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JackBeck

(12,359 posts)
Tue Dec 17, 2013, 06:28 PM Dec 2013

Obama, Biden, Top U.S. Officials To Stay Away From Sochi Olympics

WASHINGTON — The United States will not be sending any of its top officials — either President or Mrs. Obama or Vice President or Dr. Biden — to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, as part of its delegation to the games.

A former federal official, Janet Napolitano, will instead be leading the U.S. delegation, the White House announced Tuesday. In addition to the Obamas and Bidens not attending the Olympics, no current cabinet members will be a part of the country’s delegation either.

The highest ranking officials in the delegation will be Rob Nabors, the assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy, attending the opening ceremony, and William J. Burns, the deputy secretary of the State Department, leading the delegation at the closing ceremony.

The news came with less than two months until the opening ceremony is slated to take place on Feb. 7, 2014, and signaled the continued U.S. disagreement with Russia’s anti-LGBT laws and other human rights concerns.

The Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will include Napolitano; Nabors; Michael A. McFaul, the United States ambassador to the Russian Federation; Billie Jean King, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, as well as a former Olympic tennis coach; and Brian A. Boitano, an Olympic gold medalist in figure skating.

More at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/top-us-officials-will-be-staying-away-from-sochi-olympics

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Obama, Biden, Top U.S. Officials To Stay Away From Sochi Olympics (Original Post) JackBeck Dec 2013 OP
Reminds me of when the US boycotted the Moscow Olympics dipsydoodle Dec 2013 #1
What would Brian Boitano do? jberryhill Dec 2013 #2
Billie Jean King?! And Brian Boitano?! KamaAina Dec 2013 #3
I think it's pretty obvious this administration's intentions. n/t JackBeck Dec 2013 #6
This has been confirmed. KamaAina Dec 2013 #7
Love it. DURHAM D Dec 2013 #4
Oh, that's just beautiful! LGBT athletes in the delegation. DevonRex Dec 2013 #5
looks like they are sending a message with this, good for them JI7 Dec 2013 #8

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
1. Reminds me of when the US boycotted the Moscow Olympics
Tue Dec 17, 2013, 06:31 PM
Dec 2013

because Russia had invaded Afghanistan.

Funny sad that in retrospect.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
5. Oh, that's just beautiful! LGBT athletes in the delegation.
Tue Dec 17, 2013, 06:48 PM
Dec 2013

Good that the State Dept will have a rep there. Who knows? Might be some Russian LGBT athletes who want/need asylum in the U.S. Especially if they have adopted children who might be wrenched away from them by the Russian govt. I hope and pray it's not too late to get some of those families out. Good god, the fear they must be enduring! Breaks my heart.

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