Remarks on Arrival at Midland, Texas

It is a great privilege and pleasure for me to come and see so many of Congressman Mahon's supporters of so many, many years. You are lucky, and I am grateful for the fact that you supported him, my good friend, for so long.

May I add also it is a great privilege to be here with Senator John Tower and with Congressman Dick White and Congressman Harold Runnels. And to be in the Midland-Odessa area is a great privilege despite this little sprinkle that we are having. I know you want it, and I am delighted to be here despite it.

Now, I ought to thank also the mayors of Odessa and Midland, Mayor Hemphill and Mayor Angelo, for being here. And I do want to express my deep appreciation to the Odessa High School Broncos for being present and the Lee High School Rebels. It seems to me there might be a little competition between the two. [Laughter]

But most of all, I wish to express to the many, many of you who are here for coming out on this occasion to give me and those with me a very, very warm welcome. I just can't believe that in this temporary adverse weather that so many of you would make the effort and be so generous in your warmth and friendship. It makes a long 3 days a very rewarding experience to end it with this kind of a welcome from so many wonderful people.

I love you, and I thank you, and I wish you the very, very best as I would good friends from my own hometown.

Thank you very, very much.