[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[December 6, 2008]
[Pages 1422-1423]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the Union League of Philadelphia's Unveiling of the 
President's Portrait in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 6, 2008

    Good morning. Welcome to my hanging. [Laughter] Thank you for 
coming, and thank you for your warm welcome.
    First, I'd like to compliment Mark Carder. 
He did a really fine job with a challenging subject. [Laughter] I was 
taken aback by how much gray paint you had to use--[laughter]--which 
speaks more about my job than yours. [Laughter] But thanks a lot. It's 
been a joy to work with you, and I'm confident this portrait will stand 
the test of time.
    I want to thank Fred and 
Frank for welcoming me here. I thank you for 
the medal. I'm keeping pretty good company, which I will speak about in 
a minute.
    First of all, I do want to thank the board of directors of the Union 
League for taking time out of your Saturday to be here. And I appreciate 
all the guests who have come as well.
    I particularly want to say thanks to my friend Arlen 
Specter for joining us, and he--[applause]. 
It's been a joy working with you, most of the time. [Laughter] He's a 
pretty independent-minded fellow--[laughter]--who is honest and decent. 
And like me, he married very well. So Joan, 
thanks for being here, and I appreciate you supporting this good man 
during some very difficult times.
    I thank the Hoopers for paying for this work. I thank Jim Straw and the Abraham Lincoln Foundation and the foundation 
members who are here today. I appreciate you preserving the legacy of a 
good man.
    I am--it turns out, this award had been given to folks I have had 
the honor of serving with: Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, Secretary Tom Ridge--three 
good men who are dedicated and patriot public servants.
    I'm especially proud to be a co-recipient with a guy I call 
41, the 1987 Gold Medal Award winner, the 
guy I call dad; you call him President Bush. We owe our achievements to 
the same savvy political counselor and firm disciplinarian, 
Barbara. [Laughter] And they're both doing 
well, by the way. Mother is coming out of the hospital. I hope they 
don't put this on TV, but she's a tough old bird--[laughter]--whose 
spirits are soaring high.

[[Page 1423]]

    The motto of the Union League is ``Love of Country Leads.'' You 
obviously love our country, because you continue to lead in ways that 
make Philadelphia a more compassionate place, and I want to thank you 
for that. I appreciate the fact that you have mentoring programs and 
internships and scholarships, that basically says the dream is for all 
who live in this country. I thank you for your efforts to preserve 
historical treasures. One can learn a lot from the past, and the Union 
League is doing its part to tell the true story of our great Nation.
    In short, I thank you for your service to your community and our 
country.
    I also thank you for preserving the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. I'm 
about to be a member of the ex-Presidents' club, so I'll just call him 
Abe. [Laughter] If he were around I could say, ``You call me W.'' 
[Laughter] He--I don't know if you know this or not, but there's a place 
in the Oval Office where the President puts the most influential 
President--portrait of, I guess you'd say, influential President. I'm 
somewhat conflicted about the influential President, so I say, 41's 
portrait hangs in my heart, 16 hangs on the wall.
    I found it interesting that the League was founded in 1862 to 
support President Lincoln in a time when his leadership was deeply 
controversial. [Laughter] Look, I know how he felt. [Laughter]
    But the principles on which he stood have stood the test of time. 
``All men are created equal under God,'' he said unflinchingly 
throughout his Presidency. Liberty is given to every man, woman, and 
child on the face of the Earth. I believe, like Lincoln, there is an 
Almighty, and a gift of that Almighty to every man is freedom. He has 
taught Presidents that you must act on your principles and make tough 
decisions, regardless of the political consequences.
    I have been a--I have drawn strength from his example. I have 
learned lessons by reading about Abraham Lincoln. And I want to thank 
you for preserving his legacy.
    And most importantly, I thank you for your kind words and your 
heartfelt prayers during the last 8 years. It has been--somebody said, 
``What's it's like to be President?'' I said, ``Some days you're happy, 
some days not so happy, every day joyous to serve the United States.''
    God bless you, and God bless our country.

Note: The President spoke at 10:38 a.m. in Lincoln Hall at the Union 
League of Philadelphia. In his remarks, he referred to painter Mark 
Carder; Frederick C. Haab, Jr., president, Union League of Philadelphia; 
Frank Giordano, member, and James B. Straw, chairman, board of trustees, 
Abraham Lincoln Foundation of the Union League of Philadelphia; Bruce 
and Eileen Hooper, commissioners of the President's portrait; former 
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld; and former Secretary of 
Homeland Security Thomas J. Ridge.