    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 4, 2004]
    [Pages 740-754]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and a Question-and-Answer Session in Dayton, Ohio
    May 4, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Please be seated. Mind if I take off
    my coat? I think I will. Listen, thank you all for coming. I'm thrilled
    to be here. I'm sorry I'm a little late. I got a little windy up in
    Toledo. [Laughter] But I appreciate you coming by for what we call a
    conversation. I'm going to talk a little bit. Some fellow citizens here
    are going to talk a little bit about their lives in order to better
    illustrate our vision for an America that is safer and stronger and
    better. And if we've got some time, I'll answer some questions. Then
    I've got to get on the bus. [Laughter] The bus driver said, ``If you
    talk too long, I'm pulling out of here.'' [Laughter]
        I'm here to let you know that I want to serve as your President for
    4 more years. [Applause] Thank you all. And I want to tell you why. I'm
    here to explain the reason why. We've got a job to do, a job to make
    sure this country is as safe as it can be, as strong as it should be,
    and as compassionate as it will be.
        I'm also here to let you know that I need your help, that I need
    your help in convincing your neighbors to register to vote, to do their
    duty as Americans to vote.

    [[Page 741]]

    And don't be afraid to talk to people from the other party or people who
    may not be affiliated with any party, because our message is positive
    and optimistic and hopeful for every single American.
        The good news is Laura W. Bush wants to serve
    for 4 more years as well. I regret she's not here. I talked to her on
    the plane earlier this morning. She said to send her very best. She is
    a--I'm a lucky guy. She's a great wife, a wonderful mother, and a
    fabulous First Lady of the United States. She's come to recognize what I
    know about the job, is that we can make a difference in people's lives,
    a positive difference. She is very much involved with encouraging
    teachers to teach, saying to people, ``Look, if you're looking for a
    second career, say, if you served in the military and you're looking for
    something to do, get into the classroom and make a difference in some
    child's life.'' She understands the importance of reading. She was a
    public school librarian when I met her. She didn't like politics, and
    she didn't like politicians. [Laughter] Look where she is. [Laughter]
        She can speak to freedom and the importance
    of freedom in societies like--she has the ability to speak to the women
    of Afghanistan like she did on a radio broadcast. Listen, Laura
    understands what I know: It's a high privilege to serve the people of
    this country, and it's a fantastic opportunity to make the country as
    best as it can possibly be. She sends her best. She is--look, the best
    reason to put me back in there is so she's got 4 more years. [Laughter]
        When you're out talking to your neighbors, remind them that I have
    put together a really good team to serve the country, people from all
    walks of life, men and women in positions of high responsibility, people
    from different backgrounds, people who are honorable citizens who have
    come to serve not their self-interest but to serve our country.
        I got a great Vice President I'm running with in Dick
    Cheney. I remember being at a rally with my
    mother--Mother is still, you'll be happy to
    hear, a little feisty and outspoken at times. [Laughter] I said, ``Dick
    Cheney is the finest Vice President our country has ever had.''
    [Laughter] You can imagine what Mother said. [Laughter]
        I appreciate Congressman Dave Hobson for
    being here today. Where are you, Big Dave? Thank you, sir. Glad you're
    here--a fine Member of the House, a strong ally, and a good man.
    Appreciate you coming, Dave. I want to thank Congressman Mike
    Turner. I see you, Mike. I'm proud you're
    here, Mike.
        I know Jennette Bradley is with us,
    and Joe Deters, members of the State--there
    they go. Good to see you all. Thanks for coming, Governor and Joe. Majority Whip Jeff Jacobson and State Rep. Jon Husted--where
    are you both? Oh, there they go. Thought you'd get a better seat than
    that. [Laughter] Sign up a few more volunteers. [Laughter]
        Listen, I want to thank Bob Bennett,
    the Ohio party chairman. I want to thank all the grassroots activists
    that are here. I need your help. I'm going to say it again. I'm here
    really to say, let's get after it. I want to win. I want to do
    everything I can to make sure this country is as safe as it can possibly
    be, and that's my most solemn duty. It was a duty that came home loud
    and clear on September the 11th, 2001. My job is to rally our Government
    to protect Americans from harm.
        And we're working hard to do so. We changed the whole attitude in
    Washington about sharing intelligence between agencies, buttoning up the
    country as best as we possibly can. I think they're doing a darn good
    job at the airports. I know it's inconvenient, but it's all part of
    doing our duty to make this country secure. We have to be correct 100
    percent of the time in order to protect America. The enemy has got to be
    right once, which really says that the best way to secure the homeland
    is to chase these killers down, one at a time, and bring them to
    justice.

