[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 16 (Monday, April 22, 2002)]
[Pages 632-637]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Fundraiser for Senatorial Candidate Greg Ganske in Cedar 
Rapids

April 15, 2002

    Thank you all very much. Thank you all. Please be seated. Well, 
Greg, thank you very much for that warm introduction. I want to thank 
you all for the warm welcome. I'm here because I want Greg Ganske to 
become the next United States Senator from Iowa.
    I'll never forget that I ended up where I am because of the good 
folks in Iowa. It all started here. And I want to thank many of you 
who--I want to thank you all so very much for making this, Greg tells 
me, the largest fundraiser in Iowa history. I want to thank you all very 
much for supporting Laura and me. I want to thank those of you involved 
in the grassroots politics in Iowa for all your hard work, for the 
phones you dial and for the envelopes that you stuff. I want to thank

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you all for working hard to make our country as great a country as it 
can possibly be.
    It is an honor to be back in Iowa. I'm only sorry that First Lady 
Laura Bush didn't come with me. Like Ganske, we both married above 
ourselves. [Laughter] I appreciate Corrine Ganske. I appreciate her 
patience. I appreciate her willingness to work with Greg to ensure that 
he becomes the next United States Senator from Iowa. I was most 
impressed that Ganske's mother-in-law came. [Laughter] That's a good 
sign. [Laughter]
    I want you to know that I am incredibly proud of Laura, just as 
proud of Laura as Greg is of Corrine. She has brought a lot of calm and 
steadiness to our country. You know, when I asked her to marry me, she 
was a public school librarian. She didn't particularly care for 
politics. She wasn't all that thrilled to be around politicians. But 
people in America are now beginning to realize why I asked her to marry 
me. A lot of folks are still somewhat concerned as to why she said yes. 
[Laughter] But I want you to know that she is doing a fabulous job, and 
I'm really proud of her.
    I want to thank Greg's colleague Jim Leach for being here tonight. 
Jim Leach is one of the true class acts of the United States Congress. 
He still reminds me that he was a fine wrestler in high school and 
college but not nearly as good as Dan Gable, and I want to thank Dan 
Gable for being here as well tonight, too. I know Greg is proud to call 
you friend and supporter, and I know Iowa is proud to call you son. And 
they're also proud of Cael Sanderson and his incredible accomplishments 
as one of the finest college athletes ever. Cael, thank you for being 
here tonight as well.
    I know that two former Governors are here, friends of mine, people 
who distinguished themselves when they held the high honor of being 
Governor of Iowa, and that's Terry Branstad and Bob Ray. I want to thank 
you all for coming.
    I know that Ron Corbett is here, and I appreciate Ron helping Greg, 
and I appreciate him being the president of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of 
Commerce. And Chuck Larson, the chairman of the Republican Party, he's 
doing a fantastic job on behalf of the Republicans in Iowa.
    But most of all, I want to thank Greg for his willingness to run for 
the Senate. You know, Washington, DC, needs people like Greg who care 
more about getting things done than trying to be as shrill as they 
possibly can be. Washington, DC, needs people of accomplishment, people 
who are not interested in needless partisan fighting but who put 
America--and Iowa, in this case--foremost in their agenda. And that is 
Greg Ganske.
    I was here today at General Mills, and I want to thank that fine 
company for their hospitality and remind people that April 15th, today, 
can actually be called tax relief day. [Laughter] I came to Iowa, and I 
laid out a tax relief plan in Des Moines, Iowa--it's the first place 
that I talked about it. And I said, ``If you give me a chance to be the 
President, I look forward to taking your message to Washington, DC.'' 
And that is, first of all, that the money we're dealing with is not the 
Government's money; it's the people's money.
    I said as plainly as I could, ``If you give me a chance to be the 
President, I'm going to work with whoever will listen, to make sure 
people have got plenty of money, their own money in their pockets, so 
they get to make the decisions as what to do with their own money.'' And 
thanks to people like Greg Ganske, we delivered on that promise. Tax 
relief was incredibly important not only to working families in America; 
tax relief came at the right time. Our economy was beginning to grind 
down. Our economy was slowing down too much.
    And people in Washington, people like Ganske and Leach and others, 
understand that when you let people keep their own money, they will 
spend. And when they spend on goods and services, somebody is going to 
produce those goods and services. And when somebody produces those goods 
and services, it means jobs for the working people. Thank goodness we 
cut the taxes on the American people when we did.
    And part of that tax relief not only deals with the marriage 
penalty--because Greg and I and others, believe we ought to promote 
families and promote marriage--part

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of it recognizes the--many in Iowa are struggling to raise children. 
Single moms is--the toughest job in our country is being a single mom. 
And we increased the child credit.
    But the other thing we did which was important for Iowa is that we 
put the death tax on its way to extinction. It is important for Iowa 
farmers--repealing that death tax is important for people who own the 
land. It makes no sense to have a Tax Code that taxes people's assets 
twice.
    Now, what's curious about how the United States Senate works is that 
the repeal of the death tax is not permanent. In 2011, it can come back 
to haunt small-business owners and farmers and ranchers and people who 
work all their life to leave their assets to their children. And what we 
need is to make all tax relief permanent, and Greg Ganske is willing to 
make that tough vote, and I appreciate that very much.
    There's a practical reason to elect Ganske, because he's going to be 
part of the change of leadership in the United States Senate. And when 
we change the leadership in the United States Senate, thanks to his 
election, Senator Chuck Grassley will become chairman of the Finance 
Committee, and that's going to be good for Iowa. And that's not only 
good for Iowa, that's good for America. I appreciate Chuck. I appreciate 
his hard work. He, like Greg, is a fine, solid--solid--citizen who 
represents your State with a lot of class and a lot of distinction in 
Washington, DC. We need a majority because I want my judges to be given 
a fair hearing.
    I want to tell you I appreciate Greg's understanding of the 
importance of trade. Jim Leach reminded me that here in Cedar Rapids--
this is a town that relies upon trade--more dollars per capita generated 
through trade than almost any other city in the United States. Of any 
city in the Nation that understands the importance of trade, it's right 
here.
    And the President needs what's called trade promotion authority. I 
need the ability to negotiate trade agreements all around the world. 
There are some in Washington, DC, who want to build walls and protection 
around America, but a confident nation is one that tears those walls 
down. We are the best farmers in the world, and we ought to be selling 
Iowa products all across the world.
    I appreciate very much Greg's understanding of the need for a 
comprehensive energy policy. I submitted a plan to the House that Greg 
sponsored and supported, that is a balanced plan. It says on the one 
hand we've got to do a better job of conserving energy in America, and 
we've got to use our technologies to lead the way to not only cleaner 
air but to better conservation. I believe that one of these days we're 
going to have brand new types of cars that are going to make us less 
dependent on foreign sources of crude oil, and we'll be more better at 
cleaning our air. And that's coming down the road. And part of the bill 
that we worked together on has got those incentives for technological 
development, and it's going to happen. It's going to happen in our 
lifetime.
    But I want you to know that in the meantime, for the sake of 
economic security and for the sake of national security, we need to be 
finding more energy at home. We import more than 50 percent of our 
energy from around the world. And some of those countries from which we 
import, they don't like America. And I don't like to be in a position of 
having to rely upon energy from countries that don't like us.
    I've heard the rhetoric like you. I just want you to know, I've got 
all the confidence in the world that we'll be able to explore at home 
and protect the environment. Technology has developed so that we can 
have a exploration program that doesn't permanently scar the 
environment, that understands the importance of environmental policy. 
And as we're working on sound, comprehensive energy policy, we must also 
work on renewables--renewables such as ethanol.
    All of these elements are a part of an energy bill that Greg helped 
get out of the House, that is stalled in the United States Senate. I 
repeat: For the sake of economic security of those who work for a living 
and for the sake of national security, we need Senators in Washington, 
DC, who will promote and work for sound energy policy. It's good for the 
country.
    I appreciate Greg's big heart. He's a fellow who's always served his 
fellow citizen. He's used his God-given talents as a surgeon to

