    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 26, 2004]
    [Pages 1740-1747]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Farmington, New Mexico
    August 26, 2004

        The President. Thanks for coming. I appreciate--It's good to be here
    in Farmington, New Mexico, in the Four Corners area of our country. I
    appreciate you all coming out. I told Rudy, I said, ``I can't wait to get to Farmington. You're going
    to meet some really fine people here. It's a part of the country where
    the boots outnumber the suits.''
        The other day, my opponent said he thinks he
    can find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. I think you find it right here in Farmington, New
    Mexico. I appreciate your hospitality. Rudy and I love being here. I want thank you all for coming
    out. It's such a beautiful day. I'm here to ask for the vote. I'm
    traveling with this great leader around New Mexico to tell the people
    I've got more to do to make this country safer, stronger, and better.
        I also want to thank those of you who are involved with grassroots
    politics. Those are the people who put up the signs. Those are the
    people who make the phone calls. Those are the people who help register
    the voters, people like Bill Redmond, people who run the county here.
    These are the people who do their duty. See, I think we have a duty in
    America to vote.
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. I think we have an obligation. I think we have an
    obligation in this society to go to the polls, and so therefore, I'm
    asking for your help. I hope you will register people to vote--register
    Republicans, register independents. I see a man here, he says, ``Navajo
    Democrats for Bush.'' Register Democrats to vote. And when you get them
    headed to the polls, tell them we're ready to lead for 4 more years.
    Tell them we're ready to make this country a safer place and a better
    place.
        I regret that Laura's not with me.
        Audience members. Aw-w-w!
        The President. No, I know, she's fabulous. I
    met the Vice President of the Navajo
    Nation out at the airport and met his beautiful wife, and the first thing she asked me, she said,
    ``Where's Laura?'' [Laughter] She's working. [Laughter]
        I kissed her goodbye today in Crawford and
    headed west. I'm really proud of her.

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    She's a great mom and a wonderful wife. She's a fabulous First Lady.
    Today I'm going to give you some reasons to put me back in, but perhaps
    the most important one of all is so that Laura is the First Lady for 4
    more years.
        I'm running with a good man for Vice President, Dick Cheney. He is a--I know there's a State rep named Dick Cheney
    from this part of the world. I hope he's as good a man as the Dick
    Cheney I call runningmate. I bet he is. Dick Cheney is solid as a rock.
    I picked him because he knows what he's doing. I picked him because he
    can get the job done. That's why I'm running with Dick Cheney.
        Listen, I enjoy working with your Senator, Pete Domenici. He's a good man. He and Nancy are taking a vacation. I don't blame them. He's been
    working hard for the people of New Mexico. But in his stead, we've got
    another great United States Senator with us today, and that's my friend
    Ben Nighthorse Campbell and his
    wife, Linda, from the State of Colorado.
    Where are you? Oh, yeah. [Laughter] I'm going to miss you, friend. I'm
    going to win, and I'm going to miss your presence in the United States
    Senate. He's a great man. I appreciate you coming.
        I want to remind you that we have been through a lot together. We
    have accomplished a lot too. But you know something, the only reason to
    look backward at the record is to--who best to lead us forward into the
    future. I'm here traveling your State because there's so much at stake.
        We have done much, but there is more to do to move this country
    forward. We have more to do to create jobs and improve our schools. We
    have more to do to fight terror and to protect the American people. We
    have more to do to spread freedom and peace we all want. We've made
    progress, and over the next 4 years, we will do more on behalf of the
    American people.
        We've got more to do to make our public schools the centers of
    excellence we know they can be so no child is left behind in America.
    You might remember how the system worked 3\1/2\ years ago. Too many of
    our children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
    without learning the basics. I went to Washington to challenge the soft
    bigotry of low expectations. I said, ``We'll provide more money from
    Washington to help the schools, but in return we expect results.'' We
    want our children to learn to read and write and add and subtract, and
    our plan is working. We're closing the achievement gap in America, but
    there's more to be done. We got to make sure our high school students
    get more math and sciences, because in order to be able to compete in
    the 21st century, we're going to need new skills. We got to have early
    intervention programs to make sure no child is left behind. We want to
    make sure our high school diploma means something when a kid graduates
    from high school, so they can find work. What I'm telling you is, after
    4 more years, a rising generation will have the skills and the
    confidence necessary to realize the American Dream.
        We've got more to do to make sure that we've got quality health care
    that's affordable to our citizens. Listen, when we came to office, the
    Medicare promise had been broken year after year. You might remember
    those old campaigns. They'd say, ``Vote for me. I'm going to strengthen
    Medicare.'' Sure enough, nothing took place in Washington. There's a lot
    of special interests there, a lot of people dug in. But we got the job
    done. We strengthened Medicare for our seniors. Starting in the year
    2006, seniors will have choices in Medicare, including prescription drug
    coverage.
        We've expanded community health centers for low-income Americans. We
    will continue to do so over the next 4 years. We've created health
    savings accounts so families can save tax-free for their health care
    needs. We're making progress. There is more work to be done. Listen,
    most Americans get health coverage through

