[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
[October 5, 1995]
[Pages 1543-1544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the Arts and Humanities Awards Dinner
October 5, 1995

    The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome all of you 
here and say again to our honorees today how very much Hillary and I 
enjoyed having all of you here and having the great honor of presenting 
your awards to you.
    Helen Hayes once said that, ``We rely upon the poets, the 
philosophers, and the playwrights to articulate what most of us can only 
feel in joy and in sorrow. They illuminate the thoughts for which we 
only grope. They give us the strength and bond we cannot find in 
ourselves, the wisdom of acceptance, the will and resilience to move 
on.''
    Those words have special meaning today as America and, indeed, our 
entire world work to find their way into a new era, an era in which 
people are dramatically changing the way they work and live and relate 
to one another.
    We must dare, as artists and poets do, to break free of the past to 
create a better future rooted in the values that never change. That is a 
great lesson our artists, our thinkers, our scholars, our supporters and 
advocates of the arts and humanities teach us. We thank you for your 
lives, your dedication. We honor all of you.
    In every period of change and upheaval, there is always great new 
opportunity and there is always a struggle between those who are best 
positioned to receive that opportunity and those who work but aren't so 
well-positioned. I want to thank tonight, especially, the National 
Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities 
because, in a world where some fear we're moving to a winner-take-all 
society, you work so that all people can win in their access to the arts 
and humanities. And that is a goal worth pursuing and worth achieving.
    I thank you all for your work, and again, I say on behalf of the 
First Lady and the Vice

[[Page 1544]]

President and Mrs. Gore, we're honored to have our honorees here in the 
White House tonight and deeply grateful for your many contributions to 
America.
    I'd like to propose a toast to the winners of the awards today.

[At this point, the musical entertainment continued, and then the 
President resumed speaking.]

    The President. Thank you so very much. You were both wonderful. You 
know, one of our awardees is over there in the cowboy hat there, Mr. 
Monroe, sort of the founder of bluegrass music. And I could tell by 
looking at him that I am authorized on his behalf to offer you a place 
in his next bluegrass band. [Laughter]
    We need somebody here who can play ``Blue Moon of Kentucky'' in A--
is there a volunteer? [Laughter] Great. Bill, make sure he does it 
right.

[Bill Monroe sang ``Blue Moon of Kentucky,'' and then dinner 
participants sang ``God Bless America.'']

    The President. Can I ask you all to give Mr. Zuckerman and our 
wonderful pianist a big hand? Weren't they terrific? Thank you. You were 
wonderful. [Applause] Let's give them a wonderful hand. They were 
terrific. Please come back. Come on up. Now, there is only one way we 
can end this magnificent evening. Come on up. You were wonderful. Thank 
you for being here. Thank you, Tuesday, for being here.
    I think we should end--I think Bob Hope should sing ``Thanks for the 
Memories.'' It's the only way you can end.

[Bob Hope sang ``Thanks for the Memories.'']

    The President. We want you all to join us out there for dancing and 
more music, and maybe you can get the rest of them to sing, if we're 
lucky. [Laughter] Come on. Let's go out--everybody. Thanks, again, to 
everyone and especially to our wonderful musicians.
    Thank you, and good night.

Note: The President spoke at 8:31 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the 
White House.