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help those in need, and that's important, to have people with big hearts 
in Washington, DC. I appreciate his deep concern about the Medicare 
funding formulas that so affect rural Iowa. He gave me an earful on Air 
Force One, I want you to know. [Laughter] I appreciate so very much his 
concern about the doctor-patient relationship and making sure that's 
intact.
    But most of all, the thing I appreciate him is, he's a good thinker 
and a hard worker who cares deeply about the citizens of this State. 
Greg Ganske is going to make a United--a fine United States Senator, and 
there's no doubt in my mind he's going to win next November. And I look 
forward to working with him in the Senate on a lot of issues other than 
those I've discussed.
    I want to talk about three issues facing America. First, our 
homeland security. My most important job is to make sure the enemy 
doesn't hit us again. My most important job is to protect innocent 
Americans.
    You need to know that the nature of the people we're dealing with, 
they're coldblooded killers. They hate us, and you know why they hate 
us? They hate us because we love freedom. They hate us because we love 
the fact and honor the fact that we worship freely in America. They 
can't stand the thought of free elections, free press. And they're out 
there.
    But I also want you to know, we're doing everything in our power to 
protect the homeland. We've got a homeland security strategy that is 
preparing our noble and brave first-responders, should something 
happen--that would be the police and the fire and the EMS folks. We've 
got an initiative on bioterrorism that's smart and wise. We're 
increasing our security at our borders. We want an INS--that's the folks 
who're supposed to know who's coming in and coming out--to be modern. We 
want to know who's coming in our country and why they're coming in and 
if they're leaving when they're supposed to be leaving.
    And I also want to assure you that any time we get any lead, any 
hint that somebody might try to do something to an American citizen or 
an American city, we're responding. We're chasing down every single lead 
there is. We're on alert. Our law enforcement officials are 
communicating much better than ever before.
    But the best way to secure the homeland is to run down the killers, 
one by one, and bring them to justice, and that's exactly what we're 
going to do. History has called us into action. And we're not going to 
tire, because when it comes to the defense of our freedoms, when it 
comes to civilization itself, this Nation is going to stand tall.
    You know, I can't imagine what was going through the minds of the Al 
Qaida killers. I guess they just thought they were going to hit us, and 
because we were so materialistic, in their minds, so self-absorbed, so 
incredibly selfish, that all we were going to do was file a lawsuit. 
[Laughter] They were wrong. Any time anybody--any time it comes to 
defending that which we hold dear, this Nation will be strong and 
resolute and determined.
    I'm sure you've read about the budget priorities that I--the budget 
I submitted, with its priorities. And by far the biggest priority is a 
increase in the spending for our national security and the defense 
budget. And I want to explain why.
    First, any time we commit a troop into action, that person must have 
the best equipment, the best training, the best possible--the best pay 
possible. You see, I've heard the debates in Washington about how high 
the budget is. The price of freedom is high, but as far as I'm 
concerned, it's never too high.
    I've also submitted a budget that's increased because we're in this 
thing for the long haul. There is no calendar on my desk that says, by 
such and such a date we're going to quit. I don't feel any constraints 
of time. I'm a patient man. And fortunately, so is the United States of 
America, much to the chagrin of our enemy.
    Our first task was to uphold the doctrine that said, ``If you harbor 
a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorists.'' And the Taliban 
understood--understands now exactly what the United States of America 
meant.
    But I want to assure you that this great Nation does not seek 
revenge. We seek justice. We don't have revenge in our heart. We're 
going to defend freedom by holding people accountable. The Taliban, the 
hosts

