President Discusses Strengthening Economy & Job Training
Remarks by the President in Conversation on Job Training
Marshall Community and Technical College
Huntington, West Virginia
11:40 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for coming. Please be seated. I wish Dan
had said, a friend of longstanding -- (laughter) -- as opposed to "an
old friend." I knew him when he lived in Texas. You've got a good one
running Marshall University here. He's a fine fellow. He's doing a
fine job. (Applause.)
I'm proud to be back in Huntington. We're going to have an
interesting discussion about how to make sure people have an
opportunity to get the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st
century. That's really what we're here to talk about. We're going to
talk about how to make sure everybody's life is optimistic and hopeful,
as this economy of ours grows and changes.
A perfect place to do so here is at this community college, and I'm
so honored to have been invited. Thank you for opening up your
fantastic facility, and thank you for giving me a chance to come and
talk.
By the way, right as I walked in -- I want to thank the sisters.
One of them said to me, probably the most important thing a President
can hear, is she said, "Mr. President, I'm praying for you." Thank
you. (Applause.)
I want to thank the state and local officials who are here. Thanks
for coming by to say hello. I think that when you finish hearing this
discussion, you're going to realize what an important asset you have in
the community college system of West Virginia, and how the federal
government and employers can work together with the community colleges
to make sure people get the skills necessary to take advantage of an
expanding job base.
I met a lady coming in named Robin Black. She was out there at the
airport. The reason I mention Robin is, a lot of times people say, the
strength of America is our military. And that's a part of our
strength, and by the way, it is strong and we intend to keep it
strong. (Applause.) Or they say, the strength of America is the fact
that we're a wealthy nation. And that's important, as well. But the
true strength of the nation is the hearts and souls of our citizens.
That's the true strength of America. And the reason I mention Robin
Black is that she's a volunteer. Robin's sitting right there, by the
way. She's a volunteer to help people going for a job interview to
look as good as they possibly can, to understand what to say. She's a
mentor to people who need help.
No, the strength of this country is the fact that we've got
citizens from all walks of life who are willing to love a neighbor just
like they'd like to be loved themselves, who are willing to work to
change America one heart and one soul at a time. If you're one of
those soldiers in the army of compassion, I thank you for doing what
you're doing. You're making a difference to our country, just like you
are, Robin. Thank you. (Applause.)
I'm an optimist, because I fully understand America's strengths and
I've seen what we've come through. I want to remind you right quick
what has happened to this country, what our economy has been through,
what the America people have had to endure over the last three years.
We went through a recession. That means things were going backwards.
That means three quarters of negative growth. Now, if you're a small
business owner, it's difficult to survive in a recession. If you're
somebody looking for a job, it's hard to find a job during a
recession. But we acted and we cut the taxes on the people, which made
the recession one of the shallowest recessions in economic history.
(Applause.)
And then, as we were recovering from the recession, the enemy hit
us. They attacked us. And it affected us. It affected our way of
thinking, for starters. See, when most of us were growing up, we
thought oceans could protect us, and we found out that wasn't the
case. We found out that America could be harmed by people who hate
what we stand for. We suffered for those who lost life. I vowed then
and there that the best way to protect America was to get on the
offense and stay on the offense and bring people to justice.
(Applause.) We resolved, as a nation, not to allow terrorists to cause
us to lose our optimism and our spirit. That's what we resolved. And
we still have that spirit and resolve, by the way.
And then we found out we had some corporate citizens who didn't
tell the truth. That affected our economy. It kind of shattered our
idealism about people in positions of responsibility. We passed tough
laws, by the way. We're not going to tolerate dishonesty in the
boardrooms of America. There will be consequences if you lie to your
shareholders and your employees. (Applause.) But it affected us. It
was a hurdle we had to cross. It was a challenge to our economy.
And then, as you know, I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein
from power. Let me tell you -- (applause.) One of the important --
one of the important lessons of September the 11th, and it's important
for people to understand, is that when we see a threat, we cannot let
it materialize. That's an important lesson. I saw a threat -- I
looked at intelligence and saw a threat. The United States Congress
looked at the same intelligence and it saw a threat. The United
Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence and it saw a
threat. People were worried about Saddam Hussein because of his past
behavior. Remember, he had used weapons of mass destruction against
his neighbors and his own people. I remembered the lesson of September
the 11th as I looked at the data. I had a choice, either to trust a
madman or defend the country. Given that choice, I'll defend America
every time. (Applause.)
