[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
[September 24, 2004]
[Pages 2212-2221]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks in Racine, Wisconsin
September 24, 2004

    The President. Thank you all. Thanks for coming out. As you can 
tell, I've been traveling your good State by bus. Nothing better than 
taking a bus trip throughout southern Wisconsin. What a fantastic, 
beautiful part of the world, full of great people. And a great place to 
end is right here in Racine. Thanks for coming out today.
    Listen, the reason I'm traveling around by bus is because I'm asking 
for the vote. I'm here to ask for your vote, and I'm here to ask for 
your help. I think it's really important for you to convince your 
friends and neighbors to go to the polls. We live in a free society, and 
we have an obligation to vote in a free society. So the first thing I'm 
doing--I'm going to ask you to do is to register your friends and 
neighbors. And make sure that as you register your friends and 
neighbors, to register discerning Democrats like Zell Miller. And then, after you register them to vote, head them to 
the polls. And when you get them to the polls, tell them, if they want a 
safer, stronger, and better America, to put me and Dick Cheney back in office.

[[Page 2213]]

    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. I'm sorry that Laura is not 
here. I wish she were here. She is a great wife, a wonderful mother, and 
a great First Lady. And I appreciate my runningmate, Dick 
Cheney. Look, he doesn't have the waviest hair 
in the race. [Laughter] I didn't pick him for his hair. [Laughter] I 
picked him for his experience, his judgment, and the fact that he can 
get the job done for the American people.
    Listen, I'm proud of my Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
You've trained him well. You taught Tommy Thompson a lot. He is a great friend, and he's doing a terrific job 
on behalf of our country.
    I'm proud to be traveling with Congressman Paul Ryan. He is a breath of fresh air. He's a good, honest man 
who, like me, married well. [Laughter] I appreciate Congressman Mark 
Green being here today too. Both of them 
represent your State well.
    The State treasurer is with us; Milwaukee County Executive Scott 
Walker. I call him Scott W. [Laughter] A lot 
of State and local officials here. Tim Michels, 
running for the United States Senate is here. I look forward to working 
with him in the United States Senate.
    I appreciate my friend Rick Graber, 
who is the party chairman of Wisconsin. I appreciate him being here. 
Mary Buestrin is the national 
committeewoman.
    Listen, what I'm doing is I'm telling you thanks for the grassroots 
activists. All of the people who have put the signs and get on the 
telephones and encourage people to register and vote, thank you for what 
you're doing, and thank you for what you're going to do as you're coming 
down the stretch. We're going to carry the State of Wisconsin.
    I appreciate Charlie Sykes, who emceed 
this program.
    Listen, today on the bus, I had the honor of meeting with Casey 
Perry and some other State--members of the 
National Troopers Coalition. These are law enforcement officers who are 
out there every single day to protect the people of Wisconsin and around 
the country. I always found, when you're riding down the highway, it's 
good to have some troopers with you. [Laughter] These men were here to 
inform me that the National Troopers Coalition endorsed my candidacy for 
President. I am honored to have their endorsement. I'm honored to have 
it because of the risks they take. I'm honored to have it because of the 
values they stand for. I'm honored to have it because of the kind of 
people they are. I'm proud to have you by my side. God bless you all. 
Thank you.
    You know, I'm looking forward to this campaign. I've been coming to 
Wisconsin a lot. I suspect I'll be coming some more. I enjoy coming 
here. I'm looking forward to coming back. I want to tell you where I 
stand, what I believe, and where I intend to lead this Nation for 4 more 
years.
    I believe every child can learn and that every school must teach. 
That's what I believe. I went to Washington to challenge the soft 
bigotry of low expectations. See, like you, I was tired of that practice 
of just shuffling kids through the schools, year after year, grade after 
grade, without teaching them the basics. I believe every child can 
learn, and I expect every school to teach. That's why we've raised the 
standards. That's why we're measuring early, before it's too late to 
solve problems. That's why we believe in local control of schools. And 
that's why we're closing an achievement gap in America, and we're not 
turning back.
    I believe we have a moral responsibility to honor our seniors with 
good health care. Medicine was changing, but Medicare wasn't. I went to 
Washington to solve problems. We had a problem in Medicare. See, 
Medicare would pay nearly $100,000 for the heart surgery but would not 
pay one dime for the prescription drugs to prevent the heart surgery 
from being needed in the first place. That didn't make any sense.

[[Page 2214]]

Medicare needs to be modernized. I worked with Republicans and 
Democrats. We've strengthened Medicare. Seniors will get prescription 
drugs in 2006, and we're not going to turn back to the old days.
    I believe in the energy, innovative spirit of America's workers, 
small-business owners, farmers. And that's why we unleashed that energy 
with the largest tax cut in a generation. When you're out rounding up 
the vote, remind people what this economy has been through. It's been 
through a recession. As a matter of fact, the stock market started to 
head down about 5 months before we showed up in Washington. Then there 
was a recession. And then we found out some of our citizens didn't tell 
the truth. There were some corporate scandals. We passed new laws, and 
we made it abundantly clear we're not going to tolerate dishonesty in 
the boardrooms of America.
    And then we got attacked, and that hurt our economy. But our economy 
is strong and growing stronger. We've overcome these obstacles. We've 
got great workers, great farmers. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong, 
and the tax cuts made a difference.
    We've added about 1.7 million new jobs since August of '03. We've 
added 107,000 manufacturing jobs since January. The national 
unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, which is lower than the average of the 
seventies, the eighties, and the 1990s. And right here in Wisconsin, 
your unemployment rate is 4.8 percent. This economy is strong. It's 
getting stronger, and we're not turning back.
    I believe the most solemn duty of the American President is to 
protect the American people. If we show uncertainty and weakness in this 
decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This isn't going to happen 
on my watch.
    I'm running for President with a clear and positive plan to build a 
safer world and a more hopeful America. I'm running with a compassionate 
conservative philosophy that Government should help people improve their 
lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this Nation wants steady, 
consistent, principled leadership. And that is why with your help, we'll 
carry Wisconsin and win a great victory in November.
    The world in which we live is changing. The generation of our dads 
and granddads--in that generation, a man generally had one job, one 
career, and moms stayed at home. But times have changed a lot since 
then. Many workers have more than one job and more than one career, and 
many women work inside the house and outside the house. And yet the 
systems of our Government, the most fundamental systems, the Tax Code, 
health coverage, pension plans, worker training, labor law, was all 
designed for yesterday, not tomorrow. In the next 4 years, we'll work to 
transform these systems so that all citizens are equipped, prepared, and 
thus truly free to be able to make your own choices and to realize the 
great promise of America.
    I fully understand a hopeful society is one that has a growing 
economy. I have a plan to make sure this recovery is lasting prosperity. 
If you want to keep jobs here in America, America must be the best place 
in the world to do business. It's as simple as that. That means less 
regulations on the employers and job creators. That means less frivolous 
lawsuits on the employers and job creators.
    If we want to keep jobs here in America, Congress needs to pass my 
energy plan. I sent up a plan that encourages conservation, encourages 
the use of renewables like ethanol and biodiesel, that says we've got to 
modernize our electricity grid, that says we'll use clean coal 
technology, that we'll explore for natural gas in environmentally 
friendly ways. In order to keep jobs here in America, this country must 
be less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
    In order to make sure this economy grows and people in Racine, 
Wisconsin, can find work, we've got to open up markets. See, we open up 
our markets for goods from other countries. If you've got more products 
to choose from, you're likely to

[[Page 2215]]

get the product you want at a better price and better quality. That's 
why Republicans and Democrat administrations have opened up our markets. 
So what I'm saying to places like China is, ``You treat us the way we 
treat you.'' See, we can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere so long 
as the rules are fair.
    In order to make sure this economy grows, we've got to be wise about 
how we spend your money in Washington. And we've got to keep your taxes 
low. Taxes are an issue in this campaign. Make no mistake about it. The 
fellow I'm running against has promised $2.2 
trillion in new Federal spending--so far.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. I say ``so far'' because we still got October to go. 
[Laughter] Two-point-two trillion is a lot, even for a Senator from 
Massachusetts. [Laughter] So they said, ``How are you going to pay for 
it?'' He said, ``That's easy. We'll just tax the 
rich.'' We've heard that before, haven't we? First of all, you can't 
raise enough money by taxing the rich to pay for $2.2 trillion in new 
spending, so there's a tax gap. Guess who usually gets stuck with 
filling the tax gap? Secondly, when you hear that language ``tax the 
rich,'' hold on to your wallets, because the rich hire lawyers and 
accountants for a reason. So you get stuck. The good news is, we're not 
going to let him tax you, because we're going to win in November.
    Let me say something else about the Tax Code. It's a complicated 
mess; it's a million pages long. The American people spend 6 billion 
hours a year filling out the tax forms. In a new term, I'm going to 
bring Republicans and Democrats together to simplify the Tax Code so 
you're treated more fairly.
    Today, down the road, I talked about making sure workers have the 
skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. Our workforce is 
changing. Sometimes workers don't have the skills necessary to fill the 
jobs of the 21st century. That's why I'm such a big believer in the 
community college system here in Wisconsin and around the world. We're 
going to spend more Federal money to make sure community colleges are 
more accessible.
    Do you realize most jobs--or new jobs are filled by people with at 
least 2 years of college, yet only about one in four of our students 
gets there. That's why I believe, in our high schools, we should fund 
early intervention programs to help at-risk students. We need to place 
special emphasis on math and science. Over time, we'll require a 
rigorous exam before graduation. By raising performance in our high 
schools and by expanding Pell grants for low- and middle-income American 
families, we'll make sure more families--more workers start their career 
with a college diploma.
    We're going to do something about our health care system too. But I 
promise you this: When we reform health care, we're going to let you 
make the decisions. There's a fundamental difference in this campaign; 
there is a philosophical divide. My opponent 
wants Government to dictate to you.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. I think that's the wrong approach to health care. 
See, we're going to make sure the poor and the indigent get good health 
care by expanding community health centers in every poor county in 
America. That makes sense. We'll make sure the children's health 
programs for low-income Americans are fully subscribed to by those who 
qualify. That makes sense. We have a practical, commonsense plan.
    I understand half the working uninsured work for small businesses. 
There's a reason why they're uninsured. Small businesses are having 
trouble affording health care. And one of the reasons they're having 
trouble affording health care is because they can't pool risk. So I 
think we ought to allow small businesses to pool together across 
jurisdictional boundaries so they can buy health care at the same 
discounts big companies get to. We'll expand tax-free health savings 
accounts. We'll give small-business

[[Page 2216]]

tax credits to encourage them to put money into health savings accounts 
for their employees.
    In order to make sure that health care is available and affordable 
in Wisconsin and around the country, we've got to do something about 
these frivolous lawsuits that are driving good doctors out of practice 
and running up your costs. There's a difference of opinion in this 
campaign. You cannot be pro-doctor, pro-patient, pro-hospital, and pro-
trial-lawyer at the same time. I think you have to make a choice. My 
opponent made his choice, and he put a trial 
lawyer on the ticket. I made my choice. I am 
for medical liability reform--now.
    Listen, we have a commonsense, practical plan to make sure health 
care is available and affordable. In all we do to make sure medicine 
works in America, we will make sure that the decisions are made by 
doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
    In times of change, in a changing world, it helps if somebody owns 
something to bring stability in their lives. The homeownership rate is 
at an alltime high under my administration. More and more people from 
all walks of life are able to open up the door where they live and say, 
``Welcome to my home. Welcome to my piece of property.'' And over the 
next 4 years, we'll continue to expand homeownership to every corner of 
our country.
    In terms of our retirement systems, they were designed for 
yesterday. They need to be designed for tomorrow. If you're on Social 
Security today, you have nothing to worry about. You will get your 
check. I don't care what the political rhetoric is in a campaign, you're 
going to get paid. You remember, 4 years ago in Wisconsin, they were 
saying, ``If George W. gets in, the seniors aren't going to get their 
checks.'' You might remember that. Yes, well--[laughter]--that's what 
happens. Seniors got paid. You will get paid again. If you're a baby 
boomer, you're fine. We're fine. There's enough money in the trust to 
take care of us.
    But we need to worry about our younger workers. We need to worry 
about our children and our grandchildren. I think in order to make sure 
Social Security is around for a new generation, younger workers ought to 
be able to take some of their own money and set up a personal savings 
account that they can call their own.
    In a world of change, some things won't change, the values we try to 
live by, courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. In times of 
change, we will support the institutions that give our lives direction 
and purpose, our families, our schools, our religious congregations. We 
stand for a culture of life in which every person matters and every 
being counts. We stand for marriage and family, which are the 
foundations of our society. I stand for the appointment of Federal 
judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the strict 
interpretation of the law.
    This election will also determine how America responds to the 
continuing danger of terrorism. Since the terrible morning of September 
the 11th, 2001, we have fought the terrorists across the globe, not for 
pride, not for power, but because the lives of citizens are at stake. 
Our strategy is clear. We're defending the homeland. We're transforming 
our military. We're strengthening our intelligence gathering services. 
We're staying on the offensive. We are striking the terrorists abroad so 
we do not have to face them here at home.
    We will continue to work to advance liberty in the broader Middle 
East and around the world, and we'll prevail. Our strategy is 
succeeding. Our strategy is succeeding. Think about the world only 4 
short years ago: Afghanistan was the home base of Al Qaida; Pakistan was 
a transit point of terrorist groups; Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for 
terrorist fundraising; Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons; Iraq 
was a gathering threat; and Al Qaida was largely unchallenged as it 
planned attacks.

[[Page 2217]]

    Because we acted, the Government of a free Afghanistan is fighting 
terror; Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders; Saudi Arabia is making 
raids and arrests; Libya is dismantling its weapons programs; the army 
of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom; and more than three-quarters of 
Al Qaida's key members and associates have been brought to justice.
    Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
    The President. We have led. Many have joined, and America and the 
world are safer.
    This progress involved careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose, and 
some tough decisions. And the toughest came on Iraq. We knew Saddam 
Hussein's record of aggression and support 
for terror. We knew he had harbored Abu Nidal, the leader of a terrorist 
organization that carried out attacks in Asia and Europe. We knew Abu 
Abbas had been in Iraq--he's the fellow that killed Leon Klinghoffer. We 
knew Zarqawi had been in Baghdad. He's 
the person now beheading our citizens in order to shake our will. We 
knew that--we knew his long history, Saddam's history of pursuing and 
even using weapons of mass destruction. He was firing at our pilots 
enforcing the world's sanctions. Saddam Hussein was a threat. It is 
important this country never forget the lessons of September the 11th. 
We must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. We cannot 
forget that lesson.
    So I went to the Congress. The Congress looked at the intelligence, 
the same intelligence I looked at, remembered the same history I 
remembered, and concluded that Saddam Hussein 
was a threat and authorized the use of force. My opponent looked at the same intelligence I did, concluded that 
Saddam was a threat, and voted yes when it came to the authorization of 
force.
    Before the Commander in Chief commits troops into harm's way, he 
must try all options to solve a problem. And so I was hopeful that 
diplomacy would work. I was hopeful that we wouldn't have to commit our 
troops. And so I went to the United Nations, and I gave a speech there, 
and I said, ``We see a threat.'' They looked at the same intelligence. 
They remembered the same history, and they concluded that Saddam 
Hussein was a threat. As a matter of fact, by 
a U.N. Security Council resolution they voted 15 to nothing to say, 
``Disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences.'' I believe when an 
international body speaks, it must mean what it says.
    Saddam Hussein wasn't about to listen to 
the demands of the free world. He had ignored the demands of the free 
world for over a decade. I think this was maybe the 17th resolution that 
had been passed. He doubted whether or not the international body would 
keep its word. He defied the inspectors the U.N. sent in. So I have a 
choice to make at this point in time. Diplomacy has failed. Saddam 
Hussein was given a last chance. Do I forget the lessons of September 
the 11th and trust a madman----
    Audience members. No-o-o!
    The President. ----or do I take action to defend this country? Given 
that choice, I will defend America every time.
    Listen, we didn't find the stockpiles we all thought would be there, 
but Saddam Hussein had the capability of manufacturing weapons, and he 
could have passed that capability on to an enemy. And after September 
the 11th, that is a risk we could not afford to take. Knowing what I 
know today, I would have made the same decision. And America and the 
world are safer with Saddam Hussein sitting 
in a prison cell.
    Because we acted in our self-interests, 50 million people in 
Afghanistan and Iraq are now free. Think about Afghanistan, what life 
was like there less than 4 years ago. Think about it. Young girls were 
not allowed to go to school. The Taliban was so dark in their vision 
that they'd haul their mothers out in the public square and whip them if 
they didn't toe their line. They

