    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 11, 2004]
    [Pages 1612-1619]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Phoenix, Arizona
    August 11, 2004

        The President. Thank you all for coming. So yesterday, there we were
    in a bus in northern Florida, and old John McCain said, ``Wait until you get to Phoenix.'' He's right.
        I'm working hard to ask for your vote. I'm here to let you know
    there is more to do to make America a safer place, a stronger place, and
    a better place. I'm here to ask for your help. We won Arizona last time;
    we're going to win it this time. And we're going to win a great national
    victory.
        Thank you all for coming. I only wish that Laura were here to see this crowd. She is a remarkable woman.
    She is a great wife, a fantastic mother. I'm going to give you some
    reasons tonight to put me back in, but perhaps the most important reason
    of all is so that Laura has 4 more years.
        I'm proud to be running with Dick Cheney.
    Now look, I admit it, he's not the prettiest face in the race.
    [Laughter] I didn't pick him for that reason. I picked him because of
    his judgment, his experience. I picked him because he can do the job.
        I'm proud to be traveling with a great American and a fine citizen
    of this State, a person who served his Nation with distinction and
    honor--John McCain. I want to thank his wife,
    Cindy, for joining us as well. She's a class
    act, good lady.

    [[Page 1613]]

        I also want to thank my friend Jon Kyl, the
    other Senator from this State. You got two fine United States Senators
    from Arizona.
        I want to thank my friends from the congressional delegation,
    Renzi, Franks,
    Shadegg, J.D. Hayworth, Jeff Flake, for their leadership.
        I'm proud that Secretary of State Jan Brewer is here. I want to thank Jan for coming, and State
    Treasurer David Petersen. Listen, thank
    you all for coming.
        I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here. I want to
    thank my friend Luis Gonzalez and his great
    wife, Christine. I know my friends
    the Lehmans
    are here. I'm glad they're here. Old Tom Lehman, I could use a putting
    lesson. [Laughter] I don't have much time to practice these days; I'm
    out working.
        See, I'm asking for your help to register voters. You've got a lot
    of new people moving in this State, and they, like you, have a duty in a
    democracy to vote and to participate. We're asking for people to do a
    little extra work to register our fellow citizens and urge them to go to
    the polls. And when you get them headed to the polls, you might just
    tell them America will be better off with Bush-Cheney in the White
    House.
        The past few years--in the past few years, Americans have been
    through a lot together, a whole lot, and we've accomplished a great
    deal. But there's only one reason to look backward at the record, and
    that is to determine who best to lead us forward. I'm running--I'm
    asking for your vote because so much is at stake. We have much more to
    do, much more to do to move this country forward and make it a better
    place.
        We've got more to do to make our public schools the centers of
    excellence we all know they can be so that no child is left behind in
    America. When we came to office 3\1/2\ years ago, too many of our
    children were being just shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
    without learning the basics. So we challenged the soft bigotry of low
    expectations. We raised the sights of everybody. We believe in
    accountability. We believe in local control of schools. We believe in
    challenging schools that refuse to change and refuse to teach.
        And we're making progress. We're closing that achievement gap here
    in America. More of our children are learning to read and write and add
    and subtract, and there's more to do. We want our high school diplomas
    to mean something. We need to make sure our children are educated for
    the jobs of the 21st century, so we need to concentrate on science and
    math. We need to bring technology into classrooms in America. What I'm
    telling you is, after 4 more years, a rising generation will have the
    hope and the skills necessary to succeed in this world.
        We have got more work to do to make sure health care is available
    and affordable. We addressed the issue of our seniors square on. You
    might remember that political campaign after political campaign, our
    seniors were promised a stronger Medicare system. We got the job done.
    Our seniors now have the ability to choose a plan that meets their
    needs, and there will be coverage for prescription drugs for our
    seniors. We're doing more to make sure health care is available and
    affordable. We're expanding community health centers for low-income
    Americans. We're providing health savings accounts so American families
    can save tax-free to meet their own health care needs.
        In order to make sure American families have got health care, we
    must allow small employers to join together to be able to purchase
    insurance at discounts that big companies are able to do. We'll harness
    technology to reduce costs and prevent mistakes. We'll expand research
    and seek new cures. And to make sure you've got affordable health care,
    we need to end the frivolous lawsuits that are harming our docs and
    harming our patients.
        You cannot be pro-patient, pro-doctor, and pro-trial-lawyer at the
    same time. You