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        I've got a plan to win the war on terror. We're making progress.
    We're not in this battle alone. First, just understand the nature of the
    war. Some say, ``Well, this is just a matter of law enforcement and
    intelligence.'' No, that's not what it is. It's an issue that requires
    all our assets. It's an issue that requires the nature of the enemy if
    we're going to be able to solve the problem. These are coldblooded
    killers. They could care less about innocence or guilt. They have no
    conscience. There's no need to negotiate with them. You can't convince
    them of the error of their ways. This country must be strong and
    resolute, and we must never falter in the face of this enemy if we
    expect to secure the homeland.
        It is essential that America lead through strength on this issue,
    lead by using all the assets we have at our disposal, not just some. It
    is important that when an American President speaks, he means what he
    says. It's important for the President to be clear in his language and
    resolute in the intention. That's when I said that--for example, when I
    said, ``If you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the
    terrorist''--once you say that, you better be willing to act on it. We
    were willing to act on it, and now the Taliban is no longer in power in
    Afghanistan.
        Part of the war on terror is chasing Al Qaida down, and about two-
    thirds of their known leaders have been brought to justice, which is
    positive. The rest of them know we're breathing down their neck. Part of
    the war is to make sure there's no safe haven. And so, by removing the
    Taliban out of Afghanistan and introducing democracy into this country,
    Al Qaida lost safe haven.
        But something else happened that's incredibly important for
    particularly the young to understand. The Taliban were incredibly
    barbaric people. They were so backward that many young girls never got
    to go to school. That's hard to envision, isn't it, for an American to
    say, ``Gosh, what is it like to live in a country where young girls are
    denied an education?'' But that's the way they were. So not only did we
    deny safe haven, not only did we do what we said we're going to do, but
    now young girls have a chance to succeed in Afghanistan, thanks to the
    United States of America and our friends and allies. We're liberators.
    We care deeply about human freedom and the human condition.
        The President must always remember the lessons learned from
    September the 11th. And here's the lesson learned for this country, that
    when we see a threat, we cannot let it gather, that if we see a threat
    to our security, we can no longer hope it goes away. We can no longer
    say, ``Gosh, maybe the tyrant will change his mind.'' We don't have that
    luxury anymore. September the 11th taught us that we must deal with
    threats before they fully materialize.
        I saw a threat in Iraq and--by looking at the intelligence.
    Congress, by the way, looked at the same intelligence, the same
    intelligence I looked at. They saw a threat. The United Nations Security
    Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat. The threat we
    saw was based upon not only the intelligence but based upon the prior
    behavior of Mr. Saddam Hussein, a person who
    clearly hated America. He's a person that had used weapons of mass
    destruction against his own people and against people in his
    neighborhood. He's a person that had terrorist ties. After all, he's the
    person that paid suiciders money to blow up innocent lives in the Middle
    East. He was a tyrant to his own people.
        No, we saw a threat, and the United Nations Security Council, if you
    remember, said, ``Disarm, or face serious consequences.'' That's what
    the U.N. Security Council said, with America's vote. When America says
    something, it better mean it. And so when we said, ``Disarm,'' to Saddam
    Hussein, we meant it. He chose defiance once
    again. He refused to comply with the demands of the free world. Given
    his history, given the fact that he was a madman,

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    I was faced with the choice of whether to take his word or defend
    America. I will defend America every time.
        First of all, if any of you have a loved one in the military, I want
    to thank you for your patience and your understanding. And I want to
    thank them for their sacrifice and service.
        The world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power, and so are the Iraqi people. They long to be
    free. They want to be free. Moms and dads in Iraq want to raise their
    children in a peaceful world. They want their children, just like we
    want our children, to grow up and realize dreams and aspirations. That's
    what they want. There's a few people there who are trying to stop the
    advance of freedom, and that's what we're facing.
        It's tough work. It's been a hard couple of months for the American
    people. But I want you to know what I've told family members of--who
    have lost a loved one: Your son or daughter sacrificed for something
    incredibly important, which is freedom and peace. A free society in Iraq
    will lead to a more peaceful world. Not only have we removed a threat to
    America, but we now have a chance to spread freedom into a part of the
    world that is desperate for freedom. Free societies are peaceful
    societies. Free societies are hopeful societies. The long-term interest
    of this country, the long-term interest of the world revolve around
    whether or not we have the courage and the resolve and the determination
    to spread freedom in the Middle East, starting in Iraq. We have that
    resolve.
        We have a plan. We have a plan to make Iraq more secure. Our troops
    will get what they need to do their job. Our troops will receive the
    help. And we have a plan to turn over sovereignty to the Iraqi--to an
    Iraqi entity. That's what we said we're going to do. When America
    speaks, it's got to mean what it says. Everybody is watching us--
    everybody is watching.
        I love to tell the story about a dinner with Prime Minister
    Koizumi. Maybe this will help put this in
    perspective. Prime Minister Koizumi is the Prime Minister of Japan. And
    we were having dinner in Tokyo, and we were talking about how we can
    work together to make the world more peaceful, starting with how to make
    sure that the Korean Peninsula is peaceful by keeping pressure on Kim
    Chong-il not to develop a nuclear weapon. See,
    the mutual goal is not to--is to keep the Korean Peninsula nuclear-
    weapons free. That's important. You can imagine. Kim Chong-il is a
    tyrant. He's a danger. Here I was talking to the Prime Minister of a
    country that was at war with the United States, had attacked our
    country, and it dawned on me that if we had gotten it wrong after World
    War II, I might not have been having this conversation about how to keep
    the peace. Also during the conversation, I realized that when we get it
    right in Iraq--and we will--when Iraq is free, someday an American
    President will be having the discussion with the duly elected official
    of Iraq about how to work together to bring peace in a troubled region
    of the world.
        What we're doing is historic in nature. We have a chance to change
    the world for the better. We have a chance to spread freedom in parts of
    the world that are desperate for freedom. And as a result, America will
    have short-term security and long-term security.
        Let me tell you something about freedom. It's a cornerstone of our
    foreign policy. One of the reasons I believe I need to be your President
    for 4 more years is because I understand that freedom is not America's
    gift to the world; freedom is the almighty God's gift to each man and
    woman in this world, and we have an obligation--[applause]. Thank you
    all.
        A stronger America is also important for our future. I have a
    vision, a clear vision as to how to keep our country strong. It starts
    with making sure the economy is strong, and I've got to tell you, I'm
    one optimistic fellow about our economy. And

