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George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
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President's Dinner 6/14/89 [2]
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25
6
3
4
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Davis/Martin
June 13, 1989/4 p.m.
Title: Pdinner
Draft: Five
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER, WASH. CONVENTION CTR.
June 14, 1989/9:20 p.m.
Thank you, Senator Nickles for that introduction and the
great job you're doing as head of the Senate campaign committee.
Mrs. Quayle, Marilyn, it's a delight to be with you on this
excellent evening. Welcome back Dan, from Central America, and
thank you for once again taking our message of democracy and hope
to our important friends and neighbors. David Murdock, thank you
for your dedication in making this event possible. Guy Vander
Jagt, able chairman of the House campaign committee, it's great
to see you.
As you have heard, this room is divided into four quadrants,
depicting the regions of the United States -- North, South, East
and West. ((Does this mean if I move down a few chairs I'll be
standing in Texas?) )
((And by the way, did you hear that I just returned from
Nebraska, where I drove a car that runs on alcohol?
...
Don't
get me wrong, only cars are allowed to drink and drive.) )
THE WHITE HOUSE
2
WASHINGTON
( (I also understand that Ronald Reagan has just been
knighted in London, but that he will not be called "Sir Ron."
And to think, that's what I called him for eight years. ))
( (In all candor, I believe Ronald Reagan's knighthood just
goes to show one thing -- you don't have to be born noble to be
noble.)) ((PAUSE))
It was at the last President's Dinner that Ronald Reagan,
then the fortieth President of the United States, stood before us
and formally declared his support for a successor. Since then,
Ronald Reagan has returned to his beloved California. And you
and I have fought shoulder to shoulder, battling our way from 17
points behind to a 40-state win on Election Day. ((PAUSE))
((And we would have won all 50 states if only Millie had had
her puppies six months earlier.) )
But we didn't fight the battle we fought, we didn't put
ourselves and our families through the turmoil of a campaign,
just to win an election. We fought because we believed in
certain ideas and certain ideals. We fought because we believed
that together we can build a better America.
The American people defined our mission. And in the five
months since the Inaugural, without fanfare or partisan furor, we
THE WHITE HOUSE
3
WASHINGTON
have worked together to quietly follow our assigned mission, to
achieve what was considered to be outlandishly impossible.
*** The American people want action on the deficit. And we
reached an agreement with Congress to reduce the deficit by a
whopping $65 billion. ((PAUSE) ) And we aim to achieve this
without raising taxes. ((PAUSE))
*** The American people want action on a festering problem
-- the hemorrhage of the Savings and Loan System. Our reform
plan will restore stability, eliminate unsafe and extravagant
practices, and punish those who abuse the trust of depositors.
The American people will have to pay billions of dollars to clean
up this mess, and we must make sure it never happens again. The
Senate approved our plan 91 to 8. I call on the House to follow
suit.
*** The American people want action on ethics. Clearly, it
is time for an even-handed ethics approach across all branches of
government. This is the goal of our ethics proposal I sent to
the Congress in April. We must all be equal before the law.
As President, I will strive for a constructive working
relationship with Speaker Foley, Senator Mitchell and the rest of
the Democratic leadership. While we are in competition with each
4
other, there are, of course, rules of decency and fair play that
transcend party labels.
But we will hit hard -- on the issues -- fighting for what
we believe in, for we Republicans are bound together in a common
purpose; to wage a vigorous debate on the important issues that
unite us. We are confident that in taking our message of peace
and prosperity to the American people in an open, honest and
direct manner, we will become the majority party in America.
*** The American people want action on the environment.
Yesterday, surrounded by the natural jewels of the Grand Tetons,
enjoying the crisp, pristine mountain air, I called on Congress
to join me in a quest for cleaner air, an end to acid rain, ozone
depletion and other harmful emissions. You shouldn't have to
become a mountain man just to breathe good, clean air.
( (You know, when I was out in Wyoming, I slipped away with
my grandson George P. to do some fishing. I say that every hour
spent fishing is an hour added to your life
So by my
reckoning, Malcolm Wallop should be immortal.) )
The American people want action on crime. This
Administration will not rest until we have lifted the shadow of
fear from the homes, shops and streets of America. That is why I
called last month for tough new laws, and more law enforcers and
5
prosecutors to back them up. This Administration is going to
lead the charge to take back the streets, take them back from the
criminals who threaten our neighborhoods -- not just in the
cities, but all across our country.
*** The American people want action on foreign policy -- a
sensible, yet bold plan to deal with the changes sweeping the
Communist world. Our Bipartisan Agreement with Congress on
Central America allows the United States to speak with one clear
voice with one clear message -- let freedom ring in Managua. Let
freedom ring throughout the Communist world, from Beijing to
Budapest to Warsaw.
