    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [December 19, 2008]
    [Pages 1501-1502]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Unveiling of the Official Portraits of President George
    W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush
    December 19, 2008

        Secretary Clough, thank you for the
    introduction. Thanks for coming. I suspected there would be a good-size
    crowd once the word got out about my hanging. [Laughter]
        It's a tremendous honor to have my portrait added to this gallery's
    Presidential collection. This is one of only two institutions with
    portraits of every President, starting with our first, George
    Washington. That means this exhibit now has an interesting symmetry. It
    starts with George W. and ends with George W. [Laughter]
        I want to thank the Vice President and Chief
    Justice for joining us. I thank members
    of Smithsonian Institute's Board of Regents. I too appreciate Marty
    Sullivan being here. I want to thank
    members of my Cabinet, administration, and friends.
        I am grateful to all the people who made this painting possible. We
    really appreciate your generosity. I thank the donors for coming today.
    They remind me of an interesting story about this collection. In 1857,
    the artist George Healy was commissioned by Congress to paint Presidents
    John Q. Adams, Van Buren, Tyler, Polk, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan.
    But by the time Healy got to President Buchanan, the Civil War had
    broken out, and an angry Congress held the former President to blame.

    [[Page 1502]]

    And so when Healy presented his bill for Buchanan's portrait, the
    lawmakers refused to pay. Things are bad when even Congress refuses to
    spend money. [Laughter]
        I want to thank the artists. Sasha, you had it easy; it does not take much to make
    Laura look beautiful. [Laughter] Anderson
    had a bigger challenge. [Laughter] And therefore, I needed to find a
    person who would do the painting that would be a good and forgiving
    friend. And so I want to thank my buddy--my college classmate Bob
    Anderson for painting this portrait. It actually looks like me, which is
    a good sign. [Laughter] You did a fabulous job.
        This is not the first time that Bob has
    painted me. He had a warm-up; he did my portrait for the Yale Club.
    Recently, I asked him what was different this time around. He said,
    well, this time around he had to use a lot more gray. [Laughter] I also
    understood Bob didn't have any difficulty depicting my eyes or my hands,
    but he had a lot of trouble with my mouth. And I told him, ``That makes
    two of us.'' [Laughter]
        A former Washington resident once said:
    ``Whenever you hear about somebody being done in oil in this town, you
    can't be sure whether that means painting or boiling.'' [Laughter] That
    was a wise observation from a good and decent man, one who has offered
    me a lot of wisdom and advice throughout my life. And I am proud to have
    my portrait in the same room as President 41, George H.W. Bush.
        It's a humbling experience to be included here among so many
    extraordinary leaders. One of the great things about this collection is
    that visitors can examine the faces of the men who have shaped our
    Nation's history and study how history has shaped them. In each of their
    images, we're reminded of the incredible joys and responsibilities that
    come with the Presidency. Yet in these two centuries of history, we're
    also reminded that this office and the enduring ideals it represents are
    greater than any person.
        Being the temporary custodian of the office has been a privilege of
    a lifetime. Over the past 8 years, I have been inspired by the character
    and courage of our Nation, especially the men and women of our Armed
    Forces. I have been moved by the compassion of our citizens, from those
    who mentor a child to those who save lives around the world. Most of
    all, I've been uplifted by the many Americans who have sent their
    prayers.
        And so, with deep gratitude, I offer my own: For all of you in this
    room, for the success of our next President and
    those who follow, and for God's continued blessings on our wonderful
    Nation.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:15 a.m. at the National Portrait
    Gallery. In his remarks, he referred to G. Wayne Clough, Secretary,
    Smithsonian Institution; Martin E. Sullivan, Director, National Portrait
    Gallery; and painter Aleksander ``Sasha'' Titovets. The transcript
    released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included remarks by
    the First Lady.