We've still got hard work in Iraq. The reason we do is there's
killers there who want to shake our will. They want the American
people to forget what it means to promote freedom. They want us to
retreat. See, a free Iraq is an historic opportunity. A free Iraq
will change a neighborhood that needs to be free. A free Iraq will
make the world more peaceful. But a free Iraq is something that the
terrorists fear. They hate freedom. They can't stand the thought of a
free society. So they're willing to kill. And they're trying to shake
our will. But they don't understand this country. We will never be
intimidated by thugs and assassins. (Applause.)
This country will stay the course and get the job done. We will
get the job done. (Applause.) Laura reminded me one time, she said,
do you remember what it was like in the summer of 2002 when you turned
on your TV sets and saw "March to War"? That's a hurdle that we had to
overcome. You see, it's not good for the economy to be marching to
war. It's good for our security, but it's hard for people to make
investment decisions if you think you're marching to war. It's a
negative thought.
So that was the fourth challenge we faced here in America. We
faced a recession, an attack, corporate scandals and a march to war to
make us more secure. But we've overcome all those challenges, because
the entrepreneurial spirit is strong, because the America people are
great workers, and because of good policy.
One of the things I think really did help, and I look forward to
continuing this dialogue on the subject, is, you see, when a person has
more money in their pocket, they're more likely to demand an additional
good or a service. And when they demand additional good or a service,
somebody's likely to provide the good or a service. And when somebody
provides a good or a service, somebody is more likely to keep a job or
find work.
The tax relief we passed is working. It's making a difference for
this economy. (Applause.) And the reason I say that is, for example,
the homeownership rate is the highest ever. That's really important.
We want people owning their own home. It's a vital part of our
economy.
Small businesses -- the spirit of the small business owner is
strong in America. Remember, when you cut income tax rates on
individuals, you're really affecting most small businesses in America,
because most small businesses are sole proprietorships or subchapter S
corporations, which means they pay tax at the individual income tax
rate. And in that most new jobs are created by small businesses, it
makes sense to have a vibrant small business sector in America. And
the small business sector of this country is strong, and it's growing,
and people are more optimistic about expanding their businesses.
Manufacturing is up. An important statistic besides the growth
statistics is the fact that after-tax income is up by 10 percent since
late 2000. That's good. If you've got more money in your pocket,
that's a good thing. (Applause.)
The economy is growing and people are finding work. Today, the
statistics show that we added 308,000 new jobs for the month of March.
(Applause.) We've added 759,000 jobs since August. This economy is
strong, it is getting stronger. You can understand why I'm optimistic
when I cite these statistics because I remember what we have been
through. We're getting better, and that's important.
There are other things we need to do. We need to make sure the tax
cuts are permanent. (Applause.) Congress doesn't need to be taking
away the child credit or the marriage penalty or the 10 percent -- or
the reduction -- or the increase of those eligible for the 10-percent
bracket. We need to make these tax cuts permanent. Small business
owners need to have certainty in the tax code if they're going to be
confident about expanding their businesses.
We need tort reform in America if you're a small business owner.
(Applause.) If we want our jobs to stay here in America and want
people to be able to find work, we better make sure the legal
environment is fair and balanced. Frivolous lawsuits hurt small
business owners. They make it hard for people to expand their
business. We need less regulation.
I wish I could -- I wish I could tell you that every single piece
of paper you fill out is read at the federal level. (Laughter.) I
can't. (Laughter.) If I were to say it is true, a lot of people would
walk right out of the hall. (Laughter.)
We need to make sure that we've got good policies to help control
the cost of health care: medical savings accounts, association health
care plans, and real substantial medical liability reform at the
federal level. (Applause.)
West Virginia's unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, down from 6.4
percent a year ago. The policies are working. (Applause.) There's
more we need to do. There's more we need to do to make sure the job
base here is strong and people can find good jobs right here in
America. We need an energy policy that makes sense. (Applause.)