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    their work. Most of today's new jobs are created by small businesses.
    But small businesses all across America are having trouble with health
    care. In order to help American families get the health care they need,
    we must allow small employers to join together so they can purchase
    insurance at the same discount that big businesses are able to do so.
        We will harness technology to save money in health care and to cut
    down on errors. We will continue to expand research and seek new cures.
    In order to make sure you've got good docs here in Farmington, New
    Mexico, in order to make sure we got good health care in this part of
    the world that's affordable, we need to cut down on the frivolous
    lawsuits that are running up your cost of medicine.
        See, I don't think you can be pro-patient, pro-hospital, and pro-
    doctor and pro-plaintiff-attorney at the same time. I think you have to
    choose. My opponent made his choice, and he put
    him on the ticket. [Laughter] I made my choice:
    I'm standing with the patients and the doctors. I am for medical
    liability reform--now. In all we do to improve health care in America,
    we will make sure the health care decisions are made by doctors and
    patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
        We've got more to do to make this economy stronger. Our economy has
    been through a lot. We've been through a recession. We've been through
    corporate scandals. We've been through a severe attack on our country,
    and yet, the economy is strong, and it's getting stronger, because our
    workers are great. Our farmers are great. Our ranchers know what they're
    doing. The small-business sector of America is strong and vibrant. The
    entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in this country.
        I also think one of the reasons we've overcome these obstacles is
    because of well-timed tax cuts. We gave tax relief to every American who
    pays taxes. That seems fair.
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. You might remember we helped American families by
    raising the child credit. We reduced the marriage penalty. The Tax Code
    penalizes marriage. We ought to be encouraging marriage, not penalizing
    marriage. We're helping our small businesses. And this time, the check
    actually was in the mail. [Laughter]
        Because we acted, our economy since last summer has grown at a rate
    as fast as any in nearly 20 years. Since last August, we've added about
    1.5 million new jobs. The unemployment rate nationally is 5.5 percent,
    and the unemployment rate in your important State is 5.3 percent.
        The economy is strong. It's getting stronger, and there's more to do
    to keep jobs here at home. We've got to make sure our regulations are
    reasonable and fair. We need tort reform, not only in the health care
    field but all across the board to make sure our employers don't spend
    their money on frivolous lawsuits but are able to do so on their
    employees.
        Listen, in order to make sure jobs stay here, we need a sound energy
    policy. Of course, we need to encourage conservation and renewable
    sources of energy, but we need to be exploring for natural gas right
    here in America too. We need to be less dependent--in order to make sure
    jobs stay in America, we need to become less dependent on foreign
    sources of energy.
        In order to make sure jobs are here, we've got to open up markets
    like we've opened up ours. Listen, I believe American workers and
    farmers and ranchers can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so
    long as the rules are fair.
        In order to make sure jobs stay here in America, we've got to make
    sure our workers have a lifetime of learning available to them. See,
    this is a changing world, and jobs are changing. The skill sets are
    different. That's why I'm such a strong believer in the community
    college system. I believe we need to use our community colleges and help
    workers gain the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century.

