    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [July 9, 2004]
    [Pages 1279-1286]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in York, Pennsylvania
    July 9, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. I'm honored you're here. We've had a
    fantastic day in the great State of Pennsylvania. See my little bus
    there? We've been traveling the backroads of this great State. It's so
    beautiful. All kinds of people came out to say hello. And what a great
    place to end a great trip, in York, Pennsylvania. Thanks for coming.
        You probably know this, but for 9 months in 1777 and 1778, York was
    the capital of the United States. Today, York is the capital of Bush-
    Cheney country.
        I want to thank all my fellow Republicans. I want to thank the
    discerning Democrats and wise independents who are here today. I'm proud
    you're here. I'm here to let you know that I have the desire, the drive,
    and the vision to lead this Nation for 4 more years.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. I'm back in this important State to ask for the vote.
    And I'm here in this crowd to ask for your help. Register your friends
    and neighbors. Work those phones. Put up the signs. If you want to help,
    go onto georgewbush.com on the Internet. You can find out how to sign up
    to help. I'm counting on you. And together we will win a great victory
    in Pennsylvania and a great victory across this Nation on November the
    2d.
        You know how many people running for President would love to have
    Joe Paterno introduce him in Pennsylvania?
    Everybody who has ever run for President wants Joe Paterno to introduce
    him. [Laughter] But in the year 2004, there's only one, and I'm honored
    it's me. I want to thank you, Joe. Thank you very much for being here.
    I'm proud of the example you set. You're a fine, fine, fine American.
    And you raised a fine son in Scott. We need to send him to the United
    States Congress--Scott Paterno.
        I regret that Laura is not here. I'm going to
    give you all kinds of reasons to send me back to Washington today, but
    probably the most important one is so that Laura is the First Lady for 4
    more years. I'm really proud of her. She's a fantastic, fantastic woman.
    I love her dearly. We talked to her on the phone on the bus; she sent
    her best. And in her stead, traveling with me today is a new graduate
    from the University of Texas, one of my great daughters, Jenna
    Bush. Made it through in 4 years, I want you to
    know.
        Proud to be here on stage and traveling today with a fine United
    States Senator, Senator Rick Santorum. What a
    fine job Congressman Todd Platts is doing for
    the people of this area. Where's your mother? There's Mom, right there.
    She made me some fudge. [Laughter] I'm going to run all day--well, I'm
    going to bike all day tomorrow. [Laughter] Thanks for the fudge; I
    actually had some.

    [[Page 1280]]

        I appreciate Jerry Pappert, the
    attorney general from the great State of Pennsylvania, who joined us
    today. Thanks for coming, General. State Senator Jeff Piccola is with us. I know other members of the statehouse
    are here. Thank you all for coming. I'm proud you're here. Turn out the
    vote. Make sure you spend enough time in your district to get the vote
    out.
        I want to thank State Senator Charlie Dent. He's running for the Congress up the road here. He's going
    to make a fine United States Congressman. Charlie, thanks for coming. I
    know we've got other candidates here, and I want to thank you for
    running.
        I appreciate my friend Alan Novak, the
    chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. He's representing the
    grassroots activists who are here. A grassroots activist is somebody who
    is getting ready to turn out the vote. And for those of you who are
    going to do that, thanks a lot. It really means a lot. It's important.
    The stakes are high in this election. Just like you're counting on me,
    I'm counting on you.
        I love the Oak
    Ridge Boys.
    Every time I see them, they say, ``We're your friend. You can count on
    us.'' And sure enough, every time I've counted on them, they have been
    there. I am honored to have you here. Thanks for coming. I want to thank
    the Matt Goss Band as well. Thank you for coming.
        Ethel Berdall is with us. She is 101 years
    young. Hi, Ethel. I'm proud to have your support. Thanks for coming.
        The last 3\1/2\ years have brought serious challenges. We have given
    serious answers. We came to office with a stock market in decline and an
    economy headed into a recession. But we acted. We led. We delivered
    historic tax relief, and over the past 3 years, America has had the
    fastest growing economy in the industrialized world.
        There were corporate crimes in America recently, people who forgot
    what it means to be a responsible citizen. We acted. We passed tough
    corporate reforms. We're bringing wrongdoers to account. It is now clear
    that we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America.
        We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. We acted.
    I have led. We pursued the terrorist enemy across the world. We have
    captured or killed many key leaders of the Al Qaida network. We will
    stay on the hunt until justice is served and America is safe from
    attack.
        We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror and the spread
    of weapons of mass destruction. We acted against two of the most violent
    and dangerous regimes on Earth. We have liberated over 50 million
    people. America is safer because of our actions. The world is better
    off. America is once again proud to lead the armies of liberation.
        When the Vice President--and oh, am I running with a fine man in
    Dick Cheney--when he and I came to Washington,
    the military--remember back 3\1/2\ years ago--the military was
    underfunded and underappreciated. We gave our Armed Forces the resources
    and respect they deserve. And today, no friend or foe can question the
    skill, the strength, and the spirit of the United States military.
        It is the President's job to confront problems, not to pass them on
    to future Presidents and future generations. It is the President's job
    to make hard decisions, to keep his commitments. That is how I have led
    our country, and that is how I will continue to lead our country for 4
    more years.
        I'm ready for the contest. I'm ready for the contest. I'm looking
    forward to it. It's going to be a tough race, make no mistake about it.
    That's why I'm traveling stop to stop on this great bus. I take nothing
    for granted. After all, I'm running against an experienced United States
    Senator from Massachusetts.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. He's been there a long, long
    time. He's been there long enough to take both sides on just about every
    issue.