If you're a small manufacturing company, or big, for that matter --
manufacturing company, and you're worried about where you're going to
get your electricity from, it's hard to expand your business. It's
hard to expand your business if you're worried about the reliability of
electricity, not just the cost, but whether or not electricity is going
to be reliable. Our electricity system is antiquated. It wasn't all
that long ago, last summer, to be exact, that we started having rolling
blackouts. That affects the ability for people to find a job when that
happens.
We've got a great, abundant resource in coal. And we need to --
(applause.) I came to West Virginia a while ago when I was seeking the
vote. I said, we're going to have a robust, clean coal technology
program funded by the federal government. My budget for this year has
got $447 million in it for clean coal technology. This nation must be
willing to use -- (applause) -- we must be willing to use the resources
we have in a smart way. We put out good regulations for mining
companies to make sure we don't shut down the ability to find coal,
and, by the way, to hurt people finding work. In other words, we've
been responsible, and the most responsible position is to make us less
dependant on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)
The job base is expanding. We've got a good strategy to keep
expanding. But you've got to remember that as the economy changes,
people need to change with it. Their skill levels need to change. And
one of the big challenges we have is how to make sure we match people
who want to work with the jobs that are available. And that's what
we're going to discuss today.
This is, as I say, this is a time of transition. That's what the
economists say. That's okay to use that word. The problem is, if
you're one of the people that are worried about the transition, we need
to make sure there's a plan to help you. That's what we need to do.
We need to stand with people who want to work and help them gain the
skills necessary so that they can do what they want to do, which is to
put food on the table for their families, to do their jobs as a
responsible adult.
By the way, all job training starts with making sure we get it
right at the elementary and secondary school level. The No Child Left
Behind Act -- (applause.) The No Child Left Behind Act is really
important. It's an important part of making sure that people can read
and write and add and subtract. And we're going to stay on it, by
insisting that, in return for federal money, that we achieve high
standards. See, I believe every child can learn, and I'm against these
systems that just move these kids through and hope that they learn.
We've got a -- we'll say, show us whether or not a child is learning to
read and write and add and subtract early in life. And if not, there
will be the help necessary to make sure not one single child gets left
behind.
If you talk to the educators, they'll tell you, if we can get it
right at the elementary and secondary school level, we'll be able to
get it right at higher education, as well.
Now, the other thing we need to do is recognize that some kids have
been shuffled through and they need remedial help at the high school
level. And we've laid out a good strategy to deal with that.
But I think one of the most exciting strategies is the one I
started to detail in the State of the Union and will continue talking
about next week, which is to make sure the WIA Program, the Work Force
Investment Act, gets money into the classrooms, gets money to the
people so that they can get properly trained for the jobs which exist.
The community college system is an incredibly important part of the
education system in America because the curriculum are flexible. That
means that if an employee or group says, we need these kind of people,
that they're willing to adapt a curriculum to help train people for the
jobs which exist. Vicki Riley is going to tell us what that means here
in a second. It's important for us to make sure there's collaboration,
for example, for high-tech industries, so people get the skills.
Listen, technology is changing, and it races through our economy,
but work skills don't change as quickly. And that's the challenge we
face. We've got to make sure we get people trained. And that's what
we're here to talk about.
I want people out there listening, to listen to the story of some
of the people who have gone back to school, to realize that that option
is available for you. If you're worried about the job you're in and
you feel like you need a new skill set in order to meet the new jobs,
there's some opportunity for you. There's Pell grants available.
There's scholarship money available. Government can't make you make up
your mind to seek new skills, but we darn sure can help, and that's
what we're here to talk about today.
And a perfect person to start the conversation is Vicki Riley.
She's the provost and CEO of Marshall Community College. She has put
in some very innovative programs.
And, Vicki, thank you for giving me a chance to visit this
beautiful campus.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: I think what Vicki is saying is, is that there are
some fields that are begging for -- looking for workers, best way to
put it. The health care field is such a field. I mean, I have
traveled this country quite extensively and a lot of times I hear that,
gosh, if we only had more skilled nurses, or if we only had more
skilled technicians, we could meet the demands, our needs. And what
Vicki is saying is the community college here has got a curriculum
developed to meet the needs of the health industry here in West
Virginia. And I presume part of the curriculum was developed by the
people doing the hiring.
