US Presidency
1987

You know they're Americans because their spirit is as big as the universe and their hearts are bigger than their spirits. We the people, starting the third century of a dream and standing up to some cynic who's trying to tell us we're not going to get any better. Are we at the end? Well, I can't tell it any better than the real thing, a story recorded by James Madison from the final moments of the Constitutional Convention, September 17th, 1787. As the last few members signed the document, Benjamin Franklin, the oldest delegate at 81 years and in frail health, looked over toward the chair where George Washington daily presided. At the back of the chair was painted the picture of a Sun on the horizon. And turning to those sitting next to him, Franklin observed that artists found it difficult in their painting to distinguish between a rising and a setting Sun. Well, I know if we were there, we could see those delegates sitting around Franklin-leaning in to listen more closely to him. And then Dr.