President Bush's State of the union address 2007~Awesome

NOT ONLY WAS THE 2007 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AWESOME IT WAS ALSO A HISTORICAL ONE AS WELL WITH THE FIRST WOMEN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN HISTORY !


With Vice President Dick Cheney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi behind him, President Bush delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Bush paid tribute to Pelosi, noting her historic elevation as the nation's first female House speaker.


Bush's sixth State of the Union address was his first before a Congress controlled by Democrats.

The State of the Union address is an elaborate ritual on Capitol Hill. Members of the Washington press corps sit in a gallery above Bush as he speaks.

NBA star Dikembe Mutombo, a new U.S. citizen, reacts as Bush pays tribute to him. The president saluted Mutombo's efforts to help his native Congo

President Bush's State of the Union Address

January 23, 2007
On Tuesday evening, President George W. Bush stood before a joint session of Congress for his annual State of the Union address. The full text of the speech is presented below.
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President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own -- as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker. (Applause.)

In his day, the late Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. from Baltimore, Maryland, saw Presidents Roosevelt and Truman at this rostrum. But nothing could compare with the sight of his only daughter, Nancy, presiding tonight as Speaker of the House of Representatives. (Applause.)

Congratulations, Madam Speaker. (Applause.)

Two members of the House and Senate are not with us tonight, and we pray for the recovery and speedy return of Senator Tim Johnson and Congressman Charlie Norwood. (Applause.)

Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
The rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour -- when decisions are hard and courage is needed. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies -- and the wisdom to face them together.
Some in this chamber are new to the House and the Senate -- and I congratulate the Democrat majority. (Applause.)

Congress has changed, but not our responsibilities. Each of us is guided by our own convictions -- and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we're all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this nation's prosperity; to spend the people's money wisely; to solve problems, not leave them to future generations; to guard America against all evil; and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us. (Applause.)

We're not the first to come here with a government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on -- as long as we're willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. (Applause.)

Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and to help them to build a future of hope and opportunity -- and this is the business before us tonight.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy -- and that is what we have. We're now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth, in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs -- so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising. This economy is on the move, and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government, but with more enterprise. (Applause.)

Next week, I'll deliver a full report on the state of our economy. Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the federal budget. (Applause.)

We can do so without raising taxes. (Applause.) What we need is impose spending discipline in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009, and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. (Applause.)

Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. (Applause.)

I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the federal government, and we can balance the federal budget. (Applause.)

Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour -- when not even C-SPAN is watching. (Laughter.)

In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate -- they are dropped into committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You didn't vote them into law. I didn't sign them into law. Yet, they're treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process, expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress, and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session. (Applause.)

And, finally, to keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are commitments of conscience, and so it is our duty to keep them permanently sound. Yet, we're failing in that duty. And this failure will one day leave our children with three bad options: huge tax increases, huge deficits, or huge and immediate cuts in benefits. Everyone in this chamber knows this to be true -- yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us work together and do it now. With enough good sense and goodwill, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid -- and save Social Security. (Applause.)

Spreading opportunity and hope in America also requires public schools that give children the knowledge and character they need in life. Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, preserving local control, raising standards, and holding those schools accountable for results. And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap.
Now the task is to build on the success, without watering down standards, without taking control from local communities, and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift student achievement even higher by giving local leaders flexibility to turn around failing schools, and by giving families with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose someplace better. (Applause.)

We must increase funds for students who struggle -- and make sure these children get the special help they need. (Applause.)

And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future and our country is more competitive by strengthening math and science skills. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America's children -- and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law. (Applause.)

A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available health care. (Applause.)

When it comes to health care, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. And we will meet those responsibilities. For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. (Applause.)

But many Americans cannot afford a health insurance policy.
And so tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income on payroll tax -- or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills. At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, this proposal would mean a substantial tax savings -- $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans. (Applause.)

My second proposal is to help the states that are coming up with innovative ways to cover the uninsured. States that make basic private health insurance available to all their citizens should receive federal funds to help them provide this coverage to the poor and the sick. I have asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with Congress to take existing federal funds and use them to create "Affordable Choices" grants. These grants would give our nation's governors more money and more flexibility to get private health insurance to those most in need.
There are many other ways that Congress can help. We need to expand Health Savings Accounts. (Applause.)

We need to help small businesses through Association Health Plans. (Applause.)

We need to reduce costs and medical errors with better information technology. (Applause.)

We will encourage price transparency. And to protect good doctors from junk lawsuits, we passing medical liability reform. (Applause.)

In all we do, we must remember that the best health care decisions are made not by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors. (Applause.)

Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America -- with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. To secure our border, we're doubling the size of the Border Patrol, and funding new infrastructure and technology.
Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border -- and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won't have to try to sneak in, and that will leave Border Agents free to chase down drug smugglers and criminals and terrorists. (Applause.)

We'll enforce our immigration laws at the work site and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers, so there's no excuse left for violating the law. (Applause.)

We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals.
(Applause.)

We need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country without animosity and without amnesty. (Applause.)

Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration. Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate, so that you can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law. (Applause.)

Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America's economy running and America's environment clean. For too long our nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes, and to terrorists -- who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments, and raise the price of oil, and do great harm to our economy.
It's in our vital interest to diversify America's energy supply -- the way forward is through technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power, by even greater use of clean coal technology, solar and wind energy, and clean, safe nuclear power. (Applause.)

We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. (Applause.)

We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol -- (applause) -- using everything from wood chips to grasses, to agricultural wastes.
We made a lot of progress, thanks to good policies here in Washington and the strong response of the market. And now even more dramatic advances are within reach. Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we've done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next 10 years. (Applause.)

When we do that we will have cut our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.

To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 -- and that is nearly five times the current target. (Applause.)
At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks -- and conserve up to 8.5 billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Achieving these ambitious goals will dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but it's not going to eliminate it. And so as we continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways. (Applause.)

