Bush tells US Olympians to be 'ambassadors of liberty'

George Bush gave US Olympians a rousing White House send-off to next month’s games in Beijing, urging them to “compete swifter, higher and stronger” but also remember they would be “ambassadors of liberty” to the people of China and elsewhere.

The US president, who is attending the opening ceremonies and the first few days of the August 8-24 games, told about two dozen athletes who will compete in the Beijing Olympics and the corresponding Paralympics there in September, that he was “fired up” to watch some of the competition.