    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 10, 2004]
    [Pages 1589-1595]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Panama City, Florida
    August 10, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. Thank you
    all very much. So Little Brother says, ``Why don't
    you come to north Florida; maybe we can get some people to show up.'' We
    are so honored so many came out to say hello. Thanks a lot. We really
    appreciate you being here. I'm here to ask for your vote. I'm here
    traveling--I'm traveling this part of your State to let the people of
    north Florida know there is more to do to make this country safer,
    stronger, and better. And I want your help.
        I'm keeping fine company. I'm proud to be traveling with Senator
    John McCain. What a fantastic American he is.
    I'm glad Brother is here. He's doing a great job for the people of
    Florida, and I'm proud to call him Brother. I know you're proud to call
    him Governor.
        I'm sorry Laura is not here. No, I know it.
    She's a great wife and a wonderful mother, and she's doing a heck of a
    job as the First Lady of this country. Today I'm going to give you some
    reasons to put me back into office, but perhaps the most important one
    of all is so that Laura is the First Lady for 4 more years.
        And I'm proud of my runningmate. I admit
    he's not the prettiest face in the race. [Laughter] But I didn't pick
    him for his looks. I picked him because of his experience, his judgment.
    I picked him because he can do the job.
        I'm proud my friend J.C. Watts is here,
    I appreciate you being here, J.C. I want to thank Lieutenant Governor
    Toni

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    Jennings and Attorney General Charlie
    Crist for joining us today. I'm proud to be on
    the stage with them. I want to thank the house speaker-designate, Allan
    Bense, for being on the bus and traveling with
    us today. We've been traveling with Bev Kilmer as
    well. Put her in the House. She'll be a great Member of the U.S.
    Congress.
        I want to thank Aaron Tippin for being
    here. I want to thank all the grassroots activists. Those are the people
    who put up the signs, make the phone calls. Make sure you go out and
    register your friends and neighbors. See, we have a duty in this country
    to vote. We have an obligation in a free society to show up at the
    polls. Don't be afraid of convincing discerning Democrats and wise
    independents to go to the polls as well. They know what good government
    is. They know strong leadership when they see it. They understand the
    world is going to be safer and stronger and better with 4 more years.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. In the past few years, we've been through a lot
    together, and we've accomplished a great deal together. But there's only
    one reason to look backwards, and that is to determine who best to lead
    this Nation forward. I'm asking for your vote because so much is at
    stake. We have so much more to do to move this Nation forward. I want to
    be your President for 4 more years. From creating jobs to improving our
    schools, from fighting terror to spreading the peace, we made much
    progress, and there is more to do--and there is more to do.
        We've got more to do to make our schools, our public schools, the
    centers of excellence we know they can be so no child is left behind in
    America. Listen, when we came to office 3\1/2\ years ago, too many of
    our children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
    without learning the basics. So we're challenging the soft bigotry of
    low expectations. We're raising the bar. We believe in accountability.
    We believe in local control of schools. We believe in challenging the
    status quo when children are trapped in schools which will not teach and
    will not change. And we're making real progress. We're making real
    progress.
        We've got more to do. I understand the jobs of the future will
    require greater knowledge and higher level skills, so we're going to
    work to reform our high schools so a high school diploma means
    something. We'll expand science and math education so our young people
    can compete in a high-tech world. We'll expand the use of the Internet
    to bring high-level training in the classrooms. What I'm telling you is,
    after 4 more years, a rising generation will gain the skills and the
    competence necessary to realize the American Dream.
        We've got more to do to make quality health care available and
    affordable. When we came to office, too many older Americans heard year
    after year after year the promise of prescription drugs for Medicare. We
    got the job done. More than 4 million seniors have signed up for drug
    discount cards that provide real savings. And in 2006, all seniors on
    Medicare will be able to choose a plan that fits their needs, and
    Medicare will give them coverage for prescription drugs.
        We've done more, though, than that in health care. We've expanded
    community centers to help low-income Americans. We've created health
    savings accounts so families can save tax-free for their own health care
    needs. But there's more to do. See, most Americans get their health care
    coverage through their work, yet many small businesses, which create the
    most new jobs in America, cannot afford health coverage. So you know
    what we need to do? We need to let our small businesses pool together,
    join together so they can purchase insurance at the discounts available
    to the big companies.
        To improve health care, we must end the frivolous lawsuits that run
    up the cost of health care and run the doctors out of

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    business. You cannot be pro-patient and pro-doctor and pro-trial-lawyer
    at the same time. You have to choose. And my opponent has made his choice: He put him
    on the ticket. [Laughter] I made my choice: I am for medical liability
    reform now.
