Cincinnati, Ohio

How many of you patriots here tonight fought in the Second World War? Most of you, I see.

And how many of you here knew someone, a brother, a cousin, a friend, a classmate, a neighbor, who lost his life fighting in the Pacific? Raise your hands, please. Yes, I thought so. Many of you.

As you know, I fought in that little police action they call Viet Nam. So I also know what it's like to have friends and relatives who died in combat.

But what I can't imagine is what it's like for you, knowing Tom and Ed and Pete and the others who gave their lives, and looking at the world we live in now. Because we won World War II, right? The United States won the war, didn't we?

Well, you sure could fool me. Because winning's supposed to be good for your country. And the bad guys, the losers, they're supposed to get the short end of the stick.

Isn't that true, or did I get that wrong, back in Mrs. Miller's history class in Alma, Michigan? I don't think so. Mrs. Miller knew her history pretty well, and she made sure we learned it well too.