October 2, 2003 - White House: President recognizes Gaddi Vasquez at celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: October 2003 Peace Corps Headinlines: October 2, 2003 - White House: President recognizes Gaddi Vasquez at celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 11:10 am: Edit Post

President recognizes Gaddi Vasquez at celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month





President George W. Bush embraces Brazilian Musician Alexandre Pires after his performance during the Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month in the East Room, Thursday, Oct 2, 2003. White House photo by Tina Hager.


Read and comment on this transcript from the Whtite House of President Bush's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month where he mentions Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez:
Gaddi Vazquez. Donde esta, Gaddi? Where is he? Peace Corps, running the Peace Corps. He's out recruiting new members. (Laughter and applause.) A donde? Oh, yes, there he is. (Applause.)
Read the story at:

President Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



President Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Remarks by the President in Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
The East Room

3:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Sientese, Embajador. Thank you for coming. Bienvenidos. Mi casa es su casa. (Applause.) I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

HUD Secretary Mel Martinez on Ask the White House. Read the transcript.

You know, this nation is blessed by the talents and the hard work of Hispanic Americans, and we're really blessed by the values of familia y fe that strengthen our nation on a daily basis. It is fitting we honor Hispanic Americans in our country. It's part of our country -- an incredibly important part of our country. I also think it's fitting that the way to honor Hispanic Americans is to revel in the vitality of the Hispanic culture that was displayed today. The music that honors the roots, the rhythm, the life of the Latino.

I appreciate my Ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza. He's been a longtime friend. He was the Secretary of State in the state of Texas. It gave him a chance to learn diplomacy. (Laughter.) He's a great man and a great friend.

I have asked people from Hispanic heritage to join my administration: Hans Hertell, who is the Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, is with us -- (Applause.) Hans brought his family with him. (Laughter.)

I've got a Cabinet Secretary de Cuba who is Mel Martinez. I don't know if you know Mel's story -- speaks volumes about our nation and about Mel's upbringing. In the early '60s, Cuban parents were worried about their sons growing, their daughters growing up in tyranny. They were afraid about what it would be like for a child to grow up in a world in which terror reigned and there was no freedom. And so Mel's parents put him on an airplane destined for the United States of America.

Imagine the choice of a parent -- I would daresay there's really one country, though, that a parent would be feeling comfortable of sending their child to, and that's America, because of what we stand for. Mel is Pedro Pan. He is now in the Cabinet of the President of the United States -- which speaks volumes about you, Mel, and volumes about our country, as well. (Applause.) Hector Barreto is with us today, runs the SBA. Where are you, Hector? Donde esta? Thank you, Hector. (Applause.)

Everybody needs to have a good abogado. (Laughter.) I've got a really good one -- (laughter) -- Al Gonzales is my lawyer and close friend. (Applause.) Eduardo Aguirre is the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Welcome, Eduardo. Gaddi Vazquez. Donde esta, Gaddi? Where is he? Peace Corps, running the Peace Corps. He's out recruiting new members. (Laughter and applause.) A donde? Oh, yes, there he is. (Applause.) Gaddi got here a little late. (Laughter.)

I want to thank these folks for serving our administration so well -- we've got ambassadors from around the world here with us today. I am honored that Embajador Jose -- Juan Jose Bremer de Mexico esta aqui. Good to see you, Jose. (Applause.) Hugo Guiliani de el Dominican Republic. (Applause.) Senor Embajador. Luis Alberto Moreno Mejia de Colombia. (Applause.) Embajador Rene Leon from El Salvador, good to see you, sir. (Applause.) Francisco Javier Ruperez, de Espana. (Applause.) Murilo Gabrielli, who is the Deputy Chief of Mission from Brazil. Thank you for coming, Murilo. (Applause.)

I'm so honored that members of the United States Congress are here with us today. The Senator from the great state of Texas -- I emphasize the great state of Texas -- John Cornyn. (Applause.) The Chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, Ileana Ros-Lethinen, from Florida. (Applause.) Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida is with us. (Applause.) Devin Nunes, from California. Donde esta Devin? (Applause.) It's an old trick here in Washington, get your name on the roster, but don't show up. (Laughter.) At least you get mentioned. (Laughter.)

Bob Beauprez of Colorado is with us. (Applause.) Jon Porter is with us, from the great state of Nevada. (Applause.) Thank you, Jon. Jerry Weller is with us. (Applause.) From Arizona, Rick Renzi is with us. And finally, from New Mexico, Steve Pearce. (Applause.) Thank you for coming. (Applause.) I want to thank you all for being here. It's a good sign that members of the Congress take an interest in the Hispanic Heritage Month. And I appreciate you coming.

I also want to thank Brian Sandoval, who is the Attorney General from the state of Nevada. It's awfully kind for him to come all the way over here. Brian, thank you, sir. (Applause.) I am so pleased that my friend, Emilio Estefan, is here. Emilio helps put this event on. (Applause.) Emilio puts this event on -- or helps us put this event on every year. And it's awfully kind of you to do this. It's good to see you.

I am also honored that Lisa Guerrero is with us. Lisa, thank you very much for serving as the emcee. I appreciate you being on TV on Monday nights, too. (Laughter and applause.)

Carlos Ponce, thank you for coming, Carlos. I appreciate you, Carlos. It's good to see you again. It's good to see you on Monday night, as well.

I'm so honored that Father Cutie is here. Thank you very much for leading us in the blessing. Bacilos -- thank you, guys, for being the young stars. The Ambassador turned to me and said, these are the young dudes, the young stars of the music scene. (Laughter.) I can see why. Congratulations. Thank you -- (Applause.)

Alexandre, thank you very much. Fantastic. (Applause.) You know, Alexandre, I love your spirit. It's clear to see your heart and soul, and thank you very much. You were good. Tambien, mi amigo de Puerto Rico. What a voice. Thank you, very much. (Applause.)

I am -- let me see. I'm probably going to leave somebody out here as we get moving through here. Victor, thank you. Awesome job. I appreciate you coming. (Applause.)

Obviously, the person who invited the guest list here knows I love baseball. We've got a lot of the baseball stars here. I do love baseball. One of my favorite baseball players of all time is a person who's going to be in the Hall of Fame, and that's Rafael Palmiero, of the Texas Rangers. I want to thank you for coming. (Applause.) And Lynn is here. Thank you for coming, Lynn.

I'm glad you brought your manager with you. He's not exactly a Latino ball player, but he's a fine guy, and that's Buck Showalter. Thank you for coming, Buck, and thank you for bringing your family. (Applause.) It's good to see you all.

Magglio Ordonez of the Chicago White Sox is with us. Where are you, Magglio? Thank you, buddy. Congratulations. (Applause.) Great season, yes. We're watching you, we've got the dish upstairs. (Laughter.) Bartolo Colon -- donde esta Bartolo. (Applause.) I can see why you can throw it hard. (Laughter.)

Carlos Beltran, of the Kansas City Royals -- Carlos, good job. (Applause.) Donde esta Jose Lima? There he is -- Jose. Yes. (Applause.) You're back. (Laughter.) Congratulations on having a great year. Tino Martinez, Saint Louis Cardinals. (Applause.) Nelson Figueroa, of the Pirates. Where's Nelson? Thank you, Nelson. (Applause.) Are you sure you're old enough to qualify? (Laughter.) Vladimir Guerrero. Yes, Vladimir. (Applause.) Glad you're here, Vladimir. Thanks for coming.

I also know your general manager really well -- he's a really good guy, isn't he? Omar Minaya, mi amigo. Thank you for coming, Omar. (Applause.) And congratulations. I knew you'd make it all along. You're probably wondering why I didn't make you general manager of the Rangers, but nevertheless -- (laughter.) Omar is the general manager of the Montreal Expos. He really does a great job. And I've known Omar a long time. He's a great baseball guy. More important, he's a great person. I'm really proud to have you here.

