11T H E E X A M I N ER T U E SDAY, SEP T E M BER 2 9, 2009
By Julie Mason
Examiner White House Correspondent
The White House defended Presi-
dent Obama's trip to Denmark this
week to promote Chicago's bid for
the Olympic Games, saying health
care reform is in good enough shape
for him to miss a couple of days.
"I think he believes he can do this
and get back in time," White House
press secretary Robert Gibbs said.
"He felt strongly and personally that
he should go and make the case of
the United States, and that's what
he's going to do."
Obama will lead a delegation
that includes first lady Michelle
Obama, Transportation Secretary
Ray LaHood, Education Secretary
Arne Duncan, Oprah Winfrey and
others.
The International Olympic Com-
mittee on Friday will choose the site
of the 2016 Summer Games. Also in
contention are Rio De Janeiro, Bra-
zil; Tokyo; and Madrid, Spain.
The president's apparent last-
minute decision to make the trip
drew immediate criticism, includ-
ing from some Republicans in
Congress who accused him of get-
ting distracted from health care, the
economy, Iran and Afghanistan.
But both Obamas have shown a
keen interest in European travel,
making several trips since Obama
became president to England,
France, Germany, the Czech Repub-
lic and more.
The first lady earlier this year
spent several days with daugh-
ters Sasha and Malia in Paris and
London, breaking away from the
president's official schedule for
some private, family adventure.
Obama's relationships with some
of his counterparts -- notably Brit-
ish Prime Minister Gordon Brown,
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel -- often appear only slightly
more than cordial. But both Obamas
have been embraced by European
people and enjoy an effusive, celeb-
rity-type status overseas.
The president less than two
weeks ago said he would like to
make the trip to Copenhagen,
where the International Olympic
Committee is meeting, but that his
commitment to health care reform
prevented it.
Since then, the administration
has sounded much like the fictional
Dane Hamlet -- going back and
forth on whether Obama might join
the first lady after all.
In announcing the Obamas'
plans to travel, the administration
stressed the economic benefits of
hosting the Olympics, the quick
schedule of Obama's approximately
24-hour trip and the improved state
of the health care reform effort.
Obama will be the first sitting
president to directly address the
IOC.
Even so, the trip is a risky one
for Obama. Chicago is not consid-
ered a front-runner for the Games,
although the president's appearance
before the committee may help the
city's chances.
Michelle Obama, who spoke
to reporters at the White House,
acknowledged some of the criticism
surrounding the president's trip.
"Look, you're darned if you do
and you're darned if you don't," she
said. "These last days are really
important. ... People are making up
their minds at the very end."
Obama represented Illinois in
the Senate, and the first family still
has a house in Chicago, which the
Hawaiian-born president regards as
his hometown.
"I don't think there's any doubt
that the president is enormously
proud of Chicago and would be
enormously proud of the city host-
ing the bid," Gibbs said.
jmason@washingtonexaminer.com
Obama defends Olympic trip to Denmark
POLITICSWhite House
NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
President Obama will lead a delegation including Oprah Winfrey and cabinet
members to Denmark this week to promote Chicago's bid for the Olympic Games.
GLOBAL AFFAIRS
Bank suspends dealings
with ACORN affiliate
Bank of America Corp. is sus-
pending its work with the housing
affiliate of embattled community
organizing group ACORN.
The decision comes as three
Republicans in Congress asked
Bank of America and 13 other
financial institutions to give Con-
gress a complete accounting of
their dealings with the Association
of Community Organizations for
Reform Now or its affiliates.
In a statement, Bank of America
said it would not enter into any
further agreements with ACORN
Housing Corp. until the bank
is satisfied all issues have been
resolved. � AP
As a candidate, President
Obama toured Europe and gave
a major speech in Germany last
year. Since taking office, he and
first lady Michelle Obama have
traveled extensively, but they
have a particular fondness for
Europe.
� L'Aquila, Italy, July 2009: The
president attends the Group of Eight
summit, first lady Michelle Obama's
wardrobe meticulously documented
by Italian media.
� London, June 2009: Michelle
Obama takes daughters Sasha and
Malia sightseeing at Westminster
Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament and
other spots, to celebrate Sasha's
eighth birthday.
� Paris, June 2009: The first
lady and her two daughters take
some vacation time in France,
visiting Notre Dame, the Eiffel
Tower and more. The president
is in France for a ceremony at
Normandy.
� Weimar, Germany, June 2009:
President Obama attends an event
with German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and others marking the
liberation of Buchenwald Concen-
tration Camp.
� Prague, Czech Republic, April
2009: The president attends a
European Union meeting, delivers
a speech on nuclear disarmament.
� Strasbourg, France, April 2009:
President Obama attends a NATO
meeting; first lady Michelle Obama
appears with her French coun-
terpart Carla Bruni to rapturous
coverage in European media.
� London, April 2009: President
Obama attends the Group of 20
world leaders summit, causes a
sensation with the first lady when
they meet with Queen Elizabeth at
Buckingham Palace. � Julie Mason
The first family's European adventures
JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
President Obama met Britain's Queen
Elizabeth II in London in April.
"Look, you're darned
if you do and you're
darned if you don't."
-- Michelle Obama, on President
Obama's trip to Denmark
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