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10/26/76 - Remarks in an Address to the Pittsburgh Economic Club, Pittsburgh, PA
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10/26/76 - Remarks in an Address to the Pittsburgh Economic Club, Pittsburgh, PA
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
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The original documents are located in Box 40, "10/26/76 - Remarks in an Address to the
Pittsburgh Economic Club, Pittsburgh, PA" of the President's Speeches and Statements:
Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
- Thank you, Jim (Burnham)
- Mayon Flaherty
- -Its a pleasure to be here
with the members and guests
ofthe Pittabureq Economic Club
Digitized from Box 40 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-1-
WHO PRESIDENT EAS SERS.-
SOME 20 YEARS AGO, SPEAKING BEFORE THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS, PRESIDENT EISENHOWER WAS ASKED
ABOUT THE GOALS OF UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY
"THE FOREIGN POLICY OF OUR NATION IS NOT DIFFICULT
TO STATE," HE SAID
-
"WE ARE FOR PEACE -- PEACE
FIRST, LAST AND ALWAYS
-2-
TODAY THAT REMAINS THE CENTRAL PURPOSE OF AMERICAN
FOREIGN POLICY
IT HAS BEEN THE PURPOSE OF EVERY
ADMINISTRATION SINCE I WENT TO WASHINGTON MORE THAN
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO
-3-
IN FACT, LOOKING BACK OVER THOSE YEARS, THROUGH
THE TERMS OF SIX PRESIDENTS
-
THREE DEMOCRATS AND
THREE REPUBLICANS -- YOU WILL FIND THAT WHILE THE
EMPHASIS MAY HAVE CHANGED FROM ONE ADMINISTRATION
TO THE NEXT, THE FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN FOREIGN
POLICY HAVE REMAINED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME
-4-
THERE HAVE BEEN MISJUDGMENTS
SOMETIMES WE
HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS THAT EXCEEDED OUR CAPABILITIES
SOMETIMES WE HAVE BEEN HEAVY-HANDED
BUT THE RECORD
OF ACHIEVEMENT FAR EXCEEDS THAT OF FAILURE
THROUGHOUT MY TIME AS PRESIDENT,
I HAVE SHAPED
OUR FOREIGN POLICY ACCORDING TO THESE FOUR BASIC
PRINCIPLES:
-5-
--
FIRST, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO MAINTAIN AMERICA'S
UNQUESTIONED MILITARY STRENGTH;
-- SECOND WE HAVE TRIED TO MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN
OUR FRIENDSHIPS WITH OUR ALLIES;
-- THIRD,
WORKING FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH,
WE HAVE SOUGHT TO REDUCE TENSION IN THE WORLD AND TO
AVERT THE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST;
-6-
-- FINALLY,
WE HAVE TRIED TO ACT AS LEADER AND AS
PEACEMAKER IN RESOLVING THE MANY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS THAT
HAVE ARISEN WITHIN A COMMUNITY OF NATIONS THAT HAS
BEEN CONSTANTLY EXPANDING
THERE IS NO BETTER TESTIMONY TO THE WISDOM OF OUR
POLICIES THAN THE FACT THAT TODAY AMERICA IS AT PEACE
-7-
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF OUR MEN IS FIGHTING OR DYING ON ANY
FOREIGN BATTLEFIELD
THE DRAFT NO LONGER HANGS OVER
THE HEADS OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION
-8-
TODAY AMERICA IS STRONG, READY TO MEET ANY
CHALLENGE TO OUR SECURITY
OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OUR ALLIES HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER
A POINT THAT HAS
BEEN ECHOED REPEATEDLY AS LEADERS OF OTHER NATIONS HAVE
STREAMED TO OUR SHORES TO SHARE IN OUR BICENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION
AND OUR ADVERSARIES RESPECT US:
THEY
RESPECT OUR COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM AND THEY RESPECT OUR
STRENGTH AND WILL TO PROTECT IT
-9-
THE PEACE THAT EXISTS TODAY IS DIRECTLY RELATED
TO OUR COLLECTIVE HARD WORK AND SKILLFUL DIPLOMACY
I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
I
AM VERY PROUD TO BE THE FIRST PRESIDENT SINCE DWIGHT
EISENHOWER TO SEEK ELECTION WITH AMERICA AT PEACE
-10-
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT DURING THE CLOSING WEEKS
OF THIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IT HAS BECOME APPARENT
THAT AMERICA IS NOW BEING ASKED BY MY OPPONENT TO MAKE
A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE DIRECTION AND CONDUCT OF
U.
S
FOREIGN POLICY
AS CITIZENS AND AS VOTERS
YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WISH TO BUILD ON
THE GREAT TRADITIONS OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
-11-
THE POLICIES THAT CAN KEEP US STRONG AND AT PEACE
OR WHETHER YOU WISH TO BREAK FROM THOSE TRADITIONS,
VENTUR ING INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH A DOCTRINE THAT IS
UNTESTED,
UNTRIED,
AND IN MY VIEW,
POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS
- 12 -
THIS DOCTRINE DEVIATES SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE
SOLID PRINCIPLES OF THE BIPARTISAN FOREIGN AND
DEFENSE POLICIES OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
IT HAS A
STRONG FLAVOR OF ISOLATIONISM
IF IT IS APPLIED
IN PRACTICE IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT IS DESCRIBED IN
CAMPAIGN ORATORY, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK IT
COULD LEAD TO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CRISES
- 13 -
LET US LOOK A FEW MOMENTS AT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE POLICIES OF MY ADMINISTRATION
AND THOSE THAT ARE OFFERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
DURING THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF MY PRESIDENCY,
I HAVE FOUGHT HARD TO STRENGTHEN OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE
- - 14 -
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, DEFENSE SPENDING WAS
A SMALLER SHARE OF THE NATIONAL BUDGET THAN AT
ANY TIME SINCE BEFORE THE KOREAN WAR
WE WERE
AT THE RAZOR'S EDGE IN DEFENSE STRENGTH
IF THE
CONGRESS HAD CONTINUED CUTTING OUR DEFENSE BUDGETS,
WE WOULD ASSUREDLY HAVE DRIFTED INTO A POSITION OF
MILITARY INFERIORITY
- 15 -
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS OF
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS THAT WE HAVE NOW REVERSED
THAT SLIDE
AND AS LONG AS I AM PRESIDENT,
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ARMY, \ A NAVY, ,\ AN
AIR FORCE AND A MARINE CORPS THAT ARE UNSURPASSED
IN MILITARY CAPABILITY
I KNOW IT IS COSTLY
- 16 -
AS PRESIDENT EISENHOWER ONCE SAID, "A GOOD
DEFENSE IS NEVER A CHEAP DEFENSE."
BUT FOR THE
SAKE OF PEACE AND FREEDOM WE MUST BE WILLING TO
MAKE THE SACRIFICES THAT MAINTAIN AMERICA'S
MILITARY MIGHT
-17-
NOW CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE THAT IS BEING
OFFERED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THIS ELECTION
INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING OUR MILITARY STRENGTH
THE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED IS TO SLASH BILLIONS FROM
OUR DEFENSE BUDGET, STRIPPING US NOT OF WASTE
BUT OF MILITARY MUSCLE
THE B-1 BOMBER IS A
PRIME EXAMPLE
-18-
I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SECURITY TO GO FORWARD
WITH PRODUCTION OF THIS NEW AIRCRAFT WHICH HAS MET AND
SURPASSED EVERY TEST TO DATE
IT WOULD REPLACE THE
AGING B-52, so THAT OUR PILOTS CAN DEFEND AMERICA IN
AIRCRAFT THAT GIVE US A RELIABLE CAPABILITY FOR
PENETRATING IMPROVED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS OF OUR
POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES
-19-
so THE DIFFERENCES IN DEFENSE SPENDING ARE CLEAR:
I
WANT TO CONTINUE ON A COURSE WHICH I BELIEVE WILL
KEEP US STRONG AND FREE.
\\
THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO HEAD
DOWN A ROAD WHICH COULD RAISE DOUBTS ABOUT OUR
STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION ON THE PART OF OUR FRIENDS
AND POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES
- 20 -
A SECOND BASIC PRINCIPLE OF AMERICA'S POLICY
IS TO MAINTAIN STRONG, DURABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OUR ALLIES
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, AMERICA WAS IN THE MIDST
OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
WE WERE STILL
SUFFERING FROM THE BITTERNESS OF VIETNAM
AND
WE WERE FACED WITH A DETERIORATING ECONOMY.
- 21 -
THE WORLD WAS WATCHING TO SEE IF WE WOULD RECOVER
THEY KNEW IT WAS CRITICAL TO THEIR OWN FUTURE,
BECAUSE IF AMERICA BECAME MIRED IN SELF-DOUBTS,
THEN THE PEACE OF THE WORLD WOULD BE JEOPARDIZED
I AM PROUD OF OUR RECORD DURING THIS PERIOD
OF TESTING:
- 22 -
-- WE HAVE LED THE WORLD OUT OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS RECESSION SINCE THE 1930s AND LAUNCHED
OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY WITHOUT PRODUCING ANOTHER
ROUND OF DEVASTATING INFLATION.
- 23 -
-- THE ECONOMIC COMEBACK OF THE INDUSTRIALIZED
DEMOCRACIES IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED NOT WITH THE
BEGGAR-THY - NEIGHBOR POLICIES OF THE 1930s BUT WITH
AN UNPRECEDENTED DEGREE OF COOPERATION, AS
WITNESSED BY THE SUMMIT MEETINGS IN FRANCE AND
PUERTO RICO OF THE LEADING INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES.
- 24 -
-- IN EUROPE, WE HAVE INJECTED NEW VIGOR
INTO THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE
WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
RESISTED CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURES TO REDUCE OUR
NATO TROOP COMMITMENTS, WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY
WITH OUR ALLIES ON THE ENERGY CRISIS, ON THE NON-
PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS,
ON ECONOMIC
POLICIES AND ON COORDINATING OUR APPROACHES TO
EAST-WEST DIPLOMACY
THE ALLIANCE IN EUROPE
HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER
-25-
-- WE HAVE ALSO MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST
THE UNITED STATES STANDS STAUNCHLY BY
ISRAEL, SUPPLYING IN JUST TWO YEARS TIME OVER 40 PERCENT
OF ALL U.S. AID TO THAT COUNTRY SINCE ITS FOUND ING IN 1948
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE EARNED THE RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE
OF THE ARAB NATIONS
TODAY, THE UNITED STATES IS THE
ONLY MAJOR LEADER TRUSTED BY BOTH SIDES IN THE MIDDLE EAST;
THEY WANT OUR LEADERSHIP, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
IT
-26-
-- WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO ASIA WITH NEW CONFIDENCE TODAY
WE NOW ENJOY THE STRONGEST LINKS EVER WITH JAPAN
THIS
WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE FIRST VISIT EVER OF THE EMPEROR
TO THE U.S. AND MY OWN VISIT TO HIS HOMELAND -- THE FIRST
VISIT TO JAPAN BY AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT
WE HAVE REMAINED STEADFAST IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA
WE HAVE PUT THE VIETNAM WAR BEHIND US IN A WAY WHICH HAS
PROTECTED OUR ESSENTIAL INTEREST AND MAINTAINED AMERICA'S
RESPECT IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD
-27-
-- WE HAVE OPENED THE DOOR TO BETTER RELATIONS
WITH CHINA
NOW LET US LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVE THAT IS BEING OFFERED
IN THIS ELECTION
-- INSTEAD OF HOLDING FIRM IN ASIA, WE ARE TOLD THAT
WE SHOULD PULL OUR TROOPS AND MAJOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS OUT
OF KOREA
AN INVITATION TO DISASTER NOT ONLY THERE BUT
IN JAPAN AS WELL
-- IN EUROPE, WE ARE TOLD THAT WE SHOULD NOT "CLOSE
THE DOOR" TO CONSULTATIONS AND "FRIENDSHIPS" WITH THE
COMMUNIST LEADERS OF ITALY, FRANCE AND PORTUGAL
-28-
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER THE IMPACT THAT SUCH AN
APPROACH WOULD HAVE UPON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTIES THAT
HAVE, FOR DECADES, WAGED A STRUGGLE TO PRESERVE FREEDOM
AGAINST COMMUNIST TYRANNY
-- IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE ALTERNATIVE APPEARS
DISTINCTLY HOSTILE TO OUR FRIENDSHIPS WITH MODERATE ARAB
STATES
I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE THAT SUCH A TOTAL
DEPARTURE FROM CURRENT POLICIES COULD DRIVE THESE COUNTRIES
INTO THE ARMS OF THE SOVIETS,
THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE
AREA AND EVENTUALLY INFLICTING ENORMOUS HARM UPON THE VERY
COUNTRY THAT IT PURPORTS TO HELP, THE STATE OF ISRAEL
-29-
LET US LOOK NOW AT STILL ANOTHER BASIC PRINCIPLE OF
OUR FOREIGN POLICY:
TO REDUCE TENSIONS WITH OUR
ADVERSARIES AND REDUCE THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR WAR
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE TAKEN SIGNIFICANT
STRIDES DOWN THE PATH TOWARD HALTING AND REVERSING
THE STRATEGIC ARMS SPIRAL
EARLY IN MY ADMINISTRATION
I MET WITH GENERAL SECRETARY BREZHNEV IN VLADIVOSTOK,
WHERE WE PLEDGED OUR MUTUAL EFFORTS TO REACH A NEW
AGREEMENT LIMITING NUCLEAR ARMAMENTS.
