Swearing-In Ceremony Remarks at the Swearing In of the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, and the Director of the United States Information Agency.

This afternoon, we have a very delightful ceremony to perform, one that gives me a great deal of pleasure and also a great deal of pride.

We have three superbly qualified people who will play a major role in the evolution of policy and the carrying out of those policies in our country during the next 4 years.

The first one I'd like to introduce to the group is Jim McIntyre, from Georgia, a superbly qualified young man who helped me from the very initial stages of my own administration as Governor. He was the legal counsel for the reorganization effort in our own State, which I think was successful. He was the director of the office of planning and budget. And he helped me to evolve long-range policies that tied together the State government with the local governments of our State, and also related to the Federal Government itself.

So, in the system of federalism, Jim McIntyre is well qualified. He knows my strengths, whatever they are, and he knows my weaknesses, as well; knows how to cover up for them. He's bringing to the Federal Government the knowledge that will be crucial as Deputy Administrator [Director] of OMB, Office of Management and Budget. He will have a primary responsibility in the implementation of zero-base budgeting and the evolution of reorganization plans for our Nation.

When Prime Minister Trudeau was here, he said living next to the United States was like sleeping with an elephant-you could hear all the grunts, and every twitch was important to you. And Jim McIntyre is almost in that position working under Bert Lance. [Laughter] But, I think, he's strong enough and tough enough to hold his own, to give me guidance, and to deal with his boss.

So, I'm very proud, Jim McIntyre, that you are here, and I'm very glad, Maureen, that you are help to help us.

The next person I'd like to introduce is Carol Foreman. Those of the news media who traveled with me extensively during the last 2 years know that I said hundreds of times that what's best for the family farmer is exactly what's best for the consumers of our country.

This is kind of an innovative thing for the U.S. Department of Agriculture--to have a strong, competent, forceful spokesman for consumers, actively involved in protecting consumers within the structure of the Agriculture Department itself.

She has a major role to play as Assistant Secretary. She will be certifying to the homeowners of this country the quality of major food items. And she has complete freedom and direct instructions from me to be a strong and able advocate of consumer progress in the future. And also, I know that she has a very deep yearning to represent the farm families as well.

One of the things that I'm very deeply grateful to her for is being able to achieve this good balance. She's also provided some excitement in my life. In the last few days, once the Paul Warnke--as he said-road show died down, Carol Foreman filled in the gap, and she's now come through with flying colors. And I guess the only thing I can do in the future is to turn back to a few more dam projects to keep excitement going on around Washington.

As I told the people in Massachusetts, my food bill for the first 10 days was $600 in the White House. That's just me and my family and our personal guests, no entertainment. And Carol, I'd like for you to take on the responsibility of helping me hold down the food bill in the White House, too.

But I'm very grateful she's willing to serve, and, I think, she will add a sense of reassurance to consumers in our country that their interests are being well cared for. And the farm families of this country will also know Carol Foreman as a friend and a very fine administrator.

The last person I'd like to introduce is John Reinhardt. He has a major responsibility, and that is to let the people in other nations of the world know what our country is and what our country hopes to be. He's had a distinguished career as Ambassador to Nigeria, I believe. So, he knows the diplomatic field very well.

He knows the field of journalism and, I think more importantly of all, he knows the American people. He knows our system of government. He knows our faults and our defects, and he knows our strengths and our potential strengths.

And I'm very glad that these three people have been willing to serve in Government in these crucial and important positions.

And now, Mr. Linder will administer the oath of office.