Remarks by the President to the NCAA Sports Champions (GREAT Short Speech by Dubya)

The White House Website (www.whitehouse.gov) ^ | March 12, 2002 | (G.W. Bush/Staff)

[VOA]

Remarks by the President to the NCAA Sports Champions
The East Room
3:42 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Welcome. I like a good, short introduction. (Laughter.)
Thanks, Chris, for being here. I appreciate you hosting this, and welcome
to the White House.

We have never had so many champions inside a room in the White House history,
so thank you for making history. Not only on -- when you won the championship,
but being here, as well. It's such an honor to welcome you here.
It's an unimaginable honor to live here and to share this with people from all
around the country. This is the people's house -- it isn't our house, it's the people's house.
And we're glad you're able to see it. And we're glad to herald champs, as well.

I love to talk about champs. I love to talk about winning and setting high standards
and working hard to achieve those standards. And that's exactly what you all
have done, and I really want to congratulate you.

(extra salutations deleted for brevity)

Before we go have our picture taken, I do want to say a few comments about
our country. First of all, we defend freedom, and we'll continue to defend freedom
to make sure that our children and grandchildren can grow up in a free world.
You know, the enemy, when they hit America, didn't understand us. They didn't
think we were a nation that could conceivably sacrifice for something greater
than ourself, that we were soft, that we were so self-absorbed and so materialistic
that we wouldn't defend anything we believed in.

My, were they wrong. They missed -- they just were reading the wrong magazine,
or watching the wrong Springer show. (Laughter.)

They didn't understand America. And what they really don't understand is the nature
of people who care about our society. They don't realize we're a compassionate nation.

And so I hope the champs who are here understand that with being a champion,
you have a responsibility -- a responsibility to uphold an example to others.
You probably know this; I don't need to tell you this. But when you're playing
baseball at the University of Miami, there's some little 8th-grade kid watching
your every move, trying to figure out how cool he can be. If you're a star
volleyball player at Stanford, somebody's watching. Or from Santa Clara; there's
some young child, young girl watching what it means to be a champ. And you have a
responsibility as a champ to make the right choices, and to set a clear example
for others. And we all have a responsibility to love a neighbor like we'd like
to be loved ourself.

We've got a strong military here in America, and that's good. That's how we're going
to make sure our homeland is secure, by using our military.

But we can all stand up in the face of this evil -- collectively, stand up by
doing something good in society.

I hope the athletes understand this. I hope you understand that you have a
responsibility as a champ not only to set the right example, but to love a neighbor
like you'd like to be loved yourself. You have a fantastic opportunity as
champs to help define the character of America; to help say loud and clear that
we will not tolerate evil, and that we will -- the collective goodwill of our
country, the gathering momentum of millions of acts of kindness will define the
very nature of America; that we will stand strong against evil by the collective
goodness of our country.

You've shown that on the playing fields, and I want to congratulate you for being
strong and great athletes. Show it on the field of life, as well, and America
will be a better place.

It's such an honor to welcome you here.
May God bless your futures.
May God bless your talent.
And may God bless America.
Thank you for coming.

END 3:50 P.M. EST

[VOA]

My edit of the transcript above is from Dubya's speech played on The Hugh Hewitt Show today (3-12-02).
My impression: a short masterpiece about what Americans should aspire to be.
I wasn't alone. The callers to the show had similar impressions, including the regular
caller Democrat "Robert" from New York who summed up the essence of the speech
and Dubya's delivery thusly:

"He speaks American"

Just my opinion, but this speech should be read by just about every kid plaaying sport...
heck, every kid should read it.

I think Hewitt said that this was also played on FOX today; my apologies if my search
for previous post of this speech failed.

[VOA]

If anyone from The Hugh Hewitt Show swings by...thanks VERY, VERY much for playing
this speech a couple of times.
Very inspiring...

[McGavin999]

He does speak "American" and that's why so many people love him. The media and the elite don't understand this because they never learned how to speak "American" themselves.

[DLfromthedesert]

The University of Arizona softball team was there. Their coach got into trouble because he said that he didn't like going to the White House when Clinton was President; that he knew he would enjoy it so much better now because of President Bush.

[VOA]

Hello RonDog,
I don't know if you got to hear this speech on Hewitt's show today, but I thought it was GREAT!

If the spirit moves you, could you use your Hewitt "ping-list" to
signal the other Hewitt junkies?
I'll send a blast out now to a few that I know, but if you could use your list it in the next day or so,
that would be great...the words in the speech will still be just as good. Thanks!

[ao98]

Hugh is going to replay it tommorrow. It's even better hearing Bush say it then reading it.

[bushfamfan]

The problem is it's the same old lines "love a neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself", "they must have watched too much Springer(daytime tv)". It's a speech he's said a million times. He overdoes it. And the lines about our military and the war on terrorism, with welcoming the athletes? The same lines.

[VOA]

Their coach got into trouble because he said that he didn't like going to the White House
when Clinton was President; that he knew he would enjoy it so much better now because of President Bush.

Funny how "tolerant" people get hot and bothered when someone just states
an diverse, but very honest opinion.
(and a very reasonable one, in my humble opinion!)
The Coach must be A-OK!

I wonder if it was just a matter of scheduling all the teams to show at once that allowed
Dubya to say that there had never been so many champs there in the history of The White House...
or if some coaches/teams just "couldn't work it into their schedule" to get there
during calender years 1993-2000.
Hmmm.....

If you get to hear the speech on FOX, be ready for the BIG crowd laugh when Dubya
says the our enemy must have been "watching the wrong Springer show" as part of trying
to understand the people of the USA!

[Shermy]

But no denunciation of the BCS. Another lost opportunity.

[VOA]

It's a speech he's said a million times.

Dubya will have to start varying the language of his speeches a bit. I do agree that he's
wearing out some phrases and adjectives.

But this speech today was so short and delivered in such a way that I thought it
was just about the perfect distillate of messages he's tried to get across since 9-11.

Dubya is like a tongue-tied version of Reagan at times.
But I'll take that over a silver-tongued devil (the previous occupant of The White House)
ANY DAY.

[VOA]

But no denunciation of the BCS. Another lost opportunity.

LOL! Maybe Dubya and a few good men (and ladies) can take care of Al-Quida and
the Taliban...but the BCS...that's a REAL problem!!!

[VOA]

Just pinging you gentlemen for this Dubya speech played on Hewitt's Show today...Cheers!

[DLfromthedesert]

I heard it on Hugh Hewitt. Someday I'll get my TV hooked up again (been remodeling )

[ladyinred]

To: VOA He does speak "American" and that's why so many people love him. The media and the elite don't understand this because they never learned how to speak "American" themselves.

You are so right! Watching him this morning at the volunteer forum in Philly was a real treat. He was being George Bush, human being, and He was so natural, real, and so connected to the guests.
He does speak the language of the common American, not the Eastern elitist jargon of the media and most politicians.
That is why they called him "stupid" for so long. Shows what they think of the rest of us too!

[VOA]

He does speak the language of the common American, not the Eastern elitist jargon of
the media and most politicians.

Well, I grew up in an "oiltown" in Oklahoma which was probably culturally much
like Dubya's Midland, TX.
I was "from the wrong side of the tracks", but still ended up in junior high
and high school classes with the children of the "power elite" (Vice Presidents and
Division Heads of the oil company).

Dubya reminds me of some of these kids. They knew they were "connected", but the town
and atmosphere made sure they learned to get along with people of many social classes.

This made me comfortable enough to vote for Dubya, even if I don't agree with all his policies.

[VOA]

Hugh is going to replay it tommorrow. It's even better hearing Bush say it then reading it.

Thanks for the info...I usually can only catch part of Hewitt while doing some errands.
And yes...Dubya's voice is needed to do the text justice.

[7thson]

I saw a clip of this at the end of Brit Hume last night. My wife was on the phone and turned the sound down. So when the woman - tall woman - came out and gave President Bush a jersey with the number 2 on it, what was said?

My opinion - I thought that was in very poor taste. Especially now since I read the speech. All the other teams gave him a shirt or jersey with number 1 on it along with his name or one that said THE PREZ. This one woman then has the gall to hand him a jersey with no name and the number 2 on it. While it was being filmed. Am I being off base here? If you do not like the man - don't go!!! It is as simple as that. Members of the Yankees did not go one year when Clinton was President. Members of the Green Bay Packers did not go when Clinton was President. No big speech, no attempt to ridicule - just do not show up. Please correct me if I am off-base with my observation.

[7thson]

I saw a clip of this at the end of Brit Hume last night. My wife was on the phone and turned the sound down. So when the woman - tall woman - came out and gave President Bush a jersey with the number 2 on it, what was said?

My opinion - I thought that was in very poor taste. Especially now since I read the speech. All the other teams gave him a shirt or jersey with number 1 on it along with his name or one that said THE PREZ. This one woman then has the gall to hand him a jersey with no name and the number 2 on it. While it was being filmed. Am I being off base here? If you do not like the man - don't go!!! It is as simple as that. Members of the Yankees did not go one year when Clinton was President. Members of the Green Bay Packers did not go when Clinton was President. No big speech, no attempt to ridicule - just do not show up. Please correct me if I am off-base with my observation.

[VOA]

Mid-day bump.
The tape of this short speech by Dubya should be replayed today on The Hugh Hewitt Show.
Show runs from 3-6PM Pac Time on 870AM in the Los Angeles area and (IIRC)
590 AM in California's Inland Empire.

[VOA]

Bump for visibility...now back to work for me!