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4526175
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Opening Day Speech Introduction and Congratulations to Speaker John McCormack, January 3, 1969
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4526175
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document
title
Opening Day Speech Introduction and Congratulations to Speaker John McCormack, January 3, 1969
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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U.S. House of Representatives. 3/4/1789-
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4526175
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1969-01-31
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1969
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1969-01-01
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1
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1969
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The original documents are located in Box D26, folder "Opening Day Speech Introduction
and Congratulations to Speaker John McCormack, January 3, 1969" of the Ford
Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D26 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Gerald R 7nd.
as delivered
[Van. 3, 1969
opening Day
Introduction of
Congratulations to
old
Speaker McCormack]
NEW ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS AISLE. I STAND
friends MR. SPEAKER, AND FRIENDS OLD AND
BEFORE YOU TODAY AS THE ACKNOWLEDGED
CHAMPION AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE TRIED TO UNSEAT
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS FROM THIS
SPEAKER'S CHAIR. THERE IS NOBODY IN THIS
ROOM WHO HAS TRIED HARDER OR OFTENER THAN I
HAVE, SO I SPEAK WITH THE VOICE OF
EXPERIENCE WHEN I SAY IT IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
that
BUT I REFUSE TO ADMIT
3 TIMES IS OUT.
EVER SINCE THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
OF NOVEMBER 6TH, WHEN LIKE MANY AMERICANS
I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING TO SLEEP, I
HAVE BEEN PONDERING WHAT I MIGHT SAY TODAY
THAT I HAVE NOT ALREADY SAID ON PREVIOUS
OCCASIONS ABOUT THE PLEASURE OF BEING
GERALO, FORD LIBRARY
DEFEATED BY OUR BELOVED SPEAKER. IT IS NOT
-2-
AN EASY TASK TO BE GRACIOUS AND MAGNANIMOUS
IN DEFEAT, ALTHOUGH I MAY SAY IN PASSING
THAT BOTH OF OUR POLITICAL PARTIES IN RECENT
YEARS HAVE PRODUCED VICE PRESIDENTS WHO SET
HIGH EXAMPLES AS GOOD LOSERS IN CLOSE
elections
PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS. BUT, IT IS AN EVEN
STERNER TEST OF STATESMANSHIP AND CHARACTER
TO BE MAGNANIMOUS AND GRACIOUS IN VICTORY --
AND FOR WHATEVER COMFORT AND CONSOLATION IT
MAY BE TO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES I CAN TESTIFY
THAT THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAGNANIMOUS AND
GRACIOUS TO ME -- EVERY TIME I HAVE TRIED TO
TAKE HIS GAVEL FROM HIM IN THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL ARENA.
RESERVING THE RIGHT TO TRY AGAIN
IN 1970, MR. SPEAKER / MAY I CONGRATULATE YOU
MOST WARMLY ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WHO VOTED AGAINST YOU
I ASSURE YOU THAT AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED,
-3-
CERTAINLY, YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT WE HOLD YOU
IN THE HIGHEST RESPECT THERE WAS
and regard,
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING PERSONAL IN THE ROLLCALL
JUST RECORDED. NATURALLY, I HOPE IT IS
NOT HABIT-FORMING, BUT IF I HAVE TO LOSE
ANY ELECTION, THERE IS NOBODY I WOULD RATHER
LOSE TO THAN THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS
IN PASSING, LET ME ADD I HAVE GAINED ON HIM A
LITTLE EVERY TIME.
THE 1968 ELECTION IS BEHIND US,
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, AND THE
915T CONGRESS IS GOING THROUGH ITS
BIRTH-PAINS. IN THIS BODY, AT LEAST, EACH
NEW CONGRESS IS A NEW CREATION OF THE
ELECTORATE. IT BEARS A STRONG FAMILY
RESEMBLANCE TO ITS ANCESTORS, OF COURSE BUT
IT IS ALSO DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE. IT COMES,
AS THE LATE, GREAT SAM american RAYBURN SAID, EVERY
TWO YEARS FRESH FROM THE PEOPLE.
AND THE
ORD
PEOPLE WILL, I'M SURE, BE AS GRATIFIED AS I
LIBRARY
-4-
WAS TO READ IN THIS MORNING'S WASHINGTON
NEWSPAPER THAT THEY, AND WE, HAVE MOVED A
FRACTION OF AN INCH INTO THE 20TH CENTURY.
I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO READ THE
WHOLE ANALYSIS, AND I CHOOSE TO HOPE THAT
THIS HEADLINE REFERRED TO THE SOMEWHAT
INCREASED RATIO OF MEMBERS ON MY SIDE OF THE
AISLE THOUGH I AM NOT CERTAIN THIS WAS
PRECISELY DAVE BRODER'S LINE OF THOUGHT.
BUT I FOR ONE/BELIEVE I SEE THE
20TH CENTURY MIRRORED IN THIS ROOM. I CAN
ALMOST FEEL THE TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS AND
DIFFICULT CHALLENGES THAT THE OLD YEAR LEFT
UPON ALL OUR DOORSTEPS. AS I SEE AMONG US
TODAY/MANY OF OUR YOUNG SONS AND DAUGHTERS,
THROUGH THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THE SPEAKER,
I THINK THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY SEIZED OF THE
20TH CENTURY BUT CLOSING FAST UPON THE
21st. AND I THINK WE ARE ALL, REGARDLESS OF
AGE OR PARTY OR THE CONSTITUENCY FROM WHICH
-5-
WE COME, DETERMINED TO RESOLVE FOR THIS
21st CENTURY GENERATION OUR PRESSING
NATIONAL PROBLEMS AND TO MANFULLY MEET FOR
THEM THE SEVERE CHALLENGES OF OUR OWN 20 TH
CENTURY.
NOBODY IS MORE DEDICATED TO THIS
MONUMENTAL TASK THAN YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND
I PLEDGE MYSELF ONCE AGAIN TO WORK WITH YOU
AND WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TOWARD THE
GOAL OF A BETTER AND MORE UNITED AMERICA IN
A WORLD AT PEACE. I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR
THE SPEAKER PLEDGE ON THE TELEVISION LAST
NIGHT THAT THE MAJORITY MEMBERS IN THIS BODY
WILL BE COOPERATIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE IN THEIR
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE NEW REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION WHICH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE CHOSEN TO LEAD US IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
I WAS DELIGHTED, BUT NOT SURPRISED, BECAUSE
I KNOW THAT OUR SPEAKER HAS NEVER BEEN A
SUNSHINE PATRIOT NOR A SUMMER SOLDIER.
-6-
MY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY
COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED
THEIR RECORD OF SERVICE TO THEIR
CONSTITUENTS, AND A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME TO
THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE 91st CONGRESS ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE. YOU ARE EMBARKING UPON
A MOST EXCITING, /A MOST DEMANDING, / AND A
MOST SATISFYING JOB -- ONE WHICH DEMANDS AN
EXTRA MEASURE OF ENERGY AND JUDGMENT AND
PLAIN HARD WORK -- THE JOB OF SPEAKING FOR
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE
GIVEN YOU THEIR VERDICT OF TRUST. IF I
MAY OFFER ONE WORD OF ADVICE -- NEVER LET
THEM AND THEIR BEST INTERESTS OUT OF YOUR
MIND, AND YOU CANNOT GO FAR WRONG IN THIS,
THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
FELLOW MEMBERS, ONCE MORE IT IS
MY PROFOUND PERSONAL PLEASURE AND HONOR TO
PRESENT TO YOU AN OUTSTANDING SON OF
MASSACHUSETTS, A DISTINGUISHED HOLDER OF
-7-
THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE THIS BODY CAN BESTOW,
AND ABOVE ALL A GREAT GENTLEMAN AND A GREAT
AMERICAN, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, THE HONORABLE JOHN W.
M° CORMACK.
-- END --
ITEM TRANSFER REFERENCE FORM
The item described below has been removed to:
New File Location:
AUDIO ViSUAL MATERIALS
Document Description:
375 8 x 10 BW PHOTOS
50 photos/ / pound
"
7.5 pounds
Envelype labelled " GRF Photos, 1967-1969"
250
350
375.0
Old File Location: Ford Congressional Speedes, Box 27, 1969 speedse
which is now in a newly arranged Speeches Tile, Box 23,
December 1968 to may 4, 1969
By Dennis Lakomy 8 Date March 6, 1978
NLFP - 11/4/77