总统演讲稿范文3篇.docx

总统演讲稿范文3篇.docx

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总统演讲稿范文3篇

总统演讲稿范文3篇

　　thankyou.thankyouverymuch.（applause.）thankyousomuch.please,please,haveaseat.thankyou.

　　whatasingularhonoritisformetobeheretoday.iwanttothank,firstandforemost,thejohnsonfamilyforgivingusthisopportunityandthegraciousnesswithwhichmichelleandihavebeenreceived.

　　wecamedownalittlebitlatebecausewewereupstairslookingatsomeoftheexhibitsandsomeoftheprivateofficesthatwereusedbypresidentjohnsonandmrs.johnson.andmichellewasinparticularinterestedto--ofarecordinginwhichladybirdiscritiquingpresidentjohnson’sperformance.（laughter.）andshesaid,come,come,youneedtolistentothis.（laughter.）andshepressedthebuttonandnoddedherhead.somethingsdonotchange--（laughter）--even50yearslater.

　　toallthemembersofcongress,thewarriorsforjustice,theelectedofficialsandcommunityleaderswhoareheretoday--iwanttothankyou.

　　fourdaysintohissuddenpresidency--andthenightbeforehewouldaddressajointsessionofthecongressinwhichheonceserved--lyndonjohnsonsataroundatablewithhisclosestadvisors,preparinghisremarkstoashatteredandgrievingnation.

　　hewantedtocallonsenatorsandrepresentativestopassacivilrightsbill--themostsweepingsincereconstruction.andmostofhisstaffcounseledhimagainstit.theysaiditwashopeless;thatitwouldangerpowerfulsoutherndemocratsandcommitteechairmen;thatitriskedderailingtherestofhisdomesticagenda.andoneparticularlyboldaidesaidhedidnotbelieveapresidentshouldspendhistimeandpoweronlostcauses,howeverworthytheymightbe.towhich,itissaid,presidentjohnsonreplied,“well,whatthehell’sthepresidencyfor?

”（laughterandapplause.）whatthehell’sthepresidencyforifnottofightforcausesyoubelievein?

　　today,aswecommemoratethe50thanniversaryofthecivilrightsact,wehonorthemenandwomenwhomadeitpossible.someofthemareheretoday.wecelebrategiantslikejohnlewisandandrewyoungandjulianbond.werecallthecountlessunheraldedamericans,blackandwhite,studentsandscholars,preachersandhousekeepers--whosenamesareetchednotonmonuments,butintheheartsoftheirlovedones,andinthefabricofthecountrytheyhelpedtochange.

　　butwealsogatherhere,deepintheheartofthestatethatshapedhim,torecallonegiantman’sremarkableeffortstomakerealthepromiseofourfounding:

“weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal.”

　　thoseofuswhohavehadthesingularprivilegetoholdtheofficeofthepresidencyknowwellthatprogressinthiscountrycanbehardanditcanbeslow,frustratingandsometimesyou’restymied.theofficehumblesyou.you’reremindeddailythatinthisgreatdemocracy,youarebutarelayswimmerinthecurrentsofhistory,boundbydecisionsmadebythosewhocamebefore,reliantontheeffortsofthosewhowillfollowtofullyvindicateyourvision.

　　butthepresidencyalsoaffordsauniqueopportunitytobendthosecurrents--byshapingourlawsandbyshapingourdebates;byworkingwithintheconfinesoftheworldasitis,butalsobyreimaginingtheworldasitshouldbe.

　　thiswaspresidentjohnson’sgenius.asamasterofpoliticsandthelegislativeprocess,hegraspedlikefewothersthepowerofgovernmenttobringaboutchange.

　　lbjwasnothingifnotarealist.hewaswellawarethatthelawaloneisn’tenoughtochangeheartsandminds.afullcenturyafterlincoln’stime,hesaid,“untiljusticeisblindtocolor,untileducationisunawareofrace,untilopportunityisunconcernedwiththecolorofmen’sskins,emancipationwillbeaproclamationbutnotafact.”

　　heunderstoodlawscouldn’taccomplisheverything.buthealsoknewthatonlythelawcouldanchorchange,andsetheartsandmindsonadifferentcourse.andalotofamericansneededthelaw’smostbasicprotectionsatthattime.asdr.kingsaidatthetime,“itmaybetruethatthelawcan’tmakeamanlovemebutitcankeephimfromlynchingme,andithinkthat’sprettyimportant.”（applause.）

　　andpassinglawswaswhatlbjknewhowtodo.nooneknewpoliticsandnoonelovedlegislatingmorethanpresidentjohnson.hewascharmingwhenheneededtobe,ruthlesswhenrequired.（laughter.）hecouldwearyoudownwithlogicandargument.hecouldhorsetrade,andhecouldflatter.“youcomewithmeonthisbill,”hewouldreportedlytellakeyrepublicanleaderfrommyhomestateduringthefightforthecivilrightsbill,“and200yearsfromnow,schoolchildrenwillknowonlytwonames:

abrahamlincolnandeverettdirksen!

