Never Promised A Rose Garden, 600+ Team USA Olympians & Paralympians Visit One At White House

Continuing a decades-long tradition, The White House formally hosted Team USA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 on Wednesday morning. 

The gathering was a well-organized, grand celebration of America's best, delivering fun memories for all on the scene. 

Approaching 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on foot, positive vibes channeled with sounds of a military marching band (playing a five-ringed John Williams medley) and sights of aptly-branded "Chariots for Hire" buses from which arriving athletes descended. 

When the musicians performed "One Moment In Time" as media waited by the West Wing, I was beaming, sensing the day might be enough of a consolation prize for missing two pandemic Olympiads.

For this blogger, this third time visit was a charmer in terms of stepping "on campus" (lingo of those employed there) at the Executive Residence. 

Previously, I posted from the October visit following Rio 2016 hosted by the Obamas and the comparatively muted festivities of April following PyeongChang 2018 with many of the Clown Car (err, Insane Clown Posse?) cabinet members of that era in attendance. 

All three events took place on overcast days, with 2016's gathering in one of the ballrooms and 2018's remarks delivered under the North Portico. 

The May 5 ceremony, held on the South Lawn of the Executive Residence, was perhaps the first in history to include competitors of both summer and winter Olympiads together with over 600 uniformed athletes filling a temporary grandstand. 

Hundreds of invited guests including family members of attending sportspersons -- as well as several dozen White House correspondents or visiting Olympic media -- also enjoyed remarks by President Joe Biden, first lady and five-time bobsleigh medalist Elana Meyers Taylor. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff also attended, receiving with the Bidens a set of special uniforms and shoes presented by the Olympians and Paralympians. A brief clip featuring the national anthem performed live is here:

“The Bidens are a big sports family, and we love watching the Olympics,” said President Biden after brief remarks by the first lady, who led the Team USA delegation in Japan. “Jill came home from Tokyo, all she could do was talk about you all constantly. You think I'm kidding – I'm not!”

Though he was playing for laughs, Biden was serious about his Games-time fandom. Similar to the FLOTUS, as vice president, Biden led a Team USA delegation to Vancouver 2010 (my first of several converging paths with Joe). 

On Wednesday the president also expressed appreciation for the uniting spirit the athletes provide, citing 18 U.S. military veterans among the 2020 and 2022 competitors. He also noted the challenges of COVID-19 navigated on the journeys to Tokyo and Beijing. 

“The pandemic made training and competing especially difficult and draining, but you did it,” said Biden. “You all did it, and we were in awe not just of your incredible athleticism but your endurance and your state of mind -- but most of all your character.  You all have such incredible character.”

“As a team … we’ve been through a lot,” said Meyers Taylor. “We came together, and we persevered, and we hope we’ve made this country proud.”

As she spoke, I reminisced about meeting Meyers Taylor in Sochi, her second stop along the journey to become the most decorated Black Winter Olympian and the most decorated female Olympic bobsledder. 

Opting to maintain a celebratory tone for the occasion, during their South Lawn remarks, the president and first lady did not mention Olympians of other nations—such as the unresolved Russian doping controversies of Beijing 2022 that prevented medal presentations for the figure skating team competition—nor world events such as the Russo-Ukrainian War. 

Also unmentioned: Team USA’s two-time women’s Olympic basketball champion and WNBA center Brittney Griner, who was detained for allegedly possessing vape pen cartridges with hashish oil upon arrival at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17. 

In an interview with USA Today published Monday, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said the organization supports efforts to hasten Griner’s return stateside. 

Speaking of the national Gannett newspaper, I wound up spending most of the ceremony in proximity to legendary sports columnist Christine Brennan—a fellow May 14 birthday celebrant—and she kindly swapped Games-time stories of 1984 to present while newsgathering for her column and also introducing other reporters and Olympic figure skating champion Sarah Hughes (thanks, Christine!).

In a media scrum at a White House visit countdown event on Monday, Hirshland also called for sporting sanctions of Russia, according to the Washington Post Olympic reporter Les Carpenter, who was also reporting from the South Lawn. 

No basketball athletes from USA attended Wednesday’s South Lawn event, according to a list distributed to media by The White House Press Office. Also absent: Shaun White, Mikaela Shiffrin, Simone Biles, soccer stars and A-listers of track and field. 

