    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [January 10, 2009]
    [Pages 1529-1531]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Commissioning Ceremony of the USS George H.W. Bush in
    Norfolk, Virginia
    January 10, 2009

        The President. Thank you very much. Secretary Gates, thank you for your introduction. I know I speak on behalf
    of President 41 when I say it has been a
    privilege for both of us to serve with this fine and distinguished man.
        I want to thank you all for coming. Laura and
    I are thrilled to be here to help commission an awesome ship and to
    honor an

    [[Page 1530]]

    awesome man: President George H.W. Bush.
        To prepare for this day, I went back through some of my
    father's letters. I thought it was
    especially interesting to read one that he wrote in the late 1940s. He
    sent it to a friend, and here's what he said, he said: ``You should see
    Georgie now. Whenever I come home, he greets me and talks a blue streak,
    sentences disjointed of course.'' [Laughter] ``He tries to say
    everything, and the results are often hilarious.'' [Laughter] Some
    things do not change. [Laughter]
        The aircraft carrier, which we commission today, may be the Navy's
    newest ship, but she has already had an interesting past. Her catapult
    testing took place during an unseasonable cold snap. Her christening was
    thrown into chaos by a fierce nor'easter. And during construction, the
    shipyard was closed down because of Hurricane Isabel. So in keeping with
    this ship's short history, I brought along an equally strong force of
    nature: my mother. [Laughter]
        Mr. Vice President and Lynne, thank you for joining us. Vice President Cheney has
    been a fabulous Vice President of the United States. Governor
    Kaine, thank you for your welcoming
    remarks. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, I appreciate you joining us. Other members of the
    administration and their families; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
    Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen; CNO Gary
    Roughead; Captain O'Flaherty; other member of the United States Armed Forces and
    their families; shipyard workers and managers; members of our family who
    have joined us; and all the friends of George H.W. Bush: We are glad you are here.
        The story of the USS George H.W. Bush begins in the early days of
    World War II, when our dad enlisted in the
    United States Navy. Like many servicemen deployed overseas, he was
    sustained by a girl he loved back home. From
    her dorm room, she knitted socks for him. In remote Pacific atolls, he
    collected seashells for her. And when he returned home from war, the
    first thing he did was to make her his bride. And for 64 years ago this
    week, the love of my father's life has been Barbara Bush.
        Over the years, our parents have built a family bound forever by closeness,
    warmth, and unconditional love. Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Doro and I will always feel blessed to have had the
    best father anyone could ever ask for. We will always be inspired by the
    faith, humor, patriotism, and compassion he taught us through his own
    example. And for as long we live, we will carry with us dad's other
    lessons: that integrity and honor are worth more than any title or
    treasure, and that the truest strength can come from the gentlest soul.
        George H.W. Bush has the deep love of
    his family, the admiration of his friends, and the thanks of a grateful
    nation. So today we are faced with the--[applause]. So what do you give
    a guy who has been blessed and has just about everything he has ever
    needed? Well, an aircraft carrier. [Laughter] The ship that bears our
    dad's name is more than 95,000 tons of aluminum and steel. She will
    carry nearly 6,000 of the finest sailors and marines in the world. She
    represents the craftsmanship of many skilled builders and thousands of
    hours of preparation. And so I congratulate all of you on this
    tremendous achievement.
        This ship is a fitting tribute to a generation of men with whom my
    dad was privileged to serve. She's also a
    tribute to a new generation of American soldiers and sailors and Coast
    Guard men and women, airmen and marines who have stepped forward to
    defend the United States America. Again our troops are facing down a
    brutal enemy, again they are making America and the world safer, and
    again they will come home in victory.
        People often ask what I treasure most about being the President.
    Nothing comes close to the honor of being your Commander in Chief. Every
    day, I'm amazed by the skill and courage of our men and

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    women in uniform. And as we send the USS George H.W. Bush into service,
    I know you will do credit to the sailors who served before you and the
    good man for whom this ship is named. I ask that God protect this ship
    and let her know only victory and peace. And I ask God's continued
    blessings on our wonderful Nation.
        Thank you.

    [At this point, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter made brief
    remarks.]

        The President. I hereby place the United States Ship George H.W.
    Bush in commission. May God bless and guide this warship and all who
    shall sail in her.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:43 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Gov. Timothy M. Kaine of Virginia; Adm. Gary Roughead, USN, Chief of
    Naval Operations; and Capt. Kevin E. O'Flaherty, USN, commanding
    officer, USS George H.W. Bush. The transcript released by the Office of
    the Press Secretary also included the remarks of former President George
    H.W. Bush. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks.