The President: Well, thank you 
very much. I just want to say
this is a very exciting 
day for our country.
We have been at this long and hard 
for three and a half years.
I want to thank Elon for -- 
who's has been a friend of mine
for a long time. Somebody 
I have great respect for.
But this is 24/7 for you.
You're always thinking 
about this.
You're thinking about 
other things, too.
You have plenty to think about. 
But this has been your baby.
Elon Musk: This is the 
top focus by far.
The President: This is 
the toughest one.
Elon Musk: In fact, that I told 
my team it's not simply the
top priority. It is the 
only priority.
The President: That's great. 
That's great. Well, it looks
beautiful. We won't say 
congratulations because we have a
long way to go. But it 
looks looks magnificent.
And I just want to thank 
everybody in the room.
Jim, you took it over 
from its infancy.
And I was saying before they 
had grass growing in the runways
between the cracks and now we 
have the best -- the best of
the best. And I want to 
thank again Vice President
Mike Pence. He's 
worked so hard.
It's been a labor of love. 
And great job, really
a great job. I want to thank 
everybody down here.
And this is something the First 
Lady and I look very
much forward to seeing.
And in a short while, that's 
going to be a lift off.
It looks like we're probably 
going to make it weather wise.
Jim, is that right?
Male Speaker: We are a go for 
launch right now.
The President: That sounds 
very exciting. So I hope you all
enjoy it. Thank you 
very much.
Thank you for being here.
Jim, would you like say 
something?
Male Speaker: I would love that, 
sir. I want to be.
I want to be really clear about 
the transformation that has
happened right here at the 
Kennedy Space Center.
And I say this because I know 
Bob Cabana has been the
director of this center for, 
what, nine,.
Male Speaker: Twelve years
Male Speaker: Twelve years.
There was a time in our country, 
Mr. President,
about nine years ago when the 
space shuttles were retired
access to space with humans.
We have not had any access.
And this this area of the 
country was absolutely
devastated. And it was it 
was at a time when
we also canceled the moon program 
and we had a great moon
program that was underway.
But because of the hard work of 
Bob Cabana throughout those
times, and now we've got 
great support
from the administration.
NASA's budgets in nominal 
dollars are as high as they've
ever been.
We're bringing America back as 
it relates to human
spaceflight. As you said, sir, 
there was a day when there was
grass growing out of the runways.
But but now we not only have
the policy directive from the 
administration,
we also have the budgets to 
match that policy
directive to put America 
preeminent in space.
Appointing the Vice President 
to chair the National Space
Council was a brilliant move 
that has put us
in a position for success.
And so, we're hitting on all 
cylinders right now.
I want to be clear, today is a 
big day for the nation
and Elon we're grateful 
for for your labor
of love that goes back a 
long time as well.
So, America needs to be 
we need to lead
the world, sir. And you put us 
in a position to do that.
And we're grateful. 
Thank you very much.
