[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[November 11, 2000]
[Page 2522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 2522]]
The President's Radio Address
November 11, 2000
Good morning. On this Veterans Day, as America honors the service
and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, we are witnessing the
extraordinary resilience of the democracy they've pledged their lives to
defend.
From our earliest days, the right to vote has meant the right to
participate and be heard. If ever there was a doubt about the importance
of exercising the most fundamental right of citizenship, it sure was
answered on Tuesday. No American will ever again be able to seriously
say, ``My vote doesn't count.''
President Franklin Roosevelt once said, ``Democracy is not a static
thing; it is an everlasting march.'' Our Founders may not have foreseen
every challenge in the march of democracy, but they crafted a
Constitution that would.
The people have spoken. The important thing for all of us to
remember now is that a process for resolving the discrepancies and
challenges to the election is in motion. The rest of us need to be
patient and wait for the results.
I want to congratulate both Vice President Gore and Governor Bush for a
vigorous and hard-fought campaign. Once again, the world is seeing
democracy in action. The events unfolding in Florida are not a sign of
the division of our Nation but of the vitality of our debate, which will
be resolved through the vibrancy of our Constitution and laws.
Regardless of the outcome, we will come together as a nation, as we
always do.
As this election unfolds, the Nation's business continues. Tomorrow
I will begin a trip to Asia that will end in Vietnam. I will be the
first President to visit that nation since the height of the Vietnam
war. I will go to open a new chapter in our relationship with its
people.
For nearly a decade now, we have been building a more normal
relationship with Vietnam, basing each step forward on progress in
accounting for Americans missing from the war in Vietnam. We've made
great strides, repatriating remains, obtaining documents, never
forgetting that each case represents a brave American with a name, a
home, a family that cares about his fate.
I will make clear to Vietnam that we expect continued cooperation. I
will also offer the support of the American people as Vietnam becomes
more open to the world, promoting trade and more ties among our people
and championing human rights and religious freedom.
We also have important business here at home. As Congress prepares
to finish its work for the year, I urge the Members to build on the
bipartisan progress we have already made. Let's finish the job of
improving our schools, resolve our differences on immigration and worker
safety, and let's raise the minimum wage. We should pledge to get these
things done for the American people before the next President takes
office in January.
A couple of nights ago, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the
White House. We marked much more than the bicentennial of a building.
Through two centuries of war and peace, triumph and tragedy, the White
House has stood as the living symbol of our democracy. It has welcomed
every President since John Adams under its roof, always through a
peaceful transition of power.
This January, as it has done for 200 years, it will do so again,
because of the timeless power of our Constitution and our undying faith
in we, the people.
Thanks for listening.
Note: The address was recorded at 10:30 a.m. on November 10 in the Map
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 11. The
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
November 10 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
address, the President referred to Republican Presidential candidate
Gov. George W. Bush of Texas. The Veterans Day proclamation of November
10 is listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.