[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
[October 9, 2004]
[Pages 2436-2443]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks in Chanhassen, Minnesota
October 9, 2004
The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for being here. What a
beautiful day.
Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
The President. Thank you all. It turns out I am the first sitting
President ever to visit Chanhassen, Minnesota. All the other ones missed
out on a beautiful part of America. Thank you for coming out today. I'm
here asking for the vote, and I'm here to ask for your help in getting
that vote out. There is no doubt in my mind, with your help, we will
carry Minnesota and win a great victory in November.
We're getting close to voting time here in America, and today a
great thing happened in Afghanistan. The people of that country, who
just 3 years ago were suffering under the brutal regime of the Taliban,
went to the polls to vote for their President. A 19-year-old
woman, an Afghan refugee who fled her
homeland during its civil war, became the very first voter. It's
amazing, isn't it? She said, ``I cannot explain my feelings, just how
happy I am. I never would have thought I'd be able to vote in this
election.'' Freedom is beautiful. Freedom is on the march.
[[Page 2437]]
So today is an appropriate day for Americans to remember and thank
the men and women of America's Armed Forces who liberated Afghanistan.
Because of their actions, America is safer, and the world is better off.
Australia had an election as well. And I was honored to call my
friend John Howard, the Prime Minister, and
congratulate him on a great victory. As you can see, I'm keeping good
company today.
So here's the way I like to tell the day I asked Laura to marry me. I said, ``Would you marry me?'' She said,
``Fine, just so long as I never have to give a political speech.''
[Laughter] I said, ``Okay, you've got a deal.'' [Laughter] Fortunately,
she didn't hold me to the promise. Americans, when they see Laura speak,
see a compassionate, decent, warm, great First Lady.
I'm proud of my runningmate, Dick Cheney. I
thought he did a great job in his debate. I admit it, he didn't have the
waviest hair on the platform there. Of course, I didn't pick him for his
hair. [Laughter] I picked him because of his experience and sound
judgment. I picked him because he can get the job done for the American
people.
I'm proud of your Governor, Tim Pawlenty. He's a good Governor, and I'm proud to call him
friend.
Plus, I like working with Norm Coleman.
He's a fine United States Senator. And I hope you put John Kline back in office, the United States Congressman from this
district. They're not here. They're in Washington, still voting. I can't
wait for them to get out of town. [Laughter]
I want to thank the mayor of Chanhassen, Tom Furlong, for being here. I'm proud you're here, Mr. Mayor. One of
the things I'm proud of is there's all kinds of Democrats around the
country supporting me. People like Zell Miller
are supporting my candidacy. But so is my friend, the mayor of St. Paul,
Randy Kelly.
I want to thank all the statehouse people who are here. I want to
thank the Shooting Star Band. I want to thank all the grassroots
activists for what you're going to do. I can see by the signs and the
size of this crowd you have done a lot. But it's what you're going to do
I want to thank you for, and that is turn out the vote, get people to
the polls.
Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
The President. We had an interesting evening last night. It was a
great debate. I thought the citizens did a fantastic job of asking good
questions, and that debate highlighted some fundamental differences on
issues from jobs and taxes and health care and national security. Much
as he tried to obscure it, on issue after
issue my opponent showed why he earned the ranking of the most liberal
Member of the United States Senate. And several of his statements just
don't pass the credibility test.
With a straight face, he said, ``I've only
had one position on Iraq.'' [Laughter] I could barely contain myself.
[Laughter] He must have--he must think we're on a different planet.
[Laughter] In the spring of '03, as I ordered the invasion of Iraq,
Senator Kerry said, ``It was the right decision.'' Now he says, ``It was
the wrong war.'' He tries to tell us he's had only one position. Who's
he trying to kid? He can run, but he cannot hide.
Again, with a straight face, he tried to
tell Americans that when it came to his health care plan, quote, ``the
Government has nothing to do with it.'' [Laughter] Eight out of ten
people who get health insurance under Senator Kerry's plan will be
placed on a Government program. He can run, but he cannot hide.
