Unleashing Human Potential: Remarks by President George W. Bush at the Groundbreaking of the George W. Bush Presidential Center

Thank you all. For those of you who are not privileged to live in Texas, welcome to the great state and welcome to one of the finest universities in the whole United States, Southern Methodist.

I cannot thank Dick enough for coming. I have been doing these interviews, trying to pedal my book. I am asked about Dick Cheney. Here is what I say. Dick Cheney was the right pick in the year 2000, and as I stand here, there is no doubt in my mind he was the right pick then. He was a great Vice President of the United States, and I am proud to call him friend.

I want to thank all the people who have made this event possible. I want to thank my pal, Ambassador Mark Langdale and Secretary Donny Evans for their leadership. I do want to call out an SMU alumnus, Ray Hunt, for being such an efficient and effective leader in this effort. I appreciate Ambassador Jim Glassman, his leadership of the Institute. I want to thank my pal, the former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, for joining us.

One reason that SMU is such a superb University is because its leadership is superb, starting at the top with Gerald Turner. I thank David for joining us and Alan Lowe, archivists. I am grateful that our preacher, Mark Craig, has joined us, and I want to thank the Student Body President, Jake Torres. 

Now, Mr. President, a word of advice: it is not too early to start thinking about your memoirs. I am proud to be associated with you and the student body. It is a great group of future leaders for our country. 

With us today is a man I befriended during my presidency, one of the really courageous leaders in the world, someone who understands the importance of democracy and freedom, someone who understands you cannot negotiate with terrorists, and that is the former President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, mi amigo. 

We are proud that a lot of soldiers from Fort Hood have joined us today. I really do not miss much about Washington, but I do miss being your Commander-in-Chief.

I want to thank all the people from our Administration who have joined us today, and I thank you for your noble service to our country. 

And I appreciate the 160,000 donors whose generosity has insured that this building was fully paid for before we broke ground.

And I thank all the people joining us by webcast.

It is hard to believe that there is this much excitement about shoveling dirt. Today’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of a journey. We take the first step toward construction of this Presidential Center, which will be a dynamic hub of ideas and actions based upon timeless principles. 

Truth of the matter, this moment is a continuation of a journey that began many years ago. Just over a decade ago the American people went to the polls to choose their President in the 2000 election. Just under a decade ago we figured out the results, and a lot of us in this tent believe that I am the only President to have won the same election five times. 

Back then none of us could have predicted what would lie ahead for our country. We witnessed our nation attacked and our country united in resolve. We felt the grief of war and the joy of liberation. We remember vividly young girls going to school in Afghanistan and voters waving purple fingers in the air. We saw that, with clear purpose and accountable action, we can help AIDS patients to live, struggling societies to develop and storm victims to rebuild.

Through the triumphs and the sorrows, the good days and the bad, the decisions we made together were guided by certain principles. We believe that freedom is universal and the hope of every soul and the ultimate path to peace. We believe the free markets are the best way to empower individuals at home and to lift people abroad out of poverty. We believe you can spend your money better than the United States government can spend your money. We believe that America’s interests and conscience demand engagement in the world because what happens elsewhere inevitably affects us here. We believe the call to serve and the admonition to whom much is given much is required. And I believe that the ultimate responsibility of a leader is to not do what is easy or popular but to do what is necessary and right. 

The decisions of governing are on another President’s desk, and he deserves to make them without criticism from me. But staying out of current affairs and politics does not mean staying out of policy. I strongly believe that the principles that guided our service in public office are the right principles to lead our country into the future. These principles do not belong to any President or any political party. They are fundamental American ideals that arise from our founding and have inspired millions around the world. 

All three elements of the Presidential Center will play a role in advancing those principles. The Archives will preserve a record of our Administration’s efforts to apply these principles during a period of historic consequence. The Museum will bring those efforts to life for generations of visitors. The Institute will apply these principles to the problems of our time, demonstrating with measurable results how they can transform and improve the lives of people at home and around the world.

Last November I presented an outline for the Institute, and I am pleased to report that we have had a productive inaugural year. We have recruited a team of world-class scholars and fellows. We have developed ambitious plans for our areas of focus: education reform, global health, economic growth and human freedom. For example, we launched an innovative new effort called the Alliance to Reform Education Leadership, which focuses in on improving the quality of school principals and administrators. We have begun a study of new ways to integrate maternal health services on the continent of Africa. We have started compiling a repository of documents and interviews from freedom advocates around the world, which will spotlight the triumph of dissidents and, we hope, inspire others to join their cause. 

One of the most exciting parts of the Presidential Center is the Institute’s Women’s Initiative. Laura and I believe that women are often society’s most effective agents of change, and one of the Institute’s core missions will be to support the efforts of women to lead the freedom movement in the Middle East and in other parts of the world. We are fortunate to have Laura overseeing this initiative, and I have been a lucky man to have her by my side for 33 years.

It is now my privilege to bring to the podium a fabulous woman and a great First Lady, Laura Bush.