    [[Page 1743]]

        In order to make sure we keep jobs here, we've got to be wise about
    how we spend your money. Listen carefully to the rhetoric coming out of
    Washington. They say, ``Well, we're going to spend the Government's
    money.'' That's not what I think, and that's what I know--not--that's
    what I know. We're not talking about the Government's money. We're
    talking about the people's money. It's your money we spend in
    Washington, DC.
        In order to make sure we keep jobs here in America, we must keep
    your taxes low. Running up the taxes on the working people and the small
    businesses of America will slow down this economic recovery. Now, I'm
    running against a fellow who's already made over
    $2 trillion of promises in the course of the campaign, and we haven't
    even gotten to the stretch run yet. [Laughter] We're not even coming
    down the pike. No telling what he'll promise in October. [Laughter] The
    problem is, he hasn't said how he's going to pay for it. Well, he said
    one thing; he said he's going to tax the rich. You've heard that before,
    haven't you?
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. Yes. Guess what? The rich dodge, and you pay.
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. But we're not going to let him. We're going to beat him come November. And it's going to
    start with carrying the great State of New Mexico.
        We have more to do to wage and win the war on 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 isn't going to happen on my watch.
        The world changed on a terrible September morning, and since that
    day, we have changed the world. Before September the 11th of 2001,
    Afghanistan served as the 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, Afghanistan is a rising
    democracy. Because we acted, over 10 million people have registered to
    vote in a country that a short time ago was brutalized by a barbaric
    regime called the Taliban. Because we acted, Afghanistan is an ally in
    the war on terror. Because we acted, many young girls go to school for
    the first time. Because we acted, America and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, Pakistan and Saudi didn't take Al Qaida
    seriously. Today, they are allies in the war against the terrorists.
    America and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire
    weapons of mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies have
    sent a strong and easy-to-understand message, the leader of
    Libya has abandoned his
    pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and America and the world are
    safer.
        Before September the 11th, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of America. He was defying the
    world. He was firing weapons at American pilots 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. Saddam Hussein and his henchmen murdered
    tens of thousands of his own citizens. He was a source of great
    instability in the world's most volatile region. He was a threat.
        Audience member. No longer!
        Audience member. Not anymore!
        The President. After September the 11th, we had to look at the world
    differently. It's very important for our country to remember the lessons
    of September the 11th. One of the clearest lessons is that we must take
    threats seriously, before they fully materialize.
        So I went to the United States Congress. The Congress looked at the
    intelligence I looked at. They remembered Saddam's history and came to the same conclusion I did--he was
    a threat--including the person

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    I'm running against, came to that same conclusion.
        Because a military action ought to be the last option of an American
    President, I went to the United Nations. I said to the United Nations,
    ``You have seen a threat in the past. We see a threat. The world has
    changed since September the 11th. What do you think?'' They came
    together after a debate, looked at the same intelligence we did, and
    concluded that Saddam Hussein was a threat,
    that he must disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences. The world
    spoke.
        But as he had for over a decade, he
    defied the demands of the free world. See, he didn't seem to care what
    the free world said. Not only that, when we sent inspectors into the
    country, he systematically deceived the inspectors. So I had a choice to
    make. Do I trust a madman and forget the lessons of September the 11th,
    or take action necessary to defend America? Given that choice, I will
    defend our country every time.
        Even though we did not find the stockpiles that we expected to find,
    Saddam Hussein had the capability of making
    weapons of mass destruction and could have passed that capability on to
    our enemy, and that was a risk we could not afford to take. Knowing what
    I know today, I would have made the same decision. Saddam Hussein sits
    in a prison cell, and America and the world are safer.
        And now, almost 2 years after he voted for
    the war in Iraq and nearly 7 months after switching positions to declare
    himself the antiwar candidate, my opponent has found a new nuance. He
    now agrees it was the right decision to go into Iraq. See, after months
    of questioning my motives and even my credibility, the Senator now
    agrees with me that even though we have not found the stockpiles we
    thought we would find, knowing everything we know today, he would have
    voted to go into Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. I want to thank him for clearing that up.
    However, there's still a little over 60 days for him to change his mind
    again. [Laughter]
        I'm running because I understand we must continue to work with our
    allies and friends to aggressively pursue the terrorist enemy in Iraq
    and Afghanistan and elsewhere. See, you can't talk sense to these
    people. You cannot negotiate with them. You cannot hope for the best. We
    must aggressively pursue them around the world so we do not have to face
    them here at home.
        America will continue to lead the world with confidence and moral
    clarity. We put together a strong coalition to help us. There's over 40
    nations involved--or nearly 40 nations involved in Afghanistan and some
    30 nations involved in Iraq, 60 nations involved in the Proliferation
    Security Initiative. We'll continue to build alliances and work with our
    friends for the sake of security and peace. But I'll never turn over
    America's national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
        When America says something, we've got to mean it.
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. In order to make this world a more peaceful place
    when we speak, we better mean what we say. And so we'll keep our
    commitments to the people in Afghanistan and Iraq as they become
    peaceful and democratic societies. It's in our interest they become
    peaceful and democratic societies, and now they've got two strong
    leaders who are guiding those nations, people committed to the hopes and
    aspirations of their fellow citizens. We're training up Iraqi citizens
    and Afghan citizens to defeat the terrorists who are trying to stop the
    advance of freedom. We're helping them so they can help themselves. Our
    military will complete this mission as quickly as possible so our troops
    don't a stay a day longer than necessary.
        It's important work we're doing. We're talking about keeping the
    peace. We're talking about spreading freedom. And our

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    troops are helping us to keep our commitments. I'm proud of the United
    States military. I'm proud of our troops.
        I want to thank the veterans who are here for having set such a
    great example to those who wear the uniform. We're going to support our
    troops. That's a commitment we owe not only to those who wear the
    uniform but the loved ones of those who wear the uniform. That's why
    last September, while our troops were in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq,
    I proposed supplemental funding to support them in their mission. This
    legislation provided funding for body armor and vital equipment, hazard
    pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and spare parts. It was an
    important piece of legislation.
        We received great bipartisan support. Matter of fact, the support
    was so strong in the United States Senate that only 12 Senators voted
    against that funding, 2 of whom are my opponent
    and his runningmate. So they asked him, they
    said, why? He said, ``Well, I actually did vote for the $87 billion,
    before I voted against it.'' That's not exactly the way people talk in
    this part of the world.
        Audience members. No-o-o!
        The President. So they pressed him further. He said, well, he's proud of his vote, and the whole thing
    was just 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 free and peaceful Iraq and a free
    and peaceful Afghanistan will set powerful examples to a part of the
    world that is desperate for liberty. Free nations do not export terror.
    Free nations are able to defeat hopelessness, because they listen to the
    hopes of their people.
        By serving the cause of liberty, we're bringing hope to others, and
    that makes our country more secure. By serving the cause of liberty,
    we're spreading the peace that we all want. And by serving the cause of
    liberty, we're serving the deepest ideals of the American spirit.
    Freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty
    God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
        I'm running because I know there's more work to do to protect the
    homeland. There's enemies who hate us out there that are still plotting.
    We have a difference of opinion on the enemy, it seems. My opponent said
    that going to war with the terrorists is actually improving their
    recruiting efforts. The logic is upside-down. I think it shows a
    misunderstanding of the enemy. See, during the 1990's, the terrorists
    were recruiting and training for war with us long before we went to war
    with them. They don't need an excuse for their hatred. It is wrong to
    blame this country for staying on the offense. See, we don't create
    enemies and terrorists by fighting back. We defeat the terrorists by
    fighting back.
        We're working hard to protect you. There's a lot of good people at
    the Federal level and the State level and the local level who are
    working long hours to protect the American people. We're working on
    reform. There'll be good, solid intelligence reform to make sure that
    I've got what's needed to make good decisions on behalf of the American
    people, that we can respond to the threats as they exist.
        We've created the Department of Homeland Security to better protect
    you. We've got to do a better job on our ports and borders. We've got to
    do a better job of strengthening our intelligence sharing. We need to
    renew the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act is a vital tool for law
    enforcement to bust these terrorist organizations.
        I'll continue to push for reform, but it's hard. I mean, there's a
    lot of entrenched interests. The special interests are strong. That's
    why it's not enough to advocate reform. You've got to be able to get the
    job done.
        So when you're out campaigning, and when you're out convincing
    people to go