Just to show you that we're multi-sport people here, it is my honor to welcome Carlos Arroyo. Carlos, I want to thank you very much for coming. He's the basketball player for the Utah Jazz. (Applause.)

Katie, thank you very much for leading us in the Anthem. You've got a beautiful voice, you've got a lot of poise and a lot of talent, and we're honored that you're here with us today. Thanks for coming. We're really glad you're here. And thanks for bringing your little brother. I hope he's nice to you all the time. (Laughter.)

The contributions of the Hispanic community have made this country stronger and better. Today we honor the contributions of the entertainment we had here in the East Room. I don't know if you know this, but this is a common occurrence for the Bush administration, to honor men and women of Hispanic descent, to honor their presence and listen to their talents. But this has happened throughout the years in the White House. There's been some interesting moments here. Pablo Casals was a Spanish-born cellist. He lived in Puerto Rico. He performed for two Presidents -- catch this -- the first was Theodore Roosevelt in 1904; and the second was John Kennedy in 1961 -- 57 years in between his first and second visit. Nevertheless, he graced this room and this house.

We've also had Jose Limon, he's a modern dancer; Edward Villella; to my family's friend, Gloria Estefan. You should have brought her. (Laughter and applause.)

One Hispanic entertainer we remember in a special way today is the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. (Applause.) She was an unforgettable performer who fled Cuba in 1960. She became a U.S. citizen and spent the rest of her life sharing the rhythms of her homeland with people all around the world. Celia Cruz passed away three months ago. We miss her and we honor today to welcome her husband, Pedro -- (Applause.)

We are not only blessed with the culture of the Hispanic in America, we're also blessed by the fact that our country is strengthened because of the spirit of hard work and enterprise. It's part of the Latino culture. We see the spirit in thousands of small businesses and the careers of business people all across our country. And one of the most vibrant parts of our economy is the small business sector, and one of the vibrant parts of the small business sector is the Latinos who own small businesses, really one of the great success stories of America. (Applause.)

Let me tell you a story about Lou Sobh, who is with us today. In 1960, he left Mexico, no money, and he couldn't speak the language. He came to America. He didn't -- he couldn't speak the language at all, so he worked, and he taught himself English. He ended up becoming a janitor in a department store, a hard worker. He had a dream, and he was working toward his dream. He served in the United States Army. He got out of the Army, and he had a dream to open up his own car dealership. Today, he owns 14 -- not one car dealership, but 14 car dealerships. He employs 800 people. He's got three car franchises in Mexico.

He's living proof of the American Dream. It's an incredibly important part of our nation, the Latino spirit of hard work and drive and enterprise. And, Lou, I want to congratulate you for being a success and setting an example. Thank you for coming, sir. (Applause.)

Today, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we also must take pride in the generations of Hispanic Americans who have served in America's Armed Forces -- served to protect and defend a nation they love. Forty-two Hispanic Americans -- 42 -- cuarenta dos -- have earned the highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. That's a lot. Today, men and women of Hispanic heritage continue to serve and sacrifice in the defense of freedom. They have our respect and they have our gratitude.

Earlier this year, at the National Naval Medical Center, I had an amazing experience -- Eduardo was there. I had the chance and privilege of meeting a patriot, Master Gunnery Sergeant Guadalupe Denogean. Sergeant Denogean is an immigrant from Mexico. He has served in the Marine Corps for 25 years. Last spring, he was wounded in combat in Basara, Iraq, and he was sent back for treatment. They asked Sergeant Denogean, did he have any requests? He said he had two: He wanted a promotion for the corporal who helped rescue him; and the second request is he wanted to be an American citizen.

I was there the day Sergeant Denogean took his oath of citizenship. Eduardo administered the oath. In a hospital where he was recovering, this son of Mexico raised his right hand and pledged to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. What made that moment amazing to me is that he had kept that oath for decades before he took it. I'm proud of the Sergeant. I'm proud to call him, citizen. I'm proud to call him, fellow citizen to America.