And to further protect America against severe disruptions to our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. (Applause.)

America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. And these technologies will help us be better stewards of the environment, and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change. (Applause.)

A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial system of justice. The lives of our citizens across our nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts. We have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty, as well, to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. (Applause.)

For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow that the terrorists can cause. We've had time to take stock of our situation. We've added many critical protections to guard the homeland. We know with certainty that the horrors of that September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists intend for us -- unless we stop them.
With the distance of time, we find ourselves debating the causes of conflict and the course we have followed. Such debates are essential when a great democracy faces great questions. Yet one question has surely been settled: that to win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy. (Applause.)

From the start, America and our allies have protected our people by staying on the offense. The enemy knows that the days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing, and free flowing communications are long over. For the terrorists, life since 9/11 has never been the same.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies have prevented, but here is some of what we do know: We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terror cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean. For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them. (Applause.)

Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the world. And so long as that's the case, America is still a nation at war.
In the mind of the terrorist, this war began well before September the 11th, and will not end until their radical vision is fulfilled. And these past five years have given us a much clearer view of the nature of this enemy. Al Qaeda and its followers are Sunni extremists, possessed by hatred and commanded by a harsh and narrow ideology. Take almost any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite. They preach with threats, instruct with bullets and bombs, and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions. They want to overthrow moderate governments, and establish safe havens from which to plan and carry out new attacks on our country. By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the cause of liberty. They would then be free to impose their will and spread their totalitarian ideology. Listen to this warning from the late terrorist Zarqawi: "We will sacrifice our blood and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming is even worse." Osama bin Laden declared: "Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us."
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah -- a group second only to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.
The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat. Whatever slogans they chant, when they slaughter the innocent they have the same wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans, kill democracy in the Middle East, and gain the weapons to kill on an even more horrific scale.
In the sixth year since our nation was attacked, I wish I could report to you that the dangers had ended. They have not. And so it remains the policy of this government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to protect the American people. (Applause.)

This war is more than a clash of arms -- it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto airplanes and to come and kill us. What every terrorist fears most is human freedom
-- societies where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies -- and most will choose a better way when they're given a chance. So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates and reformers and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security, we must. (Applause.)

In the last two years, we've seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East -- and we have been sobered by the enemy's fierce reaction. In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution, they drove out the Syrian occupiers and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi people held three national elections, choosing a transitional government, adopting the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, and then electing a government under that constitution. Despite endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity that we should never forget. (Applause.)

A thinking enemy watched all of these scenes, adjusted their tactics, and in 2006 they struck back. In Lebanon, assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a prominent participant in the Cedar Revolution. Hezbollah terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region and are seeking to undermine Lebanon's legitimately elected government. In Afghanistan, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters tried to regain power by regrouping and engaging Afghan and NATO forces. In Iraq, al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists blew up one of the most sacred places in Shia Islam -- the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity, directed at a Muslim house of prayer, was designed to provoke retaliation from Iraqi Shia -- and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads. The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal that continues to this day.
This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we're in. Every one of us wishes this war were over and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. Let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory. (Applause.)

We're carrying out a new strategy in Iraq -- a plan that demands more from Iraq's elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we're deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and the roaming death squads. And in Anbar Province, where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them, we're sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out. (Applause.)

We didn't drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.
The people of Iraq want to live in peace, and now it's time for their government to act. Iraq's leaders know that our commitment is not open-ended. They have promised to deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad -- and they must do so. They pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction or political party -- and they need to follow through, and lift needless restrictions on Iraqi and coalition forces, so these troops can achieve their mission of bringing security to all of the people of Baghdad. Iraq's leaders have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks -- to achieve reconciliation, to share oil revenues among all of Iraq's citizens, to put the wealth of Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq, to allow more Iraqis to re-enter their nation's civic life, to hold local elections, and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province. But for all of this to happen, Baghdad must be secure. And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back its capital and make good on its commitments.
My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance for success. Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq, because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far-reaching.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country -- and in time, the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is the greatest ally -- their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September the 11th and invite tragedy. Ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East, to succeed in Iraq and to spare the American people from this danger. (Applause.)

This is where matters stand tonight, in the here and now. I have spoken with many of you in person. I respect you and the arguments you've made. We went into this largely united, in our assumptions and in our convictions. And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq, and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field, and those on their way. (Applause.)

The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. And that's why it's important to work together so our nation can see this great effort through. Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. It's why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. We'll show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.
And one of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. (Applause.) Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years. (Applause.)

A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. It would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.
Americans can have confidence in the outcome of this struggle because we're not in this struggle alone. We have a diplomatic strategy that is rallying the world to join in the fight against extremism. In Iraq, multinational forces are operating under a mandate from the United Nations. We're working with Jordan and Saudi Arabia and Egypt and the Gulf States to increase support for Iraq's government.
The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. (Applause.)

With the other members of the Quartet -- the U.N., the European Union, and Russia -- we're pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. (Applause.)

In Afghanistan, NATO has taken the lead in turning back the Taliban and al Qaeda offensive -- the first time the Alliance has deployed forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our partners in China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, we're pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. (Applause.)

We will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus, and Burma -- and continue to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people of Darfur. (Applause.)

American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger and poverty and disease -- and that is precisely what America is doing. We must continue to fight HIV/AIDS, especially on the continent of Africa. (Applause.)

Because you funded our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the number of people receiving life-saving drugs has grown from 50,000 to more than 800,000 in three short years. I ask you to continue funding our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. I ask you to provide $1.2 billion over five years so we can combat malaria in 15 African countries. (Applause.)

I ask that you fund the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty. (Applause.)

When America serves others in this way, we show the strength and generosity of our country. These deeds reflect the character of our people. The greatest strength we have is the heroic kindness, courage, and self-sacrifice of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know where to look -- and tonight we need only look above to the gallery.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine -- but Coach John Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. (Laughter.) Dikembe became a star in the NBA, and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth, or the duty to share his blessings with others. He built a brand new hospital in his old hometown. A friend has said of this good-hearted man: "Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things." And we are proud to call this son of the Congo a citizen of the United States of America. (Applause.)

