and expose it to others, and we keep it cheap for them. every big company starts as a small company, and the big company executives want to see the small entrepreneurs there. so we want the policymakers to go there and be excited, we want the u.s. policymakers to understand free trade is important. look, apple makes products in china, but the innovation and ideas come from here. there's only about $4 worth of the assembly in china, but that's what the chinese don't like, they complain about. so free trade is very important, having a skilled work force, attracting the best and brightest and focusing on good use of the spectrum and thinking about our future as a nation. also, i think they have to recognize the most significant companies in the world in technology are really a lot of them are based here, and as a u.s. strategy we shouldn't be going after them. because when i travel around the rest of the world, they want to attack those companies. some want to emulate the u.s. and they're envious, but, boy, you go there and they talk about

closed systems and antitrust and blocking mergers and privacy, they're just going after google and intel and qualcomm and microsoft, and they're going after our best companies, and we have to be aware of that. >> host: and, in fact, you write in "the comeback," make no mistake, i'm no posed to copyrights or patents, but i agree with thomas jefferson's denunciation of what he called the monopolies of invention: >> guest: well, that's a very fruitful area to talk about. you have intellectual property which is protected, patents and copyrights and trademarks. originally when we started out patents and copyrights were the same amount of time, less than 20 years. now copyright's expanded, it's over 100 years, and the penalty has gotten so high that for a company to innovate, it could be subject to billions of dollars worth of damage if you break this unknown copyright law and somehow infringe because it allows -- we have to be very careful.

we have the best copyright industries in the united states, and we have to protect them from commercial piracy. but we have to change this length think term and these -- lengthy term and these huge, huge damages, $250,000 a daytimes five years per copy. bankrupt companies somehow go over an unknown line. >> host: gary shapiro is president and ceo of the consumer electronics association. paul kirby is the senior editor of "telecommunications reports," and this is gary shapiro's new book, "the comeback: how innow vegas -- innovation will restore the american dream." thank you for being on "the communicators," gentlemen. >> guest: thank you very much. >> "the communicators" also airs each monday evening. if you missed any of this discussion with consumer electronics association president gary shapiro, see "the communicators" again tonight in prime time at 8 p.m. eastern, 5

pacific. here on c-span2. >> next on c-span 3, the head of the small business administration, karen mills, talks about federal obstacles to small business lending. >> on television, on radio and online, c-span. bringing public affairs to you. created by cable, it's washington your way. >> now, karen mills, the head of the small business administration, talks about the federal government's recent actions and future plans to help small businesses. her comments came at a forum on the u.s. economy hosted by the federal deposit insurance corporation. she speaks for about 15 minutes.

[applause] >> hello again. thank you, again, all for coming today. i think this has been a tremendously productive discussion, and a special thanks to all of our panelists. we're very fortunate to have had so many key policymakers, regulators, bankers, small business owners and others join us. i'd also like to thank all of our fdic staff, especially susie gardener, for a lot of work in if a short period of time in putting this together. and last but certainly not least, cnbc for all their help with the setup and john and steve liesman for co-hosting this. this has really been a fabulous panel discussion. everybody was terrific. everybody should all get another round of applause. [applause] it's been a very full and productive afternoon, and i know i've learned a lot about the realities of what's happening on main street and across the american economy. to wrap things up for us and to give her own observations we're very privileged to have karen

mills, the administrator of the u.s. small business administration. i'm delighted to welcome cairn to the fdic. i think she exemplifies what we want of people in america and administrative roles. since earning an mba from harvard, karen has worked in counseling, managing, mentoring and investing in business of all sizes across the united states. her skills and ability came to the forefront during the recession of the 1990s when she was in the private sector and helped a number of small manufacturers increase their efficiency and competitiveness which enabled them to survive that downturn. she also has extensive experience in attracting investment, and she's an expert on clusters and other new approaches to business be. you heard senator warner earlier this afternoon talking about how quickly she has instigated some of these new programs and got an lot of money out the door quickly, in this a very efficient way. she's worked effectively to grow businesses, first her work in

the private sector and now at the small business administration where she has an opportunity to support small business, and it's been a privilege for me to be able to get to know her and work with her. she's been tremendous. i think there's nobody that's got more commitment in the federal government than karen to small business, and she's really done such an impressive job at the sba. please give her a warm welcome. [applause] >> thank you very much to sheila, that was a very kind introduction. i really want to thank, also, the fdic for organizing this. there is really very, very few forums where we can have this impressive group together on this issue in this kind of way. and i think i want to thank, also, cnbc for making it come alive here and bringing it to the attention of many be others throughout the country.

you know, we have been working very closely with sheila bair and the fdic and with the fed over, i guess, the past 18 months and with bank examiners because we needed to be sure that good loans were going out to creditworthy borrowers. and as, i'm sure, you know we had a lot of work to do, but there's probably still a lot of work to do. but we made a lot of progress, and i really want to thank this collaboration that we have had with the fdic. the guidance that they provided very early on on this, i think, got a lot of borrowers to get loans and prevented some good borrowers from being frozen out even in that credit freeze. so thank you very much. i also want to recognize our new associate administrator for capital access who you saw up here a minute ago explaining

programs, steve schmidt. he has been on the line investing and banking with small businesses for years -- 25 years, i think, and we are very, very pleased to have him as part of our leadership team at the sba. everybody here knows the facts. two out of three jobs are created by small business. half of the people in this country own or work for a small business. half the people. so in answer to the question that came up in the panel, if we are going to create the jobs, we do need to make sure that both main street small businesses and those high-growth gazelles that were being referenced have the access and the tools that they need so that they can grow and that they can prosper, and they can compete globally. and create jobs here in america. and we do that at the sba with three tools. i want to mention two of them we

haven't talked a lot about today. we have a network of over 14,000 counselors. it's not enough to give small businesses the money they need to do the business plan. they need help, they need mentoring, they need advice to succeed. and we have, i think there was a gentleman from michigan earlier talking about what do you do for mentoring for youth entrepreneurs? we actually have youth entrepreneurship programs. we have special programs we're working on now for high-growth entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial mentor core where we're encouraging successful business people to mentor that next generation. the other thing we do at the sba is we are responsible to make sure that 23% of all government contracts go to small business. that's $100 billion a year. that's the oxygen that small businesses need, particularly in underserved markets, to grow and take that next step. so we think -- and that's a win/win at no cost to the american taxpayer. it's a zero cost to the american

taxpayer and, in fact, it's a benefit because departments, agencies like the veterans' administration, the department of defense are getting access to some of the most innovative companies, usually with the attention of the ceo. so we work very hard on those two cs. we have a third -- counseling and contracts. the third c, of course, we're talking about today which is capital. and as you know and as has been mentioned quite a bit today, in 2008, october, credit markets froze, small firms really couldn't get access and opportunity, and the sba sba-guaranteed loans had to play a very critical role in coping with that market dilemma that we had. and that's what government should do. it should fill the gap when the market is not serving the needs of these small businesses. so in the recovery act, in the small business jobs act we were

able to get two very key provisions that helped us really sort this market out. we were able to raise our guarantee to 90% and reduce or eliminate our fees. and that allowed us to put $41 billion into the hands of small businesses over this period of time. that's loan guarantees that gave a pretty good bang for the taxpayer buck because it cost only just over a billion dollars to do that. so we were able to really be quite efficient and move capital into the hands of small businesses. in fact, we were able to bring 1300 new lenders who had not been participating in the sba programs back to active sba elevenning during that critical -- lending during that critical time, and that was due to these recovery act incentives. so we are very, very happy with the fact that we have been able to work hard and fill that

capital gap. there's still more work to be done, but to those who say there's no demand out there, i just want to point out that the sba in the last quarter had its strongest quarter ever in the history of the sba. we put out $10 billion in this last quarter into the hands of small businesses. and many, many of them are investing in equipment and other activities that are going to create jobs. so this is nearly 90,000 -- 90,000 small businesses who we've helped with these loan guarantees. and i think the greatest part of my job is i travel all over the country, and i hear businesses come up to me and say, you saved my business. you saved my business. i could not have survived without this sba loan, so it

really makes it a worthwhile thing. i want to, actually, also add a piece of data that i think steve may have mentioned up here. one of the things that i really care about is american manufacturing. i grew up in a manufacturing family, i've owned lots of manufacturing companies, and what i really like is to go out and walk the factory floor and talk with a business owner about, you know, how they're going to run and grow their business. we have been tracking the percentage of our loans that go to equipment purchases, and i'm very happy to say that with these recovery act loans and some of the other small business jobs loans the percentage has doubled. so we have two times as many of our loans now going for equipment purchases. and i think it's a very good thing because we know ha these are -- that these are helping small companies gear up, innovate and compete. and one of the reasons i think

that we've had that success with the loans, the second reason is that many of these small business jobs bills have included important tax incentives. we actually have 17 small business tax incentives that have been passed in the combination of bills between the recovery act, the small business jobs bill and the recent tax provisions. we have tack incentives for small -- tax incentives for small businesses for buying equipment, we have it for providing health care, we have it for hiring people, we have it for zero capital gains if you're investing in a small business, we have five-year carryback of your losses. so as small businesses are out there right now talking to their tax preparers, they are getting the benefit of these tax provisions that have been included, as i said, in the

latest tax cut package. we were able too include 100% -- we were able to include 100% accelerated depreciation on equipment. and as all of you know, that means money right back in the pockets of small businesses which they need for working capital as they grow. so these are really critical provisions. looking forward as we enter 2011, we are happy to see a lot of the positive signs. i think many of them were described in the first panel today. the conventional small business lending looks like it's stopped tightening. we need it to be expanding and, in fact, we have many, many of our key, large lenders coming back and making proactive pushes to market more small business loans. we're working very hard to partner with them because we need the full conventional market back. the sba market is back above our 2008 levels, we need the

conventional market to be back as well. but we still have some gaps. and one of the gaps was talked about today, i think, in the second panel, and that is we have some underserved markets that are not getting the access and opportunity. those markets still haven't opened back up. and in addition, we have seen that the market for smaller loans have not come back. that's why we announced the two programs that steve talked about earlier. we've got a, we call it our advantage platform, community advantage small loan advantage, and some of you will be very pleased to hear ha they include -- that they include a streamlined application process. so less paperwork, faster turn around times, and that's something we are delivering both with these new programs, and we're working on hard in our main programs. the other piece of new program