        Listen, we're going to use technology to reduce cost and prevent
    health care mistakes. We'll do more to expand research to seek new
    cures. In all we do to improve health care in America, we will make sure
    the health decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by Government
    bureaucrats.
        We got more to do to make this economy stronger. We've been through
    a lot when it comes to our economy. We've been through a recession.
    We've been through scandals. We've been through the terror attack. And
    yet we've overcome these obstacles, because our workers are great, our
    small businesses are strong, our farmers are good at what they do. I
    also think we overcame these obstacles because of two well-timed tax
    cuts. We didn't pick winners or losers when it came to tax relief. We
    said if you're paying taxes, you ought to get relief. And we're helping
    American families with that tax relief. If you have a family with
    children, you get tax relief. If you married, you get tax relief. We've
    got a Tax Code that has a marriage penalty.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. We ought to be encouraging marriage in this country,
    not penalizing marriage.
        And our tax relief helped small businesses. And this time, the check
    really was in the mail. [Laughter] Listen, because we acted, our economy
    since last summer has grown at a rate as fast as any in nearly 20 years.
    We've added over 1.5--nearly 1.5 million new jobs since last August. The
    national unemployment rate is 5.5 percent. Because we acted, Florida has
    added almost 300,000 new jobs since the end of 2001, and your
    unemployment rate is 4.7 percent. People in this State are working, and
    that's good for our country.
        Listen, I'm not going to be satisfied until everybody who wants to
    work can find a job, and so there's more to do. To keep jobs in America,
    regulations must be reasonable and fair. To keep jobs in America, we
    must reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. To keep jobs in
    America, we need tort reform. To keep jobs in America, we will not
    overspend your money, and we will keep your taxes low. To keep jobs in
    America, we will help our workers retrain, when necessary, at places
    like our community colleges. To keep jobs in America, we will level the
    playing field when it comes to trade. Listen, America can compete with
    anybody, anytime, anywhere, so long as we're treated fairly.
        What I'm telling you is, if you give me 4 more years, we will still
    be the leading economy in the world, our farm economy will be strong,
    more small businesses will exist, and Americans will be able to have
    better and higher paying jobs.
        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. That is not going to happen on my watch.
        The world changed on that terrible September morning, and since that
    day, we have changed the world. Before September the 11th, Afghanistan
    served as a home base of Al Qaida, which trained and deployed thousands
    of killers to set up terror cells around the world, including our own
    country. Because we acted, because we were resolute and firm, today
    Afghanistan is a rising democracy; Afghanistan is an ally on terror.
    Many young girls now go to school for the first time in Afghanistan,
    thanks to the United States and our coalition. Because we acted, America
    and the world are safer.
        Prior to September the 11th, Pakistan was a safe transit point for
    terrorists. Today, Pakistan is an ally in the war on terror, and America
    and the world are safer.

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        Before September the 11th, Saudi Arabia was not paying attention to
    those who were raising money and recruiting and operating with little
    opposition. Today, the Saudi Government is taking the fight to Al Qaida.
    They're an ally in the war on terror. 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 sent
    a clear 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. Remember, he was firing weapons at American pilots enforcing the
    world's sanctions. He was a threat. He used weapons of mass destruction
    against his own people. He harbored terrorists. He invaded his
    neighbors. He subsidized the families of suicide bombers. Saddam Hussein
    murdered tens of thousands of his own citizens. He was a source of great
    instability in the world.
        After September the 11th, we looked at all the threats in the world
    in a new light. One of the lessons of that fateful day, a lesson I will
    never forget as your President, is that we must take threats seriously,
    before they fully materialize. My administration saw a threat. We looked
    at intelligence; it further confirmed in our mind that Saddam
    Hussein was a threat. The United States
    Congress--Members of both political parties, including my opponent--looked at the same intelligence and came to
    the same conclusion: Saddam Hussein was a threat. The United Nations
    Security Council looked at that intelligence and came to the conclusion
    that Saddam Hussein was a threat.
        The United Nations Security Council then demanded a full accounting
    of his weapons and his weapons programs, or face serious consequences.
    As he had for over a decade, the tyrant
    refused to comply with the demands of the free world. As a matter of
    fact, he systematically deceived the inspectors that were in his
    country. And so I had a choice to make: Do I forget the lessons of
    September the 11th and trust the actions and words of a madman, or take
    action to defend America? Given that choice, I will defend our country
    every time.