After her daughter was born, Julie Aigner-Clark searched for ways to share her love of music and art with her child. So she borrowed some equipment, and began filming children's videos in her basement. The Baby Einstein Company was born, and in just five years her business grew to more than $20 million in sales. In November 2001, Julie sold Baby Einstein to the Walt Disney Company, and with her help Baby Einstein has grown into a $200 million business. Julie represents the great enterprising spirit of America. And she is using her success to help others -- producing child safety videos with John Walsh of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Julie says of her new project: "I believe it's the most important thing that I have ever done. I believe that children have the right to live in a world that is safe." And so tonight, we are pleased to welcome this talented business entrepreneur and generous social entrepreneur -- Julie Aigner-Clark. (Applause.)

Three weeks ago, Wesley Autrey was waiting at a Harlem subway station with his two little girls, when he saw a man fall into the path of a train. With seconds to act, Wesley jumped onto the tracks, pulled the man into the space between the rails, and held him as the train passed right above their heads. He insists he's not a hero. He says: "We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to have our freedoms. We have got to show each other some love." There is something wonderful about a country that produces a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey. (Applause.)

Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in Iraq when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire; he used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his legs -- yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades at the enemy's position. For his exceptional courage, Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire country. (Applause.)

In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen, we see the spirit and character of America -- and these qualities are not in short supply. This is a decent and honorable country -- and resilient, too. We've been through a lot together. We've met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence -- because the State of our Union is strong, our cause in the world is right, and tonight that cause goes on. God bless. (Applause.)

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER STORY

CLASSIC VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house
and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and
well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house
and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering
grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should
be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

CBS, NBC and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next
to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is
allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries
when they sing "It's Not Easy Being Green."

Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the
news stations film the group singing "We shall overcome". Jesse then has the
group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.

Al Gore exclaims in an interview with Peter Jennings that the ant has gotten
rich off the back of the grasshopper, and calls for an immediate tax hike on
the ant to make him pay his "fair share".

Finally, the EEOC drafts the "Economic Equity and Anti Grasshopper Act",
retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to
hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his
retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.

Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation
suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges
that Bill appointed from a list of single(c)parent welfare recipients. The
ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the
ant's food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the
ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it. The ant
has disappeared in the snow.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now
abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful
neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: VOTE REPUBLICAN

$5,000 Reward Offered in Sexual Attack of Pit-Bull Puppy in New Jersey

My take: I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SICK SICK PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD AND THIS CASE IS JUST ONE OF MANY THAT GO ON. I HOPE THEY CATCH THIS BASTARD AND PUT THEM AWAY FOR A LONG LONG TIME. IT'S PRETY BAD THAT WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE YOU NOW HAVE TO PROTECT YOUR PETS FROM SEXUAL PREDITORS.
WHAT A BUNCH OF SICK BASTARDS THAT DO THIS SORT OF THING. DAMNNNNNN!

A $5,000 reward is being offered in the search for a suspect Tuesday in a sexual assault of a 10-month-old pit-bull puppy in New Jersey.

Police discovered the dog, apparently sodomized by a local resident, Tuesday and notified the Associated Humane Societies of Newark.

The animal was hospitalized for internal bleeding after the attack, the AHS told FOXNews.com.

"The dog was so traumatized, she didn’t even want to get up," said Rosanne Trezza, executive director of the AHS. "She wouldn’t walk, she just laid down."


AHS has posted a reward fund of $2,500 and the N.J. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has met the $2,500, totaling $5,000 for the arrest and bestiality conviction of the perpetrator.







According to Trezza, two women witnessed a man having intercourse with the dog but refused to get involved.


"I'd like to get the dog a home, it’s a stray, and no one has come forward," Trezza said. "I wouldn’t want it to go back to that area. The dog needs a chance to be put on a different road in life."

The AHS welcomes donations toward the dog's medical care, and anyone with information about the crime should call Trezza at 973-824-7080.

Missing Boys William 'Ben' Ownby, Shawn Hornbeck Found Alive in Missouri

Missing Boys William 'Ben' Ownby, Shawn Hornbeck Found Alive in Missouri
Saturday, January 13, 2007

BEAUFORT, Mo. — A 13-year-old boy who vanished from the gravel road near his home five days ago was found alive Friday about 60 miles away in a suburban St. Louis home, along with a 15-year-old boy missing since 2002, authorities said.
The boys were found in a Kirkwood home belonging to Michael Devlin, 41, who has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, Sheriff Gary Toelke said.

The sheriff said both boys appeared unharmed. William Ownby, who goes by Ben, appeared somewhat dazed as he walked inside the sheriff's department, where he was reunited with his family Friday night.
"His eyes lit up like silver dollars," said Loyd Bailie, who was escorted to the Franklin County Sherrif's Department with Ben's parents. Everyone broke into tears and Ben's parents embraced him as tightly as they could, Bailie said.
The straight-A student and Boy Scout was last seen after he stepped off his school bus and ran toward his Beaufort home down a gravel road on Monday.

A friend who left the bus with the boy told authorities that after the two parted, he saw a small white pickup with a camper shell speeding away from where Ben had been walking.
Searchers on foot, horseback and all-terrain vehicles looked for Ben in the hilly area about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis.

Toelke said the break in the case came Thursday night. Kirkwood city police officers were serving a warrant on an apartment complex when they noticed a white truck matching the description of a vehicle authorities had been searching for in the Ownby investigation.
Kirkwood officers contacted the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and determined where the owner of the truck was and then searched Devlin's house.