The festive mood and camaraderie, however, seemed to bestow many with all the feels. 

Over in the Rose Garden, tables were stacked with healthy snacks, and some athletes posted selfies or other photos and videos including an impromptu dance from ground floor rooms of the Executive Mansion, revealing some interiors illuminated in red and blue. 

After the president’s South Lawn remarks, the Bidens and the vice president remained with the athletes for several minutes to shake hands, share congratulatory messages and pose for photos. 

We spotted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki uncharacteristically fangirling with a few Olympic stars (believe it, I was also star-struck, but then again, "When in Rome ..." or "When on The White House campus" applies, yes?).  

Soon after Wednesday’s gathering, pole vault champion Katie Nageotte shared videos online, captioned with the message, “White House visit with Team USA! Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

In some ways, the post-event wind-down created the most impactful and funny moments of the experience. 

In addition to brief intros with Hughes and Olympic beach volleyball champion April Ross, Olympians Katie Ledecky, Reggie Jagers III, monobob champion Kaillie Humphries and figure skating medalist Vincent Zhou each worked the rope line with reporters. 

The nicest surprise was a brief reunion with Olympic diver Katrina Young. 

A few days after her Olympic debut in Rio, we first met in a crowd of wishful fans vying to talk our way into the men's basketball final with only our Games credentials. Equally ticketless, she made it to the game. Sadly, I did not. 

Months later, recalling that brief introduction, we got acquainted at the Team USA Gala for 2016 Olympians in Washington the night before each of our first visits to The White House. We both got in the building that time, but by earning her Olympian status, only Young got to sit in the rooms where it happens. It was fun to reconnect in person after occasional Facebook Messenger or Instagram messages during the pandemic. 

There was also a renewal of Olympic joy—severely depleted by the pandemic's many challenges—in the form of a few pin trades, including the hot design du jour given to White House visitors by the USOPC in patriotic, high-quality cloissone (see photo). 

If only the designers at pin manufacturer HONAV could get the Olympic rings on these Team USA designs! 

And finally, the day provided a return visit to the James Brady Press Briefing Room, the theater/workroom for many of the nation's best reporters and publicists/political advisers-turned-press secretaries. I have a lot of respect for Psaki restoring professionalism and decency to this hallowed ground, and was hoping to shake her hand and tell her so. 

As it turned out, the Team USA visit delayed the afternoon's scheduled briefing, creating a short window for me to instead strike a pose, all in good fun. My caption on social channels was, "Psaki was at lunch, so ..." 

Quoting Nageotte again, "Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, here's hoping this horseplay avoided inspiring placement of my name on future no-entry lists, and that additional Olympic reporters may enjoy Team USA visit to The White House down the road.

According to The White House Historical Association, U.S. Olympic athletes have visited the mansion as far back as 1924, with a Team USA delegation from Tokyo 1964 among the earliest-cited full-team ceremonies hosted by a sitting president. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt hosted members of the U.S. Olympic team of London at his “Summer White House” home on the north shore of Long Island, N.Y. 

Earlier in the week I was hopeful the team at Keep The Flame Alive might be able to attend on the heels of their first in-person Games reporting from Beijing. Though there are no promises of a rose garden, in conversation we concured next time is a must!

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver. Portions of this post were first published by Around The Rings on May 5. 

That One Time at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

As  noted in my previous post, recent travels included time in D.C. for an impromptu red carpet event featuring hundreds of Team USA athletes.

The same trek to our nation's capital yielded other fun surprises, including a last-minute return visit to The White House!

My first entry to the Executive Mansion was 20 years ago, on Halloween morning 1996. After driving to Washington on Oct. 30 (following a month of house-sitting in Manhattan), I woke up at a nearby D.C. youth hostel and hiked over to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. 

In those days the public could still line up for free tours of the residence, and I was on site early as there were afternoon plans to also visit Monticello in Charlottesville, Va. I vividly recall entering the East Wing, spotting a Roy Lichtenstein sculpture one of the first rooms, and learning President Clinton was not home that day as he was out campaigning for reelection (the goal of my drive back to Georgia was to be home in time to vote the following Tuesday). 

