Remarks on Arrival at Colorado Springs To Address the National Governors' Conference.

General McKee, Governor Love, Senator Allott, Senator Dominick, all the distinguished guests, and all of this wonderful crowd here in Colorado Springs:

Mrs. Nixon and I wish to express our appreciation for your wonderful welcome on this beautiful day. General McKee told me the weatherman was cooperating as usual, that the storm would wait until after we had completed our inspection, and he was right.

But we do want you to know that as the plane was circling the area to come down for its landing, we saw all the cars parked, and we realized what a chore it really is for people to get in their cars, drive to the airport, walk to the area where you now stand, stand there for a half hour beforehand, or longer.

The General says some were here at 8:30 this morning. Well, we thank all of you, whenever you came, for giving us such a wonderful welcome to Colorado.

As you know, we are here for two purposes: one, the Governors' Conference tonight, where I will have the opportunity to meet with Governor Love and his colleagues at this very, very important meeting of all the Governors of all the States; and second, for the purpose of inspecting the NORAD establishment here in Colorado Springs.

I simply want to say one thing to all of you before we go on for the inspection, and that is this: As you know, we returned just a few weeks ago from a trip that took us around the world after the astronaut landing in the Pacific. We saw many great cities. We saw also many magnificent crowds. And we have a great respect for all of the nations abroad that we visited, for the Continent of Asia, and for the Continent of Europe, Africa, whatever the case may be.

But as I stand here in Colorado Springs, here where we have represented the United States of America and Canada, I simply want to say that those of us who have the privilege of living in the North American Continent are indeed fortunate.

This is great country. It is the country of hope for many people all over the world. We only trust that we will be worthy of those hopes in all the years ahead; hopes for peace, hopes for new roads to progress and prosperity, hopes that all of you have for your children and for the future.

Again, we thank you very much for welcoming us to Colorado Springs• As a matter of fact, we receive such a wonderfully warm welcome every time we come, we always want to come back. We will be back again.

Thank you.