    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 5, 2004]
    [Pages 1515-1522]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Saginaw, Michigan
    August 5, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thanks for coming. Thanks for coming.
    Thanks for having me here. I'm here to ask for the vote, and I'm here to
    ask for your help. It's been a great turnout. Thanks for coming.
        It's going to be an interesting campaign. We have big differences of
    opinion. For example, we have a difference of opinion over the heart and
    soul of America. See, my opponents believe you can find the heart and soul of America in
    Hollywood. I think you can find it right here in Saginaw, Michigan.
        Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
        The President. That's not the only thing my opponent seems a little confused about. The other day in Ohio, he
    said that there's nothing better than Buckeye football, period.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. Then he came to Michigan. First he told the crowd,
    ``I go for the Buckeye football. That's where I'm coming from.'' No, I
    know, that's not what the Michigan folks were expecting to hear.
    [Laughter] Then he remembered where he was and he
    called an audible. [Laughter] He said that the University of Michigan
    was a powerhouse of a team. You see, my opponent is a Washington
    politician who's taken both sides of just about every issue, including
    Big Ten football.
        Listen, I want to thank you for welcoming Vice President
    Cheney here a couple of months ago. I admit it,
    he's not the prettiest face on the ticket. [Laughter] That's not why I
    picked him. I picked him because of his judgment, his experience, his
    ability to do the job. Everywhere I go, the crowds are big, the
    enthusiasm is high, the signs are good. With your help, Dick Cheney and
    I will win 4 more years.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. I am--my only regret is that Laura is not traveling with me. She is a great wife, a
    wonderful mother, and a excellent First Lady for our country. I'm really
    proud of her. I'm really proud of her. I'm going to give you some
    reasons

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    why to put me back into office, but perhaps the most important one of
    all is so that Laura will be First Lady for 4 more years.
        I want to thank my friend Dave Camp,
    Congressman Camp. I appreciate you being here. Congresswoman Candice
    Miller, my good friend, is with us today.
    Thank you. Terri Lynn Land--I appreciate the
    secretary of state joining us. I wish Myrah Kirkwood all the best in her run for the United States Congress.
        You invited the Gatlin Brothers. [Applause] I know.
    They grew up in Odessa, which is Ector County; I grew up in Midland
    County, which is right around the corner from here--just a different
    State. [Laughter] I appreciate my friends being here. They're good
    friends, and they're good guys who care a lot about our country.
        I want to thank all the grassroots activists who are here. That
    means you're the people who put up the signs, make the phone calls;
    you're the people who are going to help register our fellow citizens.
    See, everybody needs to participate in elections. I believe we have a
    duty; I know you believe we have a duty to vote on election day. And so
    when you're out registering voters, please don't overlook discerning
    Democrats and wise independents because, like you, they want a safer and
    stronger and better America.
        Every incumbent who asks for the vote has to answer a central
    question, why--why should the American people give me the great
    privilege of serving as your President for 4 more years? In the past few
    years, Americans have been through a lot together, and we have
    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 our Nation
    forward.
        I'm here asking for the vote because there's so much at stake. We
    have much more to do to move our country forward. I want to be your
    President for 4 more years to create more jobs, improve our schools, to
    spread the peace. We have made much progress; there is still more to do.
        We have more to do to make our public schools the centers of
    excellence we all know they can be so that no child in our country is
    left behind. When we came to office 3\1/2\ years ago, too many of our
    children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
    without learning the basics. So we challenged what I call the soft
    bigotry of low expectations. We raised the bar. We believe in setting
    high standards. We believe in accountability. We believe in local
    control of schools. We believe in empowering the parents of America.
    Today, children across America are showing real progress in reading and
    math. When it comes to improving America's public schools, we're turning
    the corner and we're not turning back.
        We have more to do. The jobs of the future will require greater
    knowledge and higher level skills. We're going to reform our high
    schools to make sure a high school diploma means something. We'll expand
    math and science education so our young people can compete in the high-
    tech world. We will expand the use of the Internet to bring high-level
    training in the classrooms. With 4 more years, we'll help a rising
    generation gain the skills and competence they need to realize the great
    promise of our country.
        We have more to do to make quality health care available and
    affordable. When we came to office, too many older Americans could not
    afford prescription drugs. Medicare didn't pay for them, either. Leaders
    in both parties had promised prescription drug coverage for years. You
    remember all the promises. We got it done. More than 4 million seniors
    have signed up for drug discount cards that provide real savings for
    them. And beginning in 2006, all seniors on Medicare will be able to
    choose a plan that suits their needs and gives them coverage for
    prescription drugs.

