[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
[August 30, 2004]
[Pages 1810-1828]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks in a Discussion in Nashua, New Hampshire
August 30, 2004
The President. Thank you all. Thanks for coming. Thank you all. Go
ahead and be seated. Thanks for coming. Go ahead and take a seat. I've
got some work to do. So I see your senior Senator--that would be Judd
Gregg. He says, ``When you get up to New
Hampshire, come up there and tell them what's on your mind and answer
some of their questions.'' So I'm here to tell you what's on my mind,
and I'm here to answer some of your questions. I'll tell you what's on
my mind, first and foremost. With your help, we will carry New Hampshire
again and we're going to win a great victory in November. [Applause]
Thank you.
So I'm here asking for the vote, see. That's what you've got to do.
I think you've got to get out amongst the people and say, ``I want your
vote. And I'm going to talk about how to make this a safer world and a
more hopeful America. I'm asking for your vote because there's more work
to be done to make America a safer place and America a more hopeful
country for every citizen who lives here. I'm also here to ask for your
help. See, I don't think you can win elections alone. I think it
requires citizens who are willing to register people to vote, to put up
the signs, to turn out the vote. And that's what I'm here to ask you to
do. I'd like your help as we're coming down the stretch. There's no
doubt
[[Page 1811]]
in my mind that with your help, we're going to win.
I'm going to give you some reasons why I think you ought to put me
back in. Perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura is the First Lady for 4 more years. [Applause] All
right. I love her dearly. She is a great mom. She is a really good First
Lady. She's been a calm in the midst of storm. She has got a clear
vision about a better America. I'll never forget the day she took on the
Presidential radio address--for that morning, it became the First Lady's
radio address--and she spoke to the women of Afghanistan. And because of
her gentle and her strong words of support, she lifted the spirits of
thousands of women in a country that had been brutalized by tyranny. And
Laura has got that ability to do so, and I--thanks for coming--she is
a--I can't wait for the country to hear her speech. She's giving a
speech tomorrow night.
Tonight, by the way, at our convention, we've got America's mayor,
Rudy Giuliani, speaking. And a true
American hero, John McCain, is speaking tonight
too. They're kicking off the convention with positive speeches. This is
going to be a positive experience for the people of this country to see
what we believe.
I talked to the Vice President this morning.
He's getting ready to crank it up. I admit it, he's not the prettiest
face on the ticket. [Laughter] I didn't pick him for his looks. I picked
him because of his experience, his judgment, and because he can get the
job done.
I want to thank your Governor. I appreciate your Governor, Craig
Benson. See, he's like the Governor of
Massachusetts. These are people that did not
have to run. They're not full-time politicians. They were successful
entrepreneurs. Craig decided to leave a comfortable life and serve. I
think it's a great and noble example. I hope you put him back into
office as the Governor. And like me, he married well. The first lady,
Denise, is doing a great job in this State as well. Thank you,
Denise.
I appreciate old Governor Romney sliding
across the border. I'm proud of his leadership. Here is an example of
strong, steady leadership. He stands for what he believes. And I want to
thank his sweet wife, Ann, for joining us. Ann,
thank you for being here. The mom of four--the mom of five--now, that's
one first family, isn't it?
I've already mentioned old Judd. He's a great
United States Senator, I'm telling you. He is steady. He's strong. He's
making a big, big difference in the Senate. He's fun to work with--most
of the time. [Laughter] He's plenty capable, and he knows what he's
doing, and he married well. We love Kathy a lot.
It turns out when the President comes, a lot of people show up that
you have to recognize. I'm working my way through. I can't wait to tell
you why I'm running again. [Laughter] Before I do, I've got to talk
about two Members of the United States Congress, as a matter of fact,
the only Members of the United States Congress from New Hampshire but
really fine people. First, Charlie Bass is
with us today. Where are you, Bass? There he is, yes. I don't know what
you did, but you deserve a better seat than that. [Laughter] Yes, okay,
well--and Jeb Bradley. Thanks for coming,
Congressman. I appreciate it.
We've got the mayor, my friend Bernie Streeter, who is here. I appreciate you coming, Bernie. You know,
people don't like advice from one politician to another, but here's my
advice: Fill the potholes. [Laughter] You don't have to take it if you
don't want to.
Where's Cheryl? Cheryl McGuinness, sweet Cheryl
McGuinness, the widow of American Airline
Flight 11 pilot Tom McGuinness, one of the strongest characters of our
country. I'm proud of you. Thanks for coming. God bless you. Thank you.
You're a sweet girl. Thank you all for coming--a woman of enormous
strength.
[[Page 1812]]
You know, I talk about a more hopeful America. Part of a more
hopeful America is a better America. That's why we've got to make sure
our education system is right. We worked hard in Washington, DC, to
change an attitude of the Federal Government, an attitude that used to
be, ``Here, we'll just give you some money and hope everything turns out
right.'' And it hasn't worked. So when I went to Washington, I said,
``Why don't we challenge what I've called the soft bigotry of low
expectations, raise the bar, expect results.''
We've increased Federal funding, but in return for increase of
Federal funding, we're finally asking the question, ``Can a child
read?'' See, that's what we're asking. And we want to know. We want to
know whether or not we're accomplishing the mission. And if a child
can't read early, there's money in the budget to correct the problem
before it is too late. We're challenging this notion that simply said,
``There's some kids you just can't educate, so move them through.''
That's not good enough for a better America. That's not good enough for
a hopeful America.
And it's working. The system is working. There's an achievement gap
in America, and it's beginning to close. You know how we know? Because
we measure. It's working because school districts have found that
certain curriculum can't work, and they're changing. You see,
accountability is necessary to diagnose and solve a problem. You'll hear
the critics say, ``Oh, measurement, all that does is punish.'' No,
measurement saves lives. How can you correct a problem unless you
measure?
And there's more work to be done. We got to make sure there's math
and science in our high school classrooms so our kids have the skills
necessary to compete in this global economy. We need serious
intervention programs for eighth and ninth graders who have been
shuffled through the system so they've got at least the foundation
necessary to learn and think. We need to make sure a high school diploma
means something. There's more work to be done to make sure this
education system raises expectations and meets expectations across the
country. I believe strongly in local control of schools. I believe
strongly in empowering parents. I believe strongly in challenging the
status quo when schools will not teach.
A better tomorrow is one where Government recognizes its
limitations. See, I don't think Government can love. I think Government
should dispense justice, but Government is not a loving organization.
The strength of this country lies in the hearts and souls of our
citizens. And a President and a Governors ought to rally that great
compassion found in the hearts and souls of our citizens. That's why the
Faith-Based and Community-Based Initiative is so vital for an optimistic
future.
I'll give you example of what I'm talking about. Sometimes a
Government program can help heal an addict, and we ought to herald those
programs. But sometimes an addict needs a change of heart before he or
she changes behavior. And therefore, we ought to welcome those programs
which have the capacity to change a person's heart into the social
fabric of the American system. Government ought not to fear programs
based on faith. We ought not to discriminate against faith--programs
based on faith. We ought to welcome faith-based programs to help heal
broken hearts in society.
Today--where's Alison? Okay, hold on. We
got too much work to do. We got too much work to do--too many
interruptions here. [Laughter] Thank you.
Audience member. We love you!
The President. Well, I appreciate that. I love New Hampshire.
Okay, one of the interesting ways that I try to make points is to
have others make them for me. And Alison Brackett is with us today. She runs a program called Bridges of
Learning. And where are you based?
[[Page 1813]]
Alison Brackett. Out of Greenland, New
Hampshire.
The President. Well, she's clearly from New Hampshire. [Laughter] So
you probably never heard of Bridges of Learning nor Alison. She's here because she is a social entrepreneur. Tell
us what you did.
Ms. Brackett. We are a organization that
collects and then distributes school materials, supplies, and needs
throughout the world.
The President. Right, okay. Isn't that amazing? Think about this.
And so when did you start? Who told you to start this?
Ms. Brackett. My children. [Laughter]
The President. You've got some good kids. So it wasn't a Government
program. The President didn't say, ``Start this.'' The Governor didn't say, ``We're going to pass a resolution in
the New Hampshire House for you to do it.'' She heard a call.
And so what do you do? I know you distribute school supplies. Give
us a little--some details.
Ms. Brackett. Well, my children and an
army of volunteers go around to various schools and supply houses and
families and churches and organizations, like the Seacoast Republican
Women, and they collect the supplies we need. We box them up, and we
ship them around the world. And currently, we ship them to our Army that
is stationed in Afghanistan.
The President. Yes, okay, wait a minute--yes. I think you're
beginning to get the picture of what I'm talking about when I say,
``We're going to call upon the army of compassion in America to
respond.'' See, this isn't a Government program. This is a program based
upon the hearts of a family who said, ``What can we do to make a
contribution in our society? How can we make America and the world a
better place?''
So think about this. They've collected school supplies. They're
shipping them to Afghanistan. Some soldier is going to hand a school
supply to a young girl who, by the way, now goes to school for the first
time thanks to the United States of America.
One other question. It says here that you ship 45 boxes every 2
weeks.
Ms. Brackett. Yes. Yes, sir.
The President. Yes, fantastic. Listen, thanks for coming.
Ms. Brackett. Thank you.
The President. Here's why I've asked her
to come. I know many of you here and people around New Hampshire also
hear a call to help. But see, societies can change because the Alisons
of the world take it upon themselves to change society. And the role of
a President is to call upon and herald and thank the soldiers in the
armies of compassion that will change this country one heart at a time.
Thanks for coming.
Ms. Brackett. Thank you.
The President. A more hopeful America is one in which people can
work. It's hard to be a hopeful society if you're not working and you
want to work. So one of the most important parts of my job during the
next 4 years will be to continue to create an environment that is
conducive to job growth. See, I don't think the role of Government is to
create wealth. The role of Government is to create an environment in
which the entrepreneurial spirit is strong, in which small businesses
can thrive and flourish.
And as Mitt mentioned, our economy has been
through a lot. When you're out there garnering the vote, remind your
friends and neighbors what we have been through. We've been through a
recession. That means we're going backwards. It's hard to be a small
business in a recession, by the way. We've been through corporate
scandals. That's when certain citizens forgot what it meant to be a
responsible American and did not tell the truth. By the way, we've
changed that attitude in America too. It's clear now we're not going to
tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America. And we've been through
a terror attack, all of which affected our economy.
[[Page 1814]]
But the economy is growing, and it's getting better, and it's
strengthening. Why? Because the entrepreneurial spirit is strong in
America, because we've got the greatest workers in the world, because
our farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. I happen to think as
well it's because of two well-timed tax cuts.
Benson tells me the unemployment rate here is 3.9 percent--3.8
percent. It's dropping every second. [Laughter] The tax relief plan, the
economic stimulus plan we passed is working here in the Granite State--
3.8 percent. That's what we want in America, isn't it? We want people
working.
And so the question is how do we keep jobs here and how do we keep
the economy growing. Well, I believe the most important thing is to make
sure this is the best country in the world to do business. If you want
businesses to expand, America has got to be the best place in the world
to do business, which means--let me tell you what that means. It means
we've got to have an energy policy. We've got to be less dependent on
foreign sources of energy in order to make this a good place.
We've got to have trade policy. We've opened up a good trade policy.
We have trade policy. And here's what good trade policy means. We've
opened up our markets. See, it's good for you that our markets are open,
because the more products you have to choose from, the more likely it is
you're going to get better quality at a better price. That's how the
market works. So good trade policy says, ``We'll open up our markets.
You open up yours. You treat us the way we treat you.'' And that's the
policy of this administration. We're knocking down trade barriers. We're
opening up doors. I believe the American worker and the American farmer
can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere so long as the rules are
fair. So when you see us talking about unfair trade practices from
China, that's what we're doing. We're making sure the rules are fair.
That's all we want to be, is treated fairly.
In order to make sure that this economy continues to grow, we've got
to do something about the cost of health care. Most people get their
health care through their jobs. Most new jobs are created by small
businesses, and many small businesses are having trouble with the cost
of health care. It's an issue. The way to deal with it is to put a
strategy out that makes sure that patients and doctors are the
decisionmakers for health care, not Government bureaucrats in
Washington, DC.
So we've done that. We have done that, and there's more work to be
done. We have put in place community health centers for low-income
Americans to get premium care--primary care, and that's important. We
want to help. I think it's a legitimate use of taxpayers' money to help
those who can't afford health care to have a place where they can go get
primary care.
Secondly, we will use the new technologies available for other
industries. We'll promote them into health care industries so that we
can wring out the inefficiencies in the health care system to reduce the
costs. People say, ``What does that mean?'' Well, I'll tell you what it
means. I heard the story of a guy who had to carry a file full of
paperwork from one specialist to the next, see. That's not the way
most--most industries are able to use the Internet in order to wring out
those kind of inefficiencies, to reduce cost. He not only has to carry
the file from one specialist to the next; he could barely read the
writing in the files. Why? Because doctors wrote them. They can't write
very well. And it leads to medical error. My point to you is, is that by
the proper use of technology, we will reduce the cost of medicine all
across this land.
Thirdly, small businesses ought to be allowed to pool risk across
jurisdictional boundaries so they can get the same discounts on health
insurance that big businesses are able to get.
Fourthly, people ought to look into health savings accounts. They
are a way
[[Page 1815]]
to reduce the costs of health care and at the same time make sure that
the patient is in charge of the decisionmaking process. I was talking to
a guy in Ohio the other day. He said, ``I have a health savings
account,'' which basically says that he buys a high-deductible insurance
policy for catastrophic care and contributes tax-free for the balance.