-30-
TODAY AN AGREEMENT EMBODYING THE VLADIVOSTOK ACCORDS IS
90 PERCENT COMPLETE.
I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT IT CAN BE
SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE
AND THAT
WE CAN WORK FOR EVEN FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN NUCLEAR
WEAPONS
WHEN THAT AGREEMENT IS REACHED
THE
,
PROSPECTS FOR REDUC ING THE DANGERS OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST
WILL BRIGHTEN AROUND THE WORLD
-31-
BUT LET US NEVER FORGET AMERICAN PRESIDENTS HAVE
LEAR NED THAT TOUGH TALK BY ITSELF IS INSUFFICIENT;
IT
IS TOO EASILY DISMISSED AS BOMBAST
OUR RHETORIC
MUST BE BACKED BY SUBSTANCE,
A STRONG NATIONAL
DEFENSE,
STRONG ALLIANCES,
AND STRONG DIPLOMACY
IN PLACE OF A STRONG DEFENSE, THE ALTERNATIVE
CALLED FOR IN THIS ELECTION IS A WEAKENED DEFENSE
-32-
IN PLACE OF STRONG ALLIANCES, WE ARE OFFERED TROOP
PULLBACKS AND SWEEPING REVIEWS OF AMERICA'S COMMITMENTS
TO ITS ALLIES
IN PLACE OF THE STRATEGIC ARMS
AGREEMENT AT VLADIVOSTOK
WHICH PROVIDES FOR EQUAL
about 200
NUMBERS AT A LEVEL REQUIRING SOVIET REDUCTIONS
THE
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED IS A FREEZE AT CURRENT LEVELS
-33-
THIS MAJOR STEP BACKWARD WOULD LOCK US INTO FORCE
LEVELS WHICH FOR THE SOVIET UNION WOULD BE HIGHER
THAN AGREED AT VLADIVOSTOK AND FOR THE UNITED STATES
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER
IN THE PAST, AMERICAN PRESIDENTS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN
THEY SHOULD NEVER SAY IN ADVANCE PRECISELY WHAT COURSE
OF ACTION THIS COUNTRY WOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT OF AN
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS
THE REASON FOR SUCH AN APPROACH
OUGHT TO BE OBVIOUS
-34-
WHEN A POTENTIAL ADVERSARY KNOWS WHAT YOU WILL AND WON'T
DO IN ADVANCE, YOUR FLEXIBILITY IS LIMITED AND HIS IS
INCREASED
HE CAN PROBE WITH IMPUNITY OR REDIRECT
HIS EFFORTS AT MORE TEMPTING TARGETS
THE ACQUISITION
OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SUCH INTENTIONS IN ADVANCE IS ONE OF
THE MAJOR REASONS WHY COUNTRIES SPEND VAST SUMS FOR
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
THUS,
IT WAS WITH SOME
SURPRISE THAT I HEARD A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL FOR TOTAL
ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST THE ARABS IN THE EVENT OF
ANOTHER OIL EMBARGO
-35-
I THOUGHT SUCH A STATEMENT OF A SPECIFIC COURSE OF
ACTION IN ADVANCE WAS A SINGULAR MISTAKE WHICH,
ONCE
MADE, WOULD NOT BE REPEATED
I WAS,
THEREFORE,
SURPRISED TO HEAR HIM MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AT
WILLIAMSBURG IN HIS ILLADVISED COMMENTS CONCERNING WHAT
HE MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT DO IF THE FUTURE SECURITY OF
YUGOSLAVIA WAS THREATENED
STATEMENTS OF THIS KIND,
AS WE LEARNED OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO,
INSTEAD OF
SERVING THE CAUSE OF PEACE, INVITE CONFLICT
-36-
THEY INVITE AGGRESSION RATHER THAN DETER IT.
I HAVE
TO ASSUME THAT THIS STATEMENT SIMPLY REFLECTS INEXPERIENCE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
EVEN THOUGH AMERICA IS AT
PEACE TODAY, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE CONTINUE TO LIVE
IN A DANGEROUS WORLD
A WORLD HOSTILE TO FREEDOM
UNREST IS STILL SEETHING IN MANY PARTS OF THE GLOBE
THE CHALLENGE TO AMERICAN DIPLOMACY DUR ING THESE NEXT
FOUR YEARS WILL BE EQUAL TO ANY OTHER PERIOD IN OUR
LIFETIME
-37-
WE MUST COMPLETE NEGOTIATIONS ON A SALT AGREEMENT TO
REPLACE THE CURRENT TREATY, WHICH EXPIRES IN OCTOBER
OF 1977
WE MUST CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE
POWDERKEG IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
WE MUST WORK TO ACHIEVE
A JUST,
STABLE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
WE MUST RESTORE
PROSPERITY
AND WE MUST DEAL INTELLIGENTLY AND
COMPASSIONATELY WITH THE NEW AGENDA OF WORLD ISSUES SUCH
AS NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION,
ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE,
FOOD,
ENERGY,
POLLUTION,
AND GROWING POPULATIONS.
-38-
WE CAN SUCCEED IN THESE TASKS ONLY IF WE REMAIN TRUE
TO THE GREAT PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE GUIDED UNITED STATES FOREIGN
POLICY FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO WEAKEN OUR OWN DEFENSE,
TO REFUSE
TO EQUIP OUR TROOPS WITH ESSENTIAL NEW WEAPONS,
TO
UNDERMINE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS BY HINTING AT NEW RELATIONSHIPS
WITH COMMUNIST LEADERS IN WESTERN EUROPE,
TO WITHDRAW OUR
TROOPS FROM SOUTH KOREA,
TO UPSET THE BALANCE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST,
OR TO CONCEDE SUCH NATIONS AS YUGOSLAVIA
TO THE SOVIET SPHERE
-39-
THIS IS A TIME TO BENEFIT FROM AND BUILD UPON THE
WISDOM WE HAVE INHERITED
THE PEACE WE ENJOY TODAY IS NOT AN ACCIDENT
THE PEACE WE HAVE TODAY IS A PRODUCT OF THE PATIENT
DIPLOMACY AND THE DETERMINATION OF THE PAST
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST BE WILLING TO PAY THE
PRICE FOR A MIGHTY FORCE
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST BE WILLING TO SHOULDER
THE BURDENS OF OUR ALLIANCES AND FRIENDSHIPS
-40-
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST BE TOUGH-MINDED AND
PERSISTENT IN DEALING WITH OUR ADVERSARIES
NEVER
NOT ONCE
CAN WE DROP OUR GUARD
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST APPLY THE ENORMOUS
TALENT AND TECHNOLOGY OF AMERICA TO ADVANCING GAINS MADE
IN FAR-FLUNG CORNERS OF THE WORLD, STRETCHING FROM THE
MIDDLE EAST TO AFRICA
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST BE GENEROUS AND
COMPASSIONATE TOWARD OTHERS LESS FORTUNATE THAN OURSELVES.
-41-
FINALLY, TO PRESERVE THE PEACE, WE MUST BE TRUE TO THE
IDEALS OF AMERICA -- TO OUR LOVE OF FREEDOM AND DIGNITY
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HUMANKIND
THESE ARE MY GOALS AS YOUR PRESIDENT
THEY ARE THE
GOALS OF A GREAT NATION
WITH YOUR HELP, WITH YOUR
PRAYERS, I WILL CONTINUE THEIR PURSUIT DURING THE NEXT
FOUR YEARS
AND I PLEDGE TO YOU TODAY, THAT AS LONG
AS I AM YOUR PRESIDENT, I WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN
THANK YOU
END OF TEXT