Your Future's So Bright, You Gotta Go To Denmark

Congratulations to the two winning entrants in the International Olympic Committee's online video contest via YouTube. Participants answered the question "What do you think is the future of the Olympic Games?" with two top video creators winning a free trip to Copenhagen for the Olympic Congress this weekend. This IOC press release provides links to the winners' videos.

Chicago 2016 Bid Gets Presidential

My days usually begin with NPR Morning Edition on the clock-radio, and today's first report on the ear-ly was news that The White House announced that President Obama will join the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid delegation in Copenhagen. This is tremendous -- another first for this White House (no U.S. president has attended an IOC bid city election of the past, as I understand it).

According to The White House press release, several of Obama's cabinet members, who are also from Chicago, will join the delegation. I have got to ask: Why is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- also a Chicago native and, um, SECRETARY OF STATE (our nation's representative to the international community!) missing from the delegation? She is a huge Olympic fan, having attended the Games in Lillehammer and Atlanta as First Lady.

Well, it's not too late to add Mrs. Clinton to Obama's and Chicago 2016's All-Stars pitching the U.S. as host city. It is going to be a big week!

Hail To The Chief!

Bravo, President Obama! The former Man About Chicago today hosted a Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid sendoff on The White House lawn. Glad to see this Executive Branch support weeks before the big vote at the IOC Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Oct. 2. Would be cool to be there!

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (interview with him from Beijing available here) gave an inspiring speech regarding Chicago Olympians who competed in the 1936 Games of Berlin.

News reports from today's event in Washington include scenes similar to the Chicago 2016 live athletic demonstrations at the IOC Evaluation Commission visit in April. Michelle Obama is set to be the U.S. delegation lead in the Danish city. Go, Chicago, GO!

The IOC currently offers a video contest through which they will give two individuals an all expenses jaunt to Copenhagen! To enter, anyone may submit their own video via YouTube. It was fun to view many of the fellow competitors' videos (good luck, everyone!) -- the important thing is not to win but to compete!

Here's a link to the official contest rules; deadline to post is Sept. 22.

Photo via Yahoo! News and the Associated Press/AP Photo

Logo via IOC and International World Games Association website