    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [September 16, 2004]
    [Pages 2064-2073]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in St. Cloud, Minnesota
    September 16, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. I'm honored
    to be here in St. Cloud. I understand I am the first sitting President--
    [applause]--I am glad I came, and the other Presidents missed a lot.
    Thanks for coming out today. It's such

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    an honor to be here. I really want to thank you for being here. A little
    early in the morning, I know. [Laughter] It seems like I provided a
    pretty good excuse for some kids to miss school. Don't make a habit of
    it. [Laughter]
        I'll tell you what I'm doing. We're taking a bus trip across your
    beautiful State. I'm asking for the vote. That's what I'm doing today.
    I'm here to tell you in St. Cloud, I want your vote. And I'm asking for
    your help. I know we've got a lot of people working hard here to
    register voters. Keep doing it. See, we have a duty in this country to
    participate in the elections, is what I believe we have. And I'm asking
    you to find people and register them to vote. And when you're
    registering people to vote, don't overlook discerning Democrats, people
    like Zell Miller. And then when you get people
    registered to vote, head them to the polls. And when you get them headed
    to the polls, tell them, if they want a safer America, a stronger
    America, a better America, to put me and Dick Cheney back in office.
        So I told Laura I was going to St. Cloud. She
    said, ``Tell everybody hi.'' I wish she were here. I know--I love Laura
    too. [Laughter] She is a great mother, a wonderful wife. You know, when
    I married her, or asked her to marry me, she was a public school
    librarian in Texas. She said, ``Fine, I'll marry you. Just, I don't want
    to give any political speeches.'' I said, ``Okay, you won't have to give
    any speeches.'' Fortunately, she didn't hold me to that promise.
    [Laughter] She is a great speaker, because she is a compassionate,
    decent soul. I'm going to give you some reasons to put me back in today,
    but perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura is First Lady
    for 4 more years.
        I'm proud of my runningmate, Dick Cheney.
    Admittedly, he doesn't have the waviest hair in the race. [Laughter] I
    didn't pick him because of his hair. I picked him because he's a man of
    great experience, sound judgment, and he's a man who can get the job
    done.
        I appreciate working with Mark Kennedy.
    He's a fine Member of the United States Congress. He's a good fellow.
    Every time I see him, he says, ``Don't forget those Minnesota farmers.''
    As you can tell by some ag prices, we haven't.
        I appreciate your Governor, Tim Pawlenty. He's a fine man, too. I'm honored. Norman
    Coleman is not with us, but I tell you, he's a
    good one for the United States Senate. I'm proud to work with him. I
    want to thank all the other State and local officials who are here. I
    want to thank John Stone. I appreciate his--
    country music songs he sings. I'm honored that he has joined us today.
        I want to thank my friend Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya. He runs the veterans program for this campaign. First of
    all, I want to thank all the veterans who are here. I appreciate your
    strong support. And I want to thank my friend Joe for his leadership.
    He's scheduled to deploy to Iraq soon, and of course, Joe, you'll be in
    our prayers, and we appreciate your service.
        I know Coach John is with us today, the
    great coach from St. John's University. We had him to the White House a
    while ago, and it was such an honor to receive such a class act. He is a
    wonderful man. He's got a great family. He lifts everybody's spirits,
    and I'm proud to have him on my team. Coach John, thanks for coming.
        I want to thank the grassroots activists. Those are the people who
    put up the signs and make the phone calls and turn out the vote. I can't
    thank you enough for what you have done. And I'm going to thank you for
    what you're going to do, and that is, keep working, because I'm going to
    be working right alongside of you. I want to win, and I know we are
    going to win.
        I like getting out with the people. I like to get out and tell
    people where I stand, what I believe, and where I'm going to lead this
    Nation for the next 4 years. I believe every child can learn, and every

    [[Page 2066]]

    school must teach. I went to Washington to challenge the soft bigotry of
    low expectations. I thought it was wrong to shuffle children through the
    schools, grade after grade, year after year, without teaching the
    basics. So we increased Federal help, but we also are now measuring. And
    we're measuring so we can determine problems early, before they're too
    late.

    [At this point, the audio system failed, and a portion of the
    President's remarks were not available.]

        The President. ----schools. We're closing an achievement gap in
    America, and we are not turning back.
        I believe we have a moral responsibility to honor our seniors with
    good health care. I went to Washington to fix problems, not pass them on
    to future Presidents. Medicare needed to be strengthened. People say,
    ``What do you mean by that.'' I'll tell you what I mean. Medicare would
    pay $100,000 or so for heart surgery, but it would not pay for the
    prescription drugs necessary to prevent the heart surgery from not being
    needed. It didn't make any sense, did it, not to pay drugs that would
    stop the heart surgery from being needed and yet pay for the heart
    surgery?
        I worked with Republicans and Democrats. We're modernizing Medicare.
    Prescription drugs will be available for our seniors, and we're not
    turning back.
        I believe in the energy and innovation, the spirit of our farmers,
    workers, small-business owners. And that's why we unleashed that energy
    with the largest tax relief in a generation.
        Listen, when you're out gathering the vote, remind people what we
    have been through. We have been through a recession. We've been through
    corporate scandals, and that affected economic growth by the way. And
    secondly, we passed laws, tough laws. It's now abundantly clear to
    everybody in America, we're not going to tolerate dishonesty in the
    boardrooms of America. And the attacks of September the 11th hurt us.
    They hurt our economy. But our economy is strong, and it's getting
    stronger. We're overcoming these obstacles.
        You tell folks out there that our economy is growing at rates as
    fast as any in nearly 20 years, that we've added 1.7 million new jobs
    since August of last year, that the national unemployment rate is 5.4
    percent, below the average rate of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The
    unemployment rate in your great State is 4.4 percent. This economy is
    strengthening, and we're not turning back.
        I believe the most solemn duty of the American President is to
    protect the American people. If America shows uncertainty and weakness
    in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This isn't going to
    happen on my watch. I'm running for President with a clear and positive
    plan to build a safer world and a more hopeful America. I'm running with
    a compassionate conservative philosophy that Government should help
    people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this
    Nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership. And that is why,
    with your help, we're going to carry Minnesota and win a great victory
    in November.
        Listen, the world in which we live is changing. Think about how much
    it's changed since our dads and granddads' generations started working.
    I mean, it used to be the man worked outside the home, and one job, one
    career, had one pension plan, one health care account. Today, people
    oftentimes change jobs and careers. The most fundamental shift in the
    workforce has been women work both inside the home and outside the home
    now. And yet, the fundamental systems of our Government have not
    changed. See, the Tax Code and health coverage and pension plans and
    worker training were created for yesterday, not tomorrow. In a new term,
    I will work to transform these systems so that all our citizens are
    equipped, prepared, and thus truly free to make your own

    [[Page 2067]]

    choices, so you can pursue the great promise of our country.
        Any hopeful society requires a growing economy. And I've got a plan
    to keep this economy moving forward. To create more jobs in America,
    America must be the best place in the world to do business. We need to
    reduce the burden of regulation on small-business owners if we want to
    keep this economy growing. We need to stop junk lawsuits if we want to
    keep this economy growing.
        To make sure this country's economy is strong and people can find
    work at home, Congress needs to pass my energy plan. It's a plan that
    encourages conservation. It's a plan that uses biodiesel and ethanol.
    It's a plan that says we can burn our coal cleaner and explore for
    natural resources in an environmentally friendly way. But it's a plan
    that understands that in order to keep America's economy strong, we must
    be less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
        To keep this economy strong, we've got to have good agriculture
    policy. I worked to phase out the death tax, so families can pass their
    farm from one generation to the next. We're working with our farmers and
    ranchers on the Conservation Reserve Program, so we can improve land,
    protect wildlife, and help our farmers. We've got a dairy policy that
    treats all people equally across this country.
        And to make sure our farm economy is strong, we're going to continue
    to open up markets around the world. See, here's the issue when it comes
    to trade. We've opened up our markets for foreign goods, and it's good
    for you to do so. If you're a consumer and you have more choices, you're
    likely to get that which you want at a better price and higher quality,
    with more products available. And so what I'm telling you is, is that
    we're going to continue to say to countries like China, ``You treat us
    the way we treat you.'' See, we can compete with anybody, anytime,
    anywhere, so long as the rules are fair.
        In order to make sure this economy grows, we've got to be wise about
    how we spend your money and keep your taxes low. Taxes are an issue in
    this campaign. See, they're an issue because I'm running against a
    fellow who has already promised over $2 trillion
    of new Federal spending.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. And so they said, ``How are you going to pay for
    it?'' And he said, ``Well, that's easy. I'm just
    going to tax the rich.'' We've heard that before, haven't we? [Laughter]
    First of all, you can't raise enough money by taxing the rich to pay for
    $2.2 trillion worth of new programs. There's a tax gap. Guess who's
    going to get stuck if he has his way?
        The other thing about the language ``taxing the rich'' is, the rich
    hire lawyers and accountants for a reason, so you get stuck with the
    tab. We're not going to let him tax you. We're
    going to win in November.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. This Tax Code of ours--we need to change the Tax Code
    of ours. It's a complicated mess. It's full of all kinds of special
    interest loopholes. You realize the Tax Code is over a million words
    long. That's why Americans spend about 6 billion hours annually trying
    to fill out the tax returns. Listen, we need to simplify the Tax Code.
    To keep this economy growing, we need to simplify the Tax Code. To treat
    our citizens fairly, we need to simplify the Tax Code. In a new term,
    I'm going to bring Republicans and Democrats together to change the Tax
    Code for the good.
        A changing world is one in which the jobs--the nature of the jobs
    change. See, look at your own community. Look at the health care
    industry. It's changing the workforce. But oftentimes our workers don't
    have the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. In order
    to keep jobs here at home, we've got to help our workers gain the skills
    they need to fill the jobs. That's why I'm such a big backer in the
    community college system. I believe

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    we ought to make community colleges more accessible for worker training
    programs, and we will do so.
        I also recognize most new jobs are filled with people with at least
    2 years of college. Yet only one in four of our students gets there.
    That's why I believe we ought to fund early intervention programs at our
    high schools to help at-risk students. I know we need to emphasize math
    and science in our high schools. Over time we will require a rigorous
    exam before graduation from our high schools. By raising performance in
    our high schools and expanding Pell grants for low and middle-income
    families, we will help more Americans start their career with a college
    diploma.
        In a time of change, we've got to also reform our health care
    systems. Health care costs are rising rapidly. They're burdening our
    economy. They're leaving too many people uninsured. I have a
    commonsense, practical plan to make high-quality health care more
    affordable and more accessible. When it comes to health care, we have a
    difference of opinion, and it's a big difference of opinion in this
    campaign. My opponent wants Government to
    dictate. I want you to decide when it comes to health care.
        More than half of the Americans who are currently uninsured are
    small-business employees and their families. I want to change law to
    allow small firms to pool together so they can purchase insurance at the
    same discounts that big companies can purchase insurance.
        My opponent opposes this plan. He calls it
    association health plans, and he opposes them. He says that health plans
    such at these, association health plans, would hurt consumers. No, what
    hurts consumers is not having health insurance. What hurts consumers is
    small businesses don't have the same advantages that big businesses
    have. Under my plan, the same laws that protect workers at large
    companies will protect consumers at small companies. It is time to stop
    the excuses. It is time to act to give more Americans quality health
    insurance coverage.
        We need to expand tax-free health savings accounts. These are
    important for our consumers. These are tax-free way to save for your own
    health care needs. Small businesses will be given tax credits that
    encourage them to put money into health savings accounts for their
    employees. We want more people to have their health savings accounts. So
    they make decisions based on the advice of their doctor, not somebody
    working at a distant HMO. In order to make sure health care is available
    and affordable, we need to expand community health centers all across
    our country. These are places where the indigent and poor can find
    preventative care and primary care help. In order to make sure health
    care is available and affordable, we're going to spread health
    information technology throughout our society.
        In order to make sure health care is available and affordable, we
    need to do something about the junk lawsuits that are running good docs
    out of business and running up the costs of health care. I hear from
    people everywhere I go about the problems of these junk lawsuits. I hear
    from ob-gyns how hard it is to practice their profession. I hear from
    pregnant women who are worried about the fact they can't find a good
    doc. See, I don't think you can be pro-doctor and pro-patient and pro-
    trial-lawyer at the same time. [Laughter] I think you have to choose. My
    opponent has made his choice, and he put a trial
    lawyer on the ticket. I made my choice: I am
    for medical liability reform--now.
        See, I think the problem in this campaign that my opponent has is
    that it's a plan that is massive, and it's big, and it puts the
    Government in control of health care. And you can tell it's massive by
    the price tag. This week an independent group estimated the cost of
    Senator Kerry's plan would be $1.5 trillion.
    That's trillion with a T. [Laughter] And that's big even for