In Brussels, I said that we face an historic opportunity to
move beyond containment of the Soviet Union. I said that the
world has waited long enough -- that Europe can be whole and
free; that we can move beyond armed camps divided by suspicion
and fear. We asked the Soviets to join us in a peace of trust
over a peace of tension. We offered our vision for a future of
peace and freedom -- The Spirit of Brussels.
But this, the first five months of my Administration, is
just a start. We must work together to protect what is already
the longest peacetime expansion in our history -- to keep America
competitive and on the job. We must fight drug abuse on every
front, to redeem thousands of children, to return promise to
6
their lives. And we must revitalize our schools, so that a solid
education is once again the birthright of every American.
To make this kind of progress will require more than a
government program or another grand initiative. Republicans
believe that it will take the active involvement of parents,
students and teachers; business and local government; churches
and schools. This is what we mean by a thousand points of light.
As powerful and resourceful as government is, government alone
cannot come close to overcoming these problems. Next week, I
will announce a major initiative to challenge our young people to
serve their communities. From now on, the definition of the good
life in America must include service to others.
But as you know, achieving our highest goals depends, to a
large extent, on winning elections in Congress. We must take our
case to the American people, precinct by precinct, block by
block.
I believe it's no coincidence that our party slipped to
minority status in the House as we became a minority in the state
legislatures. Today, Democrats now have a redistricting
advantage in states that compose about 90 percent of the seats in
Congress.
7
That is why we Republicans must make solid gains at the
state level. Critical gubernatorial and legislative races in the
eight largest states alone will determine whether Republicans
will be treated fairly in the drafting of 209 Congressional
Districts. From Springfield to Sacramento, from Austin to
Albany, we must win the fight for fair competition.
A majority, or even a large minority, of Republicans in
state legislatures can join with Republican governors to sustain
the veto of outrageous gerrymander schemes, strengthening our
numbers in the U.S. House. Bob Michel, our able leader in the
House, is outgunned. Let us help him by picking up more House
seats.
Strong state parties can help us to win back the U.S. Senate
-- one of our most critical goals. Bob Dole is doing a superb
job as Republican leader in the Senate, but he needs more troops.
Let us win back the Senate. Let us again make it a Republican
Senate.
In the next election, we have a good shot at making big
gains. Of course, the party that controls the White House is
often expected to do poorly in mid-term elections. But there are
no iron-clad rules in politics. ((After all, if there were, I
would never have become the only living member of the Martin Van
Buren Society
.)) With your support and leadership -- the
8
leadership of great Republicans like Carl Lindner of Ohio -- we
can again defy the precedents. We can again make history.
In order to win, we must work together as a team, not as an
association of acronyms. The RNC, the NRCC, the RGA, the NRSC --
these are top-notch, well-managed organizations staffed by the
best people in politics today.
But our Republican Party must be greater than the sum of its
parts; we must be inspired by a common purpose. We must bring
opportunity to new constituencies, and campaign in their
neighborhoods, in the inner cities and barrios, once considered
to be the exclusive domain of the opposition.
Our party chairman, Lee Atwater, who's doing a great job has
been a strong voice arguing that we Republicans need to reach out
to minorities and the disadvantaged. These groups can benefit
the most from our philosophy, which maximizes opportunity and
rewards initiative. That is a message I beleive in, and it is a
message we as a Party must be prepared to act upon.
To win, we must also recruit the very best men and women to
represent our party, as candidates and as officeholders.
9
These are my strategies for victory. But strategies are
useless without a great purpose
We have such a purpose, to
build a better America, for today and for the new century ahead.
We have shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears to rebuild the
Republican Party since the early seventies. The best way to keep
our party growing is to win more elections in 1990, from the
courthouse, to the statehouse, to Capitol Hill. And with your
help, let's prove to the Democrats that the successes of the
1980s are not a fluke; that they, in fact, spell the beginning of
the end of Democratic dominance in Congress. ((PAUSE))
Thank you, good night and God bless you all.
Davis/Martin
June 10, 1989/3 p.m.
Title: Pdinner
Draft: Three
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER, WASH. CONVENTION CTR.
