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克林顿在总统图书馆发表致谢演讲PresidentClintonsRemarksatLibraryDedication11月18日，美国第12个总统图书馆——克林顿图书馆正式向公众开放，克林顿政府要员、前总统老布什和现任总统小布什、演艺明星等人前往捧场，出席总人数估计达到了3万人。该图书馆名为威廉·杰斐逊·克林顿总统中心，座落在美国前总统克林顿的家乡美国中南部阿肯色州的小石城。按照美国政府的传统，军乐团奏起《向总统致敬》，克林顿在老布什、小布什和前总统卡特的陪同下走上台。早些时候他们的夫人已经上台。由于下着大雨，每人都撑着一把伞。November18,2004PRESIDENTClinton:(Applause)Well,ladiesandgentlemen,ifmybelovedmotherwerehere,shewouldremindmethatrainisliquidsunshineandthatIshouldntcomplainaboutthisbecausethegroundprobablyneedsitandsomebodyisbenefitingfromit.Mr.PresidentandMrs.Bush,PresidentandMrs.Carter,PresidentandMrs.Bush,membersoftheEisenhower,Nixon,Johnson,KennedyandCarterfamilies;tothevastnumberofmembersofCongressandformermembersofCongresshere--Idontknowwheretheyarebecauseyoureallinponchos--(cheers)--buttheretheyare;theresahugegroupfromCongress,andthepresidentsentfourplanesdownandIthankhimforthat;toalltheguestsfromothercountries;andmyfellowAmericans--welcometomyrainylibrarydedication.(Laughter)ThankyouSkipRutherfordandallthoseonmystaffandthevolunteersfromArkansasandacrossAmericawhoworksohardtomakethiseventjustperfect--(helaughs)--andexceptforonething,itis.Ithankthepreviousspeakersandthosewhohavesungandentertained.Mr.President,Icantthankyouenoughforyourgenerouswordsandforcomingtotheopeningatall.Imean,afterall,youjustdelayedyourownlibraryopeningbyfouryears.(Laughter.)Icongratulateyouonyourelection,andIwishyouGodspeed,especiallyinanewandmorehopefultimeforpeaceintheMiddleEast.IrememberthefirsttimeIeverheardGeorgeW.BushgiveaspeechinIowa,andIcalledafriendofmineandIsaid:MyGod,thatguycanbeatus.Heisagoodpolitician.Hehasbeenverykindandgeneroustomyfamily,andIthankhimforthat.Todaywereallred,whiteandblue.IthankformerPresidentBushandMrs.Bushforcomingandfortheirservicetoournation.PresidentBush,Ilovedallthatstuffyousaid.ButIwanttothankyouforsomethingseriously.In1989,afterIhadbeengovernorforalongtime,youwerethepresidentwhofinallycalledustogetherandaskedustodevelopnationaleducationgoalsforAmericasothatallourchildrencouldgetagoodeducation.Itwasthebeginningofaseriousreformeffort,whichItriedtocarrythroughandwhichIknowPresidentBushhastriedtopush.Sothankyoufordoingthatandforgivingmetheopportunitytoworkwithyou.ThankyouPresidentandMrs.CarterforallyoudidintheWhiteHouseandallyouvedoneintheyearssincetomaketheworldmorejustandpeaceful.JohnQuincyAdamsoncesaid,Thereisnothinginlifesopatheticasaformerpresident.Well,heturnedouttobewrongbecauseofhisownservice,andPresidentCarterhasprovedthatnothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.(Applause)Hejusttoldyouwemet30yearsagowhenhewastryingtohelpme.Hedidnttellyouthat,lessthanayearlaterandlessthanamilefromhere,JimmyCarteraskedHillaryandmetojoininhiscampaignforthepresidency.Wedid,andasyoucanseefromthisday,itwasthebeginningofquitearide.IrecentlyspokewithPresidentFord,who,at91,isunabletocomeand--withhisextraordinarywife,Betty.Buttheystillarestrong.YesterdayIreceivedawonderfulletterfromNancyReagan,whoremainsinourthoughtsandprayers.IthanktheFordsandNancyandthelatePresidentReaganfortheirservicetoourcountry.IwanttothankallthevastnumbersofCongressandformermemberswhoareherewhoservedwithme.Icouldnthavedonemostofthegoodthingswedidwithoutem,andtheyrenotresponsibleforanyofthemistakesImade.Icantseethroughalltheumbrellasandalltheponchosorwhateveryoucallthoseplasticthingsthatmakeyoualllooksobeautiful--(laughter)--butImprettysureSenatorKerrysoutthere.Andifheis,IwanttothankhimandImgladhesbackonthejob.(Applause)Iwanttothankthepeopleofmybelovedhomestateforyoursupport,foryourlove,yourfriendship,thetrust,thesacrificesyousowillinglymadewhenweworkedtogetherhereandwhenyoucarriedmetotheWhiteHouse.Ithankthefriendsofalifetimewhoalsomadeindispensablecontributions.IvesaidalotoftimesImaybetheonlyguythatevergotelectedpresidentbecauseofhispersonalfriends.Ithankmypastor,RexHorne,andalltheotherministersherewhohavetaughtme,prayedwithme,andcounseledmeovertheyears.IthankGodformyfamilyandHillarysfamily.Alotofthemareheretoday,andIthankyouformakingthiswholelongtrip.LikeIsaid,Idowishmymotherwerehere.Shewouldhaveenjoyedseeingallofyou,evenintherain,andIpromiseyou--(helaughs)--youwouldhaveenjoyedseeingher.Mostofall,IwanttothankHillaryandChelsea.NowHillarysasenatorandshehasallthepowerinourfamily,butshesprovingwhatIalwayssaid.Shehasthebestcombinationofmindandheart,convictionandcompassionIveeverencountered,thoughImustsayChelseaisgivinghermotheragoodrun.Chelsea,yourlifeandourloveforyougavemeaningtoourpublicservice.Theymadethepresidencythesecond-mostimportantjobIeverhad.Iloveyoubothsomuch.Thankyou.Andletmelastlythankthepeoplewhohavecontributedtoandbuiltthislibrary:theSchoolofPublicServiceandthefoundation,mystaff,myformerstaff,theboard,thearchitects,theexhibitdesigners,thelandscapers,thecontractors,the1,500peoplewhoputthisbuildingup,thecityandstateofficialswhosupportedit.Ithankespeciallythearchitects,JimPolshekandRichardOlcott;RalphApplebaumforthewonderfulexhibits;andmylongtimefriend,BillClark,whosecompanybuiltthisbuilding.IalsowanttosaythatIthankthoseofyouwhoarecontinuingtohelpintheworkofthelibraryandthefoundation.Thislib