*Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 *

**Remarks at a State Dinner Honoring Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom **

*March 14, 2012 *

Good evening, everyone. Please have a seat. Welcome to the White House. I was just telling the Prime Minister that, so far, the evening has been successful because I have not stepped on Michelle's train—[*laughter*]—my main goal this evening. Michelle and I could not be more honored that you could join us as we host our great friends the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, and his remarkable wife Samantha. You can give them a round of applause. Why not?

As I said this morning, this visit also gives us an opportunity to return the gracious hospitality that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as well as David and Samantha and all the British people showed us during our visit to London last year. And I know Michelle looks forward to returning, because, as she announced yesterday, she will be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London. I am jealous. [*Laughter*]

Now, I'm so grateful for all the time that David and I have had together. But as we've learned, you can never tell how things will get reported as a consequence of our interactions. When we met 2 years ago, we exchanged beers from our hometowns. One newsstory said: "David Cameron and Barack Obama cemented their special relationship by hitting the bottle." [*Laughter*]

When we had a barbecue at Downing Street for some of our servicemembers, David and I rolled up our sleeves, threw away the aprons, decided to flip the burgers ourselves. One reporter called it a "brave and foolish move." [*Laughter*] Another expressed amazement at our "surprising competence." [*Laughter*] Michelle and Samantha often remark the same way. [*Laughter*]

And finally, when David and I got beat pretty badly in table tennis by some local London kids, one newspaper asked the head coach of the British Olympic women's team to critique our performance. Obama, the coach said, "talked a lot." [*Laughter*] David "overhits the ball." [*Laughter*] Both of them—I'm quoting here—"looked a little confused." [*Laughter*]

But in moments like that and in all of our interactions, including today, I've learned something about David. In good times and in bad, he's just the kind of partner that you want at your side. I trust him. He says what he does, and he does what he says. And I've seen his character. And I've seen his commitment to human dignity during Libya. I've seen his resolve, his determination to get the job done, whether it's righting our economies or succeeding in Afghanistan.

And I will say something else, David: All of us have seen how you, as a parent, along with Samantha, have shown a measure of strength that few of us will ever know. Tonight I thank you for bringing that same strength and solidarity to our partnership, even if you do overhit the ball. [*Laughter*]

We are by no means the first President and Prime Minister to celebrate the deep and abiding bonds between our people. There has been no shortage of words uttered about our special relationship. And as—and I was humbled to offer my own last year when I had the opportunity to address Parliament in Westminster Hall.

So rather than words, I'd like to leave you tonight with two simple images. They're from different times and places, decades apart. But they're moments, I think, that reveal the spirit of our alliance and the character of our countries.

The first is from the Blitz, when, month after month, the British people braved the onslaught from the sky. And one of those most enduring images from those days is of the London skyline, covered in smoke, with one thing shining through: the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, tall and proud and strong. The other image we know from our own lives, from that awful September day, that unforgettable picture of the Manhattan skyline, covered in smoke and dust, with one thing shining through: our Statue of Liberty, tall and proud and strong.

In those two moments, I think you see all you need to know about who we are and what brings us together tonight. In war and in peace, in times of plenty and times of hardship, we stand tall and proud and strong together. And as free peoples committed to the dignity of all human beings, we will never apologize for our way of life, nor waver in its defense.

It's why David's grandfather fought alongside us Yanks after D-day, why my grandfather marched across Europe in Patton's army. It's why tonight, at dusty bases in Afghanistan, both American and British soldiers are getting ready to go on patrol, like generations before them, shoulder to shoulder. It's why our diplomats and development workers are side by side, standing with the activists who dare to demand their rights, save a child from drought or famine.

It's why leaders of our two countries can embrace the same shared heritage and the promise of our alliance, even if we come from different political traditions, even if the Prime Minister is younger than nearly 200 years of his predecessors, even if the President looks a little different than his predecessors. And, David, it's why tonight our young children, and children across our countries, can sleep well, knowing that we're doing everything in our power to build a future that is worthy of their dreams.

So in closing, let me just say that I intended to make history tonight. I thought that I could be the first American President to make it through an entire visit of our British friends without quoting Winston Churchill. [*Laughter*] But then I saw this great quote, and I thought, "Come on, this is Churchill!" [*Laughter*] So I couldn't resist.

It was December 1941, and the attack on Pearl Harbor had finally thrust America into war, alongside our British friends. And these were the words Sir Winston spoke to his new American partners: "I will say that he must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below, of which we have the honor to be the faithful servants."

And so I'd like to propose a toast: To Her Majesty the Queen, on her Diamond Jubilee, to our dear friends David and Samantha, and to the great purpose and design of our alliance. May we remain, now and always, its faithful servants. Cheers, everyone.

NOTE: The President spoke at 9:01 p.m. on the South Grounds at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Alan Cooke, head coach, United Kingdom’s women’s table tennis Olympic team. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Prime Minister Cameron.

*Categories:* Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : United Kingdom :: Prime Minister Cameron*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Cameron, David; Cameron, Samantha G.; Cooke, Alan; Elizabeth II, Queen; Obama, Michelle*.*

*Subjects:* Afghanistan : U.S. military forces :: Deployment; Commerce, international : Global financial markets :: Stabilization efforts; Sports : Olympic Games; Terrorism : September 11, 2001, attacks; United Kingdom : 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London; United Kingdom : Afghanistan, United Kingdom military forces, deployment; United Kingdom : Libya, role; United Kingdom : Prime Minister; United Kingdom : Queen; United Kingdom : Relations with U.S.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201200178.