[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 22, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ROBERT GEORGE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 22, 1997

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Robert 
George, a constituent of mine who for 30 years put on a long white 
beard and a red suit to play Santa at Christmas time. Many people have 
played Santa at shopping malls, private parties and amusement parks. 
What makes Mr. George unusual is that he was Santa at several White 
House Christmas functions.
  Though a staunch Democrat, Mr. George was very much a bipartisan 
Santa. He began playing St. Nick at the White House during the 
Eisenhower years, and continued through the Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, 
Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush administrations. He has one of the more 
unusual political scrapbooks I have seen; pictures of Santa and the 
Carters, Santa and Gerald Ford, Santa and the Nixons, Santa and John 
Kennedy and Santa and the Eisenhowers.
  In addition to the photos, Mr. George has a collection of thank you 
letters from inhabitants of the White House. I especially enjoyed the 
note from Barbara Bush, written when her husband was Vice President, 
which included this closing line: ``The stuffed animals will be great 
successes with our grandchildren, and we both appreciate your 
generosity.''
  Mr. George has been Santa in more places than the White House. He has 
participated in Christmas parades in Hollywood, Tulsa, Toledo and 
Phoenix, and has appeared on numerous television programs through the 
years.
  When he's not Santa, Mr. George is still infused with the spirit of 
giving. He has spent more than a decade aiding the LA Mission, and has 
been quite active with Easter Seals, the Starlight Foundation, and the 
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
  If you call Mr. George at home, he answers with the number of days 
until Christmas. He is obviously a man who loves his work.
  I ask my colleagues to join me today in saluting Robert George, whose 
dedication to making this a better world inspires us all.

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