White House Barbecue for Georgians Remarks to the Guests.

THE PRESIDENT. I see we have a lot of barbecue lovers here tonight. [Laughter]

AUDIENCE MEMBER. And Jimmy Carter lovers.

THE PRESIDENT. And Jimmy—thank you. That's right on. And Jimmy Carter lovers. I appreciate that.

I'd like to, first of all, recognize about 250 people from Laurens County, Georgia, who put together this delicious supper for us and who really are our hosts. Would everybody from Laurens County hold up your hands?

Well, I'm really grateful to you. When I was running for Governor in 1970, nobody thought I had a chance to win. And I went down to Laurens County—and the Atlanta newspapers were against me, as you probably remember—and they took a poll among all the people that came to Laurens County, to eat barbecue and some other things. [Laughter] And I came out about 6 to 1 ahead of former Governor Carl Sanders. And they couldn't hide it; they couldn't hide it. It turned the tides on the Governor's election, and I became Governor of Georgia in January of 1971 and went on to be elected President, with your help.

I told some of the news people this morning that having this crowd here was good for me in three different ways. First of all, as a President, it helps me to be a better leader of this great country to have a close relationship with people like you, the pride of our Nation, where the strength and the character and the unity and the ideals and the hopes and aspirations of America are concentrated. Just to be able to talk to you and listen to you and shake your hands and look in your face helps me to be a better President.

The second way it helps me to have you here is as a politician. I don't like to lose elections, and I don't intend to lose this year. And you're going to make sure I don't.

And the third reason that it's important for me to have you here is the deep personal friendship that I have with so many of you. When I didn't have many friends, you were my friends. And when things looked difficult for us politically in the past, you were there, in your own communities, within your own States, traveling to foreign States, just to talk about me, talk about Fritz Mondale, and give us a helping hand. And that personal relationship, based on love and friendship, is the third thing that makes it dear to me to have so many folks gathered here on the South Lawn of this historic White House.

We've had a lot of people here. We've had some of the greatest opera singers. We've had some of the finest dancers. We've had jazz musicians, we've had country-music singers, and we've had gospel singers. We've had all kinds of wonderful performers, people from Broadway. This is the first time, however, we've had a special program of bluegrass music, and I figured it's a night for guitars and banjos and fiddles.

And there's a special character, as you know, to this crowd, and there's a special character to bluegrass music. It's ancient music; came here from England and Scotland and Wales and Ireland and other parts of the world; concentrated, even before this country was a nation, in the mountains of the southeastern part of the United States. It's based on country church gospel songs. It's based on love; it's based on disappointment; it's based on sorrow; it's based on hope; it's based on happiness. Country music has been a part of the life of this Nation.

Although this is the first time we've had a special program of bluegrass music, we've got people here tonight that are no newcomers to bluegrass. How many of you have ever heard on the radio, before we ever had television, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys? Well, you're going to have him tonight in person. And this afternoon I had a chance also to hear Doc Watson and his crowd playing beautiful music that went to the heart not only of all those assembled here cooking barbecue but all those over here in the West Wing trying to work at the same time. [Laughter]

And we have a special group, as well, tonight from Laurens County—down-to-earth music that lifts the spirits high as we enjoy wonderful cooking from those people. The Lee Jessup Country Band from Laurens County has been playing for you, and they'll be back. This crowd is really moonlighting on the South Lawn of the White House tonight. One of them is a school teacher; one of them is a farmer; one of them is a mayor. And we have a lot to be thankful for from Laurens County.

After I leave this stand, after expressing my heartfelt thanks to all of you for coming, Ralph Rinzler, who's one of the most noted folk historians in this country and responsible for the very successful and historic Smithsonian Institute capturing for history country music and bluegrass music, will come here and tell you about folk festivals and about the groups that are going to sing and play for us. He's helping me tonight, and he's going to give you a special presentation about each individual group that plays.

So, to welcome Mr. Rinzler and to welcome a wonderful evening of bluegrass music, let's give them all a round of applause.

Thank you. I love you all.

THE FIRST LADY. While they're coming on the stage, I want to thank you, too, for all that you do for us. It's just been wonderful to walk through the crowds and see old friends, and it's reminded me of all the things we've been through together. We've had good times and bad times; we've had disappointments; we've worked hard. But in the end, we've always won together, and it's because we have friends like you who are willing to do anything to help us. And I just wanted you to know how much we thank you and how much we love you.

Thank you all for being here.