[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[September 2, 2008]
[Pages 1170-1171]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Satellite Remarks to the Republican National Convention
September 2, 2008

    Thank you, Laura, and good evening. As you 
know, my duties have me here in Washington tonight to oversee the 
Federal Government's efforts to help citizens recover from Hurricane 
Gustav. We are thankful that the damage in New Orleans and across the 
Gulf Coast was less than many had feared.
    I commend the Governors of Alabama, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas for their 
sure-handed response and seamless coordination with the Federal 
Government. I thank all the wonderful volunteers who stepped forward to 
help their brothers and sisters in need. We know that there is still 
risk even after the storm has passed, so I ask citizens across the 
region to listen closely to local officials and follow their 
instructions before returning to their homes. All of us are keeping the 
people of the Gulf Coast in our thoughts and our prayers.
    As you gather tonight in St. Paul, I want to share some thoughts 
about our nominee, a great American, and the next President of the 
United States, John McCain.
    Before I do so, I want to say hello to two 
people in the hall with you tonight. I 
could have no finer examples of character, decency, and integrity than 
my mom and dad. And I love you a lot.
    I know what it takes to be President. In these past 8 years, I've 
sat at the Resolute desk and reviewed the daily intelligence briefings, 
the threat assessments, and the reports from our commanders on the 
frontlines. I've stood in the ruins of buildings knocked down by killers 
and promised the survivors I would never let them down. I know the hard 
choices that fall solely to a President. John McCain's life has prepared him to make those choices. He is ready 
to lead this Nation.
    From the day of his commissioning, John McCain was a respected naval officer who made decisions on 
which the lives of others depended. As an elected public servant, he 
earned the respect of colleagues in both parties as a man to follow when 
there's a tough call to make.
    John McCain's life is a story of service 
above self. Forty years ago, in an enemy prison camp, Lieutenant 
Commander McCain was offered release ahead of others who had been held 
longer. His wounds were so severe that anyone would have understood if 
he'd accepted; John refused. For that selfless decision, he suffered 
nearly 5 more years of beatings and isolation. When he was released, his 
arms had been broken, but not his honor.
    Fellow citizens, if the Hanoi Hilton could not break John 
McCain's resolve to do what is best for his 
country, you can be sure the angry left never will.
    As the father 
of seven sons and daughters, John has the heart of a 
protector. He and his wonderful wife 
Cindy are adoptive parents. John is a leader know--who knows that human 
life is fragile, that human life is precious, that human life must be 
defended.
    We have seen John McCain's commitment to 
principle in our Nation's Capital. John is a steadfast opponent of 
wasteful spending. As President, he will stand up to the high-tax crowd 
in Congress and make the tax relief permanent. He will invest in the 
energy technologies of tomorrow and lift the ban on drilling for 
America's offshore oil today.
    John is an independent man who thinks for 
himself. He's not afraid to tell you when he disagrees. Believe me, I 
know. [Laughter] No matter what the issue, this man is honest and speaks 
straight from the heart.
    Last year, John McCain's independence and 
character helped change history. The Democrats had taken control of 
Congress and were threatening to cut off funds for

[[Page 1171]]

our troops. In the face of calls for retreat, I ordered a surge of 
forces into Iraq. Many in Congress said it had no chance of working. Yet 
one Senator above all had faith in our troops and the importance of 
their mission, and that was John McCain. Some told him that his early 
and consistent call for more troops would put his Presidential campaign 
at risk. He told them he would rather lose an election than see his 
country lose a war. That is the kind of courage and vision we need in 
our next Commander in Chief.
    My fellow citizens, we live in a dangerous world, and we need a 
President who understands the lessons of September the 11th, 2001: that 
to protect America, we must stay on the offense, stop attacks before 
they happen, and not wait to be hit again. The man we need is John 
McCain.
    When he takes office next January, John will 
have an outstanding leader at his side. America will have a strong and 
principled Vice President in the Governor of the great State of Alaska, 
Sarah Palin.
    In the time the Oval Office has been in my trust, I've kept near my 
desk reminders of America's character, including a painting of a west 
Texas mountain lit by the morning sun. It reminds me that Americans have 
always lived on the sunrise side of the mountain. We are a nation that 
looks to the new day with confidence and optimism. And I'm optimistic 
about our future because I believe in the goodness and wisdom of the 
American people. I am optimistic because I have faith in freedom's power 
to lift up all of God's children and lead this world to a future of 
peace.
    And I'm optimistic about something else: When the debates have ended 
and all the ads have run and it is time to vote, Americans will look 
closely at the judgment, the experience, and the policies of the 
candidates, and they will cast their ballots for the McCain-Palin ticket.
    While I am not with you in the Twin Cities on this wonderful night 
for our party, with Laura Bush speaking, you have 
clearly traded up. [Laughter] I am so proud the American people have 
come to know her gracious presence, her determined spirit, and her 
loving heart. Laura has been a fantastic First Lady.
    Thank you, Laura. And thanks to all of you in 
the hall tonight. God bless you, and God bless America.

Note: The President spoke by satellite at 9:54 p.m. from the Cross Hall 
at the White House to convention participants in St. Paul, MN. In his 
remarks, he referred to Gov. Robert R. Riley of Alabama; Gov. Piyush 
``Bobby'' Jindal of Louisiana; Gov. Haley R. Barbour of Mississippi; and 
Gov. J. Richard Perry of Texas. The Office of the Press Secretary also 
released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.