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to the parasites, was one of the most backward and barbaric governments 
that modern man has ever seen. And thanks to a vast coalition and the 
United States military, we routed them out.
    And as a result, we were liberators of a country. It's so important 
for you all to remind the young, your children or your neighbors, that 
this great, mighty Nation freed people. We gave people a chance--young 
girls a chance to go to school for the first time in their life. Not 
only are we protecting the homeland, we're also protecting the human 
dignity of people around the world.
    There's a lot of work to be done. Afghanistan is still a dangerous 
place. A couple of weeks ago they bunched up, and we got them. I don't 
know if they're going to bunch up again. [Laughter] But if they do, 
we're going to rout them out. We denied sanctuary for them. We've ruined 
their training bases. We're disrupting their finances. We got them on 
the run. We're treating them exactly the way they are, international 
criminals. And the only way to treat an international criminal is to 
hunt them down and bring them to justice. For the good of the world, 
this country is going to do exactly that.
    And I meant what I said when I talked about making sure that our 
Nation or our friends are never threatened or blackmailed by some of the 
world's worst leaders, harboring and developing the world's worst 
weapons. We cannot allow nations that--run by people who have gassed 
their own citizens, nations who want to destroy our friends and allies, 
nations who hate America, to develop and deploy weapons of mass 
destruction. You need to know I'm patient. I'll consult with our allies 
and friends. I'm steady when it comes to the mission, but they're not 
going to get away with it. For the good of our future, they're not going 
to get away with it.
    And so our Nation has got to keep its resolution. But that's easy, 
because this is such a fabulous land. We know what's at stake. I want 
you to know that out of this evil is going to come some good, and I 
firmly believe that. If we remain steadfast and strong and determined to 
rout out terror, we can achieve peace in the world. That's my dream, and 
that's my hope. Oh, I know talking about military budgets and getting 
them and all that stuff is part of my--the way I talk. But you just need 
to know, in my heart is the drive and desire to achieve lasting peace.
    And we're willing to work for peace in regions of the world where 
some may say peace never has a chance. I am very proud of the hard work 
and the diligent effort of Secretary of State Colin Powell, working to 
lay the foundations for peace in the Middle East.
    And I also believe that out of this evil will come incredible good 
at home. People say, they say, ``Well, gosh, I want to try to contribute 
in the war against terror.'' And there's an easy way to do that: It's to 
love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. If you want 
to fight evil, do some good: Mentor a child; start a program in your 
church or your synagogue or a mosque that feeds the hungry; understand 
that in our Nation there are pockets of hopelessness and despair, but 
those pockets of hopelessness and despair can be changed as a result of 
loving Americans working hard to save our country one heart and one 
soul, one conscience at a time.
    No, the enemy hit us, but they have given us a good chance to work 
for peace and to show the world the true compassion of America. If 
there's a young one out there looking for something to do, we've got 
what's called the USA Freedom Corps. Go to the Peace Corps and help 
spread American values. Become a teacher and teach a child not only how 
to read and write and add and subtract, but teach them the important 
values that make our country unique.
    I always have said that I believe our Nation can work together to 
change a culture which has said, ``If it feels, just go ahead and do 
it,'' and, ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody else.'' I believe--
I believe we're in the process of ushering in a new type of culture, one 
which says, we're all responsible for the decisions we make in life; 
that if you're a mom or dad--that if you happen to be fortunate enough 
to be a mother or a father, it's your responsibility to love that child 
with all your heart and all your soul; if you're fortunate enough to be 
an American--responsibility to love your neighbor; that if you run in--
if you're in corporate America, you have a responsibility to your

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workers and your shareholders to fully disclose assets and liabilities.
    And this great country is responding. The gathering momentum of 
millions of acts of kindness truly defines our Nation. The notion of 
sacrificing for something greater than yourself has become a part of our 
national conscience. Sacrifice, again I repeat, is to help somebody in 
need.
    That sacrifice came very clear to me and Americans on Flight 93, 
when people, passengers, people going to work or wherever they were 
going to, were on cell phones and realized America was under attack and 
realized the plane they were on was going to be used as a weapon. And 
they told their loved ones they loved them, said a prayer, and 
sacrificed their lives so others could live.
    To me, that defines the American spirit and what is possible, in all 
kinds of ways, across the country. The evil ones hit us, but this great 
Nation is not going to allow the evil ones to have its day. This great 
Nation will rise up, with its goodness and kindness and compassion, and 
show the world not only our strength, not only our determination, but 
show the world we understand the true meaning of love.
    I want to thank you all for coming tonight. It is my honor--it is my 
incredible honor to be the President of the greatest Nation on the face 
of the Earth. May God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 5:23 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center. In 
his remarks, he referred to Dan Gable, former head coach, men's 
wrestling, University of Iowa; and Cael Sanderson, wrestler, Iowa State 
University.