For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 28, 2002
President Urges Responsibility in Speech Congratulating Lakers
Remarks by the President in Welcome of the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers
The East Room
THE PRESIDENT: Please be seated. Mr.
Commissioner, good to see you, sir. Thank you for
coming. I appreciate the Buss family members for being
here. Welcome to the East Coast. I'm so honored
that Phil Jackson has come, with players from the mighty LA Lakers
championship team. I want to welcome you all the to White
House. We're thrilled you're here. This is one
way for us to congratulate you for being champs.
I want to thank the members of the California congressional
delegation. I think we've got six members
here. Thank you all for coming. I know you're as proud of
the team as the people of California are.
I also want to thank the Boys and Girls Clubs of Atlantic City in
New Jersey, and Maryland for being here. I'm just as excited
as you are for meeting these
players. (Laughter.) Thanks for coming.
I first want to congratulate Coach Jackson on learning how to win
championships for different teams. He's got to be a pretty
remarkable guy to figure out how to win on a consistent
basis. And so, Phil, congratulations for coming back to the
White House.
I also want to thank the players. Being champs on the
court means you've got to be champs off the court, as
well. And I know these players understand that every time
they do something, some kid is watching. Every time they say
something, some kid is listening. And I want to thank the
players who understand that with victory comes huge responsibility, to
encourage people to make the right choices in life. To me,
that's the true sign of a champ. I also want to thank the LA
Lakers for being involved in your community.
People ask me all the time after the attack of 9/11, what can I do
to help; how can I participate in the war against
terror. And the answer is, you fight evil with acts of
decency and kindness. You fight evil by doing something
good. You fight evil by teaching a child that somebody loves
them. You fight evil by being an LA Laker that convinces
somebody to be a mentor for some child in inner-city Los Angeles who
wonders whether there's any love or hope in the
world. That's how you fight evil. And so I want
to thank the organization and the players and the Coach for assuming a
position of responsibility in our society.
I was hoping that on his birthday, Mark Madsen would dance for us.
(Laughter.) I actually -- as I said, I was
hoping. (Laughter.) I'm afraid the Secret Service
might react violently if you did. (Laughter.)
But I'm glad you all are here. It's an honor to welcome
champs to the people's house. LA Lakers, good luck this
year. Congratulations for two fabulous
seasons. Welcome. (Applause.)