Pitching Philly for the Olympics

The US Olympic Committee has called the cities interested in being the
US bid for the 2016 Olympics to LA to make their pitch. I know a few
of the board members of the local team and have heard some of what
they'd say if they were part of the presentation. Here's what I'd
say:

From the standpoint of the host country, the Olympics are an
unparalleled opportunity to showcase itself to the world. Which is
why China can't wait until 2008. Well, we can't wait to tell the
American story in 2016. And we, the Philadelphia team, think the best
"we" to tell this story is Philadelphia.

After all, a few (hundred) years back we hosted another auspicious set
of gatherings, some folks we now refer to as "our founding fathers,"
and they wrote up some documents you might have heard of: the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. When we're at our
best as a nation, it's because we're actually living out what those
guys believed, what those documents said.

I don't have a crystal ball to say what global relations will look
like in 2016, but I'm going to venture a guess that it will be helpful
for America to retell its founding story, not only to the world but to
itself. I have a feeling we'll want to recommit to the equality of
man, to the safeguarding of life and liberty, to the notion and
defense of unalienable rights.

And I think in 2016, we'll be glad we chose Philadelphia as the
backdrop to tell that story.