    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [January 22, 2005]
    [Pages 71-72]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    January 22, 2005

        Good morning. My fellow Americans, earlier this week I had the honor
    of taking, for the second time, the oath of office as your President.
    The Inaugural ceremony is simple, yet its meaning is profound. Every 4
    years, the American people hold an Inauguration to reaffirm our faith in
    liberty and to celebrate the democratic institutions that preserve it.
    To place one's hand on the Bible and swear the oath is a humbling
    experience and a reminder of the high trust and great responsibility
    that the Presidency brings. With deep appreciation for your support and
    mindful of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, I'm eager to
    begin the work of a new term.
        In the years since I first swore to preserve, protect, and defend
    our Constitution, our Nation has been tested. Our enemies have found
    America more than equal to the task. In response to attacks on our home
    soil, we have captured or killed terrorists across the Earth. We have
    taken unprecedented steps to secure our homeland from future attacks,
    and our troops have liberated millions from oppression.
        At home, thanks to progrowth policies and the hard work of the
    American people, we overcame a recession and created over 2 million new
    jobs in the past year alone. Now we move forward. We remain in a war the
    United States will continue to lead, fighting terrorists abroad so we do
    not have to face them here at home. We will strive to keep the world's
    most dangerous weapons out of the hands of terrorists and tyrants. And
    our Nation will stand by the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq as they
    build free and democratic societies in their own lands because when
    America gives its word, America must keep its word.
        As I stated in my Inaugural Address, our security at home
    increasingly depends on the success of liberty abroad. So we will
    continue to promote freedom, hope, and democracy in the broader Middle
    East and, by doing so, defeat the despair, hopelessness, and resentments
    that feed terror.
        At home too we will expand freedom. We will continue to bring high
    standards and accountability to our public schools so that every child
    can learn. We will transform our retirement and health systems, reform
    the legal system, and simplify the Tax Code so that all Americans enjoy
    the dignity and independence that comes from ownership. In this
    ownership society, every citizen will have a real stake in the promise
    of America, and our most valued institutions will be better prepared to
    meet the new challenges of a new time.
        This week, Washington has been marked by pomp and circumstance. In a
    free nation, these ceremonies are more than pageantry. They underscore
    that public office is a public trust. America's elected leaders derive
    their authority from the consent of the American people, whom we serve.
    This is a high privilege, and that privilege carries a serious
    responsibility, to confront problems now instead of passing them on to
    future generations.
        As long as I hold this office, I promise that I will serve all
    Americans and will work to promote the unity of our great Nation. And
    working together, we will secure the blessings of liberty, not only for
    ourselves but for generations of Americans to come.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 8:30 a.m. on January 21 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 22. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    January 21 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office
    of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of
    this address.

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