In times of war and peace, our leaders
inspired us to pull together as
one nation - and to prevail
George Washington's
Farewell Address
September 19, 1796
 Saying no to a third term, America's first President shared his hopes for the future of the young nation he helped create and which he so valiantly served.
"The constancy of your support....I shall carry it with me to my grave, as a strong incitement to unceasing vows that heaven may continue to you the choicest tokens of its beneficence; that your union and brotherly affection may be perpetual; that the free Constitution, which is the work of your hands, may be sacredly maintained; that its administration in every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue."
Abraham Lincoln's
Gettsyburg Address
November 19, 1863
 With a divided nation at a crossroads, President Lincoln paid tribute to the thousands who gave their lives during the most decisive battle of the Civil War.
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal...We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Franklin D. Roosevelt's
Radio Address to the Nation
December 9, 1941
 Two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a beloved President rallied his nation for the ordeal ahead - unsparing about its dangers but confident of victory.
"We are going to win the war, and we are going to win the peace that follows. And in the dark hours of this day and through the dark days that may be yet to come - we will know that the vast majority of the members of the human race are on our side. Many of them are fighting with us. All of them are praying for us. For, in representing our cause, we represent theirs as well - our hope and their hope for liberty under God."
John F. Kennedy's
Inaugural Address
January 20, 1961
 Bearing the hopes of a new generation, a young President set out his bold agenda for a strong, compassionate America.
"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage - and unwilling to...permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world...And so, my fellow Americans: ask not your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what we can do for the freedom of man."
Ronald Reagan's
Address to the Nation
The Day of the Challenger Disaster
January 28, 1986
 The President eloquently consoled a grieving nation, reminding us that fallen heros can be honored by keeping their mission alive.
"We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that...we're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew were pioneers. And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff...Sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration...The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them...[They] honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved good-bye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God.'"
George W. Bush's
Address to Congress and the Nation
In the Aftermath of 9/11
September 20, 2001
 Unbowed by a new and deadly enemy, the President readied us for the war on terror ahead and reminded us of our values.
"We are a Country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done....I ask you to uphold the values of America, and remember why so many have come here. We're in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them.
No one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith...I know there are struggles ahead and changes to face. But this country will define our times, not be defined by them. As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world....
It is my hope that in the months and years ahead, life will return almost to normal. We'll go back to our lives and routines, and that is good. Even grief recedes with time and grace. But our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened that day, and to whom it happened. We'll remember the moment the news came, where we were and what we were doing....I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will not yield, I will not rest, I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people.
The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutal between them. Fellow citizens, we'll meet violence with patient justice, assured of the rightness of our cause and confident of the victories to come. In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom, and may He watch over the United States of America."
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