CBS Asks: Will Obama ‘Bring Home Gold’ in Olympic Bid?...Not Even a Bronze

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On Friday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez speculated on the impact of President Obama’s personal appeal for the 2016 Olympics to be held in Chicago: “President Obama arrives in Copenhagen, carrying the torch for Chicago as the best candidate for the 2016 summer Olympics...Will he bring home the gold?” When the announcement came, Chicago was immediately eliminated from contention.

In the report that followed, correspondent Sheila MacVicar declared: “For this Olympic bid, it’s all about celebrity star power and supporters of Chicago’s bid hope President Obama will be the biggest star of all.” An on-screen headline read: “Chicago Hope; Obama Makes Case For 2016 Olympics. ” MacVicar fawned over the first couple’s emotional appeal: “ For Michelle Obama, a very personal story about her own father, who struggled with multiple sclerosis...And from the President, a heartfelt pitch for his adopted hometown.”

MacVicar concluded her report: “And that if Chicago does take it in a very tight race, analysts here say they’ll be calling it the ‘Obama effect.’” Apparently that effect was overrated.  

On Wednesday’s Evening News, anchor Katie Couric touted Barack and Michelle Obama, as well as Oprah, as a ‘dream team’ to make the Olympic pitch, with the President as the ‘team captain.’

Here is a full transcript of the Early Show segment:

7:00AM TEASE:

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: President Obama arrives in Copenhagen, carrying the torch for Chicago as the best candidate for the 2016 summer Olympics.

BARACK OBAMA: I promise you this, the city of Chicago and the United States of America will make the world proud.

RODRIGUEZ: Will he bring home the gold?

7:08AM SEGMENT:

CHRIS WRAGGE: The other big story this morning, President Obama is headed back to the U.S. after lobbying the International Olympic Commitee to award Chicago the 2016 summer Olympics. Committee members will decide today who gets games, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, or Tokyo. CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar is at the IOC meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark for us this morning and she joins us now. Good morning.

SHEILA MACVICAR: Good morning. Well, we’re hours away from voting here in Copenhagen, hours away from knowing which of those four cities will indeed host the games. And hours from knowing whether or not President Obama’s trans-Atlantic dash has paid off for his hometown, Chicago. For this Olympic bid, it’s all about celebrity star power and supporters of Chicago’s bid hope President Obama will be the biggest star of all. Courting the 101 voting members of the International Olympic Committee, presidents, prime ministers, a king and queen, and the first couple of the U.S.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Chicago Hope; Obama Makes Case For 2016 Olympics]

MICHELLE OBAMA: Some of my best memories are sitting on my dad’s lap cheering on Olga and Nadia.

MACVICAR: For Michelle Obama, a very personal story about her own father, who struggled with multiple sclerosis.

OBAMA: My dad was my hero.

MACVICAR: And from the President, a heartfelt pitch for his adopted hometown.

OBAMA: I urge you to choose Chicago, I urge you to choose America.

MACVICAR: How did it go? He was asked.

OBAMA: The only thing I was upset about is they arranged for me to follow Michelle. That’s always bad.

MACVICAR: President Obama is on the tarmac at Copenhagen airport right now, he’s getting ready to head back to Washington. He’s in discussions with general McChrystal, talking Afghanistan strategy. The General has been here in Europe making a series of speeches, talking about what he sees as the way forward and the need for additional troops. He and the President clearly meeting up today. As to what’s happening here in the hall, we’re told that at least a quarter of the delegates went into that meeting this morning without having made up their minds. And that if Chicago does take it in a very tight race, analysts here say they’ll be calling it the ‘Obama effect.’ Maggie.

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Sheila MacVicar in Denmark. Thank you, Sheila. And of course we’ll bring you that decision as soon as it comes in.