[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 45, Number 2 (Monday, January 19, 2009)]
[Pages 35-36]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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

[[Page 36]]

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 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 gave 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. Tim Kaine of Virginia; Adm. Gary Roughead, USN, Chief of Naval 
Operations; and Capt. Kevin 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.