[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 18 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Pages 711-715]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Dinner for Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon in Los 
Angeles

 April 29, 2002

    Thank you all very much. It is a high honor to be back in the great 
State of California. I am honored to be speaking in front of so many 
folks who are here for a common purpose, and that is to see to it that 
this good man, Bill Simon, becomes the next Governor of the State of 
California.
    I want to thank Bill and Cindy. Flying in on Air Force One today, we 
had a good chance to visit, to talk about our families, to talk about 
our shared values. And after our conversation, it was quite clear to me 
that both he and I married above ourselves. [Laughter] I want to thank 
Cindy Simon for her willingness to join Bill in this fantastic journey 
to become the State's next Governor. It takes a very strong wife and a 
good partner to be willing to make this sacrifice.
    I know firsthand, because I've got a great wife. The country is 
beginning to see why

[[Page 712]]

I asked Laura to marry me. She's calm, and she's steady; she's strong. A 
lot of people are still wondering why she said yes. [Laughter] But I'm 
sorry she's not with us tonight. She's back in Washington, DC. But I am 
really proud of the First Lady of the United States.
    I want to thank members of the congressional delegation who are 
here, Congressmen Rohrabacher, Issa, and Miller. I want to thank them 
for their friendship, and I want to thank them for joining in helping 
pass an agenda that is positive for all Americans. I want to thank Bill 
Jones--California's secretary of state is here as well. I'm not sure if 
Bruce McPherson's here, the Lieutenant Governor candidate, but he's a 
fine guy. And I want to thank all the State and local officials who are 
here as well.
    And I want to thank you all for supporting this good man. I want to 
thank you for the friendship you've given him, for the contributions you 
make, and for your willingness to do more than just contribute, the 
willingness to go out and talk him up and to tell your friends and 
neighbors. As we say in Texas, it's coffeeshop chatter that helps 
somebody get elected.
    I want to thank all of you who are here who are involved in 
grassroots politics in California. I want to thank you for your making 
the phone calls, for licking the envelopes, for doing all the hard work 
necessary to see to it that candidates can win elections.
    This is a good man I'm campaigning for and a good man you're 
supporting. He's a fellow who's got his values straight. He's an 
entrepreneur with a generous heart. He loves his family, and he loves 
his country.
    I've been reading about what some of the comments have been here in 
California. Some of the Democrats are saying, ``This is a fellow who's 
never held elective office. Heck, all he's been is a successful 
businessman. [Laughter] What can he possibly know about running any 
organization?'' [Laughter] Sounds familiar. Sounds like Ann Richards is 
advising the Davis campaign. [Laughter]
    In 1994, the people of Texas voted for a positive vision for a great 
and diverse State. And that is exactly what's going to happen in the 
great State of California this November. This great and diverse State is 
going to vote for a breath of fresh air, a positive vision. This State 
will reject old-style politics and elect as its Governor a man who is 
willing to lead, a man who doesn't need a poll or a focus group to tell 
him what to think, a man who will stand on principle, and a man who has 
got the courage to do what is right for the people of the State of 
California.
    I appreciate so very much Bill's emphasis on education. As he 
mentioned, we just passed historic reform in Washington, DC. Let me tell 
you what the bill says. It says we believe every child can learn in 
America, and therefore, we expect high standards for every single child. 
The bill says that we trust the local people to make the right decisions 
for the children of California or Texas or any other State in the Union. 
The bill says that when we spend money, we expect results. And the bill 
says that when we confront--when we find failure, we must be courageous 
enough to confront it, for no child should be trapped in a school that 
refuses to teach and a school that refuses to change.
    That is the philosophy of Bill Simon, a philosophy which will suit 
all the citizens of this State in good stead.
    I appreciate Bill's understanding about the importance of energy for 
the State of California. It's hard to believe that our Nation has had no 
comprehensive energy plan for a long time. And as a result, the people 
of this State began to suffer. And so in Washington, we put together a 
plan that says, on the one hand, we've got to do a better job of 
conserving our scarce resources. And at the same time, we've got to use 
our vast technological know-how to develop renewable sources of energy. 
But it also says that for the sake of our economic security and for the 
sake of our national security, we must become less dependent on foreign 
sources of crude oil.
    Bill and I know that we've got to be wise about how we explore for 
oil and gas in our own country. And we both believe that through 
technology, we can do so in an environmentally friendly way. But it's 
time for this State to have leadership when it comes to energy. In order 
for people to be able to find work, this State needs to have a Governor 
who understands the need to have a comprehensive energy plan, and Bill 
Simon is that man.