that i want to make sure you know about was not mentioned today. it came in the small business jobs act, and it's very important for our commercial real estate. and that is what we call our 504 refinancing opportunity. it allows small businesses who need to refinance perhaps a bullet loan that they did a number of years ago, maybe five years ago which is now coming up for refinancing on commercial real estate to be done through our 504 program. and i think this is a real win/win. we are looking at strong businesses that are owner-occupied that have not missed a payment but are not able to find that refinancing for commercial real estate because the market is still tight. so we want to, we are just rolling out that program. we're very pleased about it. it came in the small business jobs act, and it's one of the things that the administration is going to be very focused on to making sure we continue to

get capital into this market and get small business lending back where it should be. the second piece is the $5 million loan limit. we were able to raise our loan from two million to five million. that also is helping exports, and i just came here from xm bank presentation at the claim per of commerce where we are -- chamber of commerce where we are working very hard on the president's objective of doubling exports in the next five years. small business exporters are going to may a major role in that. finally, i know that you all are looking forward to -- and we are looking toward to gene sperling being the new head of the nec. he was one of the major architects of the new small business lending fund. that is designed to provide $30 billion in capital to community banks. we know that community banks on main street are a primary place that small businesses look for their next loan, and we are looking forward to help the small business lending fund get

more capital into those banks so they can lend it out to small businesses. so all of this, i think, is good news for the community. we do have some things that we need to do better. some of them were talked about today. one of them i want to highlight that we're working very hard with sheila and others on is getting better data. we need better data on small business lending and on minority business lending. we're a pretty fact-based agency at the sba, and what we promise to you is to use that data, to find that data, collect it, and to use it to make -- continue to try to make strong, fact-based judgments on policy going forward that provides access and opportunity for capital for our small businesses because, as we've said, the end goal is very clear. if we can get capital into the hands of these entrepreneurs, they can grow their businesses and create jobs.

that's what we need to move forward in this economy, and we're very, very pleased to be part of a great collection of people who are working to make that happen. thank you very much. [applause] >> just ahead on c-span2, remarks by some of the nation's new governors. >> chinese president hu jintao arrives in the u.s. tomorrow for a four-day visit with lawmakers and businessmen. on wednesday he'll be at the

white house for a meeting with president obama followed by a joint press conference. then he visits the state department with vice president biden followed by a formal state dinner that evening at the white house. president hu will be on capitol hill thursday for talks with republican and democratic lawmakers and then speak to the u.s./china business council. on friday he flies to chicago, for meetings with chinese business owners or before heading home. we'll have continuing coverage of the chinese president's u.s. visit this week on the c-span networks. >> starting tuesday, the house takes up the repeal of the health care law. watch the debate and final vote live on c-span, and go to c-span.org to read the bill online and continue the conversation on c-span's twitter and facebook pages. >> now, sam brownback, the new governor of kansas, gives his first state of the state address. he recently spoke to a joint session of the kansas state legislature in topeka.

governor brownback recently retired from the senate after serving there for 14 years. he was also a republican candidate for president in 2008. this coverage comes to you from kansas public television. it runs around 30 minutes. [cheers and applause] [applause]

[applause] [applause] [applause]

>> governor, welcome. >> thank you. [cheers and applause]

>> mr. speaker, mr. president, minority leader -- mr. chief justice -- [inaudible] >> i'll start that again. [laughter] mr. speaker, mr. president, mr. chief justice, minority leaders hensley, davis, legislators, cabinet officers, elected officials, honored guests and my fellow kansans, i understand my pled access sor -- predecessor did this speech without notes or a teleprompter. i have them both. [laughter] i've got some important things to say, and i want to make sure shot to miss them. it starts with this: i love kansas, and there really, truly

is no place like home. [applause] this is such a fabulous state. i've been born, i was born here, raised here, educated here, married here, raised my family here, i've commuted to washington for 16 years from here, and i'm glad to be back. and we've got some things we need to do, and that's what i'm going to talk about tonight. and i think we're up to it. and this is an appropriate time to do it. we're in our sesquicentennial year, 150 years of kansas. and this state has done well, and we're going to do even better into our future. it also is an appropriate time to reflect on our past and look at just what that future should be. the first generation of khan -- can sans pledged their lives and destinies to freedom in the midst of blood and fire of war. they were against almost

immeasurable odds, and yet they succeeded, and god blessed this state with generations of men and women who had the courage to build a kansas of humanity and hope. these kansans had a long view of our state's future. they understood that the heritage of our state and the judgment of history would rest not on what was harvest-reaped in their time, but rather on the seeds sown for all time. courage, humanity and hope in good times and bad, these bed rock characteristics of kansans have stood the test of time. [applause] and it is this heritage and legacy that prepares us for the challenges that kansas faces today. i want to speak directly to those kansans who are out of work or underemployed or fearful of losing their jobs.

to kansans looking to leave our state to find opportunities so your families may thrive. to kansas children who live in poverty and despair. please know that the courage, humanity and hope of kansas are not lost. hay will never be lost. today's -- they will never be lost. today's challenges will be met and overcome because like those kansans before us, we will remain strong, we will remain steadfast, and we'll be focused on them and their future. [applause] this administration will tackle the daunting challenges facing our state through four distinctive, separate initiatives including growing the state's economy, excelling in education, reforming government and protecting kansas families. in these initiatives we not only pledge to lift kansas out of its

economic morass, we also commit to assess, monitor and publish that progress as it's made. growing the kansas economy is my first priority. we must take bold steps today to create economic growth tomorrow, and in saying this, however, let me be clear: of we cannot government program or borrow our way into a stronger state economy. it doesn't work that way. [applause] and we cannot hope for the best and paper over the worst. kansas will emerge stronger economically through hard work, practical ingenuity and removing government impediments to both rural and urban private sector growth. in the coming days, i'll be proposing an integrated, strategic plan to spur the kansas economy. this plan will create the framework for more private

sector, not government sector jobs. it'll put more earnings in the pockets of average kansans and help to raise out of poverty many of our families and children who now despair. i plan to create private sector jobs by eliminating corporate tax subsidies enjoyed by only a few be. these reform efforts -- [applause] these reform l efforts include enhanced expensing, allowing kansas businesses -- all kansas businesses, small or large -- to immediately deduct a higher percentage of the cost of an investment. and then an area that i'm calling rural opportunity zones or rozst will provide a state income tax waiver from any individual relocating from out of state into any participating county that has experienced double-digit population decline in the last ten years. roughly 40 of our counties have

seen population losses. it's way too much. we need people. we need their money, we need their jobs, we need their ideas, and we're trying to stimulate that with five years no state income tax for individuals moving into those areas. [applause] >> or the creation of a governor's economic council, chaired by myself. it will consistent of the states most successful men and women who are leaders in the private

sector. the council will insure strategy coordination and accountability across all of the state's economic development agencies and initiatives. we will do full funding under the fare fairs in south central kansas. [applause] [applause] >> i also intend to work with the legislative stakeholders and the people of kansas to take advantage of the growth in our state's emerging industry of opportunity. we will build the expansion of the holcomb power plant in western kansas. [applause] [applause] >> affordable energy and electricity exports will help underpin kansas' 21st century

economy. we'll expand and start new energy projects and if we do it right we'll see the development of the energy corridor throughout the state of kansas that will provide jobs for the rural kansas and clean energy for the world. i would kansas to not only be known as the wheat state, but also the renewable state. and we can do it. [applause] [applause] >> we will update our telecommunications laws to facility great investment in broadband and wireless deployment and we'll grow the animal agriculture particularly west of 81 highway facilitating greater investment in livestock production and in dairy. and we'll share with the world of serene beauty of the flint hills. increase tourism to our environmental treasure will benefit our rural communities, the state, and anyone who

chooses to spend their vacation time in this peaceful expanse. [applause] [applause] >> and for all of this to work we need a state fax code that's pro growth. i ask the legislators to start the process this year of renewing the taxation with an economy towards economic growth. we need to do this. [applause] [applause] >> my administration's first priority will be creating jobs that provide more income and opportunity for kansas families. when my cabinet meets, i'm going to ask them each time, what are we doing now to help create jobs in this state? [applause] [applause]

>> now let's talk about the national defense is to the federal government. it's the primary function. takes the lion's share of the budget. that's as it should be. great education's grow great futures. yet our public universities have seen severe cuts and stagnant rankings at a time when the kansas economy needs better educated students. a crisis of learning exist for many kansas children failing to acquire the basic reading skills they need to succeed in school and in the workplace. the situation is especially dire for those children who are economically disadvantaged. the budget that i am submitted to this legislature will provide school districts will more overall state funding and will also stabilize state support for higher education for the first

time since the great recession began. [applause] [applause] >> . since state money will be tight and federal funds declining for the foreseeable future , we need to make sure we target the right foundations to give children success. that is where i suggest that we donate $6 million from the childrens initiative fund to the most needy school districts. i look forward to meating -- meeting with the childrens cabinet to focus on early childhood reading. no child in the state of kansas should past the fourth grade would be being able to read. [applause] [applause]

>> unfortunately, that is not the case today. and yet if it child cannot read, their world contracts. if a child can read, their world expands. before leaving education, let me briefly touch on what the kansas constitution means when it says suitable education for our children. i know many of you know what that code word means politically, but you don't know what it means legally. for years we have faced repeated legal action against the state because no one knows what a suitable education actually means. i invite the legislature to define suitability and end the confusion. [applause] [applause] >> this will provide us with the

definition of what we need to undertake reform of the school finance with stable, sustainable funding for the future. and also this is where it belongs under the constitution. the legislature should resolve school finance, not the court, so we can send more money to the classroom and not to the courtroom. [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] >> the days of everexpanding government are over. and under my administration they will not return. [applause]

[applause] >> the future demands of us a commitment to deliver core services and initiative and more efficient ways. and we will do that beginning with the structure tallowerring. i've eliminated 2,000 state filled employee positions. [applause] [applause] >> yes, the days of ever expanding government are over. i will submit executive ordered designed to reduce the total number of state-related entitily alignment and sunsetting. this will include eliminating eight state agencies. these reductions will not be easy, but these reductions are

necessary. in the end, these changes not only will save kansas taxpayers millions of dollars each other, they will help us form what we must do for the future, which is a have a nimble, responsive looking state government. this is imperative. in order to ensure the reforms continue, i've established the office of the reappeal. i've appointed dennis of my administration to be the repealer. he will work to identify regulations or statutes for repeal that are costly, outdated, and ineffective. want to me repeat it if i haven't made it clear, the days of ever expanding government are over. [applause] [applause] >> my proposed total state

spending of total funding for the state government the next fiscal year will be more than 3/4 of a billion lower than this year. this will be the first time that the total or all funds budget has been cut since 1972. yes, the days of ever expanding government are indeed over. [applause] [applause] >> now kansans, as we all know, are can do people. we take care of each other even when circumstances are difficult, as surely they are now. we help those in the time of need, we protect those who cannot protect themselves. joining us tonight is sergeant first class david edington. we everily if id what it means.

while performing duties, he was wounded. without regard for his safety, he ordered his troops to take cover. he discussed one of his soldiers had sustained a wound to her leg, even though he was injured, he successfully slowed her blood loss and saved her life. kansans have a long history of sacrificing themselves for other. tonight we salute their service and his. he has kindly joined us in the gallery. sergeant edington? thank you. [applause] [applause] [applause]

[applause] [applause] [applause] >> sergeant edington didn't want that recognition, but agreed to receive it on the behalf of many troops from kansas that have served in the past and are serving now. sergeant, we're proud of you and we're proud of all of the men and women that serve. [applause] [applause] >> as i was saying, yes, we help those in our time of need. many of our state's families are being tested in ways wholly unimaginable. because of this, the people of kansas has create add myriad of services designed to sustain the

parents, children, families, and disabled citizens who live on the margin or in poverty. that's all together fitting and proper that we do so. the bulk of total expanded state funding for fiscal year 2012 related to the increased cost of case loads and srs and medicaid and the federally mandated increases in the state's share of funding. but the increase in case loads is also affecting our current year. if we don't relocate the funds, we will face a crisis in health care for most vulnerable people in our state. because of this, i call on the state to pass my freeze spending bill and have it on my desk by the end of the bill. this bill -- [applause] >> you had to think about that one for a minute. this bill takes care of our most vulnerable this year and leaves

us with an ending balance to address their critical needs when they arise next year. quality, affordable, patient-centered health care is a priority for all kansans. next year medicaid will take almost 18, over 18 of the state general fund. and the program is growing faster than our economy. additional commitments required of us by washington have set us on the path of unsustainable spending and lower quality care. rather than receiving dictation from washington, i pledge to fight for kansas solutions for kansas health care needs. [applause] [applause] >> under the leadership of lieutenant governor dr. jeff calier, our state will begin to remake medicare and improve health care. if we are going to keep our

promises, quality must be improved for the patient and taxpayer. cost must be controlled. if and only if we do this, we will protect kansas families and help those in a time of need. let us also ensure that capers is made sound so that those promises are kept. currently, under the most favorable set of estimates, the system has a unfunded actual liability of $8 billion. some private auditors suggested that kapers the second worse funded in the country. i encourage the legislator to work for the system for the decades to come. it's time it be addressed. [applause] [applause] >> successive generations of kansans have been charitable people.

over the years, doctors and dentists have provided free services to thousands of needed kansans, this is the sort of community action that our laws should encourage. unfortunately, they are subject to malpractice for the free care they provide. i call on the legislature to address and change this and allow incoming governors to used fund on charity, not on cedar crest. [applause] [applause] >> this is our calling. to help those in their time of need, including and especially, those who are the most vulnerable. i call on the legislature to bring to my desk legislation that protects the unborn and establishings a culture of life in kansas. [applause] [applause]

[applause] [applause] >> we must support the dignity of every human being whether that person is unemployed, under educated, or unborn. you if any of us in the chamber will mention a long kansas history. let each of us do what we can to grew the lives of kansans today and those that come tomorrow. our administration will put forward five measurable accumulative goals that will help push our state forward to better times with courage, humanity, and hope. these are increasing net personal income, increasing

private sector job employment, increasing the level in kansas, and increasing the high school graduate who's are career or college ready and decreasing the percentage of kansas children who live in poverty. we are certainly subject to global economic forces, but we are not rutterless. i believe the goals to be significant and achievable. changing them will change countless lives and make the future of kansas brighter. through war, strife, economic chi -- chaos we have grown life. we have maintained the rugged courage to meet every challenge and overcome obstacles with humanity and optimism. this is our legacy. our heritage. it's a profound gift of those

who have come before us and led us to this day. mr. speaker, mr. president, leaders of kansas, the state of our character is strong. [applause] [applause] >> it is strong because since 1861, 150 years ago, a generation of kansans, and waves of immigrants have had the courage, hope, humanity to make it. god's abundant grace has certainly favored us. by his continued grace and the character of people of kansas, the greatness of kansas will grow. thank you for being here tonight. god bless you, god bless kansas, and these united states. [applause]

[applause] >> thank you. thank you. thanks, folks. [applause] [applause] >> ahead on c-span2, inaugural addresses. first mary fallin of oklahoma, and south carolina's address.

>> i believe to reach out to someone in need and make ongoing commitment to the service. >> on martin luther king jr.'s birth, there are hundreds of clips on the life and legacy. watch it and share it. >> coming up next, inauguration ceremony for oklahoma's first female governor. mary fallin, he was sworn in on the steps of the oklahoma city. you'll hear her inaugural address, as well as remarks by the central command, tommy franks. this runs about 35 minutes. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] >> thank you to the 145th army band. can i ask you to stand one more time now that we have the colors posted and join me to salute the flag as we say the pledge of

allegiance. they will do it much better than i would have. welcome the children of governor-elect mary fallin. >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of united states of americ. and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> all right. it is now my honor to ask chief justice steven w. taylor to come

to the podium to administer the oath of office to the honorable mary fallin, governor-elect, accompanied by her husband, mr. wade christiansen. [applause] >> are you prepared to take the oath? >> yes, sir. >> raise your right hand. state after me. i, mary fallin, do solemnly swear that i will support, obey, and defend the constitution of united states and the constitution of the state of oklahoma, and that i will not knowingly receive directly or indirectly any money or other valuable thing for the performance or nonperformance of

any act or duty pertaining to my office other than the compensation allowed by law. i further swear that i will faithfully discharge my duties as governor of oklahoma to the best of my ability so help me god. congratulations, governor. [applause] [applause] >> now please welcome back sergeant jack baker to perform

america the beautiful. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ [applause] [applause] >> it is now my great privilege to introduce the honorable mary fallin, the 27th governor of the state of oklahoma. [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause]

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> thank you. [cheers and applause] >> please be seated. governor brad henry, lieutenant governor lamb, chief justice steven taylor, and members of the court, constitutional officers, senate president protemple bingman, speaker of the house steele, honorable members of both the senate and house and other elected officials, distinguished guests, and the wonderful citizens of the great state of oklahoma.

[applause] >> i stand before you today humbled by this deep honor and privilege to serve as your general of the state of oklahoma. [applause] [applause] >> on october 16th, 1907, oklahomans gathered on the guthrie on the steps of the carnegie library in much warmer conditions than today to witness the historic inauguration of oklahoma's first governor charles nathaniel haskell. for the 23rd -- 27th time, excuse me, oklahomans have gathered to witness the orderly transfer of governmental authority, and participate in history. yes, today we inaugurate the first female governor of oklahoma, and that is indeed historic. [applause] [applause] >> but like just the first 26

governors of oklahoma, i am foremost an oklahoman who respects, who embraces, and who celebrates the conservative values, the presence of define guidance, the blessings of freedom, the privilege of self-government, and the power of the people. [applause] [applause] >> pioneers who ventured to our state were in pursuit of a life, a better life for themselves and their families. they embodied the oklahoma spirit, the spirit of industry, of creativity, of ambition, of a sense of community, and through their wisdom, foresight, and courage, prairies became productive farmland and towns were built on a once barren wilderness. our state has always been

blessed with an adun bans of natural resources, but our people are truly our greatest resource. it is our people, the oklahoma spirit, that transformed our empty frontier into a bountiful state. our history brims with the infectious spirit of optimism. yes, we have been confronted with difficult times, injustices, dust bowls, oil busts, a great depression, bombing, and now a great recession. but oklahoma has always emerged a stronger, better state because of the tenacity, the resiliency of our people. the most treasured words in our nation's constitution are the first three words. we the people. for those of us who are elected to public office, absolutely, for those of us who are elected to public office we must never lose sight of the indisputable fact that we serve at the pleasure of the people and for

the benefit of the people. [applause] [applause] >> government is the ultimate people's business. we are elected to solve problems, not to create them, to bring common sense thinking to the process, to listen to the people, and we have not only the responsibility, but the obligation to keep the people informed. we report to the people, and oklahomans shell will hold us accountable, as indeed they should. while many in washington have forgetten these truths, i will assure you that your governor will live this truth every day that i am blessed to occupy this office. [applause] [applause] >> while i was honored to represent the will of the people in the 5th district in the united states congress for four years, words cannot truly express how pleased -- how glad

-- i am to be back in oklahoma. [applause] [applause] >> i could not agree more with the famous words of dorthy in one of my favorite movies of the past, in the movie "wizard of oz" when she impassionately declared, this is no place like home. [applause] >> well, truly for me, there is no place like oklahoma. i am proud to call it my home. i am a daughter of the sooner state, cowboy educated person, and my favorite colors are orange, crimson, and blue, and make that thunder blue. [applause] >> and make no mistake, no one will work harder for the people of oklahoma than your 27th governor. [applause]

