George H.W. Bush: “February 24, 1992 May I, at the outset of these remarks, thank the colonel and this wonderful Marine band. They are…”

“February 24, 1992 May I, at the outset of these remarks, thank the colonel and this wonderful Marine band. They are sensational. And I think I speak for all when we say we've enjoyed the music. Thank you. And I want to salute your incoming chairman, Bill Lurton, and your president, Dick Lesher, so well-known to everyone and doing a superb job for the chamber, and of course, your outgoing chairman, my friend Pete Silas. Let me tell you something, just a little word about Pete. Last week there was a newspaper report that more and more American business leaders are hailing this recent and somewhat controversial mission I took to Asia, they're hailing it as a success for opening markets, for creating more American jobs. But let me say this to all of you in the chamber, no one did more to make that mission a success than Pete Silas. He gave the trip the same leadership he's given this organization, a forceful and effective presentation, taking our case for open markets to Japan and Korea. And I am very, very grateful to him. And I can see why you entrusted your leadership to him. Pete, thank you very, very much for that leadership that makes us so proud. Well, today we're noting an anniversary of sorts. One year ago, almost to the hour, our troops began punching through Iraqi lines to liberate Kuwait. We mobilized our strength and won that war with an all- volunteer force including tens of thousands of reservists.…”