    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 29, 2004]
    [Pages 1802-1810]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Wheeling, West Virginia
    August 29, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. And thanks
    for having me. I am thrilled to be back here in the Mountain State. You
    may have noticed I'm spending some quality time here. You know why?
    Because we're going to carry West Virginia again.
        I'm here to thank you for your help. I'm here to ask for your vote.
    I'm here to encourage you to go the extra mile to get people to show up
    at the polls. Most of all, I want to thank you for coming out on a
    Sunday afternoon. I appreciate you all coming out and taking time away--
    or bringing your families here. It means a lot to me. I really
    appreciate it.
        You know, I was in your neighborhood a while ago. I was at the new
    Cabela's. The place has hired over a couple thousand jobs, creating a
    couple thousand jobs there. I'm there because I'm a hunter and I like to
    fish. I understand a lot of people in these parts like to fish. A couple
    of you like to hunt. I just don't get to do enough of it. I'm hunting
    for votes.
        There's a lot of differences in this campaign. You know, one of the
    most notable differences came up the other day when my opponent said, ``Well, you can find the heart and soul of America
    in Hollywood.''
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. Yes. I think you find the heart and soul of America
    right here in Wheeling, West Virginia.
        I gave Laura a kiss goodbye today and said,
    ``I'm heading to Wheeling.'' She said, ``Well, I'm working on my
    speech.'' [Laughter] I said, ``Well, make it a good one, will you?''
    [Laughter] I didn't need to say that. Of course it's going to be a good
    one. Laura is a great First Lady, a wonderful mom, and a great wife. I'm
    really proud of her--I'm really proud of her. Today I'm going to give
    you some reasons why I think you ought to put me back into office.
    Perhaps the most important one of all is for Laura to be the First Lady
    for 4 more years.
        Rick mentioned my runningmate. I'm real
    proud of Dick Cheney. He's a great, solid man. I
    admit he's not the prettiest face in the race. [Laughter] I picked him
    because of his judgment, his experience, and his ability to get the job
    done.
        I thank Rick, Rick Casini, for being
    here. I'm proud of his leadership. As he told you, he's a union shop
    steward, he's a leader of men and women. He's--he represents the hard-
    working people of the steel industry here in this part of the country.
    It means a lot to me that he stands up and endorses my candidacy. See, I
    believe our message is good for Republicans. I believe our message is
    good for Democrats, and I believe our message is good for independents.
        I appreciate the steelworkers who are standing behind me, standing
    with me. When I make up my mind on issues, I don't say, ``Well, you
    know, oh, so-and-so might benefit, but they didn't vote for me.'' That's
    not how I do things. I make up my mind based upon what I think is right.
        And I appreciate--I want to thank my friend Congresswoman Shelley
    Moore Capito for joining us today, a
    fine Member

    [[Page 1803]]

    of the United States Congress. I want to thank the Wheeling Park High
    School Marching Band for being here today. I'll try to keep my speech
    short, so you can get back home and do your homework for tomorrow.
    [Laughter] No? Okay.
        I want to thank all the grassroots activists who are here. Kathy
    Fortunato is with us today. And I want
    to thank all of--here's what a grassroots activist does: You put up
    signs; you make the phone calls; you register people to vote. See, we
    have a duty in our country to register people to vote and to vote. And
    therefore, I'm asking you, as a supporter, to go out amongst your
    friends and neighbors and remind your friends and neighbors to register.
    Tell them that in America our system functions because people
    participate. You might remind them of this amazing statistic, that in
    Afghanistan, after 3 short years of their liberation, over 10 million
    people have registered to vote. They're getting a whiff of liberty in
    Afghanistan, that sweet smell of freedom. And here in America, we must
    remind people to participate. See, that liberty functions because people
    show up. And when you get them registered, don't ignore Democrats. You
    heard Rick--[laughter]--don't worry about--don't overlook discerning
    independents. And then, when you get them registered and you get them
    headed to the poll, remind them, if they want a safer country, a
    stronger country, a better country, put us back into office.
        We have been through a lot together in the last few years, and we
    have accomplished a lot. We have done a lot. But there's only one reason
    to look back at the record, and that is to determine who best to lead us
    forward. I'm traveling your important State to let you know that even
    though we have done a lot, there's more work to do, that I've got more
    to accomplish with your help, that I want to make sure our schools
    realize their full potential so every child--every child--has a chance
    to realize the great promise of America.
        We're working with our local folks to make sure that excellence is
    in every classroom. See, I believe in local control of schools. We're
    spending more money at the Federal level to help you out here. But we're
    changing things, because now we're beginning to ask the question, can a
    child read and write and add and subtract, see. That's what we're
    beginning to ask, because we believe every child can learn to read, and
    we expect every child to read. And when we find the schools that are
    teaching, we'll praise their teachers. But this administration will
    challenge the status quo. We will make sure that schools that do not
    teach and will not change get the message that every child should learn
    to read in America.
        There's more work to be done. I believe in intervention programs to
    make sure children have the skills necessary to learn. I know we've got
    to raise the standards in our high schools by working on math and
    science curricula. We want more Internet in our classrooms. We want a
    high school diploma to mean something. What I'm telling you is, after 4
    more years, a rising generation will have the skills and confidence
    necessary to realize the American Dream.
        We've got more work to do on health care. We're making good progress
    on health care. We've created community health centers all around the
    country, so low-income people can get primary care. It seems like a
    legitimate function of your Government is to help people with their
    health care needs, if they can't afford it. You might remember the old
    Medicare debate. That's a program, of course, that our seniors count on.
    Many seniors will tell you the program needed to be modernized and
    strengthened. See, you couldn't get prescription drugs through Medicare,
    not until old George W. came along.
        We worked with Republicans and Democrats to say, ``Let's keep our
    commitment to our seniors.'' Beginning in the year 2006,

