[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[June 1, 2002]
[Pages 916-917]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Telephone Remarks to Race for the Cure Participants
June 1, 2002

    Ambassador Nancy Brinker. Mr. President, 
we are honored that you would take time out and talk to us today. Thank 
you, and welcome.
    The President. Well, Nancy, thank you very 
much for your kind words, and I appreciate so very much your service to 
our country as Ambassador to Hungary and your service to our country as 
the founding chairman of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
    And I've got to tell you, I'm here at West Point, getting ready to 
give the commencement address, and I'm honored to be here. But I kind of 
wish I was running today with the thousands who are there.
    I want to thank all the runners for bringing hope to Americans as we 
fight cancer. I want to thank the survivors for your courage. I want to 
thank Congresswoman Sue Myrick, who is 
Race for the Cure honorary survivor chair.
    I appreciate so very much the fact that you all recognize that 
you're running for a great work and a great cause, that every life saved 
is a mother, a daughter, or a sister restored to health. What I love 
most about the Komen runs is that people participate in the spirit of 
generosity and kindness and love that really distinguishes America and 
makes us unique. You know, a lot of people go out and run to win prizes. 
You're running and walking to save lives. And for that, our Nation is 
incredibly grateful.
    I recognize that we've made some advances, and I'm grateful for 
those, as I know you are as well. But I also know that we've got a long 
way to go to win this war on cancer and breast cancer. Nancy mentioned that the Federal Government is strongly 
committed to funding--putting dollars up for research at the NIH, which 
we will do and continue to do. See, I'm an optimistic person. I 
believe--strongly believe--in our lifetimes we will achieve a victory 
over cancer.
    Again, I want to thank you for running. Every step you take today is 
critical to finding a cure for breast cancer.
    S. Sgt. Tony Damon. I'm sorry, Mr. President. 
This is Signal.
    The President. Yes--what?
    Staff Sergeant Damon. I'm sorry, they dropped 
the call. We're going to reestablish----
    The President. What are you talking about? They dropped the call?
    Staff Sergeant Damon. They tried to connect 
you to the feed, and the feed didn't go through.
    The President. You mean I haven't--they haven't heard a word yet?
    Staff Sergeant Damon. I'm sorry, Mr. 
President, they haven't heard a word.
    The President. Goddang it.

[[Page 917]]

[At this point, the phone line was reestablished.]

    Ambassador Nancy Brinker. Welcome, Mr. 
President.
    The President. Hey, Nancy, I am sorry that 
we dropped off. Let me tell all the runners and walkers how appreciative 
I am that you're walking and running to save lives, how appreciative I 
am that you show the great generosity of spirit of the American people.
    I want you to know, Nancy, that the 
Federal Government stands on your side, that we're going to spend money 
to research, to find the cures necessary to defeat cancer. And I believe 
in our lifetime we will defeat cancer, and a large part of that success 
goes to the thousands all across America who support the Komen 
Foundation runs and walks.
    And so, on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for--you all for 
what you do. I'm here at West Point. I kind of wish I was running with 
you all today. But since I'm not, I am honored to be able to start the 
race.
    And so the walkers, you all will start in a few minutes. But right 
now, if the runners will get ready, it's about time for you to start. 
And so in five seconds, it is my honor to start this Race for the Cure. 
Four, three, two, one--runners ready, and go.

Note: The teleconference began at 8:22 a.m. The President spoke from the 
Superintendent's House at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY, 
to race participants on The Mall in Washington, DC. Staff Sergeant Tony 
Damon, USA, Console Controller, Army Signal Corps, assisted the 
President in the telephone conversation.