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�01/16/96 -TUE 12:48 FAX 202 ~47 5117
State EUR/AGS _
28/02/94
17; 22
Rr'l. ~MEASSY US l S :-" 202 647 5117 ,
M. LbRRX LAWRENCS
-M. Larry Lawrence was born August 16, 19:26, in-Chicago,
He served with the United States Merchant Marine in--
Illinois.
1944-45, and attended the Uni~ersity of Arizoha fro~ 194$~47.
Mr. Lawrence is married and has four children.
Mr. Lawr.ence' s professional experi~nce is as follows:
1948,-.50, President:, Century incorporace_d;
1950-54,- Vice President,
Great American Homes·;
1954-60, Vice President, Tri-W Builders;
1960-63, Owner and-Chief Executive Office~, M. Lariy Lawrence &
Associatesj
1963-86, Chairman, President And Chief Executive
Officer, Del Properties Incorpo'rated;_ f986:..Present, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, Hotel del Coronado_ Co~pbration._
-
'
_
Mr. Lawrence's honors and ~wards include the f6llowirig:
Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow; Who's· Who in America, California,.
World Jew~y Man of the Y~~r. City of Coronado and County of San
Diego;. San Diego Citizen of the Year, recipient Alumni
·
Achievem~nt Award, University of Arizona, recipienc, israel 40th
Ann?-versary Gold Medal Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society;.·
,
Outscanding Community Leader9hip Award, San Diego Univ~rsity;
th~ Alexis de Tocqueville Socie~y~United W~y Israel B6nds Pri~e
l'1inister' s Club; recipient, Ru_!:>sian Federation. 40th .Anniversary
of the Victor~ in the Great Patriotic War Medal; Man .of the Year,
Saint Vincent de Paul Village.
·
·
, Mr .. Law~ence~s memb~r~hips/affiliati6ns include: . Life
Member, the Guardians Charter Life Member, San D~ego University·
History Research Center: Navy League of cJ.l.e· United Sta.tes, i97684;
Chairman, Israel Bond C~mpaign, 19~2-93;
Director~ Greater
San Diego Sports Association, 198 0-84; Director,_ Vietnam
Ve~erans Leadership Progra~ of,skn Diego, Inc., 1980-84;
Vice
Chair, Nobel Peate Pri~e Nominating Commissi'on, 1984-85;
Life
Member, Presiden~'s tlu~, Unive~sity of San Diego; John F.
Kennedy Library Foundation Board; · President's Council, Scripps
Clinic and Research Foundation, 19 84-93;
the . American !srael
P~bl~c Affairs Committee ~card; 1~80-89;
International Certter
for Deyelopment Policy, 1987-88;
the Wellness Community
Advisory, 1987-89; American Merchant Marine Veterans
~.ssociation, · 1975-93;
Executive Committee,. the Joan Kroc Hospice
Ceh~er,
1987-sa:
�Ol/16/96
I
TUE 13:28 FAX 202 456 9150
EUROPEANDIR
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of tne
Press"~
Secr.etary
F6t Immediate Release
January 9, 1996
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
I was deeply saddenedto learn of.the death today of our
Ambassador to Switzerland, M. Larry Lawrence. ·Larry was a good
friend and a .valued colleague who brought ~is abundant etiergy and
fresh vision to every task he. undertoo_k. As Ambassador in
·switzerland, he.was a tireless and effective advocate of U.S.
interests, especiaily the promotion of u.s. e:xpo_rts 'and
'commercial t'ies. Larry's service to his country did nat begin
with fiis diplomatic assignmeht. Duririg World War Two, at the age
of 18, he volunteered ·for the Merchaht Ma~ine. He was wouQded ·
··when. his
ship was ·sunk' by enemy' torpedoes in arctic waters. Many·
.
years later Larry was decorated wit~ the Medal of Valor by the
government of the-Russian Federation.
.
Larry~s civilian life showed ~he same co~rage and resolve.
As an entrepreneur, he restored the Hotel del Coronado, one of
the West Coast's outstanding archi t·ectural la:ndrn;;J.rks .. Larry's
quiet philanthropy. also .touched many lives. He belie\7ed .
passionately in education for women; the s6holarships he ~ndowed
for minority women at the University of Arizona represent a
.
lasting contribution. Hillary joins me in e~pressing oui dee~est
sympathy to La;rry' s wife; Shelia, and to his children. We will,
miss him.
·
# # '#
I
I
I
'•
�SENT
~y:xerox
Telecopier 7020
·1-16-96
3:33PM
.
2024562993-+
65709;# 2
January 11, 1996,
Mrs. Larry Lawrence
Hdtel ~el Coronado
1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, Cal~fornia
Q2~18
·
Dear Shelia:
Hillary and I were-deeply saddened by Larry's death, and we wish
we could be in Coronado with you, your family-, and Larry's' .many.
friends who are gathered to honor-his memory.
During_his long and.celebrated career in public life, private
enterprise, and community service, Larry generously gave of
.
h~s time and talents to· serve the people of California and his
fellow.citizens across America. From his distinguished service·
during World War II to his tireless efforts as Ambassador to
Switzerland, Larry was a true patriot. I will always be grateflll.
for his steadfast advocacy of the interests of'our country and
for his friendship.
·
Of course, .I am especially grateful for the friendship and
support Larry gave me,.· long before most people felt I. had a
chance to become President. He .was always there, in good times
-and tough times. I kno~ he was a big reason for my success in
Sari Diego and California in 1992. Then he served our country
with real excellence in Switierland.
.
r
Larry's te~acity, boundless energy, and loyalty to_his fri~nds.
will long be_ remembered with pride by all who knew him. I know
that Larry would want all of.usto continue striving to do·our·
part, as he did, to make this world a better place for one
another and for our children. This is the best and most las~ing
tribute that we can offer a remarkable man. He certainly left
our world a better place.
,
We are keepi'ng you and all of Larry's family in our thoughts and
prayers.
, Sincerely,
�Page 3
2ND STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1996 The San Diego Union-Tribune
The San Diego Union-Tribune
January 10, 1996, Wednesday
SECTION: NEWS; Ed. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8; Pg. A-1
LENGTH: 1554 words
HEADLINE: 1926 - .1996 M. LARRY LAWRENCE;
Businessman, philanthropist, active Democrat, ambassador; dies in Switzerland
BYLINE: JACK WILLIAMS
Staff Writer Staff writers Gerry Braun, Patricia Dibsie, Joe Cantlupe, Pat Flynn
and Rex Dalton and Copley News Service reporter
BODY:
M. Larry Lawrence, a tough businessman who restored the Hotel del Coronado to
grandeur, and made his mark in California and nationally as both a
philanthropist and a Democratic Party activist, died yesterday.
Mr. Lawrence, 69, who was U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, died there at his
"home in Bern, in the arms of his wife, Shelia Davis Lawrence.
He had suffered from leukemia and a blood disorder that may have suppressed
his immune system and made him susceptible to infections, sources close to Mr.
Lawrence said.
A prolific contributor to Democratic causes and candidates, Mr. Lawrence was
nominated ambassador to Switzerland in 1993 by President Clinton, whom he hosted
at his seaside Coronado mansion in the summer of 1994.
He was confirmed as ambassador in March 1994 -- but not before his opponents
raised the issue of excessive contributions to Democratic campaigns.
In 1994, the Federal Election Commission said Mr. Lawrence exceeded a $25, 00
limit on the amount an individual can give to help finance an election campaign
in one year. He was fined $7,179, the amount of his excess contributions.
"Larry was a good friend and a valued colleague who brought his abundant
energy and fresh vision to every task he undertook," President Clinton said
yesterday.
"He was a tireless and effective advocate of U.S. interests, especially the
promotion of U.S. exports and commercial ties."
Gov. Pete Wilson described Mr. Lawrence as a man whose "generosity matched
his passion" and who "spoke his mind and acted on his convictions, even if I did
not share his views."
