[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 9 (Monday, March 1, 2004)]
[Pages 264-265]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Dinner for the Nation's Governors

February 22, 2004

    Good evening. Welcome to the White House. Laura and I are honored to 
host so many of our friends and new acquaintances. The Nation's 
Governors were the guests at our first official state dinner almost 3 
years

[[Page 265]]

ago today. It's great to see so many of those same Governors with us 
tonight. It's kind of like being with members of your family. Right, 
Jeb? [Laughter]
    I appreciate the fact that the Vice President is with us. I 
oftentimes say Dick Cheney is the finest Vice President our country has 
ever had. Mother always says, ``Wait a minute.'' [Laughter] I want to 
thank the former Governors who are in my Cabinet, Tommy Thompson and 
John Ashcroft, Tom Ridge, who is not with us tonight, and the newest 
member of my Cabinet, Mike Leavitt.
    I want to welcome the Nation's new Governors, Barbour and Fletcher, 
Kernan, Blanco, Walker, Tulafono, and Schwarzenegger. [Laughter] Last 
time I was with Governor Schwarzenegger, it dawned on me that we have 
some things in common. We both married well. [Laughter] We both have 
trouble with the English language. [Laughter] We both have big biceps. 
[Laughter] Well, two out of the three. [Laughter]
    In the past 3 years, our country has faced some great challenges. 
We're still at war. The war on terror is a new kind of war in which 
every American is threatened and every level of government must work 
together. We've taken vital steps to secure our homeland, and I want to 
thank the Governors for their hard work. I'm going to continue to work 
with you to fulfill our solemn duty to protect the American people.
    We share responsibility as well to enhance the entrepreneurial 
spirit so that our economy continues to grow and people can find work; 
work together to make sure Americans can gain affordable access to 
health care; to make sure every child learns to read and write and add 
and subtract. We've made good progress. We'll continue to meet our 
obligations in future years.
    I've got great confidence in America because I believe in the 
strength of the American people. I've got great confidence in our 
Nation's Governors because you represent your State's highest ideals and 
you hold your people's trust.
    It's a pleasure to host you all here. And now I'd like you all to 
join me in a toast to the Governors of the United States.

Note: The President spoke at 8:12 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; 
Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi; Gov. Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky; Gov. 
Joseph E. Kernan of Indiana; Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of 
Louisiana; Gov. Olene S. Walker of Utah; Gov. Togiola Tulafono of 
American Samoa; and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.