Through the lives of people like Sergeant Denogean and Lou and Celia Cruz, it is clear that the American Dream belongs to todos. It's for everybody, not just a few. And that's the greatness of our country. It's the spirit of America. And it's important that this generation and future generations keep that dream alive.

We've got to make sure that hard work is a place that is respected and rewarded. We must make sure that our entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs from all walks of life have the opportunity to dream and work hard and realize their ambitions. We must make sure that the dream of homeownership is available for every citizen in our country. We must make sure that every child gets educated, that the public schools educate every single child, those whose parents may speak English, those whose parents may not yet speak English. Education belongs to everybody. High standards belongs to everybody. We must challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations in American public schools. (Applause.)

We're proud of our country. We're a strong country. We're militarily strong, and I'll keep us that way. But our wealth isn't really found in our military, or our pocketbooks. The true strength of America is found in the character of the American people, in the courage of the people, the creativity of our people, and in the compassion of our people.

As governor, and now as President, I've seen the character of America and the character of millions of Hispanic Americans who make our nation a better place. The warmth and the vitality of the Hispanic culture, the energy and faith of Hispanic men and women are great gifts to America.

I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate those gifts. Que Dios los bendiga a todos, y que Dios bendiga a los Estados Unidos. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)

END 3:57 P.M. EDT

Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

9/29/03
Sign Up for News

What's New?

Contact PCOL

Add Frames
Remove Frames

News Sections
PCOL Magazine
Breaking News


Directory Sections
RPCVs by COS
RPCVs by State
RPCVs by Interest


One World

Peace Corps Encyclopedia

Peace Corps Library
Advocacy
Appropriations
Awards
Bulletin Board
Cartoons
Congress
Critics
Directors
Downloads
Headlines
History
Humor
Lariam
Laws
Legislation
Letters
Local RPCV Groups
Lost RPCVs
Master Index
NPCA
Obituaries
Older Volunteers
PCVs
Photography
Prospective PCVs
RPCVs
Recruitment
Return to COS
Safety of PCVs
Service
Speaking Out
States
Stories
The Third Goal
Training
US Peace Corps
USA Freedom Corps
Writing




Peace Corps Online
...window on the world for RPCVs


PCOL Utilities
Getting Started
Formatting
Troubleshooting
Privacy
Copyright
Edit Profile
Fair Use
FAQ
Site Map
Contact PCOL




Keeping Kennedy's Promise




RPCVs remember
...the Peace Corps Fallen



Peace Corps Net
Crossroads
Volunteers
Groups


Peace Corps Online is an independent News Forum edited and published by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and has no affilation or connection with the federal agency, the US Peace Corps.


All Rights Copyright © Peace Corps Online
Call your Senator about PC Appropriations

This Week's Top Stories

Peace Corps and the Environment 27 Sept
A Remembrance of Paul Conklin 25 Sept
Bush creates "Volunteers for Prosperity" 25 Sept
Peace Corps starts new Ad Campaign 25 Sept
Peace Corps returns to Albania 25 Sept
Peace Corps gets Web Site Makeover 24 Sept
Shays finds critical shortfalls at USAID 23 Sept

September Issue of PCOL Magazine

Which direction for the NPCA?
Read three different views on where the NPCA is headed: First our interview with NPCA President Kevin Quigley, then John Coyne's Modest Proposal for the NPCA, and finally our story on changes in NPCA's bylaws that some RPCVs have proposed.

Does Bush really support the Peace Corps?
What is the substance behind the President's rhetoric of support for the Peace Corps?

The Art of Being Globally Thrifty
Read Terez Rose's essay about one of the lessons she learned while in Africa - how to be patient and weather the storm of challenging times with dignity and grace.

Cultural Representation and the Peace Corps Museum
The Peace Corps Museum can be a place where cultures are respected with dignity, stories are told and where we can come together as a community.

