http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/04/obama_video_opens_chicago_olym.htmlObama video to open Olympic session
Posted April 3, 2009 6:06 PM
The Swamp
By John McCormick and Philip Hersh
President Barack Obama has taped a video greeting that will be shown Saturday during an opening session with the International Olympic Committee evaluation team visiting Chicago this weekend.
A White House official said the greeting is scheduled to be played about 9 a.m. Saturday and will then be posted to the Web site run by the Chicago 2016 committee.
Obama has also taped a video that will run at a closing night dinner Monday at the Art Institute, an event that will feature an appearance by Oprah Winfrey.
Soon after his election, Obama taped a different video that was shown Nov. 21 during the Chicago presentation at the annual meeting of the European Olympic Committees in Istanbul.
That video delivered a message dear to the ears of the IOC: The United States and Chicago would be honored to host the Games as a way to serve the Olympic movement and as an opportunity for the country, in Obama's words, "to reach out, welcome the world to our shores and strengthen our friendships across the globe."
In that appearance, Obama said nations must work together to meet their shared challenges. "By uniting the world in a peaceful celebration of human achievement, the Olympic Games reminds us that this is possible," he said.