Obama's star in slick Chicago 2016 presentation
From James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Copenhagen
BARACK Obama rolled out his tried and tested rhetoric as he issued a passionate rallying call for Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid in Copenhagen.
STAR COUPLE: Barack Obama and wife Michelle gave powerful presentations in support of Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid in Copenhagen today
Chicago's campaign to become the fourth American city to stage the summer Games remains the frontrunner with presentations from Tokyo, Rio and Madrid to follow ahead of the vote later today.
And their favourites status was underlined thanks to a slick presentation, with the President, and First Lady Michelle, stealing the show.
"We stand at a moment in history where the fate of all nations are inexplicably linked," said Obama, plucking soundbites from a stump speech heard so many times during last year's historic presidential race.
"No one expects the Olympic Games to solve all of our collective challenges.
"But we do believe that in a world where we all too often witness the dark aspects of humanity, peaceful competition between nations represents what is best about humanity. That is a powerful starting point for progress.
"We want to ignite the spirit of possibility, at the heart of the Olympic movement.
"And if we walk this path together, I promise you that city of Chicago will make the world proud."
Wife Michelle, born and raised in Chicago, spoke movingly about her love for the Games and her father's passion for sport, despite being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in his early 30's.
She also mentioned the Paralympics at length - something many bid teams overlook and a tactic also employed with success by London in Singapore four years ago.
It was a risk bringing US President here to Copenhagen.
With other world leaders spending quality time with IOC members in the last 48 hours, his flying visit - Air Force One is scheduled to ‘wheels up' before the result is known - could have been interrupted as a snub.
But it seemed IOC members were captivated by being in the presence of a political superstar - the first time an American president has ever addressed their annual Session.
However, Pakistan's delegate Syed Shahid Ali was clearly not one of them.
Questions to bid teams are normally fairly predictable but Ali didn't hold back when asking about access to the country for foreign visitors.
"In my experience, foreigners entering the USA can go through a harrowing experience. How do you intend to deal with that?" he said.
Bid leader Patrick Ryan referred the question of one of his technical team but after they gave a non-answer, Obama - showing all his political instincts - stepped in.
"One of the legacies I want to see is a reminder that America at its best is open to the world," he said.
"We are putting the full force of White House and State Department to make sure that this is a successful Games and visitors from around the world feel welcome and will come away with a sense of diversity of the American people."
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