 Probably one of the reasons that this whole process is so worthwhile is precisely that. This president announced a new beginning for this country in 1981. And whatever one may say in connection with the methods or even the goals, I think it's by any objective standard been a very interesting administration. It's been interesting standpoint, the personality has been injected, and certainly most interesting in terms of the policies that have been developed. And I think that from that standpoint, as I indicated before, it's very appropriate that we move forward with what we're doing as a commemoration of all that. I'm delighted to see the response that we received thus far clear across the political spectrum and that's as it should be. There's no place for partisan politics in an effort of this kind any more than there has been in previous libraries. And I think that the wonderful start that's been achieved principally to a couple of ladies that I see at this head table and a very excellent staff has been truly momentous. Because all of us know, certainly all of us in this room know, that this is election year. And we've got those huge vacuum cleaners all over this country scrounging up every nickel in sight. And for us to have achieved in this climate this year, a quarter of our gold, perhaps even a bit better, I think is truly momentous. That I think is a clear testament to what the American people think of this particular president. I've always said the best poll is when you've got raising money and then you find out where the strength is or the weaknesses the case may be. Ladies and gentlemen, I take great pleasure to introduce to you the gentleman about whom this is all about, the President of the United States. Thank you all very much. And welcome to the White House. Before saying anything else, I want you to know how lucky I feel being it's not often these days that I get to have lunch with so many good friends. Also regards to Malcolm Forbes, who last week celebrated his 67th birthday. Malcolm, you don't mind now if I call you a kid. But I think you'll be interested to hear that next month I'll be going to Atlanta for the dedication of the Carter Library. President Carter and I will meet in Atlanta for the same reason that you and I have all gathered here at the White House today. As a presidential library transcends party, as Paul said, and because a presidential library represents an institution of importance to the entire nation, it brings back the past, enabling succeeding generations to see with their own eyes the issues and personalities of another time. It represents a tremendous resource, a body of knowledge that can be tapped for unending instruction and even delight, a source of lessons that can be used to avoid past mistakes and to adapt past joys to the present. I kind of think of it as a hell of a defense against going to the files of the newspapers to find out what happened. But this is just the kind of library that Nancy and I so affirmedly hope to see take shape at Stanford. He, as I say, a tremendous resource, a body of knowledge that can be tapped for instruction and delight and so forth. The issues during our administration have been great ones, as great as any in this second half of our century. Tax reform, a rebuilding of our defenses, the appointment of federal benches of judges determined not to make law but to interpret it, to derive their opinions from the Constitution itself, the reassertion of America's world role on behalf of human freedom. With so much history being made, we'd better take care to put the documents in good order, and by the way, that takes a little doing. Not long after leaving Sacramento, after eight years as governor there, I discovered that the gubernatorial records at the time were stored in old Coors boxes. Imagine the disappointment of somebody that was thirsting for a Coors and tapped in on our documents. But beyond the documents, Nancy and I are eager to see a library that conveys the drama and the feel of these years. Now in Tokyo, President Mitterrand and I found ourselves discussing the way farming and shape both our nations, giving France and the United States fundamental values like hard work, thrift, and family. And how Mrs. Thatcher topped me at the Williamsburg Economic Summit. You know, the first meeting is always a dinner on the opening night for the seven heads of state that are gathered there. And our first meeting at Williamsburg, therefore, was in what had been the British governor's house when this was a colony. So I had it all planned. I was going to wait for the first moment of quiet after we got seated, and then I was going to say, you know, Margaret, if one of your predecessors had been a little more clever, and I never got to finish my sentence. She did. She said, yes, I know I would be hosting this gathering, which was exactly what I had been intending to say. Well, something else, how tirelessly Nancy's worked in the campaign to save our young people from drugs. A resource for scholars and everyday Americans alike, a living gift to the nation. And this is what we hope to see. We know that you share our hopes, and we want you to know that all your efforts on behalf of the Reagan Library mean more to us than we can ever say. I said here to my luncheon partners a little while ago that I began to itch a little bit and think, well, you know, doesn't this sound like an ego trip on my part? But then I have to say, no, you don't become a president. You have temporary custody over an institution called the presidency. And you don't have very much right to change it or the traditions that go with it or anything. And by that same token, that makes the records of those presidents being preserved as they are now as libraries go forward. That makes them have a great value to Americans yet to come. If we'd only had the idea going clear back the 200 years, can you imagine what an invaluable record we would have with regard to the inner workings of government? But as just put it simply as I can, I just want to say a thank you. Incidentally, since I've been talking about Nancy and the drugs, she has other things that she does also. For example, old Abe was hung up there for years without a light on him so that you could, in the darkness with all the candles on the table at a steak dinner, you couldn't see him. Nancy had the lights put up there so you could see him. That's why I think we've been having evidences that some of the people that have been telling us are right, that he is still here in the White House. You know, there is a legend of a ghost. And after living here and while living here, I'm not going to contradict it. I'm just going to accept the legend. I think there's evidence to substantiate that. But I'm not going to go on making a speech here. You deserve better than that for all that you're doing on our behalf and on the behalf of the country. But I do know that I'm going to go into another room here and then you're all going to come through there and I'm going to have a chance that I didn't get before dinner and that is to greet each one of you individually and to say hello and somebody's going to take a picture of us when we do that also. But again, I thank you. I wish I could think of a hell of a get-off line. But I can't. I'd tell a story. If Paul wasn't here, I could tell a story that I'd delight in telling in certain circles about congressmen, three of them one day that returned to their automobile and found they'd locked themselves out. And one of them said, well, look, get a wire coat hanger someplace and we can get through the door. And another one said, no, we can't do that because then somebody would think we're stealing the car. And the third one said, well, we better think of something quick because it's going to rain and the top's down. Well, I'm going to lead the way and go in the other room. See you all there.