[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 60 (Monday, May 13, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4270-S4273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

         DEDICATION OF THE EISENHOWER EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, on Tuesday, May 7th, 2002, the Old 
Executive Office Building was renamed in honor of President Dwight D. 
Eisenhower. The dedication of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office 
Building was pursuant to legislation introduced by my late father, 
Senator John H. Chafee, on September 28, 1999 and signed into law by 
President Clinton on November 9, 1999. President George W. Bush, 
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, General Service Administration 
Administrator Stephen A. Perry, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul 
Wolfowitz, and Eisenhower Institute President Susan Eisenhower were 
present and delivered remarks at last Tuesday's ceremony. I ask that 
their remarks be printed in the Record.
  The remarks follow:

   Remarks at Dedication Ceremony to Rename the Old Executive Office 
    Building in Honor of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, mAY 7, 2002


    Remarks by Administrator Stephen A. Perry, U.S. General Service 
                             Administration

       Mr. President, Secretary Powell, Deputy Secretary 
     Wolfowitz, Ms. Eisenhower and the Eisenhower Family, 
     Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
       It is my privilege to welcome you today to the dedication 
     and renaming of this building--the Eisenhower Executive 
     Office Building. This magnificent structure is one of the 
     most distinctive of the 400 historic properties in the 
     inventory of the General Services Administration.
       This building was commissioned by another renowned general 
     and president--Ulysses S. Grant. It was designed by architect 
     Alfred B. Mullett. The construction of this building was 
     completed in 1888, and it was known originally as the State, 
     War and Navy Building.
       As might be expected of a building of this vintage and in 
     this location it is steeped in history. Among other things, 
     it has been the office for 16 Secretaries of the Navy, 21 
     Secretaries of War and 24 Secretaries of State. Seven future 
     presidents had offices in the building before they eventually 
     became occupants of the Oval Office--including, of course, 
     Dwight D. Eisenhower.
       This building's commanding presence in our Nation's capital 
     serves to remind us of the commanding presence that President 
     Eisenhower always had. He personified honor, dignity and 
     integrity. The many medals that decorated his Army uniform 
     signify that he was a great leader, a brilliant military 
     strategist, a builder of alliances and a peacemaker.
       As General Eisenhower and as President Eisenhower, he was a 
     staunch defender of freedom--from the vast arena of world war 
     to the classrooms of a local public high school in Little 
     Rock, Arkansas. He was--and is--a genuine American hero and 
     statesman.
       Ladies and gentlemen, it is fitting that we honor President 
     Eisenhower's life and legacy with the naming of this stately 
     building. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building 
     marks the spot of its namesake's rightful place in history 
     here in Washington, DC, our nation's capital, and on 
     Pennsylvania Avenue, America's Main Street.
       Now I would like to introduce our next speaker. Dr. Paul 
     Wolfowitz is our country's 28th Deputy Secretary of Defense. 
     He was previously Dean and Professor of International 
     Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced 
     International Studies of The Johns Hopkins University. His 
     distinguished government career includes service as the 
     Ambassador to Indonesia and Assistant Secretary of State for 
     East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
       His current appointment marks his third tour of duty at the 
     Pentagon. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Deputy 
     Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz.


         Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz

       President Bush; Secretary [of State] Powell; [GSA] 
     Administrator Perry; Susan Eisenhower and members of the 
     Eisenhower family; distinguished guests, ladies and 
     gentlemen.
       It is an honor to be able to join you today in paying 
     tribute to Dwight David Eisenhower-a man whose courage, 
     dignity and character exemplified the spirit of that 
     ``Greatest Generation,'' which sacrificed so much to preserve 
     peace and freedom for our generation and generations to come.
       The windows of the Pentagon, where I work, frame a view of 
     the Arlington hillsides where so many of those heroes sleep. 
     Images of that great leader known as ``Ike'' line the 
     Eisenhower Corridor just outside the Pentagon office of the 
     Secretary of Defense. His is the first face--the face of the 
     young cadet, the Supreme Allied Commander, the President of 
     the United States--that many of us see on the start of our 
     day and which sends us on our way each night.
       Dwight Eisenhower's vision, determination and courage to 
     change continues to inspire and serve as a model for us, Mr. 
     President, as we carry out your instructions to transform 
     America's Armed Forces and prepare for the new and different 
     challenges of the 21st Century.
       When Dwight David Eisenhower was still a young officer 
     between the world wars, he and another young officer by the 
     name of George Patton began writing about the future of 
     armored warfare. He was called in by his commander and told 
     if he published anything else contrary to ``solid infantry 
     doctrine,'' he would be court-martialed.
       But Major Eisenhower persevered. Later, Supreme Allied 
     Commander Dwight David Eisenhower put George Patton and the 
     Third Army to work. The rest is history. The history of 
     victory in Europe-victory over Nazi oppression--the 
     foundation of a new and stable peace in Europe that has 
     lasted more than half a century and led to the peaceful 
     triumph in the Cold War.
       Like all great leaders, Eisenhower had a sense of 
     proportion about himself and a deep humility. Addressing the 
     British Parliament, which honored him after the triumph of 
     the Allied Forces, he said that he was merely a symbol--a 
     symbol of the ``great human forces that have labored 
     arduously and successfully for a righteous cause.''
       Today, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, we 
     are embarked on another righteous cause, and we remember the 
     example of Eisenhower. We know, as he often told us, that the 
     great fight for freedom did not end at the beaches named 
     Omaha and Utah. It continues today. It continues within the 
     walls of this building that we dedicated to him.
       And for those who labor for freedom, let them find 
     inspiration in this building's namesake, a man of 
     responsibility and vision, one of freedom's greatest warriors 
     and a great champion of peace.
       That inspiration is the realization that doing great things 
     requires more than detailed plans--though detailed plans 
     there must be--it requires a great cause and great ideals 
     and, above all, a sense of what is important in this world 
     and the next. No one knew that better than Dwight Eisenhower.
       There is a story that Eisenhower once went to buy a piece 
     of land in Gettysburg and the local clerk said to him, 
     ``Well, President Eisenhower, you've done everything, you've 
     lived everywhere, why would you want this little piece of 
     land in Gettysburg?'' He answered saying, ``Sir, all my life 
     I have wanted one time to be able to take a small piece of 
     America and make it better.''
       He made America--all of America--better. And today, we 
     dedicate a small piece of American to Dwight David 
     Eisenhower. May all who work here work to make America 
     better, as he did.
       And may they remember, as he did, what matters in life. His 
     last words were these: ``I've always loved my wife, I've 
     always loved my children. I've always loved my grandchildren. 
     I've always loved my country.''
       Now it is my privilege to introduce another leader who 
     loves his country deeply and has devoted his life to making 
     America better, Secretary of State Colin Powell. You do doubt 
     remember, Mr. President--when you announced the appointment 
     of your Secretary of State at a school in Crawford--it was 
     very moving for all of America to see another distinguished 
     soldier, General Colin Powell, come into that office which is 
     so important for the peace of the world.
       I also remember when Colin said that he didn't ``yet do 
     ranch wear very well'' since he was from the South Bronx. And 
     many of us, especially those of us from back East, secretly 
     agreed with him when he declared, ``I don't care what you 
     say. Those cows look dangerous.''
       Only a man of integrity and humility could admit that to 
     America.
       Those are qualities, along with statesmanship and true 
     leadership, that he has brought to every position that he has 
     held. And today the enjoys the gratitude of all Americans and 
     so many others around the world--and I know your gratitude, 
     Mr. President--for his courageous and tireless efforts, not 
     only to make our country safer, but to make the world more 
     peaceful.
       I am proud to present to you a man of whom Dwight 
     Eisenhower would be proud

[[Page S4271]]

     today--another soldier, statesman and leader--our Secretary 
     of State, Colin Powell.


