Obama said driving Chicago Olympics bid

WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is playing an unprecedented role in trying to lure the 2016 Summer Olympics to Chicago, Olympics experts say.

In addition to recording two promotional videos for the city's bid, Obama has appointed key adviser and personal friend Valerie Jarrett to spearhead an effort to associate his presidency with the Olympics push, the Washington publication Politico reported Tuesday.

"Without Obama in the White House, I would say there would be no chance whatsoever for the U.S. winning," Canadian IOC member Dick Pound told the publication. "The United States is the only country in this race that has had an absolutely extraordinary transformational experience with the election of Obama, which weighs very heavily in its favor."

Politico quoted veteran Olympics observers and participants in the Olympic site selection process as saying that Obama is being seen around the world as the driving force for the Chicago bid.

"Everybody who follows the bids is talking about the Obama factor," said Robert Livingstone, an expert in the murky Olympic bid business. "It's the biggest issue of the whole campaign."

Chicago is competing against Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid for the 2016 Summer Games.