        No, we didn't find the stockpiles we expected to find. Yet, he had
    the capability to make weapons of mass destruction, and he could have easily shared that capability with
    terrorist enemies. Knowing what I know today, I would have taken the
    same action. America and the world are safer because Saddam sits in a
    prison cell.
        Almost 2 years after he voted for the war in Iraq and almost 220
    days after switching positions to declare himself the anti-war
    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, Senator Kerry now agrees
    with me that even though we have not found the stockpile of weapons we
    believed were there, knowing everything we know today, he would have
    voted to go into Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. I want to thank Senator Kerry for clearing
    that up. But be careful, there's still 84 days left in this campaign for
    him to change his mind.
        Listen, I'm running for 4 more years because there's more work to
    do. We'll work with our friends and allies around the world to
    aggressively pursue the terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan and
    elsewhere. See, you can't talk sense to these people. You can't
    negotiate with these people. You cannot hope that they change. We will
    aggressively pursue them. We will engage them. We will defeat them so we
    do not have to face them here at home.
        America will continue to lead the world with confidence and moral
    clarity. See, we put together a strong coalition to help us. There's
    over 60 nations involved with the Proliferation Security Initiative.
    There are

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    nearly 40 nations involved in Afghanistan. There are some 30 nations
    involved in Iraq. We thank their leaders, we thank their people for
    sacrificing for freedom and peace. We'll continue to build alliances and
    work with our friends. I will never turn over America's national
    security decisions to leaders of other countries.
        In these crucial times, America's commitments are kept by the men
    and women who wear our uniform. I am really proud of our military, and I
    know you are as well. I've had the privilege of meeting with those who
    defend our country and sacrifice for our security. I have seen their
    decency and their unselfish courage. I assure you, ladies and gentlemen,
    the cause of freedom is in really good hands.
        And we have a duty in Government to make sure those who wear our
    uniform are fully supported by the Government. Last September, while our
    troops were in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, I proposed supplemental
    funding to support them in our missions. The legislation provided body
    armor and vital equipment, hazard pay, spare parts, fuel, health
    benefits, and ammunition. In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-
    mainstream minority of 12 Senators voted against the legislation. Two of
    those twelve Senators are my opponent and his
    runningmate.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. When asked about why he voted no to support our
    troops, he said, ``I actually did vote for the
    $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' Now, I've spent some time here
    in north Florida; I understand that's not the way the people talk up
    here. They like people who say one thing and mean it. And then when
    pressed he said, well, he's proud of his vote, and then he said, well,
    the whole thing is a complicated matter. There is nothing complicated
    about supporting our troops in combat.
        In the long run our security is not guaranteed by force alone. We
    will work to change the conditions that give rise to terror: poverty and
    hopelessness and resentment. See, a peaceful and free Iraq and a
    peaceful and free Afghanistan will be powerful examples in a
    neighborhood that is desperate for freedom. Free countries do not export
    terror. Free countries listen to the dreams and aspirations of their
    people. Afghanistan and Iraq have now got strong leaders who are
    committed to free societies. The people of those countries, having been
    brutalized by tyrants, are now beginning to step up and take
    responsibility. More Afghan citizens and more Iraqis are joining their
    militaries and police forces to secure their own country so it can be
    free.
        See, by serving the ideal of liberty, we're bringing hope to others
    and that makes America more secure. By serving the ideal of liberty,
    we're spreading peace. By serving the ideal of liberty, we're serving
    the deepest ideals of our Nation. Freedom is not America's gift to the
    world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this
    world.
        Listen, we've got a lot of work to do, and I understand that. That's
    why I'm running for 4 more years. There are enemies who hate us, and
    they're still plotting to harm us. My opponent
    says that going to war with the terrorists is actually improving their
    recruiting efforts. His logic is upside-down. It shows a dangerous
    misunderstanding of the enemy we face. See, during the nineties, the
    terrorists were recruiting and training for war with us, long before we
    went to war with them. They hate us. They don't need an excuse for their
    hatred. It was wrong to blame America for the anger and evil of the
    killers. We don't create terrorists by fighting back. We defeat
    terrorists by fighting back.
        I agree with the conclusions of the 9/11 Commission when they said
    our homeland is safer, but we're not yet safe. We've got more to do.
    We'll secure this homeland by staying on the offense. We're going to
    do--to secure this homeland as well, by continuing to push for
    meaningful reform.

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    Listen, we started the hard process. We transformed our defenses and
    created a Department of Homeland Security to better protect you. We
    passed the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act is necessary to give law
    enforcement the tools necessary to track down terrorists.