Toelke said authorities were surprised to find another boy who identified himself as Shawn Hornbeck.
Hornbeck disappeared from his Richwoods home in October 2002, when he was 11. He went for a bike ride and never returned.
Hornbeck's parents, Pam and Craig Akers, were reunited with their son, Toelke said.
His parents have devoted themselves to bringing missing people home since Hornbeck vanished over four years ago from his hometown 65 miles southwest of St. Louis.
His parents, dozens of volunteers and sniffer dogs searched for weeks. The couple set up a Web site and listened to anyone who offered a tip.
Craig Akers, Shawn's stepfather, quit his job as a software designer to devote his time to a foundation bearing his son's name. They depleted their savings, borrowed against their retirement and talked to psychics. The financial strain forced both of them back to work.
A retired police officer volunteered to work on the case until Shawn was found.
Even though so much time had passed, Pam Akers said her son is frozen in her memory as an 11-year-old boy.
"It's been four years," she said on the anniversary of his disappearance last fall. "But for me, it's just been one long continuous day."
Toelke said authorities were still investigating the motive behind the abductions. Franklin County Prosecutor Robert Parks said more charges are likely to be filed.
"There are a lot of things we don't know right now," Toelke said.
Neighbor Rick Butler, 43, said the FBI came to his door Thursday night and showed a picture of Ben, asking if he had seen him. He said he had not. But he had seen a boy he now believes was Hornbeck.
He said he saw no evidence that the boy now believed to be Hornbeck was scared or trying to get away. He had seen Devlin and the teen pitch a tent in the courtyard.
"I didn't see or hear anything odd or unusual from the apartment," Butler said. "I just figured them for father and son."

Devlin worked at a local pizzeria and an overnight shift answering phones at a funeral home, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported.
"He just acted like a relatively normal guy. Nothing unusual stuck out at me," his former landlord, Marvin Reid, told the newspaper.

Miracle in Missouri
Police say Shawn Hornbeck, inset top, and Ben Ownby, inset bottom, were found in Michael Devlin's home.

Bindi Irwin Makes U.S. TV Debut; Steve Irwin's Daughter

Friday, January 12, 2007
Bindi Irwin Makes U.S. TV Debut; Steve Irwin's Widow Says Death Footage Destroyed

BURBANK, Calif. — Bindi Irwin, the 8-year-old daughter of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, followed in her dad's footsteps Thursday, using her American television debut to talk about animals.
The khaki-clad girl skipped across the stage holding a blue-tongued lizard as she greeted audiences of the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
"This is Spanky. He's 10 years old," Bindi told DeGeneres as she prodded the lizard to lick her face in an attempt to show its tongue.
"I just love animals. My dad really brought it out in me," Bindi said. "He's the one that made me."
Her father, animal lover and conservationist Steve Irwin, died Sept. 4 from the poisonous jab of a stingray. Along with Bindi, he left behind his wife, Terri, and 2-year-old son, Bob.
Like her father, Bindi said she loves "all animals, great or small."
She will star in a wildlife series to air on the Discovery Kids network early next year.
"I want to be like my dad," she said. "I want him to be proud of me."
Meanwhile, all footage of Irwin's death has been destroyed, his widow said.


Terri Irwin told TV's "Access Hollywood" in an interview airing this week that the tape was destroyed when it was no longer needed for the investigation into his death.
"There's standard protocols for examining certain evidence and that's no longer necessary, so we're very proud that Steve's last documentary is going to air and that's his last footage with wildlife," she said.
Queensland, Australia, state Coroner Michael Barnes said last week that the original tape was returned to Terri Irwin, and all copies had been destroyed.
When asked by "Access Hollywood" about reports that she kept that tape, she responded, "Oh no, all footage has been destroyed."
Steve Irwin's manager, John Stainton, said Saturday that the completed "Ocean's Deadliest" — minus footage from the day Irwin was killed — would be screened in the United States on Jan. 21.

Atlanta Zoo's baby panda cub, Mei Lan Debuts to Adoring Fans

Mei Lan Debuts to Adoring Fans
LINK BELOW TO THE PANDA PHOTO GALLERY. SO CUTE!
http://www.zooatlanta.org/animals_giant_panda_cub_gallery.htm
Limited public viewings of Zoo Atlanta's baby panda cub started Friday and Atlantans can finally see Mei Lan in person.


1/12/2007

Limited public viewings of Zoo Atlanta’s baby panda cub started Friday and Atlantans can finally see Mei Lan in person.

Zoo members can start visiting the panda exhibit at 9:00 a.m. and the exhibit opens to the at 9:30 a.m.

Atlanta sweetheart, Mei Lan began her day in front of a phalanx of cameras for her media debut.

Mei Lan recently learned how to walk and Friday, she was all about exploring her surroundings.

“We’ve been watching panda cam everyday, so it’s been amazing,” said panda visitor, Kim Dobso.

Dobso and her children were some of the first public visitors to see Mei Lan.

“When we walked up and saw her right there, we just got so emotional just seeing her for the first time in person. It’s amazing,” exclaimed Dobso.

“I was overwhelmed, I just wanted to cry, tears welled up. She’s beautiful,” said panda visitor Ann Bowers.

The baby cub explored, while Lun Lun dined on a breakfast of bamboo.

Zoo officials said people from all over the country tuned into the zoo’s website, hoping for a glimpse of Atlanta’s newest gem.

“We routinely get 40 to 50,000 folks a day visiting the website, and tracking her all over the country, so we hope this will bring visitors to Atlanta,” said Dennis Kelly, president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta.

Not long after Mei Lan was introduced to an adoring public, she curled up in little ball of fur for a nice, long nap.

While Mei Lan is on limited view, zoo visitors must buy an extra ticket to the panda exhibit, which is time specific, and guarantees patrons a chance to see Mei Lan.

When the baby cub gets older she will be in the exhibit full-time.

GO TO THE PANDA CAM BELOW TO SEE THE BABY. :o)

http://www.zooatlanta.org/animals_panda_cam.php4

STRANGE BUT TRUE FISH STORY

Fish 'n Flush Toilet Doubles as Aquarium

The Fish 'n Flush wraps a working aquarium around a conventional toilet tank.

