Remarks at the White House Bicentennial Dinner November 9

2852 Nov. 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Remarks at the White House Remarks at the White House Bicentennial Dinner Bicentennial Dinner November 9, 2000 November 9, 2000 Good evening, Mrs. Johnson, President Well, Mr. Sidey, we just saw the first exam- ple of your comment about doing without and Mrs. Ford, President and Mrs. Carter, Air Force One. President Bush is having air- President and Mrs. Bush, distinguished plane trouble and will stay with us for the guests. It has been said that an invitation to remainder of the evening. [Laughter] Actu- the White House to dinner is one of the high- ally, I’ve commiserated with all these people est compliments a President can bestow on about what our new life is about to be like. anyone. Tonight Hillary and I would amend And I understand that the worst part of it that to say that an even higher compliment is that I will be lost for the first 4 months has been bestowed on us by your distin- because no one will be playing a song any- guished presence this evening. In the entire more. [Laughter] 200 years of the White House’s history, never I want to thank Lady Bird Johnson and before have this many former Presidents and President and Mrs. Ford, President and Mrs. First Ladies gathered in this great room. Carter, and President and Mrs. Bush, for Hillary and I are grateful beyond words being here. to have served as temporary stewards of the I thought that joke about Harry Truman people’s house these last 8 years, an honor living with his mother-in-law was particularly exceeded only by the privilege of service that apt, since my mother-in-law is upstairs at this comes with the key to the front door. very moment. And she has agreed to let me In the short span of 200 years, those whom live with her for the next 2 years, when I’m the wings of history have brought to this in Arkansas trying to build my library. place have shaped not only their own times I, like previous speakers, would like to ac- but have also left behind a living legacy for knowledge President and Mrs. Reagan and our own. In ways both large and small, each say that we miss them and wish them well. and every one of you has cast your light upon I’d also like to acknowledge a person who’s this house and left it and our country brighter been a particular friend of Hillary’s and mine these last 8 years, who suffered two losses for it. For that, Hillary and I and all Ameri- in her family recently and could not be here cans owe you a great debt of gratitude. tonight, with whom we care very much I salute you and all those yet to grace these about, Margaret Truman Daniel. And we’re halls with the words of the very first occupant thinking of her and wish her well. of the White House, John Adams, who said, I would like to thank Senator and Mrs. ‘‘I pray to heaven to bestow the best of bless- Robb for being here and for their service to ings on this house and all that shall hereafter America. And I’d like to thank you, General inhabit it. May none but the honest and wise Eisenhower. Thank you for coming. We’re rule under this roof.’’ honored to have you here. And Ethel Ken- Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to join nedy, thank you for coming; and other mem- me in a toast to Mrs. Johnson, President and bers of Presidents’ families. Mrs. Ford, President and Mrs. Carter, Presi- One of the most interesting things, to me, dent and Mrs. Bush for their honest and wise about living here these last 8 years is watch- service to the people while they inhabited ing the threads of American history weave this house. their way through the families of Presidents. The other day we had an actual ceremony here commemorating the 200th anniversary NOTE: The President spoke at 8:20 p.m. in the of the opening of the White House. And East Room at the White House. The dinner was hosted by the White House Historical Association. someone played John Adams and came up This item was not received in time for publication with his one footman and the horses and the in the appropriate issue. old 18th-century carriage and got out. And then we had a little reception for all the Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Nov. 9 2853

Adams family members in the direct line of So Gary, from you to all the people that John and John Quincy Adams who were here. are down in the basement tonight keeping And it turned out that one of them had the lights on, making sure that the tempera- two sons in the United States Navy today, ture works, all the people that you never to one of whom serves on a destroyer that is see, to all these wonderful people who served the twin to the U.S.S. Cole and was there our dinner tonight, we thank you from the when Hillary and I spoke with the families bottom of our hearts. Thank you. and at the memorial service a few days ago. History tells us that even as the city’s plan- It made me, once again, very grateful to be ners debated the final design of this house, an American, as well as to have the oppor- masons laid its stone foundations 4 feet thick. tunity to live here. Like our Nation’s Founders, these men were I thank the members of the White House building a monument to freedom that they Historical Association, and especially Bob wanted to last. Over the course of two cen- Breeden and Hugh Sidey. Hugh, I hope you turies, as all of you know—and we’ve seen won’t mind—you’ve had fun at our ex- some references tonight—this old house has pense—I was thinking, there are at least two withstood war and fire and bulldozers, just of us up here at the table that you’ve said as its inhabitants have faced a stern test or more nice things about tonight than you have two. in our entire career in public life. [Laughter] In this remarkable audience are former And we are immensely grateful. I was also residents, historians, and others