come down and the world champions come across the jumbo tron and looking out at the who dat nation just going crazy. beads flying everywhere. [laughter] we recognized what a journey that had been and how special that was and there is no city, no organizations, no group of people that deserve it more. i promise you that. [applause] . .

>> you work too hard to -- not to enjoy those little things. enjoy the little things. my last piece of advice is don't forget white you were put on this earth and the mayor mentioned it earlier -- we were all put on this earth to serve others. sometimes, the more successful you get people tend to forget that. it becomes more about how they can serve you as opposed to how you can serve others. so don't for get, no matter how successful you become, serve

others. as you sit here on graduation day, everyone can agree that we have all been blessed with some great opportunities in our lives. the appreciative and respectful of those opportunities and never take them for granted. with that mind set, think about being able to give back what has been given to you. take the time to make a difference in the life of somebody less fortunate. it is amazing that the more generous you are and the more you choose to serve others, the happier you will be. and now for the word to have been waiting for, in closing, [laughter] i would like to -- i would like to leave you with a quote -- don't worry, we will end a strong. [applause] we don't know any other way.

here we go -- in closing, i want to leave you with a quote and i could have left you with a memorable one. i am choosing one from my grandfather. he is 85 years old and lives on a ranch herding cows in east texas. what i heard all the time from him was," there are three types of people in this world -- there are those that make it happen, there are those who watch it happen, and then there are those who wake up one day and say what the heck happened." [laughter] "which one are you is what he would tell me. i leave you today by saying congratulations to the 2010 graduating class of loyal but university. [applause]

and now let's go make it happen. [applause] >> coming up on c-span, president obama and vice president joe biden pay tribute to the fall of memorial day. at 7:00, it is "washington journal." later, the executive director of the american bankruptcy institute will take your calls. coming up, a look at the state of new orleans in the wake of the gulf of mexico oil spill.

we will simulcast inside new orleans. our coverage gets underway later today at 1:00 p.m. eastern on a companion network, cspan 2. is the government broken? the brookings institution is hosting a panel discussion posting that problem there they will look at challenges of good governance and talk about ways to strengthen democracy. this gets underway live at 1:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span. >> the treaty before you is an illusion -- is an evolution of agreements that go back to the 1970's and particularly of the series of start agreements that were started at in the reagan administration and continued in some form in every subsequent administration." >> watch the moments that made

history on the cspan video library. every program since 1987 is available free online. >> president barack obama was in illinois monday attending a memorial day ceremony. he was about to speak at the abraham lincoln national cemetery when a rainstorm canceled the event. however, the president was able to lay a wreath in honor of servicemen and women who served the country. ♪

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>> vice president joe biden was at arlington national cemetery honoring those who gave their lives in the nation's wars. he gave his address where he was joined by the joint chiefs chairman admiral mike mullen and the debt -- and the deputy defense secretary.

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>> please and gentlemen, please stand for the introduction of the vice-president, conners, invocation and national anthem. -- ownerhonors, invocation and national anthem. >mr. jack meter, arlingt national cemetery superintendent. major general carl r. horst, the united states army district of arm -- of washington. about role michael mullen, chairman, joint chiefs of staff. the hon. -- hon. william flynt iii, deputy -- wliam lynn

iii, deputy secretary of defense. ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the unid states. ♪ >> will you go with me in prayer? our gracious father, we ask you to be present among us today as

we pause to honor those who ve served our nation and without hesitation, with selfless courage, and a love for our tion and the people we serve. thank you for the willingness to fight for freedom, for america, for home and family, anfour of their comrades that stand next to them on the battlefield. at continued --nd for their comrades the senate to them on the battlefield. continue to watch over these men and women. they will never forget, always impressed upon our memories, those who fought the good fight and use names and lives are represented by the over 300,000 markers that surround us today. comfort those who grieve for those who gave the last full measure of devotion. let this day the reminder of the greatness of our country and those who proudly served in uniform. in yr holy name we dupre, --

we do pray, amen. >> please join our navy band in singing the national anthem. ♪ ♪ ["the star spangled banner"] ♪

[applause] >> please, be seated. ladies and gentleman, admiral mullen. [applause] >> kurram morning. mr. vice president, members of congress, secretary lynn, a distinguished guest, veterans, family members of our fallen warriors, and fellow americans, every year since civil war reconstruction americans have set aside this day to pay

tribute to service and sacrifice. no place more than arlington reminds me of what we owe them and their families for what they have given to us. in forests and jungles, beaches and desert, and across seas and skiesyoung americans have fought for each other, fought for their families, and fought for us. now they peacefully rest in cemeteries, and marked battlefield graves, and in the deepest oceans around the world. each plot enshrines a unique story and we remember the sacrifice, humility and the service each name represents. the great world war ii correspondent early -- ernie pyle never forgot these stories, particularly those that the

fall and could never tell. in the wake of the normandy invasion on e beach were so many of gave their lives, he found bibles, toothbrushes, hand grenades, and snapshots of families back home staring up at him from the sand. but the most common items he found were letters, letters from ome and a link writing paper waiting to become -- blank writing paper waiting to become letters in return. i believe each story, each item they carry sends a powerful message. it is notbout how they died, but how they lived and what they cared for. today is a different time. these are different wars, so troops maycarry fewer physical keepsakes. but there will always carry and cherish the love of their

family, the respect of their fellow citizens, and in -- and an abiding hope for a safe return. as a corporal in afghanistan wrote in his final letter to his family, "know that you all are the reason that i'm here and to give my life for that is nothing to me." here in arlington, nturies guard the stories of those who gave their lives, those who willingly sacrificed all that they carried. and if such stories of courage, love, and hope will be our continuous renewal has grass comes through their freshly turned soil of section 60. how our treasured and keepsakes will be the lives we celebrate every memorial day and every day of the year. [applause]

>> ladies and gentleman, listen now as the united stes navy sea chanters perfor an american anthem. ♪ ♪

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secretary of defense lynn. [applause] >> mr. vice-president, of normal and, families of tops, others distinguished guests -- families of taps, other distinguished guests, we gather today to honor one of the greatest symbols of the sacrifices made to our freedom and our way of life. we have carried our fallen heroes to these fies for 146 year it the rows of marble headstones -- the rose of marble headstones are testament of how -- the rows of moral headstones are a testament of howell one generation honors and remembers the next. and how these sacrifices stretch

to the present day. less visible year, but equally a part of memorial day is the sacrifice me by the families of those we have lost. for every fallen hero laid to rest, there is a mother and father who will not see their child through life's milestones. foremost, there is a spouse who must live -- for most, there is a spouse who must live without their partner. and for many, there is a child without thitheir parents to guie them. today, we honored not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but we honor all of those who shared the loss. even as we acknowledge the suffering that war has brought, we affirm the sacred commitment to our nation has ma to perpetuate its ideals. if lincoln at gettysburg asked

whether a new nation -- lincoln at gettysburg asked whether a new nation in seeking liberty cannot prolong in door. the answer is all around us. from the former slave barrier to the children of the civil war, to the immigrants who twice free europe, to our brothers who fought and died in the korea and vietnam these grounds record that not only freedom and liberty have endured, but that they have flourished. those who sleep in arlington is newest section are from every race and every creed. their graves are topped by the cross, the crescent moon and star, the star of david. to walk from les manchin to arlington's first degroat --

freshly -- from lee's manchimano arlington's freshly dug grave, it reflects the more perfect union they died to defend. in arlington like nowhere else, we can see freedom blossom and note its price. it is now privilege to introduce our next speaker. but i fit want to say a note of gratitude to his wife, dr. joe biden, who i doing so much to help our military -- dr. jill biden, who is doing so much to help our military milies. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce a man who knows both service and sacrifice, the vice president of the united states. [applause]

>> thank you all very, very much. deputy secretary lynn, thank you for that introduction. that admiral mullen, i have to say -- and at roland, aave to say, we have gotten to know each other and this is -- admir mullen, i have to say, we have gotten to know each other and this is the greatest opportunity of my life to address all of you on this hallowed ground. and superintendent metzler, thank you for your intention -- attention and care of these hallowedrounds. and tnks to the old guard who stand tch over the souls who gave their lives to standing watch over us and thanks to all of the service members responsible and representing every branch of the military all across america to ensure that on this day that those who served under our flag

have a flag standing proudly before their headstones, and decoration worthy of their dignity. collectively, the generation of soiers herrmann and marines who have sacrificed -- airmen and marinewho have sacrificed for as are the heart and soul, and i would say, the spine of this nation. and as a nation, we pause to remember them. they gave thr lives fulfilling their oath to this nation and to us. and doing so, they imparted a responsibility on us to recognize, to respect, to honor, and to care for those who risk their lives so that we can live our lives. moments ago, i had the distinct honor and high privilege of playing the reece at the tomb of the unknown soldier -- of .

ying the wreath at the tomb of the unknow soldier. this morning, we are joined by those who know all too well the price paid by their loved ones. i met ruth, who lost her son christopher on the first night of major operions in afghanistan in october of 2001. imaging couple -- imojean cupp, the woman who played a pivotal role in vietnam. terry davis, the remarkable gold star sister, goldstar wife, and gold star mothers. none should be asked to sacrifice that much.

and i also met the parents, the brother, and the beautiful widow of john howard. i had the privilege of meeting his family when i attended the memorial service in fort lewis in washington state. john sved in the striker brigade that was among the hardest hit in afghanistan. he left behind a wife, two young sons, and an infant daughter who he never got to make, but who i hope will grow up with a pride in her father filling part of the void that is loved by his loss. each of the goldstaramilies and bodies in the words of john milton, -- embodied in the words of john milton those who also served stand in waiting. those of you that are standing and waiting are relieved and to

return, as jill and i were, at the return of our son from iraq. many of you are now waiting with family members still overseas, many in harm's way, and some of you have stood and waited for a loved one that did not return. and to live now with the knowledge that you will one day be united with them with our heavenly father. to those who have lost a loved one in the service of our nation, i recall a famous headstone in ireland. the headstone reads as follows, "death leaves the heartache -- "death leaves a heartache no one can heal. love leaves a memory no one can steal." no one can steal the memory from you. i can tell you from my own

personal experience tt eventually, the pain and heartache that you now feel will eventually, god willing, be replaced by the joyful memory of the son or daughte husband or wife, father or mother that you loved so dearly and lost. gergel and my joshed jill and my prayer for you -- jill and my prer for you is that th healing will come. today is a day of mournful cry. we mourn those who we've lost and we take great pride in the lives they lived and the service they provided and the nation they created, saved and strengthened. earlier this month, stephen banco, who was kind enough to

sendy wife some of his speeches right after we were elected, stephen van gogh, who won many medals in vietnam -- stephen banco, who won several medals in vietnam said, "most people think of the battlefield as a province of hate, fear and anger. when you have fought and bled and you risk and you survive, you recognize it as something entirely different. hatred would hardly be enough to make a soldier leave a safe position to rescue a buddy. fear would never make one share of the last set of water with a dying, and -- the last sip of

water with a dying, nad. and angewr would never make a nurse stable with a dying marine. -- stay with a gangrene. only love can trigger that kind of courage. -- and anger would never make a nurse, stayed with a dying marine. only love can trigger that kind of courage. and only their families, who share the love even more deeply, as i look at the headstones of those who gave their lives to win our independence, to save our nation, to save our union, to defend against fascism and communism, i wonder what they would think of this nation and this world today. i wonder what they would think of this new generation of