June 14, 1989/9:20 p.m.
for the in troduction and for the
great job you're doing as head of Sen con Campan
Thank you, Senator Nickles, Mr. Vice President, Dan
welcome bach from Cub
(compliment to come))
Mrs. Quayle, Marilyn, it's a delight
jwelcom bach, Dan from Central America ad there you
to be with you on this excellent evening. David Murdock,
for thank once again take
you for your dedication in making this event possible. Guy
our
vable chemese of House Compayn com,
Vander Jagt it's great to see you.
of democray message
and hope to
our important funds
As you have heard, this room is divided into four quadrants, and
depicting the regions of the United States -- North, South, East
neighbor
and West. ( (You may have also heard that Lee Atwater suggested a
fifth corner, one whole corner to represent South Carolina. ))
( (PAUSE))
( (Forgive me if I'm off to a slow start tonight
I've
been speaking at so many school commencements lately, I'm only
comfortable before audiences that snap gum. ))
(
(PAUSE))
It was at the last President's Dinner that the fortieth
President of the United States stood before us and formally
declared his support for a successor. Since then, Ronald Reagan
has returned to his beloved California. And you and I have
2
fought shoulder to shoulder, battling our way from 17 points
behind to a 40-state win on Election Day. ( (PAUSE) )
But we didn't fight the battle we fought, we didn't put
ourselves and our families through the turmoil of a campaign,
just to win an election. We fought because we believed in
certain ideas and certain ideals. We fought because we believed
that together we can build a better America.
The American people defined our mission. And in the five
months since the Inaugural, without fanfare or partisan furor, we
have worked together to quietly follow our assigned mission, to
achieve what was considered to be outlandishly impossible.
*** The American people want action on the deficit. And we
reached an agreement with Congress to reduce the deficit by a
whopping $65 billion. ( (PAUSE) ) And we aim to achieve this
without raising taxes. ( (PAUSE) )
*** The American people want action on a festering problem
-- the hemorrhage of the Savings and Loan System. Our reform
plan will restore stability, eliminate unsafe and extravagant
practices, and punish those who abuse the trust of depositors.
The American people will have to pay billions of dollars to clean
up this mess, and we must make sure it never happens again. The
3
Senate approved our plan 91 to 8. I call on the House to follow
suit.
*** The American people want action on ethics. We are all
struck by the historic and unprecedented resignation of a Speaker
of the House, and a Majority Whip of the House. Clearly, it is
time for an even-handed ethics approach across all branches of
government. This is the goal of our ethics proposal I sent to
the Congress in April. We must all be equal before the law.
As President, I will strive for a constructive working
Sen Mitchell
relationship with Speaker Foley and the rest of the Democratic
leadership. While we are in competition with each other, there
are rules of decency and fair play that transcend party labels.
I will not stand for any violation of these rules.
we mill hib hand - on the ssues - fighting
for what me believe m for
There is no place for such folly - - the country faces
challenges that cannot wait until the next election. However, we
must not forget that Tom Foley is Speaker today because of the
failures of the Democratic leadership that has controlled the
House for the last 35 years
We Republicans are bound together in a common purpose: to
wage a vigorous debate on the important issues that unite us. We
are confident that in taking our message of peace and prosperity
4
to the American people in an open, honest and direct manner, we
will become the majority party in America.
*** The American people want action on the environment.
Yesterday, surrounded by the natural jewels of the Grand Tetons,
enjoying the crisp, pristine mountain air, I called on Congress
to join me in a quest for cleaner air, an end to acid rain, ozone
depletion and other harmful emissions. You shouldn't have to
become a mountain man just to breathe good, clean air.
*** The American people want action on crime. This
Administration will not rest until we have lifted the shadow of
fear from the homes, shops and streets of America. That is why I
called last month for tough new laws, and more law enforcers and
prosecutors to back them up. In short, this Administration is
going to lead the charge to take back the streets from the crimals
who threaten an neighborhood not nt in the citis
but all across one conty
*** The American people want action on foreign policy -- a
sensible, yet bold plan to deal with the changes sweeping the
Communist world. Our Bipartisan Agreement with Congress on
Central America allows the United States to speak with one clear
voice with one clear message -- let freedom ring in Managua. Let
freedom ring throughout the Communist world, from Beijing to
Budapest to Warsaw.
5
In Brussels, I said that we face an historic opportunity to
move beyond containment of the Soviet Union. I said that the
world has waited long enough -- that Europe can be whole and
free; that the world can move beyond armed camps divided by
suspicion and fear. We asked the Soviets to join us in a peace
of trust over a peace of tension. We offered our vision for a
future of peace and freedom -- The Spirit of Brussels.