MS. RILEY: Absolutely. One of the things, again, that is a
strength of community college, is we're connected. We're connected to
business and industry. And those employers sit on our advisory boards
and they tell us what needs to be current; they tell us what they need;
they tell us what we may be missing. And we go back and fix it, so
that they're getting the types of employees they want to hire that next
go-round.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, you see, that's an interesting concept, isn't
it, and it's something people have got to understand, that Vicki goes
out and says, who are you looking for, what kind of skills do you need,
what can we do to adapt our curriculum to your needs. And that's very
important
. It's that flexibility which I think makes the community college system
such a vibrant part of the American experience.
That's why I've asked Congress to put up an additional $250 million
for collaborative efforts between the community college and the local
employer groups, so people can find the skills. I mean, after all, it
makes sense for government to help people help themselves. And that's
what we're talking about here.
The other thing we can do to make sure Vicki's job is better is to
make sure the paperwork requirements from the federal government are
more streamlined. I mean, they've got all kinds of programs coming out
of -- (applause.)
We have got a student with us named Rina Angus. Now, Rina --
first of all, what were you doing before you became a student?
MS. ANGUS: I was in administrative management at a local health
club in Huntington. And whenever the facility was coming under new
ownership, I decided that that was my time to leave.
THE PRESIDENT: So you made the decision. That's good.
(Laughter.) You're a mom?
MS. ANGUS: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Two children?
MS. ANGUS: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: How old?
MS. ANGUS: Eleven and 13.
THE PRESIDENT: Whew, yeah, I've been there. (Laughter and
applause.) You have a job, you decide to leave because of the change
in the business, and then what happens?
MS. ANGUS: My husband got laid off.
THE PRESIDENT: Then what happens? So far it's not a very pretty
story.
MS. ANGUS: Well, we prayed a lot and we found out through the
Parkersburg Job Service that there was additional training available,
that we qualified for a program called the Displaced Worker Program.
And when we went for the initial training and interviews, it just
happened that my husband lucked into another job and I qualified for
the program. So they showed me a list of skills that were needed in
the area, the in-demand jobs, and I saw one on there that I had thought
about when I was in high school, and decided to pursue it.
THE PRESIDENT: And what is it?
MS. ANGUS: Radiologic technology in the health field here at
Marshall.
THE PRESIDENT: Fantastic.
Catch the story, listen to the story. I mean, I think it's a
wonderful story about a mom and a wife who, instead of getting, like
totally distraught with the circumstances, says, I'm going to go back
to school. And there's help for that. The Displaced Worker Program is
part of the federal monies that are available to help people go back to
the community college system.
Was it easy to go back to community college? Was it hard to go
back to school?
MS. ANGUS: Well, it was scary to go back, after being out of
school for 18 years. But with the help of Steve Brown with the adult
recruitment office here at Marshall, he made the transition very
smooth. He told me the classed I needed to get into, he helped me sign
up for them, he directed me where I needed to go. The staff at
Marshall is wonderful. I mean, if you have situations arise with your
children, or an illness, they work with you to let you get your job
done.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Do you think you're going to make more in
your new job, after having come here, or not? That's a loaded
question. (Laughter.)
MS. ANGUS: Yes. I mean, statistics show that I should double the
salary that I was making before.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Let me pick up on that. That's why the kind
of leading question, as we say. (Laughter.) And I'm not even a
lawyer. (Laughter and applause.) It's important for people who are
listening to realize that if you go back to the community college and
gain new skills for the jobs which exist, not only can you become
employable, you're likely to make more money.
I was at Mesa Community College and met a woman who had been a
graphic design artist for 15 years. She decided to go back to school
in a technological program, got out -- the government helped her -- got
out, and she made more in her first year in her new job because of the
skills she had gained, than she made in her 15th year as a graphic
design artist.
You hear a lot of talk about becoming -- productivity. That's kind
of the talk of the economists these days. That means that one worker
can produce more units now than they could have before. But
productivity also means having the skills necessary to work in the new
jobs. And if you're more productive, if the society is more
productive, wealth goes up. And in this case, when Rina gets more
productive, her personal wealth will go up.
