[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 16 (Monday, April 28, 2008)]
[Pages 595-596]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks During a Visit to the Northwest Boys & Girls Club in Hartford, 
Connecticut

April 25, 2008

    Entertainer Melinda Doolittle. I would love--actually, Mr. 
President, I know that you went to Africa. I got a great chance to go to 
Africa with your wife and kind of see firsthand in Zambia what the 
disease does

[[Page 596]]

to people and how much they are appreciative of getting these bed nets. 
I know you got to travel, so I'd love it if you'd share some things--
[inaudible]--of that.
    The President. Sure. I think the thing that I would start with was 
how appreciative people in Africa were of the fact that total strangers 
cared about their lives. You see, if you are a mother who is holding a 
baby that is sick because of a mosquito bite, it creates a lot of 
hopelessness, and you really wonder whether anybody cares. And the fact 
that total strangers would come together--in Boys and Girls Clubs or 
basketball teams or singers--and care about them really lifts their 
spirits.
    And so it's been a--been really interesting to travel to Africa and 
see how appreciative the people in Africa are of the United States and 
the citizens. Isn't it interesting that--there's a call to love your 
neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself, and that's what you're 
doing. And I'm here really to thank all the people, not only here but 
across the country, for being so supportive of a humanitarian effort 
that is worthy of a great nation.
    So the trip was great. It was really a lot of fun. You know what 
it's like there.
    Ms. Doolittle. I do; I do.
    The President. It's a bit exciting, isn't it?
    Ms. Doolittle. Yes, and I think the thing that struck me the most is 
that in the midst of all of that devastation that you may see in any 
country, they are the most joyful people you will ever meet in your 
entire life. And that also is infectious. So that is one thing that I 
wanted to catch going out of Africa, is that joy that they had in the 
midst of all that they were going through. So these are people that 
absolutely love life; they cherish it. And we get to help them cherish 
that life a little longer. So it's a wonderful, wonderful thing to do.
    I would love to have you two come up and look at these bed nets and 
kind of----
    The President. Yes, why don't we get a team picture?
    Ms. Doolittle. ----kind of see----
    The President. I don't think there's enough cameras here. [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 11:30 a.m.