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April 2007
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 21, 2007
President Bush Honors Victims of Virginia Tech Tragedy at White House Correspondents Dinner
The Washington Hilton Hotel
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Steve, thank you very much. Laura and I are delighted to be here. (Laughter.) Actually, we are. You know, we've got to learn to laugh in this town. And I appreciate the humor, I really do. I think a society that can poke fun at its political leaders is a society that's a confident society and a free society. So we're delighted to be here. (Applause.)
And I was looking forward to doing a little poking myself. (Laughter.) But in light of this week's tragedy at Virginia Tech, I decided not to be funny. Many of the men and women in this room have spent this week reporting from Blacksburg, Virginia: You have interviewed grieving students and faculty members; you have spoken with the families who lost a child; you have brought home to millions of Americans the sense of sorrow and loss that the Virginia Tech community is going through now, and I appreciate your work.
At a memorial service on Tuesday, I told the university community that
people all over this country are thinking about them, and many are
praying for them. And so, really, this dinner comes at a good time.
It's been a tough week for a lot of folks, particularly the folks at
Virginia Tech. And so I'm not going to try to be the funny guy, but I
have the opportunity to introduce one who will be.
And so thanks for the dinner, and it is now my honor to bring to this podium a talented and good man, Rich Little. (Applause.)
