[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[December 8, 2000]
[Pages 2662-2663]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 2662]]


Remarks on Arrival at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska
December 8, 2000

    Thank you very much. Thank you. One of my critics once said it would 
be a cold day when I came to Nebraska. [Laughter] But I think I got a 
pretty warm welcome here today, and I thank you very, very much.
    I want to thank all of those who welcomed me, but especially, thank 
you, Brigadier General Power; thank you, 
Admiral Mies. I thank the officers and 
enlisted personnel here.
    I want to thank Senator Bob Kerrey for 
being, first, my colleague. We were Governors together, and we have been 
friends for a long time, and he has superbly served the people of 
Nebraska and the United States in the Senate. I know you'll miss him, 
and I thank him.
    I also want to congratulate his successor, with whom I also served 
as Governor. Thank you very much for running and serving, Senator-elect 
Ben Nelson and Mrs. Nelson; thank you very much.
    I brought with me today former Nebraska Congressman Peter 
Hoagland, and I thank him; Secretary of State 
Moore; Mayor Daub; 
Acting Mayor Sorensen of Bellevue; and the 
other elected officials who are here.
    You know, earlier today I went to Kearney to speak at the University 
of Nebraska there to the young people about an American foreign policy 
for the 21st century. And I made a pretty simple argument: that the 
world is getting smaller and smaller; that people and goods and ideas 
and information are crossing national borders more freely and faster 
than ever before; and that, therefore, it was quite necessary, even here 
in the heartland of America, that every citizen of our country care 
about what goes on beyond our borders and support the next President and 
the next Congress across party lines in making the kinds of decisions 
that will make America safer and more prosperous and a better partner in 
an interdependent world.
    Now, one of the things that I wanted to do in coming here is to say 
that none of that would be possible if our foreign policy was not backed 
by the finest military in the entire world.
    I was told a couple of weeks ago, you know, since I'm a short-
termer, as you might say--[laughter]--all the statisticians are coming 
up to me and saying, ``Well, did you know this; did you know that; did 
you know the other thing?'' And I was told a couple of weeks ago by one 
of the people who is supposed to look at all the White House records 
that I have now visited more military units than any President in the 
history of the country.
    Having said that, I do not believe my service in that regard would 
have been complete if I hadn't come to Offutt Air Force Base to see the 
people of the Fighting 55th and the Strategic Command. Many of those 
serving in the 55th couldn't be with us today. You heard the General say 
the Sun never sets on the 55th. They are now serving on this day from 
Okinawa to Mildenhall to Saudi Arabia, keeping a watchful eye so the 
rest of us can be secure.
    For decades now--for a full decade in the Persian Gulf, the 55th has 
helped check the ambitions of Saddam Hussein 
and guard peace in the region. In Bosnia, in Kosovo, you risk your lives 
to help stop genocide. The days of winter may be short here, but it is 
really true that the Sun never sets on you and your work.
    I also want to honor the men and women of the Strategic Command. For 
every minute of every day during the past 50 years, you and your 
predecessors at the Strategic Air Command have never let down our guard. 
The cold war may be over, but we still need you. You are the cornerstone 
of our deterrence and our security.
    I also want to recognize the other units who serve here: the Defense 
Finance and Accounting Service, out of Omaha; the U.S. Air Force 
Heartland of America Band; the 311th Airlift Flight; the 343d Air Force 
Recruiting Squadron; and the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency. Would 
someone please ask them to turn up the heat a little bit? [Laughter]
    Let me just say one other thing. These last 8 years have been a 
great honor for me, and it has been a joy to serve. But the one thing 
that I will leave office feeling more strongly than I did even on the 
day I took the oath of office, almost 8 years ago, is that the true 
greatness of America resides not in its leaders but in its citizens. And 
yes, it's important who wins; and yes, it's important that we all 
believe that the system is truly democratic and fair.

[[Page 2663]]

But our system is premised on the hard work, the innovation, the values, 
and the devotion to freedom of our citizens and especially, of course, 
those who serve us in uniform.
    America is a different and better place than it was 8 years ago. 
We've had all kinds of economic progress, but a lot of social progress, 
as well. And I would just like to say to you that as you look ahead in 
this new century, we will become more and more interdependent on each 
other and on people beyond our borders. It will become more and more 
important, therefore, that every person has a chance, that every person 
carries his or her own load, and that we always remember we do better 
when we work together.
    We have a great future out there, but we've got some challenges. If 
you look at where we are now compared to where we were 8 years ago, 
we're here because, as a people, we worked hard; we worked more closely 
together; we thought about the future; and we decided to pay the price 
for that future. That's why we're still around here after over 224 
years.
    So, you stay with it. Stay with it here at Offutt; stay with it here 
in Nebraska. Keep looking toward tomorrow. And remember that I may have 
been late, but I sure was glad when I got here.
    Thank you, and God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 2:10 p.m. on the tarmac. In his remarks, he 
referred to Brig. Gen. Gregory H. Power, USAF, Commander, 55th Wing, and 
Adm. Richard W. Mies, USN, Commander in Chief, United States Strategic 
Command, Offutt Air Force Base; Senator-elect Ben Nelson of Nebraska and 
his wife, Diane; Secretary of State Scott Moore of Nebraska; Mayor Hal 
J. Daub of Omaha, NE; Acting Mayor Bruce Sorenson of Bellevue; and 
President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.