    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 18, 2004]
    [Pages 1091-1098]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Reno, Nevada
    June 18, 2004

        The President. Thank you all very much. Thank you all. Go ahead and
    be seated. Please be seated, unless, of course, you don't have a seat.
    [Laughter] It's great to be here in Nevada. Thanks for coming. Thank you
    all for coming. You didn't think I'd get it right, did you? [Laughter] I
    appreciate your warm welcome.
        I appreciate the kind words of Senator John McCain. Both candidates in this race are honored to be the
    friend of John McCain. Only one of us gets his vote, and I am proud that
    it is me. John McCain has lived a life of true service to this country.
    He is a man of honor. He is a man of integrity. He's a man of personal
    courage and political courage, and I thank him for his friendship and
    his support.
        It's good to be here in Reno. It's a town known for its good people
    and its good times. I always like being in a place where the cowboy hats
    outnumber the ties.
        Vice President Cheney and I were proud to
    carry Nevada last time, and we're going to carry it this time. And I'm
    here to thank you for your help. I'm here to thank you for what you have
    done, what you will do to turn out that vote. Thanks for coming.
        I am sorry that First Lady Laura Bush isn't
    here. You drew the short straw. [Laughter] She is a fabulous woman. She
    is a great First Lady. If there's any reason to put me back in there for
    4 more years, it's to make sure Laura is the First Lady for 4 more
    years.
        I'm also proud to be running with Dick Cheney. He's the finest Vice President our country has ever had.
    Mother heard me say that one time, and said,
    ``Now wait a minute, buster.'' [Laughter]
        I appreciate your Governor, Kenny Guinn.
    He's a fine, honest, honorable, great Governor of this State. And like
    me, he married well--[laughter]--when he married Dema.
        Today John McCain and I had the honor of
    traveling from Fort Lewis, Washington, with a great United States
    Senator from

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    Nevada, and that is Senator John Ensign. And old
    Jim Gibbons stumped on the plane too. He's doing
    a fabulous job for this part of the country. I'm proud to call him
    friend. It's great to be with his wife, Dawn.
        You know, Senator Ensign and Congressman
    Gibbons and I worked on a project that's very
    important for your part of the world. It's a project that concerns the
    health of Lake Tahoe. For years you've been hearing that the Federal
    Government would help maintain this national treasure. For years you've
    been hearing excuses about why it hadn't happened. Well, I'm here to
    tell you it's happened. I signed a bill, working with this good Senator
    and this good Congressman, to make $300 million available for the
    restoration of that lake so that generations of our fellow countrymen
    can enjoy its beauty.
        I appreciate the Lieutenant Governor being here, Lorraine
    Hunt. Thanks for coming. I want to thank
    your very fine attorney general, my close friend Brian
    Sandoval, for being here. State Treasurer
    Brian Krolicki is with us today. Thanks
    for coming, Brian. I mean, we're about--we've got them all here, the
    secretary of state, Dean Heller, is with us
    today. Mother? Yes, we've got Mom right here on the first row, Dean.
    [Laughter] She's watching you like a hawk--[laughter]--probably like my
    mother, still telling you what to do.
    [Laughter]
        We've got the State comptroller, Kathy Augustine, is with us today. We've got Bob Cashell, the mayor of this great city, is with us today. Mr.
    Mayor, all I can tell you is just fill the potholes, and the people will
    love you. [Laughter]
        We've got local officials. We've got State officials, and we've got
    grassroots activists. Thanks for coming. And if you want to figure out
    how to help, get on the Internet at georgewbush.com. If you want to
    volunteer, if you want to figure out how to help turn out the vote, get
    on your Internet and call it up. And we want--and we will help you help
    us, because, you see, we're counting on you. We're counting on you to
    turn out the vote. We're counting on you to talk to both Republicans and
    Democrats and independents.
        And when you're talking to them, tell them this: The last 3\1/2\
    years have brought serious challenges, and we have given serious
    answers. We came to office with a stock market in decline and an economy
    headed into recession. We delivered historic tax relief. And since last
    summer, America has had the fastest growing economy in the
    industrialized world.
        We uncovered corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their
    savings. So we acted. We passed strong corporate reforms. We brought
    wrongdoers to account, and we made it clear that we will not tolerate
    dishonesty in the boardrooms of America.
        We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. So we
    pursued the terrorist enemy across the world. We've captured or killed
    many of the key leaders of the Al Qaida network, and the rest will know
    there is no cave or hole deep enough to hide from American justice.
        We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror and the spread
    of weapons of mass destruction. So we ended two of the most violent and
    dangerous regimes on Earth. We liberated over 50 million people. Once
    again, America is proud to stand against tyranny and to set nations
    free.
        When Dick Cheney and I came to Washington,
    the military was underfunded and underappreciated. So we gave our Armed
    Forces the resources and respect they deserve. And today, no one can
    question the skill and the strength and the spirit of the United States
    military.
        No, we've confronted problems head on. It is the President's job to
    confront problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future
    generations. That is how I have led our country, and that is how I will
    continue to lead our country for 4 more years.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