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    the reason why is I know what we have overcome. We've overcome a lot.
        Think about what this country has been through in the last 3 years.
    We've been through a recession that started in early 2001. That means we
    were going backwards. It's hard to be a worker in an industry that has
    been beset by recession. It's hard to be a small-business owner if
    you're worried about the future. It was a negative period of time.
        We started overcoming that, and the enemy hit us, and that hurt our
    economy too. It not only changed how we've got to view the world; it
    hurt our economy. It just did.
        And then we started coming out of that, and we realized there were
    some citizens in our country who forgot what it meant to be responsible
    citizens. In other words, they didn't tell the truth. We had some
    corporate wrongdoers. We had a corporate scandal that shook our
    confidence. When you can't believe the numbers you're reading, if you're
    an investor or a worker, an employee, or an officer, it shakes your
    confidence about the American system. We dealt with it. We passed tough
    laws and made it clear we're not going to tolerate dishonesty in the
    boardrooms of America.
        As well the march to war in Iraq affected capital markets and
    affected the optimism of the country. Imagine seeing on your TV screens
    the words ``March to War.'' ``America is marching to war.'' And if
    you're a planner or a small-business owner or somebody looking for work,
    it's a pretty negative environment in which to be making decisions. No,
    marching to war is not a positive thought. We're now marching to peace,
    and yet, we've overcome all those obstacles in a short period of time.
        This economy of ours today is strong, and it's getting stronger. And
    the question is, how do we keep it strong as we go into the next decade?
    I say it's strong--first quarter growth was 4.2 percent. That's strong.
    That's good. Well, I say it's strong--we increased jobs nationwide by
    308,000 in the month of March. New jobs here in Ohio are increasing in
    the month of March. I say it's strong--today there's a report out that
    showed that factory orders is up by 4.3 percent, the largest order
    increase in 2 years. In other words, there's indication after
    indication--it's strong. More people--the homeownership rate is the
    highest it's ever been in our Nation's history. That's good. We want
    more people owning something. This administration understands that if
    you own something, if you own your business, if you own your home,
    you're going to have a vital interest in the future of this country.
        No, the indications are good. There are still people who hurt, and I
    understand that. There are people in parts of Ohio who haven't felt the
    recovery yet, but we're getting better. And we've got to make sure we
    have progrowth policies. I'm running because I want to make sure the
    progrowth agenda doesn't get disrupted.
        What do you mean by that? Well, I believe strongly that one of the
    reasons why this economy is as strong as it is, is because we cut taxes,
    because the more people--we're going to hear from some couples in a
    minute about what--a couple--about what it meant to cut taxes. But we
    cut taxes. Let me tell you, when you have more money in your pocket, it
    generally increases demand for a good or a service. And when demand goes
    up, somebody is going to meet that good or a service, which means
    somebody is more likely to have a job or to find work. That's what that
    means. It was an important part--I like to tell people that this
    economic growth we're seeing is the result of tax relief--partially
    because of tax relief, and it shows that the American people are
    spending their money far better than the Federal Government would have.
        Some in Washington don't like that rhetoric. They think the Federal
    Government can spend it better than you can. That's just a difference of
    opinion. You better be careful in a campaign if somebody starts
    promising spending. Heck, we've got 6

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    months to go, and the fellow I'm running against
    is already over a trillion dollars in new programs. We're counting them
    up. He says he's going to pay for it by tax on the rich. You can't tax
    the rich enough to pay for all his promises. So guess who's going to
    pay? You're going to pay. And we're not going to let him do that,
    though. That would be terrible for the economy. The American people
    don't need a tax increase.
        The question is, who has got the vision to make sure this country is
    the strongest economic nation in the world? I'm going to argue I do.
    See, the way to make sure we're strong and people can find work is to
    make sure this is the best place to do business in the world; this is
    the best place for people to risk capital; this is the best place for
    people to realize their dreams by starting their own business. That's
    what this campaign is about in the future--means we better get tort
    reform, better make sure that we do not have frivolous or junk lawsuits
    that make it difficult for people to be able to make a living.
        And that includes medical liability reform. In order to make sure
    that we can grow our economy, in order to make sure people are able to
    feel comfortable about expanding their job base, we've got to do
    something about the cost of health care. Frivolous and junk lawsuits run
    up the cost of health care. They make health care more--less affordable
    and less accessible. The Congress needs to act. You need a President who
    is willing to push for medical liability reform in Washington, DC.
        We need to continue to promote health savings accounts, which make
    sure that customers and docs have got the--patients and docs have got
    the proper relationship. We want the patient-doctor relationship to be
    the center of decisionmaking in health care, not Federal bureaucracy. We
    want to promote association health care plans to make sure small
    businesses are able to better afford health care.
        Listen, the vision has got to be to make sure this is a good place
    to do business and that the ingredients are available for the
    entrepreneurial spirit to be strong. That's why we need an energy plan.
    We don't have an energy plan. It's stuck in the United States Congress.
        We need a plan that promotes alternative sources of energy. Look,
    I'd love to be the President someday to be able to say, ``The corn crop
    is good. Therefore, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy.''
    I'd like to be able to grow energy, but it's going to take a while to
    get the research and development to kick in.
        We need alternative sources of energy. We need to promote clean coal
    technology. We need to use the resources we've got. We ought to be
    exploring for more natural gas at home. We ought to be using our
    technology to encourage the spread of safe nuclear power. We ought to
    be, on all fronts, making sure we--but my point is this--my point is
    this: We can encourage conservation; we can encourage reliable supplies
    of energy; and we must do so to become less dependent on foreign sources
    of energy. If we expect to be competitive, we've got to have an energy
    plan.
        Two other things I want to talk about right quick. One is, there's a
    lot of talk about trade. I'm going to tell you something: I need to be
    President to reject economic isolationism from taking hold in America.
    We should not isolate ourselves from the world. That would be bad for
    workers. It would be bad for long-term economic growth.
        Presidents before me have made the decision to open up our markets
    so consumers benefit from trade. You see, if you're a consumer here in
    America and you've got different options from which to choose, you're
    generally going to get better price and better quality. That's the way
    the economy works. But what hasn't happened is, foreign markets haven't
    opened up like ours have.

