Flashback: President Reagan’s Farewell Address to the Nation [Full Speech]

My fellow Americans This ░░░░░░░░ the 34th time I ░░░░░░░░ speak to you from ░░░░░░░░ Oval Office and the ░░░░░░░░ We ve been together ░░░░░░░░ years now and soon ░░░░░░░░ ll be time for ░░░░░░░░ to go But before ░░░░░░░░ do I wanted to ░░░░░░░░ some thoughts some of ░░░░░░░░ I ve been saving ░░░░░░░░ a long time It ░░░░░░░░ been the honor of ░░░░░░░░ life to be your ░░░░░░░░ So many of you ░░░░░░░░ written the past few ░░░░░░░░ to say thanks but ░░░░░░░░ could say as much ░░░░░░░░ you Nancy and I ░░░░░░░░ grateful for the opportunity ░░░░░░░░ gave us to serve ░░░░░░░░ of the things about ░░░░░░░░ Presidency is that you ░░░░░░░░ always somewhat apart You ░░░░░░░░ a lot of time ░░░░░░░░ by too fast in ░░░░░░░░ car someone else is ░░░░░░░░ and seeing the people ░░░░░░░░ tinted glass the parents ░░░░░░░░ up a child and ░░░░░░░░ wave you saw too ░░░░░░░░ and couldn t return ░░░░░░░░ so many times I ░░░░░░░░ to stop and reach ░░░░░░░░ from behind the glass ░░░░░░░░ connect Well maybe I ░░░░░░░░ do a little of ░░░░░░░░ tonight People ask how ░░░░░░░░ feel about leaving And ░░░░░░░░ fact is parting is ░░░░░░░░ sweet sorrow The sweet ░░░░░░░░ is California and the ░░░░░░░░ and freedom The sorrow ░░░░░░░░ goodbyes of course and ░░░░░░░░ this beautiful place You ░░░░░░░░ down the hall and ░░░░░░░░ the stairs from this ░░░░░░░░ is the part of ░░░░░░░░ White House where the ░░░░░░░░ and his family live ░░░░░░░░ are a few favorite ░░░░░░░░ I have up there ░░░░░░░░ I like to stand ░░░░░░░░ look out of early ░░░░░░░░ the morning The view ░░░░░░░░ over the grounds here ░░░░░░░░ the Washington Monument and ░░░░░░░░ the Mall and the ░░░░░░░░ Memorial But on mornings ░░░░░░░░ the humidity is low ░░░░░░░░ can see past the ░░░░░░░░ to the river the ░░░░░░░░ and the Virginia shore ░░░░░░░░ said that s the ░░░░░░░░ Lincoln had when he ░░░░░░░░ the smoke rising from ░░░░░░░░ Battle of Bull Run ░░░░░░░░ see more prosaic things ░░░░░░░░ grass on the banks ░░░░░░░░ morning traffic as people ░░░░░░░░ their way to work ░░░░░░░░ and then a sailboat ░░░░░░░░ the river I ve ░░░░░░░░ thinking a bit at ░░░░░░░░ window I ve been ░░░░░░░░ on what the past ░░░░░░░░ years have meant and ░░░░░░░░ And the image that ░░░░░░░░ to mind like a ░░░░░░░░ is a nautical one ░░░░░░░░ small story about a ░░░░░░░░ ship and a refugee ░░░░░░░░ a sailor It was ░░░░░░░░ in the early eighties ░░░░░░░░ the height of the ░░░░░░░░ people And the sailor ░░░░░░░░ hard at work on ░░░░░░░░ carrier Midway which was ░░░░░░░░ the South China Sea ░░░░░░░░ sailor like most American ░░░░░░░░ was young smart and ░░░░░░░░ observant The crew spied ░░░░░░░░ the horizon a leaky ░░░░░░░░ boat And crammed inside ░░░░░░░░ refugees from Indochina hoping ░░░░░░░░ get to America The ░░░░░░░░ sent a small launch ░░░░░░░░ bring them to the ░░░░░░░░ and safety As the ░░░░░░░░ made their way through ░░░░░░░░ choppy seas one spied ░░░░░░░░ sailor on deck and ░░░░░░░░ up and called out ░░░░░░░░ him He yelled Hello ░░░░░░░░ sailor Hello freedom man ░░░░░░░░ small moment with a ░░░░░░░░ meaning a moment the ░░░░░░░░ who wrote it in ░░░░░░░░ letter couldn t get ░░░░░░░░ of his mind And ░░░░░░░░ I saw it neither ░░░░░░░░ I Because that s ░░░░░░░░ it was to be ░░░░░░░░ American in the 1980 ░░░░░░░░ We stood again for ░░░░░░░░ I know we always ░░░░░░░░ but in the past ░░░░░░░░ years the world again ░░░░░░░░ in a way we ░░░░░░░░ rediscovered it It s ░░░░░░░░ quite a journey this ░░░░░░░░ and we held together ░░░░░░░░ some stormy seas And ░░░░░░░░ the end together we ░░░░░░░░ reaching our destination The ░░░░░░░░ is from Grenada to ░░░░░░░░ Washington and Moscow summits ░░░░░░░░ the recession of 81 ░░░░░░░░ 82 to the expansion ░░░░░░░░ began in late 82 ░░░░░░░░ continues to this day ░░░░░░░░ ve made a difference ░░░░░░░░ way I see it ░░░░░░░░ were two great triumphs ░░░░░░░░ things that I m ░░░░░░░░ of One is the ░░░░░░░░ recovery in which the ░░░░░░░░ of America created and ░░░░░░░░ 19 million new jobs ░░░░░░░░ other is the recovery ░░░░░░░░ our morale America is ░░░░░░░░ again in the world ░░░░░░░░ looked to for leadership ░░░░░░░░ that happened to me ░░░░░░░░ few years ago reflects ░░░░░░░░ of this It was ░░░░░░░░ in 1981 and I ░░░░░░░░ attending my first big ░░░░░░░░ summit which was held ░░░░░░░░ year in Canada The ░░░░░░░░ place rotates among the ░░░░░░░░ countries The opening meeting ░░░░░░░░ a formal dinner for ░░░░░░░░ heads of government of ░░░░░░░░ seven industrialized nations Now ░░░░░░░░ sat there like the ░░░░░░░░ kid in school and ░░░░░░░░ and it was all ░░░░░░░░ this and Helmut that ░░░░░░░░ dropped titles and spoke ░░░░░░░░ one another on a ░░░░░░░░ name basis Well at ░░░░░░░░ point I sort of ░░░░░░░░ in and said My ░░░░░░░░ s Ron Well in ░░░░░░░░ same year we began ░░░░░░░░ actions we felt would ░░░░░░░░ an economic comeback cut ░░░░░░░░ and regulation started to ░░░░░░░░ spending And soon the ░░░░░░░░ began Two years later ░░░░░░░░ economic summit with pretty ░░░░░░░░ the same cast At ░░░░░░░░ big opening meeting we ░░░░░░░░ got together and all ░░░░░░░░ a sudden just for ░░░░░░░░ moment I saw that ░░░░░░░░ was just sitting there ░░░░░░░░ at me And then ░░░░░░░░ of them broke the ░░░░░░░░ Tell us about the ░░░░░░░░ miracle he said Well ░░░░░░░░ in 1980 when I ░░░░░░░░ running for President it ░░░░░░░░ all so different Some ░░░░░░░░ said our programs would ░░░░░░░░ in catastrophe Our views ░░░░░░░░ foreign affairs would cause ░░░░░░░░ Our plans for the ░░░░░░░░ would cause inflation to ░░░░░░░░ and bring about economic ░░░░░░░░ I even remember one ░░░░░░░░ respected economist saying back ░░░░░░░░ 1982 that The engines ░░░░░░░░ economic growth have shut ░░░░░░░░ here and they re ░░░░░░░░ to stay that way ░░░░░░░░ years to come Well ░░░░░░░░ and the other opinion ░░░░░░░░ were wrong The fact ░░░░░░░░ what they called radical ░░░░░░░░ really right What they ░░░░░░░░ dangerous was just desperately ░░░░░░░░ And in all of ░░░░░░░░ time I won a ░░░░░░░░ The Great Communicator But ░░░░░░░░ never thought it was ░░░░░░░░ style or the words ░░░░░░░░ used that made a ░░░░░░░░ it was the content ░░░░░░░░ wasn t a great ░░░░░░░░ but I communicated great ░░░░░░░░ and they didn t ░░░░░░░░ full Bloom from my ░░░░░░░░ they came from the ░░░░░░░░ of a great nation ░░░░░░░░ our experience our wisdom ░░░░░░░░ our belief in the ░░░░░░░░ that have guided us ░░░░░░░░ two centuries They called ░░░░░░░░ the Reagan revolution Well ░░░░░░░░ ll accept that but ░░░░░░░░ me it always seemed ░░░░░░░░ like the great rediscovery ░░░░░░░░ rediscovery of our values ░░░░░░░░ our common sense Common ░░░░░░░░ told us that when ░░░░░░░░ put a big tax ░░░░░░░░ something the people will ░░░░░░░░ less of it So ░░░░░░░░ cut the people s ░░░░░░░░ rates and the people ░░░░░░░░ more than ever before ░░░░░░░░ economy bloomed like a ░░░░░░░░ that had been cut ░░░░░░░░ and could now grow ░░░░░░░░ and stronger Our economic ░░░░░░░░ brought about the longest ░░░░░░░░ expansion in our history ░░░░░░░░ family income up the ░░░░░░░░ rate down entrepreneurship booming ░░░░░░░░ an explosion in research ░░░░░░░░ new technology We re ░░░░░░░░ more than ever because ░░░░░░░░ industry became more competitive ░░░░░░░░ at the same time ░░░░░░░░ summoned the national will ░░░░░░░░ knock down protectionist walls ░░░░░░░░ instead of erecting them ░░░░░░░░ home Common sense also ░░░░░░░░ us that to preserve ░░░░░░░░ peace we d have ░░░░░░░░ become strong again after ░░░░░░░░ of weakness and confusion ░░░░░░░░ we rebuilt our defenses ░░░░░░░░ this New Year we ░░░░░░░░ the new peacefulness around ░░░░░░░░ globe Not only have ░░░░░░░░ superpowers actually begun to ░░░░░░░░ their stockpiles of nuclear ░░░░░░░░ and hope for even ░░░░░░░░ progress is bright but ░░░░░░░░ regional conflicts that rack ░░░░░░░░ globe are also beginning ░░░░░░░░ cease The Persian Gulf ░░░░░░░░ no longer a war ░░░░░░░░ The Soviets are leaving ░░░░░░░░ The Vietnamese are preparing ░░░░░░░░ pull out of Cambodia ░░░░░░░░ an American mediated accord ░░░░░░░░ soon send 50 000 ░░░░░░░░ troops home from Angola ░░░░░░░░ lesson of all this ░░░░░░░░ of course that because ░░░░░░░░ re a great nation ░░░░░░░░ challenges seem complex It ░░░░░░░░ always be this way ░░░░░░░░ as long as we ░░░░░░░░ our first principles and ░░░░░░░░ in ourselves the future ░░░░░░░░ always be ours And ░░░░░░░░ else we learned Once ░░░░░░░░ begin a great movement ░░░░░░░░ s no telling where ░░░░░░░░ will end We meant ░░░░░░░░ change a nation and ░░░░░░░░ we changed a world ░░░░░░░░ across the globe are ░░░░░░░░ to free markets