THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you very
much. Mr. Secretary, thank you for those kind words. I picked the
right man to be the Secretary of Defense at this time in history.
Mrs. Reagan, it is an honor to be with you. Reagan family
members, friends of the great President, Laura and I are honored to be
here.
We join with the Governor and Senator of this state in asking
for God's blessings on those who lost their lives yesterday, and for
their families.
Bill, thank you very much for your hospitality. Secretary
Powell and Secretary Abraham, Leader Lott, Chairman Warner -- I can't
tell if you're trying to retire me early -- (laughter) -- or influence
my behavior. (Laughter.)
Senator Allen, Governor Gilmore, Representative Scott and
members of Congress, Justice Kennedy, Admiral Clark, welcome. But most
of all, I want to welcome the men and women of the United States Navy,
including the officers and crew who will soon be on the Ronald
Reagan. (Applause.)
Looking at the bow of this great ship, we think of those who
will sail it, and of those who built it, and to this ship, six years in
the making, we have put the finest of American workmanship. On board
this ship we'll put the finest sailors in the world. And upon this ship
we have put the finest of American names.
Forty-nine years ago, another outstanding American took that
name herself. Mrs. Reagan, I know today is your 49th anniversary,
wedding anniversary. Since your wedding day, you've seen the name
Reagan written large in many places, from theater marquees to the
archways of great buildings. But there is something especially fitting
in the place it holds today, on the newest ship, in the greatest Navy in
the world. (Applause.) When we send her off to sea, it is certain that
the Ronald Reagan will meet with rough waters, as well as smooth, and
headwinds as well as fair. But she will sail tall and strong, like the
man we have known.
A man can not be strong forever, but if he is very fortunate,
life will send him a partner to be strong when he is not. In a life of
honors, Ronald Reagan has always valued one honor above all, the love of
Nancy. It is a love that believes all, hopes all, and endures
all. Mrs. Reagan, anyone who has seen you together knows how much you
mean to him. I want you to know how much your care and love for him
means to America. (Applause.)
It was said of a great architect centuries ago, if you want to
seek his monument, look around you. That is true of Ronald Reagan. We
live in a world shaped in so many ways by his will and heart. As
President, Ronald Reagan believed without question that tyranny is
temporary, and the hope of freedom is universal and permanent; that our
nation has a unique goodness, and must remain uniquely strong; that God
takes the side of justice, because all our rights are His own gifts.
The strength of these beliefs gave strength to our allies and
hope to political prisoners, and courage to average citizens in
oppressed nations, and leadership to our military and to our country.
Some achievements fade with the years. Ronald Reagan's
achievements grow larger with the passing of time. He had a profound
vision of America's role in the world as one of peace through
strength. And because of Ronald Reagan, the world saw America as a
strong and peaceful nation.
Today's world is different from the one he faced and
changed. We are no longer divided into armed camps, locked in a careful
balance of terror. Yet, freedom still has enemies. Our present
dangers are less concentrated and more varied. They come from rogue
nations, from terrorism, from missiles that threaten our forces, our
friends, our allies and our homeland. Our times call for new
thinking. But the values Ronald Reagan brought to America's conduct in
the world will not change.
So as we dedicate this ship, I want to rededicate American
policy to Ronald Reagan's vision of optimism, modesty, and
resolve. Ronald Reagan's optimism defined his character and it defined
his presidency. More than a habit of mind, this optimism sprang from
deep confidence in the power and future of American ideals. Great
democracies, he believed, are built on the strong foundation of consent
and human dignity. Any government built on oppression is built on
sand. The future, he proclaimed, belongs to the free.
That belief has lost none of its power to inspire hope and
change. Around the world today, the expectation of freedom is fed by
free markets and expanded by free trade, and carried across borders by
the Internet. And nations that try to restrict these freedoms are in a
losing battle with liberty.
America, by nature, stands for freedom. And we must always
remember, we benefit when it expands. So we will stand by those nations
moving toward freedom. We'll stand up to those nations who deny freedom
and threaten our neighbors or our vital interests. And we will assert
emphatically that the future will belong to the free.
At the same time President Reagan understood that this
confidence should never be arrogance. No one was better at using the
bully pulpit of the presidency, but under his leadership America was
never a bully.
One of the ways we show the world we take our values seriously
is to live by them, ourselves. Our nation cherishes freedom, but we do
not own it. While it is the birthright of every American, it is also
the equal promise of the religious believe in Southern Sudan, or an
Iraqi farmer in the Tigress Valley, or of a child born in China
today. We help fulfill that promise not by lecturing the world, but by
leading it.
Precisely because America is powerful, we must be sensitive
about expressing our power and influence. Our goal is to patiently
build the momentum of freedom, not create resentment for America
itself. We pursue our goals; we will listen to others; we want strong
friends to join us, not weak neighbors to dominate. In all our dealings
with other nations, we will display the modesty of true confidence and
strength.
And finally, Ronald Reagan understood that the advance of
freedom depends on American strength. We must have a military that is
second to none, and that includes a Navy that is second to
none. (Applause.)
As has been mentioned, for the last 60 years, every President
has had to ask, where are the carriers? None has ever been disappointed
by the Navy's response. Just a few weeks ago, I asked the same
question, and called upon the Harry S. Truman in the Persian
Gulf. Ronald Reagan built the military of today, the military that
keeps our peace. But we cannot live forever on that legacy. Our
challenge is to build a military that will deter and win the wars of the
future.
Almost 20 years ago President Reagan made his first visit to an
aircraft carrier, the USS Constellation. He told the sailors how
grateful America was that they were there as a powerful force in an
uncertain world. One hundred thousand tons of American power you see
over here will carry forward this proud tradition. In fact, in two
years, the Reagan will actually replace the U.S. Constellation.
What you don't see is what's different between those two
magnificent vessels. The island on the Reagan's main deck is almost the
same height as that of its predecessors, but it has one less level. The
empty space will be filled with cables that will tie the ship into a
vast network that connects information and weapons in new ways. This
will revolutionize the Navy's ability to project American power over
land and sea, ensuring access for all our forces, wherever our vital
interests are threatened.
These new capabilities are the future of our military, not just
the Navy, but of all our services. It is the future of where a
revolution in technology will change the face of war, itself. We'll
keep the peace by redefining the terms of war. We'll change our
military, yet we will never forget that America's strength ultimately
depends on the courage and spirit of the men and women who wear the
uniform.
Nearly half our ships are at sea right now. One-third are
forward deployed overseas, taking their crew away from family and the
comforts of home. In our sleep we don't think about the enemies that
the men and women who wear the uniform deter, the friends they reassure,
the freedom in trade they guarantee. Yet, we rest at night protected by
the security they provide.
As President, Ronald Reagan understood our duty to these brave
Americans, and so do I. Our men and women in uniform give America their
best, and we owe them our support in return. These are the defining
qualities of Ronald Reagan, optimism, modesty and strength. They're
also the qualities that will guide America in a new century.
So, today, the Ronald Reagan begins its journey into the bright
and peaceful dawn that President Reagan helped to bring. All of us here
wish the ship Ronald Reagan Godspeed. And we wish Ronald Reagan God's
blessings.
God bless America. (Applause.) |