Though I had visited the north side of The White House (along the wrought iron fence) many times on D.C. travels since that 1996 tour, there had not been another opportunity to enter the mansion in a post-9/11 world. But the invitation to report from the Team USA Awards at Georgetown also included a credential request for the athletes' White House visit, and with nothing to lose I applied for both events. 

As of 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, I still had no clearance to visit The White House as an Olympic blogger.

Around midnight, however, official word arrived by email that due to rain, the event was moved indoors and space was limited -- my name did not make the cut (Bummer!). 

Again with nothing to lose, I sent an overnight email asking to please be kept on the list in case other reporters did not show up.

You can imagine my surprise and delight to wake up Thursday morning to find another White House missive with "you're in" and instructions on how and when to check-in ... in about 30 minutes!

A quick shower and an Uber ride later, I approached the northwest corner of the mansion site and got buzzed in at the same security station as Charles Grodin in "Dave."

From this point, there was a bit of hurry-up-and-wait, and a few starts and stops, in advance of the welcome ceremony for Team USA. Just because reporters and photographers were "in" did not guarantee there was room for everyone in the East Room, which was already filling up with more than 500 Olympians and Paralympians, Secret Service personnel and other White House staff. Our waiting area turned out to be the Press Briefing Room in the West Wing.

For any public relations professional with a sense of history, a visit to the James Brady Press Briefing Room -- named for Ronald Reagan's press secretary to took a bullet during an assassination attempt and later lobbied for gun control standards -- is a trek to hallowed ground. I was in awe by the actual smaller-than-anticipated size of the room, which features fewer than 50 seats between the podium and a bank of network TV cameras and control panels. We patiently waited for updates on access to the main event.

With about 15 minutes to the posted start time, I decided to wait outside with a person who turned out to be a press contact for one of the national sports governing bodies. He had a text chain going with a Team USA press contact on the inside of the mansion, and we both learned the person sent to accompany him into the East Room was the woman with whom I'd corresponded overnight to beg for wait-list status.

Making good on my promise of a blog pin, his escort agreed to take me inside as well, and the three of us eventually got into the main building via the Ground Floor Corridor where I definitely saw the bust of Abraham Lincoln and possibly saw a portrait of a former first lady who may soon be the 45th president.

Up some marble stairs and a few more steps, we arrived at the East Room, packed wall-to-wall with star athletes as a massive portrait of Martha Washington smiled on the scene. I was assigned to a center, floor position in the back-of-room photo area and got acquainted with my neighbors each with cameras in hand.

The waiting game that ensued was great fun in that several dozen Olympians -- many donning their medals or new Olympic rings received the previous evening -- milled about and proved very willing to stop and chat with the reporters and photographers.

Many shared excitement from their few seconds with the president, first lady and vice president earlier that morning. Others seemed to enjoy the mini-reunion with fellow Olympians met on the Road To Rio or only the previous evening.

Everyone was smiling, and then without musical fanfare of "Hail to the Chief" or "Summon The Heroes" accompaniment, President Obama finally arrived about 20 minutes after his scheduled time.

A sea of mobile phones rose overhead as most of the Olympians snapped their own versions of the event. Trying to tune in to Obama's remarks, I also jockeyed for better photo stances until finally easing back to just take in the scene.

Obama spoke for almost 15 minutes, starting with some by-the-numbers details.

"The story of this year's Team USA is all about firsts," he said. "Our Olympians came in first so many times more than anybody else. Not to brag, but 46 golds ... made the U.S. the first country in 40 years to top the medal chart in every category. And it was a feat built one unprecedented accomplishment at a time."

The president proceeded to introduce several individual and team athletes by name, including Simone Biles, Claressa Shields, Kristen Armstrong, Simone Manuel, Kim Rhode, Allyson Felix, Katie Ledecky and Ibtihaj Muhammad.

"We had more women competing in these Games than any nation ever," said Obama. "Our women alone won more golds than most countries did. Our women's 61 medals -- most ever by any women's team -- breaking the record set by, of course, Team USA four years ago."

Obama also joked about Michael Phelps breaking a 2,000 year record set in ancient Olympia before taking a more serious tone to introduce Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos.

"Their powerful silent protest in the 1968 Games was controversial, but it woke folks up and created greater opportunity for those that followed," said the president, who also mentioned the family members of several black Olympians of 1936 who were also in attendance.