And then Senator Kerry was asked to look
in the camera and promise he would not raise taxes on anyone who earns
less than 200,000 a year.
Audience members. [Inaudible]
The President. I know. The problem is, to keep that promise
he would have to break almost all of his other
ones. [Laughter] You see, his plan to raise taxes on
[[Page 2438]]
the top two income brackets will raise $600 billion a year by our
estimate and $800 a year by--$800 million by his estimate--will raise
$600 billion by our estimate and $800 billion by his estimate. I think I
finally got it right. [Laughter] But his own health care plan costs $1.2
trillion. So you begin to see the problem. He can't have it both ways.
To pay for the big spending programs he's outlined during his campaign,
he's going to have to raise your taxes. And he can run, but he cannot
hide.
You know, after listening to his litany of complaints and his dour
pessimism, it was all I could do not to make a bad face. [Laughter] I
have a very different philosophy from Senator Kerry. I'm a compassionate conservative. As your President, I've
worked to make America more hopeful and more secure. I've led this
country with principle and resolve, and that's how I will lead with--the
next 4 years.
I'm looking forward to coming back to Minnesota before election day.
I'm looking forward to this stretch run. I like to be with people. I
like to tell people what I believe and where I stand. I believe every
child can learn and every school must teach. I went to Washington to
challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations. I felt strongly we
needed to end this business about just shuffling the kids through, grade
after grade, year after year, without teaching the basics. We've raised
the standards. We measure early to solve problems before it's too late.
We trust the local people to make the right choices for their schools.
We're closing an achievement gap in America, and we're not going to go
back.
I believe our seniors must have a good health care system. I went to
Washington to fix problems, not pass them on to future Presidents. I saw
a problem in Medicare. Let me give you an example. Medicare would pay
thousands of dollars for a heart surgery but not one dime for the
prescription drugs to prevent the heart surgery from being needed in the
first place. That wasn't right for our seniors. It wasn't right for the
taxpayers. We came together and strengthened Medicare for our seniors.
Seniors will get prescription drug coverage in 2006, and we're not going
to go back.
I believe in the energy and innovation and spirit of our workers and
small-business owners and farmers and ranchers. That's why we unleashed
that energy with the largest tax relief in a generation. When you're out
there gathering up the vote, remind people what we've been through, what
this economy has been through. Six months prior to our arrival in
Washington, DC, the stock market was heading down. Then we had a
recession. Then we had some corporate scandals, which affected our
economy. We passed laws that say to people, ``We will not tolerate
dishonesty in the boardrooms of this country.'' And then the enemy hit
us. And that attack cost us a million jobs in the 3 months after
September the 11th. We've been through a lot. You think about that.
But our economy has been growing at rates as fast as any in nearly
20 years. The national unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, which is lower
than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The unemployment rate
in the great State of Minnesota is 4.8 percent. Farm income is high. The
homeownership rate is at an alltime high in America. America is on the
move, and we're not going to go back.
I believe the most solemn duty of the American President is to
protect the American people. If America shows uncertainty and weakness
in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not
happen on my watch.
Listen, I recognize that a hopeful society must have a growing
economy, and I have a strategy to keep this economy moving forward. In
order to keep jobs here in America, in order to make sure people can
find work, America must be the best place in the world to do business.
That means less regulations on our businesses. That means we've got to
do something about
[[Page 2439]]
these junk lawsuits that are hurting small-business owners in America.
If we want to keep jobs here in America, this country--Congress has
got to pass my energy plan. It's a plan that encourages conservation.
It's a plan that encourages the use of renewables like ethanol and
biodiesel. It's a plan that uses technologies to make sure we can
explore for natural gas in environmentally friendly ways. It's a plan
that promotes clean coal technology. It is a plan that recognizes to
keep jobs here, America must be less dependent on foreign sources of
energy.
