[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
[January 8, 2004]
[Pages 28-34]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Reception in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
January 8, 2004

    Thank you all. Thanks for coming. It's great to be back in the great 
State of Florida. We carried it once, and we're going to carry it again.

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    And I want to thank you all for your help. I appreciate you showing 
up today. I appreciate your contributions. I appreciate your friendship, 
appreciate your prayers. I appreciate you laying the foundation for what 
is going to be a great national victory in November of '04.
    And I'm getting ready. [Laughter] I'm loosening up. [Laughter] But 
there's plenty of time for politics. See, I've got a job to do. I'm 
focused on the people's business in Washington, DC. I want you to remind 
your friends and neighbors that I will continue to work hard to earn the 
confidence of every American by keeping this Nation secure and strong 
and prosperous and free.
    I love my brother Jeb. He is a great Governor. 
He is a great Governor, first and foremost, because he has a large 
heart. He cares deeply about the people. He and I share some things in 
common. We share the same last name. [Laughter] We share the same 
political consultant--[laughter]--Mother. 
[Laughter] And we both married extremely well.
    I'm honored to be onstage with a fabulous first lady for the State 
of Florida, Ms. Columba. And a great First Lady 
for America sends her love. I'm sorry Laura is 
not here. I know she was Jeb's first choice to be 
the speaker today. [Laughter] She's in Washington. But I'm a lucky man 
to have married Laura Bush. She is a great wife, a fabulous mother, and 
a wonderful First Lady for America.
    I know my friend and former colleague in the Cabinet Mel 
Martinez is with us. Mel, thank you for 
being here today. I know Congressman Mark Foley is with us. Mr. Congressman, I'm glad you're here. I'm 
sorry Congressman Clay Shaw is not here. 
This is his district, I understand, but he is traveling with Speaker 
Denny Hastert. He made a good choice. When 
the Speaker calls, it's probably a pretty good thing to travel with him. 
I know the Lieutenant Governor, Toni Jennings, 
is here. The attorney general, Charlie Crist, 
is here. Tom Gallagher is here. Where's 
Gallagher? I appreciate you coming.
    A lot of members of the statehouse are here. It's a good sign when 
State senators and State reps show up. After all, you win campaigns by 
energizing the grassroots. I appreciate the members of the statehouse 
being here. I'm looking forward to working with you to carry Florida. I 
want to thank all the grassroots activists who are here. I want to thank 
you for what you're going to do, which is to put up the signs, to man 
the phone booths, to put out the mailers, and to turn out the vote.
    I want to thank the mayors and local officials who are here. I want 
to thank all those who worked hard to make this event such a successful 
event. We've had three event cochairmen, the Guzzettas, the Gaineses, and Elizabeth 
Fago. I want to thank you for your hard 
work. I appreciate your good work.
    My friend Mercer Reynolds is here. He's 
the national finance chairman. He's from Cincinnati, Ohio. He's taken a 
lot of time out of his private life to help make sure we get well funded 
in what's going to be a tough campaign. I want to thank my friend Al 
Hoffman from the great State of Florida, who is 
doing such a fantastic job as the--raising money. And of course, there's 
Tom Petway and Zach Zachariah, two good buddies as well who have been working hard to 
make this campaign go well.
    In the last 3 years, our Nation has acted decisively to confront 
great challenges. I came to this office to solve problems instead of 
passing them on to future Presidents and future generations. I came to 
seize opportunities instead of letting them slip away. My administration 
is meeting the tests of our time.
    Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is 
what they got. We've captured or killed many of the key leaders of the 
Al Qaida network, and the rest of them know we're on their trail.

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In Afghanistan and in Iraq, we gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those 
regimes chose defiance, and those regimes are no more. The world is 
better off, and so are the 50 million people in those two countries who 
once lived under tyranny, and today, they live in freedom.
    Three years ago, our military was not receiving the resources it 
needed and morale was beginning to suffer, so we increased the defense 
budgets to meet 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.
    Three years ago, the economy was in trouble and a recession was 
beginning. And I want you to remember what we have come through. Not 
only was a recession beginning, but our country was attacked. And then 
there were corporate scandals and war, all of which affected the 
people's confidence. But this administration 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.
    This administration understands 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've reduced taxes on 
dividends and capital gains to encourage investment. We've given small 
businesses incentives to expand and to hire new people. With all these 
actions, we have laid the foundation for greater prosperity and more 
jobs across America, so every single citizen has a chance to realize the 
American Dream.
    Today, the American economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. 
The figures for the third quarter of the year 2003 show the economy grew 
at an annual rate of 8.2 percent, the fastest pace in nearly 20 years. 
Productivity is high. Business investment is rising. Housing 
construction is expanding. Manufacturing activity is increasing, and 
we've added over 300,000 new jobs in the last 4 months. The tax relief 
we passed is working.
    Three 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. We've 
increased spending out of the Federal Government, particularly for Title 
I students, for the poorest of students. But now, because we believe 
every child can learn to read and write and add and subtract, we're 
insisting that States measure. We want to know.
    The State of Florida, led by this great Governor, is on the leading 
edge of education reform because he holds people to account. And the 
reason he does is because he and I both know every child can learn. We 
are challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. We've raised the 
bar. We've raised the standards. We expect results so that not one 
single child in America is left behind.
    We've reorganized our Government during the past 3 years and created 
the Department of Homeland Security to better guard Florida's ports, 
better guard our borders, to better protect the American people. We 
passed trade promotion authority to open up new markets for Florida's 
ranchers and farmers and entrepreneurs and manufacturers. We passed 
budget agreements, much-needed budget agreements, to help bring spending 
discipline to Washington, DC.
    And last month, we completed the greatest advance in health care 
coverage for America's senior citizens since the creation of Medicare. 
The new Medicare law that I fought for and signed--the bill that I 
campaigned for, worked for, and signed will give older Americans the 
option of a prescription drug benefit and more control over their own 
health care, so they can

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receive the modern medical care they deserve.
    On issue after issue, this administration has acted on principle, 
has kept its word, and has made progress for the American people. The 
Congress gets a lot of credit. I enjoy working with Majority Leader Bill 
Frist, Speaker Denny Hastert, Congressman Mark Foley. 
We're working hard in Washington, DC, to change the tone of the Nation's 
Capital. There's too much politics, endless backbiting, zero-sum 
attitudes. And the best way to do that is to stay focused on the 
people's business and on results. And we have delivered results over the 
last 3 years.
    A major reason this administration has been successful is because I 
have surrounded myself with really good, decent, capable, honorable 
people, people from all walks of life, people who have come to the 
Nation's Capital to serve the United States of America, not a special or 
self interest. This Nation has had no finer Vice President than Vice 
President Dick Cheney. Mother may have a second opinion. [Laughter]
    In 3 years, we have come far. We've done a lot, but our work is only 
beginning. I have set great goals worthy of a great nation. First, 
America is committed to expanding the realm of freedom and peace for our 
own security and for the benefit of the world. And second, in our own 
country, we must work for a society that is prosperous and compassionate 
so that every citizen--every citizen--regardless of their background, 
has a chance to work and to succeed and realize the great promise of 
this country.
    It is clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the 
actions of America. This Nation is freedom's home and freedom's 
defender. We welcome this charge of history, and we are keeping it. The 
war on terror goes on. The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither 
are we. This country will not rest; we will not tire; we will not stop 
until this danger to civilization is removed.
    We are confronting that danger in Iraq, where all the people of that 
country can now be certain they will never again have to fear the rule 
of Saddam Hussein. The Ba'athist holdouts 
largely responsible for current violence now know there will be no 
return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held. All Iraqis who 
have taken the side of freedom have chosen the winning side.
    We still face terrorists who would rather go on killing the innocent 
than accept the rise of liberty in the Middle East. You see, 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 the United States. The United States will never be intimidated by a 
bunch of thugs and assassins.
    We are on the offensive in Iraq. We're aggressively striking the 
terrorists in Iraq. We will defeat them there, so we do not have to face 
them in America. And a lot of nations are helping to build a free Iraq, 
because they understand a free Iraq is in their interest. A free Iraq 
will make the world more peaceful. And we're standing with the Iraqi 
people as they assume more of their own defense and more of their own 
self-government. These are not easy tasks, but they are essential tasks. 
And America will finish what we have begun. We will win this essential 
victory in the war on terror.
    We're working to oppose proliferation of weapons around the world. 
Last month, after talks with the United States and Great Britain, Libya 
volunteered to disclose and dismantle all its weapons of mass 
destruction programs. Leaders around the world now know weapons of mass 
destruction do not bring influence or prestige. They bring isolation and 
other unwelcome consequences. And nations who abandon the pursuit of 
these weapons will find an open path to better relations with the United 
States of America.

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    Our greatest security comes from the advance of human liberty, 
because free nations do not support terror, free nations do not attack 
their neighbors, free nations do not threaten the world with weapons of 
mass terror. Americans believe that freedom is the deepest need and hope 
of every human heart. I believe that freedom is the future of every 
nation. And I know 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.
    America 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 suffering 
with AIDS.
    We face challenges here at home as well, and we will prove that 
we're equal to the challenges. This administration will continue to 
promote a progrowth, pro-small-business, pro-entrepreneur economic 
agenda until everybody who wants a job can find one.
    And for the sake of our health care system, we need to cut down on 
the frivolous lawsuits which increase the cost of medicine. I appreciate 
Jeb's leadership on this issue. He and I understand that people who have 
been harmed by a bad doc deserve their day in court. Yet, the system 
should not reward lawyers who are simply fishing for a rich settlement. 
Frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care, and they therefore 
affect the Federal budget.
    Medical liability reform is a national issue that requires a 
national solution. I put forth a good plan. The House of Representatives 
passed it. However, the bill is stuck in the Senate. And I know two 
United States Senators 
who keep it stuck in the United States Senate, and they might happen to 
be from your State. The Senate must act on behalf of the American people 
and pass medical liability reform, and the Senators must understand no 
one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit.
    I have a responsibility as the President to make sure the judicial 
system runs well, and I have met that duty. I have nominated superb men 
and women for the Federal courts, people who will interpret the law, not 
legislate from the bench. Some Members from the United States Senate, 
two of them from this 
State--[laughter]--are trying to keep my nominees off the bench by 
blocking up-or-down votes. Every judicial nominee deserves a fair 
hearing and an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. It is time for some 
of those Members of the United States Senate to stop playing politics 
with American justice.
    This country needs an energy plan, and the Congress needs to get an 
energy plan to my desk. I've been calling for one for several years now, 
an energy plan that encourages energy efficiency and conservation, that 
uses technology in wise ways to find additional supplies of energy. For 
the sake of economic security and for the sake of national security, 
this country must become less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
    A strong and prosperous nation must also be a compassionate nation. 
I will continue to advance our agenda of what I call compassionate 
conservatism, which means we'll apply the best and most innovative ideas 
to the task of helping fellow citizens who are in need. There are still 
a lot of people, millions of men and women, who want to end their 
dependence on government, become independent through hard work. We must 
continue to build on the success of welfare reform to bring work and 
dignity into the lives of more of our fellow citizens.
    With the help of Congress, we're working to ensure more Americans 
serve their communities and through their country--through the citizen 
service programs. Both Houses should come together and pass my Faith-
Based Initiative. Our Government should not fear the influence of faith 
in the lives of our fellow citizens. As a matter

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of fact, the great strength of the country is the fact that we're a 
nation of many faiths. And faith-based community programs are those that 
are often able to change people's hearts. And when you change a person's 
heart, you help save a person's life.
    We need to rally the armies of compassion, those who mentor our 
children, those who care for the homeless, those who offer hope to the 
addicted. A compassionate society is a society that promotes opportunity 
for every citizen, 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. 
We have a minority homeownership gap in America, and I have put forth a 
plan to close that gap. We want people owning and managing their own 
health care plans and their own retirement accounts. We want more people 
owning their own small business, because 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. They respect 
their religious beliefs. They respect their opinions. And they take 
responsibility for the decisions they make in life. The culture of this 
country is changing from one that has said, ``If it feels good, just go 
ahead and do it,'' and, ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody 
else,'' to a culture in which each of us understands that we're 
responsible for the decisions we make in life.
    If you're 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.
    In a responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving 
our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves. And we see the 
culture of service and responsibility growing around us. You know I 
started--right after September the 11th, I started what's called the USA 
Freedom Corps. It's a chance for people to find out ways to extend a 
compassionate hand to a neighbor in need, and the response has been 
strong, really strong.
    A lot of Americans--and I'm sure many are here--understand that 
patriotism can mean helping somebody who hurts. Charitable organizations 
in America are vibrant. Neighborhood healing groups are really good. 
Faith-based programs are strong. Police and our firefighters and people 
who wear the Nation's uniform remind us on a daily basis what it means 
to serve 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 3 years 
have come to the right nation. We're a strong country, and we use that 
strength to defend the peace. We're an optimistic country, confident in 
ourselves and in ideals bigger than ourselves. Abroad, we seek to lift 
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 know that for our 
country, the best days lie ahead.
    May God bless you. Thank you for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 6:10 p.m. at the PGA National Resort. In 
his remarks, he referred to Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and his wife, 
Columba; former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel R. 
Martinez; Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings of Florida; Florida State Attorney 
General Charlie Crist; Tom Gallagher, chief financial officer, Florida 
Department of Financial Services; Al Hoffman,

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finance chairman, Republican National Committee; Mercer Reynolds, 
national finance chairman, and Tom Petway III and Zach Zachariah, 
Florida State finance cochairmen, Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.; former 
President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and Senators Bob Graham and Bill 
Nelson of Florida. The President also referred to Title I of the 
Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law No. 103-382), which 
amended Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(Public Law No. 89-10).