Posted on 06/14/2004 9:06:05 AM PDT by hispanarepublicana
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 14, 2004
Remarks by the President at Ceremony for the Unveiling of the Clinton Portraits
The East Room
10:35 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Thank you, Henry. Laura and I appreciate you all coming. President Clinton and Senator Clinton, welcome home. (Applause.) All who live here are temporary residents; the portraits that are presented today will be held permanently in the White House collection for all the ages. And so beginning today, the likenesses of President William Jefferson Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will take their place in a line that began with George and Martha Washington. (Applause.)
Laura and I are pleased to welcome members of the Clinton and Rodham family, thank you all for coming. It's great to see Chelsea. The fact that you survived your teenage years in the White House -- (laughter) -- speaks to the fact that you had a great mom and dad (Applause.)
We are pleased that Mrs. Dorothy Rodham is here. Welcome, we're glad you're here. (Applause.) And those two boys you're still trying to raise. (Laughter.) Hugh and Tony, thank you for coming, we're glad you're here. (Applause.) It's good to see so many who served our nation so ably in the Clinton administration. Thank you all for coming back. Thanks for your service to the country, and welcome back to the White House. We're really glad you're here and I know the President is, as well.
As you might know, my father and I have decided to call each other by numbers. (Laughter.) He's 41, I'm 43. It's a great honor to -- it's a great pleasure to honor number 42. We're glad you're here, 42. (Applause.) The years have done a lot to clarify the strengths of this man. As a candidate for any office, whether it be the state attorney general or the President, Bill Clinton showed incredible energy and great personal appeal. As chief executive, he showed a deep and far-ranging knowledge of public policy, a great compassion for people in need, and the forward-looking spirit the Americans like in a President. Bill Clinton could always see a better day ahead -- and Americans knew he was working hard to bring that day closer.
Over eight years, it was clear that Bill Clinton loved the job of the presidency. He filled this house with energy and joy. He's a man of enthusiasm and warmth, who could make a compelling case and effectively advance the causes that drew him to public service.
People saw those gifts very early in Bill Clinton. He is remembered in Hope, Arkansas, and other places along the way, as an eager, good-hearted boy who seemed destined for big things. I was particularly struck by the story of a nun at St. John's School in Hot Springs who decided that Billy Clinton should get a C in deportment. That was a rare grade for the future Rhodes Scholar and President. (Laughter.) So Bill's mother gave the nun a call to see what was wrong. The sister replied, "Oh, nothing much. But let me tell you, this boy knows the answer to every question and he just leaps to his feet before anyone else can." (Laughter.) She went on, you know, "I know he'll not tolerate this C, but it'll be good for him. And I promise you, if he wants to be, he will be President someday."
People in Bill Clinton's life have always expected him to succeed -- and, more than that, they wanted him to succeed. And meeting those expectations took more than charm and intellect -- it took hard work and drive and determination and optimism. And after all, you've got to be optimistic to give six months of your life running the McGovern campaign in Texas. (Laughter and applause.)
He won his first statewide office at age 30, sworn in as governor at 32. He was a five-time governor of Arkansas, the first man from that state to become the President. He's also the first man in his party since Franklin Roosevelt to win a second term in the White House. And I could tell you more of the story, but it's coming out in fine bookstores all over America. (Laughter and applause.)
At every stage in the extraordinary rise of Bill Clinton, from the little ranch house on Scully Street to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he and Roger had a wonderful, loving mother. And I am certain that Virginia Kelley would be filled with incredible pride this morning. (Applause.)
And so would Hugh Rodham, Senior. Mr. Rodham did have the joy of seeing his only daughter become America's First Lady. And I know he would not be surprised to see her as she is today, an elected United States Senator, and a woman greatly admired in our country. From the earliest days of her youth in Park Ridge, Illinois, Hillary Rodham impressed her family and friends as a person of great ability and serious purpose. At Maine Township High School South, at Wellesley College, and at Yale Law School, classmates saw her not just an achiever, but as a role model and as a leader. She inspires respect and loyalty from those who know her, and it was a good day in both their lives when they met at the library at Yale Law School Library.
