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Home , Johnny Carson, Kennedy Center Honors, Natalia Makarova

Dec. 1 / Administration of , 2012 including by asking the wealthiest Americans tweet them using the hashtag #My2K. That’s to pay a little more, so we can still invest in the “My2K.” things that make our Nation strong, like educa- You and your family have a lot riding on the tion and research. outcome of this debate; we all do. And as citi- So let’s begin by doing what we all agree on. zens, we all have a say in the country we want Both parties say we should keep middle class to build, not just on election day, but every taxes low. The Senate has already passed a bill day. So make your voice heard. I promise, it to keep income taxes from going up on middle makes a difference. class families. Democrats in the House are Thanks, and have a great weekend. ready to do the same thing. And if we can just NOTE: The address was recorded at approxi- get a few House Republicans on board, I’ll sign mately 1:30 p.m. on November 30 on the this bill as soon as Congress sends it my way. K’NEX Brands L.P. production floor at the But it’s unacceptable for some Republicans Rodon Group manufacturing facility in Hat- in Congress to hold middle class tax cuts hos- field, PA, for broadcast on December 1. In the tage simply because they refuse to let tax rates address, the President referred to S. 3412. The go up on the wealthiest Americans. And if you transcript was made available by the Office of agree with me, then I could use your help. Let the Press Secretary on November 30, but was your Congressman know what $2,000 means to embargoed for release until 6 a.m. on Decem- you. Give them a call, write them an e-mail, or ber 1.

Remarks at the Reception December 2, 2012

Everybody, please have a seat. Thank you sitting next to . very much. Thank you. Well, good evening, ev- [Laughter] We’ve got Dave Letterman along- erybody. You all look lovely. [Laughter] Wel- side one of the greatest ballerinas of all time. I come to the on a night when I don’t think Dave dances. [Laughter] All three am nowhere close to being the main attraction. living members of in one place. Thank you, David Rubenstein, Michael Kai- So this is a remarkable evening. ser and the Kennedy Center Trustees, and ev- And it speaks to something that has always eryone who has worked so hard to uphold made this country great: the idea that here in President Kennedy’s commitment to support- America, more than any other place on Earth, ing the arts. I also want to recognize another of we are free to follow our own passions, explore President Kennedy’s amazing legacies, and our own gifts, wherever they may lead us. And that is his wonderful daughter Caroline, who is people from all around the world come here to here tonight. make sure that they too can provide us the in- None of this would be possible without the credible gifts that they have. Cochairs of the President’s Committee on the Tonight’s honorees didn’t just take up their Arts and the Humanities, George Stevens— crafts to make a living. They did it because where is George, there he is—and his son Mi- they couldn’t imagine living any other way. chael—where did Michael go, there he is— And that passion took each of them from hum- who have produced the Kennedy Center Hon- ble beginnings to the pinnacle of their profes- ors—they have produced the Kennedy Center sion. And tonight, in the People’s House, we Honors for 35 years now. have a chance to say thank you. Tonight we continue a tradition here at the Growing up as the son of a sharecropper in White House by honoring some extraordinary Louisiana, Buddy Guy made his first guitar out people who have no business being on the of wires from a window screen. That worked same stage together. [Laughter] We’ve got until his parents started wondering how all the

1828 Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 / Dec. 2 mosquitoes were getting in. [Laughter] But told him, “Nobody flunks acting; it’s like gym.” Buddy was hooked, and a few years later, he [Laughter] bought a one-way ticket to Chicago to find his Still, I imagine one secret to his success is heroes, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. his inability to see himself as anything but an Pretty soon he was broke, hungry, and ready to underdog. Even after “The Graduate” became head home. And then, one night outside a a runaway success, Dustin says: “I really be- blues club, a man pulled up and handed Buddy lieved that was a fluke, and I refused to believe a salami sandwich and said, “I’m Mud, and you I had arrived. And in a way, I’ve been hanging ain’t going nowhere.” And that was the start of on by my fingertips for the entire ride.” something special. Well, Dustin, you’ll be glad to know that this Of course, success hasn’t changed the hum- award was not supposed to go to Robert Red- ble country boy who used to milk cows on a ford. [Laughter] He’s already got one. [Laugh- farm outside of Baton Rouge. Buddy tells a ter] So tonight we honor Dustin Hoffman, an story about his son Greg wanting to learn to actor who has finally arrived. He’s made it. play the guitar like Prince. Buddy told him [Applause] He’s made it. he’d better learn some Jimi Hendrix first. If you ask what’s it like to [Laughter] And it was only after watching a TV tape his show, he’ll say: “If it’s going well, it just special on Hendrix that Greg found out Jimi lifts you. If it’s not going well, it sinks you. It’s had borrowed some licks from his dad. So exhilarating. It’s my favorite hour of the day.” Greg said, “I didn’t know you could play like It’s unclear how Dave feels about this hour. It’s that.” And Buddy said, “You never asked.” different when you’re not the one with the [Laughter] mike, isn’t it, Dave? [Laughter] You’re looking a little stressed, aren’t you? [Laughter] I’d also Today, Buddy is still going strong, one of the point out it’s a lot warmer here than it is on last guardians of the great American blues. Dave’s set. [Laughter] And on a personal note, I will never forget But I’ve enjoyed my time in the Buddy playing “Sweet Home Chicago” in this Theater. And earlier this year, Dave celebrated very room back in February and him and a few his 30th anniversary in television, the others forcing me to sing along—[laughter]— only person to reach that milestone besides which was just okay. [Laughter] There aren’t . Now, Dave will be the first to too many people who can get me to sing, but tell you that he’s no Carson, that all his years Buddy was one of them. And so we are so glad on television have only made him appreciate that we can honor him tonight. Congratula- even more how unique Johnny was. But that’s tions, Buddy Guy. a good thing, because if he were more like When “The Graduate” was originally writ- Johnny, he’d be less like Dave. ten, the main character was supposed to be After all, it was Dave who got his start as an , a tall, blond track star. And Indianapolis weatherman, once reporting that when Dustin Hoffman auditioned for the part, the city was being pelted by hail “the size of a crewmember handed him a subway token on canned hams.” [Laughter] It’s one of the high- his way out, saying, “Here, kid, you’re going to lights of his career. [Laughter] It was Dave who need this.” [Laughter] strapped a camera to a monkey—[laughter]— Dustin ended up getting the role, and it worked a Taco Bell drive-through, told Lady launched one of the greatest movie careers of Gaga that when he was her age, he had a paper his generation, of any generation. Most actors route. [Laughter] It was Dave who came back dream of being in maybe one film that be- on the air less than a week after 9/11 to show comes part of our cultural vocabulary. Dustin the world that New York was still standing. churned out “Midnight Cowboy,” “Tootsie,” So tonight we honor Dave Letterman, who “Rain Man,” “Hook”—not bad for a guy who has always offered us an authentic piece of him- signed up for his first acting class after a friend self: sometimes cranky, often self-deprecating,

1829 Dec. 2 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 always funny. And those of you who have been And when the Brits initially kept their dis- on his show know he is also a true gentleman. tance, Led Zeppelin grabbed America from So thank you, Dave. Thank you. Congratula- the opening chord. We were ready for what tions. Jimmy called songs with “a lot of light and When defected from the shade.” It’s been said that a generation of in 1970, she made young people survived teenage angst with a around the globe. But back home, her name pair of headphones and a Zeppelin album, and was excised from textbooks, her photo ex- a generation of parents wondered what all that punged from the walls of her school. And for noise was about. [Laughter] the next 18 years, her countrymen were forced But even now, 32 years after John Bonham’s to rely on underground channels to follow the passing—and we all, I think, appreciate the rise of one of the most accomplished ballerinas fact that the Zeppelin legacy lives on. The last in the world. time the band performed together in 2007— But no one can erase what takes hold of the perhaps the last time ever, but we don’t heart. And in 1989, when the Iron Curtain know—more than 20 million fans from around opened, the Russian people welcomed her the world applied for tickets. And what they back with open arms. Over 2,000 people saw was vintage Zeppelin. No frills, no theat- packed the Kirov Theater where she had rics, just a few guys who can still make the la- trained as a young girl; another 20 people dies weak at the knees, and huddled together, crammed in with the orchestra, all to watch a following the music. [Laughter] dancer who never thought she’d be back. It Of course, these guys also redefined the was a fitting end to a career that began when rock-and-roll lifestyle. We do not have video of 13-year-old Natalia—completely double joint- this. [Laughter] But there was some hotel ed and possessed of an incredible gift for musi- rooms trashed and mayhem all around. So it’s cality and movement—told her parents she did fitting that we’re doing this in a room with win- not want to be an engineer, thank you, she dows that are about 3 inches thick—[laugh- wanted to dance. ter]—and Secret Service all around. [Laughter] After hanging up her shoes, Natalia moved So, guys, just settle down. [Laughter] These to Broadway, where she won a Tony Award. paintings are valuable. [Laughter] They look And she remains as humble as ever, once say- very calm now, though, don’t they? [Laughter] ing: “I’m never proud of what I’ve done. Some- The—it is a tribute to you guys. And tonight times, I’m not ashamed.” So thank you, Nata- we honor Led Zeppelin for making us all feel lia, for the understatement of the century. young and for showing us that some guys who [Laughter] Thank you for sharing your talents are not completely youthful can still rock. with all of us. Congratulations. So we’ve got Buddy Guy. We’ve got Dustin I worked with the speechwriters; there’s no Hoffman. We’ve got David Letterman, Natalia smooth transition from to Led Zeppelin. Makarova, Led Zeppelin. Each—[applause]. [Laughter] We were trying to work the “Stair- There you go. Each of us can remember a mo- way To Heaven” metaphor, and it didn’t work. ment when the people on this stage touched our [Laughter] lives. Maybe they didn’t lead us to become per- So when , , John formers ourselves. But maybe they inspired us Paul Jones, and John Bonham burst onto the to see things in a new way, to hear things differ- musical scene in the late , the world nev- ently, to discover something within us or to ap- er saw it coming. There was this singer with a preciate how much beauty there is in the world. mane like a lion, a voice like a banshee; a guitar It’s that unique power that makes the arts so prodigy who left people’s jaws on the floor; a important. We may not always think about the versatile bassist who was equally at home on importance of music or dance or laughter to the the keyboards; a drummer who played like his life of this Nation, but who would want to imag- life depended on it. ine America without it? And that’s why we cele-

1830 Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 / Dec. 3 brate artists like the ones here tonight. And NOTE: The President spoke at 5:31 p.m. in the that’s why, in this season of joy and thanksgiv- East Room at the White House. In his re- ing, they have earned our deepest appreciation. marks, he referred to musician Prince R. Nel- So congratulations again to tonight’s honor- son; actor Robert Redford; and musician Ste- ees. Thank you all very much. And I look for- fani J.A. “Lady Gaga” Germanotta. ward to a spectacular evening. Thank you.

Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Prime Minister Boyko Borisov of Bulgaria December 3, 2012

President Obama. Well, I want to welcome ister is interested in a range of reforms to cre- Prime Minister Borisov to the White House ate an open and transparent government, to and his delegation from Bulgaria. I have to say improve trade and commerce between our two at the outset that Bulgaria has proven to be one countries, as a leader in the Balkans in moving of our most outstanding NATO allies. towards further integration with Europe and Obviously, there are very strong bonds be- the rest of the world economy. We’ve been tween our two countries, including many Bul- very impressed with the progress that’s been garian Americans in my hometown of Chicago made in Bulgaria, and I’m looking forward to that reminds us of the strong people-to-people hearing from the Prime Minister how the Unit- relationship between the and ed States can further assist in those efforts. Bulgaria. So, Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to you. I’ve had the opportunity to work and discuss And we look forward to this conversation. The issues with the Prime Minister in the past, and American people send their regards to the peo- he’s always been a very effective leader on the ple of Bulgaria. And the only thing I have to world stage. And I think it’s important for ev- say is, the weather is not always this good, so erybody to know that he’s also a black belt in you should enjoy some of the sights while karate, so you should be very careful crossing you’re here as well. him. [Laughter] Prime Minister Borisov. Mr. President, it is The—we’re going to have a lot to discuss an honor that you invited us all in the White during this meeting. But first and foremost, I House. want to thank the Prime Minister for the First of all, I would like to extend my con- strong partnership in NATO. Bulgaria has gratulations on your winning the trust again of been a strong supporter of the efforts in Af- the American people. ghanistan, and we’ll have the opportunity to Of course, the fact that you pointed out you touch briefly on the transition that needs to are from Chicago, I would like to point out that take place there. But I want to thank him and this is one of the biggest Bulgarian cities; over his fellow countrymen for their service and 150,000 Bulgarians make Chicago their home. sacrifice. And everybody in Bulgaria was deeply moved We’ve also had excellent cooperation on at your telephone call to express your condo- criminal investigations, law enforcement, coun- lences for the Bulgarian citizen as well as the terterrorism. And most recently, I want to thank Israeli nationals who perished in the terrorist the Prime Minister for his very diligent investi- act. gation of the tragic terrorist attack that killed Is- I’m very glad that you pointed out that in raeli civilians in Bulgaria. The security teams in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, places Bulgaria have worked very hard and coopera- where—that our soldiers, U.S. and Bulgaria, tively in bringing the perpetrators to justice. fight for democracy shoulder to shoulder, that But of course, the relationship is not just we do have additional topics of mutual interest. based on security issues. Bulgaria is a modern- And I thank you for the opportunity to lay a izing country, and I know that the Prime Min- wreath today at Arlington National Cemetery

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