8/13/2019 State Dinner Transcript of the Toasts Exchanged

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Here is the transcript of the toasts exchanged by U.S. President Barack Obama and FrenchPresident Francois Hollande at the State Dinner Tesday night! as pro"ided by the #hite Hose.

Soth $ronds Tent

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PRESIDENT OBAMA& $ood e"ening! e"erybody. Bonsoir* Please! ha"e a seat. + ha"e no,officially exhasted my French. -aghter./ (ichelle and + are so honored to ,elcome yo tothe #hite Hose as ,e host President Hollande and his delegation for this historic state "isitbet,een or nations 0 the first in nearly 12 years.

3t or press conference today! + 4oted 3lexis de Toc4e"ille 0 that son of France ,ho in 5%65set ot across or yong contry and chronicled or 3merican democracy. 3nd those ,ho arefamiliar ,ith de Toc4e"ille are al,ays ama7ed by ho, ,ell he nderstood this nation of orsand captred its spirit as ,ell as anybody e"er has. 3nd tonight! +8d like to share some of hislesser kno,n obser"ations.

3bot 3merican dining! de Toc4e"ille ,rote! 9The absence of ,ine at or meals at first strcks as "ery disagreeable: and ,e still can8t nderstand the mltitde of things that ;3mericansois came here years ago as a stdent to stdy or fast food! + sspect he said the same thing.

3bot the #hite Hose! de Toc4e"ille8s tra"eling companion ,rote! 9The President of theUnited States occpies a palace that in Paris ,old be called a fine pri"ate residence.=-aghter./ 3nd he ,rote 0 and + "ery mch can relate to this& 9The po,er of the ?ing ofFrance ,old be nil if it ,ere modeled after the po,er of the President.= -aghter./ 3nd the?ing didn8t ha"e to deal ,ith the filibster. -aghter./

@o,! 3mericans took lessons from France as ,ell. One yong 3merican la,yer ,ent to Paris

and ,as deeply mo"ed to see ,hite and black stdents stdying together. 3nd that yong3merican ,as Aharles Smner! ,ho 0 inspired by ,hat he sa, in France 0 became one of orgreatest abolitionists! helped to end sla"ery! and is one of the reasons that all of s can be herethis e"ening as fll citi7ens! free and e4al.

@o,! it is tre that ,e 3mericans ha"e gro,n to lo"e all things French 0 the films! the food! the,ine. )specially the ,ine. Bt most of all! ,e lo"e or French friends becase ,e8"e stoodtogether for or freedom for more than 122 years. Tonight + again ,ant to pay tribte toPresident Hollande for the principled leadership and personal friendship and corage that he hassho,n on the ,orld stage. Thank yo! Fran>ois.

#e started this "isit yesterday at (onticello. 3nd +8d like to end ,here ,e began. Thomas

efferson ,rote! 9So ask the tra"eled inhabitant of any nation! +n ,hat contry on )arth ,oldyo rather li"eC Aertainly! in my o,n! ,here ;are< my friends! my relations! and the earliest ands,eetest affections and recollections of my life.= Bt efferson added! 9#hich ,old be yorsecond choiceC France.= Of corse.

3nd so + propose a toast& To or friend and partner President Hollande! to all of or friends fromFrance ,ho are here today 0 "i"e la France! $od bless 3merica! and long li"e the alliancebet,een or great nations. "otre santE* Aheers. -3 toast is offered./

8/13/2019 State Dinner Transcript of the Toasts Exchanged

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PRESIDENT HOLLANDE: (r. President! Dear (ichelle! members of the Aongress andFrench parliament! ladies and gentlemen 0 + hope that translation exists. -aghter./

(r. President! + ,old like to thank yo for the ,arm ,elcome that yo ha"e extended to me andmy delegation. France and the United States of 3merica are bond by ties of history 0 greathistory of French citi7ens sch as afayette! ,ho foght alongside the heroes of independence to

allo, yor dream of freedom to pre"ail. The glorios history of the 3mericans ,ho came tofight on French soil dring the First #orld #ar! and then in ne 5'' to liberate the )ropeancontinent from @a7i oppression.

This afternoon! it ,as a great moment and a great honor to a,ard yor Unkno,n Soldier ,ith theinsignia of the French egion of Honor and to a,ard medal to six glorios "eterans of the Second#orld #ar. + promise ,e shall ne"er forget them. -3pplase./

(ore recently! after the September 55th! 1225 terrorist attack! France shared 3merica8s pain. Onthat frightfl day! -inadible/ ,e ,ere all 3mericans. This is the "ery reason ,hy ,e endredtogether in 3fghanistan.

(onsier le PrEsident! no, + ,ill speak French. -Speaks French./

+ raise my glass in honor of the United States of 3merica! of the President Barack Obama!(ichelle 0 long life! the United States. Gi"e la France et "i"e l8amitiE entre la France et lestatsIUnis.

-3 toast is offered./

-3s interpreted./ Or t,o contries share ni"ersal "ales! and ,e ha"e feelings for one another.#e lo"e 3mericans! althogh ,e don8t al,ays say so. 3nd yo lo"e the French! bt yo8resometimes too shy to say so. -aghter./ Bt ,e share the same ni"ersal "ales 0 freedom!democracy! respect for the la,. These principles gide or action.

)"er since + took office at the presidency! ,e ha"e been defending them together. +n (ali! theFrench armed forces ,ere able to rely on the efficient spport a,arded by the U.S. soldiers ande4ipment. +n the Aentral 3frican Jepblic! yor spport has accompanied or operation aimingat restoring secrity in this contry! torn by its actions and "iolence bet,een religions.

Together! ,e ha"e remo"ed the nacceptable threat of an +ranian nclear ,eapon! and ,e ha"escceeded in reaching an interim agreement. +n Syria! ,e together remo"ed 0 throgh resortingto the threat of force 0 the threat of a ,orsening sitation! and ,e managed to force the regimeof Bashar alI3ssad to accept the destrction of his stockpiles of chemical ,eapons. 3nd again!together! ,e are looking resoltely together for a political otcome so desperately needed.

Together! the French and the 3mericans! also ,ant to ,ork for gro,th and to introdce ne, rlesthat ,ill pre"ent financial crises and enable s to fight more efficiently against tax e"asion. First!reslts are here! and the strength and robstness of the 3merican economy is a sorce of hope forall de"eloped contries. Pro"ided that ,e open p or markets and intensify or trade! ,e ,illscceed.

Together! ,e ,ill also rise to the challenge of climate change. Paris ,ill be hosting the AlimateAhange Aonference in 125K. +t is p to s to con"ince or maLor partners to take the necessarysteps before it is too late. 3nd + kno,! again! that + can cont on yor commitment.

8/13/2019 State Dinner Transcript of the Toasts Exchanged

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(r. President! the relations bet,een or t,o contries ha"e reached an exceptional le"el ofcloseness and confidence! and there is one simple reason for that& #e share the same "ision ofthe ,orld and ,e sho, mtal respect. The United States of 3merica and France are t,o greatnations. #hat is expected of them is to keep a promise! a promise of freedom and the promise ofprogress! and also to keep a dream ali"e 0 that same dream made by efferson! #ashington!

afayette and the French re"oltionaries 0 a dream to change the ,orld. By niting or forces!by niting or talents! ,e ,ill be able to keep the flame of hope ali"e.

+ raise my glass to the President of the United States of 3merica and to (ichelle Obama. ongli"e the United States* ong li"e France* -3pplase./

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