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    a Senator from Massachusetts. [Laughter] The only possible way for him
    to pay for this plan is to tax you.
        The other problem is that it expands the Government. See, now let me
    give you an example. His plan will crowd out
    private health insurance, giving businesses an incentive to drop the
    health care plans they currently provide. That's the reality of
    expanding Medicaid coverage. A recent study showed that the plan would
    cause 8 million low- to moderate-income workers to lose private health
    coverage they currently get at work and be placed on Medicaid. Now,
    here's the problem with that: Medicaid is a Government program. And when
    the Government is in charge, bureaucrats make the decisions, deciding
    what doctors you can see and what health services are covered. That's
    the exact opposite of what we believe. I believe that when we reform and
    strengthen health care, the health decisions must be made by doctors and
    patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
        In changing times, it helps to promote--it helps families to promote
    ownership. If you own something, it brings stability into your life.
    During my administration, the homeownership rates in America are at an
    all-time high. More and more people are owning their own home. It's a
    fantastically hopeful sign for our country when people are opening the
    front door where they live, saying, ``Welcome to my house.'' Welcome to
    my piece of property.'' Over the next years, we'll continue to expand
    ownership to every corner of America to help our families bring
    stability in times of change.
        And we've got to understand, our retirement systems need to be
    strengthened. If you're a Social Security recipient, nothing is going to
    change. I don't care how hot the political rhetoric gets; you're safe.
    Nothing changes. There's ample money in the Social Security trust to
    take care of you. For baby boomers like me, there's money in the trust
    to take care of us. But we need to think about our children and our
    grandchildren when it comes to Social Security. And I believe, in order
    to strengthen Social Security for the young, they must be allowed to
    take some of their tax money and set up a personal account, a personal
    savings account that strengthens Social Security, a personal savings
    account they call their own, and a personal savings account that
    Government cannot take away.
        Listen, we have a difference of philosophy in this campaign. It's a
    clear difference. My opponent's programs will
    expand Government. Our programs will expand opportunity. And I believe
    that is necessary because I trust the American people. I trust the
    American people to make the right decision with their own money. I trust
    the American people to make the right decisions about schools. I trust
    the American people to make the right decisions about their health care
    plans. I trust the American people, and the Government must do so as
    well.
        There are some things in this world that aren't going to change. In
    changing times, values matter. The values we try to live by, courage,
    compassion, reverence and integrity, will provide stability in changing
    times. In changing times, we'll support the institutions that give our
    lives direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our religious
    congregations. We stand for a culture of life in which every person
    matters and every being counts. We stand for marriage and family, which
    are the foundations of our society. We stand for the appointment of
    Federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the
    strict interpretation of the law.
        This election will also determine how America responds to the
    continuing danger of terrorism. Since the terrible morning of September
    the 11th, 2001, we fought the terrorists across the Earth, not for
    pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens are at
    stake. Our strategy is clear. We're defending the homeland. We're
    transforming our military. We're strengthening the intelligence
    services.

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    We're staying on the offensive. We're striking the terrorists abroad, so
    we do not have to face them here at home.
        We'll work to advance liberty around the world, in the broader
    Middle East and elsewhere, and we'll prevail--we will prevail. Our
    strategy is succeeding--it's succeeding. Four years ago, Afghanistan was
    the home base of Al Qaida; Pakistan was a transit point for terrorists;
    Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for fundraising for the terrorists;
    Libya was pursuing--secretly pursuing nuclear weapons; Iraq was a
    gathering threat; Al Qaida was largely unchallenged as it planned
    attacks.
        Because we acted, because we led, the Government of a free
    Afghanistan is fighting terror; Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders;
    Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests; Libya is dismantling its
    weapons programs; the army of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom; and
    more than three-quarters of Al Qaida's key leaders and associates have
    been brought to justice. We have led. Many have joined, and America and
    the world are safer.
        This progress involved careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose, and
    some tough decisions. And the toughest came on Iraq. We knew Saddam
    Hussein's record of aggression and his
    support for terror. We knew his long history of pursuing and even using
    weapons of mass destruction. We knew he was the sworn enemy of America,
    and we knew that after September the 11th, our country must think
    differently. We must take threats seriously before they fully
    materialize.
        In Saddam Hussein, we saw a threat. I
    went to the United States Congress. They looked at the same intelligence
    I looked at. They remembered the same history I remembered. And they
    came to the conclusion that I came to: Saddam Hussein was a threat. And
    they voted to authorize the use of force. My opponent looked at the same intelligence. And when they said,
    ``Show of hands for the authorization of force,'' he said, ``Yes.''
        Before the Commander in Chief commits troops into harm's way, we
    must try all options. I was hoping diplomacy would work. I went to the
    United Nations. The United Nations looked at the same intelligence I
    looked at. They concluded Saddam Hussein was a threat. They voted by 15
    to nothing in the U.N. Security Council for Saddam Hussein to disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences. I
    believe when bodies say something, they better mean it. I believe when a
    President speaks, he better mean what he says.
        Saddam Hussein ignored the demands of the
    free world again, as he had for over a decade. He wasn't interested in
    what the free world had to say. As a matter of fact, he systematically
    deceived inspectors that were sent into his country. So I have a choice
    to make at this point in time, diplomacy isn't working. Do I forget the
    lessons of September the 11th and trust a madman, or do I take action to
    defend this country? Given that choice, I will defend America every
    time.
        Because we acted to defend ourselves, because we acted in our self
    interest, more than 50 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan are now
    free--50 million people. You know, it wasn't all that long ago in
    Afghanistan where young girls won't allowed to go to school because the
    Taliban was so backward and so barbaric that they wouldn't allow for
    education for young kids, that their mothers were taken to the public
    square and whipped sometimes in sports stadiums and killed, because they
    wouldn't toe their line.
        Today, over 10 million citizens--3 short years after the Taliban has
    been removed--10 million citizens, 41 percent of whom are women, have
    registered to vote in the upcoming presidential elections. It's
    unbelievable.
        In Iraq, there's ongoing acts of violence. This country is headed
    toward democracy. There's a strong Prime Minister in place. They have a National Council, and national
    elections are scheduled for January. It