But this, the first five months of my Administration, is
just a start. We must work together to protect what is already
the longest peacetime expansion in our history -- to keep America
competitive and on the job. We must fight drug abuse on every
front, to redeem thousands of children, to return promise to
their lives. And we must revitalize our schools, so that a solid
education is once again the birthright of every American.
drug
To make this kind of progress will require more than a
government program or another grand initiative. Republicans
believe that it will take the active involvement of parents,
students and teachers; business and local government; churches
and schools. This is what we mean by a thousand points of light.
As powerful and resourceful as government is, government alone
cannot come close to overcoming these problems. Next week, I
will announce a major initiative to challenge our young people to
serve their communities. From now on, the definition of the good
life in America must include service to others.
6
But as you know, achieving our highest goals depends, to a
large extent, on winning elections in Congress. We must take our
case to the American people, precinct by precinct, block by
block.
I believe it's no coincidence that our party slipped to
minority status in the House as we became a minority in the state
legislatures. Today, Democrats now have a redistricting
advantage in states that compose about 90 percent of the seats in
Congress.
That is why we Republicans must make solid gains at the
state level. Critical gubernatorial and legislative races in the
eight largest states alone will determine whether Republicans
will be treated fairly in the drafting of 209 Congressional
Districts. From Springfield to Sacramento, from Austin to
Albany, we must win the fight for fair competition.
A majority, or even a large minority, of Republicans in
state legislatures can join with Republican governors to sustain
no
the veto of outrageous gerrymander schemes, strengthening our
numbers in the U.S. House. Strong state parties can help us to more seato Hom
Bob Michel owable leadu in the Hose is outgunned.
Help pich up
win back the U.S. Senate -- one of our most critical goals. Let
us win back the Senate. Let us again make it a Republican
Senate.
Bob Dole is doing a supub job NO
Republican B leader in the sevate, but he needs more troop,
7
In the next election, we have a good shot at making big
gains. Of course, the party that controls the White House is
often supposed expected
to do poorly in mid-term elections. But there are no
iron-clad rules in politics. ( (After all, if there were, I would
never have become the only living member of the Martin Van Buren
100/
Society
)) With your support and leadership -- the
leadership of great Republicans like Carl Lindner of Ohio -- we
can again defy the precedents. We can again make history.
In order to win, we must work together as a team, not as an
association of acronyms. The RNC, the NRCC, the RGA, the NRSC --
these are top-notch, well-managed organizations staffed by the
best people in politics today.
But our Republican Party must be greater than the sum of its
parts; we must be inspired by a common purpose. We must bring
opportunity to new constituencies, and campaign in their
neighborhoods, in the inner cities and barrios, once considered
to be the exclusive domain of the opposition.
JINSERT
To win, we must also recruit the very best men and women to
represent our party, as candidates and as officeholders.
These groups Can benefit
see INSERT)
the most from our Republison philosophy and
which maximyto opportunity
Our party charmon Lee
Atwath has been a strong voice the
resurants instiative
B
arguing That we on Republicans theed
becare
to reach out to minorities and the
disadvantaged. That is a message I
telieve in, and it is a message we as a
Data must he arehared to act noon,
6-13-89
JWC
INSERT RE ATWATER
who's doing a great job
Our party chairman, Lee Atwater, À has been a strong voice
arguing that we Republicans need to reach out to minorities
and the disadvantaged. These groups can benefit the most from
our philosophy, which maximizes opportunity and rewards initiative.
That is a message I believe in, and it is a message we as a Party
must be prepared to act upon.
8
These are my strategies for victory. But strategies are
useless without a great purpose
We have such a purpose, to
build a better America, for today and for the new century ahead.
We have shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears to rebuild the
Republican Party since the early seventies. The best way to keep
our party growing is to win more elections in 1990, from the
courthouse, to the statehouse, to Capitol Hill. And with your
help, let's prove to the Democrats that the successes of the
1980s are not a fluke; that they, in fact, spell the beginning of
the end of Democratic dominance in Congress. ((PAUSE))
Thank you, good night and God bless you all.
FORCARD
Pres Dinner
June 14, 9:40 p.m.
On behalf of the President's Dinner Committee, I am
presenting David Murdock an appropriate gift -- a very
appropriate gift -- for his hard work and dedication
as Chairman.
Davis/Martin
June 10, 1989/3 p.m.
Title: Pdinner
Draft: Three
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER, WASH. CONVENTION CTR.
June 14, 1989/9:20 p.m.
B for the grt
Thank you, Senator Nickles. forthe Mr. Vice President, Dan head
intro
job your doing as of
sen campcomm
(compliment to come
Mrs. Quayle, Marilyn, it's a delight
to be with you on this excellent evening. V David Murdock thank
welcome back Dan Gorom
you for your dedication in making this event possible. Guy
Central
Vander Jagt, it's great to see you.
Amer B
thank you For once again
have heard. this room is divided into four quadrants,
depi
taking our message
d States -- North, South, East
and
rd that Lee Atwater suggested a
fift
of democ. B hope
represent South Carolina.) )
((PA
tooor impt. Friends
B neighbors.
slow start tonight
I've
been
mmencements lately, I'm only
comf
Abhe GUY Chair
snap gum. )) ((PAUSE) )
Pres
of House comp. od S Dinner before that us and the formally fortieth
decl
comm.
sor. Since then, Ronald Reagan
has
ornia. And you and I have
2
fought shoulder to shoulder, battling our way from 17 points
behind to a 40-state win on Election Day. ( (PAUSE))
But we didn't fight the battle we fought, we didn't put
ourselves and our families through the turmoil of a campaign,
just to win an election. We fought because we believed in
certain ideas and certain ideals. We fought because we believed
that together we can build a better America.
The American people defined our mission. And in the five
months since the Inaugural, without fanfare or partisan furor, we
have worked together to quietly follow our assigned mission, to
achieve what was considered to be outlandishly impossible.
*** The American people want action on the deficit. And we
reached an agreement with Congress to reduce the deficit by a
whopping $65 billion. ( (PAUSE)) And we aim to achieve this
without raising taxes. ( (PAUSE))
*** The American people want action on a festering problem
-- the hemorrhage of the Savings and Loan System. Our reform
plan will restore stability, eliminate unsafe and extravagant
practices, and punish those who abuse the trust of depositors.
The American people will have to pay billions of dollars to clean
up this mess, and we must make sure it never happens again. The
3
Senate approved our plan 91 to 8. I call on the House to follow
suit.
*** The American people want action on ethics. We are all
struck by the historic and unprecedented resignation of a Speaker
of the House, and a Majority Whip of the House. Clearly, it is
time for an even-handed ethics approach across all branches of
government. This is the goal of our ethics proposal I sent to
the Congress in April. We must all be equal before the law.
As President, I will strive for a constructive working
Senator Butchell
relationship with Speaker Foley and the rest of the Democratic
leadership. While we are in competition with each other, there
are rules of decency and fair play that transcend party labels.
I will not stand for any violation of these rules.
There is no place for such folly -- the country faces
challenges that cannot wait until the next election. However, we
must not forget that Tom Foley is Speaker today because of the
failures of the Democratic leadership that has controlled the
We will House hit for hard the last ont 35 years. on the issues - Fighting forwhat
weber in for w
We Republicans are bound together in a common purpose: to
wage a vigorous debate on the important issues that unite us. We
are confident that in taking our message of peace and prosperity
4
to the American people in an open, honest and direct manner, we
will become the majority party in America.
*** The American people want action on the environment.
Yesterday, surrounded by the natural jewels of the Grand Tetons,
enjoying the crisp, pristine mountain air, I called on Congress
to join me in a quest for cleaner air, an end to acid rain, ozone
depletion and other harmful emissions. You shouldn't have to
become a mountain man just to breathe good, clean air.
***
The American people want action on crime. This
Administration will not rest until we have lifted the shadow of
fear from the homes, shops and streets of America. That is why I
called last month for tough new laws, and more law enforcers and
prosecutors to back them up. In short, this Administration is
going to lead the charge to take back the streets. From the criminals
who threaten our neighborhoods, notjusbinthecities,
but all across *** our country.
The American people want action on foreign policy -- a
sensible, yet bold plan to deal with the changes sweeping the
Communist world. Our Bipartisan Agreement with Congress on
Central America allows the United States to speak with one clear
voice with one clear message -- let freedom ring in Managua. Let
freedom ring throughout the Communist world, from Beijing to
Budapest to Warsaw.
5
In Brussels, I said that we face an historic opportunity to
move beyond containment of the Soviet Union. I said that the
world has waited long enough -- that Europe can be whole and
free; that the world can move beyond armed camps divided by
suspicion and fear. We asked the Soviets to join us in a peace
of trust over a peace of tension. We offered our vision for a
future of peace and freedom -- The Spirit of Brussels.
But this, the first five months of my Administration, is
just a start. We must work together to protect what is already
the longest peacetime expansion in our history -- to keep America
competitive and on the job. We must fight drug abuse on every
front, to redeem thousands of children, to return promise to
their lives. And we must revitalize our schools, so that a solid
education is once again the birthright of every American.
To make this kind of progress will require more than a
government program or another grand initiative. Republicans
believe that it will take the active involvement of parents,
students and teachers; business and local government; churches
and schools. This is what we mean by a thousand points of light.
As powerful and resourceful as government is, government alone
cannot come close to overcoming these problems. Next week, I
will announce a major initiative to challenge our young people to
serve their communities. From now on, the definition of the good
life in America must include service to others.
Addp, 6 last
P
But
ghest goals depends, to a
large e: *1306 Michael
Congress. We must take our
case to
by precinct, block by
block.
our able leader
I
in the House
at our party slipped to
minori
is oob gonned.
ecame a minority in the state
legisl
have a redistricting
Congr advant Help uspicieup
ut 90 percent of the seats in
more House
seats.
t make solid gains at the
state level. Critical guve
ll and legislative races in the
eight largest states alone will determine whether Republicans
will be treated fairly in the drafting of 209 Congressional
Districts. From Springfield to Sacramento, from Austin to
Albany, we must win the fight for fair competition.
A majority, or even a large minority, of Republicans in
state legislatures can join with Republican governors to sustain
the veto of outrageous gerrymander P schemes, strengthening our
numbers in the U.S. House Strong state parties can help us to
win back the U.S. Senate one of our most critical goals
Let
us win back the Senate. Let us again make it a Republican
Senate.
Fob Dohe isdoing a
inzenate but he needs
supeeb job aspepLdr
movetronps.
7
In the next election, we have a good shot at making big
gains. Of course, the party that controls the White House is
supposed to do poorly in mid-term elections. But there are no
iron-clad rules in politics. ((After all, if there were, I would
never have become the only living member of the Martin Van Buren
Society
)) With your support and leadership -- the
leadership of great Republicans like Carl Lindner of Ohio -- we
can again defy the precedents. We can again make history.
In order to win, we must work together as a team, not as an
association of acronyms. The RNC, the NRCC, the RGA, the NRSC --
these are top-notch, well-managed organizations staffed by the
best people in politics today.
But our Republican Party must be greater than the sum of its
parts; we must be inspired by a common purpose. We must bring
opportunity to new constituencies, and campaign in their
neighborhoods, in the inner cities and barrios, once considered
to be the exclusive domain of the opposition.
To win, we must also recruit the very best men and women to
represent our party, as candidates and as officeholders.
8
These are my strategies for victory. But strategies are
useless without a great purpose
We have such a purpose, to
build a better America, for today and for the new century ahead.
We have shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears to rebuild the
Republican Party since the early seventies. The best way to keep
our party growing is to win more elections in 1990, from the
courthouse, to the statehouse, to Capitol Hill. And with your
help, let's prove to the Democrats that the successes of the
1980s are not a fluke; that they, in fact, spell the beginning of
the end of Democratic dominance in Congress. ((PAUSE))
Thank you, good night and God bless you all.
Document No. 041321
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
6/8/89
ACTION/COMMENCECOMMENTOUS P12 : 56
12:00 6/9/89
DATE:
89 DUE BY:
SUBJECT:
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLUM
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
PINKERTON
DEMAREST
URAY
FITZWATER
Petersmeyer
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please provide your comments/recommendations directly to Chriss
Winston's office with an info copy to my office by 12:00 Friday
June 9. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
see memor editorial changes
GBW
6/12
me
James W, Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
Davis/Martin
June 7, 1989
1003 JUN - 8 Pi: 1:25
Title: Pdinner
Draft: One
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER, WASH. CONVENTION CTR.
June 14, 1989/9:20 p.m.
Thank you, Don. Mr. Vice President, Dan ( (compliment to
come))
...
Mrs. Quayle, Marilyn, it's a delight to be with you
on this excellent evening. David Murdock, thank you for your
dedication in making this event possible. Guy Vander Jagt, it's
great to see you. ((Note MOCs, Cabinet Officers.) )
As you have heard, this room is divided into four quadrants,
depicting the regions of the United States -- North, South, East
and West. ((You may have also heard that Lee Atwater suggested a
fifth corner, one, whole corner to represent South Carolina. ))
((PAUSE))
( (Forgive me if I'm off to a slow start tonight
I've
been speaking at so many school commencements lately I'm only
comfortable before audiences that snap gum.)) ((PAUSE))
It was at the last President's Dinner that the fortieth
President of the United States stood before us and formally threw
his support for a successor. Since then, Ronald Reagan has
returned to his beloved California. And you and I have fought
2
shoulder to shoulder, battling our way from 17 points behind to a
40-state win on Election Day. ( (PAUSE))
But we didn't fight the battle we fought, we didn't put
ourselves and our families through the turmoil of a campaign,
just to win an election. We fought because we believed in
certain ideas and certain ideals. We fought because we believed
that together we can build a better America.
