Chicago Area Local News

(CBS) Chicago got a jump on its three rivals for the 2016 Summer Games ahead of Friday's presentations to the European Olympic Committees.

Mayor Richard M. Daley and other members of the U.S. Olympic Committee are in Istanbul, Turkey to make their pitch.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports Chicago's bid committee unveiled its anything-but-secret weapon before about 50 International Olympic Committee voters – the biggest gathering of members they will reach in one place until next summer's IOC meeting in Switzerland.

CBS 2 learned earlier this week that a video from President-elect Barack Obama be part of the presentation. And sure enough, it was.

"While I am unable to be there in person, I wanted to take this opportunity to speak with you because I deeply believe in the Olympic mission, and have long supported hosting the Olympic and Paralympics Games in my home city of Chicago," Obama said in a taped message.

At 2016 offices here in Chicago, they had been working on this presentation all week, knowing there was a possibility of an Obama video. Clearly, it was a priority for the most important presentation prior to the meeting of the entire IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland in June. Then the final presentation and the final vote in Copenhagen in October.

An Obama presidency markedly strengthens Chicago's bid. And Friday's video indicates he'll play a very active role. But opinions are divided on the impact of the message from the president-elect, which was delivered midway through a presentation that was an interesting combination and humility and clout.

"I see the Olympic and Paralympic Games as an opportunity for our nation to reach out, welcome the world to our shores, and strengthen our friendships across the globe," Obama said in his message.

The video, President-elect Obama's first public message meant for an international audience since the election, indicates very clearly that his commitment to bringing the Olympics to Chicago remains strong.

Rival candidate cities Rio de Janeiro and Madrid played their videos with the narration in English, and Tokyo had no narration at all. Chicago's video was narrated not in English, but in the other official Olympic language – French.

The presentation focused on reaching out to others, using the winning campaign theme of the most recent Chicago success story.

"We believe that by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games the United States can build bridges of friendship with the world and bring the world to the United States," Mayor Daley said. "We believe in the promise of hope and power of change, and so ladies and gentlemen, in that spirit of hope and change it is my privilege to present the president-elect of the United States, Barack Obama.

Daley also promised Obama's presence for the final vote.

"He will be in Copenhagen like other national leaders would be and we're excited about that. And he's just as excited," Daley said of Obama. "Last June he came to a rally during the middle of the campaign to make sure everyone knows his support to the Olympic and Paralympic movement."

In addition to the presentation, delegates at the conference hotel woke up to find free copies of the International Herald Tribune newspaper with a glitzy wrap-around advertising supplement promoting Chicago's bid.

The front featured a full-page color photo of Chicago's downtown skyline and Millennium Park with the headline "A Spectacular Setting For Sport."

The two inside pages carried photos of volleyball, boxing, triathlon, wheelchair racing, the Chicago Marathon and the Taste of Chicago food festival.

"Each year tens of millions of people attend cultural festivals and sporting events in Chicago's lake front parks and around the city," the supplement said. "Chicago's passion for sport is visible throughout the year in massive participation, cheering sections for every team and sold-out events in every arena."

The back page featured a larger photo of the lakefront setting where the Olympic Park would be located.

"Many of these locations are just steps away from the best that Chicago has to offer -- cultural institutions, shopping, dining and the main entertainment district," it said.

The newspaper supplement was distributed to delegates hours before Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro were to make 20-minute presentations to the European assembly, the largest regional body in the Olympic movement.

The full IOC will select the host city at its session in Copenhagen, Denmark, next October.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine in Chicago and the Associated Press in Istanbul contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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