      Remarks by Susan Eisenhower, President, Eisenhower Institute

       Mr. President and First Lady. Secretary Powell. Secretary 
     Wolfowitz. Honored guests, I was nervous about the weather 
     this morning and when I looked out the window I was reminded 
     of a similar day not long after my grandfather, Dwight 
     Eisenhower, became President. He agreed to speak at Penn 
     State where his brother was President of the University. When 
     Milton called him frantically and asked him if they should 
     move the outdoor proceedings inside, Ike brushed off his 
     concerns, ``It's up to you Milton,'' he said, ``I haven't 
     worried about the weather since June 6, 1944.''
       We have our minds on bigger things today and I think it is 
     fitting that today we mark the renaming of the Old Executive 
     Office Building to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office 
     Building. Dwight Eisenhower spent more time in this building 
     than any other man who became President, and during his term 
     he saved it from the wrecking ball. But it is also fitting 
     that we mark this occasion today as we celebrate Victory in 
     Europe Day. Dwight Eisenhower and VE Day will be linked 
     forever in our consciousness.
       Yet our contemporary minds can barely grasp the 
     significance of that day--57 years ago. Had the allies not 
     been successful or if victory had eluded us longer the world 
     would have turned out to be a very different place: one can 
     imagine what the consequences would have been if Nazis had 
     prevailed, but the world might have been radically different 
     even if an allied victory had taken longer to secure. A 
     nuclear bomb might have been used in Europe, for instance, or 
     the liberation of the death camps might have come too late . 
     . . .
       June 12, 1945, a little more than one month after the end 
     of the hostilities, Dwight Eisenhower stood on the balcony of 
     London's Guildhall and accepted the freedom of the city and 
     the London Sword. The killing had stopped, but the cost of 
     the conflict had only begun to be measured.
       Europe lay in utter ruins. Cities had been crushed, 
     economies had collapsed and the carnage was beyond our 
     comprehension. In the European theater, including Russia, 
     11\1/2\ million allied soldiers were killed in action and 
     more than 7 million Allied civilians perished from 
     starvation, bombing or butchery, and that is not counting 
     those who were victims of the Holocaust.
       Eisenhower had led a great military crusade to defeat 
     Nazism and had decisively prevailed. Standing before the 
     teeming London crowd that day Eisenhower began his acceptance 
     speech solemnly, without a written text:
       ``The high sense of distinction I feel in receiving this 
     great honor from the city of London is inescapably mingled 
     with feelings of profound sadness,'' he said. ``. . . 
     Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives 
     acclaim earned in blood of his followers and sacrifices of 
     his friends.''
       In this speech--which he had written himself and memorized 
     for the occasion--he accepted the tribute, acknowledging that 
     he was but a symbol of great human forces that had ``labored 
     arduously and successfully for a righteous cause . . .''
       He continued: ``If all Allied men and women that have 
     served with me in this war can only know that it is they whom 
     this august body is really honoring today, then indeed I will 
     be content.''
       In thinking about that occasion, I can imagine that if 
     Dwight Eisenhower were with us today to accept this honor--he 
     would, again deflect our praise of him onto those with whom 
     he had served. He would have eloquent words for the team he'd 
     assembled during the war and for the fighting men and women, 
     and he would gratefully acknowledge the legions of dedicated 
     public servants--on both sides of the aisle--with whom he 
     worked closely during his presidency. He would acknowledge 
     not only his staff but Congress as well, for helping him: 
     shepherd America through the dangerous years of the Cold war; 
     modernize America's infrastructure, that laid the groundwork 
     for technological innovation; explore space through a 
     civilian agency, NASA, that would be the envy of the world; 
     and begin the long and arduous task of making Civil Rights 
     every American's right.
       If Dwight Eisenhower were here he would be right about the 
     indispensable role played by the millions who answered their 
     nation's call in war and at peace.
       But Eisenhower is not here today, and so while we 
     acknowledge those who served with him we focus, today, on 
     this modest man and remember him--for his leadership, and for 
     his steady, even, hand.
       Though he did not believe in the Great Man theory of 
     history he was a leader of leaders; a common man with an 
     unwavering belief in putting the nation's welfare above 
     partisan politics . . . in seeking out the obligations and 
     responsibilities that go with good government . . .
       It is a privilege for me to speak on behalf of the 
     Eisenhower family in thanking the nation for this honor. We 
     are indebted to Congress--to the late Senator Chafee and his 
     bipartisan cosponsors who initiated the legislation to rename 
     the building--to President Clinton for signing it into law, 
     and to President Bush--for this wonderful rededication and 
     for his presence here today.
       Mr. President, today, you too, are facing a difficult 
     moment in American history. Though different in nature from 
     World War II, nonetheless, we recognize the enormity of the 
     task that confronts you in finding a just solution to the 
     complex domestic and international circumstances that have 
     emerged in the aftermath of the terrible events of September 
     11.
       As you face these challenges, it gives me great pleasure to 
     know that you have Dwight Eisenhower right next door.
       I hope that his name on this vital nerve center of White 
     House operations will help another generation of public 
     servants re-commit themselves to nothing less than self-
     sacrifice, devotion to duty and the most profound sense of 
     humility. These are the qualities that are called for in 
     these dangerous and troubling times.
       And now, it is my great honor to introduce the President of 
     the United States, George W. Bush.