Queer Eye for the Straight RPCV
Read the email from the casting director for the TV show "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" who is looking for a recently Returned Volunteer to be on the show.

The Peace Corps Encyclopedia
Take a look at our new "Encyclopedia" of Peace Corps knowledge with information about over 100 categories.

Feature Stories from Recent Issues of PCOL

House of Representatives passes Charter
The Peace Corps and the Returned Volunteer community celebrated a big victory when the "Peace Corps Act for the 21st Century" Act passed the House in July. Read what's next for the bill.

Kevin Quigley named new NPCA President
The NPCA has selected the next generation of leadership for their organization. Read about the new President.

Investigation on death of PCV in Mali
The results of the investigation into the death of PCV Zachary Merrill in Mali.

President Bush meets PCVs in Botswana
The President met with PCVs in Botswana. Here's what he said.

Friends of Liberia issue a Call to Action
This RPCV group has a long history on involvement in efforts to bring peace to their Country of Service. Here's what they have to say about the present situation.

Issues with the Peace Corps Bill in Congress
Read about the differences between the House and Senate versions of the "Peace Corps Act for the 21st Century" and decide which one is better.

Americorps' Failure
Lessons the Peace Corps can learn from Americorps' problems.

RPCV is wheelchair basketball champion
The courage of a volunteer struck down by polio in Central America.

Watch Director Vasquez on web tv
See the Peace Corps Director speak to High School students in Maryland.

RPCVs dump ton of coal at US Capital
Read what the RPCV-led Chesapeake Climate Action Network is doing to educate the public on Global Warming.

German Peace Corps celebrates 40 years
The governance structure of the German Peace Corps differs from that of the US Peace Corps. Is it better?

Peace Corps to add 1,000 AIDS/HIV volunteers
Director Vasquez's new initiative to expand the Peace Corps in Africa.

The Digital Freedom Initiative
The innovative new program to wire Senegal.


For the Record: Top Stories in the last 30 days

Peace Corps and the Environment 27 Sept
A Remembrance of Paul Conklin 25 Sept
Bush creates "Volunteers for Prosperity" 25 Sept
Peace Corps starts new Ad Campaign 25 Sept
Peace Corps returns to Albania 25 Sept
Peace Corps gets Web Site Makeover 24 Sept
Barbara Ferris speaks at President's Forum 24 Sept
Collin Tong named to NPCA Board 24 Sept
Shays finds critical shortfalls at USAID 23 Sept
Peace Corps Giant Paul Conklin dies 20 Sept
RPCV McPherson returns from Iraq mission 19 Sept
PCVs in Swaziland for AIDS Education 17 Sept
RPCV appointed DNC Deputy Chair 16 Sept
Peace Corps gets new IT tools 16 Sept
Pierson in Nigeria: Peace Corps to return? 15 Sept
Kerry promotes Peace Corps service 15 Sept
Aliu praises Peace Corps AIDS efforts 15 Sept
Vasquez in Ghana for CD Conference 15 Sept
Glimpses of Afghanistan 14 Sept
RPCV 'Sam' Udall dies in Colorado 14 Sept
RPCV says to develop ties with world 11 Sept
Evaluating the Peace Corps 11 Sept
Howard Dean's brother planned to join PC 11 Sept
RPCVs lose ranch in Mexico 11 Sept
Schneider: Unilateralism inspires distrust 10 Sept
Lariam Failure blamed for Malaria outbreak 10 Sept
Friends of Liberia send message to Bush 10 Sept
Peace Corps Director Travels to Africa 10 Sept
RPCV says PC yields huge dividends 10 Sept
Eunice Shriver backs Schwarzenegger 10 Sept
PC Director Visits Namibia 10 Sept
RPCV's Engineering Assistance Network 9 Sept
Bush Should Listen Closely in Africa 7 Sept
DC, FON RPCVs push for new NPCA Board 7 Sept
Become an NPCA Advocate 5 Sept
NPCA President speaks out for Americorps 5 Sept
Interview with NPCA President Kevin Quigley 3 Sept
Visa Problems frustrate RPCV's wedding 3 Sept
Carol Bellamy's UNICEF in the crosshairs 2 Sept
RPCV Dave Thieson dies in Maryland 2 Sept
The Art of Being Globally Thrifty 1 Sept
RPCV founds Educare-Africa 1 Sept
RPCV says No Stability in Afghanistan 28 Aug
Bush meets with future PCVs 28 Aug
Senator Coleman to push to AIDS funding 28 Aug
Walsh won't support Americorps bailout 28 Aug
Former Director Chao profiled in USA Today 28 Aug