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        The message I give to the American people is, in order for us to
    grow our job base and to stay competitive and stay strong, is for us not
    to fear competition but to welcome it, so long as there's a level
    playing field. We can compete with anybody. Our workers are productive.
    Our farmers and ranchers are great. Our high-tech industry is
    imaginative and strong. The policy of Government ought to be to open up
    new markets for American entrepreneurs and businesspeople and farmers
    and ranchers. We can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere.
        Government must put good policy in place that encourages the spread
    of innovative technology. My dream is for everybody in America to have
    broadband technology in their home by the year 2007. This is--broadband
    technology, if done right, is going to revolutionize education and
    health care. It will make this society more entrepreneurial, make the
    people of America more productive. It's a great way--a great
    opportunity. We had a good break. The Senate passed a moratorium on
    access taxes to broadband. My view is there ought to be not any taxes on
    broadband. If you want it to spread across the country, don't tax it.
    Plus we've got to get rid of regulatory hurdles so that it spreads
    around. Innovative society--an innovative society is one that's
    necessary for us to compete, but there are problems with an innovative
    society. We're going to talk a little bit about the opportunities and
    the challenges that an innovative society provides.
        Let me put it to you this way: Technology races through our economy,
    and it makes us more competitive. There are new ideas, but workers lag.
    Some industries are old. Some new industries spring up. But the
    transition from the old industry to the new industry is a difficult
    transition for many of our workers. We will not be a productive leader
    in the world if we don't get our education systems right.
        On the one hand, we've got to make sure our youngsters learn to read
    and write and add and subtract early, before it is too late. And that's
    why the No Child Left Behind Act that I had the honor of signing is a
    really good start. We're challenging the soft bigotry of low
    expectations. We're shutting down this business of simply shuffling kids
    through the system. We're making sure they learn to read early, before
    it's too late, and they're getting help if they need help. We're going
    to raise the bar. We're going to make sure every child from every
    background gets as good an education as possible.
        But you've got to also understand there are workers in this world
    who are working for companies that--where the job base is dwindling. And
    yet, there are also jobs in the neighborhood, and we need to use the
    community college system in a wise way to make sure that we train people
    for the jobs of the 21st century. We'll talk about this in a minute. But
    what I'm telling you about--a vision that understands America's role in
    the world is one that says, ``Education is the cornerstone--practical
    education to make sure the workers get the training they need to be
    productive workers as our economy transition to the 21st century
    economy.''
        Finally, let me tell you about how to make America a better place.
    The President has got to understand the proper role between Government
    and compassion--between--the proper role between Government and the
    strength of the country. The strength of this country is the hearts and
    souls of the American citizens. That's our strength.
        The Government is not a loving organization. I'm sure there's loving
    people in Government. I'm one. [Laughter] But Government, itself, is not
    loving. Government is law and justice. Love comes when somebody--a soul
    says, ``What can I do to make my community a better place? What can I do
    to mentor a child? What can I do to love my neighbor just like I'd like
    to be loved myself?'' I need to be President for 4 more years to rally
    that spirit, to

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    call upon that great strength of America so our society changes, one
    heart, one soul, one conscience at a time.
        Let me talk a little bit about some of the people I've had the honor
    of meeting. I met the Berkeys, Kim and
    Becky. They're with us today. Kim is a cargo
    handler at Menlo Forwarding. Is that right?
        Kim Berkey. [Inaudible]
        The President. Yes. And Becky is with
    him, his wife. They--they're a tax--I call them a tax family. The reason
    why is because they saved money, $1,900, from the tax cut. That's $1,900
    of their own money they get to keep, not like the Government--and it's
    1,900 this year too.
        See, we raised the child credit to $1,000, which helped people raise
    families. It's an important part of the tax relief. We reduced the
    marriage penalty. We got a Tax Code that penalizes marriage. It seems to
    me it sends the wrong signal. We ought to be encouraging marriage and
    family, not penalizing marriage.
        They saved $1,900.
    It's a lot of money to them--at least that's what they told me. If
    Congress doesn't act, there's going to be a tax increase on these folks.
    It doesn't make any sense, does it, to be raising taxes on them at this
    point when the economy begins to grow. And $1,900, it gives them more
    money to pay down credit. It gives them more money to take care of their
    family.
        Is that right? What did you do with all that money?
        Mr. Berkey. Well, mostly we used it just to
    pay off some bills, much like most of our friends, because raising a
    family is very expensive nowadays. I brought my three children, and as
    you can see, just feeding them guys took most of that $800. [Laughter]
        The President. Good-looking family you got there. Thanks for coming.
        If they don't move--Congress doesn't move, they're going to have an increase of about $900 taxes. I don't
    know what that would do to you. I'm not a lawyer, but that's a leading
    question, isn't it? [Laughter] Go ahead. Speak up, Mom.
        Becky Berkey. Any kind of an increase is
    just going to make things tighter. You know, I like to have the money
    here.
        The President. See, we've got money in Washington. We just have to
    set our priorities. I've laid out a plan to cut this deficit in half in
    5 years, but Congress is going to have to be careful about how they
    spend your money. It's a plan that prioritizes the military, prioritizes
    defending the homeland, but it's a plan that says to Congress, you know,
    ``Be wise about using the people's money.'' I don't have to worry about
    these two Congressmen. They're wise about the money.
        But we don't need to be taking money out of these people's pockets,
    see? We don't need a bunch of promisers in Washington, DC, who say,
    ``Well, I better fulfill my promise by taxing these good folks.'' It's
    not only bad for them; it's bad for the overall economy. Taking $900 out
    of their pocket affects the economy. And we're beginning to grow, and it
    requires--what this Nation needs is a person who understands how
    economies grow. Governments don't make economies grow. People make
    economies grow, and these people need to get their money.
        Thank you all for coming.
        When you're talking to your friends and neighbors about the tax
    rhetoric, remind them that an essential part of a vibrant economy is the
    small-business sector. Seventy percent of new jobs are created by small-
    business owners in America. That's pretty good, isn't it? So if you're
    worried about job creation in Ohio, you better stay focused on small-
    business owners.
        And we've got an owner with us. Dave Dysinger owns his own business. Isn't that exciting to hear, ``I
    own''--can you imagine saying, ``I own my own business?'' It's exciting
    words for the entrepreneur, ``I own my business--it's my business.'' He
    owns his. And I just want to--you've just got to tell