Hillary's commitment to public service continued when she left this house. Listen, New York politics is a serious business -- (laughter) -- it's rough business. It takes an extraordinary person to campaign and win the United States Senate. She has proven herself more equal to the challenge. And she takes an interesting spot on American history today, for she is the only sitting senator whose portrait hangs in the White House. (Applause.)
The paintings of the Clintons are the work of a fine American artist, Simmie Knox. Mr. Knox has rendered portraits of a Supreme Court Justice, a Cabinet minister, a mayor and members of Congress. And today we thank him for putting his skilled hand to the portraits that are about to be unveiled.
More than 40 years have passed since a boy of 16 came here to the White House with a group from the American Legion Boys Nation. On that day in the summer of 1963, Bill Clinton of Arkansas looked into the face of John F. Kennedy, and left the Rose Garden feeling very proud that he had shaken the hand of a President. Today he can be even prouder of decades of service, and effort, and perseverance that brought him back to this place as the 42nd President of the United States.
My congratulations to you both. And now will you to join me on stage for the presentation. (Applause.)
(The portraits are unveiled.) (Applause.)
END 10:45 A.M. EDT
"He read the words; he didn't mean them" I couldn't have stood there in the same room as those 2 America haters, much less have the strength to calmly speak kind words about them...He showed the dignity of a true President today!
Maybe he has taken some lessons from Reagan.
During the administration of William Jefferson Clinton, the U.S. enjoyed more peace and economic well being than at any time in its history. He was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term. He could point to the lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest inflation in 30 years, the highest home ownership in the country's history, dropping crime rates in many places, and reduced welfare roles. He proposed the first balanced budget in decades and achieved a budget surplus. As part of a plan to celebrate the millennium in 2000, Clinton called for a great national initiative to end racial discrimination.
After the failure in his second year of a huge program of health care reform, Clinton shifted emphasis, declaring "the era of big government is over." He sought legislation to upgrade education, to protect jobs of parents who must care for sick children, to restrict handgun sales, and to strengthen environmental rules.
You got THAT RIGHT! I don't see how they can duke it out during the campaigns, insult each other during administrations, then sit there and smile and laugh. Maybe they had a little electric current wired up to the Clintons' chairs, just enough to give them a sharp jolt once in a while... Hey you can have YOUR fantasy, and I can have mine. Mine includes a sharp jolt, NOT DEADLY, just a sharp pain.... in a chair.....
President Bush showing lots of class, which certainly does not come as a surprise.
Call me cynical... Imagine this being a top story on the major media news tonight. Likely complete with a loving retrospective on Clinton's Presidency. All of course to try to counter the outpouring of LOVE for President Reagan last week.
The Prez meant to say pubic policy I think.
If you drive along the freeway in Arkansas the sign that says "Welcome to Hope, home of Bill Clinton" is riddled with about 50 bullet holes.
I hope they inventoried the place before they got there...
Glad I was gone this morning, I don't think I could have gagged my way through the ceremony.
Me too. He's a better person than I am for sure.
Wow this speech does show that Pres Bush can be congenial to a man who did have a few character flaws when he was president. Did up my respect for Mr Bush a notch.
I got nauseas at this point, and could go no further. This is beyond hypocritical.
42 is a rapist-at-large.
42 soiled the rooms of our house with adulterous sexual assaults on helpless women..
42 has embarrassed the Citizens of America by erasing the esteem the world held for the holder of the office of President of these united States of America.
42 is a sexual degenerate whose portrait deserves to be turned facing the wall in perpetuity.
---- Clinton responded that he was a "pickle stepping into history?" ------
I think if you look closely you can see part of the "pickle" in post #5.
Believe me...I had to struggle to listen!
This speech is filled with very suble double entendre that is on the surface complementary and scathing at the same time. The speech was delivered with ease and class making the digs all the more enjoyable.
Gotta admit that this is one classy, dignified speech. I couldn't do it, that's for sure.
Joy? I thought her name was Monica.
Re: Post #5 "The portrait:"
Kinda loses some truth without the black velvet background.
I was going to use the old expression "gag me with a spoon," but anyone not old enough to remember that might think I was asking to play one of Billy Jeff's sex games.
Bush has hit his stride. #42 and the beast had to be writhing in pain, killed by kindness.
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