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    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,
    NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the liberation of Iraq. If you
    disagree with the Senator from Massachusetts on most any issue, you may
    just have caught him on the wrong day. [Laughter]
        And now, just last weekend, he even tried to
    claim he was the candidate with conservative values. [Laughter] I know--
    I know, but I'm quoting his own words. Believe it or not, that's what he
    said. [Laughter] It's hard to square that statement with his previous
    statement when he said, ``I'm a liberal and proud of it.'' On issue
    after issue, from funding our troops who are on the battlefield, to
    involving parents in important decisions of their minor daughters, to
    supporting faith-based and community organizations that are helping
    those in need, the Senator is out of step with the mainstream values
    that are so important to our country.
        My opponent now has a runningmate. I look forward to a spirited debate. Senator Kerry is
    rated as the most liberal Member of the Senate, and he chose a fellow
    lawyer who is the fourth most liberal Member of the Senate. Back in
    Massachusetts, that's what they call balancing the ticket. [Laughter]
        Great events will turn on this election. The person who sits in the
    Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror and the direction
    of our economy. I have a clear vision to win the war on terror and to
    extend peace and freedom throughout the world. I'm asking for your vote
    because I have a plan and a strategy to create more jobs so every single
    citizen has a chance to realize the great promise of America. I'm
    seeking the vote to rally the compassionate spirit of this country so
    every citizen can realize their full, God-given potential. I will be
    clear on where I stand, and I'll be certain about where I'm going to
    take this Nation. When America gives me 4 more years, America will be
    safer, stronger, and better.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. A big issue for every family in America is the tax
    burden. By providing the largest Federal tax relief since Ronald Reagan
    was the 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
    could have.
        Our economy is strong, and it is growing stronger. Since last
    summer, our economy is outpacing the entire world by growing at its
    fastest rate in nearly 20 years. In less than a year's time, we've added
    more than 1.5 million new jobs. In this State, in the great State of
    Pennsylvania, you've added 44,000 new jobs since February. The
    unemployment rate in this State is at 5.1 percent, below the national
    average. Across the country, the manufacturing sector is growing
    stronger. Homeownership rate is at an alltime high. Interest rates are
    low. Business investment is growing. Consumer confidence is at a 2-year
    high. Personal incomes are on the rise. The economy is moving into high
    gear. The tax relief we passed is working.
        My opponents look at
    all this progress and somehow conclude the sky is falling. But whether
    their mission is--whether their message is delivered with a frown or a
    smile, it's the same old pessimism. And to cheer us up, they propose
    higher taxes, more Federal spending, and economic isolationism. That's
    the surest way to end economic growth and to put Americans out of work.
    This Nation is on the path of progress, and we're not turning back.
        To sustain economic growth, we need to keep your taxes low. Higher
    taxes right now would undermine growth and destroy jobs. To help grow
    the American economy and create more jobs for American workers, I have a
    better idea. Congress needs to make the tax relief permanent and not
    raise taxes

    [[Page 1282]]

