THE MANTES POST

In a change of heart, US President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen this week to leverage his global popularity in a last-minute pitch for his hometown Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid, the White House said Monday.

The president will arrive in Denmark on Friday, hours before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) votes on the destiny of the Summer Games after a final round battle between Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

Obama had previously said that the pressure of his under-fire health care reform drive would keep him from attending the crucial meeting, and nominated his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama to go instead.

But his reversal sets up a high-profile clash on the Olympian political stage between the US president and leaders from Spain, Japan and Brazil also expected in Denmark to push their nations’ respective bids.

The White House said Michelle Obama will go to Copenhagen separately Wednesday, with Obama’s longtime Chicago friend Valerie Jarrett, who now serves as a senior advisor and head of the White House office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport.

Both Obamas will make a presentation on their hometown as part of the Windy City’s final pitch.

“They will discuss why Chicago is best to host the 2016 Summer Games, and how the United States is eager to bring the world together to celebrate the ideals of the Olympic movement,” the White House said in a statement.

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The American flag that activist priest Father Michael Pfleger was flying upside down to protest violence against children has been cut down – and stolen.

Father Michael Pfleger says about noon, someone cut down the American flag, which had been flying upside down this week outside St. Sabina Church 1210 W. 78th Pl., on the South S ide.

Pfleger says he’s surprised that someone would go that far – but he says some people had already driven by and expressed their outrage over his decision to fly the flag upside down as a protest against the killing of children.

“Calling me names. And we’ve had an awful lot of hateful calls and threatening calls. It’s kind of unbelievable to me that people are outraged about the flag, more so than the killing,” Pfleger told Newsradio 780.

Pfleger says he has replaced the flag already – with another flag he’s flying upside down.

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