[cheers and applause] >> now as the new governor of oklahoma, allow me to take a moment to express my appreciation on behalf of the people of oklahoma to brad and kim henry for their eight years of wonderful service to the state of oklahoma. [applause] [applause] >> and like you, governor, i am very blessed with a wonderful spouse who was my loving and supportive partner every step of the way during the campaign, and as we continue to embark on this newest life challenge and chapter together, i want you to know, wade, that i love you very much, and i appreciate all that you have done, and i thank you. [applause] [applause] >> and let me also way thank you

to our children. that you saw that delivered our pledge of allegiance. to each of you, children, i'm very proud of you, we love you, and we're going to have a great time. so thank you for being here today to support us. [applause] [applause] >> now as we move into the second decade of the 21st century, we find ourselves once again confronting new issues and challenges. yet also discovering new opportunities. and i am convinced there is no issue, no problem that cannot be solved without the wonderful talents and the inogen knewty of our people. it's our nation that is slowly emerging since the economic downturn. our state has fared better during the difficult times and

downturn primarily because of the strength of our energy and agriculture industries. but we has been impacted. too many oklahomans are unemployed or under employed. that's why my administration along with the legislature will focus on policies that create jobs, that will build a better and more productive business climate to get oklahomans back to work. [applause] >> it is crystal clear many my mind with my experience adds a public official we do not need more government. what we need is better government. and more efficient and effective governmental service that is we deliver to our people. our state is now confronts yet another challenging budget year. with these challenges also comes an opportunity to seriously examine how we conduct the people's business. it is time to ask those probing questions, the why questions -- why have we done it like this

for many years? and why can't we consider another approach, a newer approach, a modern approach? and yes we must be courageous and willing to move forward each time we find a better way, a better solution to the benefit the people of oklahoma. we will undertake no methods and constantly strive to improve what we do and how we do it. and there will be no misunderstanding that we will act because the status quo in oklahoma is unacceptable. [applause] >> my administration will be focused on creating jobs, growing our state economy, not our state government. [applause] [applause] >> and as your governor, i can assure you that i will work with our leaders in the senate and house to pursue common sense policies and programs capable of delivering greater efficiency and higher value to our

citizens. and i will look forward to work, our senate pro tem brian bingman, house speaker kris steele, house majority leader scott enman, and the members of our legislator to put forward a pro-jobs, pro-growth, pro-agenda that will build squarely on my vision to build a stronger more vibrant economy for the state of oklahoma. [applause] [applause] >> a climate where enterprise, where ideas can flourish, where new companies are created, where existing companies can expand and businesses from around the globe will locate to oklahoma because this is a place that they can succeed, and indeed in oklahoma what we need are more jobs and more taxes, let me add

the private sector jobs. we must make certain that oklahoma's business climate can attract new capital, new investment, which will produce new jobs and retain existing jobs. while we want companies to locate in oklahoma, we want oklahoma companies to grow. for them to grow we must make improvements in regulatory environment, tort reform, and workers compensation system so that employers can create more job rather than dealing with the red tape and government bureaucracy. [applause] [applause] >> and while they are on the subject of improvements, plenty has been spoken and written about incentives. well, here's the bottom line. if tax incentives produce jobs, they stay. if tax incentives don't produce jobs, they go. pretty easy. and if we are going to lay the

foundation for a long prosperity and growth in our state, then we must not overlook the importance of education of our children. [applause] >> we must do a better job in oklahoma. because too many children are dropping out of school, too many students are ill-prepared, and too much money is spent on administration and not enough money is going to educating our students in the classroom. [applause] [cheers and applause] >> as your governor, i will work hand in hand with our new state superintendent of public instruction, and our new secretary of education to examine our current system and to determine with the insights of parents and administrators, students, and with teachers, what can be done, and what can be done seriously and legitimately to address the shortcomings of our public

education system, and in many schools reverse years of decline. we have pockets of excellence in education all across the state, k-12, careertech, higher education, but what we need is a canvass of excellence throughout all of oklahoma. we cannot fall short and creating that canvas or reforming education because the price is too high. it's about our children's future. and that is why in my administration, immediate of im- mediocrity will not be accepted, the measuring bar is going to move up, and it's going to move up high. [applause] >> as today's ceremony comes to an end, as a person of faith, i would like to ask for the help and the guidance of my heavenly father. and i pray for wisdom,

discernment, strength, and those for of us chosen by the good people of oklahoma to legislate and administer. i'm also going to continue to draw upon the wisdom that i've received and been blessed with from countless oklahomans across our state. years ago, i had the opportunity to meet a man named ed vesey and hear his story. ed is believed to be the last person who was living aboard and was on the uss oklahoma during the attack on pearl harbor. and i've been thinking a lot about something he said to me. ed, who is 90 years old, and lives in moore, told in vivid details his personal story of the events of the uss oklahoma

on that fateful day. he still feels the pain of loss of a good friend and roommate during that surprise attack. he remains appreciative to this very day of the mid shipmen on the uss maryland who pulled him from the debris and the body-filled waters that day. after the navy, ed finished college and became an engineer, and he traveled around the world on business, and he had a large family. and, of course, his wife. ed has lived a wonderful long life. and he had a motto. his motto was a simple one. he said life is one whale of an adventure. grab hold of it, and go with it. so, ed, on this day as we begin a new important, yet promising day, in the state of oklahoma,

we will heed your advice. we are going to grab hold of the opportunity and the challenges before us and we're going to go to work for the people of the state of oklahoma and today marks a new start. so let's get busy today! thank you for being here. god bless you and god bless oklahoma. [applause] [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, a 19 gun salute by the governor's honor guard of the army national guard.

[gunshots] [silence]

>> now as my first official act as governor of state of oklahoma, it is my great honor and privilege to honor the military men and women of our state for their courage and their sacrifice. it is also my great honor and pleasure to introduce to you a great oklahoma -- oklahoman, our former commander of the united states central command, the general who led the attack on the taliban in afghanistan and the overthrow of saddam hussein in iraq, here today to commemorate our men and women in uniform and all of our military and our veterans is general tommy franks of winnywood,

oklahoma. [applause] [cheers and applause] >> thanks, governor. con great bodily -- congratulat. as a soldier first, and oky always, i'm honored to join in saluting men and women who serve. and their families who sacrifice so much to guarantee our freedom. i've had the privilege, over time, to serve with these heros. and i'll tell you that there's no greater honor than to lead america's sons and daughters. the wars they fight are not for land, not for riches, but to stop tyranny, and to bring

democracy to people who have lost their own voice. as americans, you know we prize freedom above our own welfare, above our own comfort, above the comfort of our loved ones. we seek freedom. we seek to protect freedom. pursue liberty, those are the things that for more than 230 years have led our service people across oceans and boundless skies, far from our loved oklahoma towns and cities. but, you know, freedom is not free. the cost is measured in days and weeks and months and years away from our homes and our families.

often in hostile and distant places. that cost is measured in time for some, and it's measured in the seizing of time for others. that cost touches families and communities, it touches our state, and our nation. yes, the cost is high. but freedom, freedom, freedom is worth whatever it may cost. since 2001, oklahoma has paid that cost with the lives of 98 of our sons and one of our daughters during operations enduring freedom in afghanistan and iraqi freedom in iraq.

from antlers to apache to poca city to oklahoma city, the sacrifices of these brave men and women have been sered into the hearts of all oklahomans. their gift to us is celebrated by not a number or a nation engraved on a wall, rather their gift is freedom itself. these okys cherished by their families, respected by their friends and neighbors, and honored today call upon us to remember the value and the cost of service. we will remember, we will share in their sacrifice, we will speak their names with honor, we will in prayful thanks remember

them as we focus on the fallen warriors cross, we will remember the cost of freedom. thank you. [applause] [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> please welcome country music super star, and oklahoma's own toby keith to perform "an american soldier." [applause] ♪ i'm just trying to be a father ♪ raise a daughter and a son ♪ be a lover to their mother ♪ everything to everyone ♪ up and at 'em bright and early

♪ i'm all business in my suit ♪ hey, i'm dressed up for success for my cover to my boots ♪ don't do it for the money ♪ there's wills that i can't pay ♪ i don't it for the glory ♪ i just do it anyway ♪ providing for our future ♪ my responsibility ♪ i'm real good under pressure, being all that i can be ♪ ♪ i can't call in sick on monday ♪ when the weekend's been too strong ♪ ♪ i work straight through our holidays, and sometimes all night long ♪ ♪ you can bet that i'll stand ready ♪ ♪ when the wolf growls at the door ♪ ♪ because i'm solid, i'm steady, and i'm true town to the core ♪ ♪ i will always do my duty

♪ no matter what the price ♪ i've counted up the cost ♪ i know the sacrifice ♪ people, i don't want to die for you ♪ ♪ but if dyings asking me, i'll bare that cross with honor ♪ ♪ freedom don't come free ♪ i'm an american soldier ♪ an american ♪ beside my brothers and my sisters ♪ ♪ i will proudly take a stand ♪ when liberty's in jeopardy ♪ i will always do what's right ♪ man, i'm out here on the front lines ♪ ♪ sleeping peace tonight ♪ american soldier ♪ i'm an american soldier

♪ ♪ an american soldier ♪ an american ♪ beside my brothers and my sisters ♪ ♪ i will proudly take a stand ♪ when liberties in jeopardy ♪ i will always do what's right ♪ man, i'm out here on your front lines ♪ ♪ sleep in peace tonight ♪ american soldier ♪ i'm an american ♪ an american ♪ an oklahoman soldier

♪ ♪ ♪ >> thank you. :

>> research members, view session timelines and find video and text of all floor and committee appearances. congressional chronicle at c-span.org/congress. >> and now, another inauguration ceremony. nikki haley was sworn in last week as south carolina's first female governor. at 38, she's also the nation's youngest sitting chief executive. before of becoming governor, she represented lexington county in the south carolina house of representatives for five years. attendees at the state capitoller moanny in colombia including outgoing governor mark sanford. the swearing in and her inaugural address run about 20 minutes.