  remarks by the president of the united states of america, george w. 
                                  bush

       Thank you very much. Please be seated. Well, thank you all 
     very much. And thank you, Susan, for those kind words, and 
     welcome.
       On behalf of all Americans, I am proud to dedicate this 
     historic building to the lasting memory of a great man, 
     Dwight David Eisenhower.
       I want to thank Secretary Powell and Deputy Secretary 
     Wolfowitz, Administrator Perry, General Hicks, for their kind 
     words. I'm also pleased to have so many special guests who 
     are here. I don't see--I do see Senator Stevens. I'm so 
     honored that Senator Ted Stevens, who actually worked in the 
     Eisenhower administration, is here. And I want to welcome all 
     the others who worked in this--in the Eisenhower 
     administration to this dedication ceremony. Welcome.
       I also want to welcome General Andrew Goodpaster, Senator 
     Bob Dole, and all the other veterans of World War II. We're 
     please to have you here. It's a pleasure to welcome back 
     former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. I want to thank 
     members of the United States Congress--Senator Inouye, 
     Congressman Amo Houghton, Jerry Moran, Jim Ryun, Congressman 
     Steven Horn.
       And I, too, want to say how much we appreciate the work of 
     former Senator John Chafee, who introduced the legislation 
     necessary to rename this bill--this building in honor of 
     Dwight Eisenhower.
       And above all, we welcome the Eisenhower family, and send 
     our good wishes to John Eisenhower, who could not be with us 
     today. As the son of a President, myself, I know how proud 
     John must feel, knowing that our country's respect for his 
     father has only increased with the years.
       The city of Washington is accustomed to change. But this 
     neighborhood looks much as it did in 1929. If you'd walked 
     down Pennsylvania Avenue 73 years ago, you would have seen 
     the Renwick Building on the corner of 17th Street, looking 
     just as it does now. A few doors down were the Blair and Lee 
     Houses, with gas lamps still out front.
       In 1929, Lafayette Square was dominated by a great bronze 
     horse, as it is today, proudly carrying Andrew Jackson. And 
     standing outside this building on a spring morning 73 years 
     ago, you might have seen Dwight Eisenhower pull up in a 1927 
     Buick and walk up the stairs to his office.
       The '20s and '30s were quiet times for our Army and Navy, 
     quiet times when he worked here. But it was in this building 
     that Dwight Eisenhower's reputation began to grown. His 
     immediate supervisor said of him this--said this of him: 
     ``This is the best officer in the Army. When the next war 
     comes, he should go right to the top.'' These words carried a 
     lot of weight; after all, the man who said them was Douglas 
     MacArthur.
       He also worked here for many years in Room 252. There was a 
     time when a visitor to this building might pass in the 
     hallway not only Eisenhower and MacArthur, but the first man 
     commissioned General of the Armies of the United States, John 
     J. Pershing. General Pershing occupied Room 274, a space now 
     used by Vice president Dick Cheney.
       Two doors down is an office that Theodore Roosevelt would 
     still recognize as his own from his time as Assistant 
     Secretary of the Navy. So would Franklin Roosevelt, who, a 
     generation later, occupied the same office and walked these 
     very same halls. And in between, from 1904 to 1908, William 
     Howard Taft reported to work here as the Secretary of the 
     War. In all, as has been mentioned, seven future Presidents 
     have worked in this building; 25 Presidents have known it.
       Harry S. Truman held press conferences in an ornate room 
     two stories high, called the Indian Treaty Room--although, no 
     Indian treaty has ever been signed there. And it was Truman, 
     himself, who paid a distinctive tribute to this building when 
     a committee suggested it be torn down. He believed we ought 
     to leave it right here. He said, ``It's the greatest 
     monstrosity in America.''
       But it was Eisenhower who decided its fate. He said he 
     rather liked it. And over time, a lot of us have come to like 
     it. The architectural grace of this building will remain a 
     matter of opinion, but its place in history and its place on 
     the skyline of Washington is as safe as can be.
       It seems odd that with all the history it contains, this 
     great building went more than a century without a name 
     befitting its dignity. We've solved that problem today, and 
     we've solved it once and for all. This building now bears the 
     name of Dwight D. Eisenhower, not because it was spared from 
     the wrecking ball in his time; not even because he was the 
     first President born in Texas.