    [[Page 1517]]

        To help more people get access to quality care, we've expanded
    community health centers for low-income Americans. We've created health
    savings accounts so families can save tax-free for their own health care
    needs. When it comes to giving Americans more choices about their health
    care and making health care more affordable, we're moving America
    forward, and we're not turning back.
        Listen, this world we're in is changing. Most Americans get their
    health care coverage through their work, but most of today's new jobs
    are created by small businesses, which too often cannot afford to
    provide health coverage. And so, to help American families get health
    insurance, we must allow small employers to join together to purchase
    insurance at the discounts available to big corporations.
        To improve health care, to make sure health care is available and
    affordable for our citizens, we must end the frivolous lawsuits that run
    up the cost of health care. You cannot be pro-patient and pro-doctor and
    pro-trial-lawyer at the same time. You 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'm going to continue to push
    Congress to pass real, meaningful medical liability reform in
    Washington, DC.
        We'll do more to harness technology to reduce costs and prevent
    health care mistakes. We'll do more to expand research and seek new
    cures for diseases. And in all we do to improve health care in America,
    we will make sure that health decisions are made by doctors and
    patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
        We have more to do to make this economy stronger. We've come through
    a recession. We've come through a terror attack. We've come through
    corporate scandals. We've come through a lot. And we've overcome those
    obstacles because our workers are great, because the farmers are good at
    what they do, because the entrepreneurial spirit of this country is
    strong. We've overcome these obstacles as well because of well-timed tax
    cuts.
        Listen, when it came time to cutting taxes, we didn't pick winners
    or losers. We did it the fair way. We gave tax relief to every American
    who pays Federal taxes. The child credit went up to help families with
    children. We're reducing the marriage penalty. Imagine a Tax Code that
    penalizes marriage.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. We need to be encouraging marriage in America.
        We helped our small businesses with tax relief, and this time the
    check was really in the mail. Because we acted, our economy since last
    summer has grown at a rate as fast as any in nearly 20 years. Because we
    acted, America has added 1.5 million new jobs since last August.
        Listen, I understand we face serious challenges in part of our
    country. The recovery here in Michigan has lagged behind other parts,
    but we've got a plan in place. The economy is improving; it's getting
    better. Factory orders are on the rise. Manufacturing jobs are coming
    back. Your unemployment rate has fallen a full percent. And we're not
    going to rest until everybody who wants to work can find a job.
        To keep this economy strong, to keep jobs here at home, we need to
    end the endless regulations that strangle America's employers. To keep
    jobs here at home, we need tort reform in America. To keep jobs here at
    home, we need a reasonable energy policy that makes us less dependent on
    foreign sources of energy. To keep jobs here at home, we'll be wise
    about how we spend your money, and we will keep your taxes low. Listen,
    to make sure this economy is strong we will offer American workers a
    lifetime of learning and help them get training for the jobs of the
    future at places like our community colleges. The education and training
    community colleges offer can be the bridge between people's lives as

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    they are and people's lives as they want to be.
        Let me tell you something else I believe. In order to keep jobs
    here, we've got to reject economic isolationism. I believe that the
    American worker, the American farmer, the American entrepreneur, the
    American manufacturer can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so
    long as the playing field is level.
        And you know what else? We're going to help American families keep
    more of something they never have enough of, and that's time--time to be
    with your kids, time to take care of your parents, time to go back to
    school. Congress must enact comp-time and flex-time rules to give
    American families more opportunities to choose their time.
        After 4 years, our farm economy will be strong. After 4 years, there
    will be more small-business owners. After 4 years, there will be better
    and--paying jobs under the Bush administration.
        We have more to do to wage and win the war against the terrorists.
    America's future depends on our willingness to lead in the world. If
    America shows uncertainty and weakness in this decade, the world will
    drift toward tragedy. This will not happen on my watch.
        Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
        The President. The world changed on a 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 to set up terror cells in dozens of
    countries, including our own. Today, because we acted, Afghanistan is a
    rising democracy. Afghanistan is going to have Presidential elections
    this fall. Because we acted, many young girls now go to school for the
    first time in their life. Because we acted, Afghanistan is an ally in
    the war against terror. Because we acted, America and the world are
    safer.
        Before September the 11th, Pakistan was a safe transit point for
    terrorists. Today, Pakistan is an ally in the war against terror.
    Pakistani troops are aggressively helping to round up the terrorists,
    and America and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, in Saudi Arabia, terrorists were raising
    money and recruiting and operating with little opposition. Today, the
    Saudi Government has taken the fight to Al Qaida. America and the world
    are safer.
        Before September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire
    weapons of mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies sent
    a strong and clear message, the leader of Libya has abandoned his pursuit of weapons of mass
    destruction, and America and the world are safer.
        Before September the 11th, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of the United States 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 against his own people. He harbored the 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. He was a
    threat. After September the 11th, we looked at all the threats of the
    world in a new light. You see, one of the lessons of that fateful day
    was that we must take threats seriously, before they fully materialize.
        The September the 11th Commission concluded that our institutions of
    Government had failed to imagine the horror of that day. After September
    the 11th, we could not fail to imagine that a brutal tyrant who hated America, who had ties to terror, who had
    used weapons of mass destruction might use those weapons or share his
    capabilities with the terrorists. We saw a threat.
        I went to the United States Congress, which looked at the same
    intelligence I did. Members of both political parties looked

