[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
[November 10, 2003]
[Pages 1491-1496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Luncheon in Little Rock, Arkansas
November 10, 2003

    Thank you all. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming. Thank 
you. Please be seated, thanks. Thanks for coming. Thanks for the warm 
welcome. I appreciate your fine words, Skinny. [Laughter] I got off the 
airplane, I wasn't sure who I was looking at. [Laughter]
    So we get in the limousine, and we're driving here from the airport, 
and the Governor says, ``Do you still follow 
college football?'' [Laughter] I wasn't exactly sure what he was driving 
at. I said, ``Yeah, I pay attention to it.'' He said, ``Were you paying 
attention to it a couple of weeks ago?'' I said, ``Yes, I sure was, 
Governor. Congratulations to the Hawgs.''

    Thank you all for coming today. What we're doing today is we're 
laying the foundation for what is going to be a victory

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in Arkansas in '04 and a nationwide victory in '04.
    I want to thank you for your hard work and for your strong support. 
I want to thank you for what you did in 2000. I remember--[applause]--
yes. I remember coming as the last stop we made prior to getting back to 
Texas after a long, long campaign. And we went to northwest Arkansas, 
and the crowds were huge. I remember flying over and seeing the line of 
red lights, all trying to get into the event. It was really a--put the 
wind at my back coming off of a tough campaign, the people of Arkansas 
did. I want thank you for support then. I want to thank you for the 
support that you've shown today. I want to thank you for what you're 
fixing to do, which is to man the grassroots and to get on the phones 
and get the signs out and to turn out the vote. When you're out working 
the vote right now, you tell them the President is focused on keeping 
America strong and secure and prosperous and free.
    The political season will come in its own time. I'm loosening up--
[laughter]--and I'm getting ready. But I got a job to do, and I'll keep 
working on the people's business, doing what's right for America. I've 
got a job to do for everybody who lives in this country.
    My regret today is that the First Lady isn't 
traveling with me. You drew the short straw. [Laughter] But I'm proud of 
Laura. She's a great wife, a great mother, and is a fantastic First Lady 
for America. She sends her very best to all her friends here in 
Arkansas.
    Speaking about our friends, I'm proud to call your 
Governor friend and Janet Huckabee friend. Mike is doing a great job for the people of 
Arkansans. He's a strong leader. I appreciate his friendship, and I 
appreciate his leadership. I also want to thank your Lieutenant 
Governor, Win Rockefeller, and 
Lisenne for being here today. It's good 
to see you again, Governor. I appreciate your friendship.
    You got a fine Congressman named Boozman 
representing you in Washington, DC. John, you're doing a great job. I'm 
proud to call you ally and friend. I want thank all the State and local 
officials who are here. I see former--some former Congressmen. Jay 
Dickey and John Paul, it's good to see you.
    I appreciate the grassroots folks who are here, the people who are 
making this party work. I want to thank Warren Stephens and French Hill, who are the 
State finance cochairmen, for taking on the task of seeing to it that my 
campaign and the campaign of Vice President Cheney's is well-organized and well-funded. I appreciate all the 
folks who have made this event such a great success. Most of all, I 
thank you all for coming.
    In the last 2\1/2\ 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 in 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.
    Two-and-a-half 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 and the strength and the 
spirit of the United States military.

[[Page 1493]]

    Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession. And 
then our Nation was attacked, and we had some scandals in corporate 
America, and we went to war to make America more secure, all of which 
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.
    I know that when Americans have more take-home pay to spend, to 
save, or invest, the whole economy grows and people are more likely to 
find a job. So we're returning more money to the 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 
so they can hire new people. With all these actions, we have laid the 
foundation for greater prosperity and more jobs across America so 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 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.
    I appreciate your Governor leading on this 
issue. I appreciate the fine reading initiative you got here in this 
State. You see, we believe that every child in every public school can 
learn to read and write and add and subtract. We are challenging the 
soft bigotry of low expectations.
    We've increased the Federal budget to help Title I students, to help 
make sure every child can read. But we expect results. The days of 
excuse-making are over. We want results in every single classroom so 
that not one single child is left behind.
    We reorganized our Government and created the Department of Homeland 
Security to better safeguard our borders and ports and to protect the 
American people. We passed trade promotion authority to open up new 
markets for Arkansas' farmers and ranchers and entrepreneurs. We passed 
budget agreements that are 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.
    And the United States Congress has shared in these substantial 
achievements. I want to thank John. I also want 
to thank Speaker Hastert and Leader 
Frist. They're good friends. We're working hard 
to change the tone in Washington, DC. There's a lot of needless politics 
in the Nation's Capital. We're focused on the people's business. You 
sent us to Washington to work on behalf of the people, not special 
interests, not lobbyists, but the people. And that's what we're doing.
    I've surrounded myself with people in my administration who are 
focused on results. I have put together a fine team of public servants 
to represent America. There is no finer Vice President in our Nation's 
history than Dick Cheney. Mother may have a second opinion. [Laughter]
    In 2\1/2\ years, we have come far, but our work is only beginning. 
I've 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 single citizen has a chance to work and to succeed and to realize 
the promise of America. It should become clear--it should be 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

