Obama Hopes Personal Pitch Will Tip the Scales for Chicago's Olympics Bid

Fox News' Mike Emanuel has confirmed that President Obama will add a some heft to his pitch for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics Summer Games when he makes a personal appearance at the International Olympic Committee's host city selection in Copenhagen, Denmark Friday.

With the health care debate still brewing, Iran stoking international concerns over its nuclear program, and a decision pending on how to deal with the rising violence in Afghanistan, the President will be leaving at a key time for his administration. However, the trip is scheduled to be quite brief, the White House says. He will return Friday afternoon.

Brent Bozell, founder of The Media Research Center, sees the visit as an ego trip, "This is evidence that this man cannot stay away from the klieg lights," he told Fox and Friends this morning.

The President will depart Washington, DC late Thursday night and is likely to echo remarks he made on behalf of Chicago at a recent White House event, when the First Lady was scheduled to be dispatched to make the pitch. He told press and athletes gathered on the South Lawn for a September 16 Olympics event, "I've called Chicago home for nearly 25 years. It's a city of broad shoulders and big hearts and bold dreams; a city of legendary sports figures, legendary sports venues, and legendary sports fans; a city like America itself, where the world -- the world's races and religions and nationalities come together and reach for the dream that brought them here."

Mrs. Obama will still attend, along with other administration officials, and both the President and First Lady will make separate presentations to the committee. Senior Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett said Michelle Obama's pitch will be powerful, "There won't be a dry eye in the room," she said in a recent interview. There's no word yet on what the President's presentation will be.

While in Denmark, the Obamas will also meet with Denmark's Queen Margrethe and Prince Consort. The President will also meet with Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

Other cities in the running to host the Olympics are Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo.