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Originally Processed With FOIA(s): FOIA Number: S S FOIA MARKER This is not a textual record. This is used as an administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential Library Staff. Record Group/Collection: George H.W. Bush Presidential Records Collection/Office of Origin: Speechwriting, White House Office of Series: Speech File Draft Files Subseries: Chron Files, 1989-1993 OA/ID Number: 13526 Folder ID Number: 13526-005 Folder Title: Joint Center for Policy Studies 4/4/90 [OA 4727] [2] Stack: Row: Section: Shelf: Position: G 26 16 2 4 128378SS Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM DATE: 3/30/90 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: 4/2/90 10:00 AM PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL STUDIES SUBJECT: ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT MCCLURE SUNUNU NEWMAN SCOWCROFT PORTER DARMAN ROGICH BATES UNTERMEYER CARD ROGERS CICCONI WINSTON DEMAREST PINKERTON FITZWATER BENNETT GRAY HAGIN REMARKS: Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 10:00 AM, Monday, April 2, with a copy to my office. Thank you. RESPONSE: See comments. Thank 4-2-90 James W. Cicconi Assistant to the President and Deputy to the Chief of Staff Ext. 2702 Davis/Martin Title: jcps 1990 MAR 30 PM 1: 52 March 29, 1990 Draft: Five PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CTR. POLICY STUDIES, HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Eddie Williams, David Kearns and Robert Washington, thank you. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friends, Elsie and [[husband]] Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder -- Governor. ))\\\ It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. And this new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Policy Studies. Voltaire said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. And as Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not 2 agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. On this day, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, martyrdom, the world looks to Montgomery, Alabama -- to the granite wall of the new civil rights memorial. And through a veil of flowing water we read these words from the Bible: " let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Like a mighty river, justice can cut a channel through the hardest of stone. And, like a mighty river seeking the sea, justice can be impeded. But its quest is unstoppable -- in the end, justice cannot be denied. Last month, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from the importance of black history in American education, to South Africa, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. Together, we walked outside, one of those beautiful Washington days we all live for. And, together we strolled around to the Residence, up to the Lincoln Bedroom, with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that impresses Barbara and me, and impressed Vaclav Havel when he joined us there? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It is impressive because he worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and 3 Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had lived in America all his life, and had never known a minute of freedom. But Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom. And so all their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was just weary. But in any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, SO that no one would think he wavered on his most important decision. And then Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation with a firm hand. In a stroke, millions were freed. Together, we felt the greatness of the events that had taken place in that small room, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. I know that for Barbara and me, it was certainly a very special moment, one that leads X me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency that haven't changed since that freedom midnight. Every president is ? at? 4 challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum freedom. So when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt asked Marion Anderson sing ( (the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the White House) ) they were living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Ike Eisenhower acted decisively to protect a school in Little Rock, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, he living up to the legacy of Lincoln. I believe that the day will come -- and it is not far off - when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled -- when a lack man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. And when that comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how easily d how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another sident, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, resenting all the people of America, representing all that is about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many m black, inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the f brave ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Is one of successor? Is this the child who will fulfill the ! know we aren't quite there yet. I know that prejudice tensions still exist in America. So I will support, to sign into law, a measure to collect as much is we can on crimes motivated by religious, racial or ity -- the Hate Crimes Bill.\\ And that is why I 5 will only appoint energetic defenders of our civil rights to the Civil Rights Commission. In my many meetings, black Americans have challenged me to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. Now let me challenge you to work with my Administration, from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. First and foremost -- there is the poverty of the spirit. Government cannot teach young men and women to have faith in themselves if their mothers and fathers have lost all faith. Government cannot teach that achievement is to be found in quiet moments and subtle rewards, instead of the murderous materialism of easy drug money. But, as leaders, as parents, as communities, we can instill values. We can cultivate character. Your own publications debunk the myth of black indifference and dependency. Black Americans have inherited a strong tradition of philanthropy and self help, from the underground railroad to the civil rights struggle of our own times. So what we need now is a new partnership, one that draws inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad, from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, from the country 6 roads of Selma twenty years ago to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today, a common refrain echoes through the history of our times: "We shall overcome." Now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man.\\ Where Mister Mandela and President DeKlerk are gradually moving toward negotiation, and we hope, reconciliation. ( (Insert on Africa to come) ) Has the world known more improbable heroes than these sons of South Africa, white and black? Or Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. When people, going about the ordinary business of their lives -- waiting for a bus, walking to a corner grocery store -- must fear for their lives - -then fear has stolen our most precious possession -- freedom. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. And here in the District, I held a so- called border baby suffering the agony of withdrawal. But everywhere I went, I also found hope. I found people who have had had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of this poor neighborhood are rallying together, 7 using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in a solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge and skills. Many young men and women in this country -- white, as well as black -- are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basic skills they need to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We are used to thinking of unemployment as a case of too many people, too few jobs -- a game of musical chairs that leaves minorities standing when the music stops. But in the years to come, our problem will be just the opposite: more than enough jobs -- and too few qualified people to fill them. Think about what that means. For every child growing up today -- black or white -- there will be a job waiting. The question is whether that child will have the education and the skills to seize that opportunity. The new service and manufacturing industries will require higher skills, more training and, at the very least, literacy. I am delighted and that my Administration Congress passed our youth training wage last year ^ But we need has reinvig- orated + to do more. After all, equal opportunity begins with equal Strengthened education. the Minority So we must again work in a solidarity to better our schools. Business You know my proposals. First, I believe parents deserve choice. Enterprise Program. 8 They deserve the power to choose their children's child-care, whether it comes from a grandparent or a church-affiliated center. Parents also deserve one thing more -- the power to choose their children's school. And where disadvantaged pre-schoolers are concerned, I am asking Congress to boost Head Start by half-a-billion dollars. ((I could go on. But I am reminded of the preacher who asked his congregation what he should speak about. Someone shouted from the back pew: "How about five minutes?") ) So let me say in conclusion, straight from the heart: This is no time for politics. This is the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. I spoke earlier of the Biblical proverb that compared righteousness to a mighty stream. This same vision can be found in a poem by Langston Hughes, who compared the odyssey of black men and women to the crossing of many rivers. And with each crossing, their souls have grown deep -- deep, like the rivers. This odyssey shaped the soul of a people, and because of black leadership, it is also shaping the soul of our nation. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # 128378SS Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM DATE: 3/30/90 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: 4/2/90 10:00 AM PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL STUDIES SUBJECT: ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT MCCLURE SUNUNU NEWMAN SCOWCROFT PORTER DARMAN ROGICH BATES UNTERMEYER CARD ROGERS CICCONI WINSTON DEMAREST PINKERTON FITZWATER BENNETT GRAY HAGIN REMARKS: Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 10:00 AM, Monday, April 2, with a copy to my office. Thank you. RESPONSE: James W. Cicconi Assistant to the President and Deputy to the Chief of Staff Ext. 2702 Davis/Martin Title: jcps 1990 MAR 30 PM 1: 52 March 29, 1990 Draft: Five PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CTR. POLICY STUDIES, HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Eddie Williams, David Kearns and Robert Washington, thank you. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friends, Elsie and [[husband] Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder --- Governor. ))\\\ It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. And this new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Policy Studies. Voltaire said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. And as Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not 2 agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. On this day, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, martyrdom, the world looks to Montgomery, Alabama -- to the granite wall of the new civil rights memorial. And through a veil of flowing water we read these words from the Bible: II let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. "\\ Like a mighty river, justice can cut a channel through the hardest of stone. And, like a mighty river seeking the sea, justice can be impeded. But its quest is unstoppable -- in the end, justice cannot be denied. III Not long ago Last month, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from the importance of black history in American education, to South Africa, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. Together, we walked outside, one of those beautiful Mistavel Washington days we all live for. And, together we strolled like around to the Residence, up to the Lincoln Bedroom, with its was they imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that impresses Barbara and me, and impressed Vaclav Havel when he joined us there? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It is impressive because he worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and 3 Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had lived in America all his life, and had never known a minute of freedom. But Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom. And so all their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was just weary. But in any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, so that no one would think he wavered on his most important decision. And then Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation with a firm hand. In a stroke, millions were freed. Together, we felt the greatness of the events that had taken place in that small room, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. I know that for Barbara and me, it was certainly a very special moment, one that leads to me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency that haven't changed since that freedom midnight. Every president is 4 challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. So when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt asked Marion Anderson to sing ( (the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the White House) they were living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Ike Eisenhower acted decisively to protect a school girl in Little Rock, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. I believe that the day will come -- and it is not far off - - when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled -- when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. And when that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how easily and how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them black, inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Is one of them my successor? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I know we aren't quite there yet. I know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. So I will support, and intend to sign into law, a measure to collect as much information as we can on crimes motivated by religious, racial or ethnic animosity -- the Hate Crimes Bill. And that is why I 5 will only appoint energetic defenders of our civil rights to the Civil Rights Commission. In my many meetings, black Americans have challenged me to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. Now let me challenge you to work with my Administration, from this day forward, to build a better America. 11 There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. First and foremost -- there is the poverty of the spirit. Government cannot teach young men and women to have faith in themselves if their mothers and fathers have lost all faith. Government cannot teach that achievement is to be found in quiet moments and subtle rewards, instead of the murderous materialism of easy drug money. But, as leaders, as parents, as communities, we can instill values. We can cultivate character. Your own publications debunk the myth of black indifference and dependency. Black Americans have inherited a strong tradition of philanthropy and self help, from the underground railroad to the civil rights struggle of our own times. So what we need now is a new partnership, one that draws inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad, from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, from the country 6 roads of Selma twenty years ago to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today, a common refrain echoes through the history of our times: "We shall overcome." Now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man.\\ Where Mister Mandela and President DeKlerk are gradually moving toward negotiation, and we hope, reconciliation. ( (Insert on Africa to come)) Has the world known more improbable heroes than these sons of South Africa, white and black? Or Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. When people, going about the ordinary business of their lives -- waiting for a bus, walking to a corner grocery store -- must fear for their lives - -then fear has stolen our most precious possession -- freedom. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. And here in the District, I held a so- called border baby suffering the agony of withdrawal. But everywhere I went, I also found hope. I found people who have had had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of this poor neighborhood are rallying together, 7 using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in a solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge and skills. Many young men and women in this country -- white, as well as black -- are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basic skills they need to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We are used to thinking of unemployment as a case of too many people, too few jobs -- a game of musical chairs that leaves minorities standing when the music stops. But in the years to come, our problem will be just the opposite: more than enough jobs -- and too few qualified people to fill them. Think about what that means. For every child growing up today -- black or white -- there will be a job waiting. The question is whether that child will have the education and the skills to seize that opportunity. The new service and manufacturing industries will require higher skills, more training and, at the very least, literacy. I am delighted Congress passed our youth training wage last year. But we need to do more. After all, equal opportunity begins with equal education. So we must again work in a solidarity to better our schools. You know my proposals. First, I believe parents deserve choice. 8 They deserve the power to choose their children's child-care, whether it comes from a grandparent or a church-affiliated center. Parents also deserve one thing more -- the power to choose their children's school. And where disadvantaged pre-schoolers are concerned, I am asking Congress to boost Head Start by half-a-billion dollars. ((I could go on. But I am reminded of the preacher who asked his congregation what he should speak about. Someone shouted from the back pew: "How about five minutes?") )\\\ So let me say in conclusion, straight from the heart: This is no time for politics. This is the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. I spoke earlier of the Biblical proverb that compared righteousness to a mighty stream. This same vision can be found in a poem by Langston Hughes, who compared the odyssey of black men and women to the crossing of many rivers. And with each crossing, their souls have grown deep -- deep, like the rivers. This odyssey shaped the soul of a people, and because of black leadership, it is also shaping the soul of our nation. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON April 2, 1990 MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON FROM: ROGER B. PORTER RBP SUBJECT: Presidential Remarks: Joint Center for Political Studies I have two questions about these remarks. First, what is the White House style for referring to blacks? Is it "blacks" or "African-Americans"? Second, should the President reference his nominees to the Civil Rights Commission if we are not prepared to announce the second nominee? Additionally, I have the following comments: 1. On page 4, in the paragraph discussing a black president, the reference to "how easily" it will occur strikes me as one that could be subject to criticism. I would simply strike that phrase and leave in "how naturally". 2. X On page 4, in the next paragraph, the "will" in "I will support" should be stricken because the President already supports the bill. 3. On page 5, in the fourth full paragraph, I would strike the first sentence. 4. On page 7, in the paragraph that begins (m) any young men and women ", I would strike the phrase "white, as well as black". In order to avoid the implication that the President is speaking only about blacks, which I think is implied inadvertently. 5. On page 7, strike the sentence "After all, equal opportunity begins with equal education." and replace with "We need to improve the quality of education for all Americans -- and raise our expectations for what we know our children can learn and accomplish. CC: James W. Cicconi 11 : I/V 2 MAR 06 128378SS Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM DATE: 3/30/90 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: 4/2/90 10:00 AM PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL STUDIES SUBJECT: ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT MCCLURE SUNUNU NEWMAN SCOWCROFT PORTER DARMAN ROGICH BATES UNTERMEYER CARD ROGERS CICCONI WINSTON DEMAREST PINKERTON FITZWATER BENNETT GRAY HAGIN REMARKS: Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 10:00 AM, Monday, April 2, with a copy to my office. Thank you. RESPONSE: James W. Cicconi Assistant to the President and Deputy to the Chief of Staff Ext. 2702 Davis/Martin Title: jcps 1990 MAR 30 PM 1: 52 March 29, 1990 Draft: Five PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CTR. POLICY STUDIES, HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Eddie Williams, David Kearns and Robert Washington, thank you. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friends, Elsie and [[husband]] Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; and Doug Wilder -- Governor. )) It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. And this new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Policy Studies. Voltaire said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. And as Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not 2 agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. On this day, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, martyrdom, the world looks to Montgomery, Alabama -- to the granite wall of the new civil rights memorial. And through a veil of flowing water we read these words from the Bible: let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Like a mighty river, justice can cut a channel through the hardest of stone. And, like a mighty river seeking the sea, justice can be impeded. But its quest is unstoppable -- in the end, justice cannot be denied. Last month, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from the importance of black history in American education, to South Africa, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. Together, we walked outside, one of those beautiful Washington days we all live for. And, together we strolled around to the Residence, up to the Lincoln Bedroom, with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that impresses Barbara and me, and impressed Vaclav Havel when he joined us there? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It is impressive because he worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and 3 Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had lived in America all his life, and had never known a minute of freedom. But Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom. And so all their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was just weary. But in any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, so that no one would think he wavered on his most important decision. And then Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation with a firm hand. In a stroke, millions were freed. Together, we felt the greatness of the events that had taken place in that small room, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. I know that for Barbara and me, it was certainly a very special moment, one that leads to me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency that haven't changed since that freedom midnight. Every president is 4 challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. So when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt asked Marion Anderson to sing ( (the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the White House) they were living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Ike Eisenhower acted decisively to protect a school girl in Little Rock, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. I believe that the day will come -- and it is not far off - - when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled -- when a. black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. And when that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how easily and how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them black, inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Is one of them my successor? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I know we aren't quite there yet. I know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. So I will support, and intend to sign into law, a measure to collect as much information as we can on crimes motivated by religious, racial or ethnic animosity -- the Hate Crimes Bill. And that is why I 5 will only appoint energetic defenders of our civil rights to the Civil Rights Commission. III In my many meetings, black Americans have challenged me to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. Now let me challenge you to work with my Administration, from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. First and foremost -- there is the poverty of the spirit. Government cannot teach young men and women to have faith in themselves if their mothers and fathers have lost all faith. Government cannot teach that achievement is to be found in quiet moments and subtle rewards, instead of the murderous materialism of easy drug money. But, as leaders, as parents, as communities, we can instill values. We can cultivate character. Your own publications debunk the myth of black indifference and dependency. Black Americans have inherited a strong tradition of philanthropy and self help, from the underground railroad to the civil rights struggle of our own times. So what we need now is a new partnership, one that draws inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad, from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, from the country 6 roads of Selma twenty years ago to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today, a common refrain echoes through the history of our times: "We shall overcome." Now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man.\\ Where Mister Mandela and President DeKlerk are gradually moving toward negotiation, and we hope, reconciliation. ( (Insert on Africa to come)) Has the world known more improbable heroes than these sons of South Africa, white and black? Or Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. When people, going about the ordinary business of their lives -- waiting for a bus, walking to a corner grocery store -- must fear for their lives - -then - fear has stolen our most precious possession -- freedom. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. And here in the District, I held a so- called border baby suffering the agony of withdrawal. But everywhere I went, I also found hope. I found people who have had had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of this poor neighborhood are rallying together, 7 using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in a solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge and skills. Many young men and women in this country -Lwhite, as well as black are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basic skills they need to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We are used to thinking of unemployment as a case of too many people, too few jobs -- a game of musical chairs that leaves minorities standing when the music stops. But in the years to come, our problem will be just the opposite: more than enough jobs -- and too few qualified people to fill them. Think about what that means. For every child growing up today -- black or white -- there will be a job waiting. The question is whether that child will have the education and the skills to seize that opportunity. The new service and manufacturing industries will require higher skills, more training and, at the very least, literacy. I am delighted Congress passed our youth training wage last year. But we need to do more. After all, equal opportunity begins with equal education. So we must again work in a solidarity to better our schools. You know my proposals. First, I believe parents deserve choice. 8 They deserve the power to choose their children's child-care, whether it comes from a grandparent or a church-affiliated center. Parents also deserve one thing more -- the power to choose their children's school. And where disadvantaged pre-schoolers are concerned, I am asking Congress to boost Head Start by half-a-billion dollars. ((I could go on. But I am reminded of the preacher who asked his congregation what he should speak about. Someone shouted from the back pew: "How about five minutes?") ) So let me say in conclusion, straight from the heart: This is no time for politics. This is the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. I spoke earlier of the Biblical proverb that compared righteousness to a mighty stream. This same vision can be found in a poem by Langston Hughes, who compared the odyssey of black men and women to the crossing of many rivers. And with each crossing, their souls have grown deep -- deep, like the rivers. This odyssey shaped the soul of a people, and because of black leadership, it is also shaping the soul of our nation. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # Davis/Martin Title: jcps March 29, 1990 Draft: Five PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CTR. POLICY STUDIES, HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Eddie Williams, David Kearns and Robert Washington, thank you. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friends, Elsie and [[husband]] Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder -- Governor. )) It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. And this new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Policy Studies. Voltaire said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. And as Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not 2 agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. On this day, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 's, martyrdom, the world looks to Montgomery, Alabama -- to the granite wall of the new civil rights memorial. And through a veil of flowing water we read these words from the Bible: If let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Like a mighty river, justice can cut a channel through the hardest of stone. And, like a mighty river seeking the sea, justice can be impeded. But its quest is unstoppable -- in the end, justice cannot be denied. Last month, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from the importance of black history in American education, to South Africa, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. Together, we walked outside, one of those beautiful Washington days we all live for. And, together we strolled around to the Residence, up to the Lincoln Bedroom, with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that impresses Barbara and me, and impressed Vaclav Havel when he joined us there? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It is impressive because he worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and 3 Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had lived in America all his life, and had never known a minute of freedom. But Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom. And so all their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was just weary. But in any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, SO that no one would think he wavered on his most important decision. And then Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation with a firm hand. In a stroke, millions were freed. Together, we felt the greatness of the events that had taken place in that small room, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. I know that for Barbara and me, it was certainly a very special moment, one that leads to me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency that haven't changed since that freedom midnight. Every president is 4 challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. So when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt asked Marion Anderson to sing ( (the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the White House) ) they were living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Ike Eisenhower acted decisively to protect a school girl in Little Rock, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, he was living up to the legacy of Lincoln. I believe that the day will come -- and it is not far off - - when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled -- when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. And when that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how easily and how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them black, inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Is one of them my successor? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I know we aren't quite there yet. I know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. So I will support, and intend to sign into law, a measure to collect as much information as we can on crimes motivated by religious, racial or ethnic animosity -- the Hate Crimes Bill.\\ And that is why I 5 will only appoint energetic defenders of our civil rights to the Civil Rights Commission. In my many meetings, black Americans have challenged me to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. Now let me challenge you to work with my Administration, from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. First and foremost -- there is the poverty of the spirit. Government cannot teach young men and women to have faith in themselves if their mothers and fathers have lost all faith. Government cannot teach that achievement is to be found in quiet moments and subtle rewards, instead of the murderous materialism of easy drug money. But, as leaders, as parents, as communities, we can instill values. We can cultivate character. Your own publications debunk the myth of black indifference and dependency. Black Americans have inherited a strong tradition of philanthropy and self help, from the underground railroad to the civil rights struggle of our own times. So what we need now is a new partnership, one that draws inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad, from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, from the country 6 roads of Selma twenty years ago to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today, a common refrain echoes through the history of our times: "We shall overcome." Now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man.\\ Where Mister Mandela and President DeKlerk are gradually moving toward negotiation, and we hope, reconciliation. III ( (Insert on Africa to come) ) Has the world known more improbable heroes than these sons of South Africa, white and black? Or Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. When people, going about the ordinary business of their lives -- waiting for a bus, walking to a corner grocery store -- must fear for their lives - -then fear has stolen our most precious possession -- freedom. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. And here in the District, I held a so- called border baby suffering the agony of withdrawal. But everywhere I went, I also found hope. I found people who have had had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of this poor neighborhood are rallying together, 7 using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in a solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge and skills. Many young men and women in this country -- white, as well as black -- are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basic skills they need to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We are used to thinking of unemployment as a case of too many people, too few jobs -- a game of musical chairs that leaves minorities standing when the music stops. But in the years to come, our problem will be just the opposite: more than enough jobs -- and too few qualified people to fill them. Think about what that means. For every child growing up today -- black or white -- there will be a job waiting. The question is whether that child will have the education and the skills to seize that opportunity. The new service and manufacturing industries will require higher skills, more training and, at the very least, literacy. I am delighted Congress passed our youth training wage last year. But we need to do more. After all, equal opportunity begins with equal education. So we must again work in a solidarity to better our schools. You know my proposals. First, I believe parents deserve choice. 8 They deserve the power to choose their children's child-care, whether it comes from a grandparent or a church-affiliated center. Parents also deserve one thing more -- the power to choose their children's school. And where disadvantaged pre-schoolers are concerned, I am asking Congress to boost Head Start by half-a-billion dollars. ((I could go on. But I am reminded of the preacher who asked his congregation what he should speak about. Someone shouted from the back pew: "How about five minutes?") ) So let me say in conclusion, straight from the heart: This is no time for politics. This is the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. I spoke earlier of the Biblical proverb that compared righteousness to a mighty stream. This same vision can be found in a poem by Langston Hughes, who compared the odyssey of black men and women to the crossing of many rivers. And with each crossing, their souls have grown deep -- deep, like the rivers. This odyssey shaped the soul of a people, and because of black leadership, it is also shaping the soul of our nation. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # Davis/Martin Title: Joint April 4, 1990 Draft: Nine PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CENTER, WASHINGTON HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Thank you, Wendell. Thank you, Eddie Williams, David Kearns, Vernon Jordan, Jim Robinson and Reverend Newsome. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friend, Elsie Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder -- Governor. ))\\\ It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. This new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. A philosopher once said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. As Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this 2 wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. Not long ago, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from my meetings with Czechoslovakia's new playwright President Vaclav Havel, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. After lunch, we walked outside. Together, we strolled across the South Lawn driveway and through the Diplomatic Reception Room, into the Residence, and up to the Lincoln Bedroom. It's an impressive room with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that's so powerful? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It's that Lincoln worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. In fact, of the five copies he made, it's the only one he actually signed. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had never known a minute of freedom. And now that Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom, all 3 their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was weary. In any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, so that no one would think he wavered on such an important decision. Through the vision of one man, millions were freed. Together, those of us in his room, felt the greatness of the events that had taken place there, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. That very special moment led me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency -- responsibilities that haven't changed since that midnight of freedom in 1863. Every president since has been challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. The day will come -- and it is not far off -- when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. When that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave 4 ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Will one of them be President? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I also know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. That is why I told Ben Hooks and Coretta Scott King and SO many others in the Civil Rights movement that I would use this office -- this bully pulpit -- to condemn in the strongest terms racism, bigotry and hate. Black Americans have challenged me and my Administration to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. I accept that challenge. Now let me ask you to work with us from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. In fighting against poverty and for opportunity, we must draw inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad. We must draw inspiration from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, the freedom march that wound through the country roads of Selma twenty-five years ago leads to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today. And now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man If I may, I would like to take just a moment to discuss America's Africa policy, for change is sweeping this troubled 5 continent. But this time change brings opportunity. So let us work together to help the peoples of Africa to overcome poverty, disease, starvation and war. We are working to overcome these problems throughout Africa. We continue to actively seek national reconciliation in Angola, and we support the efforts of President Chissano to end the fighting in Mozambique. We are looking for ways we can help the newly independent nation of Namibia. In Ethiopia, we stand ready to deliver tons of food to save millions facing starvation. Tragically, the war that rages there prevents our access to these people in need. I call upon the political leaders of Ethiopia to give the highest priority to humanitarian relief by opening all available corridors for the urgent movement of food supplies. And I appeal to other members of the United Nations to use their influence to achieve this vital objective. But, South Africa is of special concern, because we can now take hope that the age of apartheid is nearing a close. III There are new signs of flexibility and commitment, both from the government and the opponents of apartheid. President de Klerk has already taken some significant steps -- lifting the ban on political parties and releasing Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. I salute President de Klerk for taking these steps -- but even more must be done. The State of Emergency must end and political prisoners must be released. Most of all, there must be an end to the tragic cycle of violence a task that demands great courage and resolve from all South 6 African leaders, black and white. The government's attempts to enforce apartheid through force and repression have utterly failed, as popular opposition to white-minority rule has intensified. Violent attacks on government targets inside South Africa have equally failed, and have had no positive impact. Most tragically, the senseless violence perpetrated by blacks, against blacks, has become a major impediment to rapid progress toward a negotiated settlement. All sides must follow the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., and renounce violence. Such a step will help nurture the climate for negotiations toward a new system based on equal rights and opportunities. It is imperative that the opposition not miss this opportunity to negotiate seriously a framework for a truly democratic South Africa, liberated from the horror of apartheid. We are encouraged by signs that all sides share a growing commitment to this negotiating process. We stand ready to support this still fragile process in any way we can. Secretary Baker has just returned from South Africa, where he met with President de Klerk and the leading members of the black opposition. He met with Nelson Mandela in Namibia. I have also invited both President de Klerk and Mister Mandela to meet with me at the White House. I will spare no effort to bring about positive change in South Africa. But we must practice this diplomacy as a nation. We must continue our programs to assist the disadvantaged majority. American businesses that remain in South Africa must work for change. And we will make clear our strong conviction that multi- 7 party democracy based on a vigorous free-enterprise system represents the best model for any successful society. In short, we can all work for change. American influence is strongest when Americans speak with one voice. So let us work together to forge a strong consensus on South Africa -- one that unites all Americans -- of all races, of both parties -- in a noble cause In America, we also seek the fulfillment of a noble cause - - to overcome obstacles to opportunity. And in this cause, let us look to the heroes of our times. Has the world known more improbable heroes than Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. Yesterday, I visited a 17-year-old black high school student named Derrick Turnbow in a Cincinnati hospital. You see, Derrick was an innocent bystander who got caught in the crossfire of a shoot-out. Derrick was shot in the head. He is now paralyzed. And the only means left to this honor student to communicate is by winking. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. In Houston, at Acres Homes, I talked with citizens who had seen 8 their community ravaged by drug pushers and decided to change all that. Everywhere I went, I found hope. I found people who have had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of these neighborhoods are rallying together, using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge. Many young men and women in this country are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basics -- to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We need to improve the quality of education for all Americans --- and raise our expectations for what we know our children can learn and accomplish. We must again work in solidarity to better our schools. That is why I am pleased that so many of you -- leaders from business like David Kearns, along with leaders in government, education, labor and the media -- are working together to better our schools by serving on the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee. I have discussed just a few of the many ways in which we are trying to fight against poverty and for opportunity to build a better America. ((And I could go on. But I am reminded of the kid who went to church with his grandad. The kid asks: "What are 9 those flags for, Grandad?" "For those who died in the service." And then the kid asks: "Really? In the 9 o'clock or the 11 o'clock?) ) We've talked about the struggle against crime and fear, the struggle for better education and opportunity. But the bottom line is this: When the morning comes, will we work together for what we have applauded tonight?\\ I have seen your good works. I know that we will. Let us make this the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # Davis/Martin Title: Joint April 4, 1990 Draft: Nine PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CENTER, WASHINGTON HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Thank you, Wendell. Thank you, Eddie Williams, David Kearns, Vernon Jordan, Jim Robinson and Reverend Newsome. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friend, Elsie Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder -- Governor. ) ) It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. This new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. A philosopher once said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. As Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this 2 wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things --- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. Not long ago, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from my meetings with Czechoslovakia's new playwright President Vaclav Havel, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. After lunch, we walked outside. Together, we strolled across the South Lawn driveway and through the Diplomatic Reception Room, into the Residence, and up to the Lincoln Bedroom. It's an impressive room with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that's so powerful? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It's that Lincoln worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. In fact, of the five copies he made, it's the only one he actually signed. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had never known a minute of freedom. And now that Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom, all 3 their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was weary. In any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, so that no one would think he wavered on such an important decision. Through the vision of one man, millions were freed. Together, those of us in his room, felt the greatness of the events that had taken place there, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. That very special moment led me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency -- responsibilities that haven't changed since that midnight of freedom in 1863. Every president since has been challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. The day will come -- and it is not far off -- when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. When that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave 4 ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Will one of them be President? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I also know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. That is why I told Ben Hooks and Coretta Scott King and SO many others in the Civil Rights movement that I would use this office -- this bully pulpit -- to condemn in the strongest terms racism, bigotry and hate. Black Americans have challenged me and my Administration to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. I accept that challenge. Now let me ask you to work with us from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. In fighting against poverty and for opportunity, we must draw inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad. We must draw inspiration from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, the freedom march that wound through the country roads of Selma twenty-five years ago leads to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today. And now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man. If I may, I would like to take just a moment to discuss America's Africa policy, for change is sweeping this troubled 5 continent. But this time change brings opportunity. So let us work together to help the peoples of Africa to overcome poverty, disease, starvation and war. We are working to overcome these problems throughout Africa. We continue to actively seek national reconciliation in Angola, and we support the efforts of President Chissano to end the fighting in Mozambique. We are looking for ways we can help the newly independent nation of Namibia. In Ethiopia, we stand ready to deliver tons of food to save millions facing starvation. Tragically, the war that rages there prevents our access to these people in need. I call upon the political leaders of Ethiopia to give the highest priority to humanitarian relief by opening all available corridors for the urgent movement of food supplies. And I appeal to other members of the United Nations to use their influence to achieve this vital objective. But, South Africa is of special concern, because we can now take hope that the age of apartheid is nearing a close. There are new signs of flexibility and commitment, both from the government and the opponents of apartheid. President de Klerk has already taken some significant steps -- lifting the ban on political parties and releasing Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. I salute President de Klerk for taking these steps -- but even more must be done. The State of Emergency must end and political prisoners must be released. Most of all, there must be an end to the tragic cycle of violence -- a task that demands great courage and resolve from all South all groups recognage dead to violence that call m to public movey 6 are the canny road Eg adead- and and 6een African leaders, black and white. We salute the efforts by all sides to follow the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., and renounce violence. 11 Especially black on black violence Nelson Mandela put it best when he said that blacks must "close down the death-factories,' and take their guns, knives and spears and "throw them into the sea." 111 These steps will help nurture the climate for negotiations toward a new system based on equal rights and opportunities. It is imperative that the opposition not miss this opportunity to negotiate seriously a framework for a truly democratic South Africa, liberated from the horror of apartheid. We are encouraged by signs that all sides share a growing commitment to this negotiating process. We stand ready to support this still fragile process in any way we can. Secretary Baker has just returned from South Africa, where he met with President de Klerk and the leading members of the black opposition. He met with Nelson Mandela in Namibia. I have also invited both President de Klerk and Mister Mandela to meet with me at the White House. I will spare no effort to bring about positive change in South Africa. But we must practice this diplomacy as a nation. We must continue our programs to assist the disadvantaged majority. American businesses that remain in South Africa must work for change. And we will make clear our strong conviction that multi- party democracy based on a vigorous free-enterprise system represents the best model for any successful society. 