Mr. Lawrence began to gain local prominence in 1963, when he and fellow
investors bought the Hotel Del from the Alessio family of San Diego.
The
�Page 4
The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 10, 1996
elegant Victorian structure, built in 1888, had begun to fall into disrepair and
needed extensive renovation.
It was Mr. Lawrence's initial plan to develop the land around the hotel and
ultimately demolish it, but he changed his mind and poured millions of dollars
into refurbishing the hotel in period style and nearly doubling its capacity to
700 rooms.
Former Democratic Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin yesterday credited Mr.
Lawrence as one of the key business leaders who became major advocates for
building the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.
"He was a self-made man who became a giant," said San Diego Mayor Susan
Golding.
"He was an incredible businessman, served his country well as a U.S.
ambassador to Switzerland and gave to his community in a generous and caring
way."
In 1991, Forbes magazine named Mr. Lawrence among the 400 richest Americans
and estimated his fortune at $315 million.
Even before his appointment as ambassador, Mr. Lawrence was a presence in
Washington.
He and wife Shelia bought the Georgetown mansion once owned by
Alexander Graham Bell and hosted A-list parties. The Clintons invited the
Lawrences aboard Air Force One and to sleep in the White House.
As a philanthropist, Mr. Lawrence and his wife contributed between $1 million
and $3 million annually to the charities and the arts, he said in a recent
interview.
He also was active in the Jewish community and contributed heavily to the
building fund of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in the Golden
Triangle area.
Rabbi Michael Sternfield of Chicago, formerly of the Congregation Beth
Israel, which Mr. Lawrence attended in San Diego, said he recently visited his
friend in a Swiss hospital.
"It was (an illness) that he had fought for years and he amazingly managed to
persevere," Sternfield said.
"I believe that he was unique in San Diego as a Jewish leader.
"He was an intensely loyal human being who had tremendous commitments to
other people and to causes." Among his passions was the state of Israel.
Born Maurice Larry Lawrence in Chicago, he grew up in a flat on top of his
father's grocery store during the Depression. At age 9, he began working
outside the home to support his divorced mother.
After high school, he served in the Merchant Marine and was aboard a ship
that was torpedoed in the North Atlantic during World War II.
Mr. Lawrence went through the University of Arizona on a football
scholarship, supplementing his income by washing dishes in a sorority house and
waiting tables in a restaurant.
�Page 5
The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 10, 1996
His boyhood years in Chicago shaped his political leanings.
The city was a
stronghold of solid Democratic machine politics, and Lawrence once told an
interviewer, "I never knew a Republican. Where I came from there weren't any."
His first venture into politics was working in 1948 for Adlai E. Stevenson's
gubernatorial campaign in Illinois.
Mr. Lawrence came to San Diego in 1953, conltinued his political activities
and worked in real estate development.
Over the years, he gained power and influence in Democratic political circles
as both a contributor to candidates' campaigns and a fund-raiser.
Dick Silberman, a former investment partner, said,
~~=eotne ce~o~of;M!~r~. ~:~a~!;~~ficeaanrtll.
"Clearly he was one of the
for
einsdtividuals ,· n srn. Diego business and polihtics
Lawrence's
po 1 J.tJ.ca 1 passJ.ons was opposJ.tJ.on to t e
Vietnam War. Political consultant Larry Remer, then a liberal activist, said San
Diego groups frequently turned to Mr. Lawrence to finance their anti-war
activities.
"For all the grief he put you through and all the ego you had to put up with,
he came through when it counted," Remer said.
Mr. Lawrence was involved over the years in the mayoral campaign of Tom
Bradley in Los Angeles, the congressional campaigns of Van Deerlin and the
I
presidential campaigns of former President Carter, Ohio Sen. John Glenn and
Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis.
I
To friends, he lamented the long string of tosers he had supported, dating
from Eugene McCarthy's bid for the presidency in 1968. His fortunes were
I
dramatically reversed when Bill Clinton entered the White House.
Another winner Mr. Lawrence backed was Maureen O'Connor, San Diego's mayor
from 1986 to 1992.
"He supported me from the time in 1971 when I was a 25-year-old girl taking a
shot at City Council," O'Connor said.
Mr. Lawrence seldom strayed from the Democratic fold, as he did in the 1974
California governor's race when he backed Repu~lican Houston I. Flournoy against
Edmund G.
"Jerry" Brown.
I
Mr. Lawrence, who had supported Brown's father, former Gov. Edmund G. "Pat"
Brown Sr., said he felt that the younger Brown, 36 at the time, was not
qualified for the top state post.
Mr. Lawrence's choice ignited heated
rhetor~c
and created a lingering
�Page 6
The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 10, 1996
animosity between the two.
When Brown was elected, Lawrence gave him a self-portrait as a gag, he said,
in hopes that the joke would cushion the hosti!ity of the campaign, when Mr.
I
Lawrence had branded Brown as "an arrogant punk."
.
I
The new governor was not amused.
The portrait was returned to Mr. Lawrence,
,
I
as were all the other congratulatory g1fts sent to the governor.
The pair buried the hatchet recently, Brown said, when Mr. Lawrence met him
for breakfast in San Francisco.
"He never forgot his humble beginnings and was hugely generous'·" said Stan
Foster, a San Diego business executive and friknd.
I·
·
·
·
.1 c h ar1t1es
· ·
·
F1' f ty 1 oca 1 an d nat1ona
an d organ1zat1on were g1ven contr1'b ut1ons
totaling $1.5 million from a three-day 100th birthday
celebration
for
the
Hotel
I
del Coronado in 1988. National organizations that received contributions
included the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Retinitis Pigmentosa
Foundation.
"Larry was a benefactor to many of UCSD's outstanding programs and the
university owes him a ~ignificant debt of gratitude," said Richard Atkinson,
president of the University of California systkm.
Cent~r
In 1991, the San Diego Regional Cancer
received a $358,000 grant from
Mr. Lawrence.
Earlier, he wrote a check for $Q27,500 for research at Harvard
Medical School and donated handsomely to San Diego State University.
Mr. Lawrence was in his fourth marriage at !the time of his death. His first
wife was Geraldine Slesnick, with whom he had lthree children.
After their divorce in July 1976, he married Michala Ann Lee on Dec. 25,
1976. His third wife was Jeanne Woolery Lawren1ce, currently of New York, whom he
married Oct. 4, 1981.
He married Shelia Davis Lawrence on June 9, 1990.
Concern for his health influenced his decisions in recent years.
Mr.
Lawrence told friends that when a variety of p otential ambassadorships was under
discussion he informed the White House that he could only consider a Western
country with modern health care facilities.
1
Mr. Lawrence had developed a blood disorder! called "blood dyscrasia," a
source said yesterday.
The disorder is characterized by an imbalance in
components of the blood.
Survivors include his wife, Shelia; three daughters, Leslie Caspi of San
Diego, Andrea Lawrence of Germany and Stephanille Lawrence of New York; a son,
Robert Lawrence of San Diego; and six grandchildren.
.
.
I
Memor1al serv1ces are scheduled for 2 p.m. ·Monday at Hotel del Coronado.
Burial arrangements are pending.
�---------
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Page 7
The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 10, 1996
Donations are suggested to two scholarship programs for minority women at the
University of Arizona: The M. Larry Lawrence Graduate Fellowship and the M.
Larry Lawrence Undergraduate Scholarship Progtam for Minority Women.
GRAPHIC: 3 PHOTOS; 2. November 1986: M. Larry Lawrence shakes hands with
supporters during the dedication of Phase 2 of construction of the Jewish
Community Center in the Golden Triangle. The ~enter was named in his honor. 3.
(A-8) February 1992: M. Larry Lawrence talks *ith Hillary Clinton (right) and
San Diego Councilwoman Valerie Stallings at a[press conference of the first
ladyin downtown San Diego. Lawrence hosted President Clinton and his family at
his seaside Coronado mansion in the summer of 1994. ·(A-8)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: January 11, 1996
�-----
-----------------------------------·~----------
Page 3
1ST STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
I.
Copyright 1996 The New York ITlmes Company
The New York Times
January 11, 1996, Thursday, La\te Edition - Final
NAME: M. Larry Lawrence
CATEGORY: Business and Finance; Politics and Government (Foreign)
I
SECTION: Section D; Page 21; Column 1; National Desk
LENGTH: 431 words
,/,r---
H-EADLINE: M. L. Lawrence, Entrepreneur And Ambassador, Is Dead at 69
BYLINE:
By DAVID BINDER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON, Jan. 10
BODY:
M. Larry Lawrence, who rose from poverty to become a wealthy entrepreneur and
then Ambassador to Switzerland, died Tuesday in Bern at the age of 69.
I
He had been under treatment for a rare blood disease for the past two years,
said his wife, the former Shelia Davis.
I
The confirmation of Mr. Lawrence, who had heavily contributed to President
Clinton's 1992 campaign, was held up in the Se~ate
for more than two months in
I
1994 because of questions about his qualifications for the ambassador's post.
~arch
Mr. Lawrence finally took up his duties in
1994, and two weeks later
President Clinton took his first vacation in office at Mr. Lawrence's California
I
home, Crown Manor, a 35-room estate on the bea9h near Mr. Lawrence's prize
acquisition, the Hotel del Coronado near San Diego.
His ambassadorship was riot without controvelsy.
Last year, he ruffled the
I
Swiss with an editorial in the Neue Zurcher Zeitung urging them to adopt
stronger arms control measures. He also raised\eyebrows in the United States by
beginning a campaign for "tax deductible" contributions to refurbish the
80-year-old United States Embassy in Bern -- w~ere the Lawrences complained that
they had only five bedrooms.
I
Mr. Lawrence served in the merchant marine during World War II and attended
the University of Arizona for two years on a f~otball
scholarship. After
I
beginning a career as an advertising salesman in Chicago, he moved to California
and made a fortune in construction, real estat~ and insurance. Ten years ago he
listed 39 companies of which he was either the\chief executive or partner; most
were real estate ventures. His fortune has beerr estimated at $300 million, and
he was listed among the 400 wealthiest AmericaAs by Forbes magazine.
Mr. Lawrence had long been a heavy donor tolthe Democratic Party, giving a
total of $10 million since 1952 to Presidential· candidates like Senators .John
�Page 4
The New York Times, J anu:;uy 11 , 1996
Glenn of Ohio, Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota arnd Frank Church of Idaho, as well
I
as the campaigns of President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter F. Mondale.
He gave $200,000 to the 1992 Clinton campaign and also served on its national
finance committee.
At the time of his ambassadorial nominatiorn it was disclosed that Mr.
Lawrence had paid $7,179 in fines to the Fedetal Election Committee for
violating the $25,000 limit on contributions to candidates in 1988 .
. He had been married three previous times.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Robert, of San Diego and
three daughters, Andrea, of Germany, Leslie Caspi of San Diego and Stephanie
Lawrence of New York.
GRAPHIC: Photo: M. Larry Lawrence.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: January 11, 1996
(Associated Press, 1995)
�Page 6
3RD STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1995 R .. R. Bowker(R), Ried Elsevier, Inc.
Who's Who in America~ Politics
I
september, 1Y5
M Larry Lawrence
PARTY: None
ADDRESS: US Ambassador Bern Switzerland, US Dept State
20521-5110
PERSONAL: MALE
Washington
DC
Chicago, Ill; Aug 16, 1926
LENGTH: 106 words
BIOGRAPHY:
Professional Positions: Pres, Century, Inc, 48-50; vpres, Great Am Homes,
50-54, Tri-W Builders, 54-60; owner & chief ekec officer, M Larry Lawrence &
Assoc; 60-63; chmn, pres & chief exec officer! Del Properties Inc, 63-86; dir,
Greater San DiegoSports Asn, 80-84, Vietnam V~t Leadership Prog, San Diego, Inc,
80-84; vice chair, Nobel Peace Prize Nominati~g Comt, 84-B5; mem, President's
Coun, Scripps Clin & Research Found, 84-93; chmn & chief exec officer, Hotel del
Coronado Corp, 86 to present; mem, Exec Comt, Joan Kroc Hospice Ctr, 87-88; mem,
Wellness Community Adv Bd, 87-89
OFFICES-HELD: Mem, Int Ctr for Develop Policy, 87-88; US Ambassador to
Switzerland, 93 to present
MILITARY-SERVICE: Merchant Marine, 44-45
HONORS/AWARDS: Paul Harris Fel, Rotary; World Jewry Man of Year, City of
Coronado & County of San Diego; San Diego Citizen of Year; Alumni Achievement
Award, Univ Ariz; Israel 40th Anniversary Gold Medal, Beta Gamma Sigma Han Soc;
Outstanding Community Leadership Award, San Diego Univ; Russian Fedn 40th
Anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War Medal; Man of Year, Saint Vincent
de Paul Village
MEMBERSHIPS: Life mem President's Club, Univ San Diego
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: September 26, 1995
�Page 5
2ND STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1994 Staff Directlries, Ltd.
Federal Staff Dir~ctory
1994
LENGTH: 274 words
Lawrence, M. La·rry
BIOGRAPHY:
FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BIOGRAPHIES
I
Lawrence, M. Larry, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland. Born Aug. 16, 1926 in
,
I
Chicago, IL. Married to Sheila Davis; four children. Education: University of
Arizona, 1945-47. Career Record: 1948-49, President, Century, Inc.; 1950-54,
Vice President, Great American Homes; 1954-60,,Vice President, Tri-W Builders;
1960-62, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, M. Larry Lawrence and Associates,
1963-93, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, Del Properties, Inc.;
1986-93, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Hohel del Coronado Corp.; CA;
1993-present, current position. Awards: Rotaryl Club; City of Coronado; County of
San Diego; University of Arizona; Beta Gamma Sigma; San Diego State University;
United Way; Israel Bonds Prime Minister's Clubl; St. Vincent de Paul Village;
I
Russian Federation. Boards of Directors: John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
Member: San Diego County Economic Advisory Boa~d of San Diego County, Chair;
Center for Natl. Policy Advisory Board; Califo~nia Senate Commission on
I
Efficiency and Cost Control in State Government, Chair; The Guardians; San Diego
University History Research Center; University! of San Diego ~resident Club;
(former) Navy League of the United States; Israel Bond Campaign; Greater San
Diego Sports Association; Vietnam Veterans Lea~ership Program of San Diego,
Inc.; Nobel Peace Prize Nominating Commission;! Scripps Clinic and Research
Foundation; American Israel Public Affairs Committee; Intl. Center for
Development Policy; Wellness Community Advisor~; American Merchant Marine
Veterans Association; Joan Kroc Hospice Center.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: March 2, 1995
�Page 8
2ND ITEM of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -- Senate
Wednesday, February 9, 1994
(Legislative day of Tuesday, January 25, 1994)
103rd Congress 2nd Session
140 Cong Rec S 1306
REFERENCE: Vol. 140 No. 12 \
TITLE: CONFIRMATION OF LARRY LAWRENCE TO BE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SWITZERLAND ·
SPEAKER: MR. DECONCINI
TEXT:
[*S1306]
Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, I am pleased the Senate acted yesterday to
confirm Larry Lawrence to be U. S. Ambassador to Switzerland. I believe Mr.
Lawrence has qualifications which will serve him well as Ambassador including
his highly successful business career, his extensive involvement with civic and
philanthropic organizations and his active interest and involvement in foreign
affairs issues.
Our country can be justifiably proud of
of highly intelligent and competent public
the Senate floor when speaking of nominees
cannot fill ambassadorial positions solely
people from foggy bottom.
its foreign service officers-a group
servants. I have stated previously on
of both parties, however, that we
with foreign policy experts or the
During the recent consideration of the State Department authorization bill,
some Members of this body expressed their view that we need to ,ensure that the
State Department·promotes American interests abroad. Who better for this role
than Mr. Lawrence? First, he has had a highly successful business career in the
hotel business as well as in commercial and residential real estate development.
He has been CEO or director of a number of corporations and he has experience in
finance, banking, and international trade. Second, he has a familiarity with
Switzerland. He has travelled to Switzerland many, many times and has many
business contact in the country. Third, Mr. Lawrence enjoys the personal
friendship of the President which not only assures the President that his
policies are being implemented but will also be valued by the Swiss. Mr.
Lawrence's qualifications will help ensure the ;promotion of our country's
interests abroad, particularly in a country like Switzerland where our
relationship is mainly commercial. In an era when promoting American business
interests abroad is an increasingly important part of our foreign policy, Mr.
Lawrence's business success and business contracts are vital to promoting these
goals.
This certainly is not the first this body has raised concerns over nominees
whose credentials in international affairs have been questioned. As I have
stated, I reject the idea that people successful in other walks of life do not
make fine appointments. Indeed, many nominees who were challenged on the basis
�Page 9
140 Cong Rec S 1306, *Sl306
of being political appointments have turned out to be outstanding diplomats.
Anthony Motley was considered to be just another political appointee when he
went through the confirmation process in 1981 to be Ambassador to Brazil. Mr.
Motly had no prior experience in foreign policy and had strongly backed Ronald
Reagan's campaigns. Mr. Motly was recognized as an extraordinary Ambassador not
only by Brazilians but also by traditional diplomats in his own Embassy. His
service as Ambassador earned him an appoinment to be Assistant Secretary of
State for Latin American Affairs in the Reagan administration.
Another example is Clara Booth Luce. A well-known playwright and politician,
her appointment was similarly questioned because of her past assistance and
support for the Republican Party. A Washington Post editorial summed up her
tenure:
When she began her post in Rome more than 3 years ago, she had to combat
Italian fears and suspicion~ of a woman ambassador and
amateur diplomat. When she left, she had the respect and admiration of the
Italian people, if not always their agreement.
Clearly, we must not discount individuals simply because they are not policy
wonks, but are otherwise successful.
But while some have said that Mr. Lawrence lacks foreign policy credentials,
I want to point out that he has had a long and active interest in foreign
affairs which is shown by his service in groups focussing on international
affairs. He was a founding member of the San Diego World Affairs Council as well
as the School of International Relations at the University of California at San
Diego. San Diego Mayor Susan Golding wrote to Senator Pell on November 17, 1993,
I have relied on his expertise as a businessman in my interaction with
Pacific Rim countries and the Mexican government. He was instrumental in
facilitating international and regional cooperation between the City of San
Diego, the City of Tijuana and the State of Baja California.
The Senate plays an important part in the confirmation process through its
constitutional role of advice and consent. This is a case, however, where the
President should be allowed his discretion to choose whom I believe will make a
fine Ambassador to Switzerland. He is one of California's most successful
businessmen, he has a strong and extensive history of involvement in community
affairs and he has a close relationship to the President. I think he has the
credentials which will ensure his success as Ambassador to Switzerland and I am
pleased the Senate has acted to confirm Mr. Lawrence.
�****------------------------------------------------------------------------****
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SEND TO: KAPLAN, JONATHAN
WHO - COMMUNICATIONS
ROOM 122
OLD EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20500
�State
01/16/96 , TUE 12: 48 FAX 202 64 7 5117
- 141001
EUR/A~S
/
Office ·of Aus·trian, ·German :and Swiss Affairs
United States Department of state
· washington, D.c.
20520
Tel. Nbr. 202:-647-2005
Fax Nbr. 202-647-5117
(EUR/AGS)
FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL
·• ':-'
TO : MR. TERRY EDMONDS·
FAXphone #:202 456-5709
WHITE. ROUSE
FROM:· EUR/.8-GS Germany Desk
TELE:647-2005
SUBJECT:INFORMATION
ON AMB. LAWRENCE
.
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TO:TAL PAGES INCLUDING COVER SHEET:
_J. . J. _ __
�0 1 / 16 / 9 6
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511 i _.
State EUR/AGS
M.
141003
LARRY LAWRENCE
1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, CalifOrnia 92118
EDUCATION
MILITARY
I
Elem~ntary
U.S. Maritime Service
and High Schools
Illinois
University 9f Arizona, 1948
Chicago~
\
£ROFESSIONAL STATUS
' Chairman of the Board, Chief
nu~erous companies incl~ding:
Exe~utive
China Basin Properties Ltd.
Cororiado Properties~ Ltd.
Crown M~nbr Stables
D.G. & Associates
Del Coionado Travel & Propert~es
Del Properties Incorporated
Estates Land Co.
Heights-Land Co;
Hotel Del Coronado Corporation
Initi~l Amalgamation; Ltd.
O.s. Oceariics, Inc~
'Officer or Partner of
Lawrence Investment Grorip
MLL Investment Co.
Resort Supply International
~iderwood Financial
San~T DevelQpm~nt, Ltd.
The Racqtiet Club of Palm
Springs ·
The Riderwood Group
Travel & Guest Insurance
Services
Licensed general contract6r, real estate broker,_ insurante
broker and agent.
·
B.EOFESSIONAL AND COMMQNITY ACTIVITIES (Past and Present)
Founding Member, UCSD Chancellor's Club
President, Young Home Builders of America
California State Commission on Tourism and Visitor Services
Chairman, Transient Occupancy·Tax Utilization Corrunittee
Urban Coalition, ,TaskForce Committee on Housing
Chairman, United Crusade
·
·
Chairman~. Uhited Jewish Appeal
Director, Neighborhood House.
Chairman, Tri~Hospital Drive
Chairman and. Trustee, Citizens -United
President, Community Service Organization
Chairman, San.Diego County Charter Rev~ew Committee
Rotary {Paul Hari~s Fellow)
Director, Woild Affairs Council
Life M~mber, The Guardians
~
Chaitet ~ife M~~ber, -san Diego State Uni~ersity ~istory
Research Center_
Charter Member, The City Club
Navy League of the· United States
Advisory Board of the~schocil'of Busiriess Administr~tion
·
University of San Diego
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01/16/96
TUE 12:49 FAX 202 647 5117
StaTe EUR/AGS
_z..;:.
1
PROFESSIONAL- AN D COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES (Continued')
Chairman, Israel Bonds Campaign
Who's Who in A~erita; California; World Jewry
Director, Greater Sari Diego Sports Association
Director,
Federal
Home Loan Bank of
San
Franc~sco
.
I
.
.
.
The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels
~an of the Yea_r, City of Coronado, and County of San Di~go
Architectural Selection Committee, Convention Center of San Di~go,
Rest-and As~iration Society Member·
Dir~ctor, Vietna~ Veterans -Leadership Progi~ci of ~an Di~go, Inc.
_vice Chair; Nobel Peace Prize Nominat~ng CommissionLife Me~ber, President's Club, Univ~~sity of San Diego
San Diego ·Citizen of the Year ·
'
San Diego Civic Light Opera Association
Co-Chair, Sail America· (Stars _& Stripes)
Co-Chair, America· s Cup Task Force
'Commissioner, California senate Advisory Commission on Cost .
Control in State Government (Chair, Financial Institutions
Subcommittee)
· Recipient Alumni Achievement Award - University of Ariz_ona
Olympic' Club, , San Fr.ancisco
.
American Merchant Marine.Veterans A~sociation~
San Diego County Commission on i;:he Bi-Centennial of tP,e U.S.
Cohstitution
·
·
Executive Committee, The Joan Kroc Hospice Center
John F~ Kennedy Library Foundation Board ·
Recipient~ Israel 40th Ann~versary 6old Medal
Zeta Beta Tau Frateinit~
Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
National Advisory Board, Center for National Policy
President's Co4~cil, Scripps Clinic and Research F6undation
The American Israel Public.· Aff ai'rs Cornmi ttee Board
·
Co~6nado Yacht Club
..
Univers~tt Club
.
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
International Center for D~velopment Policy
The Wellne:ss c9mmunity, Advisory. Board · ..
Outstanding Community Leadership Award, San Diego State
, University
The Alexis de TocqU~vill~ So6iety -·uniied Way
Coronado Business A-rea Advisory Coll'Ulli ttee
I~rael Bonds Prime Mi~ister's Club
Chairman, San Diego County Economic Advisory Commission
Recipien,..t, Russian Federation ·40th Anniversary of. the~ Victor}· in
_the Great Patriotic War Medal
Man of the Year, St. Vincent de P~til ~illage
)
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TUE 12:49 FAX 202 647 5117
State EUR/AGS
141 oo5
-3-
,pQLI-TICAL ACT.I.VITIES
1947-51
.1952-86
.1960
1962-80
President, Young·oemocr~~s -Cook County, Illinois
Member, County and-State Central Committees -California
Delegate, Democrafic National Convention in L6s Angeles
Executive Committee Member, California State Central
Committee
Finance Chairman, State Central.Committee ~California
Chairman, San Diego County Central Commi.ttee and Caucus
Chai rmari, Southern Counties·· Centra 1 Comrili ttees
Dele~ate, Oemocratic National Convention - Atlantic Ci~y
Co-Chairman, 'Rules Committee.
/
Vice President, President's Club·- California
Chairman,·Voters Registration P~oject -California
Delegate, D~m6cratic, National Convention - Chicago
Listed in Who· s Who in American Politics~
Co-Chairman, Jess Unruh for Governor Campaign~California ·
Co-Chairman, California Commission on Democratic Party
Reform
Chairman, California Democratic Party ..
Chairman, Temporary Rules Conunittee, 1972 Democratic
Convention
,
Delegate, Democrati~ N~t{onal Conv~ntion ~ Mi~mi Beach,
· Florida
!
. ·
·
.
·
·
·
Co~ch~irman~ Moretti ~or Governor Campaign - California
Co-Chairman, National Committee for Cranston for Senate
'Finance Co-Chairman, Frank Church for Presidetit
Delegate, Defuocxitic National Conventiori - New York
Chairman, California Presidential Inatigu:ral Committee.·
National Financ-e Council· of the Democratic National
· Con\mi ttee
. .
Delegate, Democratic Nationa'l Convention """ New Y~rk
Co-Chair, California Cart~r-Mondale Re-election
committee
Site Selection Committee, 1984 ~emocra_~ic National
Convention
Member, D~mocratic Business Council
Delegate Selection Committee of California Democratic
Party
National vice Chairman of John Glenn for President
Campaig-n
·
Hart for Pr~sident National Campaign Cabinet
Delegate, Democrat~c Nati~nal Convention ~ San Francisco
founder, Dem6cratic Foundation of San Diego tounty
National Campaign Cabinet "Friends.of. Gary_Hart.- 1988".
Trustee, Democrati~ Party
Speaker's C1ub,.Democratic Congressional Campaign
Committee
·
Leadership Circle, Democratic Senatoriai' Campaign·
Committee
·
Delegate, Democratid National Con~ention - Atlanta
Southerri 'califo~nia Finance Chairman-Clinton for
.President Campaign,
. .
.
.
. ...
Participant, Clinton Ptesidential Economic Confereric~
Parti~ipant, Californfa Economic Confeience
7
1963-68
1964-66
19 64-6'6
1964
1964
1964-68
1966
1968
1969-92
1970
1970
1971-73
1972
1973
1976
1977
1978-86
1980·
"1982-83
1982-88
"1983
1984
1986-87
1987 '
1987-92
1988-92
1~88·
1968
1~92
1992
1992
92
·. .
�01/16/96,
5117
State EUR/AGS
T~TE 12:50 FAX 202 647.
~
.lliUU::IUAI,.JAnUAI\1 L.l' .l:Y:YO..
··••
OBITUARIES
M. Larry Lawrence Dies;
·Ambassador to ·switzerland
From News Services
CORONADO, Calif,--...M. Larry
·Lawrence, 69, the U.S. ambassador
to Switzerland and a dose friend of
President Clinton, died Jan; 9 at liis
official residence in Bern, SWitzer-
tand. He had cancer.
. Mr. Lawrence, who owned the
landmark Hotel del Coronado n~
San Diego, was a wealthy California
property developer and a major cantributor to Democratic candidates.
and acted on his convictions,.· for
which I admired hiin. even if I did
not share his viev.'S...
Mr. Lawrence had owned the liistoric Hotel del Coronado since 1962.
The red-roofed Victorian hotel has
.been. host to presidents and cowl.tlesS celebrities since !t opened in
.1888.1t was the setting for Marilyn
Monroe's "Some Like It Hot.~ and
·someSaiditinspiredauthor.L; Frank
Baum's Emerald City in "The Wizard
of Oz."
. ·. . · ' ·. . ·
·
the State Departm
Public Affairs. In 19
. was' assistant secre
public affairs ana
spokesman for. tht
ment.
.
He was bOrn in
'gr.~.duated from the
abama, where
master's. degree in
He did I)OstgraduatE
University iJi Eng!~··
International schol
. studied at Syracu
Maxwell SchooL H
Arniy from ,1953 t•
posted to Gennany.
In 1958 .. Mr. D
F ordgn Service. H(
consul and politicaJ
he
He was nominated by Clinton· to be
. Mr. Lavirence said in a 1988 in-· gtade, as a ,POlitical
ambassador in 1993 and won Senate terview that he had poured $40 mil- . hagen· and as admi:.
confiimatic:ril in February 1994. That · lion into the hotel, restoring it to its . 'and political offk
spring. he was host ~o the Clintons oriSmal glamour. ,The hotel was latFrom 1968 to 1970
his seaside mansion in California; .· er; designated a state and national liaison at U.S.~·
• "Larry was a good friend and a ·historic landmark.
From 1970 to 19
at
the
valued colleague who brought his
Mr. LaWtence-grew up poor in the State Departm
abundant energy aitd fiesh visian. to
Chicago and started working at the
E111'9pean Affairs. ·1
every task he undertook," Clinton age Of 9. He earned a college educasignirients as chief c
said Tuesday evening. "As ambassa- tion. by playing football and waiting
lateral affairs and
. dor in SWitzerland, he was a tireless tables. He worked in advertising in
Czechoslovak affairs
Chicago, then went to California. and
· ·He had received t .
and effeetive advocate of U.S. interests, especially rhe promotion of ·made a fortune in land development.
ment's Supenor H(
'exports and commercial ties" .
·.He was known for his friends and Meritorious Honor I
In a move that raised eyeQrows · his feuds. He was a major backer of
· He was sepatate1
' among Eur()pean diplomats, Mr. · · Eugene McCarthy in his upstart · Ma:rY Elizabeth Awa
Lawrence had appealed to compa~ challenge to President Lyndon B.
Survivors include
ities to make tax-deductible contri- Johnson and waS an insider with othDye~, of ashingtc
butions to spruce up his official resi.:. er powerful Democrats, including ~
derice in Bern.
.
..
'Jimmy Carter. Michael S. Du.kakis · HARRY TYLER MA:
He also was criticized for his own and John Glenh. ,However, he also· Federal Administrator
giving. In 1994, the Federal Election thought nothing of insulting politi- . Harry Tyler~Man
COrrimission said Mr. Lawrence had dans who fell into his disfavor, call- federal adrninistnttr
excee<led a $25,000 limit on yearly ing funner. California ·govemor Ed- man of the Demo
campaign contributio.ns. He was round G. "Jerry"' Brown Jr. (D), to hiS
Ward 2 became a f
fined $7,179. the arno!lnt of his ex- face, "an arrogant punk:
Washirigtori politicai
cess contributions. In a letter to the
w·ILLIAM JENNINGS DYESS
lung. caneer·Jan. 3
FEC in November 1993, 1\fr; Lawrence said he had been unaware that· Ambassador.
Washington.
some of his ·1987 contributions
William Jem$gs Dyess, 66. a reMr. Martin was ·
C:ounted toward the 1988 total.
tired Foreign Service officer who
pOlitics ¢ter ~long
· Hi.·s biggest contri"butions
· were ex- .......
'"""'~
to the Nether- . servant.
cu as amba"""dor·
,_
.. As diainna
empt from the limit; they included lands from 1981 to 1983, died of Democrats, he was;
nrostate cancer Jan.' 6 at his home
er of Sharon Pratt 1'two $25,000 dona ti.ons to· the Demo- .,
,.. w'
aatic National Comrriittee Victory Washington.
.
paign for mayor an
Fund and a $10.000 donation to .the
Since retiring from the Foreign
pointed to. the Dis:
Iowa Democratic Party. He also re- SeiVice in 1983, Mr. Dyess had op-- Real Property Asse:
:ported thai his family ancl the luxuri- era ted a consulting business.
peals. He also backet ~us hotel he oi.vned gave $196,304
WmDyess Associates; with clients in
Ward 2) in his. sue(
'ro the Democrats over the previous
publishing, manuf?cturing, shipping for D.C. Council and
. Six years.
and oil exploration.
..
representative to
California Gi:Jv. Pete Wilson (R),.
During a 25-year career in the Democratic Caminiti
vwbo began his political career across. Foreign Service, he specialized in
Mr. Martin, who
the bay from Coronado in San. Diego, • European relations, commercial and ford: Ohio; began hi
·said he had known Mr. Lawrence for
econorilic affairs and public diplOm.acinrtati as direc'tor
:Years and that '1..arry spoke his mind · cy. From 1975 to 1981, tie ser-Ved in Coffiinittee ·on Yom
He was·director of
u.s.
w,
�-,----.------
01/16/96
TUE 12:50 FAX 202-647 5117
[41007
'St:at:e EUR/AGS
Shelia
Da~is
Lawr~nce
On January 12, 1994~ Shelia Davis iawrence was sworn is as _
the .Special U.S. Representative to -the World Conservation Union·
(IUCN).
She comes to this position with~ bre~d~h of
experience in commerciaL environmental, and civic
matters.
'
.
~
.
Ms. Lawrence has served as Board Member and S~nior.Vic~
Presidefit foi Public Affaits a~ the noted resoit, Hotel ~el
Coronado in Coronado, California. Among ·other things, she has.
been responsible for the orchestration of events suppor~ing the
visits of foreign and U.S. dignitaries.
She .also has served on
the Board of Directors of Del Coionado Travel and Propertie~,.
Inc., which'is ·a full-service travel crimpany operating
·
·aircraft, seacraft, -and stables.
She brought her environmentai- -·
cohcer~s to her business dealings in he~ dapacity as Assist~nt
Corporate Secretary of U.S. Oceanics, Iric., which pr6motes the
preservation and reuse of historic properties and the
developm~nt of bayfiont real estate in consideration of;
-env'i ronmental concerns.
Ms. Lawrence has alsci been a~tiv~ in the ~~ripps Instit~te,
a distinguished environmental and educational.institution ln.
San Diego, California.
In associationwith the Institute, she
has served on the University ~f California Educ~tional Advi~ory
Board.
As a s~ri6us deepsea diver, she has collected seaborn~·
specimens. for the Instit~te's·educational and researc~
programs.
She has also applied her diving e~pertise to a.
b-usiness venture for the design, manufacture,· an·d distribut-ion
of diving equipment, and has ·b~en a strong prop6nent o~
ecologically sound, piow-jmpact" diying p:racti~es.
Ms. Lawretice has alsb been active in civic affairs . . Her
service on the .Board of Directors of the Washington-based
Interha~ional Center _for.Development Policy has taken her to
the Caribbean, Moscow, and St. Petersburg.
In electoral
politics, she has.raised funds, organized campaign worke~s·, and
engaged in public speaking to promote candidaies and ca~~es.
As a cornmunU:y activist', she has .served a diverse group of
o~ganiza~ions, inclu~ing the InternatiQnal Founda~ion for
Electoral Systems~ the San Diego O~eia, and the Girl Scouts of
America.
Ms. Lawrence is a graduate of East Tenhessee St~te
University and a native of We~t Virginia.
She is ·married to
M._ La :r:ry Lawrence.
'·
�THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF SPEECHWRITING
UPCOMING SPEECHES
JANUARY 1995
DC
Fri
Sat
am
DC
Tue
pm
DC
Tue
pm
DC
We
DC
Th 1
DC
Th 1
NY
Fr 1/12
am
TN
Fr 1/12
lunch
TN
Sa 1 13
Jonathan
Jonathan
Jonathan
BO
sa 1 13
am
BO
Mo 1 15
am
GA
We 1/17
am
VA
Fr 1 19
am
DC
Sa 1/20
am
DC
Tu 1/23
pm
DC
·~
We 1/24
DC
Th 1/25
Fr 1/26
am
DC
Fr 1/26
pm
DC
Sa 1/27
am
DC
Sa 1/27
pm
DC
Mo 1/29
pm
DC
TBD
Katz
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sCBEriUU:. oF THE ·PRESIDENT
. :· ·; .. . ·<roR
. <,~::r:tr~:;::.:>:~,-.
WEDNESDAY,.JANUARY 17, 1996
. >· FINAL
.
. . .,..
tba
MORNING RUN
9:00am.10:00 am
COFFEE
10:10 am
MAP ROOM
StMf Contact: Doug Sosnik
THE PRESIDENT departs the White House via motorcade en route
Arlington National Cemetery
[drive time: lS minutes]
pJRESii>ENT arrives Arlington National Cemetery
10:25 am
THE
10:30 am11:15 am
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR AMBASSADOR. LAW1l.ENCE
BURIAL SITE
Arlington National Cemetery
Remarks: Terry Edmonds
Staff Contact: Tony Lake, John Emerson .
Event Coordinator: Lucie Naphin
CLOSED PRESS
The President, accompanied by .Shelia Lawrence, join.s the
processional to the grave site.
The Pre;ident makes brief remarks.
Rabbi Miwael Sternfeld makes remarks.
There is a Military firing of three rounds.
Taps is played.
I
The President is handed the American Flag.
The President hands over the flag
to
Mrs. Lawrence.
Rabbi Michael Sternfeld makes closing remarks.
The Pr5ident departs the cemetery, briefly stopping at the
grave to throw a handful of dirt on the casket.
�,--,
-~-
-
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Sec~tary
· (Atlanta~ Georgia)'
~
. For ·Immediate Release
January 15, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,
ANNUAL COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Atlanta, Georgia
1:00 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: I know that we have been here a long time
glad you· came.
(Applause.)
but aren't you
Dexter King, thank you-for that fine introduction and for your leadership.
Caretta King, thank you for your kind remarks and for the visits we've_ had today
and all the ones we've had in the past; the other members of the King family w~o
,are here, and especially to our co-presiders. I'm glad they don't keep women out
of the pulpit anymore, aren't you?
(Applause.)
To Senator Coverdell; and my dear friend, Governor Miller; Mayor Campbell
you can get back in the pulpit, I think, anytime you want; my longtime friend,
Congressman John Lewis; and Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney; Congressman Mfume,
-my'dear friend; we wish you well on your new mission.
To all t_he ministers who are here and all others who spoke.
thank ypu for letting us come to this church~
Dr. Roberts,
I, want to thank all those who came with me today, many from the White
House, starting with the White House Chief of Staff and most of those who were
referenced.And my good friend, Ernest ·Green; Bob Johnson of . the Black
Entertainment Network; -and others who came.
I •
.
.
.
I want to say so many things, and yet I think I should say so little,
because .I have already heard so much wisdom and humor -- (laughter) --, and.
passion, and music·. I'm going to do a test when I. get back on the 1 airplane, 'when
I go back_to the back of the airplane.
(Laughter.)
I'm going to ask Weldon
Latham and. Bob Johnson and Ernie Green and all my staff members .what they
remembered about this long ceremony. Every one will remember you, young man -(applause) --because you remind us of what all.this is all about. And you are
a. stern rebuke to the cynics who say we cannot do.better.
I will remember something that_ the rest of you couldn't know, and that is
that Caretta Scott King still has a beautiful. voice and -can hit all the high
notes.
(Applause.)
I will remember this is the first time in my life I ever got to sing, "Lift Every
Voice" and sing two days in a row because we sang it in church yesterday.
I will remember that the Mayor wants to be buried by a Southern preacher
so he can stay on earth.one more hour.
(Laughter.)
I remember that it. was so
cold in Washington Dick Gregory was willing to go to hell to get away from it.
(Laughter.)· ·
··
I will remember al'l this incredible music, and David Arnold, whom I had
never heard before; and my friend and brother, Wintley.Phipps, who can still
bring tears to my_eyes. For purely personal reasons, I will never forget the way
you all stood when the Mayor mentioned my wife's name. And I thank you for that.
(Applause.) '
·
·
•
~~..,. •• -••.• '~
.. •
·. ''"1 • :, • • .
''
�-· :•..
I will never forget my friend Governor Miller quoting Kris Kristofferson' ~
song and thinking there's still a place for all us southern rednecks in this
church.
(Laught~r~)
I am glad to see my good friends.
I see E,dwin Mcises and Sonny Walker out
there; and those of us who are your fans, Mr. Fishburne,- are glad to see you
here.
Thank you. Thank you very much. -(Applause.)
I was sitting here thinking, as everyone else spoke and I kept marking
things thro1,1gh my remarks, what might I say here?· What would'Dr. King say. if he
sort of. showed up, .sidled down the aisle? I think he would have enj eyed this,
don't you? All the laughing, all the singing, all the wisdom, a1·1 the passion.
I think he would have.said, "Amen" when .. congressman Mfume reminded.us of that
magnificent passage from Genesis _...: you can kill the dreamer, but not th'e dream.
-I think he'd be pretty proud of how far his hometown has come. The-King
Center is keeping the dream alive.' Atlanta has more foreign corporations than
any other American city headquartered here with.this Mayor and that Police. chief
and that Sheriff over there.· (Applause.)
Less than 200 days from today, the whole world will be looking at Atlanta
when the O.lympics come.
The city too busy to hate will be the city the world
will see.
I think he would like that.
You know, only three Americans have ever had a holiday named for t:hem by
the Conciress •. 'Two were presidents -- George Washington helped to 'create our
union; Abraham .Lincoln laid. down his li~e to preserve it; Martin Luther King
never held any elected office. But he is the third because he redeemed the moral
purpose of the United states. He reminded us that since all of us are created
equal -- and that's what the Constitution says -- all of us are equally entitled
to the full benefits of American citizenship.
Iri this holiday we ceiebrate the life of a man who challenged us ~o face
our flaws and to become a better nation'; to use· our great power in the service
of peace· and justice. That was his dream and that is the spirit of this holiday.
And that is why it is a good t_hing that all over America this is a legal ·na·tional
holiday.
It •is altogether fitting that if we can lay down our labors· for a
little while once. a· year to think about how we started; and we lay down our
labors a little while once a year to think about how we might have been torn
apart but we stayed together; that we take one day a. year ·to remember that we
have t~ live by the spirit and letter of the Constitution of th~ United States~
When we were coming in here, Rodney Slater, who is now the Federal Highway
Administrator, but was with me when I was Governor reminded me, Mrs. King, that
10 years ago today I sent, on an early morn~ng, 30 young children from Arkans~s
to Atlanta to march in the parade. And those children thought they had died and
gone to heaven. (Laughter.) They knew they were part of something that matters.
- So if Qr. King were here today, how would he tell us· that it mat:ters? I·
just 'returned, as all of you know, -from a visit to our brave men and women
serving as peacekeeper~ in Bbsnia. !-think he'd be pleased by that, don't y6u?
Our troops come from all parts of our country,. from all racial and religious and
ethnic groups .. .They comprise a diversity unmatched anywhere in the world. -And,
unfortunately, unmatched ~n any other organization in this country.
·
They are all committed to equal ·opportunity, equal responsibility and
excellence.
I wish all ofyou could _have been with me walking dciwn the lines
reviewing the troops.
First there's a little unit with a big captain who. is
6 • 4", comes from an industrial city .i,n the Middle West, from an Eastern European
ethnic group.
Next there's ·a ~nit ~aptained by a young slip of· a woman barely
5 feet _tall, an A.frican American· woman bossing around all these big, hulking
guys.· Why? Because she ,was judged by her merits. Yes, they have an affirmative
action program, but no one gets a job fo~ which they are not competent. It was
a beautiful thing to see.. ,(Applause.)
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But mer~ important than t~e composition of the military is the mission on
which·they went-- amission we can all identify with. Bosnia is a land that in
the past has found strength in its. diversity -- the Muslims; the Croats, who are
Catholic, and the Serbs, who are Orthodox. They have flourished side by side in
the past.
Even though they prayed ap~rt, they lived and worked together.
They've been neighbors and friends and even family members.
·
In giving in to appeals, to primitive and blind hatred, those who started
that awful war there were stepping back into an imagined, unreal past inwhich
they say life has greater integrity and meaning -- when we define ourselves in
terms of who we are not instead of who we are. Does that sound familiar to you?
When we define ourselves by whom we can denigrate and debase, instead of those
whom we can reach out to and embrace.
We American understand the challenges they're facing in Bosnia. We know
it's hard to forge a community from many different groups. It's hard to lay down
old hatreds and ancient biases. We also know~ as that old Broadway song says,
children have to be taught to hate.
·I was thinking you all were making all those jokes about the bus and the
airplane -- you know what I was thinking about? When I was ~ kid growing up in
my hometown in Arkansas, I rode the city bus to school every day.
It cost a
nickel. I can still remember erie day when I got on the bus I had four cents, and
there was a bus stop in front of my,house and one about a block behind my house;
arid I asked the bus driver if he'd let me off behind with four cents, and let me
run up and get another penny and run down the front an~ give it to him. And he
did.
That was the old days.
But I was a kid.
I·did~'t.-- I was so stupid, I
thought the·best place to sit was the back of the bus. They had torun me out
of the back so other people could sit down who were supposed to be there.
I
thought I was supposed to ·be in the back of the b1,1s. Ch.ildren have to be taught
to hate. We know about what they're'going through in Bosnia.
. .. Though our Founding. Fathers celebrated. in our documents the universal
rights of man as being inherent in human nature, we actually started .out with a
Cons.titution that stated that slaves were not fully citizens; and by the language
of the Constitution, therefore, not fully human.
·
·
We fought a Civil War over race and slavery. We lived through bitter days
of lynchings and riots. Still. today we struggle to overcome. But over time, Dr.
King and Reverend Abernathy, others that helped us to see that history need not
be our destiny. We can define ourselve's by our hopes and not our fears.
Most
.of all, we can understand.that we are stronger. When we live and work together
as a community,. not as a swarm of isolated individuals or antagonistic groups,
that. is still the decision for America today.
In the great budget debate, I believe -- some disagree -- I believe we
ought to balance the budget. We never had a permanent deficit until the 12 ·years
before I became president.
Def i.e its were things that . we ran when ·we had
recessions .or· great wars that required us to, mobilize the energies of the
_country.
So we have to do it. But we have to balance the budget in a balanced way
that recognizes that we· are all· in. this together.
That is the struggle of
America's whole history. That is the mission in Bosnia. We know that we have
to be liberated, not bound by the lessons of the ~ast.
Dr •. King. said th~t men hate each other because they fear each other. They
fear each other because they don't.know each other. They don't know each other
because they can't communicate with each other. ·They can't communicate with each
oth~r because they're separated from each other.
The sad lesson of our experience is that-sometimes we can be standing next
to one' another and still
be separated
.
.
. from each other, miles and miles away in
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our minds. Now, even· if we seek to help others bridge their differences, we have
to say today, and he· would say to us, y9u 've still got _a way_s to ·go yourselves.
We must be the world's drum major for peace.· That's the role our troops
and their allies from _over·20 other countries, including countries.that we were
enemies with in the Cold War, are playing. in Bosnia. That's what we're trying
to do .. in helping the Catholics and Protestants get together' in Northern· Ireland.
That's .what we're trying to do in working with the Arabs and the Jews in the
Middle East.
·
And I thank President King for his mention of my friend, Prime Minis~er
Rabin. Like Dr. King, he gave his life in the struggle for peace. And like so
many of you who took up Dr. King's torch, Shimon Peres and others have taken his
torch up. -I'm glad that the -United States is working with them.
I'm proud that the United States has supported the reconciliation of the
peoples of South Africa and the triumph of President Mandela and all of you who
work with him.
It has been an honor for us, not a burden .•
If that is 'our role, to be drum majors for peace and justice around the
world, surely, surely that must be our responsibility here at home.
We have much to be thankful for. Dexter King mentioned some things. I'm
. glad that in' the last three years the crime rate and the welfare rolls and the
food stamp rolls and.the poverty rate and the teen pregnancy rate are all down;
I'm proud of that.
(Applause.)
But here's what I. think Dr. King would say_~ if he were giving this sermon
in far more powerful and eloqUent ways:
You're doing, better, but that's not
nearly good enough. And don't do anything which will make it worse. Keep going
in the right direction·. There needs to be more peace and freedom on our streets.
It is ,true that the murder rate had its biggest decline in 35 years last year.
Hallelujah.
It's also .true a lot of innocent kids will get killed this year.
We ·have to do better.
There's still too much crime and violence and dr~gs in
America, especially among our young people.
He wo~ld say, ask yourselves this question as you walk out of this· church
today: How c!tan it be that the crime rate in America is down, ·but the crime rate
among young peoble between the ages of 12.and 17 is up? Are they still out there
raising themselves? What are you going to do about that? What are you going to
do about that?
(Applause.)
·
1
We have to continue to heal the racial divisions that still tear at our
We can't rest until· there ar:e no more hate crimes, .no more racial
violence.
And· until we have moved beyond those far more subtle, but still
pervasive, racial divisions that keep us-·from becoming one nation under God. We
have to be honest about where we are in this struggle.
The job of ending
discrimination in this country is not over •. That's why I still believe we need
the right kind of affirmative action.. We can mi:md it, and some day we can end
it.
But we can't- end it until everybody with a straight face can say there is
no more discrimination on the basis of race.
(Applause.)
We must bring more
peace to our public discourse, even when we passionately disag~ee.
n_ation~
\
I
We did a lot of laughing today, to some extent, at·the expense of those who
disagree with us. And that's okay, they .laughed at me, too -- (laughter) _...:. and
sometimes more.
But let's remember, no matter how passionately Martin Luther
King spoke about. the wrongs he saw and the. changes he. advocated, he always,
always spoke in the language of l9ve and nonviolence and peace.
(Applause.) ·
I remember when one of our .clergy read that well-known, but never tired, .
passage.from Corinthians. In.the old King James version it used to say, "Now we
see. through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then
shall know even as we are known. And there abides faith,. hope and charity,
and the greatest. of the.se is charity."· Charity and love, in that sen·se, are _the
we
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same thing -- char,ibtble love, the understanding that even those ~h6 are totally
different from us share a common human nature. And we all see through the glass·
darkly. Nobody has to whole truth. We_should remember that, and we should ask
them .tor
.
And, finally, -let me. say I think he would say that.this is going to be. a
great age of possibility, the 21st century.
And many will do very well.
The
. great issue is whether we .will go . into that age of possibility together or
divided, whether America will be a society -- a great society -- where winners
can take everything, or_whether it will be an even greater society in which
everyone has a. chance to win.
If you think about the characteristics of this time, people care more about
their racial and their ethnic identities. If that builds pride and self-esteeJ;ll
and gets people back to good values that we all share, it is a good thing.
If
it leads people to the Bosnian war or killing in Northern Ireland or a lack of
· resolution in· South Africa or continued carnage in the Middle East or on our own
streets, i~ is a bad thing.
·
· If you look at this global marketplace, if it means that a poor .child in
inner city Atlanta or in rural Arkansas in the hills of the·Ozarks can hook into
a bomputer and get himself or herself into a researcih library in Australia and
learn what's going on in the world; if people in the inner cities. can use
technology to learn.things that they couldn't learn and to build businesses and
hope and opportunity, that·is a very good thing.
But if the
inequality., more
because those of
everyone can win,
global economy· means that everywhere we have to have more
people thrown out of work, more people living without hope
us '1ho are ·doing well. won't. se~ . up the conditions· in which
it is not a . good
. . thing.)
'
So the challenge of this t~e is to go forward together
tog.ether.· And every single ·one of us has a role to play.
to go forward
Let me remind you that· in 1994 I signed legislation which transformed
Martin Luther King's birthday into a national day of service to reflect the life
and legacy of Dr. King.
I recently appointed a friend of Dr. King's and an
advisor, former Senator Harris Wofford, to head our Corporation for Nat·ional
Service. He said the King holiday should be a day·on, not a day off; a day of
action, not a day of apathy; a day of responding to the community, not a day of
rest. and recreation.
That's what we have tried to do.·
·
Today, all across America, members of AmeriCorps, our·national service
organization, are working with grass,-roots community volunteers to pull this
country together, not to let it be divided.
In Philadelphia, as we meet here,
thousands of young people and their teachers are renovating homes for Habitat for
Humanity, a project that started here in. Georgia and has swept the whole world.·
In California, 2,300 young people are going to clean parks, remove graffiti,
collect food. and clothing for'people who n~ed it.
'
And as we stand here and sit here, right here in Atlanta,.members of the
national service corps are join'ing forces with a coalition of citizens to honor
the memory of Martin Luther King by painting classrooms, working at their food
bank, renovating a homeless shelter.
Every American can be -a drum major for peace.
Every American can be a
voice for justice, Every American can be_a servant in the never-ending work of
building our American community and building a stronger and more united.and more
decent world.
'
,As he said, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You only
'need· a heart fuli of grace and a soul. generated by love." Because of all of you
today, I leave with a heart more full of grace, a soul more generated by love.
I thank you for that, and hope you
feel the same way.
,.
_;.
�God bless you'All.
END
( Appla~.se. )
1:22 P.M. EST
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Terry Edmonds
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
James (Terry) Edmonds
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1995-2001
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36090" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763294" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
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2006-0462-F
Description
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Terry Edmonds worked as a speechwriter from 1995-2001. He became the Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting in 1999. His speechwriting focused on domestic topics such as race relations, veterans issues, education, paralympics, gun control, youth, and senior citizens. He also contributed to the President’s State of the Union speeches, radio addresses, commencement speeches, and special dinners and events. The records include speeches, letters, memorandum, schedules, reports, articles, and clippings.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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635 folders in 52 boxes
Text
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Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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1-17-96 Lawrence Eulogy Virginia
Creator
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Office of Speechwriting
James (Terry) Edmonds
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0462-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 19
<a href="http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/2006/2006-0462-F.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763294" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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Adobe Acrobat Document
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Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
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12/9/2014
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42-t-7763294-20060462F-019-012-2014
7763294