NEW YORK (Jan. 11) - Home renovators looking to bring life to the smallest room in their home now have the chance -- with a toilet that doubles as an aquarium.

The Fish 'n Flush is a clear two-piece toilet tank that replaces a standard toilet tank, with a see-through aquarium wrapping itself around a conventional toilet tank.

"We wanted to develop a product that had a dual purpose - to serve as a proper, fully functional toilet and also as a source of entertainment and conversation," said Devon Niccole, marketing director of California-based designer AquaOne Technologies Inc. which has just started to selling the tank.

He said the company, which specializes in water conservation equipment for home appliance, had worked with a marine biologist to design a tank that ensured the fish were not harmed when the toilet was flushed.

The aquarium toilet tank, which sells for $299, fits most toilets with the 2.2-gallon aquarium piece able to be easily removed for cleaning. The toilet tank itself holds 2.5 gallons which gives sufficient pressure for flushing.

"Some people think we're nuts but other just love it and parents are using it to help their children with potty training. One thing you can guarantee is that people will be talking about it after seeing it in your home," said Niccole.

Beth Holloway talks to Dr. Phil about her daughter NATALLE HOLLWAY

Chavez Pledges 'Socialism or Death' at Swearing In Ceremony

Wednesday, January 10, 2007


CARACAS, Venezuela — Invoking Christ and Castro as his socialist models, President Hugo Chavez began his third term Wednesday by declaring that socialism, not capitalism, is the only way forward for Venezuela and the world.
His first stop: Nicaragua, where leftist ally Daniel Ortega was returning to power with his own inauguration hours later. Chavez can now count on remaining president until 2013 — or later if he gets his way with a constitutional amendment allowing him to run again.
At the apex of a resurgent Latin American left, Chavez has been emboldened to make more radical changes at home after winning re-election with 63 percent of the vote, his widest margin ever.

His next moves include nationalizing electrical and telecommunications companies, forming a commission to oversee constitutional reforms and asking the National Assembly, now entirely controlled by his supporters, to allow him to enact "revolutionary laws" by presidential decree.
His right hand raised Wednesday, Chavez declared in words reminiscent of Fidel Castro's famous call-to-arms: "Fatherland, socialism or death — I swear it." He also alluded to Jesus: "I swear by Christ — the greatest socialist in history."

In a speech, he said the central aim of his term will be "to build Venezuelan socialism."
"I don't have the slightest doubt that is the only path to the redemption of our peoples, the salvation of our fatherland," Chavez told lawmakers to applause.
Chavez's re-election capped a series of Latin American presidential votes, and his closest ideological allies were all gathering Wednesday in Managua. Also on Ortega's guest list were Ecuador's Rafael Correa and Bolivia's Evo Morales. Acting Cuban leader Raul Castro sent a high-level delegation.
Chavez said a commission was being assembled to consider constitutional reforms to be decided in a popular referendum, including one allowing "indefinite re-election" by doing away with presidential term limits that bar him from running again in 2012.
"The important thing is that the people will make the decision, because nothing can be done without that here," Chavez said, dismissing criticism that he is becoming authoritarian or trying to change Venezuela into something like Castro's Cuba.
Displaying blunt confidence during his speech, Chavez scolded leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and the Organization of American States for criticizing his decision not to renew the license of an opposition-aligned television station.
Turning to Venezuela's top Catholic prelate, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, Chavez said he could not understand why the church supported Radio Caracas Television, which Chavez accuses of subversive activities aimed at ousting him.
"Mr. Cardinal," Chavez said, "the state respects the church. The church should respect the state. I wouldn't like to return to the times of confrontation with Venezuelan bishops, but it's not up to me. It's up to the Venezuelan bishops."
With oil profits booming and his popularity high, Chavez seems to be in step with many Venezuelans even as spooked investors rushed to sell off Venezuelan stocks in companies subject to his nationalization plans.
Chavez called that a knee-jerk overreaction, and shares in Venezuela's leading telephone company rebounded as the congressional finance chief assured reporters Wednesday that the government will negotiate compensation to the affected companies.
He also visited the tomb of Simon Bolivar, the South American independence hero and inspiration for his "Bolivarian Revolution," and blew kisses to supporters tossing rose petals at his open car. Before flying to Nicaragua, the former paratroop commander also watched a military parade with Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets thundering overhead.
Chavez said he is crafting a new sort of "21st century socialism" for Venezuela. Critics say it is starting to look like old-fashioned totalitarianism by a leader obsessed with power.
"They want to nationalize everything. This is the beginning," said Marisela Leon, a 47-year-old engineer who said she would like to leave Venezuela because she sees difficult times ahead.
But many of Chavez's largely poor and working class supporters remain optimistic. Miguel Angel Martinez, a 52-year-old street vendor, said the president "has dedicated himself to studying communist, socialist and democratic models and has taken the best of those models."
An Associated Press-Ipsos poll three weeks before his re-election found 62 percent support for nationalizing companies when in the national interest. But the poll also found 84 percent said they oppose adopting a political system like Cuba's, despite Chavez's reverence for Castro.
And while Chavez denies trying to adopt Cuba's system, he ended his inaugural speech Wednesday with Castro's signature phrase: "Socialism or death! We shall prevail!"