and ░░░░░░░░ speech and turning away ░░░░░░░░ the ideologies of the ░░░░░░░░ For them the great ░░░░░░░░ of the 1980 s ░░░░░░░░ been that lo and ░░░░░░░░ the moral way of ░░░░░░░░ is the practical way ░░░░░░░░ government Democracy the profoundly ░░░░░░░░ is also the profoundly ░░░░░░░░ When you ve got ░░░░░░░░ the point when you ░░░░░░░░ celebrate the anniversaries of ░░░░░░░░ 39th birthday you can ░░░░░░░░ back sometimes review your ░░░░░░░░ and see it flowing ░░░░░░░░ you For me there ░░░░░░░░ a fork in the ░░░░░░░░ and it was right ░░░░░░░░ the middle of my ░░░░░░░░ I never meant to ░░░░░░░░ into politics It wasn ░░░░░░░░ my intention when I ░░░░░░░░ young But I was ░░░░░░░░ to believe you had ░░░░░░░░ pay your way for ░░░░░░░░ blessings bestowed on you ░░░░░░░░ was happy with my ░░░░░░░░ in the entertainment world ░░░░░░░░ I ultimately went into ░░░░░░░░ because I wanted to ░░░░░░░░ something precious Ours was ░░░░░░░░ first revolution in the ░░░░░░░░ of mankind that truly ░░░░░░░░ the course of government ░░░░░░░░ with three little words ░░░░░░░░ the People We the ░░░░░░░░ tell the government what ░░░░░░░░ do it doesn t ░░░░░░░░ us We the People ░░░░░░░░ the driver the government ░░░░░░░░ the car And we ░░░░░░░░ where it should go ░░░░░░░░ by what route and ░░░░░░░░ fast Almost all the ░░░░░░░░ s constitutions are documents ░░░░░░░░ which governments tell the ░░░░░░░░ what their privileges are ░░░░░░░░ Constitution is a document ░░░░░░░░ which We the People ░░░░░░░░ the government what it ░░░░░░░░ allowed to do We ░░░░░░░░ People are free This ░░░░░░░░ has been the underlying ░░░░░░░░ for everything I ve ░░░░░░░░ to do these past ░░░░░░░░ years But back in ░░░░░░░░ 1960 s when I ░░░░░░░░ it seemed to me ░░░░░░░░ we d begun reversing ░░░░░░░░ order of things that ░░░░░░░░ more and more rules ░░░░░░░░ regulations and confiscatory taxes ░░░░░░░░ government was taking more ░░░░░░░░ our money more of ░░░░░░░░ options and more of ░░░░░░░░ freedom I went into ░░░░░░░░ in part to put ░░░░░░░░ my hand and say ░░░░░░░░ I was a citizen ░░░░░░░░ and it seemed the ░░░░░░░░ thing for a citizen ░░░░░░░░ do I think we ░░░░░░░░ stopped a lot of ░░░░░░░░ needed stopping And I ░░░░░░░░ we have once again ░░░░░░░░ people that man is ░░░░░░░░ free unless government is ░░░░░░░░ There s a clear ░░░░░░░░ and effect here that ░░░░░░░░ as neat and predictable ░░░░░░░░ a law of physics ░░░░░░░░ government expands liberty contracts ░░░░░░░░ is less free than ░░░░░░░░ communism and yet we ░░░░░░░░ the past few years ░░░░░░░░ a satisfying new closeness ░░░░░░░░ the Soviet Union I ░░░░░░░░ been asked if this ░░░░░░░░ t a gamble and ░░░░░░░░ answer is no because ░░░░░░░░ re basing our actions ░░░░░░░░ on words but deeds ░░░░░░░░ detente of the 1970 ░░░░░░░░ was based not on ░░░░░░░░ but promises They d ░░░░░░░░ to treat their own ░░░░░░░░ and the people of ░░░░░░░░ world better But the ░░░░░░░░ was still the gulag ░░░░░░░░ the state was still ░░░░░░░░ and they still waged ░░░░░░░░ wars in Africa Asia ░░░░░░░░ Latin America Well this ░░░░░░░░ so far it s ░░░░░░░░ President Gorbachev has brought ░░░░░░░░ some internal democratic reforms ░░░░░░░░ begun the withdrawal from ░░░░░░░░ He has also freed ░░░░░░░░ whose names I ve ░░░░░░░░ him every time we ░░░░░░░░ met But life has ░░░░░░░░ way of reminding you ░░░░░░░░ big things through small ░░░░░░░░ Once during the heady ░░░░░░░░ of the Moscow summit ░░░░░░░░ and I decided to ░░░░░░░░ off from the entourage ░░░░░░░░ afternoon to visit the ░░░░░░░░ on Arbat Street that ░░░░░░░░ a little street just ░░░░░░░░ Moscow s main shopping ░░░░░░░░ Even though our visit ░░░░░░░░ a surprise every Russian ░░░░░░░░ immediately recognized us and ░░░░░░░░ out our names and ░░░░░░░░ for our hands We ░░░░░░░░ just about swept away ░░░░░░░░ the warmth You could ░░░░░░░░ feel the possibilities in ░░░░░░░░ that joy But within ░░░░░░░░ a KGB detail pushed ░░░░░░░░ way toward us and ░░░░░░░░ pushing and shoving the ░░░░░░░░ in the crowd It ░░░░░░░░ an interesting moment It ░░░░░░░░ me that while the ░░░░░░░░ on the street in ░░░░░░░░ Soviet Union yearns for ░░░░░░░░ the government is Communist ░░░░░░░░ those who run it ░░░░░░░░ Communists and that means ░░░░░░░░ and they view such ░░░░░░░░ as freedom and human ░░░░░░░░ very differently We must ░░░░░░░░ up our guard but ░░░░░░░░ must also continue to ░░░░░░░░ together to lessen and ░░░░░░░░ tension and mistrust My ░░░░░░░░ is that President Gorbachev ░░░░░░░░ different from previous Soviet ░░░░░░░░ I think he knows ░░░░░░░░ of the things wrong ░░░░░░░░ his society and is ░░░░░░░░ to fix them We ░░░░░░░░ him well And we ░░░░░░░░ continue to work to ░░░░░░░░ sure that the Soviet ░░░░░░░░ that eventually emerges from ░░░░░░░░ process is a less ░░░░░░░░ one What it all ░░░░░░░░ down to is this ░░░░░░░░ want the new closeness ░░░░░░░░ continue And it will ░░░░░░░░ long as we make ░░░░░░░░ clear that we will ░░░░░░░░ to act in a ░░░░░░░░ way as long as ░░░░░░░░ continue to act in ░░░░░░░░ helpful manner If and ░░░░░░░░ they don t at ░░░░░░░░ pull your punches If ░░░░░░░░ persist pull the plug ░░░░░░░░ s still trust but ░░░░░░░░ It s still play ░░░░░░░░ cut the cards It ░░░░░░░░ still watch closely And ░░░░░░░░ t be afraid to ░░░░░░░░ what you see I ░░░░░░░░ been asked if I ░░░░░░░░ any regrets Well I ░░░░░░░░ The deficit is one ░░░░░░░░ ve been talking a ░░░░░░░░ deal about that lately ░░░░░░░░ tonight isn t for ░░░░░░░░ and I m going ░░░░░░░░ hold my tongue But ░░░░░░░░ observation I ve had ░░░░░░░░ share of victories in ░░░░░░░░ Congress but what few ░░░░░░░░ noticed is that I ░░░░░░░░ won anything you didn ░░░░░░░░ win for me They ░░░░░░░░ saw my troops they ░░░░░░░░ saw Reagan s regiments ░░░░░░░░ American people You