[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
[November 1, 2004]
[Pages 2907-2912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 1, 2004
The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. Thank you
all for coming. I want to thank all the cheese heads who are here. It's
close to voting time, and I'm here to ask for your vote and your help.
Get your friends and neighbors to go to the polls tomorrow. Get our
fellow Republicans to go to the polls, wise independents, and discerning
Democrats. And when you get them headed to the polls, remind them that
if they want a safer America, a stronger America, and a better America,
to put me and Dick Cheney back in office.
Perhaps the most important reason to put me back in is so that
Laura will be First Lady for 4 more years. I am
sorry that she's not here today.
Audience members. Aw-w-w!
The President. That's generally the reaction. [Laughter] She's campaigning. You've come to know her like I know her.
She's warm. She's compassionate. She is a strong First Lady.
I'm proud of my runningmate, Dick Cheney. I
readily concede that he does not have the waviest hair in the race.
[Laughter] You'll be pleased I didn't pick him because of his hairdo.
[Laughter] I picked him because of his experience, his judgment, and
he's getting the job done for the American people.
I'm proud of my friend and your former Governor, Tommy
Thompson. He's done a great job. He's done
a fantastic job for the people. You trained him well. [Laughter] And I
want to thank Sue Ann Thompson for her
sacrifice and for letting--allowing Tommy to work so hard on behalf of
the people of the United States.
I want to thank Congressman Paul Ryan and
Janna; Congressman Jim
Sensenbrenner and
Cheryl; and Congressman Mark
Green for such a great job in the United States
Congress. I want to thank the statehouse people who are here. I want to
thank the local government people who are here. Old Scott W. is with us. At least that's what I call him. The
high sheriff is with us. Sheriff Clarke,
thanks for coming.
I've been most impressed during my travels throughout Wisconsin to
have met and talked with a man who will make a great United States
Senator, Tim Michels. I wish Jerry Boyle all the best in his run for the Fourth
Congressional District.
I want to thank Morgan Hamm for coming
today. I appreciate him being here. He's been a great Olympic champ from
the State of Wisconsin. I want to thank Keith Tozer and Tom Crean, great basketball
coaches here in Milwaukee. I want to thank Brooks
and Dunn for being here. I'm so honored they
traveled. I can't thank both of the guys enough--and their band. I also
want to thank our longtime friends the
Oak Ridge
Boys for being here. Thank you all.
I want to thank all the people who've worked so hard in this State
over the last year to get ready for tomorrow. I understand people have
been working hours, day after day. I want to thank you for making the
phone calls and putting up the signs and preparing these fantastic bus
trips we have taken all across your State. I want to thank you for what
you have done. I want to thank you for what you're going to do. You're
going to turn out a big vote, and we're going to carry Wisconsin.
Tomorrow the people of this good State go to the polls and vote, and
I'm excited about the election day. I'm optimistic about this country
and our future. I see a brighter day, a more hopeful America for every
citizen.
One of my favorite sayings is by a fellow Texan named Tom Lea. Here
is what he said. He said, ``Sarah and I live on the east side of the
mountain. It is the sunrise side, not the sunset side. It is the side
[[Page 2908]]
to see the day that is coming, not to see the day that is gone.'' During
this campaign, my opponent spent much of the
time talking about the day that is gone. I'm talking about the day
that's coming.
I see a great day coming for America, a day where prosperity reaches
every corner of our country, a day where every child is able to read and
write and add and subtract, a day in which this world of ours becomes
more peaceful for our children and our grandchildren. Tomorrow the
people of Wisconsin and America have a chance to bring that better day
by voting for strong, competent, and principled leadership. I'm here
asking for your vote.
The American President must lead with clarity and purpose. The role
of the President is not to follow the path of the latest poll. The role
of a President is to lead based on principle and conviction and
conscience.
During these 4 years, I've learned that whatever your strengths are,
you are going to need them; whatever your shortcomings are, the people
will notice them. [Laughter] Sometimes I'm a little too blunt. I get
that from my mother. [Laughter] Sometimes I
mangle the English language. I get that from my father. [Laughter] But at all times, whether you agree with me
or not, you know where I stand, what I believe, and where I'm going to
lead this country.