warriors. the forces of globalization have made the world cross which they must fight much smaller. and as the world are around us that shrinks, it need struggle halfway -- it means trouble halfway around the globe can and will visit us. pauour men and women in uniform know full well that the promise and peril of this time have never been greater, the threa to american security more widespread than ever before geographically. and the spread of weapons of mass destruction and dangerous disease, economic dislocations and the growing gap between the rich and the port, ethnic animosities and failed states. the challenges of freedom and security when facing a radical

ndamentalism. this new generation of warriors stand watch, protecting america's interests against all of these new threats. and they will take, and it has taken, is equally great sacrifice as those who have gone before them. from fallujah to marja, from baghdad to kandahar, from home and to anbar -- from helmand to hand our, our nation has lost 3091 servicemen and women. 1074 in operation in during freedom and in afghanistan. if they were the best of us. they were our blood. they were born of carbone, blood of o blood. they were our treasure -- they were bone ofur owbone, the blood

of our blood. they were our treasure. our sacred obligation, the only obligation that a government hashat is true the sacred, or sacred obligation to provide these warriors with everything they need to complete their mission, and everything they need and deserve when they ce home, that will not change. [applse] but these new warriors, a special breed, they are warriors, but they're also bright, educated, and committed like thoswho have gone before. they understand that the example of our kara and must be matched

the example of our power must be matched by the power of our example. all of you know our ultimate strength lies in our values. that is what brought everyone of thmen and women in this house vote cemetery -- this hallowed cemetery close monday to give their lives, upholding our values. and in -- to give their lives, upholding our values. it ended up holding o values, the objective is to change what it means to be an american. it has been my honor over the past two decades to visit our troops from bosnia to xhosa vote, to iraq to the afghanistan, from six young warriors are bring high in the announced of afghanistan -- in

the mountains of afghanistan to a mess hall in iraq. d every time i can say without fear or contradiction i come away impressed with the intelligence, the grit, they resolved and the patriotism of these young women and men. this is the finest mitary the world has ever produced, period. [applause] if anyone ever had any doubt about that, they should have been with me three days ago when that conviction was reinforced when i have the great privilege and honor of addressing this year's graduating class at the naval academy. as part of that service, there was an award given to some young

marine showing the qualities that will make him a future leader of the marine corps. the award was named for marine named doug tock zembick. he was a captain in 2004 and because of his heroism in the early ground assault he became known as the line of fallujah -- lion of fallujah. three years ago, this month, doug was shot and killed leading the iraqis he had trained. it was his fourth tour. silver star, bronze star, two purple heas -- and doug was a warrior, a warrior of from this nation can be proud. major zembick is. just down the hill in section

60, 21. and when he was laid to rest, his best friend read from his personal notebook in which major zembick wrote these words. he said, "be a man of principle. fight for what you believe in. keep your word. be brave. believe in something bgger than yourself. serve your country. teacher, mentor, and give something back to society. lead from the front and conquer your fears of." -- your fears." these words, in my view, captor capture the character and purpose of all of those we honor today. they served nobly.

they gave everything. they fought for what they believed in. and maybe most importantly, they believe in something bigger than themselves. they believe in all of you. they believed in all of us. and they believed in america. on this day, this solemn day, let us strive once again to be individuals and a nation worthy of that belief. may god bless you. may god protect our troops. and may god continue to bless the memory of all of those who have died that we may live. thank you. [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the playing of "taps" andhe benediction. ♪ ["taps"]

>> received a benediction. our dear god, before we leave here today, we ask once more that you, oh, lord, bless us, our families, our comrades and leaders and our country. he was mindful of the justice and equality of our nation that have preserved our heritage. let us not forget those who have fought and died so the and we may endure. bless their continuous service today as well as their families and a grateful nation. bring us together in a future in ace. protect those serving on a field of battle this very moment, and

continue to be a strength for the families and loved ones of those deployed. in your holy name we dupo pray, amen. >> ladi and gentlemen, please remain until the vice president has exited and the colors are rered.

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[applause] >> an hour public affairs content is available on television, radio, and online and you can connect with a son twitter, facebook, and youtube and sign up for our scheduled alert e-mails @ c-span.org. on "washington journal"