    [[Page 1093]]

        The President. Great events will turn on this election. The man who
    sits in the Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror and the
    direction of our economy. The security and prosperity of America are at
    stake.
        This is going to be a tough race. That is why I'm here to ask for
    your help. I'm running against an experienced United States
    Senator who has built up quite a record. My
    opponent has been in Washington long enough to take both sides on just
    about every issue. He voted for the PATRIOT Act, for NAFTA, for the No
    Child Left Behind Act, and for the use of force in Iraq. Now he opposes
    the PATRIOT Act and NAFTA and the No Child Left Behind Act and the
    liberation of Iraq. His position on these issues reminds me of a saying
    we have in Texas about the weather: If you don't like it, just wait a
    few minutes and it will change.
        We had another example recently. Last December I had the honor of
    signing the Healthy Forests Act. I appreciate Senators McCain and Ensign and Congressman
    Gibbons' help on this vital piece of
    legislation, a vital piece of legislation by thinning the underbrush,
    that helps thin the underbrush, that allows thinning the underbrush, to
    restore these national treasures of ours. As we're talking--debating the
    bill in Washington, my opponent opposed the law,
    saying we were taking a chainsaw to public forests.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. Well, now he's packing his
    bags, and he's getting ready to head out West, and he says he now likes
    parts of the law. [Laughter] Says he wants to stop--he wants there to be
    a strong logging industry. You know something? It's not only the
    wildfires that shift with the wind. [Laughter]
        The voters will have an unmistakable choice this year. It is a
    choice between keeping the tax relief that is moving the economy forward
    or putting the burden of higher taxes back on the American people. It is
    a choice between an America that leads the world with strength and
    confidence or an America that is uncertain in the face of danger.
        The other side has not offered much in the ways of strategies to win
    the war or policies to expand our economy. We're well into the campaign,
    and all we have heard is old bitterness and partisan anger. They will
    soon learn that anger is not an agenda for the future of America. I will
    take on the big issues with optimism and resolve and determination, and
    I will make it clear that we stand ready to lead this Nation for 4 more
    years.
        A big issue for every family in America is the Federal tax burden.
    With the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was President, we have
    left more money in the hands that earned it. By spending and investing
    and helping create new jobs, the American people have used their money
    far better than the Federal Government would have.
        Our economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. The economy is
    growing at its fastest 4-quarter rate in nearly 20 years. We added
    248,000 jobs last month and nearly a million jobs in the last 100 days.
    The unemployment rate has fallen from 6.3 percent last summer to 5.6
    percent last month. State unemployment rates have fallen in 46 out of
    the 50 States over the past year. Here in Nevada, you have added 3,800
    new jobs last month. You've added 50,000 new jobs in the last year.
        Homeownership rate in America is at an alltime high. Business
    investment is growing. The stock market is improving. Consumer
    confidence is increasing. Personal incomes are on the rise. The tax
    relief we passed is working.
        There are people in Washington who are pessimistic about the future
    of our economy, and that includes my opponent. Lately, he's dusted off an old term called the Misery Index. The only
    problem is, when you actually apply the index he came up with, it tells
    you the economy was better

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    in the late 1970s than it was in the 1980s. [Laughter] I guess he is
    nostalgic for the days of malaise. [Laughter] But that's not where we're
    headed. America is on the path of progress and opportunity, and we're
    not going backwards.
        And the challenge is to make sure this economy continues to grow and
    remain strong. My plan starts with keeping taxes low and maintaining
    spending discipline in Washington, DC. And the first way to make sure
    people understand the need for discipline is to remind them that
    Government does not spend its own money. Government spends your money,
    and we should be wise about how we spend it.
        In order to make sure this economy continues to grow, we must
    protect our small-business owners from frivolous and junk lawsuits and
    needless regulation. To make sure the economy grows, we must control the
    cost of health care by giving people better access through association
    health plans and tax-free health savings accounts. And we need to pass
    medical liability reform at the Federal level. The Senate up there must
    choose between small business and trial lawyers. I have made my choice.
    I stand squarely on the side of the small-business owners.
        In order to make sure our economy is competitive and continues to
    grow, we need sound energy legislation. We need to encourage
    conservation. We need to encourage alternative sources of energy. But we
    need to use the energy we have so we become less dependent on foreign
    sources of energy.
        In order to make sure people can find work and our economy continues
    to grow, we need to knock down trade barriers and open up new markets
    for American products. Listen, we're good at things in America. We're
    good at growing things. We're good at raising things. We're great
    entrepreneurs. Rather than fall prey to the empty logic of economic
    isolationism, we ought to say to countries, ``We treat you fairly. You
    treat us fairly.'' We can compete anyplace, any time, anywhere with a
    level playing field.
        In order to make sure the economy grows, we must have certainty in
    the Tax Code. It's hard if you're a businessperson to be making
    decisions if you're wondering whether the Tax Code is going to remain
    the same or not. And see, parts of the tax relief we passed is going to
    expire.
        Today I met with Joe and Tammy
    Barkowski and their three
    children. The reason I bring them up is I
    want people to fully understand what I talk about when it comes to tax
    relief and its importance to make sure that it is stable. The Barkowski
    family saved about $2,200 on their taxes last year. And they'll save
    about the same on their taxes this year because of the tax relief we
    passed. Oh, that doesn't sound like a lot to some in Washington. It's a
    lot to the Barkowskis. As a matter of fact, Joe and Tammy said they're
    going to use some of their money to remodel their kitchen, just as soon
    as she decides the color of the paint. [Laughter]
        If Congress does not act, if Congress does not make sure that the
    tax relief we have passed stays in place, their tax bill is going to go
    up by $1,000 next year. I don't think it's right. I don't think that
    makes sense.
        Here's what he had to say, ``If they give us
    our own money, we can do a better job with it.'' And he's right. Higher
    taxes would undermine growth and destroy jobs. Just as our economy is
    getting better, we should not be taking money out of the pockets of our
    consumers and small-business owners. Congress needs to make the tax
    relief permanent and not raise taxes on the American people.
        Our future also depends on America's leadership in the world. The
    momentum of freedom in our time is strong, but we still face serious
    dangers. Al Qaida is wounded but not broken. Terrorists are testing our
    will in Afghanistan and in Iraq.