    [[Page 1804]]

    seniors are going to have choices in Medicare. Seniors will be able to
    design a program that meets their needs. Plus, Medicare will include
    prescription drugs.
        We created health savings accounts for American families, so you can
    save tax-free for your own health care needs. I fully recognize most
    people get their health care through their businesses. Most small--most
    new jobs are created by small businesses. A lot of small businesses are
    having trouble affording health care these days. One way to address that
    problem is to allow small employers to join together to pool risk, so
    they can buy insurance at the same discount big businesses get to do.
        We will continue to spend dollars on research, so we can help find
    cures for terrible diseases. We'll work to modernize the health care
    industry. But I'll tell you one thing we need to do to make sure you've
    got health care that's available and affordable: We need to stop these
    junk lawsuits that are threatening our docs. This is an issue in this
    campaign. You see, I don't think you can be pro-plaintiff-attorney and
    pro-doctor and patient at the same time. See, I don't think you can be
    pro-small-business and pro-plaintiff-attorney at the same time. I think
    you have to make a choice. My opponent made his
    choice, and he put him on the ticket. I made my
    choice. I am for medical liability reform--now.
        In all we do to improve health care, we will make sure the health
    care decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in
    Washington, DC.
        I'm running again because I want to continue the economic growth
    we're seeing now. We've been through a lot in this economy. We've been
    through a recession. We've been through corporate scandals, and we've
    been through those--a terror attack. And yet we've overcome these
    obstacles. We've overcome them because we've got great workers in
    America. We've overcome them because we've got great farmers in America.
    We've overcome them because the small-business sector is alive and well
    in America. We've overcome these obstacles because of two well-timed tax
    cuts.
        We didn't try to pick winners or losers when it came to tax relief.
    We did it the fair way. We said, ``If you're paying taxes, you ought to
    get relief.'' We increased the child credit. We reduced the effects of
    the marriage penalty. I believe the Tax Code ought to encourage
    marriage, not penalize marriage. We helped our small businesses, and the
    plan is working. Our economy has been growing at rates as fast as any in
    nearly 20 years. Over the last 12 months, we've added about 1.5 million
    new jobs. The unemployment rate, the national unemployment rate is down
    to 5.5 percent, which is well below the national average of the 1970s,
    1980s, and 1990s. The unemployment rate in West Virginia is 5.2 percent.
        The economic plan we put in place to overcome the obstacles this
    country faced is working, and there's more to do. That's why I've come
    here to Wheeling, West Virginia, to let you know there is more work to
    be done to make sure this economy continues to grow, to make sure
    anybody who's looking for work is able to find a job. To keep jobs here
    in America, we must have reasonable and fair regulations. You see, you
    ask your small-business owner here what it's like to fill out paperwork,
    and a lot of them will tell you it's too much. My problem is I can't
    guarantee you whether anybody in Washington has ever read the paperwork
    you fill out. We need tort reform in America to keep jobs here in
    America.
        Listen, to keep these folks working, to keep people working around
    the country, we need a sound energy policy in America. I submitted a
    plan to the Congress, and a vital part of that plan is a strategy based
    upon clean coal technology. As a matter of fact, my budgets for clean
    technology have increased 160 percent since I came to office. The budget
    next year for clean coal technology is $447 million. The reason