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    have to choose. My opponent made his choice, and
    he put him on the ticket.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. I made my choice. I am for medical liability reform
    now. In all we do to improve health care here in this country, we will
    make sure the health care decisions are made by doctors and patients,
    not by Washington, DC, bureaucrats.
        We got more to do to make sure this economy is stronger. We've been
    through a lot. We've been through a recession; we've been through
    corporate scandals; we've been through the terror attacks. Yet we've
    overcome these obstacles. We've overcome these obstacles because we've
    got great workers in America. We've overcome these obstacles because the
    entrepreneurial spirit is strong and the small-business sector of our
    economy is flourishing. We've overcome these obstacles because we've got
    great ranchers and farmers. And we've overcome these obstacles because
    we delivered well-timed tax relief to the American people. Because we
    acted, our economy has grown at a rate as fast as any in nearly 20
    years. Because we acted, we've added nearly 1.5 million jobs over the
    past year. Because we acted, Arizona's unemployment rate is at 4.7
    percent.
        We're making progress. We're not turning back. So long as anybody is
    looking for work, we're going to keep working to make sure there's a job
    available for them. There is more work to do to keep jobs here in
    America and to keep this job base growing; we need to become less
    dependent on foreign sources of energy. We need to reduce the
    regulations on our employers in America. We need real, meaningful tort
    reform in America to keep jobs here.
         In order to keep jobs here at home, we need to be opening up
    markets for Arizona products. We must not become economic isolationists
    in America. We must be confident--you see, we can compete with anybody,
    anytime, anywhere, so long as the playing field is level. In order to be
    keeping jobs here in America, we've got to make sure our workers are
    trained for the jobs of the 21st century. That's why I'm such a strong
    backer of the community college system, not only here in Arizona but all
    across our country. In order to make sure we keep jobs here, we've got
    to be wise about how we spend your money, and we've got to keep your
    taxes low.
        We're working together to protect our residents and forests across
    the West from catastrophic wildfires. Listen, I understand you're in a
    severe drought. Water is a precious commodity. And as a result of the
    drought you're in, our national treasures are--forest fires--are
    vulnerable. That's why I worked with John McCain
    and Jon Kyl to pass a bipartisan bill called Healthy
    Forests Restoration Act.
        I understand the West. I understand the issues of the West. Some
    people took a different view of that Healthy Forests legislation. Back
    in October, my opponent told us Healthy Forests
    would let people chop down mountainsides of old-growth trees. When I
    signed the bill, he said we're taking a chainsaw to public forests. I
    understand the West. I understand the issues you face out here. Yet,
    when he came out West to campaign, he turned that position around. Now
    he says he likes a lot of the parts of the law. I guess it's not only
    the wildfires that shift with the wind. [Laughter]
        I'm running for 4 more years to keep our Nation's economy the
    strongest in the industrialized world. I'm running so our small
    businesses are vibrant. I'm running so our farmers and ranchers are
    healthy, and I'm running so people can find good-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 or weakness in this decade, the world will drift toward
    tragedy. This will not happen on my watch.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

    [[Page 1615]]

        The President. The world changed on that terrible September morning,
    and since that day, we've changed the world. Before September the 11th,
    Afghanistan served as the home base of Al Qaida, which trained and
    deployed thousands of killers and set up cells in nations around the
    world, including our own. Because we acted, because we acted with our
    friends, Afghanistan is a rising democracy. Afghanistan is an ally in
    the war on terror. Young girls now go to school for the first time in
    Afghanistan, and America and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia weren't joining
    us in the war on terror. Today they are. Today, Pakistan and Saudi
    Arabia are allies in the war on terror. They're after Al Qaida. America
    and the world are safer.
        Because of our leadership, we're changing the world. Before
    September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire weapons of
    mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies have sent a
    clear message and a strong 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 pursued and he had used
    weapons of mass destruction. He harbored terrorists. He invaded his
    neighbors. He subsidized the families of suicide bombers. He had
    murdered tens of thousands of his own citizens. He was a source of great
    instability in the world's most volatile region.
        We saw a threat. We looked at the intelligence, and we saw a threat.
    And as we did so, we remembered a vital lesson of September the 11th,
    and that lesson is we must take threats seriously, before they fully
    materialize.
        I knew it was important on this vital matter to work with the United
    States Congress. So I went to the Congress and said Saddam
    Hussein's a threat. The Congress looked at
    the same intelligence, and members of both political parties, including
    my opponent, agreed that Saddam Hussein was a
    threat. And then we went to the United Nations----
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. ----and the United Nations looked at the intelligence
    and concluded that Saddam Hussein was a
    threat. And they passed a resolution that said ``Disclose, disarm, or
    face serious consequences.'' As he had for over a decade, Saddam Hussein
    defied the free world. As a matter of fact, when we sent inspectors in--
    or the world sent inspectors in, he systematically deceived the
    inspectors. And so I had a choice to make. My choice was do I forget the
    lessons of September the 11th----
        Audience members. No-o-o!
        The President. ----and hope for the best----
        Audience members. No-o-o!
        The President. ----and trust the word and deeds of a madman, or do I
    take action to defend America. I will defend America every time.
        Even though we have not found the stockpiles we expected to find, we
    do know that Saddam had the capability to
    make weapons of mass destruction, and he could have passed that
    capability on to our enemies. That was a risk we could not afford to
    take. Knowing what I know today, I would have taken the same action. And
    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 almost
    220 days 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, Senator Kerry now agrees
    with me that even though we have not found

