    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [November 25, 2003]
    [Pages 1632-1637]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1632]]

    Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Reception in Phoenix
    November 25, 2003

        The President. Thank you all very much. Thank you for coming. I'm
    honored that so many people showed up tonight. Jon
    said, ``If you come to Arizona, we may be able to get a couple of folks
    to come.'' [Laughter] This is a fantastic event. You know what we're
    doing? We're laying the foundation for what is going to be a great
    national victory in 2004.
        I'm honored you're here, I really am. I want to thank you all for
    coming. It's a big deal that you showed up. It means a lot. You know,
    I'm getting ready. I'm kind of loosening up. [Laughter] But politics
    will come in its own time. I've got a job to do. I've got a job to do in
    our Nation's Capital. And as you circulate around this important State,
    when you go to your coffee shops or your community centers or your
    houses of worship, you tell them President Bush and his administration
    is focused on the people's business. We're working on behalf of
    everybody to keep this country strong and secure and prosperous and
    free.
        My one regret for this evening, Senator, is the
    fact that Laura isn't with me.
        Audience members. Aw-w-w.
        The President. No, I know it. I know it. A lot of you would rather
    have had her than me. [Laughter] It shows how
    wise you are. [Laughter] She is a fabulous lady. She is a great wife, a
    wonderful mother, and she's doing a heck of a good job as the First Lady
    of this country.
        Kyl married well too; I'm honored Caryll is here. I picked two fine people to be the State
    cochairmen of this campaign, and that's Senator Jon Kyl and Senator John
    McCain. You've sent two fine Americans to the
    United States Senate.
        We've also got a great congressional delegation, some of whom are
    here tonight. I'm so honored that Congressman Jim Kolbe is here. Congressman J.D. Hayworth and his wife, Mary, is here.
    As I mentioned a little while ago, they're starting to call him ``Slim''
    Hayworth. [Laughter] He's looking quite pretty these days. [Laughter]
    John and Shirley Shadegg are here with us today. John, thank you for coming.
    Cheryl and Jeff Flake
    are with us today. Josie and Trent
    Franks are with us today. And finally,
    Congressman Rick Renzi is with us today. I'm
    honored that they're--thank you all for coming.
        I appreciate working with these fine folks from Arizona. They care
    deeply about our country. They're strong leaders. They love the people
    of Arizona. I know you're proud of them. I'm proud to call them friends
    and allies.
        I also want to thank statehouse members who are here. Jan
    Brewer, the secretary of state, is with us.
    Jan, thank you for coming. Speaker Jake Flake asked me to watch Congressman Jeff Flake in
    Washington to make sure he behaved himself. [Laughter] But Mr. Speaker,
    I'm glad you're here. As Jeff came through, he
    said he's a real, live cowboy. I like coming to States where they have
    real, live cowboys. You know, Senator, we're keeping
    pretty good company when people show up to fundraisers in cowboy hats.
    [Laughter]
        I appreciate the mayor of this fine city, Skip Rimsza, for being here. Mr. Mayor, you've done a fine job, but
    most of all, thank you for coming. I do know that the former Governor,
    Fife Symington, is here. I saw him up close.
    He's a great Governor for the State of Arizona.
        I appreciate my buddy from down south, Jim Click, for being such a great friend--[inaudible]--and Jim
    Simmons. Both of you all have worked hard to make sure this has been a
    fantastic evening, and I want to thank you. I want to thank the chairman
    of the Republican Party, Bob Fannin, and I
    want to thank Mike Hellon, the national