    [[Page 1805]]

    why I'm telling you this is, an integral part of making sure we're less
    dependent on foreign sources of energy is coal.
        And I remember campaigning in this State in 2000 and telling you
    that was my position then. And I'm running against a fellow who is kind of shifting. [Laughter] A while ago, he said
    coal is a dirty source of energy. Then he decided he wanted to come to
    your State and knock on your door. And then he said, ``Now, well, I am
    for legislation that is supporting clean coal technology.'' In other
    words, he shifted. He's out there mining for votes. [Laughter] All I'm
    asking you to do is tell your friends and neighbors, be careful of
    somebody whose position shifts in the wind.
        Trade policy is important to make sure that jobs stay here. See, our
    markets are open for other folks. It's good for you that they're open.
    When you have more choices, you're liable to get a better product at a
    better price. That's how the economy works. So what I'm telling other
    countries is, ``We're treating you this way. You treat us the same
    way.''
        And we'll enforce law in this administration. We think an industry
    is being treated unfairly, we'll enforce the law, and that's exactly
    what I did when it came to the U.S. steel industry. See, I thought there
    was a--I thought I needed to stand up for steel, and I did stand up for
    steel. I put in place safeguards to restore fairness to the market to
    help our steel folks adjust, and it worked. The plan worked. These folks
    back here are working in good jobs, good, high-paying jobs. See, if the
    rules are fair, if the playing field is level, our workers, our small-
    business owners, our farmers, can compete with anybody, anyplace,
    anytime, anywhere.
        We need to provide our workers with a lifetime of learning to keep
    jobs here in America. The economy is changing. New high-paying jobs are
    being created. But sometimes, there's a skills gap. Sometimes somebody
    needs a little help going back to the community college to be able to
    gain the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. I'm
    committed to making sure our workers have got an opportunity to go back
    to get an associate degree, so they have the skills necessary to fill
    the jobs of the 21st century.
        And finally, in order to keep jobs here in America, we've got to be
    wise about how we spend your money, and we've got to keep your taxes
    low. It's an issue in this campaign. I'm running against a fellow who has already put out there about $2 trillion worth of
    new spending promises. That's $2 trillion. That's a lot--with a T.
    [Laughter] And we've got 60 days left. No telling what's going to happen
    coming down the stretch. [Laughter] So they said, ``Well, how are you
    going to pay for it?'' He said, ``Well,'' he said, ``we're just going to
    tax the rich.'' You've heard that before, haven't you?
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. Yes. Oh, you're just going to tax the rich. You know
    how it works: The rich dodge, and you pay. But we're not going to let
    him. We're going to beat him in November of 2004.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. I am running again because I know we have more to do
    to wage and win the war against terror. America's future depends on our
    willingness to lead in the world. If America shows uncertainty and
    weakness in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This isn't
    going to happen on my watch.
        The world changed on a terrible September morning, and since that
    day, we have changed the world. Before September the 11th, Afghanistan
    served as the home base of Al Qaida, which trained and deployed
    thousands of killers to set up cells around the world, including our own
    country. Because we acted, today, Afghanistan is a rising democracy.
    They're going to have Presidential elections in October of this year.
    Because we acted, many young girls

    [[Page 1806]]