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    wasn't all that long ago that Saddam Hussein was in power with his
    torture chambers and mass graves, and today, this country is headed
    towards elections.
        Freedom is on the march, and that helps us in America because free
    societies don't export terror. Free societies are hopeful societies,
    which leads to peace. Free societies will join us in fighting the
    terrorists, instead of harboring them. No, we're standing with the
    people of Afghanistan and Iraq. It's not only in our self-interest to do
    so, but when America gives its word, America will keep its word under my
    administration.
        Our mission is clear in Afghanistan and Iraq. We'll help these new
    leaders to train their armies so citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq can do
    the hard work of protecting their people against a few who would try to
    destroy the hopes of the many. We'll help them get their elections.
    We'll get them on the path of stability and democracy as quickly as
    possible, and then our troops will return home with the honor they have
    earned.
        We've got a great military. I'm incredibly proud of the men and
    women who wear our Nation's uniform. I've traveled around our country,
    at bases here, and I've been overseas and seen them at bases overseas.
    I'm telling you, these troops are fantastic. They are people of great
    courage and decency. The cause of freedom is in really good hands.
        And they deserve the full support of our Government. I made a
    commitment that we'll give the troops that which they need in order to
    complete their missions. That's why last September I went to the
    Congress and asked for $87 billion in funding for body armor and spare
    parts, ammunition, fuel, supplies needed for troops in combat in both
    Afghanistan and in Iraq. And we received great support for that request.
    Matter of fact, the support was so strong that only 12 Members of the
    United States Senate voted against the funding request, 2 of whom are my
    opponent and his runningmate.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. When you're out gathering the vote, when you're out
    gathering the vote, remind your fellow citizens that only four United
    States Senators voted to authorize the use of force and then voted
    against funding our troops--only four--two of whom are my
    opponent and his runningmate. They asked him, said, ``Why did you do that vote?'' He
    said, ``Well, I actually did vote for the $87 billion right before I
    voted against it.'' [Laughter] Yes. I don't know, here on the town
    square of St. Cloud, whether many people talk that way. [Laughter] I
    doubt it.
        They then said--well, he's--kept pressing. He
    said he's proud of the vote. And he--finally, he just said, ``It's a
    complicated matter.'' There's nothing complicated about supporting our
    troops in combat.
        You know, knowing what I know today, even though we haven't found
    the stockpiles of weapons we thought were there, I'd have still made the
    same decision. America and the world are safer with Saddam
    Hussein sitting in a prison cell. I would
    have made the same decision because he had the capability of making
    weapons, and he could have passed that capability on to an enemy. I
    would have made that same decision because I'll never forget the lessons
    of September the 11th, 2001.
        Now, during the course of this campaign, the fellow I'm running against has probably had about eight
    positions on Iraq: for the war but wouldn't provide the funding; then he
    was the antiwar candidate; then he said, ``Knowing everything we know
    today, I'd have done--did the same thing;'' then he said, ``Well, we're
    spending too much money''--that's after he said we weren't spending
    enough money. [Laughter] And so yesterday in a radio interview, he tried
    to clear things up. He said, there were no circumstances--none--under
    which we should have gone to war. Although he said his own vote to go to
    war was the right vote, and it was right to hold Saddam