[[Page S4272]]

     (Laughter.) His name fits this building because, as a great 
     soldier, a great President, and a good man, Dwight D. 
     Eisenhower served his country with distinction.
       People over a certain age will always associate Dwight 
     Eisenhower with a time of strength and a time of stability in 
     America. We think of the '50s, and in the mind's eye we see 
     the President and his fine wife, Mamie. They had lived a 
     military life, moving more than 30 times. And just as GIs in 
     the '50s across America were settling back home, so were the 
     Eisenhowers. As a matter of fact, they would live longer in 
     the White House here than at any other address.
       We don't need to idolize the era they represented to see 
     all the good things that were there: millions of growing 
     families and industries and new cities, and the beginnings of 
     the life that we know today.
       Had he never become President, Eisenhower would still be 
     known to all as the leader of the forces that liberated a 
     continent from a terrible evil. The turning point of the war 
     was the decision to invade the coast of France. The decision 
     was made by Roosevelt and Churchill; the day and hour were 
     left to General Eisenhower. And a lot of people felt a lot 
     better knowing that it was his call to make.
       General Eisenhower understood exactly what risks lay ahead. 
     Had his troops failed to take the beaches, he was going to 
     point a finger straight at himself. Here's what he wrote, in 
     advance: ``If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it 
     is mine alone.'' Fifty-seven years ago this very day, General 
     Eisenhower reported that the mission of the Allied Force was 
     fulfilled, and the war in Europe was over.
       In victory, he was the first to share credit. It was not 
     within his character to do otherwise. As Vice President, 
     Richard Nixon said this about General Eisenhower, President 
     Eisenhower: ``He always retained a saving humility.'' ``It 
     was the humility,'' Nixon said, ``not of fear, but of 
     confidence. He walked with the greats of the world, and he 
     knew that the greats are human. His was the humility of man 
     before God, and before the truth. His was the humility of a 
     man too proud to be arrogant.''
       In his career, Dwight Eisenhower faced two great crises of 
     the 20th century: a World War that came upon America with a 
     sudden attack, requiring a global response, and a Cold War 
     that tested our patience and resolve to wage a struggle of 
     decades.
       In our time, we face elements of both: an enemy that 
     strikes suddenly, and must be pursued across the years. And 
     in this struggle, we know how victory will be gained, because 
     President Eisenhower--and General Eisenhower--showed us the 
     way. We will be calm, and confident, and relentless. With the 
     best of America's character, we will defeat America's 
     enemies.
       We are proceeding with patience and resolve to overcome 
     this growing danger to the civilized world. NATO, the grand 
     alliance first commanded by General Eisenhower, is part of a 
     new coalition that is making steady progress on every front. 
     Our mission in Afghanistan continues even after we have 
     liberated that country from a brutal regime. We continue to 
     fight al Qaeda terrorists, and we will prevent them from 
     regrouping elsewhere.
       We'll deny terrorists the safe havens they need to operate, 
     and choke off their sources of money and supplies. We'll 
     confront dangerous regimes that seek weapons of mass 
     destruction. In this war, we will depend on the alertness of 
     our law enforcement, the diligence of our intelligence 
     operations, and on the skill and valor of the American Armed 
     Forces.
       Our military has performed with great daring and courage, 
     and more will be asked of them. I have full confidence, 
     complete confidence, in the men and women who wear our 
     uniform. They've responded in the finest tradition of the 
     American military. Their sense of honor, their devotion to 
     duty, their loyal service to America would all be recognized 
     by the five-star general and President we remember today. The 
     skill and determination and optimism of Dwight Eisenhower are 
     alive in the American Armed Forces, and that spirit will 
     bring us to victory.
       The General was one of six sons raised by Ida and David 
     Eisenhower in the prairie town of Abilene, Kansas. They 
     raised good men, but destiny chose this one. His whole life 
     shows the power of one man's goodness and integrity to shape 
     great events. He brought permanent honor to his family name, 
     and that name now brings honor to this grand building. It's 
     one more mark of this country's respect, and we offer it 
     today with great affection, and lasting gratitude.
       God bless.