    go to school for the first time in Afghanistan. Because we acted,
    Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror. Because we acted, America
    and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire
    weapons of mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies have
    sent a strong and easy-to-understand message, the leader of
    Libya has abandoned his
    pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and America and the world are
    safer.
        Before September the 11th, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of America. He was defying the
    world. You might remember, he was firing weapons at American pilots who
    were enforcing the world's sanctions. He had used weapons of mass
    destruction. He harbored terrorists. He invaded his neighbors. He
    subsidized the families of suicide bombers. He and his henchmen murdered
    tens of thousands of his own people. He was a great source of
    instability in the world's most volatile region. He was a threat.
        After September the 11th, this country must remember the new
    lessons. And a new lesson is, is that we must take threats seriously
    before they fully materialize. That is the new reality of the world in
    which we live. And it's really important we never forget that reality.
    So I saw a threat, and I went to the United States Congress. They looked
    at the intelligence I looked at. They remembered the history of Saddam
    Hussein, and they said he was a threat and
    authorized the use of force--they being Republicans; they being
    Democrats; they being my opponent and his
    runningmate.
        Because the use of force should be the last option of the Commander
    in Chief, the very last option, I went to the United Nations in the
    hopes that diplomacy would solve the threat. You might remember, the
    debate went on, and after consideration, the U.N. Security Council voted
    15 to nothing to say to Saddam Hussein,
    ``Disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences.'' So the world spoke.
        As he had for over a decade, he defied
    the demands of the free world. This wasn't the only U.N. resolution he
    ignored. We then sent inspectors in--or the world sent inspectors in,
    and he systematically deceived the inspectors. And so I had a choice to
    make: Whether or not to trust the word of a madman and forget the
    lessons of September the 11th, or take action to defend our country.
    Given that choice, I will defend our country.
        You know, we did not find the stockpiles that we thought would be
    there. I want to remind you that Saddam Hussein had the capability of making weapons of mass
    destruction, and he could have passed that capability on to others. And
    after September the 11th, that is not a risk this country could afford
    to take. Knowing what I know today, I would have made the same decision.
    America and the world are safer because Saddam Hussein sits in a prison
    cell.
        Now, almost 2 years after he voted for the war in Iraq and 7 months
    after switching positions to declare himself the antiwar candidate, my
    opponent has found a new nuance. He now agrees it
    was the right decision to go into Iraq. After months of questioning my
    motives and even my credibility, he now agrees with me that even though
    we haven't found the weapons we thought would be there, knowing
    everything we know today, he would have voted to go into Iraq and remove
    Saddam Hussein from power. I appreciate him
    for clearing that up. [Laughter] However, there's still a little over 60
    days for him to change his mind again. [Laughter]
        I'm running for 4 more years because I know we have more to do. We
    will continue to work with our friends and allies around the world to
    aggressively pursue the terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq and
    elsewhere. See, you cannot talk sense to these people. You cannot
    negotiate with them. In the post-9/11 era we live in, you just simply
    cannot hope for the best. We must aggressively pursue them around the
    world

    [[Page 1807]]

    so we do not have to face them here at home.
        We will continue to lead the world with confidence and moral
    clarity. We put together a strong coalition. We're working with some
    great allies. There's over 40 nations involved in--nearly 40 nations
    involved in Afghanistan and some 30 in Iraq. Over the next 4 years, I
    will continue to work with friends to help secure our country, their
    country, and spread the peace. But I will never turn over America's
    national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
        We're going to keep our commitments to the people of Afghanistan and
    Iraq. It's in our interest we keep our commitment. It's in our interest
    they become peaceful and democratic societies. The two nations are now
    governed by strong leaders who believe in the hopes and aspirations of
    their people. These nations are now headed for elections. Our strategy
    is clear, and our goal is clear. The goal is to have peaceful,
    democratic countries in the heart of the Middle East who are allies in
    the war on terror. That's our goal. It's in our interest we achieve that
    goal.
        We are meeting that goal by providing security so that the political
    process develops. We will meet that goal by training Afghan and Iraqi
    forces so they can defend their country against these terrorists, so
    they get to take--do the necessary hard work for democracy to survive.
    Our military will complete this mission as quickly as possible, so our
    troops do not stay a day longer than necessary.
        In these crucial times, the men and women of our military keep our
    commitments. We've got a great military. The people who wear our
    uniform--I've seen their great decency and unselfish courage. The cause
    of freedom is in really good hands. And I want to thank the veterans who
    are here today for setting such a great example to the modern military.
        I made a commitment to our troops, and I made a commitment to their
    families as well that this Government will support them in their
    missions. That's why, last September, I went to the Congress and said,
    ``We need supplemental funding--support the people over there in
    Afghanistan and Iraq.'' This funding was for body armor, vital
    equipment, fuel, ammunition, spare parts, hazard pay, health benefits.
    This is important legislation. And I was really pleased that we got
    great bipartisan support. As a matter of fact, the support was so strong
    that only 12 Members of the United States Senate voted against it, 2 of
    whom are my runningmate and his--my opponent and
    his runningmate. See, they voted against it.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. So they asked him, they said, ``Why did you vote
    against the funding?'' He said, ``Well, I
    actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' That
    was his explanation. I don't think a lot of people in Wheeling talk like
    that. [Laughter] So they pressed him even further. He said, well, he was
    proud of his vote. And then they said, ``Well, you know, what else?''
    And he finally said, ``Well, it's just a complicated matter.''
    [Laughter] His words. There is nothing complicated about supporting our
    troops in combat.
        In the long run, our security is not going to be guaranteed by force
    alone. We must work to change the conditions that give rise to terror,
    poverty and hopelessness and resentment. A free and peaceful Iraq and a
    free and peaceful Afghanistan will be powerful examples in a part of the
    world that is desperate for freedom. Free societies do not export
    terror. Free societies do not stifle the dreams of their citizens.
        We've done this kind of work before. One of my closest collaborators
    in peace is the Prime Minister of Japan.
    It wasn't all that long ago in the march of history that my dad and your
    dads were fighting the Japanese. And yet here we are, because we
    insisted upon the transforming qualities of liberty, we insisted that
    Japan be given