So it's an incentive for him to make good choices. It's incentive for
him to say, ``I'm going''--and if he does go into the marketplace, to
shop wisely. His premium was $1,100 a month. His premium now with the
health savings account is $259 a month, and the company contributes tax-
free into a savings account that is his own. Listen, this is an
important opportunity for individuals and small businesses.
Finally--I may go on for a long time on health care. What I'm
telling you is we're not going to nationalize health care under George
W. And my opponent is, see. That's the
difference. My opponent will. We won't.
Finally, I'll tell you one way to hold down costs--this is a--I'm
telling you, I'm about to explain to you a national problem. You know
how I know? I hear it everywhere I go--everywhere I go. I hear it from
ob-gyns. I hear it from specialists. These frivolous lawsuits that are
being filed against docs are running up your health care costs and are
running good docs out of business.
This is a national problem that requires a national solution. I do
not think you can be pro-doctor and pro-patient and pro-hospital, and
pro-plaintiff-attorney at the same time. I think you have to choose--I
think you have to choose. My opponent made his
choice, and he put him on the ticket. I made my
choice. I am for medical liability reform--now.
Let me make three other quick points; then I want to talk about how
to make this country more secure. And then, if I don't filibuster, I'll
answer some questions. [Laughter] I can see Laura
beginning to grimace a little bit. She says, ``He's getting awfully
windy''--[laughter]--Texas term. Anyway--[laughter]--look, in order to
keep jobs here, we've got to use our community college systems wisely.
We have a changing economy, and in a changing economy, there are new
jobs available, higher paying jobs than the old jobs--jobs of the past.
But people need skills in order to fill those jobs. So I support what I
call a lifetime of learning, to help these workers go back to our
community colleges so they can gain the skills necessary to fill the
jobs of the 21st century.
I'll tell you a classic example of what I'm talking about. We were
at Mesa Community College in Arizona, and a lady stood up and she said,
``I'm a graphic design artist for 12 years, and then I heard of a
program''--to help somebody in her status go back to the community
college, Federal program. That where we provide money to help people go
back to school if they want to go back to school. She went back to
school, received an associate degree, I think it was after 18 months,
and after 18 months of a community college experience, she made more
money in her first year of working for her new company than she did in
the 12th year of her previous job. You know why? Education enhances the
productivity of the workforce. It makes people more likely to fill the
jobs of the 21st century, and a more productive worker is a worker who
will make more money.
Finally, we got a plan to continue to grow this economy. I'm running
because I understand how to put the conditions in place to encourage
economic growth and vitality. And there's two other things we need to
do. One is we got to be wise about how we spend your money. Be real
careful about people who are running for office and say, ``Well, here's
what we're going to do with Government money.'' See, if you have that
mentality that we're spending the Government's money, they don't
understand what they're talking about, because
[[Page 1816]]
it's not the Government's money we're talking about. It's your money.
It's the people's money.
And secondly, in order to make sure this economy grows, we've got to
keep your taxes low. And there are some folks in Washington who do not
want to keep your taxes low. Here's what I believe. I believe we can set
priorities, meet those priorities, and then you can spend your money far
better than the Federal Government can.
And it's an issue in this campaign. We got ample money to meet our
priorities, unless of course, you believe that the Federal Government
ought to be the--ought to be giving the orders. [Laughter] And I'm
running against a fellow who has already promised
over $2 trillion of spending--new spending. And we're just--we haven't
even gotten to the stretch run yet. [Laughter] Awfully tempting to get
out there and tell people what they want to hear. And so they said,
``How are you going to pay for it?'' He said, ``Oh, I'm just going to
tax the rich.'' We've heard that kind of talk before, ``tax the rich.''
The rich dodge; you pay. But the good news is we're not going to let him
tax you because we're going to win in November. [Applause] Okay, hold
on.
September the 11th changed America. I'm running for 4 more years
because I want to make this country a safer place, change your sweet
life. That day taught us that oceans no longer protect us from harm's
way, that suddenly and unexpectedly, an enemy can strike us, and
therefore, we've got to do a lot to protect the homeland, and we are.
We've created the Department of Homeland Security to better coordinate
between the Federal, State, and local jurisdictions how to respond to
threats and how to deal with emergency.
We're going to talk here in a minute to the district chief of the
Manchester Fire Department, Nick Campasano. Right--yes, there he is. Let me just say a couple of
things. You can stay standing. I'll give you a chance to warm up.
[Laughter] Got to loosen up.
A couple of things I want to say about protecting the homeland.
We've got to make sure we've got the best intelligence-sharing possible.
We are working hard to make sure the intelligence agencies are well
coordinated and information makes it to my desk and to the other
planners' desks. There's strategists' desks in Washington, DC. I've got
great confidence in the Central Intelligence Agency. I just know we can
make sure that we've got to do a better job of collecting information
and analyzing information so that we can better protect you.
It's very important that we enable the FBI and the CIA to share
information. You're not going to believe this, but prior to September
the 11th, the operators in the FBI could not share information with the
intelligence gatherers of the FBI. That's just the way it was. So you
might have an entity find out that something that looked like a
terrorist activity was going on, but they couldn't tell the people who
were responsible for busting the cell. That's why we passed the PATRIOT
Act. The PATRIOT Act is a vital tool for our first-responders. They know
it. And I want to assure you that anytime that we use the tools of the
PATRIOT Act, we get court order. In other words, we go to a judge.
What I'm telling you is, is that we've given law enforcement the
same tools with the same constitutional guarantees for our citizens that
we've given them to track down drug dealers and white-collar criminals.
The terrorist act is important. You need me in there for 4 more years to
make sure it's renewed so the people on the frontlines of busting these
cells are able to do so.
And so we're going to have a little talk with Nick here. One of the budgetary increases that we worked
with Judd and the
Congressmen on was to increase money for first-
responders. Just--let me take a step back. Outside of funding for the
war, and
[[Page 1817]]
I believe--you'll hear me talk about funding for the war--and homeland
security, non-discretionary spending will increase by less than 1
percent on the budget I submitted to the Congress. In other words, we're
being wise with your money. But one of the places where we have
increased the budget is with our first-responders--for a reason, and
that is to best secure our homeland.
What has it meant, Nick? Tell me--
it's your mike. You run with it like you want to run with it. Here's
your chance. Cameras everywhere. [Laughter]
[At this point, Nick Campasano made brief remarks.]
The President. Yes, let me stop him
there. First of all, I want to thank the Governor and thank Nick for working on this. This is a very
important statement he just made, because in order to better secure the
homeland, there has to be the willingness of people to share assets
across city boundaries or county boundaries, State lines as well. If
something were to happen in Massachusetts, I can assure you, Craig
Benson would say, ``Let's move some assets down there to protect.'' And
this is a vital part of making sure the taxpayers' money is spent
wisely, and I want to thank you for doing that.
