SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Massachusetts governor and head of the 2002 Olympic Organizing Committee Mitt Romney says President Obama is doing exactly what needs to be done by flying to Denmark to lobby for the Olympics to come to Chicago in 2016.
Romney tells ABC News that having a sitting president make a personal pitch can make an enormous difference to the 106 members of the International Olympic Committee.
Obama to boost Chicago Olympic bid in DenmarkPres. Obama is going to Copenhagen after all, joining first lady Michelle Obama to support Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics.
"I think the people in the IOC want to understand the level of the commitment of the host country," Romney said. "Does the host country really care? Is this going to be a high priority? And nothing says that like having the presence of the leader of that country and, particularly, the case of Barack Obama."
Romney says London won the games after Tony Blair made a personal pitch and Obama should do the same.
"The real embarrassment would be for [Obama] not to go to Copenhagen and for the games to be awarded to another nation," Romney said.
Romney is in Salt Lake City Tuesday holding a fundraiser for his Political Action Committee.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
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