In light of the climate summit currently happening (or not, depending on your point of view) in Copenhagen, the BBC is visiting eight cities around the world to assess how governments and citizens are tackling climate change. Chicago is the only city in North America to have received a visit. The BBC Climate Connections team set out to find out whether we actually are one of the greenest cities in the country. Their findings are available in the form of a Newshour Live broadcast through WBEZ (embedded below) and coverage on the BBC website. more ›

The Obama administration has gone into spin control in regards to Obama's trip to Copenhagen to support Chicago 2016's failed Olympic bid and is using the classic, "Well, they told us it'd be fine" method. A report in this morning's Tribune reveals behind-the-scenes details describing the way in which the Chicago 2016 bid committee persuaded Obama to make his much-talked-about whirlwind trip to Copenhagen on behalf of the city's bid. Worried that the heated health care bill would head to the floor of either the House or Senate for debate with him in Europe, Obama was still hesitant to make the trip until a few days before he took off. more ›

We're just a few scant hours away from learning who, exactly, will host the 2016 Summer Olympics and things are getting heated. An American source told CNN the battle between Rio and Chicago is "close as hell." Still, representatives for long-shots Tokyo and Madrid are also still going all out for the bid. Need a quick cram session so you can wow the coworkers around the water cooler with your 2016 bid knowledge before the big announcement? Then check out our candidate city profiles: Chicago; Tokyo; Madrid; and Rio. more ›

When asked if he thought Republicans would have a change of heart and support an income tax increase this fall, Gov. Pat Quinn replied, "If some of our Republican friends hit their head in the tub and come to Springfield and say, 'Hey, let's raise the revenue necessary to pay for government,' we'll shake their hands and say, 'Hallelujeh, and let's get going.' I think that that's not a likely scenario." Quinn is pushing for a vote on the tax to take place after February's primary election. Meanwhile, Quinn is off to join the Chicago 2016 delegation in Copenhagen in their final push for the bid. more ›

We mentioned earlier that the Chicago 2016 delegation has arrived in Copenhagen in preparation for this week's final presentation and vote on the 2016 Summer Olympics host city. Here's photographic evidence of the team hitting the ground running (in some cases, literally). more ›

At the crack of dawn Chicago time this morning, the Chicago 2016 delegation landed safely in Copenhagen to prepare for the final push for the city's bid. Many members of Chicago 2016 have been in Copenhagen for days already but today's delegation represented a bulk of those that will be doing most of the wooing of the IOC. Former Olympic athletes including David Robinson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Nadia Comaneci joined Chicago's First Lady Maggie Daley in photo opportunities following the landing. Chicago 2016 CEO Pat Ryan and Mayor Daley will hit the ground running behind the scenes in their attempts to drum up votes among the IOC members who will be voting on the host city this Friday. more ›

This morning, the Obama administration confirmed what was reported last week and what we all knew, deep-down, was going to happen: Obama will make an appearance in Copenhagen ahead of the IOC vote for the 2016 Olympics. Every media outlet is reporting this morning on Obama's trip - and if you're expressing surprise at this announcement, let me know because I've got some magic beans to sell you - and it appears as if the trip will be a quick one. Obama will leave Thursday evening to arrive in Copenhagen just ahead of Friday's final bid presentation (Friday morning in Denmark) and be back Friday afternoon D.C. time. Mayor Daley left bright and early this morning for Denmark where some members of the Chicago 2016 team have been since last week. more ›

Mayor Richard Daley attempted to gain support for Chicago’s Olympic bid one last time before leaving for Copenhagen, where the International Olympics Commission will decide which city will host the 2016 Olympics. more ›

• A Decatur man has been arrested for plotting to blow up a federal courthouse in Springfield.
• Mayor Daley called the safety violations the FAA took O'Hare International Airport to task for "not very significant."
• This whole Cubs sale is one step closer to being done.

Crain's is reporting that President Obama will go to Copenhagen in October to lobby for Chicago 2016's bid. This comes as absolutely no surprise. Crain's cites a report by Olympic website Around the Rings which cites a source within the IOC as saying Obama is coming. more ›

• Mayor Daley and Governor Quinn are defending the $16 million price tag on the state's tourism spending. If gubernatorial opponent Dan Hynes thinks that's steep now, wait til October 3rd when we might add roughly $4 billion to that.
• Officials downstate are investigating a brutal quintuple homicide in which a couple and three of their children were shot dead in Beason; a 3-year-old girl survived the shooting, but police haven't released any additional details on her condition.
• Investigators have ruled that the fire-related deaths of a couple in their Des Plaines-area home was a murder-suicide.

Local speculation is running rampant these days as the people of the greater Chicagoland are wondering if Chicago's Olympic bid will pass muster next month. Mayor Daley is feeling pretty damn good about Chicago's chances of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics. "I'm much more confident in our presentation, I'm much more confident in our sponsorship, I'm much more confident that we have all the facts and figures," Daley said yesterday. Never one to clam up in front of media types, Daley went on to explain his reasoning by way of a quick geography lesson. more ›

Speaking of Obama, now he's hinting that he may got to Copenhagen after all to pimp Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid. This...is no surprise. What better way to help the bid about by a sudden reversal in plans and a dramatic entrance? The IOC would eat it up. We're not saying he's definitely going, we're just saying nothing would surprise us anymore. more ›

As it becomes more and more likely that President Obama won't be making that trip to Copenhagen in early October to support the Chicago 2016 bid, some have speculated his absence will hurt the bid's chances. Not so, according to IOC president Jacques Rogge, who said that appearances by heads of state are welcome but, "absolutely not a requirement of the IOC." [Tribune] more ›

Sure, the First Lady is going and Oprah's mulling it over, but President Obama is skeptical he'll get to visit Copenhagen in October to make a last-second pitch for Chicago 2016 because he's got other things on his "to do" list. But to hear at least one member of the IOC talk about it, President Obama is the key to the whole deal for Chicago. An IOC member named Dick Pound (no, really) spoke at a symposium focused on the Olympics last night and said, among other things, "If you have a popular and transformational leader and you don't use him, you're not maximizing your chances. To the extent that the mayor and Pat Ryan can twist the presidential arm, they should do that. I think it could make a huge difference." more ›

While the Chicago 2016 team is fine sending the First Lady to Copenhagen in October instead of the President for the final Olympic pitch, they may get another high-profile boost from the city's other big name: Oprah. The Trib caught up with her in Toronto where she's promoting Precious at that city's annual film festival. When asked about her involvement, Oprah said, "There's some talk about it, and if I feel I can be useful there, then that's what I will do." Let the speculation begin. more ›

There's been much speculation over the past day or two whether or not President Obama will be visiting Copenhagen ahead of the October 2nd IOC vote for the 2016 Summer Olympics host city. Speculation heightened when Mayor Daley, at a press conference this morning, made a reference to a phone call he received from Obama. Now come reports that an Obama is going to Copenhagen, it's just not the one everyone assumed it would be. Instead, First Lady Michelle Obama will take on diplomatic duties in Denmark, helping make a final pitch in the name of Chicago. While the First Lady certainly will make a good impression on the IOC with her dignity and grace, one can't help but wonder if anything less than the President himself matters to the IOC. We also wouldn't be that surprised if the President himself still manages to make the trip, though he claims the fight for his health care reform is what might keep him stateside. more ›

• There's still some skepticism as to whether or not President Obama will make the trip to Copenhagen on the eve of the IOC's October 2nd vote for the 2016 Olympic games.
• Speaking of the Olympics, in the latest edition of one poll that measures where city's rank with their bids, Chicago is now second behind Rio.
• WBEZ talked to local Congressmen to see where they stand on health care reform in the wake of President Obama's speech last night.