who have thinking that between all of us, we’ve served very little to learn about the White House. so long, we’ve been here together about half But I thought I would use, if I might, the as long as Helen Thomas has. And we’re de- story of the East Room, where we are now lighted to see you. [Laughter] tonight, as just a metaphor. You’ve already I want to thank the members of the Ma- heard that Dolly Madison cut down George rine Band. You know, I was a band boy in Washington’s picture here, and you may re- high school, which, if you were from Arkan- member that it was said that the East Room sas and over 6 feet tall, was a bad thing to began its existence as Abigail Adams’ laundry be. [Laughter] But I loved music from the room. But it was soon after that Thomas Jef- time I was a child. And I think it would be ferson, with Merriwether Lewis, unrolled fair to say that I doubt if any President has maps on the floor amidst animal skins to plan ever enjoyed the Marine Band as much as what became known as the Lewis and Clark I have. I have loved every encounter I’ve ever expedition, on this very floor. Whether you had with them, and they are absolutely mag- agree with all of Thomas Jefferson’s policies nificent. or not, it’s interesting; just in buying Lou- I know that all of you noticed that every isiana and doing the Lewis and Clark expedi- President who has spoken here tonight tion, he helped to make us the great conti- thanked Gary Walters and the White House nental nation that we are today. staff. They were not going through the mo- Now, a few years after that, President Lin- tions. They were not saying that because that coln introduced Ulysses Grant to well- was something they had to say. Until you’ve wishers. You may remember that a lot of peo- lived here and you realize how totally bizarre ple in Washington didn’t like General Grant. your life can get from time to time, it’s im- He was 5’4’’, unimposing. He forgot to shave possible to express how grateful you are to on some days when he was more interested people who make it normal, no matter what; in battle, and he was said to enjoy drink from who are always there for you at all hours of time to time. And when some of the people the day or night. When you’re up in the polls in Washington were criticizing this rube from and down in the polls, when you’re cele- the hinterland because of his drinking habits, brating your greatest triumph or the wheel President Lincoln wryly suggested that he runs off, they still try to make it a home. wished the person would find out what Gen- And then, when you have to get out and eral Grant drank and give it to the other gen- make it a public place, simultaneously, they erals; it might end the war more quickly. do that as well. [Laughter] 2854 Nov. 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

In fact, that was one of many things that And I spend a lot of my evenings alone work- were untrue. There’s not a single docu- ing in the Treaty Room, as you just heard mented reference of Ulysses Grant ever from Hugh Sidey, on the great walnut table being drunk on the job. I thought I would that President Grant used for a Cabinet use this historic moment to clean his slate table. Shortly thereafter, it was used in that a little bit. [Laughter] same room, which was Abraham Lincoln’s But anyway, Grant was a little guy, and waiting room, as the table on which the treaty they were mobbing him here in this room, ending the Spanish-American War was so he did something that I’m not sure I would signed in 1898. Thereafter, it became known have the courage to do. He jumped up on as the Treaty Table, and every single treaty the sofa and stood there so that he would signed in the United States in 102 years has not be completely overrun by the crowd. been signed on that table: President Carter’s It was here, more tragically, that just a cou- Camp David accords; the treaty signed by ple of years later, Abraham Lincoln lay in Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan, state; and here, quite fittingly, a century after ending the war between their two nations. that, President Lyndon Johnson signed the It always reminds me that I am a temporary Civil Rights Act, one of the most important resident. American acts of the last 50 years. Just 25 Hillary and Chelsea and I will be forever years ago, Gerald Ford took the oath of office grateful to the American people for letting and was sworn in as President here. us make the White House our home for what We have had so many happy nights here, was, I find amazing now, 40 percent of my but I think I’ll just mention one because she daughter’s young life. From the day we is here in this room. Not so very long ago, moved in, Hillary devoted herself to pre- we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the serving the White House, to the restoration North Atlantic Treaty Association, the em- of public rooms, to the selection of the bicen- bodiment of our commitment in the cold war tennial china we use tonight, to installing to stand against communism. And on that oc- sculpture in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. casion, we had this marvelous dinner with I thank her for the work she has done to this sort of arced head table with all the heads make this a more vibrant living museum than of state, the largest number of heads of state ever. ever to visit Washington at one time. They I thank Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Bush for the were entertained here by Jessye Norman, work they did, which Hillary was able to help standing and singing alone. And we welcome complete, to adequately endow the White you here tonight, again. Thank you very House Endowment Fund so that this house much. and its collections will be better preserved This place is a thrill to live in. You heard for all future visitors, and so that all people President Carter say