sep.29.2009

U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen to personally champion Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics during the city's final presentation to the IOC on Friday.

The White House confirmed early Monday morning that Obama will travel Thursday night and arrive Friday morning in time for the 8:45 a.m. presentation. He's expected to head back to Washington on Friday afternoon.

Obama will join First Lady Michelle Obama, who arrives Wednesday, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and members of the Cabinet who are part of the official delegation.

Each city is allowed 10 presenters, plus the IOC members from their country. Chicago will go first, followed by Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid.

Chicago bid leaders and Mayor Richard M. Daley had held out hope that Obama would travel to Denmark to represent his hometown. Obama did not commit to the trip earlier because of his devotion to the health care debate, but the White House announced it was sending an advance team just in case.

New Japanese prime ministerYukio Hatoyama confirmed his own trip to Copenhagen earlier Monday, so now all four bids will be supported by their head of state. Madrid will be represented by King Juan Carlos of Spain and Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will speak for Rio.

"President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama symbolize the hope, opportunity and inspiration that makes Chicago great, and we are honored to have two of our city's most accomplished residents leading our delegation in Copenhagen," Daley said in a statement. "Who better to share with members of the International Olympic Committee the commitment and enthusiasm Chicago has for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement than the President and First Lady."

Obama owed Patrick Ryan, Chicago's chairman and CEO, a favor after Ryan was co-chair for the president's inaugural festivities.

"There is no greater expression of the support our bid enjoys, from the highest levels of government and throughout our country, than to have President Obama join us in Copenhagen for the pinnacle moment in our bid," Ryan said in a statement. "We are honored that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be with us to extend a hand of friendship on behalf of our nation and the City of Chicago as we seek to welcome the world for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

“He will come to Copenhagen on the 2nd early in the morning and then he will take part in the presentation of the Chicago bid,” said Karl Christian Koch, secretary general of the Danish NOC.

“After that he will visit the Royal House and Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark and the Prime Minister and then he will leave in the afternoon. It is a very quick visit.”

Koch said Danish organizers had planned for an “Obama scenario” for many months. He said the Danish government and law enforcement agencies were ready to handle the additional security needed for Obama’s presence in the city.

“We are fully prepared and he will be welcome here, and all the other heads of state as well,” he said.

Koch was speaking from the Bella Center, the venue on the outskirts of Copenhagen that is the setting for the IOC vote on the 2016 city on Friday. “Everything is ready in the Bella Center. We are on track and we will make a fine conference,” he said.