[[Page 713]]

    I appreciate Bill's understanding of the need to have fiscal 
discipline in our seats of government. And at the same time, he 
understands that the money we're spending is not the Government's money. 
The money we spend, whether it be in Washington or Sacramento, is the 
people's money.
    I remember campaigning right here in this room, and I said if I was 
fortunate enough to become the President, I would go to Washington, DC, 
and insist that we return some of the people's money back to them. For 
the good of the entrepreneurial spirit in America, we let them keep more 
money. For the good of small business growth, people should keep more 
money. For the good of encouraging people to be able to realize their 
dreams, they ought to be able to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. 
And fortunately, Congress listened, and the tax cut we passed came at 
the exact right time.
    I heard some of them talking up there about, ``Well, you know, we 
need to raise taxes,'' or ``We've got to stop the tax relief.'' They're 
reading the wrong textbook, as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what 
course they took, but what America should not do is, in the face of 
economic difficulties, raise the taxes on the people. What America must 
do is trust people with their own money. And Bill Simon understands that 
as well as anybody who's running for office in America today.
    He's a good man with a good agenda for everybody who lives in the 
State of California. When he wins, he's going to be the Governor of 
everybody. Doesn't matter whether somebody voted for him or not; this 
good man will represent the best interests of all the people of this 
important State.
    We've got a lot on our agenda in Washington. We're talking about 
trade promotion authority, and that's incredibly important, to be able 
to open up markets. Listen, the State of California benefits when we 
trade. And I hope Congress finally gets me a trade promotion authority. 
I hope Congress finally gets me an energy bill. I hope Congress acts. 
But there's nothing more important than making sure we defend the 
homeland of the United States of America.
    I have the high honor of walking in the Oval Office every morning 
that I'm in Washington. I'm an early morning guy, and I've got an 
interesting routine. I get up and get the First Lady a little coffee--
[laughter]--sometimes I read the headlines of the newspapers--
[laughter]--rarely do I read the editorial pages--[laughter]--in all due 
respect; take the dogs out. And Spot, the dog who is now 13, born to 
Millie at the White House when Mother and Dad were there, joins me in 
the Oval Office. Barney, the 1\1/2\-year-old Scottish terrier, is not 
allowed in. [Laughter] After all, we've got a beautiful new rug. 
[Laughter]
    But I sit at this fantastic desk called the H.M.S. Resolute desk. 
It's a desk that Theodore Roosevelt had used and Franklin Roosevelt had 
used. President Kennedy used it. You might remember the picture of John-
John Kennedy looking out from the door at the desk. And I sit there in 
this beautiful sanctuary of democracy and read a threat assessment. 
Every morning, I see a compilation of intelligence about what the 
enemies may or may not do. And it reminds me of the most solemn task I 
have, and that is to protect innocent Americans from further attack.
    And make no mistake about it, the people we're dealing with are 
nothing but coldblooded killers. I can't put it any more plainly, and 
we're going to deal with them as such.
    You need to know our country is doing a heck of a lot better job of 
sharing intelligence. Anytime we get a whiff of somebody thinking about 
doing something to us, we react. We react within the confines of the 
United States Constitution, but we react. We chase down every single 
lead there is. There's great cooperation now--or better cooperation now 
between our CIA and the FBI and much better cooperation between the 
Federal Government and the State government and local authorities.
    At the same time that we're chasing down every single lead, we're 
also making the homeland more secure. The budget I've submitted to 
Congress has got a significant increase in monies available for border 
security, for a response to bioterrorism, monies for our bold and brave 
first-responders, the police, the fire, and the EMS teams all across 
America. No, we're active, and we're serious. But the surest way to 
protect the homeland is to chase these killers down, one by one,

[[Page 714]]

