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Home , David Tyree, John Mara, Lawrence Tynes, Plaxico Burress, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin

Administration of George W. Bush, 2008 / Apr. 30

Remarks Honoring the 2008 Champion April 30, 2008

The President. Welcome. It’s my honor. allowed 80 points in the first two games. Thank you for coming. Please be seated. That would be called a lousy start. [Laugh- Welcome to the White House. It’s an honor ter] And then you’re playing the Red- to recognize the Super Bowl champs, the skins—— New York football Giants. Audience members. Boo! I appreciate you all coming. Mr. Vice The President. It’s okay, you know. President, thank you for joining me up here [Laughter] And the game wasn’t going very as we welcome the Giants to the South well, as I recall. And then you rallied, and Lawn. I want to thank and his you won. mom Ann, who’s joined us; And a lot of the people that know some- and his mother Joan; of course, their head thing about football said that was the turn- football coach, , and his wife ing point. And the winning streak—what’s Judy. He got the extension; that’s a good interesting is—six straight games, as I un- thing. [Laughter] Makes it a little easier derstand, on two different continents. You to be standing up here. [Laughter] also had a great road record. I don’t know I appreciate all the players who have if the fans understand this, but you piled joined us today and the coaches and the up more away-game victories than—in personnel that make the club function. NFL history. And the good news is, your I thank members of my administration fans still loved you at home. [Laughter] who have joined us. I welcome Members They really loved you. of the Congress, Senate, particularly from You got into the—you secured a wild New Jersey and New York, State elected card. And it was interesting, in the last officials from New Jersey and New York— game of the season, a lot of folks thought that’s a good thing to be here. the coach would just kind of lay down and I welcome those from Walter Reed who let New England cruise to a perfect sea- have joined us today. And of course, wel- son—I remember a lot of people specu- come to all the Giants fans. [Applause] Be- lating about that last game of the season— have yourselves. [Laughter] and yet you didn’t, Coach. Your team didn’t First, it’s good to be up here with the win on the scoreboard, but you won the Super Bowl MVP, . We have hearts of a lot of Americans for contesting a few things in common. [Applause] We the game. And you also—your team—[ap- got some things in common. Eli has a plause]—and it clearly gave your team father and a brother in the same business some self-confidence, because you stormed he’s in. [Laughter] Sometimes the press are through Tampa Bay and then went into skeptical. [Laughter] And he just survived Dallas—— a big wedding. So I asked him coming in, Audience members. [Applause] ‘‘Any advice?’’ He said, ‘‘I wasn’t father of The President. Okay, look, I’m a good the bride.’’ [Laughter] sport. [Laughter] We’re going to send Jes- New York Giants have one of the great sica Simpson to the Democrat National storied histories of—in pro football. And Convention. [Laughter] this club carried on that great tradition. Packers was one of the coldest games And perhaps—many would say this is prob- in NFL history. You lit up the field like ably the most exciting chapter ever written you were on fire. And , in the New York Giants’ football history. who’s with us here, came through with a HEARING After all, you started off the season and 47-yard fieldgoal in overtime, putting you with

