Bill Clinton: “Thank you very much. I asked Charday if she was happy about being here, and she said, ``Yes, but I'm a little nervous.''…”

“Thank you very much. I asked Charday if she was happy about being here, and she said, ``Yes, but I'm a little nervous.'' [Laughter] And I said, ``Well, all these people are your friends, just remember that.'' And I thought she did a terrific job. Don't you think she did? I think she did. [Applause] Governor and Mrs. Edgar, Senator Levin, Senator Landrieu, Congressman and Mrs. Oberstar, Mayor Barry, thank you all for joining us here today. I'd like to thank the previous participants on the program-- Mayor-elect Williams, for the power of your example which speaks louder than our words. And Mrs. Williams, we're glad to have you here today, and we wish you well in your new endeavors. Judge Hamilton, thank you for your work and the power of your example. And Dave Thomas, he said some very nice things up here about Hillary and me, but the truth is that no other citizen in the United States today or ever has done as much as a private citizen to promote the cause of adoption as Dave Thomas. And we are very grateful to him. Thank you, sir. I'd like to thank Secretary Shalala, the longest serving and, notwithstanding her voice today, the most effective Secretary of Health and Human Services in our history. I want to congratulate all the families who are here today and thank them for coming. And I hope Judge Hamilton is right; I hope that the images of them that go across America today will inspire other parents to do the same.…”