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    your neighbors the truth about the tax relief. When you cut rates,
    overall rates for everybody, you're really affecting small business,
    because most small businesses are sole proprietorships or Subchapter S
    corporations. So when you hear people say, ``I'm going to tax the
    rich,'' really what they're saying--they may try to tax the rich. The
    rich generally have good accountants so they don't get taxed much, and
    the small businesses will take the brunt of the tax-the-rich scheme. And
    that hurts our economy.
        Dave, tell us about your business.

    [Dave Dysinger, president, Dysinger, Inc., Dayton, OH, made brief
    remarks, concluding as follows.]

        Mr. Dysinger. We are back in a growth
    cycle. We're up to 21 employees now. We expect to hire 10 more and 20
    next year.
        The President. There you go.
        Mr. Dysinger. So we're moving.
        The President. We care about outsourcing in America. We want people
    working here, but the wrong policy would have been, ``Let's go through
    economic isolationist policy. Let's wall us off from the world.''
    Instead, the right policy was to stimulate growth at home.
        See, he's helping make my point. My point
    is, let us be confident about ourselves. Let's put the right policies in
    place that encourage growth at home. Here's a fellow that--his business
    dropped, and it's now on the upswing. Did you notice he said he's going
    to hire 10 people this year? There's a lot of Daves in America. There's
    a lot of small businesses who are feeling the way he's feeling. Seventy
    percent of new jobs are created by the small-business sector of the
    economy, and you just heard an entrepreneur say 10 this year, 15 next
    year? Twenty next year?
        Mr. Dysinger. Twenty next year.
        The President. Do I hear 25?
        Mr. Dysinger. I hope.
        The President. Not yet. I want Dave to
    explain his investment strategy. Are you going to make any investments?
        Mr. Dysinger. Yes, to make room for the
    people, we're going to have to add facility, so we expect to double our
    facility size this year. And we need to buy--we're going to buy some
    used machinery and some new machinery. We expect to spend probably $2
    million over the next 12 months.
        The President. Right. Let me tell you about the connection between
    what he just said--and by the way, part of
    his decisionmaking was because he's optimistic about expanding. I
    suspect part of his decisionmaking had to do with the bonus depreciation
    you got in the tax bill. In other words, there was an incentive to
    encourage people to invest.
        Mr. Dysinger. That's right.
        The President. Yes, see. That's a leading question. I already knew
    the answer. But let me--[laughter]--but the reason I bring that up is
    that when you hear Dave say he's going to buy
    some equipment or invest, somebody has got to make the equipment. In
    other words, he said, ``I want to--I'm increasing demand for
    equipment.'' And somebody is going to respond to his demand, and when
    they make the equipment, somebody has got to be employed to do so. And
    if the person making the equipment has got more orders than the previous
    year, it may mean that he is expanding as well.
        So here is Dave saying, ``I'm expanding.
    I need to invest.'' The person who he is buying from also may be now in
    a position to--and that's how the economy works. It starts with
    influencing the decision--in this case, of a small-business
    entrepreneur--by good tax policy, and I think it happens to be good
    economic policy to be optimistic and confident about our future. And
    it's his decision, not the Government's decision. It's his decision that
    stimulates further economic growth and vitality.

    [[Page 749]]

        I want to thank you for being an entrepreneur. I wish you all the
    best in your business.
        Mr. Dysinger. I'd like to thank you also.
    The fact is, I'm proud and grateful to be an American. And I am very
    thankful for the leadership you bring to us here in these hard times.
        The President. Thank you, sir. [Applause] Thank you all. Thank you
    all. Let me--thanks. Thanks a lot, Dave. I'm
    glad I invited you. [Laughter]
        I mentioned the role of community colleges. We've got a plan called
    the Jobs for the 21st Century, and an integral part of that is to make
    sure the Workforce Investment Act actually gets money to people who are
    looking for work. And a key component of a job strategy has got to be to
    rely upon your asset base. And we've got a great asset base at the
    community colleges. Community colleges are flexible. They're affordable.
    They're available. And the thing I love about community colleges, when
    they're run right, they're able to match employer demand with employees
    that want to work. In other words, they're able to train somebody for
    jobs which actually exist. And part of our focus is to empower community
    colleges to enter collaborative efforts with local employers.
        If you happen to be on the chamber of commerce, by the way, and
    you've got a community college around, use it to attract industry.
    People want to make sure they've got trained workers. Use your community
    colleges.
        We've got Steve Johnson with us. You
    probably think I'm going to pick him because he got his Ph.D. from the
    University of Texas. No, that's not why we got him. We got him because
    he's running Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.
        My fellow Texan--no--tell us about
    your community college.

