campaign. Just like Iowa. You got to – and the international community may not understand that, but Iowa is like a caucus, and you can’t take any vote for granted.  Nobody makes the decision until they’re sitting there.”

On Thursday night President Obama will fly overnight from Washington, DC to join his wife in Copenhagen in advance of Friday’s vote by the IOC.

-Yunji de Nies and Sunlen Miller