        We're integrating intelligence and law enforcement better than ever
    before. We're taking action on a lot of the commission's
    recommendations. Today I name a good Floridian to head the Central
    Intelligence Agency. Congressman Porter Goss
    is my nominee before the United States Senate. We'll work together to
    strengthen that vital agency, so we have the intelligence necessary to
    better secure our homeland. I also will look forward to working with
    Congress to create the position of National Intelligence Director, so
    one person is in charge of coordinating all our intelligence, both
    overseas and domestic.
        These reforms aren't going to be easy. They're never easy in
    Washington. There's a lot of entrenched interests there, people willing
    to defend the status quo. It's not enough to advocate reform, you have
    to be able to get it done. When it comes to improving our public
    schools, we got the job done. When it comes to improving health care for
    our senior citizens, we got the job done. When it comes to improving our
    economy and creating jobs, we're getting the job done. When it comes to
    better securing our homeland and spreading the peace, we're getting the
    job done. When it comes to electing a President, put somebody in office
    who can get the job done.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. Listen, we live in exciting times--exciting times.
    But they're times of change. In order to help people through times of
    change, I think the Government ought to stand side by side with families
    and workers. One way to do that is promote an ownership society in
    America. See, we want people owning their own health care accounts, so
    if they change jobs their health care account goes with them. We want
    people to have more control over their lives. We want people being the
    decisionmakers when it comes to health care.
        When it comes to our retirement accounts, listen, old guys like me
    and McCain are in pretty good shape when it
    comes to Social Security. But if you're a younger worker, there is doubt
    as to whether or not Social Security is fiscally sound enough to--for
    you. That's why I think younger workers need personal savings accounts,
    so they can take them from job to job and pass them on to people they
    want to pass them on to.
        In a changing world, I think it's a positive sign to know more
    people own their own home. Homeownership rates are at an alltime high in
    America. I love the fact when a new homebuyer can open the door and say,
    ``Welcome to my house. This is my home.'' We want more people owning
    their own business. There's nothing better, when you say you own
    something in America. If you own something, you have a vital stake in
    the future of this country.
        In a world that changes, some things that are not going to change,
    our belief in liberty, in opportunity, in the nonnegotiable demands of
    human dignity. The individual values we try to live by won't change,
    courage and compassion, reverence and integrity; our belief in
    institutions that give us direction and purpose, our families, our
    schools, our religious congregations. We stand for institutions like
    marriage and families, which are the foundation of our society. We stand
    for a culture of life in which every person counts and every person
    matters. We stand for judges who faithfully interpret the law instead of
    legislating from the bench.
        We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. Listen, this
    culture of ours is beginning to change 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

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    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 and all
    your soul. 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 are 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 yourself.
        I understand the strength of this country is in the hearts and souls
    of our citizens. I'm running for 4 more years to continue to rally the
    armies of compassion so that we can help and heal and change America,
    one heart, one soul, one conscience at a time.
        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 time. It's a time we
    need firm resolve and clear vision. None of us will ever forget that
    week when one era ended and another began. September the 14th, 2001, I
    stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. It's a day I will never forget. I
    remember the guys in hardhats screaming at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I
    remember working the ropeline and looking in the eyes of a man who had
    just come out of the rubble searching for a buddy. He said, ``Do not let
    me down.''
        He took that day personally. All the people at that site took it
    personally. You took it personally, and I took it personally. I have a
    duty that goes on. I wake up every day trying to figure out how best to
    protect our country. I will never relent in defending America, whatever
    it takes.
        We've come through a lot. We've come through a lot together. We've
    done a lot of hard work. We're moving our country forward. During the
    next 4 years, we will spread opportunity and ownership through every
    corner of this country. During the next 4 years, we'll pass the enduring
    values of our Nation to another generation. During the next 4 years, we
    will lead the cause of freedom and peace, and we will prevail.
        Four years ago, I traveled this great State and this great country
    asking for the vote, and I made a pledge to my fellow Americans, if you
    honored me with this great responsibility, I would uphold the dignity
    and the honor of the office to which I had been elected. With your help,
    we will carry Florida, we will carry America, and I will continue--I
    will continue to honor my high office.
        God bless you all. Thanks for coming. Thank you all. God bless.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:55 p.m. at the Panama City Marina. In his
    remarks, he referred to Gov. Jeb Bush, Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, and State
    Attorney General Charlie Crist of Florida; former Representative J.C.
    Watts, Jr., of Oklahoma; Speaker-designate Allan Bense of the Florida
    House of Representatives; Bev Kilmer, candidate for Florida's Second
    Congressional District; entertainer Aaron Tippin; and Col. Muammar Abu
    Minyar al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya.