Thank you, thank you, Reba, and congratulations to all of tonight's award winners. It's great to be here with friends and with the music I love. And Barbara and I come here as fans.
Country music gives us a window on the real world. And when I want to feel a surge of patriotism or turn nostalgic or even when I need a little free advice about Saddam Hussein, I turn to country music. [Laughter]
But country songs do say a lot about life and sometimes -- and this is true -- in the Oval Office, I read a sentence that's under the glass, right-hand corner of my desk and it says, "If we're gonna see a rainbow we'll have to stand a little rain."
And country entertainers treat each other as family. Let me just say that Barbara and I sympathize with the country music family on the loss of a great lady, Dottie West. [Applause] And we are very sorry that our dear friend, Minnie Pearl could not be with us tonight. She's not been well. And Minnie, you have America's prayers and best wishes.
And Barbara and I will always be grateful for what the country music family did for our troops in the Gulf and for their families. You sure helped them "stand a little rain," so when Desert Storm went by they could see that magnificent rainbow.
You know, it's easy to see why America loves country music, country music loves America. Thank you and may God bless this great country of ours.
Note: The President spoke at 10:05 p.m. at the Grand Ole Opry. In his remarks, he referred to entertainer and host Reba McEntire; President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and entertainers Dottie West and Minnie Pearl. Following his remarks, the President returned to Washington, DC. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.
George Bush, Remarks at the 25th Anniversary of the Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tennessee Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/265586