In order to keep jobs here in America, we've got to open up markets
for our products. Listen, we've opened up America's markets for products
from overseas, and that's good for you. If you have more choices, you're
likely to get the product you want at higher quality and better price.
That's how the market works. So rather than shutting down our market and
hurting consumers, my strategy is to tell places like China, ``You treat
us the way we treat you.'' And I'm confident in doing so, because I know
we can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so long as the rules are
fair.
To create jobs in America, we must be wise about how we spend your
money and keep your taxes low. You heard that rhetoric, ``Oh, all
he's going to do is tax the rich.'' In order
to make sure he can--in order to make sure he fulfills a little bit of
his promises, he said he's going to tax the rich. We've heard that kind
of language before. Yes, the rich hire lawyers and accountants for a
reason--to stick you with the bill. We're not going to let the Senator
tax you; we're going to whip him in November.
We've got to do something about this health care system. Costs are
rising rapidly. We need to make sure health care is available and
affordable. Most of the people who are uninsured work for small
businesses. I think we ought to allow small businesses to pool risk
across jurisdictional boundaries so they can buy insurance at the same
price and the same discounts big businesses get to buy insurance. We
need to expand tax-free health savings accounts to help our small
businesses and our workers.
We need to make sure that each poor community in--county in America
has got a community health center for our poor and the indigent. We've
got to make sure our children's--low-income children's health program is
fully subscribed. We've got to use technology to wring excess costs out
of the system. This is a practical, commonsense way to make sure health
care is available and affordable.
And another thing we need to do is we've got to get rid of those
frivolous lawsuits that are running good docs out of business and
running up the cost of health care. You cannot be pro-doctor, pro-
patient, pro-hospital, and pro-trial-lawyer at the same time. You have
to choose. My opponent made his choice, and he
put a trial lawyer on the ticket.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I have made my choice. I'm standing with the patients
and the docs. I'm for medical liability reform--now. In all we do to
reform health care, my administration will make sure the decisionmaking
is between the doctor and the patient, not by officials in the Nation's
Capital.
You know, in changing times--and we do have changing times--it helps
bring stability into your life if you own something. More and more
people are owning their own home. We've got plans over the next 4 years
to continue to expand homeownership all around America. I love the idea
of somebody opening up the front door where they live and saying,
``Welcome to my home. Come to my house. Welcome to my piece of
property.''
In changing times, we've got to do something about our retirement
system. You might remember the campaign in 2000, when they said, ``If
George W. wins, you're not going to get your Social Security
[[Page 2440]]
check.'' Remember those ads? Yes. Our seniors got their checks. You're
hearing the same rhetoric this time. Baby boomers like me, we'll get the
checks.
We need to worry about our children and our grandchildren when it
comes to Social Security. We need to do something to make that system
available for our children and grandchildren. That's why I think younger
workers ought to be allowed to take some of their own money and set up a
personal savings account, a personal savings account that will earn
better interest, a personal savings account they can call their own,
that Government cannot take away.
We have a difference in philosophy in this campaign. My
opponent's programs expand the Federal reach--
the reach of the Federal Government. My programs expand freedom and
opportunity for every American. He trusts Government. I trust the
people.
In a world of change, there's some things that will not change, the
values we try to live by, courage and compassion, reverence and
integrity. In times of change, we'll 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. We stand for the appointment
of Federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and
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've fought the terrorists across the Earth, not for
pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens are at
stake. Our strategy is clear. We're defending the homeland. We're
strengthening the intelligence services. We're transforming the All-
Volunteer Army, which will stay an all-volunteer army. We will stay on
the offensive. We will strike the terrorists abroad so we do not have to
face them here at home. We will continue to work to spread liberty in
the greater Middle East and around the world. And we'll prevail.
Our strategy is succeeding. Think about the world the way it was
prior to September the 11th. Afghanistan was the home base of Al Qaida.
Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups. Saudi Arabia was
fertile ground for terrorist fundraising. Libya was secretly pursuing
weapons. Iraq was a gathering threat, and Al Qaida was largely
unchallenged as it planned attacks.
Because we led, Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror, and
they're having Presidential elections today; Pakistan is capturing
terrorists; Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests; Libya is
dismantling its weapons program; the army of a free Iraq is fighting for
freedom; and three-quarters of Al Qaida--three-quarters of key members
and associates of Al Qaida have been brought to justice. America has
led. Many have followed. And the world is safer.
This progress involved careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose, and
some tough decisions. And the toughest came in Iraq. We knew Saddam
Hussein's record of aggression and support
for terror. We knew he had harbored terrorists. We knew his long history
of pursuing and using weapons of mass destruction. We knew that the
biggest threat we face is if a terrorist group were able to attain
weapons of mass destruction. And we knew that after September the 11th,
it's vital that we think differently about our security. We must take
threats seriously before they fully materialize.
Saddam Hussein was a threat. I went to the Congress. They looked at
the same intelligence I looked at. They remembered the same history of
Saddam Hussein, and they concluded Saddam was
a threat and authorized the use of force. My opponent was one of those who authorized the use of force.
Before the Commander in Chief commits troops into harm's way, we
must try
[[Page 2441]]
every option--every option--to solve a problem. I understand the
consequences of sending people into combat. I know exactly what takes
place. And so I went to the United Nations, hoping to solve this problem
diplomatically. You know, they looked at the intelligence. They debated
the issue, and they voted 15 to nothing, in the U.N. Security Council
and said to Saddam Hussein, ``Disclose,
disarm, or face serious consequences.'' That's what they told him. I
believe when international bodies speak, it must mean what it says. In
order to make the peace, when you say something, you'd better mean it.
As he had for over a decade, Saddam Hussein wasn't about to listen to the demands of the free
world. As a matter of fact, the report that came out the other day
showed he didn't have the weapons we thought he had but, nevertheless,
was gaming the system. He was using the Oil for Food Programme to weaken
the sanctions. And you know why? Because he wanted to start his weapons
programs up again. Saddam was a danger. He was a threat. We gave him a
final chance. He ignored the demands of the free world. He deceived the
inspectors. So I have a choice to make at this point: Do I trust the
word of a madman and forget the lessons of September the 11th, or take
action to defend our country? Given that choice, I will defend America
every time.
Because we acted to defend ourselves, 50 million people now live in
freedom. The world is seeing what's happening in Afghanistan. Despite
ongoing acts of violence, Iraq is moving toward free elections in
January. Iraq has a strong Prime Minister and a
National Council. We're standing with the people in those countries
because when America gives its word, America must keep its word.
And in standing with those people, we're making our country safer.
Free societies in the Middle East will be hopeful societies which no
longer feed resentments and breed violence for export. Free societies in
the Middle East will fight terrorists instead of harboring them, and
that makes us safer.
Our missions in Afghanistan and Iraq are clear. We will help the
Afghan people and the Iraqi people by training them, so they can fight
for their own freedom, so they can fight for the destiny of their
people. We'll help them get on the path to stability and democracy as
quickly as possible, and then our troops will come home with the honor
they have earned.
We've got a great United States military. I want to thank the
veterans who are here for having set such a great example for those who
wear the uniform. I want to thank the military families who are with us
here today. I made a commitment to our families and to our troops: They
will have the resources they need to complete their missions. That's why
I went to the Congress in September of 2003 and asked for $87 billion of
vital funding to support our troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq. We got
great support there in the Congress, strong bipartisan support. As a
matter of fact, only 12 United States Senators voted against the funding
for our troops, 2 of whom are my opponent and
his runningmate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. When you're out gathering up the vote, remind people
of this fact: Only four Members of the United States Senate voted to
authorize force and then voted against funding the troops--only four,
two of whom are my opponent and his
runningmate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. So they asked him why. And
he said, ``Well''--in the most famous quote of the 2004 election, one
that has befuddled millions of Americans, he said, ``I actually did vote
for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' They kept pressing
him, and he's given, I don't know, six or seven answers. But one of the
most interesting ones of all was he finally through
[[Page 2442]]
up his hands and said, ``It's just a complicated matter.'' [Laughter]
There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat.
