Posts Tagged ‘Olympics’

October 12, 2010 – Ottawa

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

This afternoon I met with Dick Pound and Marc Paris, of the Partnership for a Drug Free Canada (PDFC).  The name Dick Pound might sound familiar to you.  He was one of Canada’s great athletes in the Sixties.  He was a swimming finalist at the 1960 Olympic Games and later became President of the Canadian Olympic Association and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  He has been active in various IOC committees ever since and is also founding President of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).  Now, he’s taken on the duties of the Chair of the Partnership for a Drug Free Canada (PDFC).  His colleague, Marc Paris, is PDFC’s executive director and works out of Toronto. 

The mission of PDFC is a critical one: to educate Canadian parents and youth about the issue of illegal drug use – particularly as it relates to driving and drugs – and the abuse of prescription drugs.  PDFC plans to accomplish this through campaigns of media-delivered drug prevention education messages.  Their strategy is modeled on that of the Partnership for a Drug free America (PDFA) which was founded in 1986.  PDFA has had a significant impact in helping to reduce the trail of illicit drugs in my own country.  Hopefully PDFC will have the same effect in Canada.

I was surprised at some of the facts Dick and Marc shared with me.  One that caught my attention was that approximately twenty percent of Canada’s youth have abused prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets in order to get high.  Dick said that there is a critical need for drug prevention education in Canada… drug use among youths is NOT just a problem south of the border…and usage in Canada is increasing.  You can see read about the PDFC at www.canadadrugfree.org.  By coincidence, the White House just announced a new study about drug use in the U.S.  That study is available at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/.

DJ.

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Posted in October 2010 |

March 19, 2010 – 24 Sussex

Friday, March 19th, 2010

I finally found something I’m good at.

This morning I delivered a case of Molsons to Prime Minister Harper to make good on his bet with President Obama on the Men’s Gold Medal hockey game. To show there were no hard feelings, the President threw in a case of the oldest beer in the United States, Yeungling. My country always honors its international obligations.

After the “ceremony” the Prime Minister and I went inside and autographed the beer. It’s going to the Hockey Hall of Fame (which took the thrill to a new level.) It should be obvious to all of you that the only way my name could make it into the Hall of Fame was on a case of beer.

Great fun.

DJ

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ambassador David Jacobson

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ambassador David Jacobson

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Posted in March 2010 |

February 16, 2010 — Whistler

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

We got up this morning at 4:30 to take the Alberta Train from Vancouver to Whistler. People who have been reading this blog will know that I love trains. And this one was something else. It was luxurious. And the food was great. But the best part was the views. The train runs on tracks between the Sea-to- Sky Highway and the water. While I didn’t think the views from the highway could be beat, that was before we took the train.

Alberta train to Whistler

Alberta train to Whistler

After we got to Whistler Julie and I headed over to the Whistler Sliding Centre for the women’s luge event. The tragedy of the Georgian luger was on everyone’s mind. And the start of the race had been lowered to reduce the speeds. I had a conversation with the head of the United States Luge Association and asked him if they had made the right call in altering the course. He told me that since they didn’t have the time to sort out exactly why the tragedy occurred he thought changing the start was the right thing to do even if it made it hard for the competitors to adjust since all of their practice was at the higher speeds. Since I am – to put it mildly – not a luge expert I have no basis to agree or disagree. But another serious crash would have been awful.

I will say that the change of course didn’t dampen the spirit of the lugers or the crowd. We ran into our friend Ken Melamed the Mayor of Whistler. He was with Pam Goldsmith-Jones, the Mayor of West Vancouver and we spent the afternoon with them. After watching some of the early action at the bottom of the hill, the four of us hiked up to the start and we watched several contestants launch their runs.

I may be the only one who didn’t know this but the lugers get on a scale with their sleds before they start to make sure they don’t exceed a weight limit.

