Remarks at the 1992 Republican National Committee - Aug. 19, 1992

Thank you. Thank you.

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Thank you very much. You're wonderful. Thank you. And thank you Gerald McRaney. If only Murphy Brown could meet Major Dad -- what a story.

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Much has been said lately about the need in this country for a new generation of leadership; that the moment has come for a couple of baby boomers to take the helm of this great and complex nation; that the time has come for generational change. Well, Dan and I are members of the baby boom generation, too. And yet our basic understanding of what constitutes good government and a good society is very different from that of the boomers who lead the other party.

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We are all shaped by the times in which we live. I came of age in a time of turbulent social change. Some of it was good, such as civil rights -- much of it was questionable. But remember, not everyone joined the counterculture, not everyone demonstrated, dropped out, took drugs, joined in the sexual revolution or dodged the draft.

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Not everyone concluded that American society was so bad that it had to be radically remade by social revolution. Not everyone believed that the family was so oppressive that women could only thrive apart from it. The majority of my generation lived by the credo our parents taught us. We believed in God, in hard work and personal discipline, in our nation's essential goodness, and in the opportunity it promised those willing to work for it. And so most of us went to school, to church and to work. We married and started families. We had a stake in the future, and though we knew some changes needed to be made, we did not believe in destroying America to save it.

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For women, there were choices and challenges. Like many of you, I chose to have a career. I became a lawyer. Believe me, having a profession is not incompatible with being a good mother or a good wife.

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But it isn't easy. Women's lives are different from men's lives. We make different trade-offs. We make different sacrifices. And we get different rewards. Helping my children as they grow into good and loving teenagers is a daily source of joy for me. There aren't many women who would have it any other way.

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Because my husband went from the publishing business into politics, I chose to leave my law practice and join his campaigns. Our marriage is a partnership, and for me it was a reasonable decision, it wasn't caving in.

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In our generation, women have carved out a new public life. And frankly, nothing offends me more than attempts to paint Republicans as looking to turn the clock back for women.

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When Dan married me, he married a budding lawyer. He wanted a partner -- and he has one.

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Political liberals hold no monopoly on respecting women's abilities.

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But there are differences. I sometimes think that the liberals are always so angry, because they believed the grandiose promises of the liberation movements. They're disappointed because most women do not wish to be liberated from their essential natures as women.

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Most of us love being mothers and wives, which gives our lives a richness that few men or women get from professional accomplishment alone.

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Nor has it made for a better society to liberate men from their obligations as husbands or fathers.

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Our generation's social revolution taught us that family life needs protection. Our laws, policies and society as a whole must support our families. As we have matured and assumed the responsibilities of parenthood and community leadership, most of my generation has recognized that our parents were wise in ways we did not appreciate. We learned that commitment, marriage and fidelity are not just arbitrary arrangements. Our generation has benefited as no other from the opportunities that America provides. So, now is not the time to turn away from the values that brought us here.

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When it comes to rebuilding our families, our communities, the fabric of our society, our goals must be to go back to the future. A future full of promise for all Americans because that future is built on a foundation of proven values of the past -- responsibility, integrity, industry, morality, and respect for others.

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Because leadership has everything to do with character and an unwavering commitment to principle, Dan and I have been deeply honored to serve these four years with President and Mrs. Bush.

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America loves Barbara Bush --

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-- because she exemplifies our ideal of a strong and generous woman, dedicated to her husband, her children and her nation. She is a model for all generations -- a woman I am proud to call a friend, and our nation is proud to call First Lady.

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Our President is a leader for all generations. He is a man of principle, integrity and wisdom. With Dan Quayle at his side, our President will continue to steer a steady course for this nation and will lead this world to a brighter tomorrow.

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And with your help, we will have that four more years. Thank you and God Bless America.

Speech from https://www.c-span.org/video/?31358-1/republican-national-convention-address.