>> ladies and gentlemen, the oath of office will be administered to the governor-elect by the chief justice of the south carolina supreme court, the honorable gene hafer -- jean hafer toll. >> governor-elect haley, raise your right hand, praise your hand on the bible and take your oath.

i, nicky haley do solemnly ware -- >> do solemnly swear -- >> that i am duly qualified according to the constitution of this state -- >> according to the constitution of this state -- >> to exercise the duties of the office -- >> the exercise the duties of the office -- >> of governor of south carolina -- >> of governor of south carolina -- >> and that i will -- >> and that i will to the best of my ability -- >> discharge the duties thereof -- >> discharge the duties thereof -- >> and preserve, protect and defend the constitution of this state -- >> constitution of this state and of the united states so help me god. >> so help me god. >> ladies and gentlemen, i present the honorable nikki haley, governor. [cheers and applause]

♪ ♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the governor of the great state of south carolina, her excellency, nicky haley! [cheers and applause] >> i want to thank each and every one of you for coming out

on this beautiful, chilly morning. on this special day, i want to thank michael and my two sweet children for their unconditional love and support they continue to show me. we as a family are honored to serve this great state. michael and i want to thank both of our families for the strength, the guidance and the advice that they gave -- that they give us during the best and the most challenging of times. they are the constant reminders of what it means to carry ourself os with grace and dignity. we want to thank governor mark sanford for his service to south carolina and his constant fight for the citizens of this state. [applause] to ms. jenny sanford, thank you for representing south carolina with strength and grace for the last eight years. your friendship has meant so much to our family. [applause] to the sanford boys, thank you

for allowing the people of south carolina the opportunity to watch you grow up into fine young men. we look forward to continuing games and mazes in the mansion. [applause] today is a great day in south carolina. it's a day for new beginnings. it's a day to turn the page from the past. and it's a day filled with anticipation of the next chapter of our state's future. before we talk about our bright future, it's important to pay respect to our past. our state has an incredibly powerful and rich history. it's one that's not always been pleasant, but one that can teach us many great lessons. we have a history of fierce independence, and that independence has some remarkable relevance for us today. while in 1773 it was the tea party ins boston that became famous, there was also a whole lot of tea dumped into the

charleston harbor that december. we declared independence from great britain some four months before thomasjefferson wrote the declaration of independence, and can at kings mountain, our local militia helped turn the tide of the revolutionary war that brought us the freedom we still enjoy today. let's see, tax protests, tea parties, the grassroots beating the professionals. it does have a certain ring to it. [laughter] [applause] of course, when talking about our past, it would be wrong to mention our greatness during the revolutionary period without noting the ugliness of much that followed. the horrors of slavery and discrimination need not be retold here. they, too, remain a fabric of our history and a fabric of our lives. but i do take comfort in and agree with the words of columnist george wills when he

recently wrote this about our state's past struggles: if question is which state has changed most in the last half century, the answer might be california. but if question is which state has changed most for the better, the answer might be south carolina. [applause] i stand before you today the proud daughter of indian immigrants. growing up in rural small town south carolina, my family experienced the state in this country at its best. no, not every day was perfect. no, we were not always free from the burdens faced by those who look and sound different, but my parents reminded me and my brothers and sister how blessed we were to live in this country. we saw the constant example of neighbors helping neighbors. for us, happiness existed in not knowing what we didn't have and in knowing that what we did have was the opportunity to better our lives through hard work and

strong values. you see, my mother was offered the first female judgeship in her native country but was unable to serve on the bench because of the challenges of being a woman in india. now she sits here today watching her daughter become the governor of south carolina, the state she proudly calls her home. [applause] when you grow up with a mom like that, the word can't is not in your vocabulary. i will always be the proud daughter of immigrants. i will always cherish our family's experience. and i will always strive in my actions and in my words to make south carolina a place where all of our children regardless of race or gender know that unlimited opportunities for happynd and success -- happiness and success await them. today our state and nation face difficult times. far too many of our fellow citizens are without a job, our economy is not growing as fast as it should, and our state budget has the largest shortfall

ever. but when i survey this troubled landscape, i am not discouraged. we know that tough times can produce some of the best decisions. and it is our duty to make this time of challenge into the opportunity it can to turn our state around. it is, indeed, a new day, and on this new day we must commit ourselves to the proposition that failure is not an option. when i think on our present economic challenges, i am reminded of the words of margaret thatcher who said, once we can see that public spending and taxation are more than a necessary evil, we have lost sight of the core values of freedom. nearly two years ago the federal government in washington decided to transfer its irresponsible fiscal practices to the state, and our state -- just like every other -- accepted it. when we produce this year's budget, we will see the heavy price for having done so. in our coming years, we must recognize that we will not

produce the jobs our people deserve by placing higher tax burdens on our workers and our small businesses, and we will not reach prosperity by increasing states' government share of our economy. be assured, however, that i have every confidence we will achieve a much more prosperous place. and we will do so by going back to that spirit of independence that fueled south carolina's leading role in defeating the strongest nation on earth two centuries ago. when we embark on this journey toward growth and prosperity, we must do so together with one vision. a vision that is focused on the success of our families and our business is a vision that is not impaired by partisanship, personal is or distractions. we don't have time for that, and i won't stand for it. many times over the last 18

months i asked south carolinians to join a movement. that movement was never about one person or about one election. our state constitution requires the governor and the general assembly to work together to serve south carolina well. and serve together, we will. the energy comes -- but the energy that drives our cooperation does not come from this beautiful capitol building behind me. the energy comes from the sound of people's voices. the success of the movement i ask you to join will be realized when elected officials are accountable for their votes, when citizen participation in government reaches new heights, and when the voice heard loudest is neither mind, nor that of any other elected official's, but is that of the taxpayers of this state. [applause] in the days, weeks and months ahead, we have the opportunity to reduce state spending and make it more efficient. we have the opportunity to improve education and allow our

children to be successful regardless of where they're born. we have the opportunity to strengthen our small businesses, to help them create the jobs our people need. we have the opportunity to restructure our state government to make it more transparent, more accountable and more respectful of the people of south carolina. we must seize these inspiring opportunities. if we do, we will have a state where good jobs are in constant supply, where south carolina becomes the envy of the nation, and where we are so free of political distractions that even the media is forced to report good news. [laughter] just imagine that. [laughter] that is my south carolina. it's the south carolina i want for my children and for every fall hi in our great state. so with faith in god who knows what is right and with faith in our own ability to use the

skills and judgment he gives us to do what is right, we can make this vision a reality. thank you. may god bless, south carolina, and may he continue to bless the united states of america. [applause] >> "god bless america" will be performedty the concert choir conducted by dr. isaiah mcgee. the audience is invited to participate as directed.

♪ ♪ god bless america, land that i love. ♪ stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above. ♪ from the mountains to the prairies to the ocean white with foam -- ♪ god bless america, my home

sweet home. ♪ god bless america, land that i love muck stand beside her -- ♪ stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above. ♪ from the mountains to the prairies to the ocean white with foam -- ♪ god bless america, my home sweet home; ♪ god bless america, my home

sweet home ♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please, remain standing for the benediction to be delivered by the reverend charles jackson of brooklyn baptist church this west columbia. in west columbia. >> let us receive the benediction. eternal god, our father, as we conclude this inaugural program for the state of south carolina on this historic day, we ask that you will continue to

sustain us with your guidance and protection. in the words of holy scripture, empower or us to do jus i dis-- empower us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with thee. and now, may the lord bless you and keep you, may the lord or make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, may the lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace and prosper bety -- prosperity mow and always, amen. >> ladies and gentlemen, you may be seated.

>> the inaugural recession will now begin led by her excellent si, the governor of south carolina, along with mr. haley and their family. ♪ ♪

♪ >> chinese president hu jintao arrives tomorrow for a four-day business with lawmakers and businessmen. >> we'll have continuing coverage of the chinese president's u.s. visit this week on the c-span networks. >> every weekend on c-span3 experience american history tv starting saturday at 8 a.m. eastern. 48 hours of people and events telling the american story.

hear historic speeches by national leaders and eyewitness accounts of events that shaped our nation. visit museums, historical sites and college campuses as top history professors and leading historians delve into america's past. american history tv all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. >> it's time to upload your video for c-span's student cam documentary competition. the deadline this thursday, so get your 5-8 minute video to c-span for your chance to win the grand prize of $5,000. this year's topic, washington, d.c. through my lens. c-span's student cam competition is open to students grades six through twelve. go to student cam.org for details. >> friends and colleagues held a memorial service friday to eulogize richard holbrooke. he died last month as the special representative for afghanistan and pakistan ending a long career with the state

department. speakers at the event included president obama, secretary of state hillary clinton, former president bill clinton and joint chiefs of staff chairman mike mullen. from the kennedy center in washington, this is about two and a half hours. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] n

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[applause] >> well, i'm david rubenstein, the chairman of the kennedy center and on behalf of the kennedy center i'd like to welcome everybody here. to a memorial for an extraordinary man who had so many extraordinary accomplishments over such a long period of time. and often against so many extraordinary odds. some of you may be wondering why in a memorial service we have a palm tree. the answer is that is out pacific is playing here now. [laughter] >> and we were going to move the palm tree but connie said, well,

actually is out pacific was dick's favorite show and he was after all assistant secretary of asian and pacific affairs so let's keep the palm tree and it's here. i did want to acknowledge the presence of a number of people. everybody here is a distinguished guest. and everybody here does great service to the family and to dick's memory by being here. i do want to acknowledge, though, a few people, obviously, a few behind me, president obama, vice president biden, president clinton, secretary clinton and a number of foreign visitors who have come from quite a way to be here. including the president of georgia, the president of pakistan, president zardari. i would also like to acknowledge minister orsala who has come here from afghanistan representing the president of afghanistan. i'd also like to acknowledge minister bill from sweden and i would like to acknowledge sheik

abdullah from the uae and the chief of the diplomatic corps who's here as well as all of the ambassadors who are here. thank you very much for coming. dick was a friend of mine for some 35 years. i first met him in a political campaign. and it was clear to me then that he was an extraordinarily different person than almost everybody else i met in this campaign. nobody had their own office. nobody had their own telephone. nobody had their own secretary. until dick came. and when dick came, all of a sudden he managed to get a secretary, several secretaries, a staff, the staff to staff him and he managed to get an office and he managed to get an office with windows. after a while the campaign revolved around him. [laughter] but that's the way it should be because he actually did extraordinary things. and sometimes dick might have been thought by others to have a large ego, but in truth, as a famous american baseball pitcher dizzy dean once said, you know, if you can really do it, it's not bragging and in dick's case he really could do it. he had the unique combination of

intelligence, perseverance, patriotism and commitment to making the world a better place. it was unique from almost anybody i ever met. now, a service like this could be held in any one of dozens of cities around the world and attracted a similarly impressive group of people. it could have been held in any one of a dozen venues in this city and in new york and a attract a similar group of people. i think the kennedy center is actually an appropriate place for a number of reasons. it was president kennedy whose inaugural address given 50 years ago next week inspired dick to go into public service. and it was president kennedy who created the peace corps and that is where dick spent so many of his early years that he really enjoyed public service. and it was president kennedy who during his time had the signature diplomatic achievement of that time, the cuban missile crisis and it was during his period in government that dick had the signature diplomatic achievement of his time the dayton accords and, of course, sadly president kennedy and dick

had another combination. another relationship that is true as well. both of them were taken from us much too soon. while dick did live about 25 years longer on this earth than president kennedy and it's not there fair to say dick we hardly knew ye. we loved him and respected him and feared him at times but we always knew he had the interest of the american people and the interest of humanity at heart and, therefore, everybody really had respected what he had done and with public service, was president kennedy and all of us never know when god is going to take you back and you'll never know what the reason was. we never will know why dick left us so suddenly. my own theory is somewhere in the heavens, there is a need for a negotiator and there's an intergalactic dispute that only dick could resolve. and i have a theory that right now he's probably watching down and saying, hey, maybe you can make a little bit better speech

about me or how can this person didn't come but nobody would be more appreciative of this than dick, and i have no doubt that dick is sitting by god's side saying, i can negotiate up here even better than down there. if you gave me certain powers. [laughter] >> if only i had the power of thunder and lightning. [laughter] >> just think what i could do. just think what i could have done on earth with that. and now what i could do in solving these disputes and no doubt god is saying, yes, dick, i don't need to hear anymore. i agree with you. you've got what you want. [laughter] >> the bible tell us blessed are the peacemakers for they are the children of god. on the 69 years on earth that dick spent here, i don't think there were very many children of god who were better than dick. he devoted his entire life to making sxapeace and making the world a better place. and those of you who didn't know him but didn't know him i wish you could have gotten to know him.