Getting weighed before the competition

Getting weighed before the competition

And the runners on their sleds do not look like ice skate blades. They are rounded and about 3 cm wide. When the sleds got to the start the runners were covered in tissue paper and what looked like very long skate guards. They have to remain perfectly smooth and they are repolished after each run. One other interesting thing we learned later. They take the temperature of the runners after the contestants finish to make sure they are not too hot – which apparently speeds up the sled. (Don’t ask me how or why.)

After watching some of the contestants at the start we walked down to the finish area and we were seated with the families of the contestants. It was wild. People came from all over the world to cheer on their daughters, sisters, wives. As each one would take their turn a different part of the stands would erupt. My favorites were a group who all wore bright pink wigs!

Fans

Fans

But the most special part was that everyone was cheering for everyone. And when the last few contestants (who were the leaders after the first three runs) went down for the final run everyone was cheering for everyone. When Tatjana Huefner of Germany won the gold the place erupted. It was what the Olympics are all about. Friendly competition.

Tatjana Huefner of Germany

Tatjana Huefner of Germany

DJ

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Posted in February 2010 |

February 15, 2010 – Vancouver

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Yesterday was quite a day. We started out at a reception given by the US Olympic Committee for Vice President Biden at the home of United States Consul General in Vancouver Phil Chicola. Phil, his wife Vicky, Deputy Consul General Kathleen Hill, and the rest of the Vancouver US Consulate have done an extraordinary job over the last year in preparing for these games. The results prove it.

Phil’s house was full of winter and summer Olympians. One of my favorites was Dick Fosbury – perhaps the greatest high jumper of all time and the inventor of the Fosbury Flop – the technique almost all high jumpers still use. He explained to me that he came up with the technique one day in a meet. He had already cleared his personal best. When they raised the bar he knew his technique would not allow him to clear the new height and so he improvised. That day he raised his personal best by 6 inches and the rest – as they say – is history.

With Dick Fosbury

With Dick Fosbury

We then did two pretty special things. We watched a women’s hockey game between the United States and China (US won 12-1) with Mike Eruzione. Then we went to the pairs figure skating with Peggy Fleming. Talk about expert commentary! Here’s Mike between periods at the hockey game holding court with the Vice President and Jill Biden as well as Salt Lake Olympic organizer, Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife Ann.

Mike Eruzione with Vice President Biden and Mrs. Biden, and Governor Mitt Romney and his wife Ann

Mike Eruzione with Vice President Biden and Mrs. Biden, and Governor Mitt Romney and his wife Ann

While we were at the figure skating (the Chinese were awesome) the Canadians won their first gold medal on home soil. Alex Bilodeau at the men’s moguls. I gave Michael Ignatieff the good news. He gave me a high five. That’s what the Olympic spirit is about. Friendly competition.

Julie – who was sitting next to Peggy – was on TV during the figure skating. She has gotten about 100 e mails from friends back home.
Afterwards we went out with the delegation to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Dennis Cheng of the State Department Protocol Office who was with us on the trip and who is from Vancouver picked out the restaurant. The best part was that his family was at the next table celebrating. Everyone had a great time. Gung Hay Fat Choy (that’s Gong Xi Fa Cai to all those Mandarin speakers out there)!!!

chinese_restaurant

Celebrating Chinese New Year

This morning we went to the airport to see the Vice President off. He and his family had a great time in Vancouver. Hopefully we will see all of them back in Canada soon.

A few words about the athletes in the delegation. Peggy Fleming is as elegant today as she was at 19 when she won the gold medal in figure skating in 1968. She and her husband – who live in California – own a vineyard. We plan to sample their wine soon. Vonetta Flowers was the glue of the group. You can’t help but like her. She came with her mother and her 7 month old baby. She left her twin 7 year olds at home with her husband. Mike Eruzione is – plain and simple – one of the funniest people I have ever met. He has the rare combination of irreverence and self effacing charm. He kept the whole group – from the Vice President on down – laughing.

This afternoon Julie and I went with Peggy Fleming to the Canadian Mint Exhibit where – among other treasures – they had the actual medals they made for the Olympics. They were huge and much more beautiful in person than in pictures. Peggy – as a true Olympic competitor – picked up a gold medal and said “if you won a bunch of these they’d really weigh you down.” One of the great parts of the exhibit was the booth where people could make short videos to send home to friends about the Olympics. Here’s mine.

