"Watching a woman walk through a doorway and into a hotel lobby. What difference does it make to an Olympic Games?"

The question, put with some scorn by a seasoned observer of all matters Olympic, was rhetorical. But it has real relevance when that woman is Michelle Obama. And the answer will be supplied before the week is up.

The stir created by the First Lady’s arrival here in support of Chicago’s 2016 bid was huge, albeit that it is now in the vanguard of her husband’s planned visit on the day of decision itself.

Well before her elegantly-shod feet trod the plush floral carpet of the Marriott, venue for the 121st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session – entrance via the back door having rendered the red carpet redundant – the President’s wife was already configuring the media.

Attempting to enter hotel’s main revolving door I was hindered by a charming fellow in shades. "Hi," he said. "How are you?" At this point I could have told him about my flight into Copenhagen, which had been pleasantly  uneventful, and about the charming volunteer who had helped me find a shuttle bus to my hotel.

"Could I ask you to stand over there please?" Oh, OK, it seemed that conversation was not about to happen...

The media cluster "over there" consisted of several reporters and a couple of camera crews, whose operators were busy focusing their lenses through the glass doors in front of them and onto the second group of more privileged – or perhaps simply more punctual – media representatives who were artfully arranged all over a broad staircase as if someone were about to take a giant school photo.

All in all it was a sensational bit of publicity for the hotel’s Hans Christian Andersen gift shop which lay between the two straining banks of observers. Who says fairy tales don't come true?

A little way down the street a Paramedic Ambulance had parked up – presumably in case anyone succumbed to over-excitement – and a group of 11 police motorcyclists had gathered in a car park underneath the giant banner advertising the 121st IOC Session and the XIII Olympic Congress.

Suddenly the media crowd had changed shape, and at their epicentre was a woman in a smart-but-sensible black-and-white outfit, first speaking, and then being – suggested is probably the most accurate word – towards an exit.

I can report the following words from the First Lady.   

"Chicago is a wonderful host city with great people, wonderful facilities. The hospitality is like on other.
 
"I'm so happy to be here, just so excited. We've got a lot of work to do and we are not taking anything for granted so I’m going to talk to some voters."


 

Sequestered and securitised somewhere  beyond the bar – which by the way offered club sandwiches at just a shade under £18 and coffee for a knockdown £6.50 – the First Lady proved as good as her word.

Pretty soon British IOC member Craig Reedie, not known to be wholeheartedly in the Chicago camp at this point in the proceedings, was being invited down the corridor for an Audience with Michelle. "Can I go to get my wife?" he asked.

Who is to say what the Obama effect might be upon the sensibilities of the IOC members upon whose votes the delivery of the 2016 Games depend?

Well, maybe an IOC member is best placed to address that.

Having witnessed Michelle’s media melee, the IOC member for the Caribbean island of Aruba, Nicole Hoevertz, denied that IOC members would now effectively mark down bidding cities if heads of state were not produced on cue. "I don’t think that is the case. For instance, if President Obama couldn’t be here because of the health debate back home we would understand.

"But it does add to the effect, and I believe it's very important for the Olympic Movement because it expresses the importance of the Games in the world. The Obamas being here is huge, because they are both real Chicagoans and they are two people making a real difference to the whole world."

Meanwhile the police motorcyclists arrived singly and at speed, sirens blaring, blue lights flashing, looking as if they had had a right good tear-up around the block, presumably on the basis of "If you’ve got the hardware, why not use it?"

A question, perhaps, that the Barack Obama will have to address during the nuclear discussion involving the Iranians which he will undertake along with others in Geneva before he arrives in the Danish capital.
 
Judging by the effect his wife has already created here, that arrival looks as if it will be mightily influential.

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, has covered the last five Summer and four Winter Olympics for The Independent. Previously he has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, the Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. He is now chief feature writer for insidethegames and will be reporting regularly from the IOC Session in Copenhagen this week