    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [May 1, 1996]
    [Pages 676-677]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 676]]

    Remarks at the Olympic Dinner
    May 1, 1996

        Thank you very much. Thank you so much. President Walker, thank you
    for your remarks and for your work, and to Dick Schultz and Jim
    Hardymon, Steve Green, Anita DeFrantz, and others who are responsible
    for this dinner tonight. To the Members of Congress who are here, and
    Mr. Michel, it's good to see you again. I miss you. I'm glad you're
    here--I'm glad you're here.
        I want to thank the Vice President and Mack McLarty for the work
    they have done on the Olympics and all those others in our
    administration who have undertaken this endeavor, I must say, with great
    joy and energy. As the Vice President mentioned, Hillary had the honor
    of representing our country at the Olympics in Lillehammer and of being
    in Greece in Olympia with our daughter when the Olympic flame was lit to
    be brought to the United States. Our experience with the Olympics has
    been one of the great highlights of our service here in Washington and
    in this great office.
        I'd also like to say a special word of appreciation to the men and
    women up here on the stage with me, particularly those who were with me
    today earlier and the Vice President, over at Eastern High School in the
    Champions in Life program, for truly so many of them have been an
    inspiration to young people all across the country who may never be
    Olympic athletes but can be Olympian in their citizenship and character
    and the contribution they give to this country, and who drew inspiration
    and strength from what was said for them today.
        I want to thank Billy Payne and Andy Fleming and all those who have
    worked so hard to make the Atlanta Olympics and the Paralympics a great
    success, but also those who won the competition for the 100th modern
    Olympics to be in Atlanta. It's a great honor for the United States. And
    when opening day comes, I believe that the United States will measure up
    to that honor, that the world will see America achieving a new national
    best.
        The spirit of the United States Olympic Committee was basically born
    with Dr. William Milligan Sloane, who helped to rekindle the modern
    Olympic Games and who was so dedicated to getting his team to Athens for
    the 1896 Olympics that he gave up his own ticket, and his wife's, so
    that the last 2 of the 13 American team members could go. He didn't even
    get to see the spectacle he had made possible. Now, I know a lot of you
    have given very generously to these Olympic Games, but at least you're
    going to get to see them unfold.
        The legacy that Dr. Sloane left us has been richly fulfilled by this
    U.S. Olympic Committee. When our athletes line up at the starting blocks
    or face off in the wrestlers' circle or the boxing ring or the
    basketball or the tennis court, we will see the best in the world. But
    we have to thank not only them for their dedication, their coaches,
    their trainers, their families, their friends but also the United States
    Olympic Committee. Here in America we do it our way; the Government does
    not finance the Olympic teams. Everyone pitches in and does his or her
    part, businesses, communities, universities, neighbors, friends, and
    families.
        So not only our athletes but also all of you who have anything to do
    with the Olympics are part of Team U.S.A. And on behalf of the American
    people, let me thank you for making Team U.S.A. possible. We are very
    proud of you.
        Not very long ago I had the privilege to spend a few hours with
    Billy Payne, walking around the Olympic stadium and some of the
    facilities and being briefed. Andy Fleming was there; others were there.
    And I'm telling you, they have done a magnificent job down there, and I
    am in awe of the level of organization, preparation, and execution we
    are seeing. I am very proud of every aspect of this Olympics, and I will
    be bursting with pride when the games begin. I hope in some way I can
    communicate to the American people and to people all over the world what
    the spirit and character of the Olympics mean, what the standard of
    excellence within honorable rules set by these Olympians and the
    Paralympians mean to the United States.
        I also want to thank those who were there with me at Eastern High
    School today, who reminded those young people that no one really makes
    it alone and that every achievement is worthy of respect. That's what I
    want the world to see at the Olympics this summer. And if I could leave
    you with that thought--you know,

    [[Page 677]]

    when this country gets together, when we reach across all the lines that
    divide us, when we say, in spite of our differences of color or creed or
    region or station in life, we really are one nation, helping each other
    to achieve our individual dreams--when America does that, we are never
    defeated. And I believe this summer the world will see one America, a
    place where individual dreams are realized through common efforts, where
    all Americans who want to work hard are being given a chance to succeed,
    where different points of view and different heritages are undergirded
    by shared values that keep this great country strong and secure and give
    it its character and its future.
        I thank you, all of you, for contributing to that and for making
    America's team still the envy of the entire world. Good luck, and God
    bless you.

    Note: The President spoke at 8 p.m. at the Washington Hilton Hotel. In
    his remarks, he referred to LeRoy T. Walker, president, and Dick
    Schultz, executive director, U.S. Olympic Committee; James F. Hardymon,
    chairman and CEO of Textron, Inc.; Steve Green, chairman and CEO of
    Samsonite; Anita DeFrantz, member, International Olympic Committee; Bob
    Michel, former House minority leader; Billy Payne, chief executive
    officer, Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games; and G. Andrew Fleming,
    chief executive officer, Atlanta Paralympic Organizing Committee.