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    Regimes in North Korea and Iran are challenging the peace. If America
    shows weakness and uncertainty in this decade, the world will drift
    toward tragedy. This will not happen on my watch.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. Thank you all. This Nation is strong and confident in
    the cause of freedom. We know that freedom is not America's gift to the
    world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman who
    lives in this world.
        And today, no friend or enemy doubts the word of the United States
    of America. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror
    regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban chose defiance, and the Taliban are
    no longer in power. And there are thousands of Afghan citizens grateful
    for the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers on their soil. There are thousands of
    Afghan moms who are grateful to America because, for the first time,
    many young girls now get to go to school.
        America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in
    Iraq. The dictator chose defiance, and now the dictator sits in a prison
    cell.
        September the 11th, 2001, taught a lesson I will never forget.
    America must confront threats before they fully materialize. In Iraq, my
    administration looked at the intelligence and looked at the history of
    Saddam Hussein, and we saw a threat. Members
    of the United States Congress from both political parties looked at the
    intelligence, and they saw a threat. The United Nations Security Council
    looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat. As a matter of fact,
    the previous administration and Congress looked at the intelligence and
    made regime change in Iraq the policy of our country.
        In 2002, the U.N. Security Council yet again demanded a full
    accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons
    programs. The world spoke with common voice when it said, ``Disclose.
    Get rid of your weapons, or face serious consequences.'' What I believe
    is that when you say something, you better mean it. As he had for over a
    decade, Saddam Hussein refused to comply. He ignored the demands of the
    free world. So I had a choice to make: Either take the word of a madman,
    or defend America. And given that choice, I will defend America every
    time.
        We showed the dictator and the watching
    world that America means what it says. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons
    programs are ended forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have
    gotten the message and renounced their own weapons programs. Because we
    acted, an example of democracy is rising at the very heart of the Middle
    East. Because we acted, the world is more free. Because we acted,
    America is more secure.
        Tough times in Iraq right now--I know it, and you know it. But we're
    making progress. We're headed toward a free country. An interim
    government is in place. And in less than 2 weeks, the Iraqi people will
    have their sovereignty. In the days ahead, we'll see more bombings, more
    suiciders, more killings of the innocent, because the terrorists'
    greatest fear is an Iraqi government of, by, and for the people. They
    know there is no future for them in a free society. You see, they're
    trying to shake our will. They're killing to try to get us to leave, to
    break our word, to break our bond. They do not understand the United
    States of America. We will not be intimidated by thugs and assassins.
        We're living in historic times. The world is changing for the
    better. A free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will show others the
    hope of a free society, a society in which moms and dads are able to
    raise their children in peace. And a society in which their children can
    strive to realize their own dreams, not the dreams of a tyrant, will be
    a powerful change in a world desperate--desperate--for hope.

