[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.