    on the American people. To make sure this economy continues to grow,
    we've got to be wise about how we spend the money you send to
    Washington. That's why we need discipline, spending discipline, in
    Washington, DC. And spending discipline starts with understanding whose
    money we spend. We're not spending the Governor's--Government's money in
    Washington, DC; we're spending the people's money in Washington, DC.
        I not only want us to grow next year, but I want us to keep growing
    in the out-years. So I've got a plan to do so. First, we've got to stop
    these frivolous and junk lawsuits. You cannot be pro-small-business and
    pro-trial-lawyer at the same time. You have to choose. My
    opponent has made his choice, and he put
    him on the ticket. I have made my choice. I
    will continue to push Congress to reform tort laws and end frivolous and
    junk lawsuits.
        And that includes medical liability reform. Small businesses make it
    difficult--it's very difficult for small businesses to hire new people
    because their health care premiums are going up. And one of the reasons
    why is because there's too many junk lawsuits suing the docs around this
    country and in this State.
        We need energy legislation, commonsense energy legislation, if we
    want our economy to continue to grow. A couple of years ago, I submitted
    a plan to the United States Congress that encourages conservation, that
    modernizes our electricity grid, but also says that we need to use the
    resources we have at hand in environmentally friendly ways. We need to
    be less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
        We need to be opening up markets for Pennsylvania entrepreneurs and
    farmers and ranchers. Listen, I know we've got some farmers here. You're
    making a good living these days, and one of the reasons why is because
    we're selling Pennsylvania farm products all around the world. We need
    to be opening up markets. Our market is open; let's get other countries
    to open up theirs. Give us a level playing field, and America can
    compete with anybody, anyplace, anywhere, anytime.
        Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
        The President. Angry talk and class warfare rhetoric and economic
    isolationism won't get anybody hired. That's not a plan for the future.
    The best way to make sure our people find work and keep work is to
    reelect a pro-growth, pro-entrepreneur, pro-small-business, pro-farmer
    President, George W. Bush.
        America's future also depends on our willingness to lead 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 continue
    to attack in Afghanistan and Iraq. Regimes in North Korea and Iran are
    challenging the peace. If America shows weakness or uncertainty in this
    decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not happen on my
    watch.
        As in other times, many Americans are serving and sacrificing to
    keep this country safe and to bring freedom to others, and we thank them
    for their sacrifice. We mourn the dead and vow never to forget their
    sacrifice. I thank the families--the wives and the husbands, the moms
    and the dads, and the sons and daughters--of those whose loved one is
    overseas serving our Nation. We stand with your loved one. America
    honors their service.
        They serve because after the attacks of September the 11th, 2001,
    this Nation resolved to fight the terrorists where they dwell. We
    resolved to hold regimes that hide and sponsor terrorists to account.
    Afghanistan was a terror state, provided safe haven for Al Qaida. They
    trained and plotted and planned there. Because we acted, America is more
    secure. The training camps no longer exist. Afghanistan is a rising
    democracy. Young girls go to school for the first time in their lives.
    And they're

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    an ally--Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror.
        Iraq only last year was controlled by a dictator who threatened the civilized world. He had used
    weapons of mass destruction on his own people. For decades he tortured
    and tormented the people of Iraq. We must never forget the mass graves
    of the thousands he murdered. Because we acted, America is more secure.
    Because we acted, Iraq is free and a sovereign nation. And because we
    acted, the dictator is now in a prison cell and will receive the justice
    he denied so many for so long.
        We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. It's a
    lesson--there are many lessons, but I want to share one with you that
    we--I will never forget, and I hope this country never does: America
    must confront threats before they fully materialize. When we see a
    threat, we just can't hope for the best anymore. That's the lesson of
    September the 11th, and we must never forget the lesson. My
    administration looked at intelligence, and we remembered the past of
    Saddam. We remembered he used weapons on his
    own people. And then we looked at further intelligence, and we saw a
    threat. The Members of the United States Congress from both political
    parties looked at the very same intelligence, and they saw a threat. The
    United Nations looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat.
        Remember, I went to the United Nations. I said, ``For too long, you
    had said the man is a threat, and he had
    ignored you.'' And so we went to the United Nations and demanded a full
    accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. That's what the United
    Nations said. And as he had for over a decade, he ignored the ultimatums
    of the free world. He said, ``Your resolutions don't matter to me.''
        I happen to believe that when you say something, you better mean it.
    Well, we said--``we'' being the free world--out of the United Nations
    Security Council said, ``Disclose your weapons. Disarm, or face serious
    consequences.'' That's what was said. And he
    denied. He deceived. He wasn't about to listen to the demands. So I had
    a choice to make: Either take the word of a madman or defend America.
    Given that choice, I will defend America every time.
        Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
        The President. Although we haven't found stockpiles of weapons, I
    believe we were right to go into Iraq. And America is safer today
    because we did. We removed a declared enemy of America who had the
    capability of producing weapons of mass destruction and could have
    passed that capability to terrorists bent on acquiring them. In the
    world after September the 11th, that was a risk we could not afford to
    take.
        We've got tough work to do. We've got hard work to do in Afghanistan
    and Iraq. Our immediate task in those countries is to capture or kill
    the terrorists and foreign fighters. Every terrorist we deal with abroad
    is one who will never do harm to an innocent America or anyone else. You
    can't talk sense to these people. You can't negotiate with these people.
    They're coldblooded. They are--they've hijacked a great religion.
    They're not religious people. You cannot sit back and hope for the best.
    We must engage these people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world
    so we do not have to face them here at home. And that's exactly what I
    will do during the next 4 years.
        My most solemn duty is the security of American families. It's my
    solemn obligation. There is no such thing as perfect security. The
    threats to our homeland are real. We know the terrorists want to strike
    us again because they want to spread fear and disrupt our way of life.
    We've reorganized our Government to protect the homeland. I put a good
    man in there to run that organization. You trained him well. Tom Ridge
    is doing a great job. A lot of people

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    are working hard on our behalf, your behalf--a lot of good people. I
    want to thank the police and firefighters and emergency teams from York,
    Pennsylvania, for standing on the frontlines of homeland security.
        We're defending our homeland. We will defeat the terrorists abroad.
    Yet, in the long run, our safety and the safety of our children and
    grandchildren requires something more. We must work to change the
    conditions that give rise to terror in the Middle East: the poverty, the
    hopelessness, and the resentments that terrorists can exploit. Life in
    that region will be far more hopeful and peaceful when men and women can
    choose their leaders and the people can decide their own future.
        By serving the ideal of liberty, we are bringing hope to others, and
    that makes America more secure. By serving the ideal of liberty, we also
    serve the deepest ideals of our country. We 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.
        Because we have taken this fight to the enemy, because freedom is
    rising in places they claim as their own, the terrorists are
    increasingly desperate. They know their cause is failing. They know that
    time is against them, and their only chance is to shake the resolve of
    America and Iraq and anyone else who loves freedom. So their actions
    have grown even more cruel and sadistic. They cover their faces in
    videos of their crimes, but those hoods cannot hide the face of evil.
    We've seen their kind before, in death camps and gulags. And as before,
    America will persevere. We will fear no evil, and we will prevail.
        Our men and women in the military are keeping America more secure.
    They're taking great risks on our behalf. At bases across the country
    and around the world, I have had the privilege, the high privilege, of
    meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice for our
    security. I've seen their decency and their unselfish courage. And I
    assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in good hands.
        And when we put our soldiers in harm's way, they deserve the very
    best. They deserve the full commitment of the Federal Government. That's
    why I proposed supplemental funding to support our military in its
    mission. This legislation provided for body armor and vital equipment,
    for hazard pay, for health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and spare parts
    for the military. In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-mainstream
    minority voted against the legislation, and 2 of those 12 Senators are
    my opponent and his runningmate.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. When asked to explain his vote, the Senator from
    Massachusetts said this: ``I actually did vote
    for the $87 billion, before I voted against it,'' end quote. That sure
    clears things up. [Laughter] The American President must speak clearly
    and mean what he says.
        America is leading the world with confidence and moral clarity. We
    have a strong coalition of more than 30 countries in Iraq. I will
    continue to build on our alliances and to work with our friends for the
    cause of security and peace. But I will never turn over America's
    national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
        This Nation is prosperous and strong, yet we need to remember that
    our greatest strength is in the hearts and souls of the American
    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 and
    our schools, our religious congregations. These values and institutions
    are fundamental to our lives. They deserve the respect of the
    Government.
        We stand for good public schools by insisting on high standards,
    local control, and strong accountability measures. We stand for fair
    treatment of faith-based groups so they can receive Federal support for
    their works of compassion and healing. We stand

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    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 matters and every
    person counts. 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.
        We stand for a culture of responsibility in our country. The culture
    of America 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're fortunate enough to be a mother or a dad, you
    are responsible for loving your child with all your heart and all your
    soul. If you're worried about the quality of the education in the
    community in which you live, you're responsible for supporting the
    teachers and the schools. If you're a CEO in corporate America, you're
    responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders and your
    employees. And in this 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 and the challenges are
    difficult, a time when 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'll never forget that day. There were workers in hardhats
    shouting at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I remember looking in the eyes of
    those firefighters and policemen, and a guy looked at me and said,
    ``Don't ever let me 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 the security of America, whatever it takes.
        In these times, I've also been a witness to the character of this
    Nation. I've 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'll 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. We
    will make America safer, stronger, and better. This is the work that
    history has set before us. We welcome it. And we know that for our
    blessed country, the best days lie ahead.
        God bless. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:02 p.m. in the Toyota Arena at the York
    Fair and Expo Center. In his remarks, he referred to Joe Paterno, head
    football coach, Pennsylvania State University; Scott Paterno and Charles
    W. Dent, candidates for Pennsylvania's 17th and 15th Congressional
    Districts, respectively; Alan Novak, chairman, Republican State
    Committee of Pennsylvania; and entertainers the Oak Ridge Boys and the
    Matt Goss Band.

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