It's not a given, by the way. What he
just said is not a given. It sounds simple, but we're talking
Government. [Laughter] Seriously.
[Mr. Campasano made further remarks.]
The President. That's great. Yes. I appreciate it. Okay, I want you
to do me a favor. I want to take--I want you to thank the people who
work with you for their sacrifice to this community. Please.
Mr. Campasano. I will. On behalf of
the emergency responders in the State of New Hampshire, we would like to
thank you, Mr. President, for your support.
The President. All right, thanks.
My most solemn duty and our most solemn duty in Washington is to
protect the American people. And I'm going to share with you some
lessons I learned. And then we'll talk to a couple of more folks, and
I'll answer some questions.
Lesson one is that the enemy is ruthless and coldblooded, and you
cannot negotiate with them and hope for the best. They are--they don't
have a conscience. We do. These are radical ideologues who have a
hateful vision of the world and are willing to use terror to try to
shake our will. That's the facts. And we've got to deal with it. And the
best way to deal with them is to bring them to justice in foreign lands
before they hurt us again. And that requires--[applause]--thank you all.
Okay, thanks. Stay seated. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you all.
That requires a couple of things. It requires full utilization of
all our assets. It means we've got to work with friends and allies to
cut off money, to share intelligence. It means we've got to deploy brave
troops. It means we've got to work with law enforcement. It means a
full-scale offensive campaign and an unrelenting campaign. It's
necessary to be clear-visioned and never yielding to these people.
The second lesson is that this is a different kind of war, and in
order to make America more secure, we have to send a message to those
who would provide safe haven for these killers. These are--they don't
represent a country. These people represent an ideology. And what they
look for are weak countries. They want to become the parasite, and they
want the host nation to become infected with their dim vision. It's just
the reality of the 21st century. And therefore, I thought it was very
important to send a clear message that said, ``If you harbor a
terrorist, if you provide safe haven for these people, you're just as
guilty as they are.''
Now, when the American President speaks, he must do so clearly and
he must mean what he says in order to make the
[[Page 1818]]
world a more peaceful place. So I meant what I said--I meant what I
said. And the Taliban didn't believe us. So we put together a coalition
and removed them from power. And it's not easy work to do that, by the
way. It was hard work, and I want to--if there's some troops here or
families of troops here that have done this work, I want to thank them.
But I want you--let me get on--let me talk to this point real quick.
Afghanistan is a better place because the Taliban has been routed, and
America is safer because Al Qaida can no longer train there.
Now, let me talk about Afghanistan right quick. You might remember
the incident when four women were pulled off a bus and killed because
they were registering to vote or had registered to vote. And a lot of
people said, ``Well, gosh, this is going to stop the movement of liberty
in that country.'' It was going to intimidate. Those people did not
understand how powerful freedom is to people who have been suppressed.
Do you realize that in Afghanistan over 10 million citizens have
registered to vote? It is a phenomenal--10 million.
The Taliban can't stop this movement toward liberty because freedom
is universal. Freedom is inherent in people's souls. They want to be
free. Our job in Afghanistan is to provide enough security so they can
have Presidential elections on October the 8th of this year. Think how
far we have come from the days of Al Qaida being able to train and plot
against the United States of America. And 3 short years later, they will
have Presidential elections. Freedom is powerful in this world.
Another lesson--and this is a vital lesson, and it's an important
lesson that we must never forget--is that when we see a threat, we must
take it seriously before it comes to be, before it fully materializes.
That's one of the important lessons of September the 11th. This country
must never forget it.
So I saw a threat in Saddam Hussein. And
let me tell you why I did. He was an enemy of the country. Step one in
determining threats is whether or not they like us or hate us. He was an
enemy. He was actually shooting missiles, weapons at our pilots who were
enforcing the world's sanctions. In other words, he not only--we knew he
was an enemy; he was taking hostile action against U.S. pilots. He
harbored terrorists in his country. Remember Abu Nidal? Leon
Klinghoffer? He was the guy that was murdered because he happened to be
Jewish. The Abu Nidal organization was housed and based out of Baghdad.
That is a terrorist organization. Zarqawi, the coldblooded person who beheads people just like that,
was in and out of Baghdad. He's a terrorist. Saddam Hussein had used
weapons of mass destruction. He was the kind of mentality where he not
only had them; he used them against his own people. If he would use them
against his own people, wouldn't he have used them against his enemy?
And so I saw him as a threat and went to
the Congress and said, ``9/11 has changed the world.'' We must take
threats seriously--and went up the Congress. And the Congress debated
the issue of whether or not we ought to deal with threats seriously and
in a strong resolution said, ``We will deal with Saddam Hussein, and if
need be, Mr. President, you've got the authorization to use force.''
They looked at the intelligence I looked at. My opponent looked at the same intelligence and came to the same
conclusion. He voted for the resolution.
The last choice of any President ought to be to commit troops into
combat. We ought to try everything possible before we commit one soul
into combat, and that's why I went to the United Nations. I said, ``We
see a threat. How about you?'' You've passed resolutions before--
resolution after resolution after resolution. And I said--so I said,
``There's a new world here.'' After September the 11th, we must take
threats seriously. And they looked at the intelligence, and they
remembered the evidence
[[Page 1819]]
of Saddam Hussein. And with a 15-to-nothing
vote in the United Nations Security Council, they said, ``Disclose,
disarm, or face serious consequences.'' That is what the free world
said.
Saddam Hussein listened to the free world
again and totally ignored it. You know, I don't want to put words in his
mouth, but I guess it was something along these lines: ``Who cares what
they say?'' And so there were some discussions about, ``Well, why don't
we send inspectors into the country?'' I thought that made sense. Before
we commit troops, we ought to try everything, everything possible. And
so we sent inspectors in, and as history has shown, he systematically
deceived the inspectors. So I have a choice to make at this point in
history, whether to forget the lessons of September the 11th, take the
word of a madman, or defend our country. Given that choice, I will
defend America every time. [Applause] Thank you all.
Is that your dad? Okay, thanks.
Let me--a couple more points I want to make to you, and then I'll be
glad to answer some questions. The goal in Afghanistan and Iraq is to
provide enough security so the political process can get started and to
train Iraqis and Afghans so they can do the hard work of defending their
freedom. That's our goal. It's in our interest to achieve that goal.
Liberty has--liberty is powerful. Liberty can transform societies.
Free societies are peaceful societies. Free societies are societies that
don't export terror. Free societies are societies that listen to the
hopes and aspirations of their people. Liberty is a strong, strong,
powerful force in this world. I believe it's transforming.
I spent time with Prime Minister Koizumi. And Laura and I were having
Kobe beef with him there in Tokyo. He's the Prime Minister of a country
that my dad fought against. And your dads or grandfathers fought against
them too. They were an enemy. I mean it was a rough war, and here we
were sitting down talking about peace. See, we were talking about the
North Korean Peninsula, how best to achieve peace. It dawned on me then
that, thankfully, my predecessor and others believed in the power of
liberty to change an enemy into a friend. And that's what happened after
World War II. There was great vision and depth of feeling about what we
believe. There was the courage not to waver in the face of serious
criticism. And as a result, by sticking to what we believe, Japan became
a self-governing, democratic nation. And here Koizumi and I are talking
about peace. It's amazing, isn't it, what liberty can do. [Applause]
Let me finish right quick. That's what is happening. That's why I
say this is an historic moment. Someday an elected President will sit
down with an elected Iraqi official talking about how to keep the peace.
Liberties can transform societies. Liberty is a powerful, powerful agent
of change. Freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom is the
Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
Today we've got--[applause]--thank you all. Today--let me--okay,
thanks. A couple of more points and we're going to talk to a mom whose
son is there in Iraq. Just a couple of more points.
The Iraqi citizens are watching us real carefully. They want to know
whether or not we're going to stick to our word. Prime Minister
Allawi is a good guy. He believes in democracy.
He wants us to help. We're there to help them help themselves. That's
what we're going to do. And we'll get the job done as quickly as
possible, and then we'll bring our troops home, not one day longer than
necessary.
Speaking about troops, Christine Burritt is with us. I'll call her Mom, because that's what
2d Lieutenant Adam Burritt calls her. Where is
Adam and what does he do?
Christine Burritt. Adam is a platoon
leader. He's a 2d lieutenant with the Charlie Company mountain infantry
unit from Manchester, New Hampshire.
The President. Very good.
[[Page 1820]]
Ms. Burritt. He's stationed 40 miles
north of Baghdad in a place called LSA Anaconda.
The President. Right.
Ms. Burritt. And they do convoy
missions, security, and other missions as defined--which he doesn't tell
his mom about.
The President. That's good--[laughter]--particularly with all these
cameras looking at you.
Ms. Burritt. That's right.
The President. So, have you heard from Adam?
Ms. Burritt. We got an instant message
from him a week ago----
The President. Oh, good.
Ms. Burritt. ----saying he was going
out on the road.
The President. Right. One of the things that's really important is
for me to be able to look at the moms and say, ``Our Government is
supporting your son so that he can complete his mission.'' That's why I
went to the Congress and proposed an $87 billion supplemental, so that
Adam would have what was needed to be able to
complete his mission. That's for body armor and fuel and spare parts and
health benefits and hazard pay. It's well-received on the floor of the
Senate and the House--the request. As a matter, it received huge
bipartisan support. That means Republicans and Democrats voted for it--
so strong that only 12 Senators voted against it, 2 of whom are my
opponent and his runningmate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I'm looking you in the eye and telling you, your
son is going to have what he needs. And that's
important that--when you're out gathering the vote, you might remind
them what the explanation was. He said, ``I
actually did vote for the $87 billion, right before I voted against
it.'' [Laughter] I don't remember a lot of people talking like that in
New Hampshire when I was campaigning up here in 2000. The people up here
are straightforward. Then they pushed him hard, and he said he was proud
of the vote and finally said, ``It was a complicated matter.'' There's
nothing complicated about supporting her son in harm's way.
Got anything else you want to say? Okay, go ahead.
Ms. Burritt. The family support group
from Mountain Company would like to thank you for your love, your
support, and your care for our troops overseas, all the troops overseas.
And just to add something to that, that yellow ribbon magnet that I gave
to you earlier, we feel like those magnets are planting seeds of
patriotism around the State and around the country.
The President. Well, thank you very much. What Christine--
she's involved--one of the things I find
out where I travel is there's all kinds of support groups, which is so
strong and so American, isn't it? They've got the Mountain Family
Support Group. And for those of you who are involved with supporting the
families of our troops, I want to thank you for that. It means a lot. It
really means a lot for people to know that our fellow citizens care
about a lonely soul who may be waiting for a loved one to return.
Speaking about loved ones to return, Jackie Ceurvels is with us today. Jackie is--[laughter].
Jackie Ceurvels. Going to have a baby.
The President. She's going to be a
mother again. [Laughter] All right, Jackie. We're talking about
Jim.
Ms. Ceurvels. Yes.
The President. And?
Ms. Ceurvels. Jim, my husband, he is
with the 172d out of Nashua. He is a squad leader with the 3d Platoon.
From the beginning, we don't want him to be there--just for our reasons,
selfish reasons, and he misses home. But he feels the need--he says if
we could see what he sees in Iraq, everyone would know why he's there.
And he looks into the children's eyes, and he says the kids are so happy
to see them come. And they help the kids out. Our
[[Page 1821]]
family support group is in the process of sending clothes over to the
Iraqi children, and our support group is also doing a rally--a Support
Our Troops rally on October 16th, here in Nashua, at Greeley Park. And
that is how we are all getting through it, together as a family. And we
just thank everyone, and just--support our troops because they're there
as their duty, and they truly believe in what they're doing over there.
The President. I appreciate you saying that. Thank you--thank you.
Very good job.
Ms. Ceurvels. Thank you.
The President. I want to thank Jackie,
thank Mom. We'll complete the mission. I
think it's very important for the loved ones to hear from the Commander
in Chief that we'll complete the mission. See, that's the best way we
can honor their service, is to complete the mission, because the mission
will make this world a more peaceful place. That's what we want. We long
for peace. The enemy changed the dynamics, didn't they? They attacked
us, and it calls us to a new duty. And the duty is to protect the
country. And our duty--I believe it's our duty--is to lead the world
toward peace, and that's exactly what I intend to do over the next 4
years.
So that's why I'm running. And that's why I'm asking for the vote.
And now in the great New Hampshire tradition, I'll be glad to take some
questions. Who's got a question?
Yes, sir. We got a mike for you right there. Okay, hold on. We need
to hear this one. Now crank it up.
Defending and Spreading Freedom
Q. Can you hear me?
The President. Yes, sir.
Q. I happen to be a Pearl Harbor survivor, and God was good to me
over there.
The President. Thank you.
Q. I spent 41 months overseas. I enlisted for 2 years' foreign
service, and I love my country to the bitter end. And I think you're
doing a wonderful job. But just a minute--[applause]--just a minute. I
got two young couples here that their sons are in Iraq, and they love
you too.
The President. I thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you all.
I'll get you in a minute. What do you got there? You're going to
give me that banner? Okay. I'm going to come over and give you a kiss on
the way out. [Laughter] Thank you for your service.
It's interesting, isn't it--he survived Pearl Harbor. There are
people today who, 30 years from now, are going to say, ``I survived the
attack on September the 11th.'' And the fundamental question is that,
will we have the same determination, the same desire to defend ourselves
and to spread freedom and liberty like those who survived the attacks
during that era? That's the fundamental question facing this country.
You know where I stand. I believe that we must never yield. I believe we
must have the absolute determination and resolve to not only defend
ourself but to believe in the great transforming power of liberty to
make this world a better place for all of us.
The fundamental--you see, right after World War II, people said,
``Well, we're not so sure the Japanese can self-govern.'' They were our
enemy. They weren't like us. But liberty is bigger than religion.
Liberty is bigger than race. You heard where I think liberty comes from.
It is a powerful part of the human soul. And I believe that the people
in Iraq not only want to but can self-govern. That's what
Jackie said her husband has seen. He said he looks in the eyes of kids who are
thrilled their liberators are there.
Let me tell you an interesting story. It's so good, I may use it
next Thursday night. [Laughter] Ignore I said that. [Laughter] The Oval
Office, first of all, is a powerful shrine to democracy. It's an
intimidating place. There's only two people I've ever had in there that
weren't intimated--or three: Barney--[laughter]--
Judd--[laughter]--and Mother.[Laughter]
[[Page 1822]]
The door opens up, and in walks seven guys who have got Xs carved in
their foreheads and their right hands had been cut off by Saddam
Hussein's henchmen. And they came in to see
me. They had been in Houston, Texas, where they had new hands put on
because of the generosity and the compassion of people who live in the
free world. It was a--I'm telling you, it was a powerful moment. It was
a--such a stark contrast. I said to the guy, ``Why your hand--why did
your hand get cut off?'' He said, ``Because I was a small-business
owner, and the Saddam dinar had devalued, and he needed a scapegoat.''
See, this guy went and sold Iraqi currency to buy another currency so he
could buy gold so he could make jewelry. And he just happened to have a
transaction the day the dictator decided to take action and teach people
a lesson, in order to cover up his own deficiencies as a tyrant and a
leader.
So these guys walk in the Oval Office. You can imagine. I mean, it
is--first of all, I told you, it's overwhelming. But it was overwhelming
for me. I'm kind of a crier sometimes. [Laughter] And the contrast was
so unbelievably powerful, the difference between a society where a
tyrant can whimsically cut off a poor guy's hand and a society that is
compassionate enough to help heal that hurt. This guy takes his pen, and
he writes a prayer to America on it. I'm telling you, it is--we are
saving lives and, in so doing, making the world a better place and, in
so doing, making this country a more secure place.
Tyranny--you know, the fact that people starve in this globe bothers
me. Do you know your country has more food for starvation around the
world, by far, than any country in the world? There is a pandemic of
HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa that we are leading the charge
against. The United States of America has put up, by far, more money
than any nation or collection of nations to help save lives. This
country is leading. We're not only leading in the cause of freedom and
security; we're leading in the cause of freedom by helping to defeat
disease and hunger as well.
We are a compassionate nation. To whom much is given, much is
required, is what I believe of the United States of America. And we are
leading this world.
Let's see. Yes, ma'am. Crank her up. Start talking. They'll figure
it out, yes.
Decisionmaking
Q. I'm a State rep from Nashua, New Hampshire, Mr. President. I want
to thank you for being a man of action and a President of principle.
The President. Thank you. I appreciate that. How is the
Governor? Has he vetoed any of your bills?
[Laughter] No, that's good.
Q. No, I'm a great supporter of Governor Benson. I'd love to see 2
more years with the Governor.
The President. Okay, good, thank you.
Q. It's nice to have an entrepreneur in there. My question is about
decisionmaking. Sir, I had a radio show in Lowell, and I had Mr. Kerry
on frequently, and I never saw a man before who actually changed his
mind mid-sentence, but this man does it. [Laughter] How do you make
decisions, sir? And what do you think about the importance in this era
of making a strong and swift decision?
The President. Yes, I appreciate it. That's a great question. It
ought to be ``the'' question to people running for President. Because
you know why? This is a job in which--requires a lot of decisionmaking.
I make a lot of decisions. A lot of them you'll never know about.
Obviously, some you do.
Step one is, a good decisionmaker is somebody who knows what he
believes and knows the principles by which he'll make decisions. You
just heard something I believe. I believe that liberty can transform. I
believe that. It is a core part of my soul and being. So part of my
decisionmaking is to adhere to principle.
[[Page 1823]]
Secondly, a good decisionmaker is somebody who listens well and
listens to capable, smart people. One of the things that can happen in
Washington, DC, is that people walk in that Oval Office, and they like
to look at you and say, ``Man, you're looking pretty.'' [Laughter] And
you may not be so pretty. [Laughter] So you got to have people who walk
in and tell you the truth. It's really important in Washington, DC,
particularly in the complex world in which we live, is to surround
yourself with capable, smart people. I have got capable, smart people.
As a matter of fact, no administration has empowered more women in
positions of power than the Bush administration has done. I like
people--I don't want everybody sitting around the table to feel the same
way. I want them to--I want people to feel comfortable saying, ``You're
wrong,'' or ``You're right,'' ``Yes,'' ``No.'' I mean, it's important to
have good, constructive debate in decisionmaking.
Thirdly, you've got to be able to decide. When you get all the
facts, you have to actually be able to make the decision. And when you
make the decision, you've got to stand by your decision.
That's a great question. I thank you for that very much. And in
Washington, DC, when you make the decision, you best have people around
you who say, ``Yes, sir, Mr. President,'' and go execute. And that's
what I've got. I've got a great team and a wonderful group of people who
have served our country.
Yes, ma'am, in the blue shirt. Crank it out there. They're charging
up there. They got mikes--mikes to the left of you, mikes to the right
of you.
Invitation to New England College
Q. My name is Sarah, and I'm actually on the e-board for the New
England College chapter of College Republicans in Henniker. And we've
been doing everything we can to support our candidates, and what we have
is a question--well, actually, we had a lot of the other candidates come
and speak, and we were hoping that maybe you and your campaign--and this
is for any other candidates, our Governors, our Senators--if you would
come and speak to our school and let them hear your point of view,
personally.
The President. Okay. Well, I appreciate that. One option, in case I
can't make it--[laughter]--is to, like--would you loan her a videotape
of this, so she can show it, you know? [Laughter] We'll be back in New
Hampshire. Thank you for the invitation. We'll be back a lot.
Yes, sir. One reason they were here is you had a primary. You might
remember 2000; we were here a lot. [Laughter]
Yes, sir.
Support for Veterans
Q. Before my question I'd like to say thank you for your leadership
and your strength. I appreciate it. One of the false charges from your
opponents is that you've been neglecting veterans. I was wondering if
you could address that criticism.
The President. Yes, thanks, I appreciate you saying that. I made a
commitment to our veterans that we would support them, and we met that
commitment. And let me tell you, let me just give you the facts--that
our spending for veterans during the last 4 years, when they approved
this budget, during the 4 years I've been President, will be bigger than
the spending for veterans under my predecessor during 8 years. It's a
fact. The waiting time for our veterans has been reduced substantially.
Concurrent receipts for our veterans is now law, and I signed it. We are
making sure that the facilities for our veterans have been updated and
modernized.
No, my record on the veterans is a strong record. And one of the
reasons why is I've had good support from the Members of Congress, and
also I put a Secretary of Veterans Affair named Tony Principi in as the Secretary, who has done a fabulous job.
[[Page 1824]]
And I want to thank you for giving me a chance to talk about that.
See, in Washington, one of the problems you got is, you got some good
talkers. The question is, are they doers. And I'm looking forward to
laying out my record on what we've accomplished, based upon the facts
during the course of this campaign. We got a great record when it comes
to veterans. And we'll have a great record over the next 4 years when it
comes to veterans as well.
Yes, sir, what have you got?
Nancy Reagan
Q. Mr. President, thank you for your leadership, Mr. President. God
bless you. It's a difficult job, and you've done a great job for us. You
brought us back after 9/11. It was a tremendous blow that day, and we
were emotionally crushed as a country. But you brought us back all the
way. And thank you, and God bless you.
I watched the Reagan funeral, Mr. President, and a lot of what
President Reagan had to deal with in bringing our country back, you have
basically the same challenges, and you have the same challenges. And I
was--just wanted to know, since this is Nashua, where he was famous in
saying----
The President. Yes, I remember that one well. [Laughter] Something
about a microphone. [Laughter]
Q. Mr. President, how is Mrs. Reagan doing? I know you met with her.
The President. Thanks for asking, yes. She's doing great.
Laura and I dropped by to see her. Thanks for the
question. She is a very strong woman, and we admire her a lot. We went
by to see her in her beautiful home in Los Angeles. She was--her spirits
were up, after what had been a very difficult period in her life.
Although I will tell you, the outpouring of support and love for
President Reagan really lifted her spirits. I mean, it was a tremendous
show of support for the guy she loved.
Yes, ma'am. No question about her; she loved him. She loved Ronald
Reagan a lot, and the country obviously loved him too. And it helped her
a lot. We loved him. She had some beautiful trees she was showing us. It
was an unbelievable yard, by the way. It was spectacular. [Laughter]
Support for the President
Q. Mr. President, thank you. I actually--I wanted to give you a
little bit of what you said you want. I appreciate so much what you've
done for the veterans. We still have a ways to go on the concurrent
receipt. What you've done, we are most grateful for. You've made a great
start on America keeping her promise to her veterans. I just want you to
know that there is--a group drove today from as far away as they could
in New Hampshire, troops' families. And this little girl, when you asked
her if that was her dad, that was her granddad that is in Afghanistan.
Her uncle is in Iraq. Her mother is on the U.S.S. Harry Truman. Her
other uncle has already been to Iraq and is being deployed. And this is
their grandma who is watching them so their mother can serve.
The President. Fantastic.
Q. And I was just--we also brought--we brought a lot of special
supporters today. Do we have a--Blue Stars over there? We brought a lot
of families that wanted to come to show you their support today for what
you're doing for their families in Iraq. And in addition, we have Ellen
Goodchild, whose daughter was on the second plane into the World Trade
Center, that is a huge supporter of yours. And we want to thank you for
all of that support.
The President. Well, thanks. God bless. Yes, thank you very much. I
appreciate it.
Yes, ma'am. Go ahead and yell it out. The U.S.S. George H.W. Bush.
That's pretty powerful. It fits well.
Accomplishments in the War on Terror
Q. [Inaudible]
The President. Career sailor, right.
Q. [Inaudible]
[[Page 1825]]
The President. Yes. She wants to know whether or not we're making
progress. That's what she wants to know. You bet we are. Ten million
people have registered to vote; young girls are going to school. I'll
tell you an interesting story. My barber in Washington, DC,
Zahira, she goes out and she raises $300,000 to
build schools in Afghanistan. New schools are opening up. I think she
told me yesterday--I hope it looks like I got a good haircut--
[laughter]--that the schools will have 7,000 kids.
So a major accomplishment is--you've got to know--and it's hard to
envision or believe this is the truth--many young girls were not allowed
to go to school. That's the way the Taliban viewed the world. That's the
kind of vision of these people we're defeating. That's what they
believe. They believe that girls shouldn't go to school. They believe
that if you have a difference of opinion on religion, you're taken out
into the public square and flogged. That's what they believe.
I'm in--so I'm in Cleveland, Ohio, to kick off the International
Children's Games. And a bunch of kids there, and I'm standing up there
ready to talk, and right to my right, right on the front row, was the
Afghanistan girls soccer team. You know, there is an accomplishment
there. These kids would no more have been in the United States of
America to play soccer had we not made the decision we made.
I'll tell you a couple of other examples. Prior to September the
11th and prior to our actions, the leader of Libya had a weapons-of-mass-destruction program. And he
heard a clear message and voluntarily got rid of his weapons-of-mass-
destruction program. There is an action that took place as a result of
the actions we have taken to uphold doctrine and to secure ourself.
Prior to September the 11th, Pakistan was friendly with the Taliban.
And that could have been a very dangerous circumstance. Because of our
action and because of our leadership, President Musharraf is an ally in the war on terror now. He's helping to
chase down Al Qaida in remote regions of his country. He's helping to
secure his borders as best as he can against the Taliban from
infiltrating to kill people who are getting involved in the election. In
other words, the world is changing, and it's going to change more as we
continue to spread freedom.
A trouble spot in the Middle East is, obviously, the Palestinian-
Israeli conflict. We're strong supporters of Israel. Israel is our ally.
And I believe the best way to bring peace to that part of the world is
for a Palestinian State, based upon democracy, to emerge. And so our
vision is two states living side by side in peace. A free Iraq will
serve as a powerful example to the Palestinian people that there's a
better hope for them. See, freedom and the example of freedom will
empower women and reformers and exiles and people who have been put in
prison. It will show that--what's possible.
And I think it's a vital part of making sure this world is more
peaceful over the long run. There are some success stories, and we're
just getting started. There's more work--that's what I'm here to tell
you. We've done a lot, but there's more to do. There's more to do to
make this world a better place.
Yes, ma'am.
Situation in the Middle East
Q. [Inaudible]
The President. You did? She went to Libya, she said. Were you on the
shores of Tripoli?
Q. [Inaudible]--and I share their curiosity--oh, thank you. How can
Ariel Sharon, as you've said, be a man of peace if he causes death and
torture among innocent Palestinians every day? How can Ariel Sharon be a
man of peace if he fits your definition of a terrorist? I'd be curious
to hear how you plan to carry out the two-state solution.
The President. Yes, good. No, that's a great question. First of all,
Ariel Sharon
[[Page 1826]]
is defending his country against terrorist attacks, just like we will.
He has made the conscious decision that a Palestinian state is in his
nation's best interests. He's made that decision. Now, how do you--the
right question is, how do you carry out the two-state solution. That's
what we have the roadmap for. The roadmap says, here are the steps
necessary in order for a Palestinian state to emerge.
