Bill Clinton: “Thank you very much, Jim and Norman, and to all of you who are involved in the Business Enterprise Trust; our host, the…”

“Thank you very much, Jim and Norman, and to all of you who are involved in the Business Enterprise Trust; our host, the New York Public Library, thank you for this magnificent room; and to--especially to our awardees. I'm glad Bill Moyers told that story about Calvin Coolidge and Alice Roosevelt Longworth because I was looking at these--I had a great time today. I sort of hate it that I have to speak; I was having such a good time looking at the films and looking at the people. But I was thinking to myself, why am I here, because this is such an interesting program; what do they need me here for? And then I thought, well, Norman Lear has been trying to get me to come here for 4 years. [Laughter] He's hard to say no to. Every person's friendship carries a certain burden; you know that. That's it. [Laughter] And as Calvin Coolidge said, ``A man's got to eat.'' [Laughter] So, Norman, I want to thank you for that stick of bread and the cookie at lunch. It was great. [Laughter] Ladies and gentlemen, Norman Lear told that old story about his grandfather; in 1981, I had the distinction of entering my name for the first time in Ripley's when I became the youngest former Governor in the history of the American Republic. [Laughter] With dim career prospects-- and in my entire State only one person offered me a job--Norman Lear called me and asked me if I would consider coming to work in another one of his endeavors.…”