[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 11 (Monday, March 20, 2006)]
[Page 465]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Arrival in Rochester, New York and an Exchange With Reporters

March 14, 2006

Jason McElwain

    The President. First of all, it's great to be here in upstate New 
York. As you can see, a special person has greeted me at the airport.
    Jason, mind if I call you J-Mac?
    Mr. McElwain. Yeah. [Laughter]
    The President. I call him J-Mac. You call me George W. [Laughter]
    But our country was captivated by an amazing story on the basketball 
court. I think it's a story of Coach Johnson's willingness to give a 
person a chance. It's a story of Dave and Debbie's deep love for their 
son, and it's a story of a young man who found his touch on the 
basketball court, which in turn, touched the hearts of citizens all 
across the country.
    So I want to thank you for being here. You probably didn't realize 
the impact you were going to have on people all across America and 
around the world when you made those six 3s in a row. I've kind of 
gotten off the courts these days because I'm getting old, but if I got 
back on the courts, I'd need a lesson--[laughter]--on how to rotate that 
ball. But let me have that there, Coach.
    Jim Johnson. Okay. There you go, sir.

[At this point, the President held a sign with Jason's picture.]

    The President. Thank you. There you go. Kind of looks like you.
    Anyway, thank you all for coming. God bless. I appreciate the 
wonderful story that's come out of your family.
    Q. Mr. President, how did you hear about the story, and what's your 
reaction?
    The President. Saw it on TV. Saw it on TV, and I wept, just like a 
lot of other people. It's just one of those stories that touched a lot 
of people's heart.
    Q. Did somebody play it for you, or did you just see it?
    The President. I can't remember exactly how it happened. Probably 
somebody played it for me, you know, being the President and all. But 
it's a wonderful tale.
    God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 10:50 a.m. at the Greater Rochester 
International Airport. In his remarks, he referred to Jason McElwain, an 
autistic student at Greece Athena High School who scored 20 points in 
his first varsity basketball game; and Jim Johnson, coach, Greece Athena 
High School boys basketball team.