US Vice President Joe Biden to attend Opening Ceremony

[mr.x]

Obama isn't coming...which is good and bad news for us. The bad, we have less to worry about with security. The good, we won't be able to get more of the world's attention.

The United States government is sending its B-team to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

The White House announcement today that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will head the American delegation to the opening ceremony of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver means that President Barack Obama is giving the Winter Games a miss, an official at the U.S. consulate in Vancouver said.

"The president was in Ottawa last February and this year it's the vice-president's turn," the official added.

Biden and his wife, Jill, will lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony of the games. The delegation will include Valerie Jarrett, a close friend and senior advisor to the president, U.S. ambassador to Canada David Jacobson and several gold medalists, including Mike Eruzione, a member of the 1980 U.S. hockey team, and Peggy Fleming, a 1968 gold medalist in figure skating.

Biden will only stay in Vancouver for a few days while other delegation members may stay longer.

A second U.S. delegation headed by homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano will attend the closing ceremony of the 2010 Games.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2...057/story.html

[Yume-sama]

I think you have your goods and bads backwards lol

Can't wait for Joe to put his foot back in his mouth and announce his surprise that we don't live in igloos and hunt seals in English bay.

[mezzanine]

Valerie Jarrett is a fox! IIRC she is also a major insider in the Obama administration.



And Joe Biden, well,.....

[djh]

I'm pretty sure that even though this is the "official" announcement, Obama will show his face, maybe for just a one day in-out PR excursion, on a last minute trip to boost morale. They do that sort of stuff all the time when they need a PR boost - jet to Iraq or Afghanistan unannounced, get loads of press and leave before any security threats can mobilise.

We'll see him, you watch

[nova9]

a surprise trip would be hard to pull off, unless he lands at Whidbey Island in Washington and take Marine One over. I mean, it's hard to miss Air Force One if it does make it our way.

[jlousa]

After yesterday's budget, he should take Alaska Airlines, and fly economy. That might help boost morale of the American taxpayer.
Honestly I don't expect Obama, but I think we will see Putin and Medvedev.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by nova9

a surprise trip would be hard to pull off, unless he lands at Whidbey Island in Washington and take Marine One over. I mean, it's hard to miss Air Force One if it does make it our way.

The point is to not know he's coming. Once he's here, it doesn't matter.

Him arriving by anything but Marine One would be a complete hassle for such busy air travel during the Olympics, though. EVERYTHING is grounded, and no flights are allowed to land, so they have to circle. I've been stuck on the ground at JFK *three* times for up to 45 minutes because of Bush / Obama coming in. Not only does he have to land, they have to wait for the plane to come to a stop in its parking space, and for him to get in his car. How annoying!