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    the stockpiles of weapons that we all 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 my
    opponent for clearing that up. But just remember, there are 83 days left
    in the campaign--time enough to change his mind again.
        I'm running for 4 more years because I know we must continue to work
    with our friends and allies to aggressively pursue the terrorists and
    the foreign fighters in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere.
    See, you cannot talk sense to these people. You cannot negotiate with
    these people. We must engage the enemy around the world so we do not
    have to face them here at home.
        During the next 4 years, America will continue to lead the world
    with confidence and moral clarity. We put together a strong coalition to
    help us defeat terror. Listen, we've got nearly 60 nations involved with
    the Proliferation Security Initiative. Nearly 40 nations are involved in
    Afghanistan. Some 30 nations are involved in Iraq. I'll continue to
    build our alliances and work with our friends for the sake of peace, but
    I will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders
    of other countries.
        America and the world are safer. We're heading to peace because our
    commitments are kept by the men and women of our military. I want to
    thank the veterans who are here for setting such a great example to the
    men and women of our military. I've had the privilege of meeting with
    those who defend our country and sacrifice for our security. I've seen
    their great decency and their unselfish courage. Ladies and gentlemen,
    the cause of freedom and peace is in really good hands. And anytime--and
    our troops deserve the full support of the United States Government.
        Last September, while our troops were in combat in Afghanistan and
    Iraq, I proposed supplemental funding to support them in their missions.
    This money was going to--this money did provide body armor and vital
    equipment, hazard pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and spare
    parts for our military. In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-
    mainstream minority of 12 Senators voted against that funding. Two of
    those twelve Senators are my opponent and his
    runningmate.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. My opponent tried to explain
    his vote this way: ``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I
    voted against it.'' End quote. And then he went on to say that he was
    proud he and his runningmate voted against it, and then he went on to
    say, at another time, the funding issue 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
    must work to change the conditions that give rise to terror: poverty and
    hopelessness and resentment. I see a lady holding a sign there that
    says, ``My son is in Iraq.'' I want you to know, ma'am, that your son is
    performing a duty that is changing the world. A free and peaceful Iraq
    and a free and peaceful Afghanistan will be powerful examples to their
    neighbors. These parts--people in these parts of the world are desperate
    for freedom. In Iraq and Afghanistan, there are now strong leaders who
    understand the power of free societies. And we understand the power of
    freedom in America. We know that free societies do not export terror. We
    know that in free societies, leaders listen to the hopes and aspirations
    of their people.
        By serving the ideal of liberty, we are bringing hope to others, and
    that makes our country more secure. By serving the ideal of liberty,
    we're making the world more peaceful. By serving the ideal of liberty,
    we're serving the ideals of our country. Freedom is not America's gift
    to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman
    in this world.

