Political Quotes

“I am pleased to acknowledge a significant milestone this week in Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. On Wednesday, June 4, the International Olympic Committee announced that it had selected Chicago as one of the four finalists for 2016. The Chicago 2016 organizers, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the people of Chicago deserve praise for a job well done. Because of their fine efforts, Chicago is well prepared to face stiff competition from the three remaining cities--Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. Chicago is a diverse city with culture and history to inspire people around the world. From our beautiful downtown parks to magnificent lakefront to terrific sports venues, Chicago is a world-class city that has what it takes to bring the Olympics back to the Midwest for the first time in over 100 years. Last October, Chicago demonstrated its ability to host a major international sporting event, when 557 boxers and several thousand other visitors from more than a hundred countries traveled to Chicago for the World Boxing Championships, a qualifying event for this summer's Beijing Olympics. Many of these people were first-time visitors who hadn't known what to expect going in, but who fell in love with the city.”