 I would just start saying thank you in one of the nicer parts of the job I've got is getting to know the leaders of other countries, but I know that the leader of the other country will forgive me for a little American thing that has to be said right now. At the top of the fourth, the New York Mets are four, the Boston Red Sox won. But tonight, we honor one of those foreign leaders who's been a joy to know, a man who has achieved great power and influence, yet has remained unpretentious and who, as Nancy would say, is just simply charming. Chancellor Cole, as was reconfirmed in our meetings today as a responsible leader who takes his work seriously, a man with confidence because what he does is out of honest conviction. A German philosopher, Heinrich Heine, once said, the worst poison is to despair of one's own power. Well, despair is not in Chancellor Cole's vocabulary. He sets his goals and goes about achieving them with great gusto. Chancellor Cole is a realist, yet he has not lost touch with his ideals. Karl Scherz, born a German and adopted American, a champion of human freedom, once wrote, ideals are like the stars. We never reach them, but like the mariners of the sea, we chart our course by them. Chancellor Cole charts his course guided by the ideals of liberty and justice. This is the source of his sense of purpose, the source from which democracy draws its strength, a power beyond the reach of tyrants. Today, the Western democracies face challenges that at times seem overwhelming. Yet we persevere, and in the end, freedom will triumph. Our victory will not be realized in the crossing of borders by well-equipped armies, certainly not in the launching of missiles of the occupation of other countries. Our victory will come, perhaps little by little, as walls are torn down, missiles dismantled, and as people are freed. Free peoples everywhere share this vision. The friendship and camaraderie of Chancellor Cole's visit is testimony that the world we seek is already being built. In a few short years, the world will not only enter a new century, but also a new millennium. And so I would ask you all to join me now in a toast to friends, close partners who are working with us to ensure that the time ahead will be an age of peace, prosperity and freedom to Chancellor Cole and Mrs. Cole and the German people. Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is a source of particular pleasure for my wife, my colleagues, and my delegation to be your guests here tonight. The warmth and elegance you, Mrs. Reagan, have extended to us such magnificent hospitality. And as always, we appreciate the cordiality of your welcome and the very friendly and intimate atmosphere that prevails here. And all those who have preserved for themselves a sense of history will certainly enjoy these hours here in this house. Well my last appointment before coming to this hospital of occasion here in the White House was a meeting with youth for understanding. And there I met with young Germans who have come here to this country to spend one year in American families and with young Americans who have just returned from Germany. And I feel, Mr. President, that both these occasions, my visit with youth for understanding and this dinner here tonight, go together and belong together. This day were the serious and important conversations we had when we tried to take stock after the Reykjavik Conference. And what we are doing and what we are discussing is serving a purpose only for coming generations. And it is true, in 14 years from now we are riding the year 2000. This is a new century and will be a new millennium. And that is the reason why what we are doing now, what we start to set in motion is so important for the young generation. And I consider it to be important to make a remark of that kind in this very house which has seen so many historic events and over the last 100 years also world historic events. And it is important for my fellow countrymen, Mr. President, in Germany, in both parts of Germany, it is important for them to know that we have friends here in this country, we as Germans. And they should know that we in Germany can rely on those friends. This is a solid friendship and this friendship is based on shared ideals and values. And I think this is more important and matters more than anything else. Those material conditions may change, but if we, but when we continue to share the same values then we will also have a common future. And I would like to thank you once again as I have done already today for having seized this opportunity in Reykjavik. And both of us are without any illusion. We know with whom we are talking. But we know that these talks are necessary. And that in reality there is no alternative to these talks. And that the time has now come to get over this watershed as George Schultz has put it. There where you can take the responsibility for it, with the sense of realism, but also with the sense of courage. And I'm saying this as a German, a German who lives more than the national of another country in the shadow of the dividing line between East and West. And I'm making these remarks as somebody who knows that peace and freedom cannot be had for nothing. And as somebody who is asking for greater sacrifices from the young generation of his own country, then perhaps in other countries we have just extended the term of the draft. And we have done it because we are aware of the fact that freedom and peace are inseparably linked up with one another. Mr. President, we had good talks. And I think I may say with your permission what characterizes and what is best in our talks is that we don't make so many words to make ourselves understood to each other. The statistics that many things claim that Konrad Adenauer, who had held and made the statistics, who are looking into a good many things, claimed that in 1953, when Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, paid his first visit to the United States of America, has spoken during various addresses and statements a total of 288,000 words. At that time we didn't have computers yet. And I think nobody checked on that figure. But it sounds well. We required fewer words today because it was not necessary for us to make ourselves understood. And this, Mr. President, I