”（laughter.）andheknewthatsenatorswouldbelievethingslikethat.（laughterandapplause.）

　　presidentjohnsonlikedpower.helikedthefeelofit,thewieldingofit.butthathungerwasharnessedandredeemedbyadeeperunderstandingofthehumancondition;byasympathyfortheunderdog,forthedowntrodden,fortheoutcast.anditwasasympathyrootedinhisownexperience.

　　asayoungboygrowingupinthetexashillcountry,johnsonknewwhatbeingpoorfeltlike.“povertywassocommon,”hewouldlatersay,“wedidn’tevenknowithadaname.”（laughter.）thefamilyhomedidn’thaveelectricityorindoorplumbing.everybodyworkedhard,includingthechildren.presidentjohnsonhadknownthemetallictasteofhunger;thefeelofamother’scallousedhands,rubbedrawfromwashingandcleaningandholdingahouseholdtogether.hiscousinavarememberedswelteringdaysspentonherhandsandkneesinthecottonfields,withlyndonwhisperingbesideher,“boy,there’sgottobeabetterwaytomakealivingthanthis.there’sgottobeabetterway.”

　　itwasn’tuntilyearslaterwhenhewasteachingataso-calledmexicanschoolinatinytownintexasthathecametounderstandhowmuchworsethepersistentpainofpovertycouldbeforotherracesinajimcrowsouth.oftentimeshisstudentswouldshowuptoclasshungry.andwhenhe’dvisittheirhomes,he’dmeetfatherswhowerepaidslavewagesbythefarmerstheyworkedfor.thosechildrenweretaught,hewouldlatersay,“thattheendoflifeisinabeetrow,aspinachfield,oracottonpatch.”

　　deprivationanddiscrimination--thesewerenotabstractionstolyndonbainesjohnson.heknewthatpovertyandinjusticeareasinseparableasopportunityandjusticearejoined.sothatwasinhimfromanearlyage.

　　now,likeanyofus,hewasnotaperfectman.hisexperiencesinruraltexasmayhavestretchedhismoralimagination,buthewasambitious,veryambitious,ayoungmaninahurrytoplothisownescapefrompovertyandtocharthisownpoliticalcareer.andinthejimcrowsouth,thatmeantnotchallengingconvention.duringhisfirst20yearsincongress,heopposedeverycivilrightsbillthatcameupforavote,oncecallingthepushforfederallegislation“afarceandasham.”hewaschosenasavicepresidentialnomineeinpartbecauseofhisaffinitywith,andabilitytodeliver,thatsouthernwhitevote.andatthebeginningofthekennedyadministration,hesharedwithpresidentkennedyacautiontowardsracialcontroversy.

　　butmarcherskeptmarching.fourlittlegirlswerekilledinachurch.bloodysundayhappened.thewindsofchangeblew.andwhenthetimecame,whenlbjstoodintheovaloffice--ipicturehimstandingthere,takinguptheentiredoorframe,lookingoutoverthesouthlawninaquietmoment--andaskedhimselfwhatthetruepurposeofhisofficewasfor,whatwastheendpointofhisambitions,hewouldreachbackinhisownmemoryandhe’drememberhisownexperiencewithwant.

　　andheknewthathehadauniquecapacity,asthemostpowerfulwhitepoliticianfromthesouth,tonotmerelychallengetheconventionthathadcrushedthedreamsofsomany,buttoultimatelydismantleforgoodthestructuresoflegalsegregation.he’stheonlyguywhocoulddoit--andheknewtherewouldbeacost,famouslysayingthedemocraticpartymay“havelostthesouthforageneration.”

　　that’swhathispresidencywasfor.that’swherehemeetshismoment.andpossessedwithanironwill,possessedwiththoseskillsthathehadhonedsomanyyearsincongress,pushedandsupportedbyamovementofthosewillingtosacrificeeverythingfortheirownliberation,presidentjohnsonfoughtforandarguedandhorsetradedandbulliedandpersuadeduntilultimatelyhesignedthecivilrightsactintolaw.

　　andhedidn’tstopthere--eventhoughhisadvisorsagaintoldhimtowait,againtoldhimletthedustsettle,letthecountryabsorbthismomentousdecision.heshookthemoff.“themeatinthecoconut,”aspresidentjohnsonwouldputit,wasthevotingrightsact,sohefoughtforandpassedthataswell.immigrationreformcameshortlyafter.andthen,afairhousingact.andthen,ahealthcarelawthatopponentsdescribedas“socializedmedicine”thatwouldcurtailamerica’sfreedom,butultimatelyfreedmillionsofseniorsfromthefearthatillnesscouldrobthemofdignityandsecurityintheirgoldenyears,whichwenowknowtodayasmedicare.（applause.）

　　whatpresidentjohnsonunderstoodwasthatequalityrequiredmorethantheabsenceofoppression.itrequiredthepresenceofeconomicopportunity.hewouldn’tbeaseloquentasdr.kingwouldbeindescribingthatlinkage,asdr.kingmovedintomobilizingsanitationworkersandapoorpeople’smovement,butheunderstoodthatconnectionbecausehehadlivedit.adecentjob,decentwages,healthcare--those,too,werecivilrightsworthfightingfor.aneconomywherehardworkisrewardedandsuccessisshared,thatwashisgoal.andheknew,assomeonewhohadseenthenewdealtransformthelandscapeofhistexaschildhood,whohadseenthedifferenceelectricityhadmadebecauseof