won ░░░░░░░░ battle with every call ░░░░░░░░ made and letter you ░░░░░░░░ demanding action Well action ░░░░░░░░ still needed If we ░░░░░░░░ to finish the job ░░░░░░░░ s regiments will have ░░░░░░░░ become the Bush brigades ░░░░░░░░ he ll be the ░░░░░░░░ and he ll need ░░░░░░░░ every bit as much ░░░░░░░░ I did Finally there ░░░░░░░░ a great tradition of ░░░░░░░░ in Presidential farewells and ░░░░░░░░ ve got one that ░░░░░░░░ been on my mind ░░░░░░░░ some time But oddly ░░░░░░░░ it starts with one ░░░░░░░░ the things I m ░░░░░░░░ of in the past ░░░░░░░░ years the resurgence of ░░░░░░░░ pride that I called ░░░░░░░░ new patriotism This national ░░░░░░░░ is good but it ░░░░░░░░ t count for much ░░░░░░░░ it won t last ░░░░░░░░ it s grounded in ░░░░░░░░ and knowledge An informed ░░░░░░░░ is what we want ░░░░░░░░ are we doing a ░░░░░░░░ enough job teaching our ░░░░░░░░ what America is and ░░░░░░░░ she represents in the ░░░░░░░░ history of the world ░░░░░░░░ of us who are ░░░░░░░░ 35 or so years ░░░░░░░░ age grew up in ░░░░░░░░ different America We were ░░░░░░░░ very directly what it ░░░░░░░░ to be an American ░░░░░░░░ we absorbed almost in ░░░░░░░░ air a love of ░░░░░░░░ and an appreciation of ░░░░░░░░ institutions If you didn ░░░░░░░░ get these things from ░░░░░░░░ family you got them ░░░░░░░░ the neighborhood from the ░░░░░░░░ down the street who ░░░░░░░░ in Korea or the ░░░░░░░░ who lost someone at ░░░░░░░░ Or you could get ░░░░░░░░ sense of patriotism from ░░░░░░░░ And if all else ░░░░░░░░ you could get a ░░░░░░░░ of patriotism from the ░░░░░░░░ culture The movies celebrated ░░░░░░░░ values and implicitly reinforced ░░░░░░░░ idea that America was ░░░░░░░░ TV was like that ░░░░░░░░ through the mid sixties ░░░░░░░░ now we re about ░░░░░░░░ enter the nineties and ░░░░░░░░ things have changed Younger ░░░░░░░░ aren t sure that ░░░░░░░░ unambivalent appreciation of America ░░░░░░░░ the right thing to ░░░░░░░░ modern children And as ░░░░░░░░ those who create the ░░░░░░░░ culture well grounded patriotism ░░░░░░░░ no longer the style ░░░░░░░░ spirit is back but ░░░░░░░░ haven t reinstitutionalized it ░░░░░░░░ ve got to do ░░░░░░░░ better job of getting ░░░░░░░░ that America is freedom ░░░░░░░░ of speech freedom of ░░░░░░░░ freedom of enterprise And ░░░░░░░░ is special and rare ░░░░░░░░ s fragile it needs ░░░░░░░░ protection So we ve ░░░░░░░░ to teach history based ░░░░░░░░ on what s in ░░░░░░░░ but what s important ░░░░░░░░ the Pilgrims came here ░░░░░░░░ Jimmy Doolittle was and ░░░░░░░░ those 30 seconds over ░░░░░░░░ meant You know 4 ░░░░░░░░ ago on the 40th ░░░░░░░░ of D day I ░░░░░░░░ a letter from a ░░░░░░░░ woman writing to her ░░░░░░░░ father who d fought ░░░░░░░░ Omaha Beach Her name ░░░░░░░░ Lisa Zanatta Henn and ░░░░░░░░ said we will always ░░░░░░░░ we will never forget ░░░░░░░░ the boys of Normandy ░░░░░░░░ Well let s help ░░░░░░░░ keep her