[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[January 20, 1993]
[Page 3]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the Inaugural Luncheon
January 20, 1993

    Thank you very much, Senator Ford, Mr. Speaker, Majority Leader 
Gephardt, Senator Mitchell, Senator Dole, Representative Michel. I'd 
like to begin by saying I didn't get much sleep last night, and if I get 
through this it will be tour de force. Al Gore and I stayed up a long 
time talking last night about this day and this country and what we 
hoped that we could do.
    I want to say first how very grateful I am to the Congress for the 
exertions here to make this Inaugural Day such a meaningful and 
wonderful one. I would like to especially thank Senator Ford who worked 
so hard to make sure everything went off without a hitch. And he did.
    I also thank you for the wonderful gift of crystal, the letter 
opener, which I will treasure always, that proved that we did get enough 
electoral votes to be here today.
    And Mr. Speaker, I'm delighted to have that key. However, with all 
respect, I can't believe you were fully briefed about my proclivities in 
lobbying legislators to let me come up here without an invitation. I may 
be here all the time. [Laughter] Why, just when you said you wished me 
well in untangling my relationships with Congress, my head, almost as if 
by magic, tilted in Senator Dole's direction. [Laughter]
    I make two serious points. Once in a generation we really are called 
upon to redefine the public interests and the common ground. I honestly 
do believe much of what we have to do today is work that knows no 
necessary partisan label and does not fall easily within the 
conventional divisions of liberal and conservative or Republican and 
Democrat.
    The second point I wish to make is that I cannot succeed as 
President unless Congress itself succeeds and the American people like 
the Congress again, too. For I seek to do, and to do we have to work 
together and move forward together.
    So I would like, in gratitude and respect, to propose a toast to a 
new partnership in America's Government.

Note: The President spoke at 2:20 p.m. in Statuary Hall at the Capitol. 
Prior to his remarks, Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, presented the President with a key to the Capitol.