2023年克林顿在总统图书馆发表致谢演讲.docx

2023年克林顿在总统图书馆发表致谢演讲 名人演讲稿 PRESIDENTClinton: (Applause)Well,ladiesandgentlemen,ifmybelovedmotherwerehere,shewouldremindmethatrainisliquidsunshineandthatIshouldn''''tcomplainaboutthisbecausethegroundprobablyneedsitandsomebodyisbenefitingfromit. Mr.PresidentandMrs.Bush,PresidentandMrs.Carter,PresidentandMrs.Bush,membersoftheEisenhower,Nixon,Johnson,KennedyandCarterfamilies;tothevastnumberofmembersofCongressandformermembersofCongresshere--Idon''''tknowwheretheyarebecauseyou''''reallinponchos--(cheers)--buttheretheyare;there''''sahugegroupfromCongress,andthepresidentsentfourplanesdownandIthankhimforthat;toalltheguestsfromothercountries;andmyfellowAmericans--welcometomyrainylibrarydedication. (Laughter) ThankyouSkipRutherfordandallthoseonmystaffandthevolunteersfromArkansasandacrossAmericawhoworksohardtomakethiseventjustperfect--(helaughs)--andexceptforonething,itis. Ithankthepreviousspeakersandthosewhohavesungandentertained. Mr.President,Ican''''tthankyouenoughforyourgenerouswordsandforcomingtotheopeningatall.Imean,afterall,youjustdelayedyourownlibraryopeningbyfouryears.(Laughter.)Icongratulateyouonyourelection,andIwishyouGodspeed,especiallyinanewandmorehopefultimeforpeaceintheMiddleEast. IrememberthefirsttimeIeverheardGeorgeW.BushgiveaspeechinIowa,andIcalledafriendofmineandIsaid:"MyGod,thatguycanbeatus.Heisagoodpolitician."Hehasbeenverykindandgeneroustomyfamily,andIthankhimforthat. Todaywe''''reallred,whiteandblue. IthankformerPresidentBushandMrs.Bushforcomingandfortheirservicetoournation.PresidentBush,Ilovedallthatstuffyousaid.ButIwanttothankyouforsomethingseriously.In1989,afterIhadbeengovernorforalongtime,youwerethepresidentwhofinallycalledustogetherandaskedustodevelopnationaleducationgoalsforAmericasothatallourchildrencouldgetagoodeducation.Itwasthebeginningofaseriousreformeffort,whichItriedtocarrythroughandwhichIknowPresidentBushhastriedtopush.Sothankyoufordoingthatandforgivingmetheopportunitytoworkwithyou. ThankyouPresidentandMrs.CarterforallyoudidintheWhiteHouseandallyou''''vedoneintheyearssincetomaketheworldmorejustandpeaceful.JohnQuincyAdamsoncesaid,"Thereisnothinginlifesopatheticasaformerpresident."Well,heturnedouttobewrongbecauseofhisownservice,andPresidentCarterhasprovedthatnothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth. (Applause) Hejusttoldyouwemet30yearsagowhenhewastryingtohelpme.Hedidn''''ttellyouthat,lessthanayearlaterandlessthanamilefromhere,JimmyCarteraskedHillaryandmetojoininhiscampaignforthepresidency.Wedid,andasyoucanseefromthisday,itwasthebeginningofquitearide. IrecentlyspokewithPresidentFord,who,at91,isunabletocomeand--withhisextraordinarywife,Betty.Buttheystillarestrong.YesterdayIreceivedawonderfulletterfromNancyReagan,whoremainsinourthoughtsandprayers.IthanktheFordsandNancyandthelatePresidentReaganfortheirservicetoourcountry. IwanttothankallthevastnumbersofCongressandformermemberswhoareherewhoservedwithme.Icouldn''''thavedonemostofthegoodthingswedidwithout''''em,andthey''''renotresponsibleforanyofthemistakesImade. Ican''''tseethroughalltheumbrellasandalltheponchosorwhateveryoucallthoseplasticthingsthatmakeyoualllooksobeautiful--(laughter)--butI''''mprettysureSenatorKerry''''soutthere.Andifheis,IwanttothankhimandI''''mgladhe''''sbackonthejob. (Applause) Iwanttothankthepeopleofmybelovedhomestateforyoursupport,foryourlove,yourfriendship,thetrust,thesacrificesyousowillinglymadewhenweworkedtogetherhereandwhenyoucarriedmetotheWhiteHouse. Ithankthefriendsofalifetimewhoalsomadeindispensablecontributions.I''''vesaidalotoftimesImaybetheonlyguythatevergotelectedpresidentbecauseofhispersonalfriends. Ithankmypastor,RexHorne,andalltheotherministersherewhohavetaughtme,prayedwithme,andcounseledmeovertheyears. IthankGodformyfamilyandHillary''''sfamily.Alotofthemareheretoday,andIthankyouformakingthiswholelongtrip. LikeIsaid,Idowishmymotherwerehere.Shewouldhaveenjoyedseeingallofyou,evenintherain,andIpromiseyou--(helaughs)--youwouldhaveenjoyedseeingher. Mostofall,IwanttothankHillaryandChelsea.NowHillary''''sasenatorandshehasallthepowerinourfamily,butshe''''sprovingwhatIalwayssaid.Shehasthebestcombinationofmindandheart,convictionandcompassionI''''veeverencountered,thoughImustsayChelseaisgivinghermotheragoodrun.Chelsea,yourlifeandourloveforyougavemeaningtoourpublicservice.Theymadethepresidencythesecond-mostimportantjobIeverhad. Iloveyoubothsomuch.Thankyou. Andletmelastlythankthepeoplewhohavecontributedtoandbuiltthislibrary:theSchoolofPublicServiceandthefoundation,mystaff,myformerstaff,theboard,thearchitects,theexhibitdesigners,thelandscapers,thecontractors,the1,500peoplewhoputthisbuildingup,thecityandstateofficialswhosupportedit.Ithankespeciallythearchitects,JimPolshekandRichardOlcott;RalphApplebaumforthewonderfulexhibits;andmylongtimefriend,BillClark,whosecompanybuiltthisbuilding. IalsowanttosaythatIthankthoseofyouwhoarecontinuingtohelpintheworkofthelibraryandthef