I Was Dumbfounded By The Stupidity Of

History And Experience Tell Us That Moral Progress Comes Not In Comfortable And Complacent Times, But Out Of Trial And Confusion.

If You Have Not Chosen Me By Secret Ballot, Neither Have I Gained Office By Any Secret Promises. I Have Not Campaigned Either For The Presidency Or The Vice Presidency. I Have Not Subscribed To Any Partisan Platform. I Am Indebted To No Man, And Only To One Womanmy Dear Wifeas I Begin This Very Difficult Job.

Too Often Critics Seem More Intent On Seeking New Ways To Alter Congress Than To Truly Learn How It Functions. They Might Well Profit From The Advice Of Thomas Huxley, Who Said A Century Ago: Sit Down Before Facts As A Little Child, Be Prepared To Give Up Every Preconceived Notionor You Shall Learn Nothing.

Today, America Can Regain The Sense Of Pride That Existed Before Vietnam... These Events, Tragic As They Are, Portend Neither The End Of The World Nor Of America's Leadership In The World.

Obviously, It's A Great Privilege And Pleasure To Be Here At The Yale Law School Sesquicentennial Convocation. And I Defy Anyone To Say That And Chew Gum At The Same Time.