he was a unique individual. now, i'm very sad that he's not here. i'm very sad that the missions in which he worked are not yet completed but i hope that when those missions and some of those greatest challenges are completed, people remember that he started the efforts and some of what his great legacy will be will be finished in a few years and so his legacy will include things that he already did, but some of the things that are now being worked on when they're resolved. will no doubt bear dick's fingerprints as well. so dick, godspeed. i'm glad to have known you and i'm glad to have called you a friend. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, david. for hosting this remarkable memorial for richard. mr. president, mr. president, mr. secretary general, admiral mullen, vice president biden, beloved friends of richard, good

afternoon to you. here's one fact about my husband that none of thousands of remarkable tributes from all corners of the world have mentioned. richard was a very good husband. from the time we came together 17 years ago, we were full partners. with richard that meant no boundaries between our personal and our public lives. we gave each other courage, great courage knowing that the other was always there. not a single day passed wherever he was without a phone call. we married during the fateful year of 1995, the deadliest year of the balkan wars. en route to our wedding, he was on the phone urging strom talbot to start the bombing. on the way to our honeymoon in france, he addressed the council of europe meeting in budapest.

he introduced his new bird to a local girl. a group of very determined bulgarian ladies accosted him. ambassador, they called to richard, we did not know you were looking for a bride in the region. [laughter] >> we have so many beautiful ladies in bulgaria. [laughter] >> but it was too late for that. a few weeks later, my new husband returned to washington with the coffins of his three comrades. following their funeral in arlington, richard headed back to the balkans and did not quit until he brought the warring parties to wright-patterson air base in dayton. his breathtaking balchine performance in breaking the murderous will of the world's toughest autocrats was something to be hold. if i wouldn't have been love with him before i would have been in love with him.

he deployed me. the first night of the peace conference he sat me between two bitter foes, make them talk to each other, richard instructed me. [laughter] >> thrilled to play my small part for richard and for history, i succeeded and by evening's end they were calling slobodan and alia. at the u.n., too, we were full partners traveling to 11 african countries which opened both our eyes to the full ravages of aids. those trips led richard to persuade the security council to put the health issue, hiv/aids on the agenda for the first time. richard always made me feel that whatever i was working on, a book, or an ngo was as important as whatever he was working on. i think he did that for a lot of people. in recent days, i have had thousands of letters from people whose lives he touched, whose problems he tried to solved,

from cyprus, to tibet and better known places in between, i heard from people he helped in some ways whose small private acts of kindness that did not make headlines. i tried to domesticate him, but good luck with that as the kids would say. instead, he taught me the most valuable lesson. those who hold grudges refuse diminished by them. richard taught me that elegance is not about dressing well. lord knows it was a rare day when his socks matched. [laughter] >> elegance was about the spirit. and the mind. oh, he was an elegant man. always -- always first to call a friend who stumbled or who had

been brought low by rumors. he taught me about patriotism. there was no job he would turn down if the president of the united states called. the toughest job, of course, was the final one. i have never admired richard more than observing him during the final two years facing layers of breathtaking adversity, he just kept on moving. in the depth of the night, when we are at our most open and vulnerable, i could see just how deep and genuine his passion to do good and to make use of his god-given talent ran. so he ignored his friends who warned him that the final mission was mission impossible. i never urged him to come home because i knew him too well. from richard, i learned that a life of meaning is worth more

than a life of ease. and perhaps even more than a long life. we had many plans for our next chapter. none of those plans involved anything other than a life of full engagement. here's a consoling thought for all of us. richard was not looking to this last mission for his place in history. as something of a historian himself. he knew that he had earned that place already. he was just going to give this last pass as he had the others everything he had. i look around this beautiful hall, at the hundreds of young people that he mentored and inspired, including my own daughter. and in their eyes, i see my husband.

richard is right here with us very much alive. i will miss him forever. [applause] >> dear dad, i'm writing this letter now because you are so far away. i imagine you're busy enjoying the company of governor harriman, clark clifford and other vip's in the great beyond. probably guzzling diet soda and ravaging the snack bowl. [laughter] >> you and i have so many memorable times and trips together. like when i was just 10 and you took me to china. i remember how the people all easttex bikes, wore mao suits

and stared at the foreigners in teenman square. and we watched in you in disbelief as boris yeltsin jumped on stage and did an impromise toe debate. and where we stayed with the nomads until you ate almost all their yogurt. [laughter] >> but reflecting on these trips also forces me to realize you were not present in many key moments in my life. when you gave me that brand-new baseball glove, it was my mom who i learned to play catch with. or the day i scored three touchdowns and had two interceptions against our rival at sidwell friends. i wish you could have been there. .. but i did come to understand that you weren't there because you were working.

working hard to find safety and shelter for tens of thousands of refugees fleeing cambodia or laos, or finding a way in the balkans to end the blood baths. you were saving thousands of lives. the day when my son cyrus holbrook was born just six months ago, you were off in the mountains in afghanistan and pakistan. but the day i'll remember most is the magical day at the state department just a short while ago. it was our last day together. watching you race down the hallway, holding cyrus like a football. with cyrus' mother agap, me and 20 staff members following in your wake as you carried cyrus right into the press briefing room. dad, while you didn't always

have a perfect attendance record, what pride, deep pride, i take in being your son. i wouldn't want any other father in the entire world. afterall, how many sons can say their father saved lives and made the world a better place? the pride i take in being your son will have no end. i love you, dad. and, yes, it is your suit. [applause] [applause] >> this past summer, a friend came to our home in brooklyn for the first time. after looking around the living room and seeing family photos with his holiness, the dalai lama, bill and hillary clinton, president obama, my friend said this is not a normal home. [laughter] >> it's not a normal home because i did not have a normal father. my father was an extraordinary

man. but as anthony mentioned, he was not a natural parent. internal and external pressures prevented him from being there as much as he wanted to be. but when he was, i saw the world from a remarkable vantage point. he went to game on the subway series, he sat in george steinbrenner's box. when we went to dinner in new york, we ate with hillary clinton, joe dinero, pleasing my wife greatly. we stood with my father in the white house after president clinton named him ambassador to the u.n.. it was the only time i ever remember seeing him get choked up. my favorite place to be with him was in telluride, where he loved to ski with his grandchildren. of course, i always had to make sure they skied behind him.

because he had an unfortunate history of barreling into people. [laughter] >> but it was even more fun, and a lot safer, simply hanging out with him at our home there. his shirt untucked, lose and relaxed, playing ping-pong and explaining to the kids why "blazing saddles" was such an essential film. i wanted so much more for my children. their grandfather was not a normal grandfather. now tragically we have all lost him. but as painful as this loss may be, my family is enormously proud of his legacy, and i know it will inspire each of us and each of you to contribute to the world in our own way. his way -- now that was something. my father was described as a human title wave. diane sawyer said being with him

was like being in the eye of the hurricane. this week, i encountered another extreme type of weather. on monday, four days ago win think, on monday we were in the heart of the floods in australia. when it seems certained we'd be stranded in queensland and miss this occasion, i thought about my father. what would he do? how would he get out of here? i decided that he would call anyone, i mean anyone, who might be able to find a helicopter. which is exactly what sara and i did. here we are. by the way if anyone from hertz is watching us on c-span, we're really sorry about your toyota. it is on high ground on a town called gimpy in queensland. judy has the keys. thank you. as screwy as it was, i'm certain my father would have relished our australian adventure. he would have brought as much relief to the people suffering

there as he could. like i said, he was not a normal father. the kids and i recently read the book, "danny champion of the world." which ends with this epilogue. when you grow up and have children of your own, remember something important. a stood dwi parent is no fun at all. what a child wants and deserves is a child that is sparky. my brother and i certainly got that. we miss you so much, pops. [applause] [applause] >> richard and i had a rocky start. when he first came into my life, i did everything in my 14-year-old power to ignore him. i thought i didn't need him. i was wrong and completely outmatched. richard barged through the wall that i set up and planted himself in my life.

our relationship became one of support and complicity, shared interest, movies, food, any kind of food, a passion for texting, the u.n., traveled to places most people can't locate on a map, and a mutual love for really bad tv and all nighters. over the years together, we plotted my future, looking for ways that i can make a difference. we talked boys as many of the women here can attest, he had a knack for relationship wisdom, and the advise often in a form of a text came at all hours and usually when he was in the middle of a meeting. [laughter] >> he became my greatest advocate, both personally and professionally. we don't get to choose our family, but richard and i chose each other. at the center of all of this was the implied but never stated recognition that we gave each other another chance. for him to be a father one more time, and for me to have one

again. within of the last times that we were together walking on the beach at thanksgiving, he insisted that we talk about the parallels between his work in afghanistan, and mine in haiti, no matter how new i was to the country or to the issues and how much i had to learn about a world that he had been navigating mastfully long before i was born. he treated me in a partner in understanding and making our work count. richard supported and taught so many of us, pushing, dragging, leading, or standing beside us, allowing us to shine when the time came. but nemertea -- no matter our proximity, both of us never came close to catching up to him. we are forever transformed by, in his wake. on the night the richard died, i came back to the arena. it's not the critic that

caughts, the credit belongs to the man who was actually in the arena who's face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. reading this today, i hope seals a pact between nerve -- between everyone in this room to continue to challenge and elevate, to fight our for appeals and people who do not have a voice. it will take all of us. richard expects it. thank you. [applause] [applause] >> to kofi, anthony, david, and elizabeth. to all of the friends and admirers of richard, we come

together to celebrate an stood life. in 1999, at the height of the crisis in kosovo, richard gave an interview in which he addressed the question of why the united states was engaged in bringing peace to that war-torn corner of the world. why bother? his answer was simple. because we could make a difference. because we could make a difference. that is the story of american leadership in the world. and that is also the story of richard holbrook. he made a difference. in 1962, when he was just 22

years old, he set out from vietnam as a foreign service officer. he could not have known the twists and turns that lay ahead of him and his country in that war. or the road that he would travel over nearly five decades of service to his country. but it's no consequence that his life story so closely parallelled the major events of his times. the list of places that he served, the things he did reads as a chronicle of american foreign policy. speaking truth to power from the delta to the paris peace talks. paving the way to our normalization of relations with china, serving as ambassador in

a newly unified germany, bringing peace to the balkans, strengthening our relationship with the united nations, and working to advance peace and progress in afghanistan and pakistan. richard came of an age looking up to the men who had helped shape the post world war. dean atkin atkinson, mr. harold, clark gifford, and in many ways he was the leading light of a generation of american diplomats who came of age in vietnam. there's a generation that came to know both the tragic limits and awesome possibilities of american power. born of a time of triumph and

world war ii, steeped in the painful lessons of southeast asia, participates in the twilight struggle that led ultimately to freedom's triumph during the cold war. after the shadow of communism, richard understand the we could not retreat from the world. he recognized our prosperity is tied to that of others. that our security is endangered by instability abroad. most importantly that our moral leadership is at stake when innocent men, women, and children are slaughtered through senseless violence, whether it's islamabad. richard possessed a hard-headed,

clear-eyed realism about how the world works. he was not naive. he also believed that america has a unique responsibility in the course of human events. he understood american power and all of it's complexities and believed that when it is applied with purpose and principal it can tip the scales of history. and that coupling of realism and idealism which is always represented what is best in american foreign policy, that was at the heart of his work in bosnia where he negotiated and congealed and threatened all at once, until peace was the only outcome possible. by the time i came to know richard, his place in history was assured.

his options in the private sector were so many of his peers had settled were too numerous to mention. but for my first conversation with him in chicago, in my transition office, a conversation in which he teared up when he began to talk about the importance of restoring america's place in the world. it was clear that richard was not comfortable on the sidelines. he belonged in the arena. to his wonderful family, i am personally grateful. i know that every hour he spend with me in the situation room or spent traveling to southeast asia, south asia, was time spent away from you. you shared in the sacrifice. and that sacrifice was made greater because he loved you so.

he served this country until the final moments. those who take the measure of his last mission will see his foresight. he understood that the future of afghanistan and pakistan are tied together and afghanistan he cultivated areas like agriculture and governance to feed stability. with pakistan, he created new habits of cooperation to over come decades of mistrust. and globally, he helped align the approaches of 49 nations. were he here with us, i know richard would credit the extraordinary team that he assembled. today i'd like to make a personal appeal to the s-wrap team. particularly the young people, stay in public service.

serve your country. seek the peace that your mentor so hardly sought. i also know that richard would want us to lift up the next generation of public service, particularly our diplomats who so rarely receive credit. i'm proud to announce the creation of an annual richard c. holbrook award to honor excellence in american diplomacy as we look to the next generation, it is fitting as david mentioned that this memorial will take place at the kennedy center. named for the president who called richard's generation to serve. it's also fitting that this memorial takes place at a time when our nation is recently received a tragic reminder that we must never take our public servants for granted.

we must always honor their work. america's not defined by ethnicity, it's not defined by geography, we are a nation born of an idea. a commitment to human freedom. over the last five decades, there have been countless times when people made the mistake of counting on america's decline or disengagement. time and again, those voices have been proven wrong. but only because of the service and sacrifice of exceptional men and women. those who answered the call of history and made america's cause their own. like the country served, richard contained complexities, so full

of life, he was a man both confident in himself, and curious about others. alive to the world around him. with a character that is captured in the words of matthew arnold poem that he admired. but often in the den of strike, their arises an unspeakable desire. after the knowledge of the buried life. the thirst to spend our fire and restless force in tracking our true original course. belonging to inquire into the mystery of this heart which beats so wild, so deep in us, to know once our lives come and where they go. richard is gone now, but we

carry with him -- with us, his thirst to know, to grasp, and to heal the world around him. his legacy is seen in the children of bosnia who lived to raise families of their own. and a europe that's peaceful and united and free. and young boys and girls from the tribal region of pakistan to whom he pledged our country's friendship, and in the role that america continues to play. there's a light to all who inspire to live in freedom, and in dignity. five decades after a young president called him to serve, we can confidently say that richard bore the burden to ensure the survival and success of liberty. he made a difference. we must now carry that work forward in our time. may god bless the memory of richard holbrook and may god

bless the united states of america. [applause] [applause] >> exactly five weeks ago, as the news spread, many of us gathered here today and found ourselves trading phone calls and e-mails, we were activating the intercontinental holbrook network. during the three day vigil that followed, a lot of us gathered in the lobby of the george washington university hospital

just four blocks from here. we spent sometime grasping at straws on a subject that few of us knew much about: cardiology. but there was much more talk about richard's heart in another sense. it was a big heart. and it was a young heart. and it was young throughout his life. what a life it was. it wasn't just a career. it was a saga. and it had a plot that underscored his sheer talent, his energy, his versatility, what's been called his audacity of determination.

there he is at 24, in the white house, helping wage the vietnam war. at 27, in paris, helping forge the vietnam peace. at 29 in morocco, directing the peace corps. at 36, presiding over the state department bureau responsible for east asia and as david reminded us, the south pacific. and that job, his office was on the sixth floor of the department of state which on those premises is considered close to heaven since it's just below the office of the secretary of state. so flash ahead 30 years. there he is again. back in foggy bottom. but this time on the first

floor. close to the cafeteria. he took pleasure in showing off what he called his huddle. it gave him a chance to laugh at the ironies that attended the drama and occasionally the melodrama of his life. so richard had a playful heart too. but it was still a proud heart. and there was plenty of room in it for pride in his colleagues. especially as coti and president obama have stressed, his younger colleagues. mentoring often meant pushing proteges to higher positions, on higher floors. his was a generous heart as

well, but most of all, his was a brave heart. he showed current of many kinds, intellectual, political, diplomatic, moral courage, but physical courage too. most recently during the past two years in the bad lands along the doran line where he was a prize target on al qaeda's hit list, but where he was also revered by the destitute, the displace, and the disenfranchised. starting sometime around last summer, richard began thinking seriously about writing a book. reflecting what he had experienced and what he had learned going back over a half a century to vietnam. he joked that the title of that book might be to end all those

wars. but that project would have to wait. because he still had a job to do. helping president obama and secretary clinton find the right way to end the war at hand. that brings us back to friday five weeks ago. there he is, in the secretary of state's office on the 7th floor, close to heaven, doing his life's work, the life that he loved, doing it bravely and proudly to the end. [applause] [applause] >> for 41 years, richard holbrook and i were

collaborators, protectors, allies, business partners, and most importantly friends. we met in 1969 at princeton university when he was a mid career fellow and i was a graduate student. he arrived that fall with his distinctive sound and furry and a rare degree of wisdom having already done some heavy lifting in saigon and paris and the state department and white house. richard was just 29 years old. from day one, it was apparent that he was a person of stunning intelligence, a laser focus, and a profound sense of history. he was a geyser of energy who was 24/7 before the phrase was even minted. he rarely slept, his appetite for books, the media, people dead or alive, sports, movies,

theater, travel, work, and yes, friendship was almost unlimited. i had the privilege of working shoulder to shoulder with him in the carter administration of spending 18 years as a business partner in three different firms, sharing endless personal and family experiences, talking and talking and talking as he would say sometimes after a month and sometimes after just a few days, we really need to get caught up. to put it mildly, richard wasn't always easy. i toll him -- i told him many times how much i valued his friendship. i told him when i signed up to be his friend, i didn't anticipate it was a full-time job. [laughter] >> over four decades, i watch's richard compassion deepen, and

capacity for the significant contribution expand. he was relentless, and occasionally exhausting. he was enduring, larger than life, amusing, and easily amused, and indisputably committed to the cause of peace. he was a true patriot. richard holbrook was one of a kind. if you ever hear someone say that guy is just like holbrook, it's not true. his loyalty and dedication to his friends was never in doubt. he always knew what it meant to stand up and bare witness. there was no fair weather dimension to him. finally, our family so appreciated richard's turn to washington. the late afternoon calls asking where's dinner. the great conversations, the memories and walks and endless review of the challenges that we face. the only downside of these last

two years is that i know now 200 times more about the power grid of kandahar than i want to know. [laughter] >> in closing, i want to pay tribute to kofi. plain and simply, richard adore ed you and everything about you. to david and anthony, your father treasured you beyond your imagination. and to lizy and christopher, richard was so proud of who you are. and i can see why. all of you so enriched his life. richard loved history, and he made it. he loved his country, and he made it proud. he loved his family and friends, and he made us all better. richard holbrook was

irresistible, ire repressible, and irreplaceable. [applause] [applause] >> picture our friend, at a donkey kong arcade game throwing in quarters and splashing all over the place. hour after hour. failing each time to achieve the bonus of that game, the epic win. cursing at the machine, banging it, accusing the donkey kong company of war crimes, never

stopping, never giving up. dick holbrook was like the rest of us. only much more so. we mourn him today because we expected even more of him. and he expected more of himself. he finally got that epic win at dayton. but we wanted more and he wanted more. and we mourn him today for the next dayton to promise lost.