Top Discussion Stories

Accountability
Read why Senator Norm Coleman is a strong supporter of Bush's full $359M budget request but wants greater accountability from the Peace Corps.

The Fourth Goal
Sargent Shriver's Fourth Goal for the Peace Corps and his call for an enterprise that is vastly improved, expanded, and profoundly deeper.

A Volunteer's Courage
After Sara Evans was assaulted she left the Peace Corps and returned to the United States. But her ordeal was only beginning.

More Special Reports

Interview with Kevin Quigley
Our talk with the new NPCA President about his vision for the organization.

A Modest Proposal
Read the op-ed by John Coyne on how to expand and revitalize the NPCA and what you can do to help.

Send in the Peace Corps?
Should the Peace Corps be heading into Iraq and Afghanistan? What do you think?

Improvements needed
...in Volunteer services. Read our exclusive story on what needs to be done to support volunteers and reduce attrition rates.

Volunteer Safety
Read the GAO Report on Safety and Security of Volunteers.

Become a Peace Corps Advocate
Join the NPCA's nationwide network of RPCVs who will lobby Senators and Congressmen on behalf of Peace Corps legislation.

Peace Corps Charter
Read about the new Peace Corps bill going through Congress. Compare the Senate and House versions of the bill here.

The Numbers Game
Double the Peace Corps - but maintain the quality of the programs and the volunteer experience.

The Lariam Files
Read about the anti-malarial drug thousands of volunteers have taken - and its potential side effects.

Protest at the Peace Corps
Do volunteers and staff retain first amendment rights while working in the Peace Corps. Join the discussion.

RPCVs organize
Read how 1,800 RPCVs organized to place two half-page ads in the New York Times.

PC is "truly hardcore"
A Marine Sergeant visited his daughter who is serving in Nicaragua. Read what he says about the Peace Corps.

From Russia with Love
The story behind the departure of the Peace Corps from Russia.

RPCVs honor Vaughn
Returned Volunteers met to honor and listen to the wisdom of Peace Corps legend Jack Vaughn.

The IDPA: PC Forerunner
The IDPA, a forerunner of the Peace Corps, created in 1951 to place people with indigenous organizations and governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Alcohol Abuse a big issue for PCVs in Central Asia
Read about the health hazard PC Staff is warning volunteers in former Soviet Republics about.

PC/Washington: Senior Staff Appointments at PC HQ
See if you can guess how many Returned Volunteers there are in the top 21 senior staff positions (political appointees) at Peace Corps Headquarters.

Peace Corps TV Show
Last year Fox network created a pilot for a tv show about a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Although the show wasn't picked up, read RPCVs' many humourous suggestions for the title.

RPCV Spy dies in Moscow
The strange story of the RPCV who defected to Russia.

The Shrivers: A Special Legacy
The Founding Director of the Peace Corps and his future plans.

Bill Moyers on America's Future
Read what an early Peace Corps Deputy Director says about America's future.

Op-ed: The Future of the Peace Corps
Does the Peace Corps have a future in the age of the American Imperium? What do you think?

The Case for PC Independence
Why the USA Freedom Corps doesn't make sense.

Preservation of an Independent Peace Corps
Returned Volunteers insist that the Peace Corps must remain an independent agency to do its job.



Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; President Bush; Peace Corps Directors - Vasquez

PCOL7996
33

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: