Political Quotes

“Please, those who have chairs be seated, and the rest of you, thank you for the warm welcome, really. I told them to leave Millie at home over here. I don't know what the barking is. [Laughter] But let me first salute my old friend, my dear friend Bill Baroody, and thank him for his leadership; to Sheryl Ameen and Colonel Tannous, Adelaine Abercia, our friend Ambassador Lahoud, and, of course, our distinguished Representative, Congresswoman Oakar. To all of you I would say, without your sponsorship we wouldn't be standing here today. I want to single out Flip Wilson for his help in making this possible; it's greatly appreciated. Salute another old friend, Jamie Farr. And ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor--I mean this from the heart--it is an honor to be asked to dedicate this garden to a man who has done so much for poetry and, through poetry, for all of us. Barbara and I were pleased when Bill asked us, and others asked us, to serve as honorary cochairmen of the dedication committee. And now that I see-- Barbara's seen it--the beauty of this place, I'm struck by the committee's dedication. They and all who contributed to this memorial offer it as a real tribute to Gibran's legacy--his belief in brotherhood, his call for compassion, and perhaps above all, his passion for peace. The spot where we now stand holds a special place in my heart because, as most of you know, for 8 years I lived up the street with my family.…”