This election comes down to five clear choices for our families. The
first clear choice concerns your family's budget. When I ran for
President 4 years ago, I pledged to lower taxes for America's families.
I kept my word. We doubled the child credit to help moms and dads. We
reduced the marriage penalty. We believe the Tax Code ought to
encourage, not penalize, marriage. We reduced taxes on everybody who
pays taxes.
And the result of our good policies is clear to all. Our economy is
growing at rates as fast as any in nearly 20 years. We've added 1.9
million jobs in the last 13 months. The farmers of Wisconsin--the farm
income in Wisconsin is up. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in
America. The small-business sector is alive and well. The homeownership
rate is at an alltime high, and more minority families own a home today
than ever before in our Nation's history. The national unemployment rate
is 5.4 percent. Let me put that in perspective for you: That's lower
than the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. The
unemployment rate in the great State of Wisconsin is 5 percent. This
economy of ours is strong, and it is getting stronger.
And I have a message for the people of Wisconsin: To keep your
economy growing, we will keep your taxes low. We will make sure the
small-business sector remains vibrant, and we will make sure Wisconsin
farmers continue to make a good living.
My opponent has got an economic plan as
well.
Audience member. Tax everything! [Laughter]
The President. Let me remind you of his record. He voted 98 times to increase taxes. That's in 20 years in
the Senate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. That's five times a year. You might say it's a
predictable pattern--[laughter]--a leading indicator. [Laughter] In this
campaign, the Senator has pledged to raise
taxes on the top two brackets. When you hear a politician say he's going
to raise taxes, that's generally a promise they keep. [Laughter] He's
proposing $2.2 trillion in new Federal spending. That's trillion with a
``T.''
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. That is a lot. That's a lot even for a Senator from
Massachusetts. And yet, by raising the top two brackets, he falls short of the 2.2 trillion. As a matter of fact,
there is a significant tax gap. Given his record, guess who he's going
to call upon to fill the tax gap? The middle class of our country. We're
not going to let him tax you; we're going to carry Wisconsin tomorrow
and win a victory on Tuesday.
[[Page 2909]]
The second clear choice in this election involves the quality of
life for our Nation's families. I believe every child can learn, and I
expect every school to teach. When I ran for President, I promised to
challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations by reforming our schools.
I kept my word. We passed education reforms to bring high standards to
our classrooms. Math and reading scores are on the rise. We're closing
the achievement gap by helping minority students. My vision for a new
term is to build on these reforms and extend them to our high schools so
that no child is left behind in America.
We will continue to improve life for our families by making health
care more affordable and available. We'll expand health savings
accounts. We'll allow small businesses to join together and buy
insurance at the same discounts that big companies are able to do. We
will help our families who need help. But we will also do something
about the frivolous lawsuits that are running up the cost of your health
care and running good doctors out of practice.
We have a difference of opinion on this big issue. My
opponent has voted against medical liability
reform not 1 time, not 2 times, but 10 times as a Member of the United
States Senate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. And he put a personal-
injury trial lawyer on the ticket.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I'm standing with Wisconsin's docs. I'm standing with
Wisconsin's patients. I am standing with Wisconsin's families. I am for
real medical liability reform--now. In all we do to improve health care,
we will make sure the decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by
officials in Washington, DC.
My opponent has got a different approach.
You might remember in one of the debates when they asked him about his
health care plan, he looked square in the camera and said, ``The
Government doesn't have anything to do with it.'' [Laughter] I could
barely contain myself. [Laughter] The Government has got a lot to do
with it. Eighty percent of the people will end up on a Government plan
under his vision. Federalizing health care for America's families is the
wrong prescription.
The third clear choice in this election involves your retirement.
Our Nation has made a solemn commitment to America's seniors on Social
Security and Medicare. When I ran for President 4 years ago, I promised
to keep that commitment and improve Medicare by adding prescription drug
coverage. I worked with Tommy Thompson. We
got the job done, and I kept my word. Seniors are getting discounts on
medicine with drug discount cards. And beginning in 2006, all seniors
will be able to get prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
My opponent has a record. He voted against
the Medicare bill that included prescription drug coverage for our
seniors. He's also trying to scare seniors about their Social Security.