that he told them he who come here will better understand our wanted to eat the things that the staff was Nation’s past. eating, as it turned out. When I came here, Now soon, we, too, will be part of that we asked them to re-do the kitchen so we past. When I leave here, as we all must, I could have dinner in the kitchen at night. will depart with a great sense of gratitude. And just about every night for 8 years, Hillary I’m being helped along the way by all of my and Chelsea and I have had dinner in the friends who are determined to keep me hum- little kitchen upstairs—which is interesting ble and grounded. how low standards have sunk. Until Jackie The other day, I went to a meeting of the and John Kennedy moved here, the First bishops of the Church of God in Christ, and Family came downstairs to dinner every I thought I was being quite clever. I got up night in a formal dining room for 160 years. in front of these 400 bishops, and I said, ‘‘I Who knows? Maybe the next crowd will be wanted to come here today because I wanted eating on the roof. [Laughter] to be among some leaders who aren’t term- We have enjoyed being in the Solarium, limited.’’ And the head bishop got up and where President Reagan convalesced after he said, ‘‘Oh, Mr. President, we’re all term- was shot. We have family and friends there. limited.’’ [Laughter] Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Nov. 10 2855

And so I say tonight, the White House has national; soprano Jessye Norman; Robert L. never belonged to any one of us. It will al- Breeden, chairman and chief executive officer, ways belong to all of us. We do not yet know White House Historical Association; Gary Wal- who the next occupant will be, but we can ters, chief White House usher; and Republican honor the service, the lives, and the families Presidential candidate Gov. George W. Bush. The of the candidates who contested this election. transcript released by the Office of the Press Sec- retary also included the remarks of President Ger- We know how proud President and Mrs. ald R. Ford, President Jimmy Carter, President Bush must be of their son, and rightly so. George Bush, and Hugh Sidey, president, White And we Americans should take great pride House Historical Association. The dinner was in the fact that this contest was fought to hosted by the White House Historical Association. a close conclusion. It is not a symbol of the A tape was not available for verification of the division of our Nation with the vitality of our content of these remarks. This item was not re- debate, and it will be resolved in a way con- ceived in time for publication in the appropriate sistent with the vitality of our enduring Con- issue. stitution and laws. I think tonight of the words of an English- man, Charles Dickens, who visited here in Letter to Congressional Leaders on 1842. Listen to what he said right after he the Application of the Federal attended one of the functions that they then Republic of Yugoslavia To Join the called levees. Where I come from, that holds Organization for Security and in the Mississippi River. [Laughter] But for Cooperation in Europe years in the 19th century, the receptions that Presidents regularly held were called levees. November 9, 2000 He walked through the White House, listen- lllll ing to the Marine Band play, marveling at Dear : the crowd assembled. And here is how he The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) described the event in his American notes: has indicated its preparedness to join the Or- ‘‘Every man, even among the miscellaneous ganization for Security and Cooperation in crowd in the halls who were admitted with- Europe (OSCE) as a participating state. out any orders or tickets to look on, appeared Given the interest of the Congress in the to feel that he was part of the institution.’’ question of FRY participation in inter- Well, that’s still the way it ought to be. national and regional organizations, as re- Every one of you, from the wealthiest to flected, for example, in section 594(e) of the those who could not be called wealthy, of Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and whatever race or region, whatever your back- Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2001, ground, whether you’re dining here or work- I want to inform you that the United States ing here, you are a part of the institution. representative to the OSCE will support the You are the center of the Nation. The most FRY’s application when the matter is consid- important title in this house has ever been ered before the OSCE Permanent Council ‘‘citizen.’’ It is, after all, why we’re still on Friday, November 10. The decision is around here after 200 years. predicated on the FRY’s recent actions, in- Thank you, and God bless you. cluding those that indicate the FRY is ap- proaching membership in regional and inter- NOTE: The President spoke at 10:18 p.m. in the national organizations on the same basis as East Room at the White House. In his remarks, the other successor states, and is taking im- he referred to Margaret Truman Daniel, daughter portant steps towards resolving issues related of President Harry S. Truman; former First Ladies to liabilities, assets, and property. Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Barbara Bush, and We have reviewed the FRY application Nancy Reagan; Lynda Robb, daughter of Presi- dent Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson; and have concluded that the FRY has applied Gen. John Eisenhower, USA (Ret.), son of Presi- on the same basis that Bosnia and dent Dwight D. Eisenhower; Ethel Kennedy, Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and the widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy; Helen former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ap- Thomas, former reporter, United Press Inter- plied to participate in the OSCE following