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        Terrorists are recruited because they hate and recruited because
    they're hopeless. Free societies inspire. Free societies are peaceful
    societies. We believe firmly that a free Iraq will help the world become
    more peaceful and America more secure.
        These aren't easy tasks for America. We've done hard things before.
    I like to remind people that right after World War II, there was a lot
    of doubters and cynics and pessimists as to whether or not a free
    Germany could arise or a free Japan could arise. But just recently, I
    hosted the G-8 summit in Sea Island, and we were talking about a free
    Iraq. As I looked around the table, I saw the Chancellor of
    Germany, the Prime Minister of
    Japan talking about how to make the world
    more peaceful and secure. I was thankful that my predecessors didn't
    fall prey to pessimism and cynicism. I was thankful that my predecessors
    had faith in the desire for people from all walks of life to be free.
    Because right after World War II we didn't lose faith in the values of
    America, the United States President today is working with the leaders
    of former enemies as to how to make the world a more peaceful and free
    place.
        No, this is hard work. But we've done this kind of work before, and
    someday an American President will be working with a duly elected leader
    from Iraq as to how to make sure America is more secure and our children
    have a chance to grow up in a more peaceful world.
        On national security, Americans have a very clear choice. My
    opponent says he approves of bold action in the
    world, but only if other countries do not object. I'm for--I'm all for
    united action, and so are the more than 30 coalition partners we have in
    Iraq right now. But I will never turn over America's national security
    decisions to leaders of other countries.
        Some are skeptical that the war on terror is really a war at all.
    They think it's a matter only of law enforcement and intelligence. I
    strongly disagree. Our Nation followed this approach after the World
    Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The matter was handled in the courts
    and thought by some to be settled, but the terrorists were still
    training in Afghanistan. They were still plotting in other nations. They
    were still drawing up more ambitious plans.
        After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough
    to serve our enemies with legal papers. With those attacks, the
    terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States of
    America, and war is what they got. And winning this war requires us to
    give our troops the best equipment, the best training, the best possible
    support. That is the commitment I have made. That is the commitment that
    Senator McCain and Ensign have made and a commitment Congressman Gibbons has made.
        And that is why I proposed an $87 billion supplemental last fall.
    Most of that money was going to our troops. Someone recently asked my
    opponent why he voted against that bill. Here's
    what he said. He said, ``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before
    I voted against it.'' The American President must speak clearly and mean
    what he says.
        Our men and women in the military are taking great risks on our
    behalf. At bases across the country and the world, I have had the
    privilege of meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice for
    our security. I've seen their great decency and unselfish courage, and I
    assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in very good
    hands.
        This Nation is prosperous and strong. Yet we need to remember that
    our greatest strength is the hearts and souls of our citizens. We're
    strong because of the values we try to live by, courage and compassion,
    reverence and integrity. We're strong because of the institutions that
    help give us direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our
    religious congregations. These values and institutions are fundamental
    to our lives, and they deserve the respect of our Government.

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        We stand for the fair treatment of faith-based groups, so they can
    receive Federal support for their works of compassion and healing. We
    stand for welfare reforms that require work and strengthen marriage,
    which have helped millions of Americans find independence and dignity.
    We stand for a culture of life in which every person counts and every
    person matters. We stand for institutions like marriage and family,
    which are the foundations of our society. We stand for judges who
    strictly and faithfully interpret the law.
        And we stand for a culture of responsibility in America. This
    culture of our country is changing 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 mother or
    a father, you're responsible for loving your child with all your heart.
    If you're worried about the quality of the education in the community in
    which you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. If
    you're a CEO in corporate America, you're responsible for telling the
    truth to your shareholders and your employees. And in a new
    responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our
    neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves.
        For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand
    apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is
    expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. You and I are
    living in a period when the stakes are high, challenges are difficult, a
    time when firm resolve is needed.
        None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another
    began. On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin
    Towers. I will never forget that day. There were workers in hardhats
    shouting, ``Whatever it takes.'' Working the ropeline with tired
    firefighters and police and rescue workers, they said, ``Don't let us
    down.'' As we all did that day, these men and women searching through
    the rubble took it personally. I took it personally. I have a
    responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice to
    our enemies. I will defend our country, whatever it takes.
        In these times, I have also been witness to the character of this
    Nation. Not so long ago, some had their doubts about the American
    character, our capacity to meet serious challenges, our willingness to
    serve a cause greater than self-interest. Americans have given their
    answer. I have seen the unselfish courage of our troops. I've seen the
    heroism of Americans in the face of danger. I've seen the spirit of
    service and compassion renewed in our country. We've all seen our Nation
    unite in common purpose when it mattered most.
        We will need all these qualities for the work ahead. We have a war
    to win, and the world is counting on us to lead the cause of freedom and
    peace. We have a duty to spread opportunity to every part of America.
    This is the work that history has set before us. We welcome it, and we
    know that for our great land, the best days lie ahead.
        May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:47 p.m. at the Reno-Sparks Convention
    Center. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Kenny C. Guinn of Nevada and
    his wife, Dema; Dawn Gibbons, wife of Representative Jim Gibbons; Mayor
    Robert Cashell of Reno, NV; former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq;
    Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany; and Prime Minister Junichiro
    Koizumi of Japan.

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