But he forgets to mention that he has voted eight times to raise taxes
on Social Security benefits.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. He can run from his record,
but he cannot hide.
I've kept the promise of Social Security for our seniors, and I will
always keep the promise of Social Security for our seniors. And the
Social Security trust is in pretty good shape for baby boomers like me
and some others out there I see. [Laughter]
But we need to worry about our children and grandchildren when it
comes to Social Security. The job of the President is to confront
problems, not to pass them on to future generations and future
Presidents. I believe younger workers ought to be allowed to take some
of their payroll taxes and set it aside in a personal savings account,
an account they call their own.
The fourth clear choice in this election is on the values that are
crucial to keeping our families strong. I stand for marriage and family,
which are the foundations of
[[Page 2910]]
our society. I stand for a culture of life in which every person matters
and every being counts. I proudly signed the ban on partial-birth
abortion. I stand for the appointment of Federal judges who know the
difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the
law.
On these issues my opponent and I are
miles apart. He voted against the ban on partial-birth abortion.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. He voted against the
Defense of Marriage Act, even though most Democrats supported it. There
is a mainstream in American politics, and John Kerry sits on the far
left bank. He can run from his liberal philosophy, but he cannot hide.
The final choice in this election is the most important one of all
because it concerns the security of your family. All progress on every
other issue depends on the safety of our citizens. The most solemn duty
of the American President is to protect the American people. If this
country shows uncertainty or weakness during these troubling times, this
world of ours will drift toward tragedy. This is not going to happen on
my watch.
Our strategy to protect America is clear. We strengthened
protections for the homeland. We are reforming and strengthening our
intelligence capabilities. We are transforming the All-Volunteer Army.
There will be no draft. We are relentless. We are determined. We are
staying on the offensive. We are fighting the terrorists abroad so we do
not have to face them here at home.
We are succeeding. Afghanistan is free and an ally in the war on
terror. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are making arrests and capturing
terrorist leaders. Libya is dismantling its weapons programs. The army
of a free Iraq is beginning to defend its freedom. Al Qaida no longer
controls Afghanistan. We have shut down its camps there. We are
systematically destroying the Al Qaida network.
Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
The President. I am proud to be the Commander in Chief of such a
great United States military. And we have a great military because of
the character of the men and women who wear our Nation's uniform. I want
to thank the military families who are here for your sacrifice and your
courage. I want to thank the veterans who are here for having set such a
great example for those who wear the uniform. And I want to assure our
troops and our families that their loved ones will have all they need to
complete their missions.
That's why I went to the United States Congress and asked for $87
billion of supplemental funding. This was necessary. This was important
funding to support our troops. My opponent
said that it would be irresponsible to vote against funding for our
troops--until his poll numbers began to go down, and then he voted
against funding for our troops.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. And then he entered the
flip-flop hall of fame. And as he entered, he said this famous quote:
``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.''
He has has a lot of explanations about that vote since then, but I think
the most revealing is this. He said, ``The whole matter was a
complicated matter.'' My fellow Americans, there is nothing complicated
about supporting our troops in combat.
The problems with Senator Kerry's record
on national security are deeper than election-year reversals. For 20
years, on the largest national security issues of our time, he has been
consistently wrong. During the cold war, Senator Kerry voted against
critical weapons systems and opposed President Ronald Reagan's policy of
peace through strength. History has shown that Senator Kerry was wrong
and President Ronald Reagan was right.
When former President Bush assembled an
international coalition to drive Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, Senator Kerry
voted against the use of force to liberate Kuwait.
[[Page 2911]]
History has shown that Senator Kerry was wrong and former President Bush
was right.
Only a year after the first bombing of the World Trade Center, the
Senator proposed massive cuts in America's
intelligence, so extreme that even his colleague from Massachusetts, Ted
Kennedy, opposed them. History has shown
that Senator Kerry was wrong--and we must be fair--Senator Kennedy was
right. [Laughter]
We have a clear difference of opinion on how to best defend
America's families. My opponent has said that
America must submit to a ``global test'' before we commit force.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I'm not making that up. [Laughter] He was standing right about there when he said it. [Laughter]
As far as I can tell, that means that America must get permission from
foreign capitals. I will work on alliances. I will continue to
strengthen our friendships around the world. But I will never, 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. We have a difference of opinion about the world in
which we live. The Senator said that September
the 11th did not change him much at all. September the 11th changed me.
It changed my outlook about how--what we needed to do to defend this
country. September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin
Towers. I'll never forget the sights and sounds of that day. I will
never forget the workers in the hardhats yelling at me at the top of
their lungs, ``Whatever it takes.'' I remember the man who grabbed me by
the arm, and he looked me in the eye, and he said, ``Do not let me
down.'' From that day forward, I've gotten up every morning thinking
about how to better protect America. I will never relent in defending
this country, whatever it takes.
Over the next 4 years, we'll use every asset at our disposal to
protect you. Perhaps the most powerful asset we have is freedom. I
believe in the power of liberty to transform societies. I know that free
nations do not breed resentments and export terror. Free nations become
allies in the war on terror. Free nations will help us keep the peace we
want for our children and our grandchildren.
I want you all to think, particularly the young here, to think about
what has taken place in a brief period of time. In Afghanistan, young
girls couldn't go to school, and their mothers were taken to the public
squares and whipped and sometimes shot in a sports stadium, because of
the ideology of hate of the Taliban. But because we acted to defend
ourselves, because we acted to uphold a doctrine, which said, ``If you
harbor a terrorists, you're equally as guilty as the terrorist,''
millions of people voted in a Presidential election in Afghanistan. And
the first voter was a 19-year old woman.
Freedom is powerful, and freedom can be threatening to the
terrorists. And that's why Iraq is so dangerous. But we're headed toward
free elections there. Think how far that society has come from the days
of torture chambers and mass graves. See, I believe everybody deserves
and wants to be free. I believe deep in everybody's soul is the desire
to live in freedom. I believe moms and dads across this world want to
raise their children in a free society. I believe this because I
understand freedom is not America's gift to the world; I believe this
because I know that freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and
woman in this world.
My fellow citizens, these are historic times, and a lot is at stake
in this election. The future safety and prosperity of America are on the
ballot. Ultimately, this election comes down to, who do you trust? Who
do you trust to defend the country?
Audience members. You!
[[Page 2912]]
The President. Who do you trust to extend prosperity?
If you believe that taxes should stay low so families can pay their
bills and small businesses can create new jobs, I ask you to come stand
with me.
If you believe in high standards for our public schools, I ask you
to come stand with me.
If you believe that patients and doctors should be in charge of
health care, I ask you to come stand with me.
If you believe this Nation must honor the commitments of Medicare
and strengthen Social Security for generations to come, I ask you to
come stand with me.
If you believe this Nation should honor marriage and family and make
a place for the weak and the vulnerable, I ask you to come stand with
me.
If you believe America should fight the war on terror with all our
might and lead with unwavering confidence in our ideals, I ask you to
come stand with me.
If you are a Democrat who believes your party has turned too far to
the left this year, I ask you to come stand with me.
If you are a minority citizen and you believe in free enterprise and
good schools and the enduring values of family and faith, and if you're
tired of your vote being taken for granted, I ask you to come stand with
me.
And if you are a voter who believes that the President of the United
States should say what he means and do what he says and keep his word, I
ask you to come stand with me.
Four years ago, when I traveled your great State asking for the
vote, I made this pledge, that if elected, I would uphold the honor and
the dignity of the office. With your help, with your hard work, I will
do so for 4 more years.
Thanks for coming. God bless. Thank you all.
Note: The President spoke at 11:38 a.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena. In
his remarks, he referred to Sue Ann Thompson, wife of Health and Human
Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson; Milwaukee County Executive Scott
K. Walker; Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr.; Morgan Hamm,
2004 Olympic gold medalist, men's gymnastics; Keith Tozer, vice
president of soccer operations and head coach, Major Indoor Soccer
League Milwaukee Wave; Tom Crean, head coach, Marquette University men's
basketball team; entertainers Brooks & Dunn and the Oak Ridge Boys; and
former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.