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    committeeman. I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here.
    It's important to have a successful fundraising operation. Evelyn, thank
    you for coming. [Laughter] It's important to have a active fundraising
    effort, and we've done well tonight. It's equally important to have an
    active grassroots effort. You see, you win campaigns when you go and you
    put up the signs and you get on the telephone and you write the letters.
    For the grassroots activists here, I want to thank you for what you're
    going to do on behalf of the Bush-Cheney ticket in '04.
        In the last 3 years, our Nation has acted decisively to confront
    great challenges. I came to this office to solve problems instead of
    passing them on to future Presidents and future generations. I came to
    seize opportunities instead of letting them slip away. My administration
    is meeting the tests of our time.
        Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is
    what they got. We've captured or killed many of the key leaders of the
    Al Qaida network, and the rest of them know we're on their trail. In
    Afghanistan and Iraq, we gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those
    regimes chose defiance, and those regimes are no more. Fifty million
    people in those two countries once lived under tyranny, and today they
    live in freedom.
        Three years ago, our military was not receiving the resources it
    needed, and morale was beginning to suffer. So we increased the defense
    budgets to prepare for the threats of a new era. And today, no one in
    the world can question the skill, the strength, and the spirit of the
    United States military.
        Three years ago, our economy was in trouble, and recession was
    beginning. And then our country was attacked, and we had scandals in
    corporate America, and we went to war to make our country more secure
    and the world more peaceful. And all those actions affected the people's
    confidence. But we acted. We passed tough new laws to hold corporate
    criminals to account. And to get the economy going again, I have twice
    led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the
    American people.
        Here is what we believe, that when Americans have more take-home pay
    to spend, to save, or invest, the whole economy grows, and someone is
    more likely to find a job. We're returning money to the people. To help
    them raise their families, we've reduced taxes on dividends and capital
    gains to encourage investment. We've given small businesses incentives
    to expand and to hire new people. With all these actions, we're laying
    the foundation for greater economic prosperity and more jobs across
    America, so that every single citizen in this country has a chance to
    realize the American Dream.
        Today, this economy of ours is strong, and it is getting stronger.
    They just released some new figures on the revised third-quarter growth.
    It turns out the third quarter grew at an annual rate of 8.2 percent.
    That's the fastest growth in nearly 20 years. You see, productivity is
    high; business investment is rising; housing construction is strong. The
    tax relief we passed is working.
        Three years ago, there was a lot of talk in Washington about
    education reform, and there wasn't much action. So I acted. I called for
    and the Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act. With a solid
    bipartisan majority, we delivered the most dramatic education reforms in
    a generation. We increased spending for Title I students. But for the
    first time, the Federal Government has asked a simple question: Are the
    children learning to read and write and add and subtract? In return for
    Federal money, we now expect results. You see, we believe every child
    can learn. This administration is challenging the soft bigotry of low
    expectations. Not only do we believe every child can learn, we expect
    every school to teach, so that not one single child is left behind.

    [[Page 1634]]