The American people defined our mission. And in the four
months since the Inaugural, without fanfare or partisan furor, we
have worked together to quietly follow this mission, to achieve
what was considered to be outlandiship impossible.
*** The American people want action on the deficit. And we
reached an agreement with Congress to reduce the deficit by a
whopping $65 billion. ( (PAUSE) ) And we aim to achieve this
without raising taxes by a single copper penny. ( (PAUSE))
*** The American people want action on a festering problem
-- the hemorrhage of the Savings and Loan System. Our reform
plan will restore stability, eliminate extravagant practices, and
punish those who abuse the trust of depositors. The Senate
approved our plan 91 to 8. I call on the House to follow suit.
3
*** The American people want action on ethics. We are all
troubled and
saddened by the historic and unprecedented resignation of a
Speaker and a Majority Whip of the House. Clearly, it is time
for an even-handed ethics standard across all branches of
government. This is the goal of our ethics proposal. We must
all be equal before the law.
*** The American people want action on the environment.
treasure
Yesterday, surrounded by the natural jewels of the Grand Tetons,
enjoying the crisp, pristine mountain air, I called on Congress
to join me in a quest for cleaner air, an end to acid rain, ozone
depletion and other harmful emissions. You shouldn't have to
become a mountain man just to breathe good, clean air.
*** The American people want action on crime. This
Administration will not rest until we have lifted the shadow of
fear from the homes, shops and streets of America. That is why I
called last month for tough new laws, and more police and
prosecutors to back them up. In short, this Administration is
ready to take back the streets.
*** The American people want action on foreign policy -- a
sensible, yet bold plan to deal with the changes sweeping the
Communist world, from Budapest to Beijing. Our agreement with
Congress on Central America allows the United States to speak
4
with one clear voice with one clear message -- let freedom ring
in Nicaragua.
In Brussels, I said that we face an historic opportunity to
move beyond containment of the Soviet Union. I said that the
world has waited long enough -- that Europe can be whole and
free; and the world can move beyond armed camps divided by
suspicion and fear. And our NATO Allies agreed.
But this, the first five months of my Administration, is
just a start. We must work together to protect what is already
the longest peacetime expansion in our history -- to keep America
competitive and on the job. We must fight drug abuse on every
front, to redeem thousands of children, to return promise to
their lives. And we must revitalize our schools, so that a solid
education is once again the birthright of every American.
To make this kind of progress will require more than a
government program or another grand initiative. Republicans
believe that it will take the active involvement of parents,
students and teachers; business and local government; churches
and schools. This is what we mean by a thousand points of light
-- a constellation of volunteers.
But as you know, achieving our highest goals depends, to a
large extent, on winning elections in Congress. We must take our
district by district,
case to the American people, precinct by precinct, block by
block.
I believe it's no coincidence that our party slipped to
minority status in the House as we became a minority in the state
legislatures. Today, Democrats now have a redistricting
advantage in states that compose about 90 percent of the seats in
Congress.
That is why we Republicans must make aggressive gains at the
state level. Critical gubernatorial and legislative races in the
eight largest states alone will determine whether Republicans
will be treated fairly in the drafting of 209 Congressional
Districts.
A majority, or even a large minority, of Republicans in
state legislatures can join with Republican governors to sustain
the veto of outrageous gerrymander schemes, strengthening our
numbers in the U.S. House. Strong state parties can help us to
one of
win back the U.S. Senate -- perhaps our most critical goals
In the next election, we have a good shot at making big gains.
Of course, the party that controls the White House is supposed to
do poorly in mid-term elections. But there are no iron clad
rules in politics. ((After all, if there were, I would never
have become the only living member of the Martin Van Buren
6
Society
...)) With your support and leadership, we can again
defy the precedents. We can again make history.
In order to win, we must work together as a team, not as an
association of acronyms. The RNC, the NRCC, the RGA, the NRSC --
these are top-notch, well-managed organizations staffed by the
best people in politics today.
But our Republican Party must be greater than the sum of its
parts; we must be inspired by a common purpose. We must reach
out to new constituencies, to campaign in the neighborhoods, the
ghettoes, the barrios, once considered to be the exclusive domain
of the opposition.
To win, we must also recruit the very best men and women to
represent our party, as candidates and as officeholders.
These are my strategies for victory. But strategies are
useless without a great purpose
We have such a purpose, to
build a better America, for today and for the new century ahead.
