This President, this Government, is unwilling to take that step.

This great giant is now awake--100 million people, unlimited natural resources, developing now not only on the coast, the beautiful cities that we all know, but developing, due to the leadership of our guest of honor tonight and those who…

He needs to be not only articulate, as he is, as he has just demonstrated, and tenacious, as he obviously will be, but he also has to be a magician.

But the point is, it will be done.

As long as I am here, I will go over and shake off the dust myself to find out what was said.

I KNOW you fellows probably wonder why I came out here today.

We want your advice because, as I said in the State of the Union, we have one great goal.

Give Thy servant an understanding heart.

Mere competence is not enough.

We will pass that test.

And we look forward to many happy returns.

Frankly, I cannot imagine what the Government would be like without you.

It is no comfort to me that when I came into office I wrote 300 of those letters a week and that this week I will write 27. One is too many.

At least he's moving in the right direction.

I want to say, too, though, that when I did appoint him, I wanted a man who would speak for the farmers and for American agriculture to the White House rather than the other way around.

I expect the Departments and Agencies of the Executive Branch to lead the way in this important effort and to support the program fully within their areas of responsibility.

Secretary Kennedy has served this Nation in a selfless and, in my view, admirable and completely devoted way.

A leader of his people—a teacher of all people—has fallen.