        We reorganized our Government and created the Department of Homeland
    Security to better safeguard our borders and ports and to better protect
    the American people. We passed trade promotion authority to open up new
    markets for Arizona's farmers and ranchers and entrepreneurs. We passed
    budget agreements, much needed budget agreements, to bring spending
    discipline to Washington, DC. On issue after issue, this administration
    has acted on principle, has kept its word, and has made progress for the
    American people.
        And the Congress gets a lot of credit. As I told you, I've enjoyed
    working with the Members from the great State of Arizona, good,
    honorable, and decent people. I've got a great relationship with Senate
    Majority Leader Bill Frist from Tennessee and
    Speaker Denny Hastert from Illinois. These
    are fine people.
        We're working hard on behalf of the American people. We're working
    hard to change the tone in Washington. There's too much needless
    backbiting and petty politics in the Nation's Capital. We're working
    hard to focus on results to do the people's work, and those are the kind
    of people I've attracted to my administration. I brought people from all
    walks of life, all backgrounds to serve the people of America. There has
    never been a finer administration than the one I put together for the
    people of this country, and we've had no finer Vice President than Dick
    Cheney. Mother may have
    a second opinion, Senator. [Laughter]
        In 3 years, we've come far. If you look at the results, we've done a
    lot. But our work is only beginning. See, I've set great goals worthy of
    this great Nation. First, America is committed to expanding the realm of
    freedom and peace for our own security and for the benefit of the world.
    And second, in our own country, we must work for a society that is
    prosperous and compassionate so that every single citizen has a chance
    to work and to succeed and realize the great promise of America. It is
    clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the actions of
    America. This Nation is freedom's home and freedom's defender. We
    welcome this charge of history, and we are keeping it.
        The war on terror continues. The enemies of freedom are not idle,
    and neither are we. This country will not rest; we will not tire; we
    will not stop until this danger to civilization is removed.
        We are confronting that danger in Iraq, where Saddam holdouts and
    foreign terrorists are desperately trying to throw Iraq into chaos by
    attacking coalition forces, international aid workers, and innocent
    Iraqi citizens. You see, they know that the advance of freedom in Iraq
    would be a major defeat in the cause of terror. This collection of
    coldblooded killers is trying to shake the will of the civilized world
    and trying to shake the will of America. America will never be
    intimidated by a bunch of thugs.
        We're on the offensive in Iraq. We're aggressively after them. We're
    striking the terrorists in Iraq. We will defeat them there so we will
    not have to face them in our own cities. Other nations are helping, and
    there is a simple reason: They understand that a free Iraq will make the
    world more secure. And we're standing with the Iraqi people as they
    assume more of their own defense and move toward self-government. These
    are not easy tasks, but they are essential tasks. And we will finish
    what we have begun, and we will win this essential victory in the war on
    terror.
        Our greatest security comes from the advance of human liberty,
    because free nations do not support terror. Free nations do not attack
    their neighbors. Free nations do not threaten the world with weapons of
    mass terror. Americans believe that freedom is the deepest need and hope
    of every human heart. We believe that freedom is the future of every
    nation. And we know that freedom is not America's gift to the world;
    freedom is the Almighty's gift to every person who lives in the world.

    [[Page 1635]]

        America also understands that unprecedented influence brings
    tremendous responsibilities. We have duties in this world, and when we
    see disease and starvation and hopeless poverty, we will not turn away.
    On the continent of Africa, America is now committed to bringing the
    healing power, the healing power of medicine, to millions of men and
    women and children suffering with AIDS. This incredibly strong and
    powerful Nation is a compassionate nation, and we are leading the world
    in this very important work of human rescue.
        We face challenges here at home as well, and we will be equal to
    those challenges. This administration will stay focused on a progrowth
    economic agenda until everyone who wants to work can find a job.
        We are keeping our commitment to America's seniors by strengthening
    and modernizing Medicare. For years, seniors have asked that the Federal
    Government keep its commitment, its solemn promise, by having a modern
    Medicare system that provides preventative care and prescription drugs
    and health care choices for our seniors. And Washington listened to
    those seniors but didn't do anything. Finally, the House and the Senate
    have acted. They've approved legislation that will bring modern medicine
    to our seniors. This historic legislation is the greatest improvement in
    senior health care coverage since the enactment of Medicare in 1965. I
    look forward to signing this bill.
        For the sake of our health care system, we need to cut down on the
    frivolous lawsuits which increase the cost of medicine. People who have
    been harmed by a bad doctor deserve their day in court, yet the system
    shouldn't reward lawyers who are simply fishing for a rich settlement.
    Frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care. They affect the
    Federal budget, and therefore, medical liability reform is a national
    issue that requires a national solution. I submitted a good plan to the
    Congress. The House of Representatives acted. The bill is stuck in the
    United States Senate. I want to thank Senator Kyl
    and Senator McCain for working for this
    important legislation. Certain Members of the Senate must understand,
    however, that no one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit. We
    need medical liability reform now.
        I have a responsibility as your President to make sure the judicial
    system runs well, and I have met that duty. I have nominated superb men
    and women for the Federal courts, people who will interpret the law, not
    legislate from the bench. Some Members of the Senate--not this
    Senator, not Senator
    McCain--are trying to keep my nominees off the bench by blocking up-or-
    down votes. Every judicial nominee deserves a fair hearing and an up-or-
    down vote on the Senate floor. It is time for some Members to stop
    playing politics with American justice.
        Congress needs to get an energy bill to my desk. We need a
    comprehensive energy plan in this country. We need to encourage
    conservation, develop cleaner technology. We need to do a lot of things.
    But one thing we need to do is to become less dependent on foreign
    sources of energy. For the sake of economic security and for the sake of
    national security, I need an energy bill to my desk.
        Our strong and prosperous Nation must also be a compassionate
    nation. I'll continue to advance our agenda of compassionate
    conservatism, which means we'll apply the most effective and innovative
    ideas to the task of helping our fellow citizens who hurt. See, there's
    still millions of men and women who want to end their dependence on our
    Government and become independent through work. I want to work with
    Congress to build on the success of welfare reform, to bring work and
    dignity into the lives of more of our citizens.
        Congress needs to complete the ``Citizen Service Act'' so that we
    can encourage more Americans to serve their communities and their
    country. We need to get the Faith-Based Initiative finished. I proposed