Now, you almost through?
MS. ANGUS: I'm completing my first year here at Marshall, the
basic skills program. And I'm currently awaiting an interview at St.
Mary's School of Radiology, where, if I'm accepted, I would start this
summer and complete two years of clinical and classroom training. And
at that time, you take a board certification to become --
THE PRESIDENT: Do you need a recommendation? (Laughter.)
MS. ANGUS: Well, if you're willing to give one. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, you got one. Thanks. Great job.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: Rocky McCoy is with us. Rocky, tell us what you
do. He's got a very interesting job and a great opportunity to help
people.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: That's good. Now, tell me about your board. Do
you have employers on your board?
MR. McCOY: Yes, we do. Yes, we do.
THE PRESIDENT: Like, how many? (Laughter.) Well, not exactly.
MR. McCOY: Our board is made up of -- it's a pretty large board.
There's probably 50-plus, and we're required to have 51 percent of the
membership from the private sector.
THE PRESIDENT: Right, that's good.
MR. McCOY: So, we have -- we have several employers that are on
our board.
THE PRESIDENT: How many people do you see, would you say?
MR. McCOY: In the Huntington office, I'd say we see anywhere from
400-600 people come through our door a month for one-stop services.
It's not necessarily job service; that is for all one-stop services and
all of our partners within our one-stop system.
THE PRESIDENT: Right, what else could people do at the one-stop?
MR. McCOY: We have the job service, if someone's looking for a
job. We can go through the necessary paperwork, so to speak, to get --
to find out what a person's skills are and we can refer them out to
jobs that are available. They can -- we also have the veterans program
so --
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
MR. McCOY: -- if we have any veterans that -- any special programs
for veterans, they can talk to a veterans officer there. People with
disabilities -- we also have the Department of Rehabilitative Services
there. The Department of Health and Human Resources, if people need
some support until they find a job. Senior employment programs, adult
basic education, if a person needs to work on their GED. And also, the
basic skills program, such as remediation, job-seeking skills,
interviewing skills, how to fill out a resume, and job education.
THE PRESIDENT: See, these services, by the way, used to be
scattered all over. And now he calls it one-stop because you go to one
place. And I appreciate that. Who's hiring?
MR. McCOY: Folks in the health industry, folks in the IT
industry. And there are several smaller businesses that are hiring in
the area.
THE PRESIDENT: That's good. See, there are jobs. And a lot of
people say, I hear there's jobs available, but I don't have the skills
so I'm not going to go look. And Rocky's job and, truth of the matter,
all our jobs, is there's someone available to help you. And you've got
to want to help yourself, like this good lady did. You got to say, I
want to better myself, I want to take advantage of the opportunity.
But Rocky's job is to help steer people to the opportunities, whether
it be the community college, or the jobs which exist that people don't
feel like they need to enhance their skills.
And I appreciate you, Rock. I call you Rock.
MR. McCOY: That's fine. (Laughter.) You can call me whatever you
want. (Laughter and applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: All right, Sally Oxley is with us. Sally is a
small business owner. I love to be with entrepreneurs, people who are
willing to start their own business and dream big dreams; people who --
and as a result, by the way, of dreaming a dream, gets in a position,
when successful, to hire people. That's one of the dividends of the
entrepreneurial spirit, is people can find work.
Sally, tell us about your business -- how did you get started; why
did you start your own business; how did you find the courage to start
your business; and anything else you want to say.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: By the way, that's not easy. It sounds easy; it's
hard. It requires a good plan, a good strategy, and the development of
a product people need.
MS. OXLEY: And the reason I started my own business was I wanted
to do it my way, I wanted to do it the right way. And that seemed to
be what evolved.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. And are you looking for people?
MS. OXLEY: We are. We're always looking for good people.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: And how is your business doing?
MS. OXLEY: It's growing. We're doing well.
THE PRESIDENT: A lot of old guys like me with kind of aches and
pains. (Laughter.)
MS. OXLEY: A few. Birth to death, is what we say.
THE PRESIDENT: I like that beginning part. (Laughter.)