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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 and aid workers 
and innocent Iraqis. They know that the advance of freedom in Iraq would 
be a major defeat for the cause of terror. This collection of killers is 
trying to shake the will of America and the civilized world. America 
will not be intimidated.
    We're aggressively striking the terrorists in Iraq, defeating them 
there so we will not have to face them in our own country. We're calling 
on other nations to help Iraq to become a free country, which will make 
the world more secure. 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. 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 hope and need 
of every human heart. And I believe that freedom is the right of every 
person, and I believe that freedom is the future of every nation.
    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 of medicine to millions of men and women and children now 
suffering with AIDS. This great, powerful Nation is a compassionate 
nation, and we are leading the world in this incredibly important work 
of human rescue.
    We face challenges here at home, and our actions will prove worthy 
of the challenges. So long as any of our citizens who want to work can't 
find a job, we must work to make sure the entrepreneurial spirit, the 
environment for job growth is strong. The numbers look good. I'm 
encouraged by what I see, but too many of our fellow citizens aren't 
working.
    I've laid out a six-point plan to the United States Congress to make 
sure job creation remains strong and vibrant. I will stay focused on our 
economy until the American people are able to put food on the table and 
take care of their family responsibilities by finding a job.
    We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by 
strengthening and modernizing Medicare. Congress has taken 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 choices for seniors and provide coverage for prescription 
drugs. It is time for the House and the Senate to reconcile their 
differences and to get a bill to my desk. We owe it to our seniors to 
have a modern health care system available for them, and we owe it to 
those of us who are going to be seniors to make sure the Medicare system 
is modern.
    And 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 should not reward lawyers who are simply fishing for a rich 
settlement. Because frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care, 
they affect the Federal budget. Therefore, medical liability reform is a 
national issue that requires a national solution. I submitted a good 
bill to reform the medical liability system of our country to the 
House--to the Congress. The House of Representatives has acted. It is 
stuck in the United States Senate. It is time for some Senators to 
understand that no one in this country has ever been

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healed by a frivolous lawsuit. We need medical liability reform.
    I have a responsibility as the President to make sure the judicial 
system runs well, and I have met that duty. I've nominated superb men 
and women to the Federal courts, people who will interpret the law, not 
legislate from the bench. Yet some Members of the United States Senate--
you might even know some--[laughter]--are trying to keep my nominees off 
the bench by filibusters, by blocking up-or-down votes. Every judicial 
nominee deserves a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote on the Senate 
floor. Is it time for Members of the Senate to stop playing politics 
with American justice.
    Congress needs to complete work on a comprehensive energy plan. We 
must promote energy efficiency and conservation. We must use 
technologies to be able to use the resources at hand. But for the sake 
of economic security and for the sake of national security, this Nation 
must become less reliant on foreign sources of energy.
    A strong and prosperous nation must also be a compassionate nation. 
I will continue to advance our agenda of compassionate conservatism, 
which means we will apply the best and most effective and most 
innovative ideas to the task of helping our fellow citizens in need. 
Still, millions of men and women who want to end their dependence on 
Government and become independent through hard work must build on the 
success of welfare reform to bring work and dignity into the lives of 
more of our fellow 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 our 
children, caring for the homeless, and offering hope to the addicted. 
Our Government should not fear faith. We should welcome faith and the 
healing power of faith into the lives of more of our citizens.
    A compassionate society must promote opportunity for all, including 
the independence and dignity that come from ownership. This 
administration will constantly strive to promote an ownership society in 
America. We want more people owning their own home. Today in America, we 
have a minority homeownership gap. I've submitted plans to the United 
States Congress to close that gap. We want more people owning and 
managing their own retirement accounts, owning and managing their own 
health care plans. And we want more people owning their own small 
business. We understand that when a person owns something, he or she has 
a vital stake in the future of America.
    In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take 
responsibility for the decisions they make. The culture of America is 
changing from one that has said, ``If it feels good, do it. If you've 
got a problem, blame somebody else,'' to a new culture in which each of 
us understands we are responsible for the decisions we make.
    If you're fortunate enough to be a mom or a dad, you're responsible 
for loving your child with all your heart. If you're worried about the 
quality of the education in Little Rock, Arkansas, or anywhere in 
Arkansas, 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.
    And in the new responsibility society, each of us is responsible for 
loving a neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves. The culture 
of service, the culture of responsibility is growing here in America. 
You know, I started what's called the USA Freedom Corps to encourage 
Americans to extend a compassionate hand to neighbors in need, and the 
response has been great. People want to serve. People want to help their 
communities. Policemen and firefighters and people who wear our Nation's 
uniform are reminding us what it means

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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 up whole nations by spreading freedom. 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. We welcome it. And we know 
that for our country, the best days lie ahead.
    May God bless you all. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:55 a.m. at the Statehouse Convention 
Center. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas 
and his wife, Janet; Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller of Arkansas and his wife, 
Lisenne; Representative John Boozman and former Representatives Jay 
Dickey and John Paul Hammerschmidt of Arkansas; and former President 
Saddam Hussein of Iraq.