others here today have remembered him well, his accomplishments formidable, him formidable. i want to give you -- i want to remember the dick holbrook that i knew. and miss so very much. what a -- what a handful of a guy. [laughter] >> what a gem. what a character. what a whole friend. whatever job i had, he took whatever time was necessary to tell me how to do it. [laughter] >> in the middle of one of his

knockdowns with melosvich, he said i got the son of a b here to promise you a box of cuban cigars. but this guy, he lies all the time. don't you, slobo? don't count on those cigars. [laughter] >> consistency was not a goblin of the holbrook mind. [laughter] >> you know, but it was just too high of a price to pay for pointing it out. [laughter] >> whatever i did, he could come

back and point out all of my inconsistencies. and then each of us would proclaim we never contradicted ourselves. ever. we started yelling at each other, and it was great fun. life was easier when he was around. you know, you didn't have to read a book. you didn't have to go to a movie. you didn't have to see a play. he would tell you all about it in the greatest detail with full analysis, and if you were lucky, he did not add the historical context. [laughter] >> depressingly, really depressingly, he actually knew what he was talking about. never, never forget dick's

fragility, his vulnerability. he was talking to one of his dearest friends from vietnam days, peter turnoff not so long ago. dick blurted out to him, you know, everything was easy for you and for the others. for me i had to fight for everything. : in the middle of the living room in his you ambassadors, at the waldorf, and he puts his arm around me and he

says, do you see that guide their in the middle of the room? that's bobby deniro. and he says, be deniro knows everything about the united nations.niro kno everythin he studied the charter. he can type anything about it. g he showed me over next to deniro.it and dick gets pulled away and i'm their standing there. the near is looking down at his shoes and he finally raises its head, into my eyes and says, what's all this u.n. shit? [laughter] he said it.

dick was a leader of men and women and interns. [laughter] widely prone to endless troubles, never paralyzed by self-doubt [laughter] endlessly searching for legendary feat, seemingly immortal. you know, i think everybody in this room felt it was a feat to get through any meal without talking about dick hol rooke. we talked to him all the time. for many years to come, we'll still be talking about him. because it was like the rest of us, dick was, only much, much more.

[applause] >> .holbrooke, that holbrooke was the way my mother referred to richard. she was a discerning women. she recognized early in the 1960s his pores, his intelligence and his charm. that whole holbrooke she declared is my fifth child and so in a stroke, my friend from saigon days he came my brother. polly fritchey did another thing. she helped introduce richard to

the washington he aspired to enter, the city of statesmanship of power, of ambition and he took to it with enthusiasm and confidence, meeting those he admired, dean acheson, russ cabot lodge, and david bruce, chip folland, george cannon am appalled that the, april herriman, clerk clippard, those great men of our past who shaped america's international role in soccer fortunes to the coldwater richard studied their style and their record and one time he parted company with their consensus over vietnam he had set his sights on joining their ranks. and so, over time he did. richard also concentrated in

those theaters on the great figures that for press and broadcast, journalism, forging friendships with them, earning their admiration and later even practicing their trade, recognizing the huge power of media in shaping national policy and in realizing his own ambition. from the beginning, richard was a determined man. he saw his star and he followed it. i was privileged to be with him on his journey, sharing friends, adventures, ideas, his love of history and almost intimate secrets. through his intermec at times and are bad ones, through moments of triumph and those of disappointment, he was at constant in his attention to me as he was predict the bullet in

his demands on our friendship. for our richard did nothing but half measure. richard was a man of many dimensions in contradiction. his passion for work, new ideas, experiences, excitement for legendary, just as was his appetite for competition, cool and confrontation. he was restless, insatiable, ever questing. but his will to succeed in his will to leave his mark, they were driven by more than simple ambition. at first i felt close to him, did not recognize to richard's humanitarian humanity in his determination to act on it. only over time did i come to

realize that as much as he believed in himself and his ideas, he believed passionately in this country and in america's power and obligation to help those in need. no site moved richard more than the spectacle of injustice and suffering. i thought richard time and again set-aside calculation, reject caution and engage himself in this country to find haven for indochina both people come to those utilized in bosnia, distribute relief goods to flood the dems in pakistan, drive humanitarian intervention in sudan and congo and plead the cause of victims of hiv/aids. all of us, all of us will remember richard service, his

service in shaping this nation's policies towards china, vietnam, korea, the united nations, the balkans, afghanistan and pakistan. but i will treasure particularly my memories of richard's humanity and, those virtues of his pitch and above and his compassion, which i witnessed at the same time i experienced the intensity of his friendship. the holbrooke occupied a huge space in my life. i admit to being devastated by his passing, but then, i share that loss with all of you, especially to you, connie, david and nate, chris and lizzie. [applause]

>> early on, not long after the administration started, i spotted richard talking to somebody just inside the west wing of the white house. forgetting where i was for a minute, i charged up to him very spontaneously to embrace him shouting, dick! i was like a catcher embracing the! in the world series. no longer had a pin myself to his chest that i realized he wasn't returning the hug. indeed he seemed to be pretending as though you'd never seen me before. as i peeled myself off of his torso and trudged away, i noticed that the person he was talking to was dick. i learned this is the first substantive conversation about afghanistan they've ever had.

yamaichi relegation pass quickly because minutes later richard came charging out of the west wing, chase me down, give me a mighty hug and twirl and exclaimed, i bet that it's never happened before in the history of the white house. people don't hug in washington, samantha. [laughter] just another holbrooke tutorial. holbrooke mentees had been teased, interrogated, lectured, exaggerated about and above all taught. we were each completely incredulous when he soon gained, why the is richard holbrooke making time for me? he taught us back sanitized history, but he also taught us that play in mischief for the saving grace of serious work. although he had infinite time for us, we didn't have infinite time to get to the point. what do you think this is you'd ask? the council on foreign

relations? [laughter] as an editor, he decimated our prose, saying if it takes you this many words, you don't know what you're saying. when i complained that he was repeating himself, he'd say there is no indication you've retained what i told you, so i'm trying again. [laughter] for all of the historical and bureaucratic wisdom that he doled out and for all of the stories in which he figured, we actually never appreciated the scope of richard's achievement for a very simple and counterintuitive reason. he was not in fact the hero of a known stories. richard titus when you build a personal authority in the world of you should sprinkle it like dust on others. you just said something truly significant event expectedly. he would try to remain the tapes in his head to figure what it would have been.

not since the long telegram have a seen a more important memo he would tally stunned number of this aspect team. he was holbrooke, r., h. he had built the branding from scratch. he knew it came to mean something and he doled out his anointing liberally, knowing the attention he could generate further people. when i wrote about, he ordered 65 hardcover copies and send them to friends insisting they read all 600 pages about genocide before their next meeting. bragging about his aspect teamcoming was like a 10-year-old running to the glories of each yankee in its lineup. he especially admired those on his team up with qualities that he knew were recessive in him. finally, richard taught us that love and loyalty are the foundation of all else. love and loyalty to america, his president, his principal, his team and above all his family.

as he wrote to the hospital, he kept saying over and over again, there's so many people i love. there's so many people i love. all of you, david, anthony, sir, lizzie, christopher and katie. you are perfect under his arm. you are a bulldozer and untrammeled pull. on our last double date, i asked him if he had taken off his bluetooth long enough to notice how hot you look. he got that goofy grin, looked over at you again and i'm pretty sure blushed. [applause]

[inaudible] [inaudible] >> -- and for the powerful man who also showed basic compassion. pray for him the injustice and beneath equal destiny for us pray for us always at the hour of our death. ♪

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[applause] [applause] >> kb, mr. president, my memories of richard do not stress as far back as those of so many of you and yet i feel i've known him all my life. every hour with him was crowded. every outing and adventure. every conversation turned into a debate the more you fight back, the deeper you god. richard was the quintessential washington know it all. or was he? for what i loved most about him was his natural curiosity the

man was monumentally, if not exasperatingly, interested in everything. art, music, culture, religion, politics, how he'd love to talk politics. i'm happy to say that i've never challenged him in that either. i just nodded till he was finished and then slid him the check. [laughter] but the sheer breadth of his knowledge and his thirst for more with staggering. some people's minds were like steel traps. richards was like electronic -- a lint trap. our first meeting to discuss a trip you're taking together had the feel of an interview or more accurately a final exam.

with me playing the part of pupil. it made my confirmation hearing look like in appearance and are you smarter than a fifth grader? [laughter] frankly at the end he declared me fit to travel. after all, i had the airplane. [laughter] the trip proved to be wonderful, classic holbrooke trip. he ranged with us to meet for people across afghan and pakistani society, parliamentarians and farmers, students and scholars. the most intriguing was the hellenic council we attended in kabul, a gathering of clerics. it came out in the discussion of one of their number had been a taliban leader in his former life. that was all richard needed to

hear. he latched onto that part i like like a terrier on a t-bone. [laughter] assailing him with questions about taliban life until the man probably wish he had stayed a part of the insurgency. [laughter] i like about that time was which one of them i would be more afraid that if, the taliban or richard. not an easy color. but richard has always had a rate. these were questions that need answering. and far better for those questions to come from a statesman than from a sailor. we were there together in that room, but he was rightly and delete. richard and i were seared by her experiences in the vietnam war. we no doubt learned different lessons from that war, but the one we know shared with about the need for strong, civil,

military relations, with the emphasis on civilian leadership. he even asked me to co-author a book with him about it. i can just see the chapter titles. how to win friends and ticked off everybody else. [laughter] everything i know i learned by listening, now shut up, it is my turn. [laughter] and media relations for dummies, how to write their headlines for them. i think it would've been a bestseller no doubt with his mouth on the cover. but it was just like richard to want to search himself that way, just like him to want to explore a new subject and challenge his own. he understood better than i do very wisdom of seeking wisdom. as one poet put it, each and every man is a discoverer. he begins by discovering

bitterness, saltiness, the seven colors of the rainbow in the 20 some letters of the alphabet. he goes on to visages, masks, animals and stars. he ends with out or with faith and the almost certainty of his own ignorance. richard was never afraid of that ignorance and yet he was never so arrogant as to think he had mastered. he was the ultimate discoverer. and now falls to us to keep asking the questions he posed, to keep discovering the things he wanted to know and to keep making the difference he so clearly made. because i guarantee you when we meet up with them again, there's going to be a pop quiz. gh