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: I'm glad you're doing well. Thanks for starting
your own business. Thanks for putting people to work. I think it's a
very interesting story, isn't it, that a small business in the health
field connects with the community college in order to do two things --
one, lay out the requirements necessary to hire people, but also
provide an opportunity for on-the-job training.
I appreciate your contribution to the community. It's a great
story.
MS. OXLEY: It's a great community.
THE PRESIDENT: It is a great community. Thanks for coming.
(Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Bryan Johnson.
MR. JOHNSON: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: I'm glad you're here.
MR. JOHNSON: Glad to be here, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: They ever call you Red? (Laughter.)
MR. JOHNSON: On several occasions. I haven't figured out why just
yet. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: I'll be the funny guy. (Laughter and applause.)
MR. JOHNSON: If we're going to do the act then, sir, I'll sit over
there on your lap --
THE PRESIDENT: That's right. (Laughter.) Whew! Anyway --
Anyway, Bryan, changing subjects rapidly -- (laughter) -- no longer
verbally dueling with Bryan. (Laughter.) He is the chief information
officer of Mountain State Centers for Independent Living. Tell us your
story, please sir.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: What did you get? What degree did you get here at
Marshall?
MR. JOHNSON: I got the IT degree. And they actually offer --
THE PRESIDENT: Explain what IT means, just in case --
MR. JOHNSON: Yes. Information Technology, which basically covers
computers and networking, and whatnot.
THE PRESIDENT: Now, that sounds like a pretty big leap from a guy
in a restaurant business to the IT business. Was it a big leap?
MR. JOHNSON: You better believe it. When I started -- when I
started in 1998 into the program, I couldn't even tell you how to turn
the computer on. Okay? Now I'm a network engineer.
THE PRESIDENT: That's good.
MR. JOHNSON: Thank you, thank you. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: By the way, did you have to pay for the -- how did
you handle the cost?
MR. JOHNSON: I got student loans, and I also received some
assistance through WIA, as well.
THE PRESIDENT: Right, Work Force Investment Act. A lot of times,
with government things, we talk in initials.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: And so what is your -- with the degree you have,
not only do you provide a -- you're an important employee for the firm
for which you work, you're also now a consultant. Are you making more
money now than in the restaurant business?
MR. JOHNSON: Oh, yes.
THE PRESIDENT: That's really important for people to understand
that, if you come back to Marshall Community College, for example, and
get new skills -- how long did it take you to get them?
MR. JOHNSON: Well, it actually took me four years with this
program, because there are four specializations on the degree, and I
went for all four, because of portability. I will be able to go
anywhere and do anything.
THE PRESIDENT: So you went for the full Monte. (Laughter.) Most
programs don't take four years, I don't think.
* * * * *
THE PRESIDENT: It's very important for people to understand that,
one, the job base is growing in different sectors. You know, I know
workers are worried that, I wish my son or my daughter could have
worked in the same industry I've worked in for all my life. But this
is a changing economy. It's a different economy. It's an economy that
provides great opportunity. However, people are going to have to seize
the moment. And that's what we're here discussing. We're discussing
this sense of providing -- so that people can provide for their
families.
And there's two great examples here of people that could have
decided, well, I don't think I'm going to improve myself, and just
stayed doing what they were doing. But instead, I sense a great deal
of excitement in their voices about having made a decision that was an
important decision, a decision that probably seemed pretty darn hard at
first. But now that you've made it, and you're in the middle of
it, you can recommend it, I suspect.
I love being with an entrepreneur, a job creator, a compassionate
soul who is interested in expanding the work force in a smart way. I
want to thank the local government providing for the one-stops.
Appreciate you running it, Rocky. Or Rock. (Laughter.)
And finally, I'm so honored to have been here at this community
college. Madam President, thanks for opening it up. Thank you for
doing what you're doing. Thank you for providing hope for people,
providing an opportunity for people to take advantage of this exciting
year in which we live.
Finally, I want to conclude by telling you that I talked about the
challenges that faced our country. We'll have other challenges, too.
There's no doubt in my mind this great country will overcome any
challenge put in its path, because this country is great because of the
people of this country.
Thanks for coming. God bless. And God bless our great land.
Thank you. (Applause.)