[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 29 (Monday, July 28, 2008)]
[Pages 1014-1015]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Dinner Honoring Current and Former United States Olympic 
Athletes

July 21, 2008

    Ladies and gentlemen, Laura and I are thrilled to have you here. 
Welcome to the East Room of the White House. Chairman Ueberroth; Mr. 
Secretary--the Veterans Affairs Secretary Peake; Members of the 
Congress; members of the 2008 United States Olympic and Paralympic 
teams; Mayor of Chicago, who will be hosting the 2016 Olympics; 
Ambassadors; supporters of the Olympics; distinguished guests: We're 
really glad you're here.
    I also do want to recognize Seldom Scene. They're the bluegrass band 
that will be playing after dinner in the Rose Garden.
    In a few weeks, the athletes here and others will participate in one 
of the greatest traditions in the world of sports. You're going to 
travel halfway around the globe; you'll step onto the field of 
competition; and you will represent the United States of America at the 
2008 Olympics. And we're really excited. And not only we're excited, but 
people who have worn the USA uniform before are excited with you. And we 
welcome all the previous Olympians who are with us today, and I want to 
thank you for coming.
    And you're not going to be alone in Beijing because you're going to 
be accompanied by the hopes and pride of millions of Americans. There's 
going to be a lot of folks in Beijing to watch you, including Laura and 
me. And I cannot wait to cheer you on. All the room have devoted years 
to training and preparation. You've developed the self-discipline that 
defines a champion. And you've proven yourself worthy of representing 
the Nation.
    The tradition you're carrying on is long and it is noble. It turns 
out, when the first American Olympians traveled to the 1896 games in 
Athens, Grover Cleveland lived here in the House. The Oval Office had 
yet to be built. In those 112 years that have passed, we have been 
reminded time and again that the Olympics are not just a chance to 
celebrate our greatest athletes, they're an opportunity to demonstrate 
the strength of the human spirit.

    We were reminded of this truth in 1936, when Jesse Owens won four 
Gold Medals at the Berlin Olympics. We're reminded of the truth in 1972, 
when 80,000 spectators filled Munich's Olympic Stadium to honor 11 
Israeli athletes and coaches killed by a cowardly act of terrorism. And 
we were reminded of this truth in 2002, when a tattered American flag 
recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center entered the Olympic 
Stadium in Salt Lake City and displayed to the world the resolve and 
resilience of our country.

    Those of you who will be competing in this year's games in Beijing 
are continuing a proud tradition of athletic excellence and a proud 
tradition of representing our country with honor and dignity.

    We wish you luck. We wish you endurance. And we wish you victory. 
And now--[applause]. And before I ask Peter Ueberroth to join us, I 
would like to propose a toast to the Olympic athletes, past and present, 
and to the United States of America.

Note: The President spoke at 7:31 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Peter V. Ueberroth, chairman, U.S. 
Olympic Committee; Secretary of Veterans Affairs James B. Peake; and 
Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago, IL.

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