A SLIDESHOW OF A BAHAMAS TRIP MY SON TOOK, NICE

BELOW IS A SLIDESHOW MY SON SENT ME ON A RECENT TRIP HE TOOK WITH SOME FRIENDS TO THE BAHAMAS. LAST YEAR ONE OF HIS FRIENDS LOST HIS WIFE CIMING BACK FROM FLORIDA AFTER A WEEKS VACATION IN DAYTONA. A HUGE PEICE OF RUBBER FROM A SIMI TRUCK HAD COME OFF AND WAS IN THE LANE. THE SUV HIS FRIEND WAS TRAVELING IN DID NOT SEE IT IN TIME TO AVOID IT. HIS TRUCK FLIPPED SEVEN TIMES IN THE MEDIAN ON I - 95 NOT FAR FROM ST. AUGUSTINE EXIT. HIS WIFE WAS AIR LIFTED TO THE HALIFAX HOSPITAL WITH A BROKEN NECK THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED HER TO BE PARALIZED FOR THE REST OF HER LFE HAD SHE LIVED BUT SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK ON THE OPERATING TABLE. SHE STAYED IN A COMMA FOR 7 MONTHS BEFORE LIFE SUPPORT WAS REMOVED AND SHE DIED IN JANUARY 2006. MY SON HAS HELPED HIM TAKE CARE OF ALL THE TERMOIL THAT FOLLOWED, ADN HE DECIDED THEY NEEDED TO GET AWAY. HE TOOK THEM TO THE BAHAMAS. SEEMS LIKE THEY ALL HAD FUN. ENJOY THE PICS. :o)



Bahamas

DEMOCRATS TAKE CONTROL 2007~NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

ENJOY THE SHOW. THE SLDESHOW SPEAKS FOR ITSELF !



Go to ImageShack® to Create your own Slideshow

Texas Man Stages Pig Races to Protest Islamic Neighbor's Plans to Build Mosque

Texas Man Stages Pig Races to Protest Islamic Neighbor's Plans to Build Mosque (YOU GO BUDDY !) THIS IS OUR COUNTRY , NOT THEIRS ! THEY SHOULD GO HOME AND BUILD THEIR FAKE CHURCHES !

KATY, Texas — When an Islamic group moved in next door and told Craig Baker the pigs on his family's 200-year-old Texas farm had to go, he and his swine decided to fight back.

In protest of being asked to move, Davis began staging elaborate pig races on Friday afternoons — one of the Islamic world's most holy days.

Craig's neighbors, the Katy Islamic Association, have plans to build a mosque and community compound on the 11 acres they purchased alongside his farm.

Baker, 46, a stone-shop owner whose family has owned the farm for two centuries, says the association knew about the pigs when they bought the property, and it's not fair for them to ask him to get rid of the animals.
Pigs race at a farm in Katy, Texas, in protest of plans to build a mosque next door.




"I am just defending my rights and my property," Baker said. "They totally disrespected me and my family."

Initially Baker and Kamel Fotouh, the president of the 500-member Islamic Association, were on good terms. But things turned sour at a town meeting, where Baker says Fotouh insulted him by asking him to move.

"That was the last straw for me ... calling me a liar, especially in front of three or four hundred people at that meeting," Baker said. "Mr. Fotouh said it would be a good idea if I considered packing up my stuff and moving out further to the country."
SEE PIG RACE VIDEO HERE..
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player06.html?010507/010507_mcintyre_pigs&FNL&Pig%20Problem&acc&US&-1&News&207&&&exp

Fotouh says his group has to construct the mosque because the others in the Houston area don't provide the kind of environment they are looking for.

"We feel that these mosques are not fulfilling the needs of the community as they should. So, our vision is to have an integrated facility," said Fotouh.

He said the pig races no longer bother him or his members, and they're going ahead with their plans to construct the mosque.

Muslims do not hate pigs, he added, they just don't eat them.

Neighbors have been showing support for Baker's races, even coming in the pouring rain and giving donations ranging from $100 to $1000 to sponsor the events.

Last Friday, more than 100 attended the pig races, and many say they don't want the mosque either. Some fear it will appear out of place and hurt their property values.

President Ford's funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC & on to Michigan

President Ford remembered at the National Cathedral Service & on to Michigan for buriel at his Library. Two days in pictures.







































At events in Washington, D.C., and Grand Rapids, Mich., the nation remembers former President Gerald R. Ford, who died last week at the age of 93.

Early Tuesday, the former president's body was carried from the Capitol Rotunda, where he lay in state for three days, and brought down a marble hall by military pallbearers to lie outside the Senate chamber.

The stop was a tribute to Mr. Ford's love of Congress, an institution where he spent most of his political life. Then, in a departure ceremony reflecting his arrival Saturday on the House side, the flag-draped casket was brought out the Senate side to the top of a long flight of stairs. There the former president was honored with a 21-gun salute

Waiting below was Betty, Ford's wife of 58 years, and other family members. Honorary pallbearers, including many who had served in the Ford White House, such as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, stood at attention, their hands over their hearts. The stairs were lined on both sides with a military cordon.

Slowly the casket was brought down to the waiting hearse, as the U.S. Navy Band played the hymm "Abide with Me." The Ford family had asked that some of the more formal trappings, such as a horse-drawn caisson, be excluded from this presidential funeral. But much of the ceremonial pomp remained.

There were few spectators as the motorcade made its way toward the National Cathedral, although white-gloved police officers stationed along the way saluted as the hearse went by.

The procession passed slowly by the White House, but did not stop. While the motorcade was en route, the cathedral bells tolled 38 times in honor of the 38th president. At the Cathedral, the casket was greeted once more with military honors. And Episcopalian Bishop John Bryson Chane received the former president's body with a prayer.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The nation remembered Gerald R. Ford on Tuesday for what he didn't have — pretensions, a scheming agenda, a great golf game — as much as for the small-town authenticity he brought to the presidency.

In an elaborate national funeral service in Washington and then more simply at his final homecoming in Grand Rapids, the 38th president was celebrated for treating politics as a calling rather than blood sport.

The last act of Ford's state funeral was playing out at his presidential museum, open throughout the night and Wednesday morning for the public to pay final respects. Scouts came forward three by three and saluted by his casket to open 18 hours of visitation, before a final church service and Ford's hillside burial Wednesday afternoon.

The marching band from the University of Michigan, the school where he played football, greeted the White House jet carrying his casket, members of his family and others in the funeral party.