and bring them to justice. And that's exactly what we're going to do.
    I oftentimes think about what was going through the minds of the Al 
Qaida killers. They must have taken a look at America and said, ``This 
nation is so self-absorbed and so materialistic and so self-centered and 
so weak that all they would do would be to file a lawsuit.'' [Laughter] 
They were wrong. They have learned firsthand that when it comes to 
defending our freedoms, our Nation is strong, united, and resolved. And 
we're making good progress, thanks to a fantastic coalition of nations 
that heard the call, ``Either you're with us, or you're with the 
terrorists.'' And a lot of nations have made the right choice.
    And they also learned firsthand that when it comes to defending 
freedoms, we're plenty tough, because of a fantastic United States 
military. For those of you who have got relatives in the military, you 
thank them on behalf of a grateful Commander in Chief. And I thank you 
for supporting them.
    I submitted a budget to the United States Congress that 
significantly increases our defense spending. I did so for two reasons: 
One, that any time we put a soldier in harm's way, he or she deserves 
the best training, the best equipment, the best possible pay; and 
secondly, I submitted a significant budget because I wanted the world 
and our coalition and the enemy to realize we're in this battle for the 
long pull. I don't have a calendar on my desk, that beautiful desk, that 
says, ``By such-and-such a date, you will be finished.'' That's not how 
I think. I think that whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, I 
will lead this Nation to defend freedom against terrorist killers.
    But the spirit of this Nation is so strong and powerful, and the 
world has got to know and the youth of America must know that this great 
Nation doesn't seek revenge. There's no revenge in our heart. We seek 
justice. And when we rid--when we got rid of the most--one of the most 
barbaric regimes in the history of mankind, the Taliban, we didn't go to 
that country as conquerors; we went as liberators. I want you all to 
remember that for the first time, many young girls were able to go to 
school, thanks to the United States of America.
    The first phase ended with the Taliban out. Oh, some of them are 
hiding in caves, but there's no cave dark enough to hide from the United 
States of America. The second phase is to make sure that Al Qaida can't 
bunch up anywhere else, that they can't use a weak country as a training 
base or a place to recruit or a place to operate--from which to operate. 
And we're making good progress there. When the United States stays 
strong and steady, the world looks for our leadership. And that's the 
way it's going to be.
    So we're in this for the long pull, and America understands that. I 
can't tell you how grateful I am to be the President of a nation that is 
so united and so resolved and so strong and so willing to defend that 
which we hold dear to our hearts, our freedom.
    You know, history has called our Nation into action. It's a unique 
moment. And we've responded mightily, and we will continue to respond, 
much to the chagrin of the enemy. If America goes to sleep, the rest of 
the world is in trouble. If we blink, the rest of the world will close 
their eyes. So we're not blinking, and we're not going to sleep.
    This war against terror is bigger than one person or one 
organization. You've heard me talk about nations which harbor weapons of 
mass destruction. Let me repeat again: We owe it to our children and our 
children's--and our children's children to make sure that some of the 
worst nations in the world are never able to blackmail America and our 
friends and our allies with the worst kind of weapons.
    It is essential that we remain strong. It's essential that we defend 
freedom. And as we do, out of this incredible evil done to America can 
come some really good things.
    I truly believe that if we lead in a strong and resolute way, we can 
achieve peace in the world. My dream is for the world to be peaceful in 
parts--in regions where people have lost hope for peace. I believe we 
can achieve peace. I believe we can achieve peace in the Middle East. I 
believe we can achieve peace between India and Pakistan. I believe, by 
being constant and vigilant and tough against terror, we will achieve 
peace. And therefore, out of the evil done to us on September the 11th 
will come incredible good for the world.

[[Page 715]]

    And here at home, we have a chance to show the world what we're made 
out of. I mean, we're more than just a military. We're more than just an 
economic engine. We're a nation of incredibly compassionate and decent 
people. We are one nation, under God. We're a nation that believes no 
matter where you're raised or where you're from, no matter what your 
religion may be, you can succeed in America. And that's an important 
message for people around the world to continue to hear.
    But we can do more than that. If you're interested in fighting evil, 
love your neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. If you're 
interested in standing strong against those who attacked us, mentor a 
child. Go to your church or synagogue or mosque and rally good people to 
feed the homeless. There are pockets of despair in America, and we must 
deal with those pockets not only with money but with compassion and 
decency and love. The Boys and Girls Clubs or the Boy Scouts and Girl 
Scouts or Big Brothers and Big Sisters are all part of this great fabric 
of America which shows our true compassion and kindness and decency.
    Today I had the honor of going to south central Los Angeles, and I 
was in a room full of people from different religions and different 
races. But I was so proud to be in a room bound by one common dream, and 
that is to extend the hope of America through every neighborhood, not 
only in Los Angeles but all across America. No, out of this evil done to 
us is going to come some great good, because we're a great nation.
    You know, I also believe that what happened to us on September the 
11th is beginning to change our culture in America. The culture for 
years has said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead and do it,'' and ``If 
you've got a problem, blame somebody else.'' I see a different culture 
emerging. It's one that says, each of us are responsible for the 
decisions we make in life. Each of us are responsible for loving our 
children with all our heart and all our soul. There's a responsibility 
era. It says that if you're a citizen in America, you have a 
responsibility to help a neighbor in need. If you're running a 
corporation, you have a responsibility to be honest with your employees 
and your shareholders.
    There's a new culture emerging. And perhaps it was best defined by 
what took place on Flight 93. On September the 11th, people were flying 
from one city to the next. They were told on the telephones that 
somebody was attacking America. They realized their plane had become a 
weapon. They told their loved ones on the phone that they loved them. 
They said a prayer. One guy said, ``Let's roll,'' and they made the 
ultimate sacrifice. They drove the plane in the ground to save other 
people's lives. It's the ultimate act of personal responsibility.
    In this country, people are beginning to realize that serving 
something greater than yourself in life is important. It's an important 
part of our society. And it's an important part of being a whole person. 
No, out of the evil done to America is going to come incredible good. 
And the reason why is because we are such a good nation.
    People say they pray for me and my family, and for those of you who 
do, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I want to tell you 
that it is an unimaginable honor to be the President of this great land. 
It is amazing feeling, to be able to represent the greatest people on 
the face of the Earth. I want to thank you for that honor. I want to 
thank you for supporting a good man to become the next Governor of the 
State of California.
    May God bless you all, and may God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 7:25 p.m. in the Los Angeles Ballroom at 
the Westin Century Plaza Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to former 
Gov. Ann Richards of Texas; and Gov. Gray Davis of California.