Reagan: Thank you. Thank you, Margaret. And thank all of you very much. I haven't heard such cheers since I told the Washington Press Corps I was leaving town. I don't know who cheered the loudest -- them or me. Frankly, for a minute there I was a bit concerned that after all these years away from Washington you all wouldn't recognize me. Heck, pretty soon I'm going to have to get one of those credit cards with my picture on the front. I can't tell you how thrilled Nancy and I are to be here with you tonight to celebrate, as Margaret [Thatcher] said, the "forty-fourth anniversary of my thirty-ninth birthday." Haley [Barbour] told me he was going to gather a few friends for dinner tonight, but I had no idea! Before I get started here, I want to thank my dear friend, Margaret Thatcher, for being part of yet another important milestone -- another important milestone in my life and for those very kind words. As most of you know, Margaret and I go back quite a ways. We met at a time before she became Prime Minister and I became President. From the moment we met, we discovered that we shared quite similar views of government and freedom. Margaret ended our first meeting by telling me, "We must stand together," and that's exactly what we've done in the years since--as friends -- as friends and as political allies. Margaret Thatcher is one of the giants of our century. Her many achievements will be appreciated more and more as time goes on and history is written. For me, she has been a staunch ally, my political soul mate, a great visionary, and a dear, dear friend. Thank you, Margaret, for being with us tonight. I would also like to convey my personal appreciation to Haley Barbour. Haley, you and the entire Republican National Committee are doing an excellent job keeping the heat on the Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. Haley, back when I hired you to work on my White House staff, I suspected you might amount to something someday. I must say that returning to Washington today really brought back memories. As our plane headed toward the airport, I looked down on the White House, and it was just like the good old days -- the Rose Garden, the South Lawn, David Gergen. I looked over a couple of blocks, and there was the Internal Revenue Service -- bigger than I ever remembered it. Then I looked down at the enormous United States Post Office building. I could just see the excitement on the faces of the bureaucrats -- knowing they would soon be managing our national health care system. Up on Capital Hill, I saw that big, white dome, bulging with new tax revenues. I instinctively reached for my veto pen and thought to myself, "Go ahead, make my day." You may have seen President Clinton draw his own veto pen on television just last week. The difference is that his pen doesn't have any ink in it. Unless, of course, you're talking about red ink. And we all know the Democrats have plenty of that. All of you have made our day, just by being here. It's a pleasure to see so many familiar faces and those who work so hard for the Grand Old Party -- which reminds me: I need to set the record straight once and for all on a certain matter that keeps coming up. I have to admit, I'm very flattered by all the phone calls, the letters, the signs, and especially those bumper stickers. But, with all I've got going in my life right now, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to run again for President in ' 96 -- 1996. However, I have not ruled out the possibility of running in the year 2000. I hesitate to ask. But if I did run could I count on you again for your support?" seen in video: Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Hayley Barbour, Elizabeth Dole, Senator Robert Dole, Dennis Thatcher, Bob Michel, Corinne Michel

• published: 25 Jan 2012
• views: 57110