The Chicago NATO Summit is highlighting new ballistic missile defense capacity for NATO allies in Europe. The missile model in this picture is part of an exhibit in the International Media Center at McCormick Place. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit the exhibit on Sunday afternoon.
(photo by Lynn Sweet)

NATO Summit filing center

State Department's communications operation

NATO media headquarters

A massive filing center has been set up for the media. The White House Press Corps has a separate area a flight below. As nice as it is--the internet works swell and there is plenty of workspace--there is a deep sense of professional isolation because the global leaders--their foreign ministers--their defense secretaries--their military brass--are in other parts of the complex that reporters cannot access --except for those few in press pools. Still, there are some prospects--NATO and the State Department have press operations here and I've seen some White House folks around.
(photo by Lynn Sweet)

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen held a short press conference at the media center on Sunday morning.

Rasmussen predicted that the NATO allies will stick with the plan to pull out combat troops by 2014. "There will be no rush for the exits," he said.

New French President Francoise Hollande campaigned to withdraw French soldiers this year. Said Rasmussen, he was "not surprised" Hollande "wants to keep his pledges. He predicted that France will be prepared to help in Afghanistan in the coming years "in a different way."
(photo by Lynn Sweet)

Chicago NATO Host Committee staffers at an information booth. (photo by Lynn Sweet)

A one-of-a-kind lamp shade. (photo by Lynn Sweet)

The Chicago NATO Host Committee is running an information operation to assist reporters in writing stories about Chicago. The media lunch today is very Chicago--Chicago style deep dish pizza and hot dogs. The decor is also Chicago themed--lamp shades with famous quotes about the city.