WASHINGTON (CNN) - First lady Michelle Obama vowed Monday to "take no prisoners" as she and her husband launch an unprecedented bid for Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/09/29/michelle.obama.olympics/art.michelle.obama.afp.gi.jpg caption="First lady's attitude about the effort to secure Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics: "Take no prisoners.""]
"It's a battle - we're going to win - take no prisoners," the first lady said with a smile at a roundtable discussion with reporters in the White House State Dining Room.
She compared the intense lobbying effort to the 2008 presidential campaign, noting that in the election campaign, a lot of voters made their decision in the final days. She said members of the International Olympic Committee may do the same.
"And our view is, we're not taking a chance," she said. "We're just not going to assume that the bids - that the decisions are made, and so that no matter what the outcome is, we'll feel as a country, as a team, that we've done everything that we can to bring it home."
The White House confirmed Monday that President Obama will fly on Thursday to Copenhagen, Denmark, where the International Olympic Committee will be reviewing bids from several countries on Friday. It will be the first time that an American president has lobbied the IOC in this manner.
Why would the olympics want to come to one of the most violent and corrupt cities in the world.
How come nobody sees this for what it really is. The Obama's are justing paying off their buddy Tony Rezko by getting him development jobs that the olympics infrastructure will need.
to all those who are pointing out that getting the Olympics helps the economy need to realize that in many cases, there is a net loss in revenue once it is all said in done. Also, polls out of Chicago have it a 50/50 split for/against bringing the olympics. But when have politicians in Chicago ever given the people what they want.
Here is the other issue, we are losing the fight in afgan and we have our US commander on the ground begging for help from the president and he is out and about pushing his playtime agendas and CNN is more than happy to facilitate this by focusing on the First Lady instead of the President .
Yes, Melissa there was a poll about the effectiveness of President Bush during not only his 2nd 100 days, but his 1st 100 days. There have been those kinds of polls about every President since polls have been taken.
If President Obama doesn't want people disagreeing with him then he needs to stop telling lies. His first lie was that he was going to change the way Washington works, then he went out and chose a bunch of Washington insiders for his administration..
I wish michele would get as excited about health care as she is over the olympics. The olympics is an entertainment program for the rich. Try to buy a ticket for a major event.
Does anyone know what this little trip is going to cost? Is the city of Chicago picking up any part of the bill? Wow, I didn't realize that our economy was doing so much better that we can waste money like that.
I think that OBAMA needs to worry about the U.S. before he thinks about these games. Like jobs ,food, houses! Get the companys back in america and close the south borders. Feed the people and teach the childern. Then maybe we can get back to the games,and helping other countrys..
Just a commet on the race issue. As I have seen and experienced this it works both ways, as the people of color also have a problem and many times attack white folks as well . When this issue is talked about it should be addressed as a concern of both black and white as a issue. The world will only be better if we all respect each other and live for now not the past.
When a person goes for counseling because they have a problem with anger or resentment in life they are encouraged to look at life for the present and let the past issues not rule their lives.
So should the issue of race be seen as a double problem and talked about it in the same way.
The level of disrespect is extraordinairy & fed 24/7 by Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and others....you have to wonder why 2 overweight white men who are both college dropouts w/substance abuse problems are being paid 10s of millions of dollars to spread hate & misinformation about Barack Obama.....I know that the media is not totally to blame but I don't remember there being a poll about the effectiveness of George Bush's 2nd 100 days.....my point is that I think EVERYONE puts President Obama under fiercer scrutiny because he is African-American...and I don't think it is at all fair.
Who really cares? I don't. I get tired of racist coming onto CNN and accusing those who disagree with President Obama racist.
Why is it every time ,that some thing is said, some one has to say it is due to race..Cant people just make a remake without it being race! black /white/ green / or any color. I think people in the news blow thing out to much; just for news.
Yes we live in a racist society! I agree 100% and I am a Caucasian woman.
I wonder how many of our soldiers will die in the time it takes Obama to lobby for his corrupt Chicago for the Olympics.
I just Love HER!
Just wondering how much this little jet setting jaunt to Copenhagen by the President, First Lady, and their hangers on is costing the taxpayer? How much of a "carbon footprint" is being left by our so called "green" President on this frivolous trans-Atlantic flight? Isn't there something called a teleconference? It's amazing how hypocritical liberals are when it comes to the environment. they love to preach about what we should be doing, but then are unwilling to cut back their own polluting travel in order to do what they say.
i bet obama won't bring the video of those boys beating another boy to death in chicago while people watched, cheered, and filmed it.
maybe obama has bigger issues to deal with than getting the olympics. just saying.....
There is a trend to politicize the Olympics, and it's bad. The Olympics are not political–and maintaining that is critical. The Olympic Games represent a time where nations come together through youth and the spirit of competition and the focus should remain there. Obama should not attend the event.
i don't get people, why are we politicizing even the olympics? its a fun event that boosts local economies. imagine how many hundreds of thousands of people and big corporation logos will be all over chicago if they get it in 2016, why is this such a big deal or in any way bad for the city or the president?