Mint_QuebecHouse

Visiting the Canadian Mint Exhibit


Today was Quebec Day at the Olympics. So we went to the Quebec reception. Ran in to a bunch of friends including Premier Charest and his wife Michèle Dionne. After that we went to a party given by Michael Budman and his wife Diane Bald, the founders of Roots. Great food and great people. But the highlight was a photo they have on their wall of Vonetta Flowers in tears getting her gold medal in a Roots jacket. I wish Vonetta had been there with us to see it.

Tomorrow it’s off to Whistler.

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Posted in February 2010 |

February 13, 2010 — Vancouver

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Yesterday morning the Vice President and the rest of the Presidential Delegation to the Olympics arrived. Julie and I went out to the airport to welcome them. I don’t care who you are, when you walk up to the steps of a big blue and white plane that says “United States of America” across the side and you greet the Vice President of the United States, it’s pretty special. The Vice President is accompanied by his wife Dr. Jill Biden, his two sons and their families. They are so warm toward all of us.

Also part of the delegation is Valerie Jarrett, my old colleague from Chicago who has become one of the President’s closest advisors. And the delegation wouldn’t be complete without some Olympic legends. So we are joined by gold medalists Mike Eruzione, Vonetta Flowers and Peggy Fleming. More on them later.

Our first official stop was at the pep rally for the US Olympic team. I’ve been to pep rallies in high school and college. But never anything quite like this. Surrounded by the some of the best athletes in the world, the Vice President of the United States inspired them to represent our country and the spirit it stands for in front of the world.

We then went to the opening ceremonies. I’m sure you saw them on TV. Everyone did. A couple of impressions. It made me feel really proud that when the US team walked in they were greeted by a roar from the whole crowd. Says a lot about our relationship with Canada and the world. We were among friends. And the reaction the Canadian team got was very special. You could sense not only the pride of the Canadian people, but also the fondness of the rest of the world toward them. I’ll also say KD Lang’s rendition of Hallelujah was amazing.

Today the competitions began. We drove up to Whistler. We shared a ride with Minister Jim Prentice and his wife Karen. While it was not as sunny as the last time we drove on the Sea to Sky highway it was still magnificent. We watched the ski jumping. Not something I plan to try any time soon. We had planned to watch the Men’s downhill. But as you have all heard, it was postponed because of the weather. So we toured around Whistler. After lunch with the delegation, we walked for a couple of blocks along the main street and the Vice President was mobbed along the way. He stopped every few feet to pose for pictures, to talk to kids, and to sign autographs. It showed not only how close the relationship between our two countries is, but why. We are led by individuals like Barack Obama and Joe Biden who love people.

We then headed back to Vancouver for a meeting between Prime Minister Harper and the Vice President. Then I headed off to a reception for world business leaders hosted by Peter Van Loan, the Minister of International Trade.

Julie and I finished off the evening with Vonetta, Mike and Peggy at USA House, which is a place set up for the athletes, former Olympians, members of the USOC and others. It was like going to the Olympics Hall of Fame. We met Dan Jansen, Bonnie Blair, Nancy Kerrigan, Dana Torres, and more. Quite a thrill!

All this and it’s just the beginning. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

DJ

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Posted in February 2010 |

February 11, 2010 – Vancouver

Friday, February 12th, 2010

We got to Vancouver this morning and the headline is the Olympic spirit is infectious!

We went to a reception given by Washington State and British Columbia. It was an example of what I always talk about- the closeness of the relationship between our two countries. And it showed what the Olympics are all about. Governor Christine Gregoire told the story about how, on the previous day, she and Gordon Campbell, the Premier of BC, had stood at the Peace Arch between White Rock, BC, and Blaine, WA, waiving their respective flags as the torch crossed for a few moments between Canada and the United States. No division. Just celebration.

