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Home , Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton

Jan. 7 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001

hatred and dehumanization and violence but, Foundry. But it is a new chapter. So let me even if it doesn’t go that far, limits the lives thank you again for letting all of us, Hillary, all of us might otherwise live. Chelsea, and me, make this part of our life’s And I have spent a lot of time, as you might journey with you, for your constant reminder have noticed, in a reasonably combative arena. in ways large and small that though we have I am not without my competitive instincts. A all fallen short of the glory, we are all redeemed lot of days I thought just showing up was an by faith in a loving God. act of competition. [Laughter] But I do believe God bless you. in the end, when all is said and done, what matters most is what we did that was common NOTE: The President spoke at 11:40 a.m. In his to our humanity. And somehow, I will do every- remarks, he referred to Rev. J. Philip Wogaman, thing I can to advance that simple but powerful senior minister, Foundry United Methodist idea at home and around the world. Church; Bishop Felton Edwin May, I will also do my best to support my Senator Episcopal Area of the Methodist Church, and his and our daughter. And I will try to keep learn- wife, Phyllis; and Washington, DC, City ing and growing, working to follow the example Councilmember Jack Evans, Ward 2, and his wife, of the mythic Parsifal, a good man slowly wise. Noel Soderberg Evans. Rev. Wogaman also serves Thanks to the good people of , as as a spiritual counselor to the President, along Phil said, this is not really a goodbye but the with Rev. Gordon MacDonald and Rev. Tony beginning of a new chapter in our lives with Campolo.

Remarks at a Tribute to Senator in January 7, 2001

The President. Thank you very much, ladies when I was running the first time, with his and gentlemen. First, let me say what a wonder- wonderful wife; and then for taking me through ful thing it is for Hillary and Chelsea and me , letting me see people and places I to be here with Al and Tipper and with all might never have otherwise seen, and for run- of you. ning in 1998, which everybody thought would I want to be brief today because this is Hil- be a bad year. It turned out to be a pretty lary’s day, and it’s also a day when she very good one, thanks to ’s guts and much wanted the Vice President and Mrs. Gore drive, and he is great. to come here and receive from you the kind I’m looking forward—I hate it that I’ve got of welcome that I knew you’d give them and to wait 2 more years, but I’m looking forward that they deserved. I’m so proud of them. to Charlie Rangel being the chairman of the You know, I’m kind of tickled about living Ways and Means Committee. When that hap- in New York. I feel the way pens, you mark my words, it’ll be the best show does about Lake Wobegon. [Laughter] I was in off Broadway. [Laughter] up here listening to that great church choir, I do want to say just very briefly a serious and then our friends Jessye Norman and Toni word of appreciation to the Vice President and Morrison and , and how magnificent to Mrs. Gore. I thank her for—from the time they were. Then we got the score in the ball of the first bus ride that, as Al said, we took game, and I thought, here I am in New York, here—keeping the rest of us in a good humor, where all the artists, writers, and athletic teams always seeing the glass as half full, always caring are above average—[laughter]—and all the vot- about our families as well as our politics, and ers get their votes counted. [Laughter] always sticking up for people who others had So I thank you. I thank Judith Hope for her forgotten, whether they were people with men- strong leadership. I thank Charlie Rangel for tal illnesses or homeless people or others, re- 8 years of wonderful partnership. I thank Chuck minding me always that I had to be their Presi- Schumer for taking me into his home in 1992, dent, too. I am grateful to her.

