 Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee honored guests who are here tonight. Nancy and I welcome you to the White House. It was a great pleasure for me today to renew a valued friendship with Prime Minister Lee. I first met the Prime Minister on a trip that I took on the behest of President Nixon. And when we stopped in Singapore I was amazed at the dynamic society that I found there. How could a country with such a small area and few resources be making such strides? And then I met Prime Minister Lee and my questions were answered. He is a man of principle and vision. His leadership has provided the vigorous and creative people of Singapore the means to move ahead, to achieve, and to build. Singapore's experience has been in stark contrast to developing countries where political power has been derived from terror and brute force. Instead, Prime Minister Lee's authority has rested on his capacity to mold the opinion of his countrymen and build consensus. He has used his position to free the talents and energy of his people so they could be channeled into constructive society-building activity. Fortunately, Prime Minister Lee's sound judgment does not stop at the water's edge. American leaders, including this one, have frequently benefited from his wise counsel. Our meetings today were no less beneficial. Our exchange was cordial, reflecting a mutuality of interests and a harmony of views. Mr. Prime Minister, I want to express my personal admiration for your recognition of the contributions America makes to world peace. As the world's most powerful democracy, our people carry a heavy military and diplomatic burden, an often thankless task. But you have demonstrated an appreciation and understanding that makes it all worthwhile. This spirit of mutual respect was evidenced in our meetings today. None of this should be reason for surprise. Our two peoples may at first glance seem worlds apart, both in geographic location and culture. But a closer look reveals that Singapore and the United States are nations made up of hardworking immigrants and their descendants who came to a new homeland to improve their lot and build a decent life for their families. We're both democratic nations committed to peace and to the preservation of human liberty. And these bonds are being bolstered by continued cultural and educational exchanges. And of course, the many commercial ties between our peoples. Mr. Prime Minister, we're aware that your people are now faced with severe challenges brought on by international economic conditions. The United States faced economic adversity not long ago. Tough decisions had to be made. It's heartening to see that you're moving forward, Mr. Prime Minister, with an eye toward the long run well being of your people. I understand full well this is not always easy to do, but I want you and your citizen to know that the people of the United States want you to succeed and prosper. Our meetings today confirmed again the people of Singapore, as we say here, are our kind of people. So would you all join me in toasting the people of Singapore and the distinguished leader, Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee? Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, ladies and gentlemen, my wife and I are much honored and delighted to be here with you. Enjoy your warm hospitality. We would like to express our special thanks to Mrs. Reagan for your learned of her personal interests in the preparations for this splendid occasion. It is a rare and gracious first lady who would personally settle and approve the menu, the wines, the floral arrangements, and the entertainment. I read of Mrs. Reagan in her campaign against drug abuse. Her personal efforts and her attention to the details of the cause that she as champion has won her wide acclaim. I watched her on television standing amidst the rubble of Mexico City a few days after the earthquake, bringing succour and comfort to the victims. After nearly five years in the White House, I noticed that the latest opinion, Paul, puts her approval rating at 71%, ahead of the precedents, and by 9%. Mr. President, your staff has to shape up, or you may have to borrow the first lady's staff. Mr. President, I've been a regular visitor of the United States for about two decades. It was an ordeal to watch America arrive in the self-inflicted agony at home. During the years, she tried to fight a war in Vietnam. And even after the war, she did not bounce back from her depression. And morale dropped to a new low when American hostages were held in Tehran. When you were taking your oath of office as president, the hostages were released. It was proof to me that the Iranian mullahs were not as crazy as the media had made them out to be. You made your fellow Americans and your friends feel proud and optimistic by the confidence you radiated. You have never allowed any problem, however daunting, to weigh you down. Now, as imports surge into America because of an overstrong dollar, Congress in its pessimism moves towards protectionism. You have not yielded to such despair. You will astound your critics yet again when you return the spell of apparent adversity to advantage by opening up foreign markets and creating new jobs for Americans. The Reagan years will surely be a noticeable landmark in American history, for you have restored American leadership in the maintenance of a just and equitable world order. Mr. President, I have been privileged to share some of your thoughts today. The friendly relations between the United States and Singapore are at their best, indeed, as they should be. I have been a privileged guest in these surroundings under different precedents, as I explained to the young lady, so judiciously selected to be my companion tonight. I have never felt more relaxed and more at home, and I think I owe that to the other attractive young lady on my left. I have been here and have been impressed. Tonight I have been here and have enjoyed myself. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I now ask you to join me in a toast to the President and the First Lady to wish them good health and happiness. Not a day goes by, not a single... You're not somewhere a part of my life and I need you to stay as the days go by. Get much better, much longer, but it only gets better and stronger and deeper and nearer and simpler and freer and richer and but I just go on thinking and sweating and cursing and crying and turning and reaching and waking and dying. And now something in French that I know will be familiar to many of you. Say a thank you to Karen Akers, DeMarc, for a little magic that we've had here this evening. It was a few years ago that a musical called Nine Broadway, and someone named Karen Akers dazzled the audiences of Broadway, and then there were performances at Carnegie Hall. It was a movie called The Purple Rose, Cairo, and then here tonight. Now Karen has entertained here for us before, but tonight is something special and I'll tell you why. Incidentally in that musical Nine, you were a 10. The thing that's special about tonight is, and I think you should know this, that someone else was scheduled to be here and entertaining and just about 24 hours ago was rushed to the hospital. And for someone to do as Karen has done and on such short notice to step in and entertain as she has here tonight, I think that's service above and beyond the call. So again, there's just no words to thank you being here. And I'm thinking that in the future, several times I'm going to pick out someone of ill health and invite them to come. So we'll be sure to get you again. All right. Thank you very much.