7 In short, we can all work for change. American influence is strongest when Americans speak with one voice. So let us work together to forge a strong consensus on South Africa -- one that unites all Americans -- of all races, of both parties -- in a noble cause. In America, we also seek the fulfillment of a noble cause - - to overcome obstacles to opportunity. And in this cause, let us look to the heroes of our times. Has the world known more improbable heroes than Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. Yesterday, I visited a 17-year-old black high school student named Derrick Turnbow in a Cincinnati hospital. You see, Derrick was an innocent bystander who got caught in the crossfire of a shoot-out. Derrick was shot in the head. He is now paralyzed. And the only means left to this honor student to communicate is by winking. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. In Houston, at Acres Homes, I talked with citizens who had seen their community ravaged by drug pushers and decided to change all that. 8 Everywhere I went, I found hope. I found people who have had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of these neighborhoods are rallying together, using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge. Many young men and women in this country are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basics -- to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We need to improve the quality of education for all Americans -- and raise our expectations for what we know our children can learn and accomplish. We must again work in solidarity to better our schools. That is why I am pleased that so many of you -- leaders from business like David Kearns, along with leaders in government, education, labor and the media -- are working together to better our schools by serving on the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee. I have discussed just a few of the many ways in which we are trying to fight against poverty and for opportunity to build a better America. ((And I could go on. But I am reminded of the kid who went to church with his grandad. The kid asks: "What are those flags for, Grandad?" "For those who died in the service." 9 And then the kid asks: "Really? In the 9 o'clock or the 11 o'clock?) ) We've talked about the struggle against crime and fear, the struggle for better education and opportunity. But the bottom line is this: When the morning comes, will we work together for what we have applauded tonight?\\ I have seen your good works. I know that we will. Let us make this the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # Cw changes Davis/Martin Title: Joint April 4, 1990 Draft: Eight PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JOINT CENTER, WASHINGTON HILTON 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 1990 ((Thank you, Wendell. Thank you, Eddie Williams, David Kearns, Vernon Jordan, Jim Robinson and Reverend Newsome. It is also good to be out on the town with our good friend, Elsie Hillman. And I would especially like to recognize two of the elected officials among us tonight: David Dinkins -- Your Honor; III and Doug Wilder -- Governor. ) )\\\ It's remarkable to think that in 1968, less than two years before the Joint Center was founded, there were only 200 elected black public officials in all of America. Twenty years later, there are more than 6,000 -- an amazing record. But you know what I find most heartening of all? It's the way in which black leadership in America has become an ordinary and accepted feature of our national life. This new leadership has a tremendous resource in the Joint Center for Political and once Economic Studies. A philosopher said that no problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking. If that is true, then no problem we face today is a match for the Joint Center, truly one of the leading academies of independent thought in Washington today. We can see for ourselves, tonight, that Washington is still a city that thrives on ideas. As Americans from different professions and political parties, we are together on this 2 wonderful evening to celebrate our shared ideals. We may not agree on everything, but we agree on a few great things -- liberty, equality, opportunity and justice for all. Not long ago, a distinguished group of fifteen black publishers joined me for lunch in the White House. We discussed everything from my meetings with Czechoslovakia's new playwright President Vaclav Havel, to our struggle to rid this nation of drugs and crime. After lunch, we walked outside. Together we strolled across the South Lawn driveway and through the Diplomatic Reception Room, into the Residence, and up to the Lincoln Bedroom. It's an impressive room with its imposing high ceiling, its tall windows, lace curtains and Victorian furnishings. But you know what it is about that room that's so powerful? It's not that Lincoln slept there. In fact, he didn't. It's that Lincoln worked there. Because he made some of his greatest decisions there. It was his office and Cabinet Room. It was where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In a display case, along the wall, is a copy of the Gettysburg Address, written in Lincoln's dignified hand. In fact, of the five copies he made, it's the only one he actually signed. Above it is a great painting titled "Watch Meeting, Waiting for the Hour." It's a very poignant scene, depicting slaves and their friends gathered around an elderly man, a man who had never known a minute of freedom. And now that Lincoln had proclaimed January 1, 1863, as the first day of freedom, all 3 their eyes are fixed on a watch -- waiting for the stroke of midnight, waiting to be free. It is said that Lincoln's hand shook as he dipped his quill into the ink well before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps he felt the weight of history. Perhaps he was weary. In any event, he waited a moment to steady his hand, so that no one would think he wavered on such an important decision. Through the vision of one man, millions were freed. Together, those of us in his room, felt the greatness of the events that had taken place there, and the profound consequences of a simple stroke of the pen. In moments like these, history returns as a revelation. That very special moment led me to reflect on the special responsibilities of the Presidency -- responsibilities that haven't changed since that midnight of freedom in 1863. Every president since has been challenged to be a part of the legacy of Lincoln, the continuum of freedom. The day will come -- and it is not far off -- when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. When that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America. You know, I meet a lot of school kids, many of them inner-city kids; and I wonder as I look at the faces of brave 4 ten-year-olds swearing to fight drugs: Will one of them be President? Is this the child who will fulfill the legacy? But I also know that prejudice and racial tensions still exist in America. That is why I told Ben Hooks and Coretta Scott King and so many others in the Civil Rights movement that I would use this office -- this bully pulpit -- to condemn in the strongest terms racism, bigotry and hate. III Black Americans have challenged me and my Administration to live up to the highest ideals of the civil rights movement. I accept that challenge. Now let me ask you to work with us from this day forward, to build a better America. There are new missions for the civil rights movement in the 1990s. From now on, the protection of civil rights must also mean the removal of all barriers to opportunity, for there are forms of poverty that cannot be measured or solved by dollars alone. In fighting against poverty and for opportunity, we must draw inspiration from achievements both at home and abroad. We must draw inspiration from the civil rights and Solidarity movements, and from the new hope dawning in South Africa today. For after all, the freedom march that wound through the country roads of Selma twenty-five years ago leads to the cobbled streets of Warsaw and Budapest today. And now the winds of change have come to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is a free man.\\ If I may, I would like to take just a moment to discuss America's Africa policy, for change is sweeping this troubled 6 African leaders, black and white. I encourage the ANG to and for all follow the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., and renounce violence. This commitment to non-violence is especially needed to stop black-on-black violence. Nelson Mandela put it best when he said that blacks must "close down the death factories," and take their guns, knives and spears and throw them into the sea. " These steps will help nurture the climate for negotiations toward a new system based on equal rights and opportunities. It is imperative that the opposition not miss this opportunity to negotiate seriously a framework for a truly democratic South Africa, liberated from the horror of apartheid. We are encouraged by signs that all sides share a growing commitment to this negotiating process. We stand ready to support this still fragile process in any way we can. Secretary Baker has just returned from South Africa, where he met with President de Klerk and the leading members of the black opposition. He met with Nelson Mandela in Namibia. I have also invited both President de Klerk and Mister Mandela to meet with me at the White House. I will spare no effort to bring about positive change in South Africa. But we must practice this diplomacy as a nation. We must continue our programs to assist the disadvantaged majority. American businesses that remain in South Africa must work for change. And we will make clear our strong conviction that multi- party democracy based on a vigorous free-enterprise system represents the best model for any successful society. 5 continent. But this time change brings opportunity. So let us work together to help the peoples of Africa to overcome poverty, disease, starvation and war. We are working to overcome these problems throughout Africa. We continue to actively seek national reconciliation in Angola, and we support the efforts of President Chissano to end the fighting in Mozambique. We are looking for ways we can help the newly independent nation of Namibia. In Ethiopia, we stand ready to deliver tons of food to save millions facing starvation. Tragically, the war that rages there prevents our access to these people in need. I call upon the political leaders of Ethiopia to give the highest priority to humanitarian relief by opening all available corridors for the urgent movement of food supplies. And I appeal to other members of the United Nations to use their influence to achieve this vital objective. But, South Africa is of special concern, because we can now take hope that the age of apartheid is nearing a close. III There are new signs of flexibility and commitment, both from the government and the opponents of apartheid. President de Klerk has already taken some significant steps -- lifting the ban on political parties and releasing Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. I salute President de Klerk for taking these steps -- but even more must be done. The State of Emergency must end and political prisoners must be released. Most of all, there must be an end to the tragic cycle of violence -- a task that demands great courage and resolve from all South 7 In short, we can all work for change. American influence is strongest when Americans speak with one voice. So let us work together to forge a strong consensus on South Africa -- one that unites all Americans -- of all races, of both parties -- in a noble cause. In America, we also seek the fulfillment of a noble cause - - to overcome obstacles to opportunity. And in this cause, let us look to the heroes of our times. Has the world known more improbable heroes than Rosa Parks and Lech Walesa? But heroes they are. Let us honor them by working together, in solidarity. 11 But opportunity alone is not enough, for there is yet another form of poverty caused by fear. In January, in Kansas City, I saw people who had suffered from crack and crackling bursts of gunfire not heard there since the days of the Old West. That same month I went to Cincinnati's Taft High School to speak out against drugs. In the audience was a 17 year old black honor student named Derrick Turnbow. Yesterday, I visited Derrick in the hospital because, you see, a few weeks after my visit he happened to get caught in the crossfire of a shoot- out. \\ Derrick was shot in the head. He is paralyzed. And the only means left to him to communicate is by winking. In Alexandria, just across the Potomac, I saw another neighborhood where a crack-crazed addict had slain a policeman. In Houston, at Acres Homes, I talked with citizens who had seen 8 their community ravaged by drug pushers and decided to change all that. But everywhere I went, I found hope. I found people who have had enough of fear, had enough of crime, had enough of dope. Just as the people of East Berlin stood up for freedom, so the people of these neighborhoods are rallying together, using people power to fight for another kind of freedom -- freedom from crime and drugs -- freedom from fear. We must march with them in solidarity, side by side, block by block, city by city. Then there is yet another kind of poverty, a growing poverty of knowledge. Many young men and women in this country are simply not learning -- not learning -- the basics -- to hold down a job or to raise a family. That is a national disgrace. We need to improve the quality of education for all Americans -- and raise our expectations for what we know our children can learn and accomplish. We must again work in solidarity to better our schools. That is why I am pleased that so many of you ---- leaders from business like David Kearns, along with leaders in government, education, labor and the media -- are working together to better our schools by serving on the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee. I have discussed just a few of the many ways in which we are trying to fight against poverty and for opportunity to build a better America. ((And I could go on. But I am reminded of the kid who went to church with his grandad. The kid asks: "What are 9 the those flags for, Grandad?" "For those who died in service." And 1 then the kid asks: "Really? Did they die in the 9 o'clock or the III We've talked about the struggle against crime and fear, the struggle for better education and opportunity. But the bottom line is this: When the morning comes, will we work together for what we have applauded tonight?\\ I have seen your good works. I know that we will. Let us make this the time for solidarity. Martin Luther King spoke of an arc of justice, a continuum of freedom. It is our legacy, our freedom legacy, that makes the sons and daughters of this American nation like no other. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1990 EVENT: Chairman's Reception Address Joint Center for Political Studies 20th Anniversary Dinner DRESS: Men - Business Suit Women - Cocktail Dress CONTACT: Office of Presidential Advance John G. Keller, Jr. - 202/456-7565 Trip Coordinator Barbara Jobe - 202/456-7565 ADVANCE: John Gibbons - LEAD Bobby Carr - PRESS John Enright - USSS John Stufflebeem - MIL. AIDE Dave Pistilli - WHCA WEATHER: Mid 50's SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1990 6:50 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush depart White House en route Washington Hilton Hotel. MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS: Lead Spare T. McBride Doctor LIMO THE PRESIDENT Mrs. Bush Follow Up Control A. Card S. Rogich Mil. Aide Support M. Fitzwater J. Parmer Official Photographer Medic Guest I E. Hilman Staff I Staff Van All Remaining Staff Press Van I J. Allison Press Van II (Drive Time: 5 Minutes) 6:55 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive Washington Hilton Hotel and proceed to International Ballroom, West End. Met By: NO! Mr. Bill Edwards General Manager, Washington Hilton Hotel Mr. David Kearns National Dinner Chairman Rev. Clarerce Nausone Jordan Mr. Eddie Williams President, Joint Center for Political Studies vernon ? Mr. Jim Robinson Chairman, American Express Does Mr. Wendell Freeland introdu Partner, Freeland and Kronz, Pittsburgh of POTUS EVENT: CHAIRMAN'S RECEPTION CLOSED PRESS ROPELINE 6:58 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive International Ballroom and begin participation in Ropeline Greeting. 7:15 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush conclude participation in Ropeline, depart International Ballroom and proceed to Holding Room. 7:17 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive Holding Room. 7:25 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush depart Holding Room and proceed to Off-Stage Announcement Area. Page Two 7:27 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive Off-Stage Announcement Area and hold briefly. EVENT: ADDRESS JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL STUDIES 20th ANNIVERSARY DINNER OPEN PRESS RUFFLES AND FLOURISHES OFF-STAGE ANNOUNCEMENT HAIL TO THE CHIEF REMARKS TELEPROMPTER 7:30 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush are announced onto Stage and proceed to Seats. 7:31 pm Welcoming Remarks given by Mr. Vernon Jordan, Master of Ceremonies. 7:32 pm Invocation given by Rev. Clarence Newsome. 7:33 pm THE PRESIDENT is introduced for Remarks by Mr. Wendell Freeland, Chairman, Joint Center for Political Studies Board of Directors. 7:35 pm THE PRESIDENT Remarks. 7:50 pm THE PRESIDENT concludes Remarks and, with Mrs. Bush, departs Stage and proceeds to Holding Ros- 7:51 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive Holding Room and hold briefly. Page Three 7:53 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush depart Holding Room and proceed to Motorcade. 7:55 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush board Motorcade and depart Washington Hilton Hotel en route White House. MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS: Same as on Arrival. (Drive Time: 5 Minutes) 8:00 pm " THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive White House. Page :- : - new structure for Pol, speeche S _meno to SL + +aw - more color usual questions beyond the Joint Center - Press disc -NO 1 - Tele - back - cards - 2/3 wts new spechwriter 19 Carlesp