I WANT to express my appreciation to all of you for your kind welcome, and also to take this occasion to express my great appreciation - and I think the appreciation of us all - to Senator Jackson who assumed the chairmanship of the Democratic Party at the Convention, who was greatly responsible for our success in November and has been an invaluable aid during the transition. Whatever has been done that is useful in the party in the last 5 or 6 months he has played a great part in it. And I feel that the party has served a most useful national purpose - and while Senator Jackson is obligated to serve the people of Washington in the Senate, I know that we can continue to count on him in the days to come for counsel and advice and support. So I hope we will all stand and give a good cheer to Scoop Jackson.
      Scoop automatically loses his share of the $4-million debt - we are not going to let him in on it. John Bailey has become the proprietor, along with Mac, of this enterprise. I think we are particularly fortunate to have John Bailey. I heard Governor Lawrence in his seconding speech say the trouble with everything is that they don't know enough of what is going on here in Washington; they ought to get out in the field. I agree with him completely. We have got a man from the field who knows what's wrong here in Washington, and I am delighted that John Bailey is going to take over this job. He is more popular today than he will be any time again in his life. I will feel that he is doing a good job when you all say, "Well, Kennedy is all right, but Bailey is the one who is really making the mistakes." That's the way it was in Connecticut. Ribicoff was never wrong, it was always Bailey's fault. So that is what he is going to do down here.
      But I am delighted that he is going to do it. It is a sacrifice for him. But I think we are getting the services of someone who works in the party year in and year out, understands what the party can do, understands what the role of the Chairman is - and I must say that I am delighted to see him assuming the position vacated by Senator Jackson.
     Lastly, I want to thank all of you for being with us at the inaugural. The party is not an end in itself - it is a means to an end. And you are the people who, in victory and defeat, have maintained the Democratic Party, maintained its traditions and will continue to do so in the future. I hope the relationship between all of us can continue to be as cordial as possible. I believe in strong political organizations in our country. The Republican Party is strong and vigorous today after the election of 1960. I think we are, also. And when we do that, I think we serve great national purposes.
     The party is the means by which programs can be put into action - the means by which people of talent can come to the service of the country. And in this great free society of ours, both of our parties - the Republican and the Democratic Parties serve the interests of the people. And I am hopeful that the Democratic Party will continue to do so in the days to come. It will be in the interest of us all, and I can assure you that I will cooperate in every way possible to make sure that we do serve the public interest.
     You have done so well in the past. We couldn't possibly have won without your help. I look forward to working with you in the future, and I want you to know that here in Washington, we may not know always what is going on as well as you do, but at least we are trying.
     Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 1.19 p.m. in the East Room at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. During his remarks he referred to Henry M. Jackson, U.S. Senator from the State of Washington and retiring chairman of the Democratic National Committee; John M. Bailey, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Democratic State Chairman for Massachusetts; Matthew McCloskey, Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee; Governor David L. Lawrence of Pennsylvania; and Abraham A. Ribicoff, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, and former Governor of Connecticut.