    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [November 2, 2002]
    [Pages 1969-1975]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Blountville, Tennessee
    November 2, 2002

        Thank you all. Thanks for coming. I'm honored to be here in East
    Tennessee. I've got a fond spot in my heart for Tennessee, if you know
    what I mean. I've got a good feeling about the people in this State, and
    I want to thank you for coming this morning. I'm--your Congressman, Bill
    Jenkins, is doing a fine job, by the way.
    He said, ``You know, it's time to quit sermonizing, and it's time to
    pass the plate.'' [Laughter] I think what he meant was, it's close to
    voting time, and it's time for you all to go out and vote for the next
    Governor of Tennessee, Van Hilleary.
        See, we have a duty in this country to support our freedoms. And one
    of the ways we support freedom is to vote. We have an obligation as
    American citizens to vote. So as we're approaching election day, I'm
    traveling the country, reminding Republicans and Democrats and people
    who don't give a hoot about politics to do their duty and go to the
    polls. But I've got some suggestions once they get in the box.
    [Laughter]
        For the good of Tennessee, for the good of the taxpayers of
    Tennessee, for the good of the schoolchildren in Tennessee, vote Van
    Hilleary as your Governor. And for the sake of
    making sure the United States Senate and its important seat stays in the
    hands of a good, honest, capable Senator, vote for Lamar
    Alexander.
        I appreciate Meredith Hilleary working
    so hard with her husband. She's going to be a
    great first lady on behalf of the people of Tennessee. I'm pretty good
    about understanding great First Ladies. The American people are
    beginning to see why I asked Laura to marry me.
    She's calm and steady under fire. She's got great, great vision about
    making sure every child gets educated. She's got a wonderful heart. A
    lot of people are wondering why she said yes. [Laughter] But she sends
    her best to the Hillearys and the
    Alexanders and the good people of Tennessee.
    She's doing a fabulous job as our First Lady, and I'm really proud of
    her.
        I'm proud to be up here with two fine United States Senators. First,
    we're going to miss Fred Thompson. He's been a
    good friend, solid Senator. But we're not going to miss him nearly half
    enough when--half

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    as much when Lamar Alexander takes his
    place. I know you join me in sending our best to Fred and expressing our
    deep appreciation for his great service to the country.
        And you sent another good one up there, too, and that's
    Frist. He's a good man, a good, solid citizen.
    Both of these men are allies. Both of them are doing a great job for all
    the people of Tennessee. Bill Jenkins is
    doing a great job for this congressional district, too. He's a reliable
    voice who cares deeply about the people of East Tennessee. You ought to
    be proud of his service to you as well.
        I want to thank all the grassroots activists who are here. I want to
    thank you for what you have done, and I want to thank you for what
    you're going to do, what you're going to do for candidates such as
    Janice Bowling, who's going to get elected in
    the congressional district right next door to here. I appreciate Janice.
    She's a strong voice. She's a solid soul. She'll make a great
    Congresswoman.
        I also want to thank my friend Darrell Waltrip. There he is. [Laughter] I've known him for quite a
    while. He's looking younger, and I'm looking older. [Laughter] He's
    asking me whether or not he can drive the Presidential limousine.
    [Laughter] No. [Laughter] He's a good, solid man. One of the reasons
    Hilleary is going to win is because he's going
    to win the NASCAR vote.
        I also appreciate Law and Grace and the Singing Sheriffs group for
    being here. I'm sorry I didn't get here in time to hear you. Just leave
    your CD at the door. [Laughter]
        But I really want to thank you all and remind you that not only do
    you have a duty to vote, but if you care about the quality of government
    in Nashville and in Washington, turn out to vote. Go to your houses of
    worship. Go to your coffee shops. When you get there Monday morning,
    instead of sitting around worrying about the weather, worry about who
    the next Governor is going to be. Worry about who the next Senator is
    going to be. Talk it up with people who may not pay attention to the
    politics as much as we do. And don't be afraid to talk up the story of
    Lamar and Van to
    Democrats. There's some discerning Democrats out there. They want good
    government, just like we do. They don't want higher taxes, just like we
    do. Find those independents that are open-minded and convince them that
    when you've got good ones, like Van and Lamar, we have a duty in America
    to support these good people.
        We're going to win this election, come Tuesday, because of good,
    hard-working folks such as yourself, and I'm here to thank you for what
    you're going to do.
        No, there's some reasons--you know, old Van, he's not what we call a show horse; he's a work horse. He
    can get the job done. He's a plain-spoken fellow. The good thing about
    him is, he doesn't need a poll or a focus group to tell him what to
    think. He's well grounded in East Tennessee. He has those values of
    faith and family, the kind of man you can count on. He's not going to be
    swayed by the special interests. He's going to do what he thinks is
    right for all the people of Tennessee. And that's important.
        We share a vision about the children of Tennessee too. It says that
    every child can learn. You've got to have you a Governor who believes
    every child can learn, somebody who's willing to set high standards and
    high expectations, somebody who is willing to challenge the soft bigotry
    of low expectations. See, when you have you a Governor who believes in
    not setting high standards, you're going to get lousy results. Van
    Hilleary worked with me and Members of the
    United States Congress to make sure that the Federal bill we passed did
    two things--provided plenty of money for Tennessee. There's $760 million
    in Federal education money coming your way, thanks to the hard work of
    your Senators and Van Hilleary.