    [[Page 1617]]

        I'm running for 4 more years because I know we've got a lot of work
    to do to protect us. Enemies who hate us are 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, and it shows a dangerous misunderstanding of the enemy we
    face. During the 1990s, terrorists were recruiting and training for war
    with us, long before America went to war with them. They don't need an
    excuse for their hatred. It's wrong to blame America for the anger and
    the evil of those killers. You don't create terrorists by defending
    yourself and fighting back; you defeat the terrorists by fighting back.
        Listen, the September--the 9/11 Commission wrote a good report, and
    it said that because of the actions we've taken since September the
    11th, our homeland is safer, but we're not yet safe. I agree with that
    conclusion. There's more work to do. Beginning immediately after
    September the 11th, we started the hard process of reform. We created
    the new Department of Homeland Security. We passed the PATRIOT Act,
    which is vital; it is necessary to give our law enforcement the tools
    necessary to disrupt terrorist activity. We're integrating intelligence
    and law enforcement better than ever before.
        We're taking up a lot of those recommendations. We've got to do a
    better job of securing our ports and borders and training our first-
    responders and dramatically improving our intelligence gathering
    capabilities. I called on Congress to create the position of National
    Intelligence Director so that one person is in charge of coordinating
    our intelligence efforts overseas and here at home. There's a lot of
    really good people working hard to defend the American people, and I'm
    proud of their efforts.
        Now, reforms are never easy in Washington. It takes on--it requires
    taking on the entrenched interests, those who are happy with the status
    quo. It's not enough to advocate reform; you have to be able to get it
    done. When it came to reforming our public schools, we're getting the
    job done. When it comes to giving our health care reforms to our
    families, with more access and more choices, we're getting the job done.
    When it comes to creating jobs in America, we're getting the job done.
    When it comes to defending America and spreading the peace, we're
    getting the job done. And when it comes to choosing a President, you
    better have a President who can get the job done.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. We live in a time of rapid change. These are exciting
    times. One way to help American citizens during this time of change is
    to encourage an ownership society. We want people owning and controlling
    their own health care accounts. We want our Social Security system to
    work. Listen, for old people like me and
    McCain--[laughter]--the Social Security is sound enough for us. I'm
    worried about the younger workers. I'm worried about the solvency of
    Social Security. Therefore, I think younger workers ought to be allowed
    to have personal savings accounts that they can call their own.
        We want more people owning their business. I love the fact when
    somebody says to me, you know, ``I just started my own business.'' We
    want more people owning their own home. Homeownership rate is at an
    alltime high in America. What a fantastic thought, to know that more and
    more Americans are opening up their front doors saying, ``Welcome to my
    home.'' You see, this administration understands that when you own
    something, you have a vital stake in the future of our country.
        In this time of change, there's some things won't change: our belief
    in liberty and opportunity and in the nonnegotiable demands of human
    dignity; the individual values we try to live by, courage and
    compassion, reverence and integrity; the institutions that give us
    direction and purpose,

    [[Page 1618]]

    our families, our schools, our religious congregations. These values and
    institutions are fundamental to our lives, and they deserve the respect
    of Government.
        We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the
    foundation 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. This culture of ours
    is changing from one that has said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead
    and do it,'' and ``If you 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 father, 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 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 ourselves.
        I'm seeking the vote because I want to continue to rally the armies
    of compassion for the next 4 years. I understand the strength of this
    country is the hearts and souls of the American people, and I know--and
    I know that by rallying the great strength of America, we can change our
    society one heart, one soul, one conscience 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 isn't one of those times. It's a time that requires
    firm resolve, strong belief in the values that have made our country
    great.
        None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another
    began. As John mentioned, on 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 yelling at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I remember--I
    remember working the ropeline, thanking people, and a fellow grabbed me.
    He had bloodshot eyes. He had been searching the rubble for somebody
    that he had worked with, and he said, ``Do not let me down.''
        He took that day personally. All the workers took it personally. I
    know you took it personally, and so do I. I have a duty that goes on. I
    wake up every morning thinking about how to best protect our country. I
    will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
        We've come through much together. We've done a lot of hard work.
    There's more work to be done over the next 4 years. We will spread
    ownership and opportunity to every corner of America. During the next 4
    years, we'll pass the enduring values of our country on to another
    generation. During the next 4 years, we will continue to lead the world
    to spread freedom and peace.
        Four years ago, I traveled this great country asking for the vote. I
    made a pledge to my fellow Americans that if you honored me with this
    great responsibility, I would uphold the dignity and the honor of the
    office to which I have been elected, so help me God. And with your help,
    I will do so for the next 4 years.
        Thanks for coming. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:22 p.m. at Arizona Veterans Memorial
    Coliseum. In his remarks, he referred to Arizona Secretary of State
    Janice K. Brewer; Arizona State Treasurer David A. Petersen;
    professional baseball player Luis Gonzalez and his wife, Christine;
    professional golfer Tom Lehman; Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi,
    leader of Libya; former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and the
    National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11
    Commission).

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