word If ░░░░░░░░ forget what we did ░░░░░░░░ won t know who ░░░░░░░░ are I m warning ░░░░░░░░ an eradication of the ░░░░░░░░ memory that could result ░░░░░░░░ in an erosion of ░░░░░░░░ American spirit Let s ░░░░░░░░ with some basics more ░░░░░░░░ to American history and ░░░░░░░░ greater emphasis on civic ░░░░░░░░ And let me offer ░░░░░░░░ number one about America ░░░░░░░░ great change in America ░░░░░░░░ at the dinner table ░░░░░░░░ tomorrow night in the ░░░░░░░░ I hope the talking ░░░░░░░░ And children if your ░░░░░░░░ haven t been teaching ░░░░░░░░ what it means to ░░░░░░░░ an American let em ░░░░░░░░ and nail em on ░░░░░░░░ That would be a ░░░░░░░░ American thing to do ░░░░░░░░ that s about all ░░░░░░░░ have to say tonight ░░░░░░░░ for one thing The ░░░░░░░░ few days when I ░░░░░░░░ been at that window ░░░░░░░░ I ve thought a ░░░░░░░░ of the shining city ░░░░░░░░ a hill The phrase ░░░░░░░░ from John Winthrop who ░░░░░░░░ it to describe the ░░░░░░░░ he imagined What he ░░░░░░░░ was important because he ░░░░░░░░ an early Pilgrim an ░░░░░░░░ freedom man He journeyed ░░░░░░░░ on what today we ░░░░░░░░ call a little wooden ░░░░░░░░ and like the other ░░░░░░░░ he was looking for ░░░░░░░░ home that would be ░░░░░░░░ I ve spoken of ░░░░░░░░ shining city all my ░░░░░░░░ life but I don ░░░░░░░░ know if I ever ░░░░░░░░ communicated what I saw ░░░░░░░░ I said it But ░░░░░░░░ my mind it was ░░░░░░░░ tall proud city built ░░░░░░░░ rocks stronger than oceans ░░░░░░░░ swept God blessed and ░░░░░░░░ with people of all ░░░░░░░░ living in harmony and ░░░░░░░░ a city with free ░░░░░░░░ that hummed with commerce ░░░░░░░░ creativity And if there ░░░░░░░░ to be city walls ░░░░░░░░ walls had doors and ░░░░░░░░ doors were open to ░░░░░░░░ with the will and ░░░░░░░░ heart to get here ░░░░░░░░ s how I saw ░░░░░░░░ and see it still ░░░░░░░░ how stands the city ░░░░░░░░ this winter night More ░░░░░░░░ more secure and happier ░░░░░░░░ it was 8 years ░░░░░░░░ But more than that ░░░░░░░░ 200 years two centuries ░░░░░░░░ still stands strong and ░░░░░░░░ on the granite ridge ░░░░░░░░ her glow has held ░░░░░░░░ no matter what storm ░░░░░░░░ she s still a ░░░░░░░░ still a magnet for ░░░░░░░░ who must have freedom ░░░░░░░░ all the pilgrims from ░░░░░░░░ the lost places who ░░░░░░░░ hurtling through the darkness ░░░░░░░░ home We ve done ░░░░░░░░ part And as I ░░░░░░░░ off into the city ░░░░░░░░ a final word to ░░░░░░░░ men and women of ░░░░░░░░ Reagan revolution the men ░░░░░░░░ women across America who ░░░░░░░░ 8 years did the ░░░░░░░░ that brought America back ░░░░░░░░ friends We did it ░░░░░░░░ weren t just marking ░░░░░░░░ We made a difference ░░░░░░░░ made the city stronger ░░░░░░░░ made the city freer ░░░░░░░░ we left her in ░░░░░░░░ hands All in all ░░░░░░░░ bad not bad at ░░░░░░░░ And so goodbye God ░░░░░░░░ you and God bless ░░░░░░░░ United States of America.