             Remarks by Colin L. Powell, Secretary of State

       Well, thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Paul, I 
     thank you for that most kind of generous introduction. And I 
     was down at Crawford, Texas, just week before last. The cows 
     still look bad to me. I'm not ready to do it. (Laughter.)
       Mr. President, Administrator Perry, Mr. Eisenhower, the 
     members of the Eisenhower family, distinguished guests, it's 
     a great pleasure to be here today and join you in celebrating 
     the naming of this wonderful, marvelous old building after 
     one of America's greatest heroes, Dwight David Eisenhower--
     liberator of Europe, first steward of NATO, builder of peace. 
     Rare in history has there been an individual of higher 
     accomplishment and greater humility.
       President Eisenhower used to say praise is like perfume; 
     it's fine if you don't swallow it. What he did was never for 
     himself. It was for his country. It was always for us.
       President Eisenhower has always had a special place in my 
     heart. In June of 1958, he signed the document that 
     commissioned me as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the 
     United States Army and started me on my career of service to 
     the nation.
       Paul made mention of the corridor that exists outside of 
     Secretary Rumsfeld's office which has all these wonderful 
     displays of Eisenhower's life, from the early days through 
     his last days. I'll never forget that last display where he 
     talked about his love of family, love of wife, love of 
     grandchildren and love of country. It always has a special 
     place in my heart because I designed that corridor. I helped 
     build it some 15-odd years ago. But I never go to that 
     corridor and I never walk through this building without 
     having a new sense of service, a renewed inspiration that 
     comes into my heart as a result of my knowledge of Dwight 
     David Eisenhower and his contribution to our nation.
       More important than all of these things, more important 
     than his signature on my commission or the naming of a 
     building after him, is the example that he gives to us of 
     commitment to duty, of commitment to country. It was his 
     model of devoted service that persuaded me and so many others 
     of my generation in the military to remain in the military 
     after Vietnam, when things were at their darkest. We knew how 
     vitally important it would be for the future security of the 
     nation to rebuild, to transform our armed forces in the early 
     '70s.
       And Eisenhower labored without fame, without fortune or 
     fanfare, in similar circumstances in an under-supported and 
     under-valued army in the isolationist decades before World 
     War II. He spent a good many of those years working in this 
     very structure, when it was called the State, War and Navy 
     Building. All three departments had been housed here from the 
     1870's. The State Department thrived in this building between 
     1875 and 1947, when we moved to our present location. Twenty-
     five Secretaries of State had their offices here. We have a 
     historical difference between Mr. Perry and I as to whether 
     there is 24 or 25, but we'll make that count accurate in the 
     next hour or so.
       Hamilton Fish, Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of State, was 
     the first. Secretary Fish helped create a professional 
     diplomatic corps. And the last Secretary of State here was 