The service in Washington unfolded in the spirit of one of its musical selections — "Fanfare for the Common Man" — as powerful people celebrated the modesty and humility of a leader propelled to the presidency by the Watergate crisis that drove predecessor Richard Nixon from office.

"In President Ford, the world saw the best of America, and America found a man whose character and leadership would bring calm and healing to one of the most divisive moments in our nation's history," President Bush said in his eulogy.

Bush's father, the first President Bush, called Ford a "Norman Rockwell painting come to life" and pierced the solemnity of the occasion by cracking gentle jokes about Ford's reputation as an errant golfer. He said Ford knew his golf game was getting better when he began hitting fewer spectators.

Ford's athletic interest was honored, too, in the capital and in Michigan. At the Grand Rapids airport that bears Ford's name, the Michigan band played the school's famous fight song, "The Victors," as Ford's flag-draped casket was transferred to a hearse.

He had played center for the Wolverines in their undefeated, national championship seasons in 1932 and 1933 and turned down several pro football offers to go to law school at Yale instead.

Jimmy Carter, the Democrat who defeated Ford in 1976 and became his friend, not only attended the Washington service with the two other living ex-presidents, the elder Bush and Bill Clinton, but came to Grand Rapids on the plane with Ford's family and his remains.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, delivering one of the most emotional tributes of the day, spoke as if addressing Ford directly, in remarks at the museum. "You were a paradoxical gift of remarkable intellect and achievement wrapped in a plain brown wrapper," said Granholm, a Democrat.



Under towering arches of the cathedral in the morning, Henry Kissinger, Ford's secretary of state, paid tribute to his leadership in achieving nuclear arms control with the Soviets, pushing for the first political agreement between Israel and Egypt and helping to bring majority rule to southern Africa.

"In his understated way he did his duty as a leader, not as a performer playing to the gallery," Kissinger said. "Gerald Ford had the virtues of small town America."

Another eulogist, NBC newsman Tom Brokaw, said Ford brought to office "no demons, no hidden agenda, no hit list or acts of vengeance," an oblique reference to the air of subterfuge that surrounded Nixon in his final days.

In his homily, Episcopalian minister Robert G. Certain touched on the fractious debate in the church over homosexual relationships, and said Ford did not think the issue should be splitting Episcopalians. He was Ford's pastor at St. Margaret's Church in Palm Desert, Calif.

"He asked me if we would face schism after we discussed the various issues we would consider, particularly concerns about human sexuality and the leadership of women," Certain said. "He said that he did not think they should be divisive for anyone who lived by the great commandments and the great commission to love God and to love neighbor."

On a national day of mourning that closed most of the government as well as financial markets, the cortege brought Ford's casket to the cathedral in blustery winds that blew off the hats of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, and members of the honor guard outside the service.

White-gloved police officers lined the route passing the White House to the cathedral; light, subdued crowds watched the cortege.

Inside, more than 3,000 people mourned the man who was charged with restoring trust in government after Nixon's downfall. They remembered an unassuming leader who was content with his congressional career until history called him to higher office.

President Bush escorted Ford's widow, Betty, down the aisle of the great stone cathedral, which stretches nearly the length of two football fields and has soaring towers, 215 stained glass windows and an organ with 10,650 pipes.

Carter engaged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in an animated conversation while waiting for the funeral party. Rice also chatted with Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and at one point the three ex-presidents — Carter, the elder Bush and Clinton — shook hands.

Among others at the cathedral: Nancy Reagan, who mourned her husband Ronald there in 2004; former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a presidential prospect for 2008.

Thousands of average Americans had filed into the Capitol Rotunda over two days and a night to pay final respects.

Funeral services were held there for former presidents Eisenhower in 1969 and Reagan in 2004, and ex-President Wilson is buried there.

Ford died at 93 on Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

He was appointed vice president by Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew, who resigned in a bribery scandal stemming from his days as Maryland governor. After Nixon resigned, Ford assumed the presidency for 2 1/2 years.

A month after taking office, Ford pardoned Nixon for any Watergate crimes he might have committed.

(1/03/07 - GRAND RAPIDS, MI) - Gerald R. Ford was laid to rest on the grounds of his presidential museum Wednesday after eight days of mourning and remembrance that spanned the country, from the California desert to the nation's capital and back to Ford's boyhood home.

The sunset burial capped the official mourning for the 38th president, from services in California, to ceremonies at the nation's capital, and a 17-hour viewing Tuesday night and Wednesday at the museum in his hometown.

At a graveside service that included a 21-gun salute and a 21-aircraft flyover, Vice President Dick Cheney presented former first lady Betty Ford with the American flag that was draped over her husband's casket.

Earlier at the Ford family's longtime church, Ford was remembered as a man not afraid to laugh, make tough decisions or listen to the advice of his independent wife in eulogies delivered during a funeral at the church the couple attended for six decades.

An honor guard carried the casket inside Grace Episcopal Church, where Ford's defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and Ford's successor, Jimmy Carter, recalled his public service.

His widow, Betty, wiped away tears as she sat with the couple's four children and more than 300 dignitaries and family friends, including Vice President Dick Cheney and golfing legend Jack Nicklaus.

"He was one of us," Rumsfeld said, "And that made him special and needed in a dark and dangerous hour for our nation."

Rumsfeld, who recently left his post as President Bush's defense secretary, remembered Ford as a courageous and steady leader who healed the nation after Watergate.

Rumsfeld said the Navy is considering naming a new aircraft carrier after Ford, a Navy veteran. A decision is expected later this month.

"How fitting it would be that the name Gerald R. Ford will patrol the high seas for decades to come in defense of the nation he loved so much," he said.

Carter described the close personal friendship he and Ford developed over the years.

"I relished his sound advice," Carter said as his wife, Rosalynn, cried. "I want to thank my predecessor for all he did to heal our land."

Thousands of flag-waving mourners lined the roads under sunny skies as the motorcade bearing Ford's casket traveled between his presidential museum in downtown Grand Rapids to the church, before returning to the museum.



