Kennedy Center Honors Remarks at a White House Reception for the Honorees.

Only Fritz Mondale can fully appreciate the gratification of defeated political candidates being associated with these famous and popular and successful people. [Laughter]

Tonight we come to the White House not just to honor five wonderful artists and the art that they represent, but we really come here to acknowledge the progress and the commitment to the arts and the famous and unfamous artists throughout our country. There's no doubt that there is an intensification of the interest of Americans in the arts, and there's a constant broadening of the number of Americans who are appreciative of and directly involved in the arts.

It's a very fine thing to have people throughout our country, in New York and Washington and also in Plains and other places between, who can observe and appreciate and also participate in the finer things of life. The number who go to concerts and to theaters, to museums, and who can appreciate the fine artists' performances on television are constantly growing. This is exemplified in some ways by the fact that in the last 4 years we've had a greater commitment from the Federal Government itself to the National Endowment for the Arts than in the previous 12 years. And I would like to point out hastily that this is not a particular achievement of me or my administration; it's an accurate representation, through the Congress, of the relative interest of the American people in this common commitment.

Only a very few people have lived in this home and served as President. It's a gratifying and exhilarating experience. But one of the finest aspects of it is not just being part of history but being able to participate in this room and on the South Lawn in the performances that have been very exciting to me and to Rosalynn as some of these and other famous Americans have come here to perform in such a superlative way. In our Sunday afternoon concerts, which have been broadcast afterward, through Public Broadcasting, to literally millions of people, and through the evening performances that have been so exciting for us all, Americans and famous foreign visitors, this has been one of the most important and also one of the most interesting and exciting elements of serving as President.

This evening I'm not going to repeat all of the words of praise and the accolades that have been heaped on these five recipients of the award, but I would like to say just a few words about each one of them.

Leonard Bernstein single-handedly, or I might say, with both hands and his entire body, as a matter of fact— [laughter] —has brought great music as a vital part of the personal lives of literally millions of Americans and people throughout the world with his deep commitment, his knowledge of communication, his ability as a teacher, and the inner commitment that makes his words and his attitudes a kind of a burning inspiration to those who have admired his own works and the way he interprets and explains the fine works of others. In motion pictures, on Broadway, in the concert hall, and, I am thankful to say, here in the White House, he's been a favorite of us and of millions of his fellow Americans.

I had a delightful time this afternoon with Leonard Bernstein. He talked to me for a while and then enjoyed the hospitality of the Lincoln Bedroom, where he could remember the "Lincoln Suite," I'm sure. Good luck to you.

And James Cagney, who has ranged all the way from public enemy— [laughter] -to Yankee doodle dandy— [laughter] —all the way from Mr. Roberts to Shakespeare, has come here, crossing the ocean, to be with us and to be honored as one of the great performers, who has been a frequent guest in the movie theater in the room below us here in the White House. I think almost every American has a Jimmy Caghey impression. [Laughter] As he came through the receiving line, he and I agreed that we would not exchange Jimmy impressions this evening. [Laughter] So, we'll spare you that.

But I would like to say that in a special way James Cagney has touched the heart of many Americans who admire him for what he is and the stirring and breadth of the performances that he has made famous.

Those who've seen the choreography in "Oklahoma" and "Rodeo" know that it represents the heart and the soul of the American experience, and to have Agnes DeMille here tonight is indeed a thrill for me and I know for all of you.

A few days ago we honored Aaron Cop. land on his birthday, and the association that she has had with him and with many other great composers has been almost a unique experience in American artistic life. There are many very fine and famous people who can epitomize what makes our Nation great, but if you think back on all the things that she's done for us, she's kind of captured the spirit of Americans in a special way. When you think of "One Touch of Venus," of "Carousel," which was the first Broadway play I ever saw in my life, of "Allegro" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "Brigadoon, .... Paint Your Wagon," and many others, this is the kind of thing that she's given us, and we are deeply grateful to you and the wonderful life that she's made available to us.

These are all truly Americans, but perhaps the most significant American of all is Lynn Fontaine, because she came here as an immigrant. And that's a special part of America's life, because we are a nation of immigrants. And perhaps one of the bases for the strength of American art is the breadth of the scope and the inherited values which have been brought here and epitomized by these artists and others from all over the world.

She indeed came and set a performance standard for American actresses throughout the 20th century and with her husband, Alfred Lunt, shared a career that has been described as matchless in America and perhaps throughout the world. I understand that the first time they appeared together on the stage was here in Washington, D.C., in "A Young Man's Fancy." Is that correct? Close to correct? And then 50 years later they came back to the White House for another performance when they received from the President the Medal of Freedom. And between that first appearance on a Washington, D.C., stage and receiving the highest award that a President can give, they created together and also individually a legend of artistic excellence, an inspiration to us all, and we love you.

And I've deliberately saved Leontyne Price till last. She's been described as the Stradivarius of singers— [laughter] —and I think of all the performances that I've heard in the White House, the greatest thrill of mine was when Leontyne Price came here to perform. And I realize that Vladimir Horowitz is here—has been here—and Baryshnikov is here tonight. The only single exception that I can think of was the first time that Amy got her violin and played "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." [Laughter]

But I remember the shock that swept through an audience at a funeral service when Leontyne Price sang, "The Lord's Prayer." It was almost like a blow in the solar plexus, and a gasp of emotion and exhilaration went through that group. And when she came and sang when the Pope was here and the other performances that I've heard, she's been truly an inspiration to us all. She's won 15 Grammy Awards. I won't go down the list of awards that others have won, but all the way from "Porgy and Bess" to "Cleopatra" she has exemplified the finest in superlative performance. When she made her debut at the Met the ovation lasted 42 minutes, and that's an example of performance above and beyond the exemplary performances of those others who perform in the Metropolitan in such a fine way. But I'm grateful to her not only for what she does in the performing arts but for what she means in insisting upon the finest values of our country, human rights, equality of opportunity, the commitment to overcome handicap and the deep concern about others who are struggling to achieve the same degree of realization of the American dream.

These five honorees share superb talent, but they also share something special, and that is the gift of creation, an ability to exceed what is normally expected from a talented person, to look at the daily struggle that all of us human beings experience, and to give to us as a constant reminder the ideal of perfection. As President of a great country, I'd like to say again that we are honored to have them here, because they epitomize the finest elements of the character of the people of the finest nation on Earth.

Thank you, and God bless you all. We'll see you at the Kennedy Center.

Thank you.