[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)] [November 2, 1992] [Pages 2137-2139] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]Remarks to the Briarcliff Father and Son Athletic Association in Glenolden, Pennsylvania November 2, 1992 Thank you very, very much. Thanks for coming out in the rain. And let me just say this: I am very grateful to all of you, grateful to Tom Judge. I want to salute Congressmen Curt Weldon and Larry Coughlin, Bob Walker, with us. You know, you see a lot of signs saying ``Clean House!'' People are tired of the Congress the way it is. So send Larry Hollin and send Craig Snyder to Washington. May I send a special vote of thanks to the Oak Ridge Boys and urge that we send Arlen Specter back to the United States Senate. And let me thank so many people who are working hard to guarantee a Republican victory throughout Pennsylvania. You know, Governor Clinton has gotten a little premature. He's talking about his inaugural parade. My advice to him is: Put the parade on hold, Bill; you're not going to win this election. Tomorrow, you see, it's not the pollsters, and it's not the national press, it is the people that decide these elections. That's what we're going to show them tomorrow. The reason we're going to win is this: Because the choice the American people have is about a difference in experience, a difference in philosophy, and yes, a difference in character. Character matters. Parents are going to say, ``Who do I trust our kids with?'' And I believe the answer is George Bush. You know, Governor Clinton made a scary statement in one of the debates. He said, ``I want to do for this country what [[Page 2138]] I've done for Arkansas.'' No way! We can't let that happen. They are near the bottom in education, on the environment, on the economy. We cannot let that happen to the United States of America. You've heard all this time about how things are not going. We are improving. The economy moved at 2.7. And the last thing we need is to go back to tax and spend the way the Democrats want to do it. Bill Clinton offers an economic disaster for this country. You know, in this campaign he said, ``I am a different kind of Democrat, especially on the economy.'' He says he doesn't want middle class tax cuts, he wants investment. But the American people, before they go to the polls, as you hear Governor Clinton talk about investment, ought to listen to this. Here's what he said in Newsweek magazine: ``There is a lot of evidence that you can sell people on tax increases if they think it's an investment.'' Those were his words, and that means he is out to tax the American people. Let's not let him do that. Governor Clinton says he is a candidate of change. You remember that last time we had a Democrat in the White House and this Congress controlled by the Democrats. You had interest rates at 21 percent. We had inflation at 15 percent. You had the ``misery index'' at 20. And we simply cannot go back to those days. Let's move this forward with less taxes and less spending. The way to do that is to stimulate small business. Give them a tax break for investment taxes. Give them a tax break for that first-time homebuyer to let that homebuyer live in the American dream. Let's do something about these crazy lawsuits that are killing this country. We've got the best agenda for education. You see, I think it's about time we let the parents choose, whether public, private, or religious schools, and give them a chance. Governor Clinton wants, like all these guys, to expand American Government. I want to expand the American dream. But let me tell you here, let me tell you what it really is all about. When you go into that booth, the reason we're going to win is it boils down to character and to trust. You know, Horace Greeley said, ``Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wing; only character endures.'' I think that is especially true as the President of the United States of America. If you make a mistake, tell the truth about it. But you cannot be on all sides of every issue. You can't do that. You cannot lie to the American people. Here's a man, Governor Clinton, whose own hometown newspaper says he's a politician utterly without principle, a guy whose supporters gave him that name ``Slick.'' We didn't invent that. It came out of the Democratic primary, out of Arkansas. I say ``slippery when wet,'' a little different but the same thing. But the pattern of deception is what is troubling the American people. They see it on term limits. They see it on North American free trade agreement. They see it on taxes. They see it on these environmental standards. I think we ought to think about the working man and the working woman and have good environment without going to the extreme like the Ozone Man wants. We've got it. Somebody better think of the families that are working for a living, and we're doing both, a good sound environmental record but not the extreme that's going to throw more Americans out of work. But you know, being on all sides of the issue, listen to this one about the Gulf war. Here's what he said, when Bob Walker and these other Congressmen here, Curt Weldon and Larry, were standing up and doing what's right, here's what Governor Clinton said. He said, ``I agree with the arguments the minority made, 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? You know there was a statement out of Baghdad the other day, said that Saddam Hussein was planning a big rally when Governor Clinton won. Well, Saddam ought to put it on hold. And today he backed away. He's probably listening to the national media, who see us moving now. And here's my point: Saddam Hussein is not going to rejoice, because we're going to win the election and we're going to make him live up to those international resolutions and [[Page 2139]] help the people over there. So what it boils down to is this, it boils down to character and trust. I ask you to just imagine reading about an upheaval now. We brought peace to the world and way and tremendous quantities. These young people here, even these characters, they go to bed at night without the same fear of nuclear war. That's something big. That is something important for the world, for mankind. But the world is not without threat. Imagine in a dangerous situation--the question is if a crisis arises, at home or abroad, who do you want to solve the crisis? Who do you want to do it? You cannot do it with a leader that has a pattern of deception. You cannot do it with a leader who went to a foreign country and demonstrated against his own country when his people were at war. Look, a lot of people disagreed on the war, but not many of them went to a foreign land and organized a demonstration when kids were being drafted out of the ghetto and Americans were held prisoner in Hanoi. I don't like that. I think that was wrong. So in the final analysis, what it boils down to is who has the experience and who has the character to lead the greatest, freest country on the face of the Earth. I'll give you another reason to reelect me. I think we've got a great First Lady in Barbara Bush, I'll tell you. When she holds those AIDS babies in her arms or when she reads to those children or when she lifts up these families, she's saying family values do matter. Don't let the liberals and the media tell you they don't. They do matter. God bless the American families. I see these signs saying here, ``Annoy the Media. Reelect Bush.'' Well, let me tell you something. We are going to show the pundits and the pollsters that they are wrong. We are going to win this election. So now it doesn't matter what they are telling us we think. Now it's up to what the American people think. We are going to pull off one of the biggest surprises in political history. Discard the pundits; discard the pollsters; discard the rhetoric out of Governor Clinton. Vote for me, and we will lead this country to new heights. Thank you, and God bless you. Thank you and bless you all. Note: The President spoke at 11:06 a.m. at the association. In his remarks, he referred to Tom Judge, chairman, Delaware County Republican Party, and entertainers the Oak Ridge Boys.