    [Steven Lee Johnson, president, Sinclair Community College, made brief
    remarks.]

        The President. What he's telling you is, is that--notice he
    mentioned Dave's name. He is available to design a curriculum that helps Dave and,
    at the same time, helps the workers.
        One of the interesting areas--one of the things I find around the
    country is that there's great demand in the health care field in America
    today. In other words, old jobs are being replaced by new jobs.
        Is that the case here or not?
        Dr. Johnson. That's the case. In fact,
    a lot of the support that Sinclair has received over the years from
    Federal grants, National Science Foundation, Department of Labor grants,
    Department of Education grants, has allowed us to revamp and overhaul
    our curriculum, has allowed us to put in technology training programs
    that are for today and for tomorrow.
        The President. Yes. The Federal Government helps. It sets
    priorities. You know, there's displaced workers--money to help displaced
    workers. If a community gets hit hard by a layoff, there's money
    available to help the community colleges train people for jobs which
    exist. Part of the problem we have in America is there are jobs that are
    available, and people just aren't trained to meet them.
        The other interesting thing about our country and the economy today
    and where the community colleges provide a very important role is that
    we're becoming a more productive society. In other words, there's the
    premium on being a productive worker, which requires different kinds of
    skill sets than you had in the past. In other words, envision going from
    the shovel to the backhoe. You had to learn how to drive the backhoe,
    and when you did, you were incredibly more productive than you were with
    a shovel. It's that same equivalent that's taking place throughout our
    economy right now. We're in a time of transition, and community colleges
    help workers become more productive.
        But productivity increases for a worker means higher pay. The more
    productive a

    [[Page 750]]

    society you are, the more your standard of living goes up. And so one of
    the things that we're going to talk about here in a minute is how a
    particular individual can become more productive through going to the
    community college and then enhance her standard of living.
        Have you got anything else you want to offer, Steve?
        Dr. Johnson. Just one other thing,
    President Bush----
        The President. I thought you had something on the tip of your
    tongue.
        Dr. Johnson. I just have one thing.
    You know how we are. I just want to say that you are very--we really
    appreciate your support of community colleges and of Sinclair Community
    College. And you are very complimentary, and you do know--I want to
    point out that it's the community leaders in this room that built
    Sinclair Community College, maintain Sinclair Community College. And
    that's the story across America, local leaders building colleges to
    serve the needs of today and tomorrow.
        The President. Yes, and that's the way it should be, by the way. The
    Federal Government can help on targeted assistance. We can help with
    collaborative efforts, but like public schools, community colleges need
    to be run by the local folks. You don't want to Federalize education.
        Thank you.
        Ready? Okay, I want you to hear, I think, an amazing story. Nancy
    Scott is with us. Nancy, thank you for coming.
    Mother of three--I think she's got the toughest job in America. She's a
    single mother of three. That's hard work. Nancy, tell us what you did,
    where you went to school, and what you're doing, please.

    [Nancy Scott made brief remarks.]

        The President. Okay, let me stop you. I know you're just getting
    wound up, and there's nothing worse than--[laughter]. She goes back to school. First of all, Government can't
    make Nancy Scott go back to school. She's got to want to succeed,
    herself. She has a great spirit.
        There's help available. Pell grants are important. I'm a big
    supporter of Pell grants. It makes sense to help people go back to
    school.
        And the third thing that you just heard her
    say is her income doubled. In other words, she became a more productive
    worker. She gained new skills, skills that are more applicable to the
    21st century jobs that are now being created, and her income doubled.
    People have got to understand that helping a worker become more
    productive not only helps fill jobs but, more importantly, helps the
    worker and her family, in this case, to double her income.
        Go ahead.
        Ms. Scott. I would just like to add that,
    other than that, my family and friends here and in New York are praying
    for you, Mr. President.
        The President. Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.
        Ms. Scott. And we stand behind you.
        The President. Thanks a lot. I'm honored. Thank you for coming. I
    appreciate you.
        That's--isn't that a fabulous story? See, that's the story of the
    21st century. We need to continue stories like this as we--as our
    economy changes. There are a lot of people like Nancy who want to meet their obligations and their
    responsibilities and want to be helped so they can become productive. I
    love the story of Nancy Scott. I meet people like that all the time. The
    community college is an essential part of making sure that we're
    competitive in the future by enabling our workers, who are the best in
    the world, to have the skills necessary to compete. That's what we're
    talking about.
        Let me--I'm fixing to go to--fixing to get on the bus. I do want to
    answer some questions before I get out of here. Here's your chance.
        Yes, ma'am.