I also believe there's a leadership question involved with whether
or not a Palestinian state will emerge. See, I think in order for a
Palestinian state to emerge, there must be leadership that believes in
the hopes and aspirations of the people and are willing to put
institutions in place that are larger than mankind--in other words,
willing to have a system based upon law and institutions that survive
the people, as opposed to a system in which one person pretty well
dictates the fate of the Palestinian people.
And so the real challenge is to not only stay on the roadmap, which
is institution-building--and, by the way, there's also a commitment to
fight off terror--but it's for leadership to emerge that is committed to
the aspirations of the people.
Ariel Sharon is a duly elected official in
a democracy. In other words, Israel is a democracy. We would hope that
the Palestinians would have that same kind of democracy, which would
lead to a more peaceful world.
Yes, ma'am.
Small Business and Health Care
Q. Okay, I'm going to appear to be sophisticated, but I'm a wreck.
The President. That's what I try to do too. I try to be
sophisticated and--[laughter]--I have trouble pulling it off, though,
you know? [Laughter]
Q. I do want to say it's an honor to be here today to meet you, Mr.
President. Okay--and New Hampshire chicks love you. I got to say that.
The President. Okay. [Laughter] So far you haven't acted very
sophisticated, I admit it, you know? [Laughter]
Q. And if I knew nothing about politics, I would vote for you
because of your moral values.
The President. Thank you.
Q. I'm bringing it back to the health care.
The President. Okay.
Q. My husband and I are small-business owners in New Hampshire. My
daughter is here with me today, and her husband also is. I'm a breast
cancer survivor of 10 years. That's the good news. The bad news is, we
don't have health insurance. For me to have it would be $1,200 a year.
Now, I did hear--and you touched on that a little bit.
The President. Health savings accounts--yes.
Q. I have made phone calls for 3 years and have gotten nowhere at
all. And I wanted to know, as a small-business owner, what can we do as
small-business owners to make a difference so that we can also be
insured?
The President. Sure. I appreciate that. Well, first of all, let me
explain health savings accounts to you. And the reason why you've called
for the last 3 years and nothing has happened is because they haven't
been available until I signed the Medicare reform law. And that's part
of the new law. There was something called medical savings accounts, but
these health savings accounts replaced them. And I really think you
ought to look into them. And I don't know if it will solve your
particular issue, but it is a big difference in terms of cost of
premium. And it also makes sure that, as I say, you're a part of the
decisionmaking process, you're directly involved with what you spend and
what you spend it on.
Secondly, association health plans are a very important way to
enable small businesses to pool risk. Now, what is your small--what do
you do?
Q. Heating and air-conditioning.
[[Page 1827]]
The President. Heating and air-conditioning.
Q. Heating and air-conditioning.
The President. Well, see, here's the problem and--is that you're not
able to spread your risk across enough employees to be able to get
insurance at a--yes, two, that's not a lot. So I think you ought to be
able to take your business and pool together with other heating and air-
conditioning businesses, whether they be in New Hampshire or in Maryland
or in Texas or in California, so you've got more economies of risk. In
other words, you've got--if you've got two employees you're trying to
insure, your premium is going to be much higher than if you had a
thousand employees you were spreading risk across. That's how it works.
Insurance premiums are based upon risk and the spreading of risk. And so
that's what--when I'm talking about what they call association health
plans, admittedly it's kind of long Washington words--what that really
means is, is that heating and air-conditioning companies of like size or
small businesses can pool risk. And it's necessary, and it's an
important part of you being able to find affordable insurance.
You know, it's a very interesting point. You say, ``We're having
trouble finding affordable insurance.'' The issue is cost. That's the
issue. It's how do we control the cost of insurance. One way to do so is
to spread risk, is how you control cost. If you've got two people to
insure, you're going to pay more than if you have 1,000.
A second way to control cost is what I told you about medical
liability reform. I'm telling you, your premiums are high because of
junk lawsuits. And I'll tell you why they're high because of junk
lawsuits. A doctor says, ``I'm getting ready to practice medicine on
you, and because the lawsuits are around, I'm likely to get hauled into
court. Therefore, I'm going to practice more medicine than I should
practice.'' It's called the defensive practice of medicine. In other
words, he kind of shields himself or herself from a lawsuit. And
therefore, the defensive practice of medicine, plus the fact that
they're getting sued, runs your premiums up.
Now look, I believe people ought to have their day in court. If you
get harmed, you ought to have your day in court. But we need a system
that's fair and balanced. And so--you know, when I first went to
Washington, these Governors--one ex-Governor, three--two are sitting
Governors--would say, you know, maybe it's none of your business in
Washington, DC, on medical liability reform. Maybe this is a State
prerogative. And I thought maybe they were right until I looked at what
the cost of rising premiums and defensive medicine costs the Federal
taxpayer. Remember, we pay a lot of money on Medicare. We pay a lot of
money for the veterans. We pay a lot of money on Medicaid. And
therefore, these lawsuits are running up the cost to the Federal
taxpayer.
So I said, ``This is a Federal issue,'' and went to the Congress. Of
course, we get it passed out of House, and it gets stuck in the Senate.
I'll tell you why it's stuck in the Senate. The plaintiff's bar are one
of the most powerful--is one of the most powerful special interests in
Washington, DC. Make no mistake about it. You try to get tort reform out
of the United States Senate, it gets shut down just like that because of
the special interests in Washington.
So there are two ways to help you be able to afford a better plan--
three ways, excuse me--HSAs, association health plans, medical liability
reform. Those are three ways that will help reduce the cost of medicine
and give you a chance to get a product that you can afford. [Applause]
Thank you.
Yes, sir. Final question. This has got to be the last question
because Laura and I are headed to Motown. That
would be Detroit.
Prayers for the President
Q. God bless you, Mr. President.
The President. He has, thank you.
[[Page 1828]]
Q. Youngest of 11, 7 boys, all served in the military.
The President. Fantastic.
Q. The only thing I wanted to say--I don't have a question for you
because you and I are on the same page, but I want you to go out
throughout the country, and every time you ask for a vote, you ask for
our prayers.
The President. Thank you, sir. I appreciate that very much. I
appreciate you saying that. Let me conclude on this note. I appreciate
that very much. That is a--you know something about this country--
amazing thing is I don't have to ask for the prayers. You know why? The
people are praying anyway. And I want to thank you for your prayers. I
appreciate that very much.
God bless you all. Thanks for coming.
Note: The President spoke at 1:17 p.m. at Nashua High School North. In
his remarks, he referred to Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New
York City; Gov. Craig R. Benson of New Hampshire and his wife, Denise;
Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and his wife, Ann; Kathleen MacLellan
Gregg, wife of Senator Judd Gregg; Mayor Bernard A. Streeter of Nashua,
NH; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi of Japan; Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi
Interim Government; hairstylist Zahira Zahir; Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya; President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan; and
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel. A portion of these remarks could
not be verified because the tape was incomplete.