As soon as the Obamas and Joe Biden waved goodbye, the press corps attendees were ushered to the north portico steps to await Ledecky, Felix and a handful of other Olympians chosen to share notes on their experiences in The White House.

It was after the in-mansion experience that the most unexpected elements of the visit occurred. As it turned out, our media group was encouraged to stick around for the day's White House Press Briefing already in progress.

I made my way back to the James Brady Press Room and enjoyed use of one of the seats for the final 30 minutes of Q&A led by Press Secretary Josh Earnest. Fascinating!

For a peek at how one blogger handled himself during this briefing, scroll over to the 57:30 mark of this White House video (my seat was behind the woman asking the question).

One may only imagine how I might have handled things had my day on site included last week's visit by Bill Murray!

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

Whad'Ya Know -- JOE!

So, after a day at the office, this evening I was walking down the street in Vancouver to visit a friend, rounded a corner and BAM!

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's motorcade (including at least a dozen trucks) was parked in front of a strip club!

Actually, his motorcade was parked across the street from the strip club and Irish House (a party pavilion) as Vice President Biden was visiting USA House, which is located in an unmarked new mixed-use glass tower that opened a few weeks ago.

As you'll see in the video, most of the folks waiting outside the USA House entry were curious Canadians anxious to see who all the fuss was about; naturally, the only RUDE arrivals were fellow Americans shoving through the Canadians while trying to b.s. their way into USA House (hey, I've been that guy), unaware that Mr. Biden was about to exit, which he did -- BAM!

Donning a Team USA ball cap, Biden took a few minutes to sign autographs and dodge questions from Olympic bloggers and others shooting video and snapping photos. Biden was fairly subdued, not at all the chatty type as he is often portrayed on late night comedy sketches.

Also, Biden appeared in remarkably good spirits in spite of the apparent motorcade vehicle incident that injured Olympic skating star Peggy Fleming and others (all are now OK).

It was exciting to witness the U.S.V.P. motorcade in action, and impressive to see Mr. Biden in person (hope he stays in town for more Team USA festivities). If timing and work schedule permit, tomorrow there's a return visit to USA House on my calendar for late afternoon (an event with Picabo Street!).

Only at the Olympics can one walk down the street, round a corner and come within steps of a national hero -- BAM!

Photo via Yahoo! News Canada and Associated Press/Elaine Thompson

Biden + Palin @ Olympic Site!

Tonight's great debate of Joe Biden and Sarah Palin is now history. I've been channel and Web surfing during the mix of facts and drivel dished out by both candidates, but so far have found no mention of the debate's strong connection to the Olympic Movement (this report is the closest located so far).

The Vice Presidential Debate venue on the campus of Washington University at St. Louis is in the athletic complex -- the David R. Francis Gymnasium -- shown in the photo with this post. That building was the site of two major Olympic events: First, the 1904 Summer Olympic Games of St. Louis (the athletic building is just east of what remains of the St. Louis Olympic Stadium), and second, the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival.

The Olympic Village for the Festival in the summer of '94 was also close by -- further west.

Though I missed the Clinton:Bush debates of 1992, and other big political events on campus before and since, my Olympic career did have a three-month stop at the Festival working in that St. Louis Festival Olympic Village.

BEST ... SUMMER ... EVER! Oh, the memories!

One memory for tonight: During a post-Festival job (to sustain my finances while remaining in the city for a few extra summer weeks) I worked in the LAUNDRY ROOM of the David R. Francis Gymnasium. Yes, I was "that guy" throwing football uniforms and such into industrial-size washing machines for two glamorous weeks. On breaks I would walk the halls reading up the building's history including candidate Clinton's big moments on campus.

Steps away from the Francis Gym building, also got my first "Olympic stadium smooch" under the gate that commemorates the 1904 Games (14 years later ... still waiting to be in another Olympic Stadium AND with the right woman for the next Olympic stadium smooch -- unfortunately I was traveling solo or single during 1994 to 208 travels to the Olympic stadiums in Los Angeles, Lake Placid, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens, Torino and Beijing).

But bringing this back to the debate: I would bet money that neither veep candidate noticed their opportunity to mention an Olympic connection (disclaimer: I did not catch the entire debate, so maybe they did). It might also be a safe bet that one of the candidates didn't know much of what she was talking about in general.