    [[Page 1971]]

        But that bill that he worked on said two
    other things: One, we trust the people of Tennessee to chart the path
    for excellence for every child. We believe in local control of schools,
    and that's the way he'll be as your Governor. And secondly, in return
    for the money spent, we expect results, don't we. You see, we believe
    every child can learn. Therefore, we expect every child to learn. And
    therefore, we're going to use accountability to make sure your money is
    being spent wisely. We use accountability to praise those schools that
    are meeting expectations, so we can thank our teachers. We will use
    accountability, though, to make sure that no child, not one single
    child, gets trapped in a school which will not teach and will not
    change. Van Hilleary will work with us to make sure no child is left
    behind in the State of Tennessee.
        Our economy is bumping along. It's not doing as well as it should.
    After all, we're coming out of a recession; then the enemy hit us. That
    created a problem which we're overcoming. Then we had another problem:
    Some of our citizens thought they could fudge the numbers, thought it's
    okay, if they're in positions of responsibility, to not tell the truth.
    I want to thank the Senators; I want to thank Van Hilleary; I want to thank Bill Jenkins for
    joining me to pass the most comprehensive corporate reform law since
    Franklin Roosevelt was the President. See, our message today--my message
    today is: Those who aren't responsible to shareholder and employee--no
    easy money in America, just hard time.
        I want to thank these Members for understanding that confidence in
    our economy depends upon us holding people to account if they're not
    honest with the people. That's the kind of leadership you need in
    Nashville, and that's the kind of leadership you've got in Washington.
        But we need to do more work on our economy. We need to understand,
    if somebody is looking for work and they can't find a job, we've got a
    problem. Anybody is looking for work and wants to put food on the table,
    and they can't find work, we need to make sure we've got people in the
    Federal office and the State office who understand job creation. The
    role of Government is not to create wealth. The role of Government is to
    create an environment in which the small-business person can grow to be
    a big-business person.
        That's why it's important you have somebody in Nashville who
    understands the role of the small-business owner. Seventy percent of new
    jobs in America are created by small businesses, the entrepreneurs. And
    you better get you somebody as the Governor who understands that, who
    understands policy ought to be to encourage the growth of small
    business. And one way to do that is to let small-business owners and
    taxpayers keep more of your own money.
        That tax relief bill we passed is going to give Tennessee people $27
    billion over the next 10 years. That's your money to begin with, by the
    way. That's not the Government's money. It's your money. And when you've
    got it in your pocket, you're going to demand a good or a service. If
    you demand a good or a service, somebody is going to produce that good
    or a service. And when somebody produces that good or a service,
    somebody is more likely to find work.
        You see, if you listen to that other bunch, they're going to say we
    need to revisit the tax relief. That's Washington, DC, code for, ``We're
    going to get back in your pocket.'' [Laughter] Tax relief was good for
    our economy. It's going to be good for our economy. It's going to be
    good for the working people, and we need to make tax relief permanent.
        No, I look forward to working with Van to
    do a lot of things to help Tennessee--make sure that welfare system
    works. Part of the welfare reform that worked and something that needs
    to go forward is to have a Governor work with the Congress to help
    people find work. See, when you work, you find dignity. If you want to
    help people get off welfare, if you want to help

    [[Page 1972]]

