    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [August 14, 2003]
    [Pages 1009-1013]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Dinner in San Diego
    August 14, 2003

        The President. Thanks for the warm welcome. It's really great to be
    back in San Diego, California. What a fabulous city. I want to thank you
    for your help. You all have done a tremendous job of helping us get
    started in the campaign. The way I look at it is, you're laying the
    groundwork

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    for what will be a great nationwide victory in November of '04.
        I appreciate your generosity. But I'm going to warn you, I need your
    help in energizing the grassroots, for putting up the signs and making
    the phone calls and telling your fellow citizens--Republican, Democrat,
    independent, could care less--that ours is a message that is hopeful for
    every single person who lives in this country.
        I'm loosening up--[laughter]--and I'm getting ready. But the
    political season will come in its own time, because I have a job to do
    for the American people. I'm focused on the people's business. We have a
    lot on our agenda, and over the next months I will continue to work hard
    to earn the confidence of our fellow Americans by making sure America is
    secure and strong and prosperous and free.
        My only regret is that First Lady Laura Bush
    isn't here tonight too. She is visiting her mother in Midland, Texas.
        Audience member. [Inaudible]
        The President. You're right. [Laughter] I am really proud of
    her. She is a fabulous First Lady. But most
    important, she's a great mother and a great wife, and I love her dearly.
        I want to thank my friend Brad Freeman. I
    thought for a minute he was going to announce for Governor, he spoke so
    long. [Laughter] He's been a longtime friend, just as has Gerry
    Parsky. Both of these friends are working
    hard in '04, just like they did--for the '04 election, just like they
    did in 2000. I'm proud to stand with them.
        I also want to thank my friend Mercer Reynolds. Mercer is from Cincinnati, Ohio. He's dedicating a lot
    of time to make sure our national finance effort is as strong as I know
    it's going to be. I appreciate you, Mercer.
        We've got members of the congressional delegation here today from
    the mighty State of California, Duncan Hunter
    and ``Duke'' Cunningham and
    Darrell Issa. I'm honored they're here.
        I appreciate the Mayor, Dick Murphy, for
    greeting me. Mr. Mayor, thank you for your strong support. I want to
    thank the event cochairmen here from San Diego. You all have done a
    fantastic job. I'm proud to call you friends, and I thank you for your
    support.
        In the last 2\1/2\ years, our Nation has acted decisively to
    confront great challenges. I came to this office to solve problems, not
    to pass them on to future Presidents and to future generations. I came
    to seize opportunities instead of letting them slip away, and we are
    meeting the tests of our time.
        Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is
    what they got. We have captured or killed many 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 now they
    live in freedom.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, our military was not receiving the
    resources it needed, and morale was beginning to suffer. We increased
    the defense budget to prepare for the threats of a new era. And today,
    no one in the world can question the skill and the strength and the
    spirit of the United States military.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession, and
    then our country was attacked. And scandals in corporate America became
    evident, and war began to affect 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 I
    believe and here is what we know: When Americans have more take-home pay
    to spend, to save, or invest, the whole economy grows, and people are
    then more likely to find a job.

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        I also understand whose money we spend in Washington. It's not the
    Government's money; it's the people's money. We're returning more money
    to people to help them raise their families. We're reducing taxes on
    dividends and capital gains to encourage investment. We're giving small
    businesses incentives to expand and hire new people. With all these
    actions, we've laid the foundation for greater prosperity and more jobs
    across America, so that every single person in this country can realize
    the great American Dream.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, there was a lot of talk about education
    reform, but there wasn't much action. So I called for and Congress
    passed the No Child Left Behind Act. With a solid bipartisan majority,
    we delivered the most dramatic education reforms in a generation. We
    bring high standards and strong accountability measures to every public
    school in America. See, we believe every child can learn the basics of
    reading and math, and we expect every school to teach the basics of
    reading and math. This administration is challenging the soft bigotry of
    low expectations. The days of excuse-making are over. We expect results
    in every classroom all across America so that not one single child is
    left behind.
        We reorganized the Government and created the Department of Homeland
    Security to safeguard our borders and ports and to protect the American
    people. We passed trade promotion authority to open up new markets for
    California's manufacturers and entrepreneurs and ranchers and farmers.
    We passed a budget agreement that is helping to maintain spending
    discipline in Washington, DC. On issue after issue, this administration
    has acted on principle, has kept its word, and has made progress for the
    American people.
        The United States Congress has shared these great achievements, and
    I appreciate the hard work of the Members of Congress. I enjoy a great
    relationship with Speaker Denny Hastert
    and Majority Leader Bill Frist. We're going to
    continue to work together to change the tone of Washington and focus on
    the people's business by focusing on results. And those are the kind of
    people I've asked to serve in my administration. I have put together a
    fantastic team of Americans to serve the American people.
        We've got no finer Vice President in our history than Dick
    Cheney. Mother might
    have a different view. [Laughter]
        In 2\1/2\ years, we have come far, but our work is only beginning. I
    have set great goals worthy of a 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 of prosperity and compassion, so
    that every citizen has a chance to work and succeed and to realize the
    great promise of our country.
        It is clear that the future of freedom and peace depends on the
    actions of America. This Nation is freedom's home and freedom's
    defender. We welcome this charge of history, and we're keeping it.
        Our war on terror continues. The enemies of freedom are not idle,
    and neither are we. This country will not rest. We will not tire, and we
    will not stop until this danger to civilization is removed.
        Yet, our national interest involves more than eliminating aggressive
    threats to our safety. Our greatest security comes from the advance of
    human liberty, because free nations do not support terror, free nations
    do not attack their neighbors, and 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 right of every person. And we believe that freedom is the future of
    every nation.
        America also understands that unprecedented influence brings
    tremendous responsibilities. We have duties in the world. When we see
    disease and starvation and hopeless poverty, we will not turn away.

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    In the continent of Africa, this great, compassionate, strong Nation is
    committed to bringing the healing power of medicine to millions of men
    and women and children now suffering with AIDS. This great land is
    taking the lead. We are leading the world in this incredibly important
    work of human rescue.
        We face challenges at home, and our actions will prove that we're
    equal to those challenges. I will continue to work to create a favorable
    condition for economic growth and vitality, until everybody who wants to
    work and can't find a job today will be able to find a job.
        And we have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by
    strengthening and modernizing Medicare. A few weeks ago, Congress took
    historic action to improve the lives of older Americans. For the first
    time since the creation of Medicare, the House and the Senate have
    passed reforms to increase the choices for our seniors and to provide
    coverage for prescription drugs. The next step is for both Houses to
    come together to iron out some details and to get a bill to my desk. We
    have an obligation to the seniors of America to modernize the Medicare
    system.
        And for the sake of our health care system, we need to cut down on
    frivolous lawsuits, which increase the cost of medicine. People who have
    been harmed by a doctor deserve their day in court. Yet, the system
    should not reward lawyers who are simply fishing for rich settlements.
    Because frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care, they affect
    the Federal budget. Medical liability reform is a national issue that
    requires a national solution. The House of Representatives has passed a
    good bill to reform the system. The bill is stuck in the Senate. The
    Senate must act on behalf of the American people. They must realize that
    nobody in America has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit.
        I have a responsibility as President to make sure the judicial
    system runs well. And I've met that duty. I have nominated superb women
    and men for the Federal courts, people who will interpret the law, not
    legislate from the bench.
        In California, I've nominated Carolyn Kuhl to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has tremendous
    bipartisan support. She's respected as a State judge. Yet, some Senators
    are distorting Judge Kuhl's record, and they're threatening to block an
    up-or-down vote. And this is happening to too many of the judges I've
    nominated, and it is wrong. All the judicial nominees deserve a fair
    hearing and an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. It is time for some
    Members of the United States Senate to stop playing politics with
    American justice.
        The United States Congress needs to complete work on a comprehensive
    energy plan. Our Nation must promote energy efficiency and conservation.
    We must work to develop cleaner technology to help us explore for energy
    in an environmentally sensitive way. Yet, for the sake of economic
    security and for the sake of national security, we must be less
    dependent on foreign sources of energy.
        Our strong and prosperous Nation must also be a compassionate
    nation. I will continue to advance our agenda of compassionate
    conservatism by applying the best and most innovative ideas to the task
    of helping fellow citizens in need.
        There are still millions of men and women who want to end their
    dependence on Government and become independent through hard work. We
    must build on the success of welfare reform to bring work and dignity
    into the lives of more of our citizens. Congress should complete the
    ``Citizen Service Act'' so more Americans can serve their communities
    and their country. And both Houses should reach agreement on my Faith-
    Based Initiative to support the armies of compassion that are mentoring
    children, that are caring for the homeless, and that are offering hope
    to the addicted.

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        A compassionate society must promote opportunity for all, including
    the independence and dignity that come from ownership. This
    administration is firmly committed and will constantly strive to promote
    an ownership society in America. We want more people owning their home.
    We have a minority home ownership gap in America, and I have put forth a
    plan to solve it.
        We want more people to manage and own their own health care
    accounts. We want people to own and manage their own retirement
    accounts. We want more people to own and operate their own small
    business, because, you see, we understand that when a person owns
    something in America, he or she has a vital stake in the future of our
    country.
        In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take
    responsibility for the decisions they make. We're changing the culture
    of America from one that has said, ``If it feels good, do it,'' and ``If
    you've got a problem, blame somebody else,'' to a culture in which each
    of us understands we are responsible for the decisions we make in life.
    If you are fortunate enough to be a mom or a dad, you're responsible for
    loving your child with all your heart and all your soul. If you're
    concerned about the quality of education in your community, you're
    responsible for doing something about it. If you are a CEO in America,
    you're responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders and your
    employees. And in this new responsibility, each of us is responsible for
    loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourself.
        Things are changing in America to the better. We can see a culture
    of service and responsibility growing around us. I started what we call
    the USA Freedom Corps to encourage Americans to extend a compassionate
    hand to neighbors in need. And the response has been fantastic. People
    are signing up. People want to serve something greater than themselves.
        Our charities and our faith-based institutions are strong and
    they're vibrant, bringing important help to people who hurt. Policemen
    and firefighters and people who wear our Nation's uniform are reminding
    us what it means to sacrifice for something greater than yourself. 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 2\1/2\
    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. And at
    home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading opportunity to every corner
    of America. This is the work that history has set before us, and we
    welcome it. And we know that for our country and for our cause, the best
    days lie ahead.
        Thank you for coming. May God bless.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:30 p.m. at the San Diego Convention
    Center. In his remarks, he referred to Brad Freeman, California State
    finance chairman, and Mercer Reynolds, national finance chairman, Bush-
    Cheney '04, Inc.; Gerald Parsky, chairman, Team California, California
    Republican Party; and Mayor Dick Murphy of San Diego, CA.