think is a good omen. And I hope things will stay like this. You may rely on your friends in Germany. As we and I myself personally have gone through the experience that we may rely and count on you, I should now like to propose a toast to your good health, Mr. President, to your good health, Mrs. Reagan, and to the prosperous future of the great American nation, the great Americans, our friends. I see faces. There's a familiar face all around that makes me happy, whatever the time or place. I find in no book what I find when I look at that face. Let's face it, it seems we stood and talked like this before. We looked at each other in the same way then, but I can't remember some things that were the first time happening again. So it seems like we have met before and laughed before. Is it in New York or Berlin? I just can't recall the place. I'll close my eyes and try to remember, cause I'll never forget a face. It had to be you. It had to be you, finally found somebody who could make me be blue, could make me be glad, just to be sad, thinking of you. Some others I've seen might never be me, might never be cross, try to be boss, but they wouldn't do. Nobody loved you still, it had to be you, it had to be you, it had to be you, it had to be you. That's the reason, it's because of the doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo. That's called the vamp, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo. It's a little piece of music that the orchestra plays over and over until the song begins. The technical term is a vamp till ready. There's only one thing wrong with a vamp till ready. I love the vamp so much I'm never ready, but I think I'm getting ready. So play me this vamp real big and we'll find out if I'm anywhere near. Are you all ready? Here we go. Start spreading the news. I'm leaving today, I'm melting away, I'm going to make a brand new start of it. That's the vamp from singing in the rain, the most famous vamp in all of vampdom. I love that vamp, it always makes me think of Gene Kelly soaking wet, just singing, dancing. This is the all-purpose vamp, it's sort of a Pillsbury vamp. Now you can jump into a lot of different songs with this one vamp, I'll show you how it works. A little more house lights please, let's separate the audience right down the center here from this side to this side is one group, this side to this side is another. Now, everyone on this side sing, here we go, la-la-la-la-la-la, that's it shake your head. Very good. I got rhythm, I got music, I got my gal, who could ask for any deal, a song coming on. See how they all work with the same vamp? Would you like to try a solo? No. All right, here we go. I'm in heaven, I'm in heaven, that's the Fred Astaire vamp. When we're out together, dance and cheek to cheek, your basic Latin vamp. Very sexy, very evocative, definitely political, and they begin, the begin, begin, it brings back a night of tropical splendor. My roots vamp. The reason I call this my roots vamp is I learned it from my father. My dad was a musician and a comedian with Spike Jonze and his city slickers, anybody remember Spike Jonze? Yeah, well my dad was the one who went. That was my dad. I think it's time for a going home vamp, what do you say? I'm eaten dedicated this vamp to the 99th Congress. We need some train sounds. Everybody ready? Welcome me home again, I'm coming home to my dear old swanee I give the world to folks in D-I-X-I-E from the Mammy's Waiting for me, praying for me, down by the swanee The folks up north will see me no more When I get to that swanee shore Swanee, swanee, I'm coming back to swanee Mammy, Mammy, folks up north will see me no more When I get to that swanee shore Swanee, swanee, I'm coming back to swanee Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen Good evening, good evening, good evening How are you? I'm good, how are you? Do you feel good? I'm in your conference room I'm coming back to swanee shore My name makes the world go around, so world go around, so world go around My name makes the world go around, so clinking clinking sound Money money money money money money money money Get a little get a little money money money Mac, yeah, not back, go around Clinking clinking clunking sound Well, is it makes the world go around, it makes the world go My musicians, ladies and gentlemen, please help me thank them Jack Sticks, Coby O'Brien, Jack French Did I get it all off? Really? Even the lines? I'm really delighted to be here. I, you know, was touch-and-go for a minute there this past weekend. You know, my luck, I'm told I'm gonna perform in the White House. In three days before the show, the government shuts down. But we can clearly say everything is operating perfectly. This last 4th of July, I performed at the birthday party on Liberty Island. And I'd like to say goodnight with the song that I sang that night. It was written by George M. Cohen. He sang it on Broadway, so did I when I played him. But I get to sing it at the White House, which I'm sure he would have loved. So, for both of us, let me thank you for the chance to say, I'm a Yankee Doodle Den. A Yankee Doodle Door Die. A real live nephew of my... Born on the 4th of July. Yankee Doodle, sweetheart. She's my Yankee Doodle Joy. Yankee Doodle went to London just to ride the pony. That Yankee Doodle... Thank you very much. I can only tell you that for a fellow in the business I'm now in, to come up here and interrupt when they think there might be more, could get a fellow run out of town. I think their applause more eloquently than any words of mine could tell you how much they appreciated you and how grateful they are for your sharing yourself and for your fine musicians with you. I've got a card here because I don't want to leave anything out. Joel Gray. He helped celebrate Liberty, the Liberty Weekend. He was one of the soloists there at the Americanica concert. And he did America Proud with his rendition of George M. Cohen's Patriotic Hits as a part of the Salute to Ford's Theater last June. And you couldn't wind up without saying also that his performance in the picture Cabaret won him an Academy Award. And now tonight, I think you've won more than an award. You just won the hearts of all of us here with your talent, your generosity, and sharing it with us. Thank you.