Text 574, 80 rader
Skriven 2005-03-02 23:33:56 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (050302c) for Wed, 2005 Mar 2
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President Honors Jackie Robinson at Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 2, 2005

President Honors Jackie Robinson at Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony
The U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.



3:18 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Members of Congress. Mrs. Robinson, and Sharon and Dave,
Laura and I are honored to be with you all as we honor your husband and
your dad. Reverend Jackson. You know, I figure I'm the ninth speaker --
(laughter.) I spent a little time in baseball. Commissioner, it's good to
see you and appreciate the McCourts being here of the great Los Angeles
Dodgers family. But a lot of times, the ninth hitter was told by the
manager, keep your swing short. (Laughter.) I kind of guess that's what
Nancy Pelosi meant when I got up -- she said, you are the ninth speaker.
(Laughter.) How about keeping it short?

I'm honored to be here for the -- to present the Congressional Gold Medal
to Mrs. Robinson. It's a great tradition of our Congress to honor fantastic
and noble Americans, and we're doing just the thing with Jack Roosevelt
Robinson.

You know, he was a great ball player. Anybody who follows baseball knows
how great he was -- fantastic statistics: MVP, all the big honors you could
get. But his electricity was unbelievable. Think about this. This is a guy
who inspired little seven-year-olds to dream of wearing "42" and dashing
for home in Brooklyn, and a seven-year-old like me hoping to get his Topps
baseball card, even though I was an avid Giants fan. He was an amazing guy.
And his story was powerful then, and it is powerful today.

His story is one that shows what one person can do to hold America account
-- to account to its founding promise of freedom and equality. It's a
lesson for people coming up to see. One person can make a big difference in
setting the tone of this country.

He always fought for what he called "first-class citizenship." That's an
interesting phrase, isn't it -- "first-class citizenship." Not
second-class, not third-class -- first-class citizenship for all. As John
Kerry mentioned, it started in the Army. Obviously, it really manifested
itself on the baseball field. After all, it was Branch Rickey who said he
was looking for a man to cross the color line who could play baseball and
had the character necessary to do so. Jackie Robinson had both. And that's
why we're honoring him today.

I found Martin Luther King's quote about him interesting. I'm sure you
will, too. He said, "He was a freedom rider before freedom rides." That's a
pretty high compliment, when you think about it. To me, it just says,
courage and decency and honor.

This son of Georgia sharecroppers was taught by his mother that the best
weapon against racism was the use of his talent, his God-given talent, not
to waste a minute, and he didn't. And that spirit, passed on from mother to
son, and now son to family, still lives through the Jackie Robinson
Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a noble cause to help
academically-gifted students of color go to college. I know the Dodgers
will continue to support that foundation. I hope baseball continues to do
so, as well.

It is my honor now to join Speaker Hastert and Senator Stevens in
presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Rachel Robinson, in the name of
her husband, the great baseball star and great American, Jackie Robinson.
(Applause.)

(The medal is presented.)

END 3:24 P.M. EST
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