[[Page 2218]]

didn't believe in freedom at all. Their mindset was the exact opposite 
of what America stands for. Today, because we acted, 10 million citizens 
in Afghanistan, 41 percent of whom are women, have registered to vote in 
the upcoming Presidential election. Fantastic. This society is going 
from darkness to light because the people are free, and we're better off 
for it. Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror.
    In Iraq, despite ongoing acts of horrible violence, that country has 
got a strong Prime Minister, and it's going to 
have elections in January. It's in our interests that Iraq be free. Free 
societies will be hopeful societies. Free societies will not breed 
resentments and export for terror. Free societies will fight terrorists 
instead of harboring them. Our strategy is clear. We'll help the Iraqis 
and the Afghans defend themselves by training citizens--their own 
citizens so they can do the hard work. We'll help them get on the path 
of stability and democracy as quickly as possible, and our troops will 
come home with the honor they have earned.
    We got a great military. I want to thank the veterans who are here 
for having set such a great example to those who wear the uniform. We 
appreciate your service. I've had the privilege of meeting those who 
wear the uniform at bases here at home and across the world. I know 
their courage and their unselfish decency. Ladies and gentlemen, the 
cause of freedom is in really good hands.
    And we owe our troops and their loved ones the full support of the 
Federal Government. That's why I went to the Congress last September, a 
year ago, to ask for $87 billion of supplemental funding to support our 
troops in harm's way. This was really important legislation. This was 
vital money, money for spare parts and ammunition, for body armor, for 
hazard pay, for health benefits. It's the kind of thing that you'd want 
your troops to have--and the troops not only in Iraq but Afghanistan as 
well. We received great bipartisan support for that funding request, so 
strong that only 12 United States Senators voted against it, 2 of whom 
are my opponent and his runningmate.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. When you're out there campaigning, tell people about 
this statistic: Only four United States Senators voted to authorize the 
use of force and then voted against funding for our troops. And two of 
those four are my opponent and his 
runningmate. They asked him. Of course, you 
know this. He said his answer to why he voted the way he did, he said, 
``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' 
[Laughter] You've heard that. They then said, well--they kept pressing 
him. He said he was proud of his vote. And finally, he just said, ``The 
whole thing was a complicated matter.'' There's nothing complicated 
about supporting our troops in combat.
    We've got hard work to do in Iraq. And it's tough, and it's hard. I 
know it's hard. The terrorists over there cannot defeat our military. 
The only tool they've got is the ability to shake our will. We care for 
human rights and human dignity. Every life matters to the American 
people. And therefore, when we see people beheaded on our screens, we 
cry and we weep, and the terrorists know that. They know we've got a 
conscience. And we know they don't have a conscience. We must not allow 
them to shake our will. It's important that we succeed in Iraq. It's 
important for our security and for the peace of the world that we defeat 
the terrorists there. This is a central front in the war on terror.
    Fortunately, we've got a partner, a strong partner in Iraq named 
Prime Minister Allawi. I was with him yesterday 
in the Oval Office, had a great visit with him. When I was in New York 
and saw him, I asked him, ``Is it true that--about the story I had 
heard?'' He said, ``It's true.'' He told me the story about the night he 
woke up in a bed in a flat in London. See, he had been--he had left the 
country

[[Page 2219]]

because Saddam Hussein wanted to kill him. 
And he woke up one night--this is a true story--his wife in his bed next 
to him, and there's two people next to his bed with axes, sent by Saddam 
Hussein. They were trying to ax him to death. He survived. He's now the 
Prime Minister of that country. He's a tough guy who understands. He 
understands we must not yield. We'll stand with him. When America gives 
its word, America must keep its word.
    If we expect to win this war on terror and secure the homeland, we 
must be clear about what we say. And the President must mean what he 
says. That's why you can't keep changing positions based upon polls. My 
opponent has had seven or eight different 
positions on Iraq. He can't decide if we should be there or not be 
there. You cannot lead if you don't know where you want to lead. You 
cannot lead if you don't know what you believe. You cannot lead if you 
get blown around by the political winds. Yesterday he criticized the 
Prime Minister of Iraq.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. Right after the Prime Minister spoke to the United States Congress, right after he gave 
an important speech, Senator Kerry went out and 
stood in front of the cameras and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's 
credibility.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. Earlier this week, he said he 
would prefer the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to the situation in Iraq today.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. In order for us to succeed in Iraq, the Iraqi people 
must believe the American people will stand with them. In order to have 
credibility with those people who are fighting for freedom, the leaders 
of this country must not send mixed signals. They must earn the 
credibility of the Iraqi people. Twenty-five million people want to be 
free in that country, and when they're free, we're better off for it. 
I'll continue to lead this country with clarity. When I say something, 
I'll mean what I say.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Part of our strategy is to continue working with our 
friends and allies. I was on the phone this morning with Prime Minister 
Tony Blair. He understands that Iraq is a central 
front in the war on terror. He understands the stakes. He understands 
the need for leaders to stand up and lead, and he is a leader. And I 
appreciate him. I thank him every time I have a chance to for joining 
this coalition. Do you realize we've got over 40 nations involved in 
Afghanistan, some 30 nations involved in Iraq. Over the next 4 years, 
I'll continue to work to strengthen alliances, but I will never turn 
over America's national security decisions to leaders of other 
countries.
    Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
    The President. I believe in the transformational power of liberty. 
That's what I believe. The wisest use of American strength is to advance 
freedom. Recently in New York, I had a visit with Prime Minister 
Koizumi of Japan. I said, ``I'll tell you, 
I'm traveling the country talking about you.'' He said, ``Fine, make 
sure you tell them I like Elvis.'' [Laughter] And so I do talk about him 
because I find it really interesting, really interesting. And I want the 
youngsters to understand--to listen to this because I think it will give 
you some clarity about why I decide what I decide--is that I sit down 
and talk with the leader of a country that we were at war with some 60 
years ago. That's a lot of time if you're 58 like me. [Laughter] It 
seems like forever. [Laughter] It's not a lot of time, though, in the 
march of history. It wasn't all that long ago, in other words, that we 
were at war with Japan. My dad fought 
against the Japanese. I promise you, a lot of folks out here relatives 
fought against the Japanese too in what was one tough war. A lot of 
people lost their lives.
    After World War II, my predecessor Harry S. Truman believed that we 
should

[[Page 2220]]

work with the Japanese to build a democracy. A lot of people in this 
country questioned the wisdom. You can understand why; there was a lot 
of bitterness toward the Japanese. They were our enemy. We had just 
fought them. But there were folks in this country that believed in the 
power of liberty to transform an enemy into an ally. And so they did the 
hard work after World War II, developing that country, and to build that 
country into a democracy. And because of that work, today, I talk to 
Prime Minister Koizumi, talking about the 
peace we all want, talking about how to make the world more peaceful.
    So when you hear me say, ``I believe in the transformational power 
of liberty,'' think about the fact that the American President and the 
leader of Japan are working together for peace. Some day, an American 
President and a duly elected leader of Iraq will sit down at the table 
to talk about peace, and our children and our grandchildren will be 
better off for it.
    I believe that millions in the Middle East plead in silence for 
their freedom. I believe women in the Middle East long to be free. I 
believe they want their young daughters to be able to grow up in a 
hopeful society. I believe that if given a chance, the people in the 
broader Middle East will embrace the most honorable form of government 
ever devised by man. And I believe these things because freedom is not 
America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each 
man and woman in this world.
    This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting freedom 
at home and abroad, we'll build a safer world and a more hopeful 
America. By reforming our systems of Government, we'll help more 
Americans realize their dreams. We'll spread ownership and opportunity 
to every corner of this land. We'll pass the enduring values of our 
country on to a new generation. We'll continue to lead the cause of 
freedom and peace.
    For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand 
apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is 
expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. This is a time 
when we need firm resolve, clear vision, and a deep faith in the values 
that makes us a great nation.
    None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another 
began. On the bus, we were talking to the troopers about that day, 
September the 14th, 2001, when we stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. 
It's a day I know I'll never forget. There were workers in hardhats 
there yelling at the top of their lungs, ``Whatever it takes.'' I 
remember talking to a guy who came out of the rubble, had bloodshot 
eyes, and he's exhausted for trying to find his buddies and people that 
were hurt. And he looked me right in the eye and said, ``You don't let 
me down.'' I wake up every morning since that day trying to better 
figure out how to protect our country. I will never relent in defending 
the security of America, whatever it takes.
    Four years ago, as I traveled your great State and our country, I 
made a pledge that if you gave me the chance to serve I would uphold the 
honor and the dignity of the office to which I have been elected. With 
your hard help--with your hard work and your help, I will continue to do 
so for 4 more years.
    God bless. Thank you all for coming. On to victory. Thank you all. 
Thanks for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 4:20 p.m. at General John J. Pershing Park. 
In his remarks, he referred to Senator Zell Miller of Georgia, who made 
the keynote address at the 2004 Republican National Convention; 
Wisconsin State Treasurer Jack C. Voight; Richard W. Graber, State 
chairman, and Mary F. Buestrin, national committeewoman, Republican 
Party of Wisconsin; radio show host Charlie Sykes; senior Al Qaida 
associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi;

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Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi Interim Government; Prime 
Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; and Prime Minister Junichiro 
Koizumi of Japan.