George H.W. Bush: “Thank you very, very much for that welcome. Listen, I should be the one clapping to thank you all for the fantastic…”

“Thank you very, very much for that welcome. Listen, I should be the one clapping to thank you all for the fantastic support that NFIB has given to this administration as we work towards common goals. First, let me thank John Sloan not just for the introduction but for the leadership he has given to these sound business principles. I'm also very pleased that with us here, with John and me here on this platform, is Pat Saiki. She has joined our team in the administration, having been a key member of it when she was in the Congress, and she already has brought new energy to the SBA. And we're very proud of her. And I know you will enjoy working with her. Let me warn you ahead of time, I gave four commencement addresses last week. And if I lapse into saying things like, ``Your future lies ahead of you,''--[laughter]--or ``You're at a crossroads in your life,'' you'll know exactly why. [Laughter] Actually, my favorite commencement line of all comes from that great philosopher, Woody Allen. [Laughter] That's right, Woody Allen. He once told a graduating class, ``Mankind is at a crossroads. Down one path is despair and utter hopelessness. Down the other, total destruction.'' [Laughter] Then he goes on and finishes, ``Let's hope your generation has the wisdom to choose correctly.'' [Laughter] Well, this is one place I don't have to worry about that. You offer something other than hopelessness and destruction and despair. You create opportunity and hope.…”