    [[Page 751]]

    Support for Troops in Iraq

        Q. Yes--my husband is serving in Iraq----
        The President. Your husband is in Iraq now?
        Q. Right.
        The President. Thank you. What's he doing?
        Q. He's with the civil affairs, and he supports you 100 percent for
    being there. And I support you, and his family supports you for being
    there. My question is, is there any plans of getting out the personnel
    vehicles from the Vietnam era to help with the protection from the--
    until the Humvees get----
        The President. Yes.
        Q. ----for their--protection for the soldiers?
        The President. Right. The plan is to continue to upgrade the Humvees
    and to bring in more Strykers. Look, I want you to know--and, first of
    all, thank your husband. But I want our troops to have the very best.
    This--you hear--this is politics. It's kind of a political season, so
    you hear things that--people say things like we don't want our soldiers
    to have the best. But we put an $87 billion supplemental out there. A
    big chunk of that money was to make sure we upgraded the equipment our
    soldiers were getting to make them safe. That's a lot of money. It takes
    a while to get the Kevlar vests, the latest Kevlar vests manufactured.
    We're distributing it. I supported the 67 billion for the troops--87
    billion overall.
        I want to remind you what my opponent said
    about that. [Laughter] He said he voted for the 87 billion, right before
    he voted against it. [Laughter] Look, we just need strong support for
    our troops. And I have a solemn duty to say to you as clearly as I can,
    we will do the very best we possibly can to make your loved one safe.
    That's what we owe the family members, and that's what we owe the
    troops.
        Yes, sir.

    Education

        Q. Mr. President, I consider it a great honor to be here today to be
    with you. I am a retired educator, and as you know, many of the people
    in my profession profess to be very opposed to the things that the
    Republicans are proposing. And I made a comment here earlier today to
    some friends that if the educators will speak the truth, the real truth,
    we can teach every child and not leave them behind. But it takes not
    just money. It takes the backing of the family. It takes backing of the
    school. It takes backing of everyone to make that child want to learn,
    and it's not dollars that's going to pull him out the way the NEA says
    it is.
        So as the retired principal of West Carrollton Junior High School, I
    support your plan 100 percent, and I know many, many educators that
    support it as well. They're not all on the side of the NEA.
        The President. Well, I appreciate you. Thanks for being in
    education. Thank you.
        Let me say something. Look, the key is that we use curriculum that
    works. The key is that we encourage our teachers. The key is we don't
    federalize public schools. The key is, where we find failure, we address
    it. In order to address failure, you've got to figure it out in the
    first place. That's why measuring is so important.
        There was a big battle over measuring when I was Governor of Texas.
    There's a battle over measuring when it comes to Federal dollars. People
    don't want to measure--some people don't. How do you know if you don't
    measure? How can you tell whether a child is just being shuffled through
    the system, unless you're willing to say, ``See if you can read?''
    Early, by the way--you've got to test early to determine whether or not
    a child has got the skills necessary to become a productive citizen,
    which is reading. And if you find there's a deficiency, we've got money
    in the budget to correct it early, before it's too late.

    [[Page 752]]

        The whole cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind Act is this great
    sense of possibility for every child. If you do not believe every child
    can learn to read and write, then you say it's okay not to measure. If
    you believe every child can learn to read and write, you want to measure
    to determine if they can. And if so, you reward the schools that are
    meeting expectations, and if not, you change. [Applause] I appreciate
    that.

    Request for Autograph

        Q. Mr. President, would you please sign this? [Laughter]
        The President. Yes. In a minute. [Laughter]
        Yes, sir.

    Steel Prices

        Q. The question is, due to your administration, our business has
    turned around phenomenally. The last 2 months have been record months,
    but where we're taking a hit at is the steel industry. The prices are
    skyrocketing.
        The President. Yes. Well, I understand. And the reason why is
    because the world is recovering. You see, when demand--worldwide demand
    was depressed for steel because there was slowness in the world, there
    was an oversupply. And what's happened is, is that demand has
    outstripped supply because countries like China are now demanding more
    steel. They're beginning to grow. The whole world is beginning to grow.
    The United States is beginning to grow.
        And I understand the pressures. Obviously, in a market-oriented
    world, which I believe the world should be, there will be price-driven
    expansion. In other words, there will be more steel producers or more
    steel coming on to meet the increased demand. And I understand what
    you're going through, but just remember, it wasn't all that long ago
    that the price of steel was at the bottom end of the pricing structure.
    And we're going through a cycle now because the world is expanding. Our
    exports are up, by the way. We want the world to expand. We want there
    to be prosperity around the world. It makes--it gives us a better chance
    to sell what we make into other markets.
        And so I understand where you're coming from. And I guess what I'm
    telling you is there's cyclicality in the economy, particularly when it
    comes to steel pricing.
        Yes? Go ahead and bring that plate over here. I can listen and sign
    at the same time.
        Yes, ma'am.

    The Presidency

        Q. My name is Erica Keene. I'm 8 years old.
    And what's the funnest thing to be--about being President? [Laughter]
        The President. The funnest thing is this: Making decisions that make
    the world a better place. I've got to make a lot of decisions--some of
    them you'll see, and some of them you don't see--which means that in
    order to make good decisions, you better know what you believe; you
    better stand on principle.
        Secondly, in order to make good decisions, I've got to listen to
    smart people. I like to be around smart, intelligent, capable people. I
    like to walk into a room full of people like Condi Rice or Dick Cheney or Don
    Rumsfeld or Colin Powell.
        I like to tell people the Oval Office is a powerful place. People
    will stand outside the Oval Office, and they say, ``I can't wait to get
    in there and tell him what for.'' And then they open the door, and they
    walk in this majestic shrine to democracy, and they're overwhelmed by
    the atmosphere. And they say, ``Man, you're looking beautiful, Mr.
    President''--[laughter]--which means you better have people around you
    who tell you the truth. [Laughter]
        A decisionmaker must be willing to listen, must be willing to count
    on others to give good, solid advice. As you go out and gather the vote,
    remind people I've

    [[Page 753]]

    put together a really fantastic team of citizens. And they're good and
    honest folks who are smart and capable.
        No, the best thing about this job is making decisions that I think
    will influence the world and the country in positive ways.
        Let me talk to you real quick about history. I don't think a
    President, if he does big things, will be around to see the history of
    his administration. Oh, yes, there will be the subjective history. There
    will be the political history. There will be the short-term history
    about an administration. But you won't be able to see the big things
    that have changed, the momentum of freedom in parts of the world that's
    desperate for freedom or a cultural change in the country, to see the
    ultimate effects of a cultural change from one that--a culture that
    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
    understands we're responsible for the decisions we make in life.
        So the idea--the best part of this job is to set in motion big
    changes of history. It's unbelievably exciting to be in a position to do
    that. That's why I want to be the President for 4 more years. I see
    clearly where I want to lead the country. I see the obligations we have
    as a great nation. We have an obligation, where we see tyranny and
    slavery, to act. I don't mean militarily. I mean using our influence to
    free people. We have the obligation to free people from tyranny, and we
    have the obligation to free people from disease. One of the things this
    country has done that I'm incredibly proud of is we're leading the fight
    against HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa, for example. It is an
    incredibly important mission for this great and compassionate country.
        Yes. You've written this question down. That's dangerous.
        Q. Yes, but that's because I'm a little nervous.
        The President. Okay, well, don't worry. It's just the President and
    a huge press corps. [Laughter]
        Q. First of all, I want to say I'm very honored to be here with you
    today. I brought my wife and my daughter with me.
        The President. Good. How old is the daughter? I'll just try--I'm
    trying to get you relaxed.
        Q. My daughter is 14. She's right here.
        The President. Do not introduce a 14-year-old daughter. I keep
    telling you. [Laughter]
        Q. My daughter--my wife, Debbie, is over here.
        The President. Hi, Debbie. How are you? How is he doing so far?
    Okay, good.

    President's Faith/2004 Election

        Q. First of all, Mr. President, thank you. I want to thank you for
    being a man of faith. And as a fellow--[applause].
        The President. Thank you. Okay. He may have a question back there.
    [Laughter]
        Q. Wow. Anyhow, as a fellow man of faith, how has the faith, first,
    affected you as a man? How has your faith affected you as President? And
    further, how do you think faith will affect the outcome of the 2004
    election? Thank you.
        The President. Yes. That's a good question. First, let me make this
    abundantly clear to you: The job of the President is to promote a
    society in which people are free to worship as they see fit. A valuable
    and cherished tradition of America is that you can worship an Almighty
    if you want to, and you're just as patriotic if you choose not to, that
    if you choose to worship, you can worship any religion that you choose.
    My job is to make sure that that is a absolute part of the American
    society in the future.
        From an individual perspective, as a person, I rely upon faith to
    give me the strength necessary to do my job. One of the interesting
    parts of the job, something that I discovered as President, is the fact
    that a lot of people pray for me. That's

    [[Page 754]]

    a very humbling thought when you think about little old me. People pray
    for George W. and his family. I don't ask. People just do, and for that
    I'm grateful, incredibly grateful. I believe in prayer, and I appreciate
    the prayers of people.
        I think the 2004 election will be determined by the American
    people's decision as to who best can lead the country. That's what I
    think will determine the 2004 election. I think it's the collective will
    of the people which make that determination. Some people of faith will
    participate. Some who don't necessarily agree with faith will
    participate. The question of the outcome of the race is who best can
    describe as clearly as possible a positive and hopeful and optimistic
    future for every single citizen of this country regardless of their
    political party, regardless of their background, regardless of their
    economic status. That's what I think will determine the outcome of this
    election.
        Yes, little guy way up there. My favorite dog is Barney. [Laughter]
    That wasn't your question, okay. I think this is going to have to be the
    last question. I know, I'm sorry. Come on down the road to Lebanon.
    [Laughter]

    The Presidency

        Q. Mr. President, do you like your job? And is it difficult at
    times?
        The President. Yes. I love my job, and that's why I want to do it
    for 4 more years. I believe that--a lot of jobs are tough, but that's
    what makes them worthwhile. My job is the kind of job that you better
    know who you are and where you're going in order to do it the right way.
    You can't kind of fumble around with your value system on the people's
    time. You've got to be rock solid in what you believe.
        I tease and say I'm listening to my mother,
    as the President. Well, that's part of what it means to be rock solid in
    your values. You get raised a certain way, and that's just the way you
    are. And you show up, and you do your job. You tell people what you
    think, make the best decisions you can possibly make. You just can't
    worry about politics. I'm worried--I am in the political arena. I'm
    obviously anxious about this election; otherwise, I wouldn't be here
    asking for the vote. I'm anxious for it to get started. I like to
    campaign. I like to be with people. But I'm not going to change. I'm not
    going to change my principles. I'm not going to change my value system
    in order to win the vote.
        I want to thank you all for coming. May God bless. Thank you all.
    Thanks for being here. Yes. Thanks, everybody. Glad you're here.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:32 p.m. at the Hara Complex. In his
    remarks, he referred to Lt. Gov. Jennette Bradley and State Treasurer
    Joseph T. Deters of Ohio; State Senator Jeff Jacobson and State
    Representative Jon Husted of Ohio; Robert T. Bennett, chairman, Ohio
    Republican Party; Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan; and
    Chairman Kim Chong-il of North Korea.