    them help themselves, you help them have the skills necessary to work.
    Work needs to be the central core of any good welfare policy.
        And Van Hilleary understands that. No, when
    you put Van Hilleary in office, you're going to be putting a good man in
    office, a man who's going to work hard to represent all the people of
    Tennessee, a man who will make you proud as Governor, a man with whom I
    can work, and a man who will represent that office, that high office,
    with class and dignity. I'm here to urge the good people of East
    Tennessee to turn out to vote next Tuesday and put Van Hilleary in as
    Governor of the great State.
        And I need Lamar up there in Washington
    too, and so do you. He's got a great record for Tennessee. People know
    that he is what we call a class act. When given the responsibilities, he
    handled his business well. More importantly, he cares deeply about the
    all the citizens of this State. Lamar is going to make a great United
    States Senator. And there's a lot of things we can work together on,
    whether it be education--of course, he's an expert on that subject--or
    whether it would be making sure our economy grows. I know we'll have a
    strong ally, and the people will have a strong ally in Lamar Alexander.
        Oh, there's some things we need to work on, like making sure the
    health care system works. We need his vote up there to make sure that
    you've got affordable and accessible health care. We need his vote up
    there to make sure the Medicare system works. There are too many
    lawsuits these days which are driving up the cost of medicine and
    driving doctors out of the practice of medicine. We want the system to
    work. We want our people to have access to the courts, of course, but
    these frivolous and junk lawsuits are running these docs out of
    business, running up your price of medicine. We need to have medical
    liability reform at the Federal level, and Lamar Alexander will vote that way.
        And we've got to make sure Medicare works. Medicine is becoming
    modern. Technology is changing medicine. New discoveries have changed
    medicine. But Medicare isn't modern. It's stuck in the past. Just ask
    our seniors. We need Lamar Alexander in the
    United States Senate to work to modernize Medicare, which means
    prescription drug benefits for our senior citizens.
        And I need him up there, along with
    Senator Frist, to make sure that our judiciary works properly. We can't
    get our judges through the United States Senate. There is a vacancy
    problem in our Federal courts. Too many of our benches have got
    vacancies, which means you can't get access to the courts. They're
    playing politics with the judges in Washington, DC. They don't like the
    fact that I'm naming good, honorable, decent people who will not use the
    bench from which to legislate but from which to interpret the United
    States Constitution.
        No, there's a lot of issues we can work on to make America better
    for everybody. The biggest issue we'll work together on is to secure our
    homeland, prevent the American people from coming under attack again by
    a bunch of coldblooded killers. These people hate us because of what we
    love. And we love freedom, and we're not going to change.
        I asked Congress to join me in a creation of a Department of
    Homeland Security. I did so because I want all the agencies involved
    with protecting you to be under--to have as their priority protection of
    the American people, and if need be, change cultures so people get it in
    their head that there's still an enemy out there which lurks around, so
    we can coordinate better. The House of Representatives, thanks to
    Van and Jenkins,
    supported me on a good bill. The bill is stuck in the Senate. This bill
    is stuck in the Senate, in spite of the good efforts of Fred
    Thompson and Bill Frist. And the reason it is was because the Senate wants me to
    give up a power that Presidents since John Kennedy has had, which

    [[Page 1973]]

    is the capacity to suspend certain work rules, certain collective
    bargaining rules, in the name of national security.
        I won't accept a lousy bill out of the Senate. I need a bill to put
    the right people at the right place at the right time to protect the
    American people. Under some Senators' vision, I would have the capacity
    to make national security decisions in Agriculture Department but not in
    the Department of Homeland Security. That don't make any sense to me,
    and I know it doesn't make any sense to you. We need Lamar
    Alexander, and we need to change the United
    States Senate.
        But the best way to secure the homeland is to chase the killers
    down, one at a time, and bring them to justice, what America is going to
    do. We've got them on the run, and we're going to keep them on the run.
    And one of the reasons we've got them on the run is, we've got a
    fantastic military.
        I signed a good defense bill, thanks to the Senators and thanks to
    Van and Bill Jenkins, a good defense bill that pays our people, equips our
    people, and trains our people the way you want them. We've got to get
    them the best pay, the best training, and the best possible equipment.
    We owe that to the loved ones. We owe that to our troops. But we're also
    sending a clear signal to friend and foe that we're in this deal for the
    long haul. We love freedom. It doesn't matter how long it takes to
    defend America and to protect our freedoms; we're going after them, one
    at a time.
        And we're making progress. Sometimes you'll read about it, and
    sometimes you won't. Sometimes you'll see the fact that somebody got
    hauled in, and sometimes it's just not going to make it on to your radar
    screen. But make no mistake about it, there's no cave deep enough, no
    corner of the world dark enough to prevent the long arm of justice from
    the United States to reach them around the world.
        And the reason I feel so strong about it is that I recognize we're
    living in a different world today than we were last--prior to September
    the 11th. It's a different world because no longer can we be content
    with the fact that two oceans protect us from danger. It used to be that
    we don't have to worry about some potential threat overseas because
    oceans protected us. It used to be we could pick or choose whether or
    not we wanted to be involved. But at home we were confident we were okay
    because of oceans, because of our geography. And that changed on that
    fateful day. Therefore, it's very important for you to elect people to
    office who are clear-eyed realists, people who see the world the way it
    is, not the way we would hope it to be.
        And that's the reason why I started the debate in our Congress and
    amongst the American people, in fact, in the world community, about the
    threat to America and threat to our friends and allies from Mr. Saddam
    Hussein. He's a dangerous man. He told the
    world he wouldn't have weapons of mass destruction--11 years ago he said
    that. He's got them. We found out a while ago that he was close to
    having a nuclear weapon. We dismantled that when he used to let
    inspectors in. We don't know where he stands today, but we know what's
    in his mind. We know the implications of him having a nuclear weapon.
        We know that this is a man who has
    chemical weapons, and we know he's used them. See, he's used them. He
    hasn't stockpiled them. He's used them in his neighborhood, and he's
    used them on his own people. We know he can't stand America. We know he
    can't stand some of our closest friends. We know that he has had
    contacts with terrorist networks like Al Qaida. And we know, clearly,
    that one of the dangers we face is him serving as a training ground and
    an arsenal for one of these shadowy terrorist networks, which could come
    home, could come home here. And so he's a danger.
        I went to the United Nations because I want that body to be
    effective to help us keep the peace. I said to the United

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    Nations, ``This man has defied you 16 times.
    How long is it going to take for you to show some backbone so we can
    work together to keep the peace? You have a choice to be the United
    Nations, which is an effective body to keep the peace, or the League of
    Nations. That's your choice to make.''
        And Saddam Hussein has a choice. He can
    disarm like he said. He can get rid of his weapons of mass destruction.
    But if the United Nations won't act and if Saddam Hussein won't disarm,
    this country, in the name of peace and in the name of freedom, will lead
    a coalition to disarm Saddam Hussein.
        I say that as a man who longs for peace. I say that as a man who
    knows the stakes. I say that as a man who's not going to forget
    September the 11th, 2001, or the attack on a French vessel recently or
    the attack in Bali, Indonesia. I say this as a man who is briefed on a
    daily basis about the threats we face in America. I say this as a man
    who is absolutely confident that out of the evil done to America can
    come some good, because I understand the nature of this country. I
    believe if we remain the course and stay strong and diligent and focused
    and remember that freedom is not America's gift to the world, it is
    God's gift to the world, that we can achieve peace, that we can have a
    peaceful world.
        I believe out of the evil done to America, we can achieve peace if
    we're strong and diligent and focused, not only here at home but--
    because we value each life; everybody counts--in parts of the world
    which have quit on peace. I believe peace is possible if we're tough and
    strong in the Middle East. I believe peace is possible in South Asia.
    And I know at home, out of the evil done to America can come a more
    compassionate and better country.
        See, Government can help, and we will. We'll all work on laws to
    make things better. But what Government cannot do is put love in
    people's hearts or a sense of purpose in people's lives. And amongst our
    plenty we've got to remember there are some who hurt, some who are
    lonely, some who are addicted, some who are wondering whether the
    American Dream is meant for them. I'm optimistic that out of the evil
    done to this country can come a better day where everybody understands
    the great promise of this country, because I know the strength of
    America, and the strength of America is in the hearts and souls of our
    fellow citizens. If you want to fight evil, if you want to be a patriot,
    love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourselves.
        Today I met Kathy Henderson. She's an
    active volunteer at Central Heights Elementary School. She decided she
    wanted to be part of the army of compassion; she wanted to make a
    difference in somebody's life. So she's helping young children learn to
    read. There's all kinds of ways where we can change America for the
    better, whether it be Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts or Boys and Girls Clubs
    or mentoring like Kathy. She asked me to say she needs volunteers, by
    the way, on the Read Along With Me program. You can do it by just
    telling somebody you love them, a shut-in, that you love them. You can
    help feed the hungry; you can house the homeless. There's all kinds of
    ways we can help.
        No, the enemy had no idea who they were hitting. Oh, they probably
    thought we'd file a lawsuit or two. [Laughter] They didn't realize
    America like we know. The spirit of America is alive and well. It's the
    spirit which says, when it comes to the defense of our country, we'll be
    plenty tough. But the spirit also says that a patriot is somebody who is
    willing to serve something greater than themselves. A patriot is willing
    to help somebody who hurts.
        No, I boldly predict to you that out of the evil done to America is
    going to come a more peaceful world. And out of the evil done to America
    will become a more hopeful America, because this is the greatest
    country, full of the finest people on the face of the Earth.

    [[Page 1975]]

        Thank you for coming today. May God bless, and God bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:50 a.m. at the Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA
    Airport. In his remarks, he referred to gubernatorial candidate Van
    Hilleary and his wife, Meredith; senatorial candidate Lamar Alexander
    and his wife, Honey; Janice Bowling, candidate for Tennessee's Fourth
    Congressional District; NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip; and President
    Saddam Hussein of Iraq.