     the legendary George Catlett Marshall, for whom the plan for 
     Europe's recovery is named. During World War II, he also 
     served in this building as Chief of Staff of the United 
     States Army.
       General Marshall was so impressed by Eisenhower's skills as 
     a strategist and statesman that he selflessly agreed with 
     President Roosevelt that Eisenhower should lead the Allied 
     invasion of Europe. Fighting Nazi Germany was only a part of 
     General Eisenhower's job as Supreme Commander. Eisenhower was 
     a brilliant forger of alliances. He was a master at using the 
     full range of diplomatic, political and economic tools to win 
     the war, and also to win the peace.
       He once wrote to his devoted and loving wife Mamie that to 
     run the coalition meant that he had to be a bit of 
     a diplomatic, a lawyer, a salesman, a socialite, and 
     incidentally a soldier. His words rang true for me during 
     the Gulf War, and they are true for all of us who are 
     today involved in sustaining, under President Bush's 
     leadership, the global coalition against terrorism.
       President Eisenhower's name on this building will inspire 
     all who serve under its massive roof now, and all those who 
     will follow. Despite his well known modesty, I think it would 
     please Dwight Eisenhower that this fine old edifice, which 
     has seen so much history, has been named in his honor.
       Dwight Eisenhower was a great student of history long 
     before he helped make it, and he passed down his love of 
     history and his commitment to public service to new 
     generations of his family. They have given so much to our 
     country as historians, military officers, diplomats and 
     philanthropists. Indeed, to be an Eisenhower is to have a 
     sense of history and a sense of duty to your country and to 
     our world.
       It is with great pleasure, then, that I introduce our next 
     guest speaker, a person who would make Eisenhower very 
     proud--not just because of who she is as a granddaughter, but 
     also because of what she contributed to our country and the 
     world. Susan Eisenhower not only has her grandfather's 
     winning smile, but his extraordinary gift of insight, that 
     remarkable ability to see what others do not.
       She understood more quickly than most just how much the 
     world changed with the end of the Soviet Union and the 
     emergence of Russia and the other Newly Independent States. 
     With her characteristic energy and drive, she has repeatedly 
     pulled together the best experts from around the globe to 
     open our eyes to what is happening in that vast region, and 
     to think about it in fresh, exciting, new ways.
       And Susan has not been content just to describe change. She 
     has been a force for change. Among her many activities, one 
     that means a great deal to me is to help bring new 
     generations of Russian leaders here on visits so they can 
     learn from us and we can learn from them.
       The understanding and friendships that come out of these 
     exchanges are laying the enduring foundation for a mutually 
     beneficial US-Russian relationship. Susan is helping build a 
     powerful legacy that Dwight

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     Eisenhower would recognize, appreciate and welcome.
       So laides and gentleman, it is now my honor and privilege 
     to present to you a friend a person of enormous gifts and 
     endless dedication, Susan Eisenhower.

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