THE PRESIDENT: Senator Baker,
you've drawn quite a crowd here to the White
House. (Laughter.) Mr. Vice President, Mr.
Secretary, CIA Director George Tenet, I believe is
here. Justice O'Connor is here, thank you so much for
coming. The Ambassador from Japan is here, thank you very
much for being here, Mr. Ambassador, and your lovely wife.
Madeleine Albright, I believe is here --
Madame Secretary. Larry Eagleburger is
here. Elizabeth Dole, I believe is
here. Senator. Elizabeth, thank you very
much. The former Ambassadors to the country of Japan are on
the stage with us, they have been introduced. Members of the
United States Senate are here. Members of the Tennessee
congressional delegation are here.
Thank you
all for coming, and welcome. Today, we call upon one of
America's most valued statesmen to help be the keeper of one of
America's most valued friendships. Howard Baker has held
many titles during the course of his long and distinguished
career. They include sailor, senator, Minority Leader,
Majority Leader and White House Chief of Staff.
In a few moments, he'll add "ambassador" to
that list. And, once again, America is very
grateful. (Applause.)
All the
former ambassadors here are living examples of the very highest
standards of diplomatic excellence. And between them, Mike
Mansfield, Walter Mondale, Tom Foley and Howard Baker have accumulated
over a hundred years of elected
office. (Laughter.) That's a lot of balloon
drops. (Laughter.)
Thirty-four of
those years are accounted for by Mike Mansfield alone. The senator
began the tradition of high-level political figures serving as our
Ambassador to Japan. He held that post for more than 11
years, longer than anyone else. Japanese press calls these
figures "o-mono" -- the big
guys. (Laughter.) Well, we're all very honored to
have the original big guy with us.
And by the
way, Senator Thurmond, he informed me -- with quite clear language --
that he is four months younger than you are. (Laughter.)
We send the very best people to Japan because
the United States has no more important partner in the world than
Japan. Our alliance is rooted in the vital strategic and
economic interests that we share. It is the cornerstone of
peace and prosperity in Asia. And today this partnership is
helping us tackle global problems, as well.
I'm looking forward to welcoming the Prime Minister this weekend at
Camp David. Together, we will explore ways we can continue
to strengthen our security relationship. We will talk about
the Prime Minister's agenda for reforming and revitalizing the Japanese
economy. We'll discuss how our countries can work together
on realistic and effective responses to global problems such as AIDS in
Africa and climate change.
I will also tell
the Prime Minister that America's thirty-eighth Ambassador to Japan is
a man of extraordinary ability, grace and good humor. In
every post he has held, Howard Baker has brought uncommon intelligence
and an uncanny ability to calm the ship of state, even in days of
crisis.
He comes from good
stock. His grandmother, Lillie "Mother Ladd" Mauser --
(laughter) -- was Tennessee's first woman
sheriff. (Laughter.) His father and his step-mother both
served in the House. He married into good stock, as
well. He counts Senator Everett Dirksen and the grand old
man of the Grand Old Party, Alf Landon, as
fathers-in-law. And what the Prime Minister is going to find
out, he took an extraordinary woman as a bride, in Senator Nancy
Kassebaum Baker. (Applause.)
In the
Senate, Howard Baker had a list of rules for being an effective
senator. He called it the Baker's Dozen. The list
included: listen more often than you speak; be patient; tell
the truth, whether you have to or not; and, finally, be civil and
encourage others to do the same.
Well, these
rules help explain why Howard Baker has made such a mark on American
history. They are why he's going to keep making his mark for
the years to come. Congratulations.
AMBASSADOR BAKER: Thank you,
sir. (Applause.)
(Ambassador-designate Baker was sworn in.) (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR BAKER: Mr. President,
Secretary Powell, Ambassadors, my former colleagues in the Senate, in
the House of Representatives, ladies and gentlemen, this is truly an
overwhelming experience and I am grateful. I am happy to be here, Mr.
President, to speak for this country and to speak for you in Japan.
I have conferred with you, with the Secretary
of Defense, Secretary of State, Vice President, many others in your
Cabinet and this government, many in the Congress. I
understand my responsibility and I will discharge it.
I understand, as well, that there is a
special, unique relationship that exists between the United States and
Japan. It is remarkable, indeed, that given our history and
relationship that Japan and the United States would develop this strong
bond, this mutuality of respect, this shared common view of the
necessity for peace in the world.
My friend,
Mike Mansfield, and one of my predecessors in this office, was fond of
saying the bilateral relationship between the United States and Japan
is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, bar none.
And I always wondered, Mr. Ambassador, how "bar none" got translated
into Japanese. (Laughter.)
But Mike
Mansfield, I agree with you, it is indeed the most important bilateral
relationship, at least in my life and in my career, and it will
continue to be. It is the cornerstone of our policy, not
only in Japan but in Asia, as well, and throughout the world.
Mr. President, I am grateful to you for giving
us this opportunity. I am grateful to you, Secretary Powell,
for giving me the chance to serve with you once again. I am
glad for all of those who helped us navigate the rocks and shoals of
confirmation, of filling out 86 pages of forms -- (laughter) -- of
transiting the requirements of the Office of Government Ethics --
(laughter) -- of the survival of our marriage -- (laughter). More than
once, Nancy would point out to me or I would point out to her, this too
will pass. (Laughter.)
But, my
friends, I could not do this without Nancy at my side, and together we
will be a partnership to speak for this nation, to make our
contribution to that relationship and to the peace of the world.