The White House, President George W. Bush Click to print this document

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 8, 2008

President Bush Greets 2008 United States Summer Olympic Team in Beijing
Fencing Hall
Beijing, People's Republic of China

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     Fact sheet In Focus: Summer Olympics 2008

6:44 P.M. (Local)

THE PRESIDENT: Congratulations for representing the finest nation on the face of the Earth. (Applause.) The honorary captain and I are proud to be with you. We're here to wish you all the very best.

I first want to say thanks to the U.S. Olympic Committee, chaired by Peter Ueberroth, CEO Jim Scherr, Judge Charles Lee. I wasn't exactly sure what to say to you, except to start with, God, I love our country and I love what we stand for. (Applause.) And I love being with you.


United States Olympians take photos of President George W. Bush as he speaks to the athletes Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, prior to the start of the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. White House photo by Eric Draper Laura and I and a lot of our family are here to cheer you on. We're just a handful of a lot of folks who care about you a lot. There are going to be a lot of people pulling for you. We want you to win as many golds as you possibly can. (Applause.)

We appreciate all the hard work you've put in to get to this spot. It's got to be really exciting -- thinking about marching in that stadium and representing our country. So I guess all I've got to say is, go for it, give it all you've got, and may God bless you. (Applause.)

END 6:46 P.M. (Local)
President George W. Bush poses for photos with members of the United States Olympic Boxing Team Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, before the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. White House photo by Eric Draper
President George W. Bush stands with Danielle Scott-Arruda, a member of the U.S. Olympic Volleyball team, as he meets with the athletes Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, prior to the start of the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. White House photo by Eric Draper
President George W. Bush shares a moment with members of the U.S. Olympic team Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, in Beijing prior to Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. White House photo by Eric Draper
President George W. Bush poses for a photo with U.S. Olympic runner Lopez Lomong Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, in Beijing prior to Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Lopez Lomong, a survivor of the violence in his native Sudan, now a U.S. citizen, was selected by his teammates to lead the U.S. Olympic team into Olympic National Stadium carrying the United States Flag at the Opening Ceremony. White House photo by Eric Draper

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