Remarks by the President at the Congressional Barbecue
The South Lawn
7:48 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Welcome. (Applause.) Laura and I are really happy
to give you all a taste of Texas. We want to thank our friends, Asleep
At The Wheel out of Austin, Texas, for your fantastic music. Thank you
all very much. (Applause.) And I want to thank our friends from
Buffalo Gap, Texas, the people who brought the food. (Applause.) That
would be Tom Pirini and -- (inaudible) -- we want to thank them and
all the people who served the food. We want to thank you all for
coming tonight.
First I want to say something to the spouses and the family members
who are here. Thank you for your service to the country. We
appreciate your patience and we appreciate you supporting your loved
ones in their important jobs of representing the greatest nation on the
face of the Earth, the United States of America. (Applause.)
The last time we were supposed to have this party was on September
the 11th. And we have come together here in Washington and around the
nation for a great and noble cause, and that is to defend freedom.
(Applause.) The defense of our freedoms in America is not a Republican
calling, or Democratic calling, it is an American calling. And I want
to thank all the members of Congress. (Applause.)
I want to thank you for your support here in Washington, and I want
to thank you for going home to your districts and your states and
explaining to our citizens, our fellow citizens, what's ahead. This
country is patient and this country is united, and this country is
plenty tough when it comes to defending that which we hold dear. And a
lot of it has to do with what you do when you go home. And I want to
thank you for that a lot. It means a lot.
It is much easier to be the Commander-in-Chief when the people are
pulling in the same direction. And they're pulling in the same
direction, much to the chagrin of the enemy. (Applause.)
So it's our great pleasure to welcome you here. I know sometimes
we have squabbles with the legislative branch. If only you did it the
way the Vice President and I wanted you to do it, everything would be
fine. (Laughter.) But I admire -- I admire those who serve in the
Senate and the House. I admire your steadfast love of democracy. And
I appreciate so very much your love of our country.
May God bless your work, and may God continue to bless America.
Thank you all for coming. (Applause.)