In his winning week, Obama sees gold ahead

Well, Barack Obama was supposed to take the weekend off. He's got a date with his wife, Michelle, tonight, and the family is hosting a sleepover for their daughter's friends tomorrow.

But Obama, a devoted sports fan, Chicago booster, and lover of big crowds, could not resist making a cameo at a downtown rally today celebrating the Windy City's inclusion in the list of potential host cities for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

"In 2016, I'll be wrapping up my second term as president," Obama said, evidently feeling a bit confident after wrapping up the Democratic nomination this week. "So I can't think of a better way than to be marching into Washington Park alongside Mayor [Richard] Daley, alongside [US Representative] Rahm Emanuel, alongside [Senator] Dick Durbin, alongside [friend and adviser] Valerie Jarrett, as president of the United States and announcing to the world, `let the games begin.'"

Obama, according to Chicago Tribune eminence John McCormick, also noted the success of the Chicago Cubs and White Sox this year, and his own. "And your senator, he's winning, too," Obama said.