On national security, my opponent has a
record of voting against the weapons systems that helped our country win
the cold war. Right after the bombing in 1993, he voted to cut America's
intelligence budget by $7.5 billion. And now he says he wants a ``global
test''----
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. ----before we take action to defend our security.
Think about that. The problem is that the Senator can never pass his own test. [Laughter] In 1990, the
United Nations Security Council passed a resolution supporting action to
remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. The
international community was united. Countries around the world joined
that coalition. Yet in the United States Senate, after the Security
Council resolution, Senator John Kerry voted no for the use of force.
See, I have a different view. We'll do everything we can to solve
problems before we commit our troops, and I'll continue to work with our
friends and allies. But I will never allow other nations to veto
America's national security decisions.
I believe in the transformational power of liberty. I like to share
with people some of my talks with Prime Minister Koizumi. He's the Prime Minister of Japan. I saw him in New
York. I said, ``You know, I'm going around America telling people that
you and I talk. Do you mind if I share some of our conversation?'' He
said, ``No.'' I didn't tell him I was going to tell you that Elvis is
his favorite singer--[laughter]--was his favorite singer--is his
favorite singer on CD. [Laughter]
The reason I bring him up is because
it wasn't all that long ago that we were fighting Japan. My dad fought there. I'm sure your dads and granddads,
probably somebody here was there himself. See, they were the enemy, the
sworn enemy. After we won World War II, though, Harry Truman believed in
the power of liberty to transform an enemy into an ally. That's what he
believed. A lot of people in this country doubted that, and you can
understand why. There was a lot of bitterness toward the Japanese. A lot
of people resented the fact that they were the enemy. But Harry Truman
and other Americans stayed with that concept.
And today, because they believed in the power of liberty, Japan is a
democracy, and I sit down at the table with Prime Minister
Koizumi talking about the big issues of
the day and talking about how to keep the peace we all want. Think about
that. Someday, if we're resolved and steadfast and strong, Iraq will
become a democracy. And someday, an American President will be sitting
down with a duly elected leader of Iraq talking about the peace we all
want. And our children and our grandchildren will grow up in a better
world for it.
I believe millions plead in silence for liberty in the Middle East.
I believe women in the Middle East want to grow up in a free society. I
know they want to raise their children, their sons and daughters, so
they can realize their dreams. I believe if given a chance, people in
that part of the world will embrace the most honorable form of
Government ever devised by man. I believe all 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.
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. I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers on September the 14th,
2001. It's a day I'll never forget. There were workers in hardhats
yelling at me at the top of their
[[Page 2443]]
lungs, ``Whatever it takes.'' I remember seeing a man who had been in
the rubble, looking for his buddy. He grabbed me by the arm, and he
said, ``Do not let me down.'' Ever since that day, I wake up trying to
do my best to protect this country. I will never relent in defending
America, whatever it takes.
Four years ago, as I traveled this great State asking for the vote,
I made a pledge that if you gave me a chance to serve, I would uphold
the dignity and the honor of the office to which I had been elected.
With your hard work, I will do so for 4 more years.
Thanks for coming. God bless. God bless America. Thank you all.
Note: The President spoke at 3:10 p.m. at Center City Park. In his
remarks, he referred to Prime Minister John Howard of Australia; Gov.
Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota; Senator Zell Miller of Georgia, who made the
keynote address at the 2004 Republican National Convention; Prime
Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi Interim Government; and Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. He also referred to the ``Comprehensive
Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq's WMD,'' issued
September 30.