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    a Faith-Based Initiative which will empower the armies of compassion
    which exist all across America to help the homeless, to mentor the
    children, to offer hope to the addicted. This is a great nation because
    we're a nation of many faiths. People are free to worship any way you
    see fit. But there's a commonality to our faiths, the call to help
    somebody--hurt. Our Government should not fear faith. We ought to
    welcome faith into helping cure some of the intractable problems of our
    society.
        A compassionate society must promote opportunity for everyone,
    including the independence and dignity from ownership. My administration
    will constantly strive to promote an ownership society in America. We
    want more people owning their own home. We have a minority homeownership
    gap in America. I proposed a plan to the Congress to close that gap. We
    want people owning and managing their own retirement accounts. We want
    people owning and managing their own health care plans. We want more
    people owning their own small business. This administration understands
    that when a person owns something, he or she has a vital stake in the
    future of this country.
        In a compassionate society, people respect one another, respect
    their opinions and respect their beliefs. And people take responsibility
    for the decisions they make in life. America's culture is changing from
    one that has said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead and do it,'' and
    ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody else,'' to a culture in which
    each of us understands that we're responsible for the decisions we make
    in life. If you're lucky enough to be a mom or a dad, you're responsible
    for loving your child with all your heart. If you're concerned about the
    quality of the education in the community in which you live, you're
    responsible for doing something about it. If you're a CEO in corporate
    America, you're responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders
    and your employees. In a responsibility society, each of us is
    responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved
    ourself.
        The culture of service and responsibility is strong in this great
    country. It's truly one of the great strengths of America. I started
    what's called the USA Freedom Corps right after September the 11th. It
    was a chance to give people a web portal in which to find out how to
    volunteer in their communities, and the response has been really strong.
    Americans care about their neighbors. Our charities are vibrant. If
    you're involved in a charity or a faith-based group, thanks for what
    you're doing. You're making America a better place.
        Our policemen and firefighters and people who wear our Nation's
    uniform--[applause]--you haven't even got the punch line yet. [Laughter]
    People who wear the uniform remind us what it means to sacrifice for
    something greater than yourself. You know, once again, the children of
    America believe in heroes, because they see them every day. In these
    challenging times, the world has seen the resolve and the courage of
    America. And I've been privileged to see the compassion and the
    character of the American people.
        All the tests of the last 3 years have come to the right nation.
    We're a strong country, and we use that strength to defend the peace.
    We're an optimistic country, confident in ourselves and in ideals bigger
    than ourselves. Abroad, we seek to lift whole nations by spreading
    freedom. At home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading opportunity to
    every corner of our country. This is the work that history has set
    before us. We welcome it. And we know that for our country, the best
    days lie ahead.
        May God bless you all. Thank you for coming. I appreciate it.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:36 p.m. at
    the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. In his re- marks,
    he referred to Franklin ``Jake'' Flake, speaker pro tempore, Arizona
    State House of Representatives; Mayor Skip Rimsza of Phoenix, AZ; former
    Gov. Fife Symington of

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    Arizona; Robert Fannin, Arizona State chairman, and Mike Hellon, Arizona
    national committeeman, Republican National Committee; and former
    President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.