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    at the same intelligence, including my opponent,
    and they reached the same conclusion. And in the United Nations, they
    looked at the same intelligence and unanimously demanded a full
    accounting of Saddam's weapons programs, or
    face serious consequences. After 12 years of defiance, he again refused
    to comply with the demands of the free world. He deceived the weapons
    inspectors. And so I had a choice to make: Either forget the lessons of
    September the 11th and trust the actions of a madman, or take measures
    necessary to defend our country. Given that choice, I will defend
    America every time.
        Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
        The President. Because we acted, the dictator sits in a prison cell, and America and the world are
    safer.
        I'm seeking the vote; I'm running for 4 more years because I
    understand we must continue to work with our friends and allies around
    the world to aggressively pursue the terrorists in places like Iraq and
    Afghanistan and elsewhere. See, you can't talk sense to the terrorists.
    You cannot negotiate with the terrorists. We must engage the enemies
    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. See, we put together a strong coalition to help defeat terror:
    over 60 nations involved with the Proliferation Security Initiative;
    nearly 40 nations involved in Afghanistan; some 30 nations involved in
    Iraq. Over the next 4 years, I will continue to build alliances and work
    with our friends in the cause of security and peace. But I will never
    turn over America's national security decisions to leaders of other
    countries.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. We must keep our commitments to help Afghanistan and
    Iraq become peaceful and democratic societies. Those two nations are now
    governed by strong leaders. See, these leaders care deeply about the
    future of their nations. They care deeply about the aspirations of their
    people. These are strong people, and many in their country are now
    stepping up because they realize the great promise of a free society.
    And the people of those countries, those who love freedom, can count on
    continued help from America and our allies. You see, when we acted to
    protect our own security, we also promised to help deliver them from
    tyranny, to restore their sovereignty, to set them on the path of
    liberty. And when America gives its word, America keeps its word.
        In these crucial times, America's commitments are kept by the men
    and women of our military. I want to thank the veterans who are here for
    setting such a fine example for those who wear our uniform. I've had the
    privilege of meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice for
    our security. I've seen their unselfish courage. The cause of freedom is
    in really good hands.
        And those of us in Government have a duty to support those who wear
    the uniform. Last September, while our troops were in combat in both
    Afghanistan and in Iraq, I proposed supplemental funding to support them
    in their missions. The legislation provided funding for body armor and
    other vital equipment, hazard pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel,
    spare parts. In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-mainstream minority
    of 12 Senators voted against the legislation.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. Two of them are my opponent
    and his runningmate.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. They asked him about his vote,
    and he said, ``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted
    against it.'' [Laughter] Now he's offering a different explanation. He
    said, you know, he was proud that he and his runningmate voted against the funding, and then he further went on
    to say the whole thing is a complicated matter. [Laughter] There's
    nothing

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    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. See, a free and peaceful Iraq and a free
    and peaceful Afghanistan will be powerful examples for their neighbors.
    Free societies do not export terror. Societies which listen to the hopes
    and aspirations of their people are peaceful societies. We long for
    peace. I want your children growing up in a peaceful world. And I
    understand that by serving the ideal of liberty, we will spread freedom
    and peace. By serving the ideal of liberty, we'll also represent the
    values of this country. Freedom is not America's gift to the world;
    freedom is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world.
        Listen, we've got more to do to protect this country. 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. It's a fundamental and dangerous
    misunderstanding of the enemy we face. As the 9/11 Report shows,
    terrorists had attracted recruits in the 1990s, long before America was
    at war with them. Now we're on the offense. We're striking the
    terrorists where they plot and plan before they can come and get us
    here. By taking--by staying on the offense, we have captured information
    that has proved critical to improving the security here at home. Listen,
    I agree with the conclusion of the 9/11. They said because of the
    actions we have taken since September the 11th, our homeland is safer,
    yet we're not totally safe. I understand that. The way to make America
    more secure is to continue fighting this war on the offense, continue
    bringing justice to our enemies.
        Right after September the 11th, we started the hard process of
    reform. We've transformed our defenses and created a new Department of
    Homeland Security. We passed the PATRIOT Act to give law enforcement the
    tools they need to fight and find the terrorists. The mission of the FBI
    is now focused on preventing terrorism. We're integrating intelligence
    and law enforcement better than we ever have before. We're taking action
    on a large majority of the recommendations of that important Commission.
        We've more to do. We've got more to do to secure our ports and
    borders, to train our first-responders, to dramatically improve
    intelligence gathering capability. That's why I called on Congress this
    week to create the position of National Intelligence Director so that
    one person is in charge of coordinating all our intelligence efforts
    overseas and here at home.
        Listen, these reforms are not going to be easy, particularly in
    Washington. There's some entrenched interests up there, people who
    defend the status quo. It's not enough to advocate reform, you have to
    be able to get it done.
        You see, when it comes to reforming schools and making sure we have
    an excellent education for all our children, results matter. When it
    comes to health care reforms to give our families more access and more
    choices, results matter. When it comes to improving our economy and
    creating jobs, results matter. When it comes to seeing to it we have a
    healthy agricultural economy, results matter. When it comes to better
    securing our homeland and fighting the forces of terror and spreading
    the peace, results matter. When it comes to electing a President,
    results matter.
        Listen, we have--we're in changing times, and they're exciting
    times. The Government has got to stand on the side of people during
    changing times. That's why I will continue to promote what I call an
    ownership society. See, if you change jobs, you want to be able to own
    your health care plan so you can take it from job to job. If you're a
    younger worker, you're probably concerned about whether or not you'll
    see a dime from Social Security. Therefore, younger workers ought to be

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    given the option of managing some of their own money in personal
    retirement accounts.
        We want more people in this country owning their own business. And
    you know, we want more people owning their own home. I love it when
    somebody says, ``Welcome to my home. Thanks for visiting my home.'' See,
    we understand that when you own something, you have a vital stake in the
    future of the United States.
        In this world of change, there are some things that will not change:
    our belief in liberty, opportunity, and the nonnegotiable demands of
    human dignity. The values we try to live by will not change, courage and
    compassion, reverence and integrity. There are institutions in our
    society that give us direction and purpose, our families and our schools
    and our religious congregations. These values are fundamental to our
    lives. They deserve the respect of our Government.
        We stand for institutions like family and marriage, which are the
    foundations of society. We stand for a culture of life in which every
    person matters and every being counts. We stand for judges who
    faithfully interpret the law, instead of legislating from the bench.
        And we stand for a culture of responsibility in this country. The
    culture 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 you
    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 don't like the quality of the education in the community in which
    you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. If you're a
    CEO in corporate America, you are responsible for telling the truth to
    your shareholders and your employees. In a responsibility society, each
    of us is responsible for loving our neighbor just like you'd like to be
    loved yourself.
        I'm seeking the office for 4 more years because I want to continue
    to rally the armies of compassion which exist all across our country.
    The great strength of this Nation is the hearts and souls of our
    citizens. By rallying the love and the hearts and souls of our citizens,
    we can change America one heart, one soul, one conscience at a time.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. 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. It's a
    time that requires clear vision, firm resolve. None of us will ever
    forget that week when one era ended and another began.
        On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin
    Towers. It's a day that I will never forget. People in hardhats were
    screaming at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I was working a ropeline, and a
    guy grabbed me--I don't know if he was a firefighter or a policeman; I
    do know that he was looking through the rubble for one of his buddies--
    and he said, ``Do not let me down.''
        He took it personally. The people in that site took it personally.
    You took it personally. I took it personally. I have a duty that goes
    on. I wake up every morning thinking about how best to protect our
    people. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
        We have come through much together. We have done hard work. We're
    moving America forward by extending freedom and peace around the world
    and by expanding opportunity here at home. During the next 4 years, we
    will spread ownership throughout our country. We want everybody
    realizing the American Dream. We will pass enduring values of our
    country to another generation. We will lead the cause of freedom and
    peace, and we will prevail. With your support and prayers, I will be a
    leader America can count on in a world of change.

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        Four years ago, as I traveled this great country asking for the
    vote, I made a pledge to my fellow Americans. I said if you honor me
    with this great responsibility, 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 4 more years.
        God bless. Thanks for coming. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:05 p.m. at Wendler Arena. In his remarks,
    he referred to Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land; Myrah
    Kirkwood, candidate for Michigan's Fifth Congressional District;
    entertainers the Gatlin Brothers; 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).