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in Super Bowl XLII. Yes, I knew you were tember the 11th, 2001. And I guarantee going to make it. [Laughter] I don’t know you, there was a lot of New York fire- if everybody else did, but I knew you were fighters and police who were really thrilled going to make it. And you knew you were to see you. going to make it. I like the fact that this team, the coaches Lawrence Tynes. I did. and players, offer free camps for kids. The President. And all of a sudden, a Some of them run life-changing ministries. 0–2 team was about to square off against They raise money for children who have the 18–0 . Now cancer. This is a team that supports the they’ve got a lot of experts in our society— Ronald McDonald House and the United Coach, you might know what I’m talking Way, promotes family literacy through Read about—and in looking back, it’s hard to Across America. It’s even helped run a find many of the experts who predicted charter school program in inner-city New- a Giants victory. Most people were calling ark. it a cakewalk; you know, be prepared to I appreciate the fact, Coach, that you turn off your television sets early because and your players support our troops, but this isn’t much of a game you’re about to more importantly, our troops appreciate the watch; when, in fact, it turned out to be fact that you support them. You’ve come really one of the great, legendary football to know the story like I have of Lieutenant games in our country’s history. Colonel Greg Gadson. He lost both of his First of all, your defense was awesome, legs while in Iraq. He first met up with Coach, and they deserve a lot of credit. the Giants in September, when you invited And so does your offense. It was the 83- him to address a pregame meeting that yard comeback drive in the fourth quarter helped inspire the comeback over the Red- that a lot of folks will remember for a long skins. time coming. Eli Manning started one of Then you saw him in Tampa, when he the great plays called the Great Escape; was trying out his legs that he walked on it ended on ’s helmet. [Laugh- today to be on the stage with you. He ter] So, like, I’m going to take you in the was an honorary captain in Green Bay. He White House, and you can show me how never left the sidelines, despite the 23- you did it. [Laughter] And then Plaxico below windchill. In your last team meeting Burress, of course, caught the winning before the Super Bowl, Lieutenant Colonel with 35 seconds left. Greg Gadson urged you to have pride in This is a great team that worked to- your team and believe in yourselves, which gether. You won the Vince Lombardi Tro- is exactly what you did. phy, and you won the deep gratitude of I’m proud to be on the stage with this the 1972 . [Laughter] man. To me, it’s a symbol of your respect First of all, you’ve won the gratitude of for our country and your patriotism that your fans. New York Giants fans love these you would let Greg Gadson be a part of Giants. So we congratulate you all, but this team. He has got the Purple Heart we’re also congratulating your families, your and three Bronze Stars, and now he’s got loved ones, those who make the locker a minted for a true room work, the trainers, the people who ‘‘giant.’’ clean up after you. We want to—we know So while you’re still on your feet: The you played for some—ones who lost loved Super Bowl New York Giants. ones, like the Tyrees and the Maras and the Tisches. I know you loved going down the Canyon of Heroes for the first ticker- NOTE: The President spoke at 3:14 p.m. on HEARING tape parade since before the attacks of Sep- the South Lawn at the White House. In his with

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remarks, he referred to John K. Mara, presi- ning, , New York Giants; and en- dent and chief executive officer, Steven tertainer Jessica Simpson. The transcript re- Tisch, co-owner, Lawrence Tynes, kicker, leased by the Office of the Press Secretary and , , New York also included the remarks of New York Gi- Giants; E. Archibald Manning III, father, ants head coach Tom Coughlin. and , brother, of Eli Man-

Statement on North Korea Freedom Week April 30, 2008

Laura and I send greetings to all those and suffering. The stands observing North Korea Freedom Week. I with the North Korean people in their call am deeply concerned about the grave for freedom. We believe it is every person’s human rights conditions in North Korea, basic right to live in freedom and dignity. especially the denial of universal freedoms We will continue to support the North Ko- of speech, press, religion, assembly, and as- rean people as they strive to achieve the sociation and restrictions on freedom of rights and freedoms to which they are enti- movement and workers’ rights. I have met tled as human beings. We look forward to in the Oval Office with some of the brave the moment when we can celebrate the individuals who have escaped from that blessings of liberty with the North Korean country. I am deeply concerned by the sto- people. ries of divided families, harsh conditions,

Message to the Congress Reporting on Blocking Property and Prohibiting Certain Transactions Related to Burma April 30, 2008

To the Congress of the United States: taken in Executive Order 13310, which Pursuant to the International Emergency contained prohibitions implementing sec- Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et tions 3 and 4 of the Burmese Freedom seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have and Democracy Act of 2003 (Public Law issued an Executive Order (the ‘‘order’’) 108–61) (the ‘‘Act’’) and supplemented that that takes additional steps with respect to Act with additional restrictions. On October the national emergency declared in Execu- 18, 2007, I determined that the Govern- tive Order 13047 of May 20, 1997, and ment of Burma’s continued repression of expanded in Executive Order 13448 of Oc- the democratic opposition in Burma, mani- tober 18, 2007. fested at the time in the violent response In 1997, the United States put in place to peaceful demonstrations, the commission a prohibition on new investment in Burma of human rights abuses related to political in response to the Government of Burma’s repression, and engagement in public cor- large scale repression of the democratic op- ruption, including by diverting or misusing position in that country. On July 28, 2003, Burmese public assets or by misusing pub-

HEARING those sanctions were expanded by steps lic authority, warranted an expansion of the with

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