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    to the polls, you might remind them, when it comes to reforming schools
    to lift the standard so every child can learn, we're getting the job
    done. When it comes to health care reforms that have helped our seniors
    and helped our families, we're getting 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 the homeland and spreading freedom and
    peace, we're getting the job done. When it comes to choosing a
    President, put somebody in there who can get the job done.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. We're living in a time--we're living in changing
    times. A lot of moms are working. A lot of people are changing jobs. A
    lot of people need new skills in order to fill the jobs of the 21st
    century. These are changing times, and I recognize they can be
    unsettling. But Government can help by standing side by side with
    people. Instead of ordering people around, Government can help people
    have the tools so they can decide for themselves. And one way to do so
    is to promote an ownership society. We want people owning their own
    health care accounts, so they can take them from job to job.
        I see we got a lot of younger workers here. I appreciate you coming.
    Baby boomers and older folks can look at Social Security and know it's
    going to be around for us. Younger workers need to be concerned about
    the fiscal solvency of Social Security. That's why I believe we ought to
    give younger workers the option of establishing personal savings
    accounts with their own money, that they call their own and pass on from
    generation to generation.
        In order to meet the changing times, we've got to change the work
    rules to give our families flex-time and comp-time so you can better
    juggle your family needs. In order to make sure that we've got a hopeful
    America, we've got to continue to spread ownership--ownership of
    businesses. Listen, I love the fact that the homeownership rate in
    America is at an alltime high. We'll continue to expand homeownership
    over the next 4 years. We'll continue to expand ownership--
    homeownership. There's nothing better than somebody opening up a front
    door of the house, saying, ``Welcome to my home. Welcome to my piece of
    property.'' We believe in ownership because we know that when somebody
    owns something, they have a vital stake in the future of the United
    States of America.
        In this world of rapid change, there are some things that will not
    change, our belief in liberty, our belief in opportunity, and our belief
    in the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity. The individual values we
    try to live by, courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. In a
    changing world, we must honor those institutions that give us direction
    and purpose, our families, our schools, and our religious congregations.
        We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the
    foundations of society. We stand for a culture of life in which every
    person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges who
    faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench.
        We stand for a culture of responsibility in this country. Listen,
    the culture of our country is changing from one that has said, ``If it
    feels good, do it,'' and ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody
    else,'' to a culture in which each of us understands we're responsible
    for the decisions we make in life. If you're 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 Farmington, New Mexico, you're responsible for supporting
    your teachers and 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 this responsibility society of ours, each of
    us is responsible for loving

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    our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourself.
        I'm running for 4 more years to continue to rally the armies of
    compassion. See, I believe we can change this country one heart and one
    soul at a time by relying upon the true strength of America, which is
    the hearts and souls of the American people.
        Today I met Rod Conover. He's involved with
    Project Read. He's a volunteer. He's taking time out of his life to help
    somebody else learn to read. See, we'll change this country. We'll
    change this country by calling upon the great love of the American
    people to serve something greater than themselves, to help somebody in
    need, to help the homeless, to feed the hungry, to help the addicted by
    surrounding with something the Government can't live, which is love.
    Now, Government can give money, but Government cannot give love. And so
    over the next 4 years, I'll continue to call upon the great spirit of
    the American people.
        We're living in a--we've come through a lot together. The last 4
    years have brought great challenges. I'll never forget the day Rudy and
    I went to the ruins of the Twin Towers. It was a very emotional day. I
    remember the workers in hardhats yelling at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I
    remember a worker looking me in the eye and saying, ``Do not let me
    down.'' See, it's clear to me, and I know it's clear to Rudy, that that day, people took it personally on that
    site. I took it personally. I know you did as well. I have a duty that
    goes on. I wake up every day trying to figure out how best to secure
    this homeland. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it
    takes.
        We've done hard work over the past years, and there's more work to
    be done. During the next 4 years, we will spread ownership and
    opportunity so everybody can realize the great promise of America.
    During the next 4 years, we will continue to pass on the enduring values
    of our country to a younger generation. During the next 4 years, we will
    continue to lead in the cause of freedom and peace. With your support,
    I'll be a leader America can count on in a world of change.
        For 4 years, I traveled this great country, including your great
    State, asking for the vote--4 years ago I did, asking for the vote. I
    said if you gave me a chance to serve in this high office, I would
    uphold the dignity and the honor of the office to which I had been
    elected. And with your help, I will do so for the next 4 years.
        Thanks for coming. May God bless. Thank you all. Thank you all very
    much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:35 p.m. at Ricketts Park. In his
    remarks, he referred to Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New York
    City; former Representative Bill Redmond of New Mexico; Frank Dayish,
    Jr., Vice President, Navajo Nation, and his wife, Virginia; New Mexico
    State Representative Richard P. Cheney; Nancy Domenici, wife of Senator
    Pete Domenici; Linda Nighthorse Campbell, wife of Senator Ben Nighthorse
    Campbell; Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya; President
    Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; and Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi
    Interim Government.