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    Hussein accountable. [Laughter] The radio
    interviewer concluded, ``I can't tell you what he said.'' [Laughter] Let
    me be clear: Mixed signals are the wrong signals to send to our troops
    in the field, the Iraqi people, to our allies, and most of all, to our
    enemies.
        It is critical----
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. It is critical--it is critical that the President of
    the United States speak clearly and consistently at this time of great
    threat in the world and not change positions because of expediency or
    pressure.
        I appreciate the contributions our friends and allies have made in
    our efforts. We work hard to convince people to join us--about 40
    nations involved in Afghanistan, and some 30 nations are involved in
    Iraq. I speak to leaders of those countries often and thank them for the
    contributions their folks have made to help us. It's in their interests
    that they work to make the world a freer place and a more peaceful
    place. In the next years, I'll continue to work to build alliances, but
    I will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders
    of other countries.
        At the heart of my policy is my deep belief in the transformational
    power of liberty to change the world. The wisest use of American
    strength is to advance freedom. I spend time with Prime Minister
    Koizumi, the Prime Minister of Japan. It
    wasn't all that long ago that we were at war with Japan. If you really
    think about it, in the long march of history, it really wasn't all that
    long ago that Japan was a sworn enemy. My dad fought against the Japanese. I'm sure your dads,
    granddads, loved ones did the same thing.
        Yet after World War II was over, my predecessor, Harry Truman,
    citizens of this country had great faith in the ability of liberty to
    transform an enemy into a friend. And so they worked with Japan to build
    a democracy. There was a lot of skeptics during then. You can understand
    why. We're trying to help an enemy grow into a democracy. People
    couldn't fathom that the people--the country with whom we were at war
    could conceivably be an ally. And yet because we had great faith in the
    ability of liberty to transform countries, I today sit at the table with
    Prime Minister Koizumi talking about the
    peace we all want, talking about making sure this world is a more
    peaceful place.
        See, I believe that millions in the Middle East want liberty, that
    in their silence, they want there to be a free society. I believe women
    in the greater Middle East long to be able to realize their hopes and
    aspirations in a free society. I believe in freedom. I believe in the
    transformational power of liberty because freedom is not America's gift
    to world, see? That's not what I'm telling you. I believe in the
    transformational power of liberty because freedom is the Almighty God's
    gift to each man and women in this world.
        This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting freedom
    at home and abroad, we'll build a safer world and a more hopeful
    America. By reforming our systems of Government, we will help more
    people in our country realize their dreams. We will spread ownership and
    opportunity to every corner of the country. We will pass the enduring
    values of our country on to a new generation. We will continue to lead
    the cause of freedom and peace.
        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. This is a time
    that requires firm resolve, clear vision, and a deep faith in the values
    that make this a great nation.
        None of us--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'll never forget. There were workers in
    hardhats there yelling at the top of their lungs, ``Whatever it takes.''
    You know, I'm

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    doing my best to console these--thank these folks that had been in the
    rubble looking for a buddy. A guy grabbed me by the arm, he looked me
    right in the eye, and he said, ``Don't let me down.'' Ever since that
    day, I wake up thinking about how to better protect our country. I will
    never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
        Four years ago, when I traveled your beautiful State asking for the
    vote, I made a pledge that said if I--if you gave me the chance to
    serve, I would uphold the honor and the dignity of the office to which I
    had been elected. With your help, with your hard work, I will do so for
    4 more years.
        God bless. Thank you all for coming. Thank you all for being here.
    Now you can tell them a sitting President came to St. Cloud, Minnesota.
    Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:47 a.m. at Dick Putz Field. In his
    remarks, he referred to Senator Zell Miller of Georgia, who made the
    keynote address at the 2004 Republican National Convention; Gov. Tim
    Pawlenty of Minnesota; entertainer John Stone; Lt. Col. Joe Repya, USA
    (Ret.), Bush-Cheney '04 Minnesota Veterans Co-Chair; John Gagliardi,
    head football coach, St. John's University; Prime Minister Ayad Allawi
    of the Iraqi Interim Government; and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of
    Japan.