    [[Page 1808]]

    a chance to self-govern and be a democratic nation. We believe that even
    an enemy could accept liberty as a way of life. Fortunately, my
    predecessor, Harry Truman, stuck with that point of view. Fortunately,
    America stuck with that point of view, and now Japan is an ally and a
    friend.
        We believe in liberty in America. We believe that liberty can
    transform nations from tyranny to hope. We have seen it in our past. We
    not only believe that liberty will bring peace; we know that liberty
    answers to the deepest needs of the American soul. See, freedom is not
    America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each
    man and woman in this world.
        We have more to do to protect this country. I'm running because I
    understand that we've got to work hard to protect America. See, there's
    an enemy out there that still hates us. It's the reality of the world in
    which we live, and we'll deal with that. It's very important that we
    view these people as who they are. There's a difference of opinion in
    this race. I want to address a subject that I'm sure you're going to be
    asked about. See, my opponent said that going to war with the terrorists
    is actually improving their recruiting efforts. I think the logic is
    upside-down. You see, during the nineties--remind somebody who asks you
    that, that during the nineties the terrorists were recruiting and
    training and plotting for war with us, long before we went to war with
    them. I think it's wrong to provide excuses for their hatred. You don't
    create terrorists by fighting back. You defeat the terrorists by
    fighting back.
        A lot of good folks working hard to protect the homeland, good folks
    at the Federal level, State level, and right here in Wheeling, West
    Virginia. You've got a great--a lot of really great first-responders who
    are responding. There's more to do. We've got a lot to do. We're
    beginning to implement some of the intelligence reforms that are
    necessary to make sure we've got the best intelligence. I've got to have
    the best intelligence to make decisions; our planners and everybody
    involved with the Government needs to have the best intelligence. That's
    why we're implementing a lot of the 9/11 Commission reforms. We want to
    make sure there's still good, close cooperation between the different
    agencies in Washington. We're working on doing that. We need to renew
    the PATRIOT Act, so our law enforcement have the tools necessary to
    protect you against terrorist attack. We'll continue to work to make
    sure the Homeland Security Department does its job.
        I'll push for reforms. I've got to warn you, it's hard to get reform
    in Washington. See, there's a lot of entrenched interest there, a lot of
    people willing to defend the status quo. When you're out there
    campaigning, remind them it's not enough to advocate reform. You need
    somebody in Washington who can get the job done.
        When it comes to reforming our schools, to raise standards, and
    close the achievement gap, we're getting the job done. When it comes to
    improving health care for our seniors and giving Americans more
    opportunities and more choices in health care, we're getting the job
    done. When it comes to a strong and vibrant steel industry, we're
    getting the job done. When it comes to improving our overall economy,
    we're getting the job done. When it comes to finding the terrorists,
    securing the homeland, and spreading freedom and peace, we're getting
    the job done. When it comes--and tell your friends and neighbors, when
    it comes time to choose a President, put somebody back in there who can
    get the job done.
        We live in a time of change, and change can be very unsettling. It's
    really a different time, when you think about it. Not all that long ago,
    moms stayed at home. Now, moms are working. Not all that long ago, a
    person would work for one company and retire with that company, and that
    company provided the health care and retirement. That's changing. These
    are changing times, and I fully understand that. And they can

    [[Page 1809]]

    be unsettling times. And therefore, Government has a role not to dictate
    to people but to help people, to stand side by side with people.
        And one way to do that is to promote an ownership society in
    America. One way to help people through times of change is to encourage
    ownership. That's why I support health care policies that people can
    call their own, manage their own, so they can take them from job to job.
    That's why I believe it's very important in the Social Security system
    to say to boomers like me, nothing's going to change. We're in good
    shape. But if you're a younger worker, you better listen very carefully
    to the Presidential debates on Social Security. The fiscal solvency of
    Social Security is in doubt for the young workers coming up. Therefore,
    I think young workers ought to be able to own a personal retirement
    account, a personal savings account, in order for Social Security to
    work.
        In times of change, it's really helpful for people to own their own
    home. There's nothing better than people opening that door up and say,
    ``Welcome to my home. Welcome to my piece of property.'' Today, the
    homeownership rate in America is at an alltime high. We want more people
    owning their own home. We want more people owning their own business. If
    you own something, you have a vital stake in the future of the United
    States of America.
        Changing times--there are some things that won't change: the values
    we try to live by, courage, compassion, reverence, and integrity; our
    beliefs in liberty and opportunity and the nonnegotiable demands of
    human dignity. During changing times, we will support the institutions
    that give us direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our
    religious congregations.
        We believe--and we stand for institutions like marriage and family,
    which are the foundations of society. We stand for a culture of life in
    which every person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges
    who faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench.
        We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. See, the
    culture 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're responsible for the decisions we make
    in life. If you're a mother or a father, if you're fortunate enough to
    be a mother or a father, you are responsible for loving your child with
    all your heart and all your soul. That's your responsibility. If you're
    worried about the quality of the education in the community in which you
    live, you are 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 responsibility society, each
    of us is responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be
    loved ourself.
        Today when I landed, I met Nancy Weeks.
    Nancy works with the 4-H National Youth Development Program. She takes
    time out of her life to teach values to kids. I'm sure there's Scout
    leaders here, Boy Scout and Girl Scout leaders here. I know there's
    Little League scouts here--I mean, Little League coaches here. I know
    there's people working with kids. I know there's people here feeding the
    hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, loving those whose souls
    need love. See, the strength of this country is the hearts and souls of
    the American citizens. That's our strength. I'm running again to rally
    the armies of compassion, which are changing this country one heart and
    one soul at a time.
        For all Americans, these years in our history will stand apart.
    There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is expected of
    its leaders. This is not one of those times. This is a time that
    requires firm resolve, clear vision, and an unshakeable belief in the
    values that makes us a great nation.

    [[Page 1810]]

        You know--and you'll never forget, either, the week when one era
    ended and another began. I stood in the ruins of those Twin Towers on
    September the 14, 2001. It's a day that I will never forget. There were
    workers in hardhats yelling at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I was coming
    down through there and shaking hands, a fellow looked me right in the
    eye, and he said, ``You don't let me down.'' See, he took the day
    personally. Everybody there--you took it personally. I took it
    personally. I have a duty that goes on. I wake up every day trying to
    figure out how best to defend this country. I will never relent in
    defending America, whatever it takes.
        We've come through a lot together. We've done a lot of hard work.
    But there's more work to be done. That's why I've come to Wheeling, West
    Virginia. During the next 4 years, we'll spread ownership and
    opportunity to every corner of this country. During the next 4 years, we
    will pass the enduring values of this Nation on to another generation.
    During the next 4 years, we'll continue to spread freedom and peace, and
    we will prevail. You know, with your support and your prayers, I will be
    a leader that America can count on during a time of change.
        Four years ago, I came to your State a lot. I'll do so again now. I
    said if you gave me a chance, if you voted for me and if I was fortunate
    enough to hold this office, I would uphold the honor and the dignity of
    the office to which I had been elected. With your help and your hard
    work, I will do so for the next 4 years.
        God bless. Thank you for coming. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:20 p.m. at the WesBanco Arena. In his
    remarks, he referred to Richard Casini, steelworker, ISG Weirton Inc.;
    Katherine Fortunato, West Virginia State chair, W Stands for Women
    Steering Committee; Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan; and the
    National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11
    Commission).