[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[October 31, 1992]
[Pages 2118-2122]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Concluding a Whistlestop Tour in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
October 31, 1992

    The President. Thank you very much. What a great rally. Thank you 
very much, Governor. Thank you, thank you very, very much. May I say at 
the beginning of these brief remarks that I am very, very grateful to 
your Governor, to my friend Tommy Thompson. You couldn't have a better 
guy helping you win this State. I want to salute--you know, everywhere 
we go we see ``Clean House!'' What we need to do is have more 
Congressmen like Steve Gunderson there to get the job done. I support 
him. And then Wisconsin has a major national objective this year, and 
that is to reelect your great Senator Bob Kasten for another 6 years, 6 
more.
    I want to thank all of those who made this spectacular rally at the 
end of a long day in this State of Wisconsin such a tremendous success. 
It is great for the morale. It convinces me we'll win Wisconsin. It 
convinces me we will win the election. I'll tell you something. I've got 
a little less voice but a lot more heart after this crowd, I'll tell 
you.
    Here's what it boils down to between Governor Clinton and me: the 
vast difference in experience, a vast difference in philosophy, a vast 
difference in character. And in all three of those, I ask for your vote.
    You know, for years, for years, I mean, make this months--
[laughter]--Governor

[[Page 2119]]

Clinton has been going around the country knocking us and saying 
everything bad not only about me, but he says that we are a nation 
somewhere less than Germany and a little bit more than Sri Lanka. He 
ought to open his eyes. We are the greatest, best nation on the face of 
the Earth.
    But while he's knocking our record, I think it's only appropriate to 
take a quick look at his. Here it is for Arkansas: 50th--I think of 
Wisconsin as an environmental State--Arkansas, 50th in environmental 
initiatives; 50th in the percentage of adults with a college degree; and 
you go on and on and on. Unfortunately, the people of Arkansas deserve 
better. But here's the problem. Governor Clinton said, ``I want to do 
for the United States what I've done for Arkansas.'' No way! No way! 
Happy Halloween. We don't need that for the United States of America.
    By the way, if a couple of yuppies dressed as moderates come to your 
door, bags in hand, give them some candy, but watch your wallet. They're 
coming after you, Governor Taxes and the Ozone Man. Don't let them in. 
It's a trick, not a treat.
    No, Governor Clinton goes all around the country talking about 
change. He says he is the candidate of change. That's outrageous. I'll 
tell you the kind of change we'd get if we'd elected him: the same as we 
got when we had a Democrat in the White House and the liberal Democrats 
controlling Congress. We would have inflation--remember how it was in 
1980--inflation at 15, interest rates at 21, the ``misery index'' at 20. 
And change is all you'd have left in your pocket. We cannot go back. And 
we're not going to.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Governor Clinton--they say they don't want a tax, but 
why is he dressed up as Fred Flintstone? He wants to tax America back to 
the Stone Age, and we're not going to let him do it. He has already 
proposed $150 billion in new taxes and $220 billion in new spending, a 
lot more Government programs. The answer is not that. It is to hold the 
line on taxes, hold the line on spending, and give the taxpayer a break 
for a change.
    The only way that Governor Clinton and Ozone can win, the only way 
they can win it, is if they convince America that everything is wrong 
with our economy. And yes, a lot of people are hurting. But let me tell 
you something: All around the world our economy, in spite of its 
slowness, is the envy of the world. We grew at 2.7 percent in the last 
quarter. And we're going to keep on leading until every American that 
wants a job gets a job. But we are not going to tax and spend to do it.
    Our agenda for America's renewal has a good plan. It's a great plan 
on long-term issues. The answer to lead us out of this is to open new 
markets abroad. We'd have the best workers, the most productivity of any 
country. We are going to open new markets abroad by free and fair trade, 
and then goods marked ``Made in the United States'' will have more 
opportunities around the world, and workers in this country will have 
more jobs.
    Our agricultural economy, thank heavens, is not doing too bad at 
all. Incomes are at a record high since I've been President. Exports 
have saved our Nation. One out of every three acres, one way or another, 
ends up going to foreign markets. We've done well with ethanol, and the 
other day I made a waiver so that we can use ethanol hopefully around 
the clock. Governor Clinton's campaign, oh, well, they had great 
problems with this because Ozone Man didn't like it. But let me tell you 
something. If I have to come down on an environmental extreme or the 
side of the American farmer, put me on the side of the farmer. We have a 
good record. This is a good, sound environmental State, and we've got a 
good, strong record. But you've got to think of the working man and the 
working woman and the family. We have found the balance between growth 
and sound environment, and we must not go to the extreme.
    You heard Governor Clinton in the debates talking about Government 
investing. Government doesn't invest. Small business invests. 
Individuals invest. Small business creates two-thirds of the jobs in 
this country. So how about this for a plan: less regulation, less taxes, 
and fewer lawsuits. Let's get business going again.
    The trial lawyers do not want to put caps

[[Page 2120]]

on these liability claims, and it is a crime. It is absolutely wrong 
when an American passes another by on the highway for fear he's going to 
get sued if you reach out a helping hand, or when a Little League coach 
doesn't dare coach, or when a doctor doesn't deliver a baby because of a 
malpractice suit. We've got to sue each other less and care for each 
other more.
    We have the best plan for health care. A new Congress is coming in. 
The old one has screwed up a tiny little bank and a tiny little post 
office, so a lot of those bozos are going to be gone. Excuse the 
expression. No, no, I shouldn't say that. I apologize. A lot of these 
old fogies are going to be out of there, put it that way. We've got the 
best health care plan. What it says is provide vouchers to the poorest 
of the poor so they'll have health insurance; give the next bracket in 
income a little break on the taxes; go after the malpractice suit; pool 
insurance so you bring the cost down. But do not do what Governor 
Clinton wants and get the Government further involved, because that 
means less quality of health care.
    In education, Governor Clinton wants to think the same old way, same 
old bureaucratic way. We've got a good program, America 2000. It 
literally revolutionizes American education. It puts the power not in 
the head of the teachers union but in the head of the teachers and the 
families and the parents, and that's where it belongs. One thing we're 
going to do is provide--like it's working in Milwaukee--provide school 
choice so the parent can decide private, public, or religious schools. 
We've done well. One out of every two college students has financial 
aid; Pell grants are up. And we are going to keep fighting until every 
student has a share of the American dream by a good education.
    Another thing we've got to do, and Governor Thompson is in the lead 
on this one, we've got to have national welfare reform. Your State has 
led the way, thanks to Tommy Thompson. We've got to break this cycle of 
welfare. We need more jobfare, more learningfare, and less dependency. 
We need to get those deadbeat dads to pay up. We need to let kids save a 
little more money so their parents aren't thrown off of welfare. But 
we've got to put incentive into the system. And I am proud that we have 
led with Wisconsin on doing that for the Nation.
    Let me be clear on another difference. Make no doubt about it, I 
support the men and women of the law enforcement community who are 
risking their lives for us every single day. And I want to back them up 
with strong anticrime legislation. Let's have a little more legislation 
that's concerned about the victims of crime with a little less concern 
for the criminal. And I might say I am very proud that I was endorsed 
for President by the Fraternal Order of Police in Little Rock, Arkansas. 
How do you like that?
    I see these wonderful kids here, and I'm going to redouble my 
efforts to do something about this deficit. And here's what we're going 
to fight for with a new Congress: no more gridlock. There'll be 100 to 
150 new Members of Congress, and here's what we're going to get them to 
do: a balanced budget amendment. A taxpayer check-off so every one of 
you can have some say in it. You check 10 percent of your income taxes 
if you want to and have them applied to one thing, bringing down the 
Federal deficit. And Congress all have to cut accordingly. And then I 
will ask the new Congress to give me what 43 Governors have. They send 
all this pork-laden legislation. Give me that line-item veto. If they 
can't do it, give me a shot at it.
    A President's term is limited. Why not limit the term for Members of 
Congress and give the Congress back to the people?
    Slight cold. Well, now let's talk about what's going to decide this 
election. We've got the best policies. We've got the best programs. But 
there's a couple of other ingredients, and they are called character and 
trust. And I believe we have to lead there. Governor Clinton about a 
week ago called me a liar, but that's all right. Being attacked by 
Governor Clinton on character is like being called ugly by a frog. I 
don't worry about it. I don't worry about it one single bit.
    I'll tell you, though, in all seriousness, what bothers me. I found 
out something about being President. You make a mistake, you look the 
American people in the eye

[[Page 2121]]

and say, look, I messed that one up. I blew it. Now, let's get on with 
the people's business. But I also found out this: You cannot be all 
things to all people. You can't be on every side of every issue. You've 
got to stand for something. And you cannot lead the American people by 
misleading the people.
    Now, let me give you a few examples of flip-flops. One day he's for 
the free trade agreement. Then he goes to the labor union leaders in 
Washington, he's got a few reservations. In the debate the other night, 
everybody had to say what they were for. He said, ``Well, I am for it, 
but''--then he started to hedge. You cannot have ``buts'' in the Oval 
Office. You've got to say yes or no. In one part of the country he's for 
the right-to-work laws. In another he goes up to Michigan, and he says 
he's opposed to them. One part of the country he says, well, maybe term 
limits are okay. Then again he says, well, on the other hand, maybe 
they're not. Flip-flop, flip-flop. You cannot do that if you want to be 
President of the United States.
    Let me remind you about the Persian Gulf. I had to lead. I had to 
bring along a reluctant Congress. I had to stand up to the media who 
said, ``Oh, George Bush is inarticulate. He can't defend his policies. 
He can't lead.'' I did it. And I brought along the entire world. We had 
to make a very difficult decision. And at the time I made the Congress 
stand up and vote, here's what Governor Clinton said. He said, ``I agree 
with the arguments made by the minority, but I guess I would have voted 
with the majority.'' What kind of leadership is that for the Commander 
in Chief of the Armed Forces?
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. And did you read the dispatch out of Baghdad today? 
Has anybody seen it? I'll paraphrase it. Tonight, Saddam Hussein's 
government plans to have a rally for 500,000 people in downtown Baghdad 
if I lose the election. Well, they can put that party on hold, because 
I'm not going to lose it.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Character and trust. Character and trust. And you 
know, we've done a lot. I am proud to have been a part of this part of 
history so every kid here tonight can say, we go to bed at night without 
the same fear of nuclear war that our parents had. Ancient enemies are 
talking peace in the Middle East, and democracy is on the move in 
Eastern Europe and in Russia and south of our border. It's democracy and 
freedom are the order of the day. And our foreign policy helped bring 
this about. And as a result we've been able to reduce defense spending. 
But let me tell you something. The world is still a dangerous place. We 
must keep our national security up, and we must not cut into the muscle 
of our defense. But the times call for a leader who has been tested and 
who has been experienced by the realities of war and peace.
    It is a strange year. I don't believe I've ever seen a stranger year 
in politics. How would you like to be a talking head on a Washington TV 
show the day after the election? They are going to be wrong, every 
single one of them. Annoy the Media. Reelect Bush. I've never seen 
anything like it. Have you ever seen these talk shows at night going on 
asking themselves, ``Have we been fair to the President?'' I've never 
seen that before in my life. They know the answer. They don't have to 
have a show about it. And we're going to show them on November 3d.
    But you know, last night, it got a little odd last night, a little 
strange. A voter in Michigan called in--I think it was a call-in show--
and Governor Clinton told him that he planned now to be playing his 
saxophone in the White House and that he's already planning his 
inauguration parade. Not so fast there, Bill. Not so fast. He's been 
declared the prohibitive favorite by the talking heads. Yesterday he 
said he was the underdog. And today he's got his saxophone warming up to 
play in the Oval Office. Only Bill Clinton can change his mind that 
fast.
    But let me tell you--let me help him. I know he studied at Oxford, 
and I know when he studied in Oxford. But let me tell you something. He 
doesn't understand exactly how this system works. You see, it is the 
people that choose the leaders, not the pollsters and not some kind of 
campaign rhetoric.

[[Page 2122]]

    These pundits, I feel like Harry Truman does about these pundits. 
And let me be clear: I'm not talking about these guys with the cameras 
here tonight. People take it out on them. These are the good guys. We've 
granted them amnesty until November 4th, and we're all for them. But I'm 
talking about these deadly talking heads that come on these Sunday 
television--some Republicans, I'm embarrassed to say, and a heck of a 
lot of Democrats and a lot of others that make you think that they're 
sent down from heaven. But let me tell you something. I am not giving 
them hell, I'm doing like Harry Truman says: I tell the truth, and they 
think it's hell. [Laughter] But they are not going to decide this 
election. The decision is going to be made on who's got the best program 
to lift this country up, move us out of what has been a global 
recession, and lead us to new prosperity for the young people here 
today.
    And it's also going to be this: People realize that though the world 
is more peaceful, it is not totally free and safe. There's going to be a 
crisis. Someday, sure enough, there will be a crisis. I have found out 
the hard way that you have to make the decision. And I have tried to 
keep the trust that you have placed in me as President of the United 
States.
    Let me tell you what it was like. Barbara and I sat up there at Camp 
David, or attended church a day or two before we had to make this 
decision, before I made this decision on sending your sons and your 
daughters to Kuwait. And it is not easy. It is not an easy decision. 
I'll be very candid with you. We went to church there, a little chapel, 
and prayed that we do the right thing, that I make the right call, that 
I make the right decision. And we did that, and we liberated a tiny 
little land. And in the process we elevated the United States to the 
most respected leadership role in the entire world.
    So I hope I have earned your trust. And so when the American people 
go into that voting booth on November 3d, I am going to look them in the 
eye and look at each one of you here in the eye, and I say this: I ask 
for your support for 4 more years based on trust and character and the 
ability to lead this, the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.
    May God bless the United States. Thank you for a fantastic rally. It 
is unbelievable. Thank you. Thank you all.

                    Note: The President spoke at 8:50 p.m. on the 
                        observation deck of the Spirit of America train.