[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[February 6, 2002]
[Pages 184-187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Reception for Governor George E. Pataki of New York in New York City
February 6, 2002

    The President. Thank you very much. Gosh, thanks for the warm 
welcome. It's great to be back in New York City. It's the home of such 
courage and strength and resolve. It's shown the world and the country 
what it means to be a community that refuses--refuses--to back down in 
the face of evil and terror. I'm proud to be the President of a country 
where we've got such a fabulous city called New York City.
    I want to thank the party chairman for 
his hard work. I want to thank the Lieutenant Governor for being here. She certainly brightens up the stage. 
[Laughter] She's smarter than all of us, too. [Laughter]
    I want to thank the mayor. I 
appreciate the mayor taking on the awesome responsibility of being the 
mayor of this huge city. He could have easily have just continued to run 
his successful business and said, ``What the heck, I'm not interested in 
serving.'' But he made a personal sacrifice for the good of the people. 
And the city is going through tough times, but you made

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the right decision to have a man who knows how to lead to be your mayor.
    And I look forward to working with the mayor. George is right; we're going to work hard to make 
sure that New York City gets the help she needs. And it's comforting to 
me to be able to tell the spenders up in Congress that when we send the 
money here, it's going to be well managed by Mayor Bloomberg.
    And I want to thank you all for coming to support my good, close 
friend George Pataki. He has done a--[applause]. If for no other reason 
you ought to send him back, it's because, like me, he married well. 
[Laughter] But he's got a fabulous record. He has been a breath of fresh 
air here in New York State. He's done in office what he said he would 
do. He's a plain speaker and just goes out and does it.
    Audience members. Like you! [Laughter]
    The President. He's one of these candidates who can actually run on 
his record and be proud of it. [Laughter] Some of them run away from 
their record. He's running on it. He's running on a great record.
    But there's another reason to send him back. As you know, we're in 
tough times here in America. As I said in my State of the Union, we're 
at war; we're in recession; but we've never been stronger. And one of 
the reasons we're strong is that this important State has got a leader 
who, in the face of danger, in the face of an emergency, stood strong 
and steady and was reliable. In tough times, what this State needs is 
somebody who you can count on, somebody who won't panic, somebody who 
won't play politics with the situation, somebody who knows how to lead. 
And that somebody is Governor George Pataki.
    He's got a good record. He's proven that he knows how to lead. And 
it also makes sense for New York State to have a Governor whose phone 
calls will be returned from the White House. [Laughter]
    We do have some tough times ahead of us. But you've got to know, 
I've never been more optimistic about the future than I am right now. 
I'm optimistic because I know what we need to do. And what we need to do 
is to make a clear statement and a stand for freedom--never relenting, 
never tiring, and pursuing a grand and noble objective, and that 
objective is to rid the world of terror.
    The enemy, in attacking New York City, made a terrible mistake. They 
must not understand what America's character is like. I like to say they 
must have been watching too much daytime TV. [Laughter] They--they 
miscalculated. They thought we were soft. They thought we were so 
materialistic and selfish that we couldn't think beyond ourselves, that 
we couldn't think in terms of a grand idea, that we wouldn't cherish 
freedom to the point where we would fight for it. And that 
miscalculation has been most notable with the Taliban Government in 
Afghanistan.
    I unleashed the mighty United States military on a clear objective. 
I said that not only would we find the killers and bring them to 
justice, but if you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, if you 
hide a terrorist, you're just as guilty as a terrorist.
    There's been some proud moments for this country, nothing more proud 
for me than to see our military liberate a people--liberate women and 
children from the clutches of one of the most barbaric regimes in the 
history of mankind. Not only are we fighting for justice, we're 
liberators. We free people so they can realize their potential. This 
great country is not only tough and resolved, but we stand on principle. 
And freedom is our principle. We love freedom at the core. And we will 
not relent--we won't relent in our quest to not only make the world more 
free but to make the world more peaceful.
    I want you to know I'm a patient man. I don't feel any great anxiety 
toward achieving objectives on the moment. And therefore, those who 
think they can hide can't hide long enough. Those who think they

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can run can't run far enough. We are deliberate. We are patient. But 
make no mistake about it, we will deliver justice.
    The country is united, and for that I am really grateful. I 
appreciate the support of members of both political parties in 
Washington, DC, for this most important cause, this most important 
campaign. History has called us into action, and we'll respond. It's our 
chance to leave a better world.
    And so I want to tell you that the first theater on the war against 
terror is going well. But there will be other theaters. So long as the 
enemy wants to harm us, so long as people believe they can get away with 
terror, this Nation will lead our vast coalition with firm resolve, 
dedicated to a peaceful world.
    The other day I spoke very clearly about some choices countries get 
to make. I talked about an axis of evil because I firmly believe that 
nations need to be put on notice that this Nation will not allow our 
citizens to become threatened, not only by terrorist acts but by nations 
which develop weapons of mass destruction which could easily or 
eventually be used against us. We will not be intimidated. I will not 
allow nations to hold us hostage or our friends and allies hostage. 
Terror is our mission--[applause].
    And so, my fellow citizens, I appreciate our Nation's resolve and 
understanding and adherence to some important principle. I also want you 
to know that every morning I walk into the Oval Office and sit at this 
magnificent desk that had been used by the Roosevelts and by President 
Reagan--by the way, today is his 91st 
birthday--and other leaders and sit down there at the desk and read a 
threat assessment. It's a summary of the intent of the enemy. And you've 
got to know that there are still ambitions against us. But I also want 
to assure you, our great land is doing everything we possibly can to 
protect our American citizens.
    We're on alert. The law enforcement agency at the Federal level, the 
FBI, is now focused on prevention. We're running down every lead; we're 
seeking every opportunity to disrupt potential cells in America; we're 
working overtime. I'm proud of the way our law enforcement officials 
have responded. You need to know that we are doing--my most important 
job and the most important job of your Government is to protect the 
American people, and we will do so with all our vigor and all our might.
    As I said in my State of the Union, I stand in awe of the American 
people and in awe of the citizens of New York City. This great city 
refused, absolutely refused, to be intimidated. This city, it stood in 
defiance of evil. And America watched, and America was impressed, and so 
was your President. I've been impressed--[applause].
    I'm asked all the time by people, ``What can I do to help?'' You 
see, as you probably can tell, I don't see many shades of gray in this 
world. Either you're with us, or you're against us. Either you support 
evil, or you support good. This great Nation stands on the side of good. 
And for those who want to help, you can do so by acts of kindness. You 
can do so by showing compassion to your neighbor.
    And it doesn't require much. Walking across the street to a shut-in 
to say, ``I care for you; I hope you're okay,'' is an act of kindness 
that will stand in the face of evil. Mentoring a child who can't read is 
an act of kindness which stands in the face of evil. Saying to a child 
whose parent is in prison, ``America belongs to you just as much as it 
does to me,'' is an act of kindness in the face of evil. The gathering 
momentum of a million acts of kindness and compassion is how America can 
stand strong in the face of evil. And make no mistake about it, that is 
how America is responding.
    I believe out of this great evil will come great good. I believe the 
world will be more peaceful when we accomplish our

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mission. And I know our country is beginning to make different kinds of 
choices. The old culture said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead and do 
it.'' Now we've learned a new ethic, and it had to do with Flight 93. 
When people on that airplane said a prayer, told their wives they loved 
them, and drove the plane in the ground to save others' lives, we're 
beginning to get a sense of sacrifice.
    We saw it here in New York City, where firefighters and policemen 
rushed into buildings to save others. This Nation is in the process, I 
believe, of ushering in a period where we said, ``Each of us are 
responsible for the decisions we make in life.'' We're responsible for 
loving a neighbor like we'd like to be loved ourselves. We're 
responsible for loving our children. We're responsible for the 
communities in which we live.
    No, they hit us, and they're going to pay a terrible price. But as a 
result, our Nation will be stronger and more compassionate and more 
decent. It will hold more promise for people who are lucky enough to 
call themselves Americans.
    I love being the President of a nation whose strength is not its 
Government, whose strength is the American people. I'm proud to be here.
    May God bless you all, and may God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 6:40 p.m. in the Imperial Ballroom at the 
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers. In his remarks, he referred to Sandy 
Treadwell, chairman, New York Republican State Committee; Lt. Gov. Mary 
O. Donohue of New York; and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City.