 Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, spectacular, terrific. Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice President of the United States and Mrs. Bush. Substitute MC, I think, here today, but I really just came to be with the President and he will express our appreciation, but our regret that you all didn't get to perform is only superseded by the fact that it has been a spectacular day, a historic day, and I think a wonderful day in every way. But we are grateful to each and every one of you for participating, for being with us, and for really representing what this inauguration of one country together is all about. It transcends politics. It transcends party. And indeed, it represents, with the representation from all over this country, the unity of the United States. We're grateful to each and every one of you. I, being a little bit of a chauvinistic Texan, would like to thank the Lee High School Band from Midland, Texas, and so would the Lee High School Band like to be remembered. But we are very pleased, and I don't know how many of you got to see any of the ceremony at the Capitol, but as I say, transcending politics was this feeling of a country together, and the Senate did itself proud in innovating in a very, under very short order, bringing a marvelous ceremony to the attention of the American people and indeed worldwide. So thanks for all you're doing. Thanks for what you've done. My only regret is we didn't get to sit in that reviewing stand and see the majesty of the parade, but I think in a sense we understand certainly what it is that you brought here. Thank you all very much, and just a minute the President will be here. Please welcome our special guests arriving with the President. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States and Mrs. Reagan. Ladies and gentlemen, the All-American College Marching Band. Ladies and gentlemen, from the colleges and universities across our nation, welcome the All-American College Marching Band directed by Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. Ladies and gentlemen, the Band now presents the Music of America. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Chairman. Thank you for your support, your understanding, and God bless all of you. On behalf of the General Chairman, Mike Dever, the 50th American inaugural committee, we thank you. I now have one of the distinct honors of my life, and I would like to introduce to you the First Lady of the United States of America. I wanted to tell you how disappointed we were, and I know how disappointed you were, and thousands and thousands of people who were hoping and waiting to see you in the parade. And hearing you here, as Ron said, how wonderful it would have been. I know how hard you worked and how long you worked, and I wish it could have been different, but you wouldn't have liked Frostbite. So thank you very much for letting us come out here and hear you and see you and tell you in person how sorry we are. And I do thank all of you for all your work and everything that you've done. You've just been wonderful, and you are wonderful, and we love you. I forgot something. I was supposed to introduce my roommate, who happens to be my husband, who happens to be the President of the United States. How could you have forgotten me? Well, good afternoon. I'm told that this is the coldest day in inauguration history, but looking out at all of you, I somehow feel there's a lot of warmth inside this building. Who would ever thought that I'd be the one standing up and talking while all of you were, but almost all of you were sitting down and listening. It just goes to show here in Washington things have a way of turning out the opposite of how we intend. I know you didn't get your chance to salute all of us, but I just want you to know how happy and how important it was for Nancy, myself, and the Vice President and Mrs. Bush to come here to salute all of you. I know whether we in all America were so looking forward to seeing each one of you perform delight us with your wonderful talents and exuberance and what a great American family you are. Because whether you come from as far away as Hawaii, California, Texas, Florida, New York, or Mississippi, or Washington, or Alaska, where I'm told the team from Alaska was the only one that came here and really was and could have gone through with the parade because they came with a team of Huskies. And I can't go on naming all your states because I know all 50 are represented here and the territories and you represent America at its best. And you would have given America the greatest show on earth. We were all anticipating the parade and I was looking forward to every unit I'd heard about all of you and particularly there was one at some place in here I think is a band from my home or the town where I was born, Tapico, Illinois. And with that band was going to be the pom-pom girls from the high school Dixon, Illinois, where I graduated. I want to tell you, I have a little knowledge and understanding of some of your problems. I was the drum major of the Dixon YMCA boys' band. And I had a brief career because we were asked to head up the parade in a nearby town on Decoration Day. And I know that everyone was briefed about the parade course and everything, but I had also been told that a fellow on a white horse was going to be out in front and I figured I'll just follow the man on the white horse. Who can go wrong doing that? And I was going down the street making with the baton and pretty soon I thought the music was beginning to sound a little faint. I looked over my shoulder. Everybody turned to corner. I was going down the wrong street by myself. I kept right on walking right out of a musical career. Well, we know the tremendous time and personal dedication that each of you put into your preparations. Everything from bake sales to getting church and civic groups to help you raise the money to pay your way to the long, long hours of rehearsal so that you perform at your very best. I don't want to forget to mention one other very important group of participants who are here with us too, our United States military personnel. All of them and most of you are about the pretty much the same age group. And I just want to say something. Back in World War II, General George Marshall was asked by someone what he thought was our secret weapon. And General Marshall said, the best damn kids in the world. You know something? If he were here today, he could say the same thing because you are. Led by our military, led by Paul Minner, the director of ceremonies and special events for the military district of Washington. Deputy parade chairman, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Frank Turner. They were a tremendously effective organizational team and they would have been there to line your parade route down Pennsylvania Avenue. And let me tell you, I and all of us up here, George and Barbara and Nancy, we were raring to go. I went searching into the closet. I had a pair of long johns. I was going to put them on. Last time I wore them was the 1980 primary campaign in New Hampshire. But it would have been a magical moment to tuck away and cherish with your loved ones during all your later years. But it was not to be. And I just hope you understand that we only made this decision after we were convinced that it was absolutely necessary to protect your own health as well as the health of the thousands that will be lining the parade to watch you. Believe me, we had professional medical advice in making that decision. But I pledge one thing to all of you today, and that is to serve with the very best of my abilities and to try during these next four years to live up to the spirits, unity and pride that you have brought to Washington because that's what makes America the greatest country on earth. There's another thought that I'd like to leave with you, and that is that your trip here, despite the cancellation of the parade, is still very worthwhile and important. Because all of us together have been participants in a great miracle of modern history, the simple, peaceful continuation of power ratifying the sovereignty of we the people. There has never been a transfer of power by bayonet in America, and God willing, there never will be. Thomas Jefferson once said, How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of and which no other people on earth enjoy. Well, today we can rejoice that more and more people on earth are moving toward democracy, and we can rejoice that America, a nation still young compared to so many others, is the oldest, most successful republic on earth. In two years, we will celebrate together the 200th anniversary of our Constitution, and what a day that will be for parades, not only in Washington, D.C., but all across our land. So, while we could not go through with today's festivities, we can celebrate in our hearts the continuation of this wonderful experiment in individual liberty and self-government, and we can give thanks that we remain today, as Abraham Lincoln said over 100 years ago, the last best hope of man on earth. God bless you all. Thank you all again. Have a safe journey home. Mr. President and Mr. Vice President, we now present the grand finale to your inaugural parade. This is the one we had hoped to do for you on Pennsylvania Avenue.