The viewing had to be extended Wednesday until nearly noon so everyone in line could pay their respects. Some 57,000 mourners waited hours to file past the flag-draped casket during the night. Some stopped and made silent prayers.

"We're here to honor him," said Philip Bareham of Lansing, who was the last person to view the casket and whose parents were among Ford's earliest supporters and political allies. "We just love this family. They are so down to earth."

Ford represented Grand Rapids in Congress for 25 years. His family had belonged to Grace Episcopal Church since the early 1940s.



Richard Norton Smith, an author, presidential historian and former director of Ford's museum and library, reminded mourners how important Ford's hometown was to him.



"Grand Rapids returned his affection many times over," which was "unforgettably demonstrated by the tens of thousands who stood in line for hours outside the museum, braving the cold to assure that his last night was anything but lonely," Smith said.



Draped over the back of one pew at the funeral was a blue blanket with the letter "M" emblazoned on it, symbolizing Ford's alma mater, the University of Michigan, where he played football for national championship teams in 1932 and 1933.

Many of the mourners at the museum and lining the roads during his funeral procession on Wednesday wore Michigan hats and sweat shirts in his honor.

Ford, who became president after Richard Nixon resigned, died Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 93.


President Bush gives eulogy at Funeral Service for President Ford at the National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral
Washington, D.C. (See his speech below)

Remembering President Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006)

THE PRESIDENT: Mrs. Ford, the Ford family; distinguished guests, including our Presidents and First Ladies; and our fellow citizens:

We are here today to say goodbye to a great man. Gerald Ford was born and reared in the American heartland. He belonged to a generation that measured men by their honesty and their courage. He grew to manhood under the roof of a loving mother and father -- and when times were tough, he took part-time jobs to help them out. In President Ford, the world saw the best of America -- and America found a man whose character and leadership would bring calm and healing to one of the most divisive moments in our nation's history.

Long before he was known in Washington, Gerald Ford showed his character and his leadership. As a star football player for the University of Michigan, he came face to face with racial prejudice when Georgia Tech came to Ann Arbor for a football game. One of Michigan's best players was an African American student named Willis Ward. Georgia Tech said they would not take the field if a black man were allowed to play. Gerald Ford was furious at Georgia Tech for making the demand, and for the University of Michigan for caving in. He agreed to play only after Willis Ward personally asked him to. The stand Gerald Ford took that day was never forgotten by his friend. And Gerald Ford never forgot that day either -- and three decades later, he proudly supported the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in the United States Congress.

Gerald Ford showed his character in the devotion to his family. On the day he became President, he told the nation, "I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman -- to my dear wife." By then Betty Ford had a pretty good idea of what marriage to Gerald Ford involved. After all, their wedding had taken place less than three weeks before his first election to the United States Congress, and his idea of a "honeymoon" was driving to Ann Arbor with his bride so they could attend a brunch before the Michigan-Northwestern game the next day. (Laughter.) And that was the beginning of a great marriage. The Fords would have four fine children. And Steve, Jack, Mike, and Susan know that, as proud as their Dad was of being President, Gerald Ford was even prouder of the other titles he held: father, and grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Gerald Ford showed his character in the uniform of our country. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941, Gerald Ford was an attorney fresh out of Yale Law School, but when his nation called he did not hesitate. In early 1942 he volunteered for the Navy and, after receiving his commission, worked hard to get assigned to a ship headed into combat. Eventually his wish was granted, and Lieutenant Ford was assigned to the aircraft carrier, USS Monterey, which saw action in some of the biggest battles of the Pacific.

Gerald Ford showed his character in public office. As a young congressman, he earned a reputation for an ability to get along with others without compromising his principles. He was greatly admired by his colleagues and they trusted him a lot. And so when President Nixon needed to replace a vice president who had resigned in scandal, he naturally turned to a man whose name was a synonym for integrity: Gerald R. Ford. And eight months later, when he was elevated to the presidency, it was because America needed him, not because he needed the office.

President Ford assumed office at a terrible time in our nation's history. At home, America was divided by political turmoil and wracked by inflation. In Southeast Asia, Saigon fell just nine months into his presidency. Amid all the turmoil, Gerald Ford was a rock of stability. And when he put his hand on his family Bible to take the presidential oath of office, he brought grace to a moment of great doubt.

In a short time, the gentleman from Grand Rapids proved that behind the affability was firm resolve. When a U.S. ship called the Mayaguez was seized by Cambodia, President Ford made the tough decision to send in the Marines -- and all the crew members were rescued. He was criticized for signing the Helsinki Accords, yet history has shown that document helped bring down the Soviet Union, as courageous men and women behind the Iron Curtain used it to demand their God-given liberties. Twice assassins attempted to take the life of this good and decent man, yet he refused to curtail his public appearances. And when he thought that the nation needed to put Watergate behind us, he made the tough and decent decision to pardon President Nixon, even though that decision probably cost him the presidential election.

Gerald Ford assumed the presidency when the nation needed a leader of character and humility -- and we found it in the man from Grand Rapids. President Ford's time in office was brief, but history will long remember the courage and common sense that helped restore trust in the workings of our democracy.

Laura and I had the honor of hosting the Ford family for Gerald Ford's 90th birthday. It's one of the highlights of our time in the White House. I will always cherish the memory of the last time I saw him, this past year in California. He was still smiling, still counting himself lucky to have Betty at his side, and still displaying the optimism and generosity that made him one of America's most beloved leaders.

And so, on behalf of a grateful nation, we bid farewell to our 38th President. We thank the Almighty for Gerald Ford's life, and we ask for God's blessings on Gerald Ford and his family.

After interment ceremonies for Gerald R. Ford, Vice President Dick Cheney hands former first lady Betty Ford the U.S. flag that draped the former president's casket Wednesday in Grand Rapids. Susan Ford Bales, the Fords' daughter, is at her mother's side. The hometown burial ended six days of remembrance.