    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [February 10, 2008]
    [Pages 170-172]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Honoring President Abraham Lincoln's 199th Birthday
    February 10, 2008

        Welcome. Laura and I are glad you're here.
    Rex, thank you for taking the lead for
    Ford's Theatre. If our--any citizen

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    wants to know how to make a solid contribution to Washington, DC,
    support Ford's Theatre; it's worth it. Members of my Cabinet, thanks for
    coming. Members of Congress, we're glad you're here. I've got two tasks.
    One is to present the Lincoln Medal and invite you to a buffet.
    [Laughter]
        I really want to thank Richard for
    coming. I appreciate your words, Allen;
    thank you very much--and Craig Wallace.
    Avery, I've been subject to a few Presidential
    impersonations myself. [Laughter] I'm confident Abe would have liked it.
    [Laughter] I really appreciate you all coming. It's made this a very
    special evening. I do want to welcome all the Lincoln scholars here and
    all the Lincoln enthusiasts. We're really glad you're here.
        I also am amazed that 200 years have gone by. It just doesn't seem
    all that long ago, does it? But it's fitting that we honor Abe Lincoln.
    He--of all the successors to George Washington, he--none had greater
    impact on the Presidency and on the country. And he remains a presence
    here in the House. I'm often asked, ``Do you ever see Lincoln's ghost?''
    And I'll tell people, ``I quit drinking 22 years ago.'' [Laughter]
        But his office is directly above us. At the Center Hall, there's a
    likeness in marble. His portrait hangs in the Oval Office, and there's a
    fabulous portrait of Abe Lincoln in the State Dining Room. And that's
    the way it should be. He was a fabulous man and a great President. His
    life was one of humble beginnings and steadfast convictions. And so we
    celebrate his deeds, we lift up his ideals, and we honor this good man.
        And it's my pleasure tonight to honor two really fine Americans.
    Each year, Ford's Theatre presents the Lincoln Medal to recognize high
    achievement and personal attributes that embody the character of the
    16th President.
        Dr. Ben Carson is the director
    of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is one of the
    most respected surgeons in the world. Twenty years ago, when a 70-member
    surgical team made history and separated a pair of Siamese twins, the gifted hands
    leading the team belonged to this good man. Raised with his
    brother and a single
    mother--who's here--Ben Carson didn't get much handed to him as he grew
    up. But his mother pushed him to learn and taught him to trust in the
    ways of heaven. From his days at Yale and the University of Michigan
    Medical School, colleagues have known Dr. Carson as both a skilled
    professional and a deeply reflective man.
        His many current duties include service on the President's Council
    on Bioethics and a tireless commitment to helping young people find
    direction and motivation in life. He
    reminds them that all of us have gifts by the grace of the Almighty God.
    He tells them to think big, to study hard, and to put character first.
    He tells them to be nice because in his words, ``If you're nice to
    people, then once they get over the suspicion of why you're being
    nice,''--[laughter]--``they will be nice to you.'' [Laughter] His
    example gives eloquent testimony to the value of perseverance and to the
    endless promise of America. So tonight we proudly honor Dr. Ben Carson.
        President Ronald Reagan called Sandra Day O'Connor a person for all seasons, and few Americans have shown a
    broader range of talent. She is, after all, the only Supreme Court
    Justice ever inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. [Laughter] Born in
    El Paso, Texas, she spent much of her childhood on a ranch in Arizona,
    where from a young age, she learned to ride horses, mend fences, and
    shoot a rifle.
        She was an academic star, attending
    Stanford Law School. It was a different era when she got out of law
    school. After all, not many law firms wanted to hire a woman. But with
    her intellect, independent spirit, and sense of adventure, Sandra Day
    O'Connor continued a steady rise in the world. She became a State
    senator, a State

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    court judge, and the first woman on the highest court in the land.
        For 24 years, Justice O'Connor stood
    out as a careful, fairminded jurist. Sandra Day O'Connor is a great mom
    to her three
    sons, and she has been a blessing to her
    husband John. This lovely lady remains
    one of the most admired women of our time. She's lived a great American
    life, and our Nation is proud to honor you once again, Justice. Welcome.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:54 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Rex W. Tillerson, vice-chairman,
    Ford's Theatre Society; historian Richard Norton Smith; Allen C. Guelzo,
    professor of history, Gettysburg College; and actors Craig Wallace and
    Avery Brooks. The transcript released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary also included the remarks of the First Lady.