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And as I’ve said many times, and as has al- what you did to me in the Democratic primary ready been said here today, there’s no question here in 1992? [Laughter] I said, ‘‘Hillary, look, that in the history of the Republic, no person these people are really good, but they just want has had such a positive impact on the American to see how bad you can take a beating.’’ [Laugh- people from the Office of Vice President that ter] ‘‘And they will beat you up and beat you has had. It’s not even close—not even up and beat you up and take off your shoes close. and make you walk on coals’’—[laughter]— I told somebody, he had more influence and ‘‘make you lie down on a bed of pins and nee- did more things—whether it was manage our dles. But if you just keep smiling, they’ll know technology policy, our environmental policy, giv- you got it, and they will come.’’ ing all the poor schools the opportunity to hook I’m so proud of her, because she not only up to the Internet, helping to supervise our laid out a vision for what she wanted to do; reorganization of the space program, trying to she did it in a way that was consistently big do something about all the terrible congestion and generous, that didn’t descend to the level at the airports, dealing with big chunks of our of her attackers. And when New York did to —nobody ever had so much re- her what New York does and she passed, then sponsibility before. And I was showing up for you came. And I told her all along—she can work every day, too. [Laughter] I’m really proud tell you—I told her for 16 months, I said, ‘‘Trust of him in ways that you will never know. me. If you are just even on the weekend before He has shown us all, in the last 2 months, the election, you’re going to win big. They will under circumstances which have never before come to you in droves, if you just be big and existed in our country—and I pray to God never stay right.’’ And you proved that I was right will again—how we should all behave as Ameri- about you, and I am grateful. [Laughter] cans and patriots. I honor him for my friendship, But I had that awful primary experience to for his advice, for his leadership, for what he’s shore up my gratitude and know what was going done for America for 8 years. But in the last to happen. [Laughter] 8 weeks, he’s shown us the strength of character Now, the last thing I’d like to say is this: that very few of us could emulate if we were In 13 days, at high noon, I’m going to give in the same circumstances. up being President. Now, I would also like to thank the people Audience members. Boo-o-o! of New York who helped Hillary to win this The President. Wait a minute, hey. You can race. She did, as Chuck Schumer said, win it ‘‘boo’’ about the nature of the transfer, but not the old-fashioned way: She earned it. But she about me giving it up. I’ve had my time— wouldn’t have earned it if you hadn’t helped [laughter]—and I had a very good time. her, if you had shut her out and shut her down And what I want to remind you of is that and turned away from her. I’d like to thank politics is not about the politicians; it’s about the people who helped her on , the people. And I am honored to become a where the going was toughest. I’d like to thank citizen of New York. I will do my best to be the people who helped her in a good one. And if you need to, call me sort and proved it wasn’t so Republican, after all. of a de facto caseworker for your Senator here. I’d like to thank those of you who had me [Laughter] I want to get around the State and to your counties in upstate New York. I had go upstate and do what I can to help Hillary a lot of fun being there, and I hope we all fulfill the commitments that she and Chuck have did some good together. made to help the upstate economy and to help I want to thank the people in this magnificent the neighborhoods here. city for how good you have been to Hillary And I want to thank Senator Schumer and and to all of us. I want to thank you for making Congressman Rangel for passing the new mar- Chelsea feel welcome. She did a pretty good kets initiative Al Gore and I worked so hard job for her mother, too, up here campaigning, on, to build on the empowerment zone proposal I think—made a lot of votes, I think. that Al ran so well for nearly 8 years, to keep And I want to thank you for making it pos- the economy going. sible for me to give my wife good advice about So we want to work. I want to be a good how to run in New York. Everybody said how citizen to you. But I want you to remember mean it was going to be. Do you remember that Hillary ran and won because of you—not

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because of her—because of your children and that she had more capacity and more heart for your future and what we want to do together. public service than anybody I had ever met. So the last thing I want to ask you to do And I worried when we started our lives to- is, I want you to keep your heart burning for gether that somehow I would limit her service. 2 years to make Charlie the chairman of the Your giving her this chance, in my mind, has Ways and Means Committee. I want you to reaffirmed the wisdom she made in moving to remember, not only for 4 years but for the be with me so long ago and all the many roles rest of your life, what happened in the elections she’s played in giving to others and never asking 2000 and what Al Gore did in the 8 weeks for anything for herself until she made this race. afterwards. And I can tell you this: You will not be dis- But I want most of all for you to remember appointed, because I was right about her 30 that America’s work and New York’s work is years ago. never done. And I want you to help my wife Thank you. God bless you. do a good job at what she ran for, which was Now, Mr. Vice President, please reenact the to give people like you, and people outside this ceremony. hall who will never be in a meeting like this, the chance to make the most of and their children’s lives. That’s what I want to ask NOTE: The President spoke at 4:50 p.m. at Madi- you more. You’ve given her a great gift. Now son Square Garden. In his remarks, he referred help her use it for the purpose it was intended. to Garrison Keillor, host of ‘‘Prairie Home Com- Last Wednesday, when Hillary was sworn into panion’’; soprano Jessye Norman; author Toni the Senate, I believe that Chelsea and I were Morrison; musician Billy Joel; Judith Hope, chair, the two happiest people on the planet: Chelsea, New York State Democratic Party; and Senator because she loves her mother and she’s proud Schumer’s wife, . The transcript re- of her; me, for the same reasons, but also be- leased by the Office of the Press Secretary also cause when I met Hillary nearly 30 years ago included the remarks of Senator Hillary Clinton now—2 more months, 30 years ago—I thought and Vice President Al Gore.

Remarks at an Israel Policy Forum Dinner in New York City January 7, 2001

Thank you very much. Thank you. I want I thank Lesley Stahl. It’s good to see you, to thank all of you for making me feel so wel- and thank you for your kind remarks. I thank come tonight and also for making Hillary and the many Members of Congress who are here Chelsea feel welcome. I thank Michael and also the members of my Middle East peace Sonnenfeldt, who, like me, is going out after team. Secretary Albright and and 8 years—[laughter]—and will doubtless find others have been introduced, but Secretary Dan some other useful activity. But he has done a Glickman is here, and Kerry Kennedy Cuomo superb job, and I’m very grateful to him. is here, and I thank them for being here. I thank my friend Jack Bendheim for his I want to thank the New York officials who many kindnesses to me and to Hillary. Yesterday are here—Carl McCall, Mark Green, and any he had a birthday, and now, like me, he’s 54. others who may be in the crowd—for your many Unlike me, he has enough children to be elected kindnesses to me over the last 8 years. New President of the . [Laughter] And York has been great to me and Al Gore and he’s had a wonderful family and a wonderful even greater to my wife on election day, so life, and I’m delighted that he’s so active in I thank you for that. the Israel Policy Forum. I’d like to thank Judith We just reenacted her swearing-in at Madison Stern Peck for making me feel so welcome and Square Garden. And I was reminded of one for her leadership. of the many advantages of living in New York: Jessye Norman sang, read, and

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