Remarks at a White House Dinner Honoring Arts and Humanities Award Recipients

Ladies and gentlemen, let me welcome you all to the White House and thank you for coming and for each of your contributions to the rich cultural life of our great Nation. I want to say a special word of appreciation again to the honorees from this afternoon. I had a wonderful time with all of you this afternoon. So many of you have forgiven my ad-lib jokes, I might ask you back again next week. [Laughter] I may have you tell my daughter I'm funny after all.

I want you to know, that to all of you who have been honored and to all of the distinguished artists who are here as our guests tonight who didn't join us this afternoon, we are all very much in your debt. You have, each in your own way, enriched our lives and helped us to learn more and feel more deeply and to become more of the people God meant for us to be. We applaud your work. We honor your contributions, and I ask you now that all of us together raise our glasses in toast to the artists, the writers, the humanitarians who have made America the place it is today.