We went to a reception given by Premier Ed Stelmach of Alberta where we had a chance to talk with the Chairman of VANOC, Rusty Goepel. He told me he has been involved with the effort to bring the games to Vancouver for 12 years. Needless to say, he was a little excited that he had only one more day to wait. We also went to a dinner for a group of US and Canadian business leaders where I got a chance to catch up with Canadian Minister of State for Sport – and my friend from my trip to Afghanistan – Gary Lunn. He will be a busy guy for the next two weeks.

But the highlight of the day was our visit to the Olympic Village to see the athletes. We met with the co-Mayors of the village: Tricia Smith, the 7- time world- champion rower, Olympic silver medalist, and Vice-President of the Canadian Olympic Committee; and Rick Hansen, Canada’s Man-in-Motion, Paralympic medalist, and the person whose around-the- world journey in a wheelchair highlighted the potential of people with disabilities. Their enthusiasm set the tone for everything else.

Julie Jacobson waves a flag with Olympics mascot Quatchi

Julie Jacobson waves a flag with Olympics mascot Quatchi


The athletes are just about all moved in and each country’s team decks out their balconies and windows with flags. Canada’s – not surprisingly – have the most.

We then went to the raising of the flags of the United States and the Ukraine (they do them two at a time). When it was our turn and they played the Star Spangled Banner it made me very proud to be there and to be a part of all this.

Raising the US flag at the Vancouver Olympics

Raising the US flag at the Vancouver Olympics


After the flag ceremony we met with several of the athletes. I’m a big fan of the US women’s curling team. I plan on following their every move at the games.
Ambassador Jacobson with the U.S. Women's Curling Team

Ambassador Jacobson with the U.S. Women's Curling Team


Tomorrow the Vice President arrives for the Opening Ceremonies!

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Posted in February 2010 |

February 2, 2010 – Ottawa / Olympic Delegations

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

It’s official. Vice President Joe Biden will head the U.S. Delegation to the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics. I have known the Vice President for a long time and I can tell you — he loves sports. He was a great football and baseball player when he was younger. He is an outstanding golfer these days. The Vice President will be coming with his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.

Also in the delegation is Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama. I have known Valerie since the days 30 years ago when we were both associates at my former law firm in Chicago.

The Opening Ceremonies Delegation will have its share of U.S. stars from past Winter Olympics. Peggy Fleming, the 1968 gold medal figure skater, will join us along with Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 US gold medal hockey team that beat the Soviets in the famous Miracle on Ice game, and Vonetta Flowers, the 2002 gold medalist in women’s bobsledding and the first black athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will head the delegation to the Closing Ceremonies. She will be joined by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius as well as UN Ambassador Susan Rice (whose husband is from British Columbia). The Closing Ceremonies Delegation will also include Peter Axelson, an Air Force veteran and World Champion Mono Skier; Bonnie Blair, who has 6 Olympic medals including 5 golds; Manny Guerra, the 2002 Paralympics gold medalist in Sledge Hockey; and Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 gold medalist in Figure Skating.

The Delegation to the Paralympics Opening Ceremony will be headed by the Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs, Gen. Eric Shinseki. That delegation will also include Lisa Jackson, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; my friend and former White House colleague, Kareem Dale, the Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy; Jim Martinson, a Vietnam Veteran and 1992 Paralympic gold medalist in Downhill Skiing; Mike May the 1984 Paralympic bronze medalist in Alpine Skiing; Bonnie St. John the 1984 Paralympic medalist in Slalom and Giant Slalom; and Melissa Stockwell, Iraq War veteran and 2008 Summer Paralympic athlete.

I have to say it’s really personally important to me to attend these Olympics. Not just to support Team USA and cheer on our athletes but to share in this moment with Canadians. To celebrate the Canadian effort and enthusiasm that went into planning and executing the Games and to have fun together. Our countries are linked in so many ways and the Olympics only serves to remind me how close we truly are. I imagine I’ll learn a thing or two from my Canadian friends about winter sports too!

I am excited to be a part of all three delegations. Julie and I are getting Olympic fever. We’re going over the schedule of events. Making our packing lists. Ten more days until the Opening Ceremonies!

DJ

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Posted in February 2010 |