We have shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears to rebuild the
Republican Party over the last decade. The best way to keep our
party ready for action is to engage ourselves in the 1990
election, from the courthouse, to the statehouse, to Capitol
Hill. I thank you for your help in this campaign to elect more
7
Republicans. Let us prove to the Democrats that the successes of
the 1980s are not a fluke; that they, in fact, spell the
beginning of the end of Democratic dominance in Congress.
((PAUSE))
We can now aim for the stars, and we can do so because of
you. For your leadership of our party, of our country, you have
my sincerest gratitude.
Thank you, good night and God bless you all.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
June 9, 1989
MEMORANDUM TO CHRISS WINSTON
FROM:
JIM PINKERTON
R
SUBJECT:
President's Dinner Speech Draft
The entire media focus on the President's speech next
Wednesday will surely be the RNC/Foley flap. This draft was
obviously written before that incident. The draft in hand repeats
our standard critique of Democratic ethics on pg.3, and then
repeats our standard praise for the RNC on pg. 6.
Obviously we must to update the draft, in light of the
changed political environment. However, much as we might like
to, I don't think we can just obliterate any reference to
anything that might be controversial.
If we duck, the best press commentary we could hope for
would be that the President said absolutely nothing newsworthy at
the dinner. At worst, the press will report that the President
skipped over the one significant issue of the evening and then
they will rely on other quotes to move the story forward.
Furthermore, if we duck the issue we will deeply disappoint
the hardcore partisan audience. Admittedly, that may not be our
foremost concern right now, but we will pay a price down the road
if the President appears to be walking away from the Republican
effort to retake the Congress.
My suggestion is this: we stick to our guns on the overall
goal of a Republican majority, while we reiterate the President's
strong denunciation of sleazy tactics. We must articulate our
disgust at the specific incident while not conceding, as many
Democrats are now alleging, that the whole Wright/Coelho scandal
was some sort of Republican plot.
The President handled the issue perfectly last night in the
press conference, citing John Tower's vilification as proof that
the problem of "ugliness" in Washington is bipartisan. We should
make the same sort of subtle distinction next Wednesday night.
(more)
-2-
Accordingly, I suggest the following:
Delete the first graf on pg. 3 and shift our comments on
ethics and the House to pg. 4, where it would serve as the
emotional and news peak of the speech, at the end of the long
list of issues that animate Republicans. Then say the following:
The American people want action on ethics. We
were all struck [note: this is changed from "saddened"
which sounds hypocritical in front of a partisan
audience] by the historic and unprecedented resignation
of a Speaker of the House, as well as the Majority
Whip. [Note the slight rewrite: it sounds more
awesome to say it this way.]
Clearly it is time for an even-handed ethics standard
across all branches of government. This is the goal of the
ethics proposal we released last April, and it will continue
to be our goal until all of Washington lives up to the high
standards of the American people. In the coming weeks I
will be asking the Congress to work with me to do more.
As President I will strive for a constructive
working relationship with Speaker Foley and the rest of
the Democratic leadership. While we are in competition
with each other, there are rules of decency and fair
play that transcend party label.
I will not stand for any violation of these rules.
There is no place for such folly -- the country
faces challenges that cannot wait until the next
election. We will work together to do the people's
business. However, we must not forget that Tom Foley
is Speaker today because of the failures of the
Democratic leadership which has controlled the House
for 35 years. [Note: this last sentence is vital. If
we take out the partisan edge and leave on
conciliation, we will undercut the Republican majority
cause. ]
We Republicans are bound together in a common
purpose: to wage a vigorous debate on the important
issues that unite us. We are confident that in taking
our message of peace and prosperity to the American
people in an open, honest, and direct manner, we will
become the majority party in America.
(more)
-3-
Additional Points
pg. 2, para. 3, line 1 It is closer to five months since the
Inauguration, and since we say "the first five months" later at
4,3,1, we should be consistent.
pg. 3-4 The mention of "Nicaragua" on line 2 of page 4 is anti-
climactic, given the world's attention on Russia, Eastern Europe
and China. Change the first sentence of page 3 para 4 to read
If bold plan to deal with the changes sweeping the Communist
world. [period]. Then the end of the graf on page 4 should read
"let freedom ring from Beijing to Warsaw to Managua."
pg. 4, para 2 This paragraph on the President's greatest foreign
policy triumph cries out for a memorable phrase that immortalizes
the trip. I'm sure we can do better than "Spirit of Brussels,"
or "investment in strength paying dividends in peace, but in any
case we need something snappier than "our NATO Allies agreed."
pg. 5, para 3, line 1 "aggressive" is not the right word here.
"substantial, "solid" or "big" is more in line.
pg. 5, para 4, line 9 The Martin Van Buren joke nicely drives
home the point here.
#