[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 26 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Pages 1117-1122]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in Reno, Nevada

June 18, 2004

    The President. Thank you all very much. Thank you all. Go ahead and 
be seated. Please be seated, unless, of course, you don't have a seat. 
[Laughter] It's great to be here in Nevada. Thanks for coming. Thank you 
all for coming. You didn't think I'd get it right, did you? [Laughter] I 
appreciate your warm welcome.
    I appreciate the kind words of Senator John McCain. Both candidates 
in this race are honored to be the friend of John McCain. Only one of us 
gets his vote, and I am proud that it is me. John McCain has lived a 
life of true service to this country. He is a man of honor. He is a man 
of integrity. He's a man of personal courage and political courage, and 
I thank him for his friendship and his support.
    It's good to be here in Reno. It's a town known for its good people 
and its good times. I always like being in a place where the cowboy hats 
outnumber the ties.
    Vice President Cheney and I were proud to carry Nevada last time, 
and we're going to carry it this time. And I'm here to thank you for 
your help. I'm here to thank you for what you have done, what you will 
do to turn out that vote. Thanks for coming.
    I am sorry that First Lady Laura Bush isn't here. You drew the short 
straw. [Laughter] She is a fabulous woman. She is a great First Lady. If 
there's any reason to put me back in there for 4 more years, it's to 
make sure Laura is the First Lady for 4 more years.
    I'm also proud to be running with Dick Cheney. He's the finest Vice 
President our country has ever had. Mother heard me say that one time, 
and said, ``Now wait a minute, buster.'' [Laughter]
    I appreciate your Governor, Kenny Guinn. He's a fine, honest, 
honorable, great Governor of this State. And like me, he married well--
[laughter]--when he married Dema.
    Today John McCain and I had the honor of traveling from Fort Lewis, 
Washington, with a great United States Senator from Nevada, and that is 
Senator John Ensign. And old Jim Gibbons stumped on the plane too. He's 
doing a fabulous job for this part of the country. I'm proud to call him 
friend. It's great to be with his wife, Dawn.
    You know, Senator Ensign and Congressman Gibbons and I worked on a 
project that's very important for your part of the world. It's a project 
that concerns the health of Lake Tahoe. For years you've been hearing 
that the Federal Government would help maintain this national treasure. 
For years you've been hearing excuses about why it hadn't happened. 
Well, I'm here to tell you it's happened. I signed a bill, working with 
this good Senator and this good Congressman, to make $300 million 
available for the restoration of that lake so that generations of our 
fellow countrymen can enjoy its beauty.
    I appreciate the Lieutenant Governor being here, Lorraine Hunt. 
Thanks for coming. I want to thank your very fine attorney general, my 
close friend Brian Sandoval, for being here. State Treasurer Brian 
Krolicki is with us today. Thanks for coming, Brian. I mean, we're 
about--we've got them all here, the secretary of state, Dean Heller, is 
with us today. Mother? Yes, we've got Mom right here on the first row, 
Dean. [Laughter] She's watching you like a hawk--[laughter]--probably 
like my mother, still telling you what to do. [Laughter]
    We've got the State comptroller, Kathy Augustine, is with us today. 
We've got Bob Cashell, the mayor of this great city, is with us today. 
Mr. Mayor, all I can tell you is just fill the potholes, and the people 
will love you. [Laughter]
    We've got local officials. We've got State officials, and we've got 
grassroots activists. Thanks for coming. And if you want to figure out 
how to help, get on the Internet at

[[Page 1118]]

georgewbush.com. If you want to volunteer, if you want to figure out how 
to help turn out the vote, get on your Internet and call it up. And we 
want--and we will help you help us, because, you see, we're counting on 
you. We're counting on you to turn out the vote. We're counting on you 
to talk to both Republicans and Democrats and independents.
    And when you're talking to them, tell them this: The last 3\1/2\ 
years have brought serious challenges, and we have given serious 
answers. We came to office with a stock market in decline and an economy 
headed into recession. We delivered historic tax relief. And since last 
summer, America has had the fastest growing economy in the 
industrialized world.
    We uncovered corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their 
savings. So we acted. We passed strong corporate reforms. We brought 
wrongdoers to account, and we made it clear that we will not tolerate 
dishonesty in the boardrooms of America.
    We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. So we 
pursued the terrorist enemy across the world. We've captured or killed 
many of the key leaders of the Al Qaida network, and the rest will know 
there is no cave or hole deep enough to hide from American justice.
    We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror and the spread 
of weapons of mass destruction. So we ended two of the most violent and 
dangerous regimes on Earth. We liberated over 50 million people. Once 
again, America is proud to stand against tyranny and to set nations 
free.
    When Dick Cheney and I came to Washington, the military was 
underfunded and underappreciated. So we gave our Armed Forces the 
resources and respect they deserve. And today, no one can question the 
skill and the strength and the spirit of the United States military.
    No, we've confronted problems head on. It is the President's job to 
confront problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future 
generations. That is how I have led our country, and that is how I will 
continue to lead our country for 4 more years.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Great events will turn on this election. The man who 
sits in the Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror and the 
direction of our economy. The security and prosperity of America are at 
stake.
    This is going to be a tough race. That is why I'm here to ask for 
your help. I'm running against an experienced United States Senator who 
has built up quite a record. My opponent has been in Washington long 
enough to take both sides on just about every issue. He voted for the 
PATRIOT Act, for NAFTA, for the No Child Left Behind Act, and for the 
use of force in Iraq. Now he opposes the PATRIOT Act and NAFTA and the 
No Child Left Behind Act and the liberation of Iraq. His position on 
these issues reminds me of a saying we have in Texas about the weather: 
If you don't like it, just wait a few minutes and it will change.
    We had another example recently. Last December I had the honor of 
signing the Healthy Forests Act. I appreciate Senators McCain and Ensign 
and Congressman Gibbons' help on this vital piece of legislation, a 
vital piece of legislation by thinning the underbrush, that helps thin 
the underbrush, that allows thinning the underbrush, to restore these 
national treasures of ours. As we're talking--debating the bill in 
Washington, my opponent opposed the law, saying we were taking a 
chainsaw to public forests.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. Well, now he's packing his bags, and he's getting 
ready to head out West, and he says he now likes parts of the law. 
[Laughter] Says he wants to stop--he wants there to be a strong logging 
industry. You know something? It's not only the wildfires that shift 
with the wind. [Laughter]
    The voters will have an unmistakable choice this year. It is a 
choice between keeping the tax relief that is moving the economy forward 
or putting the burden of higher taxes back on the American people. It is 
a choice between an America that leads the world with strength and 
confidence or an America that is uncertain in the face of danger.
    The other side has not offered much in the ways of strategies to win 
the war or policies to expand our economy. We're well into the campaign, 
and all we have heard is old bitterness and partisan anger. They will 
soon

[[Page 1119]]

learn that anger is not an agenda for the future of America. I will take 
on the big issues with optimism and resolve and determination, and I 
will make it clear that we stand ready to lead this Nation for 4 more 
years.
    A big issue for every family in America is the Federal tax burden. 
With the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was President, we have 
left more money in the hands that earned it. By spending and investing 
and helping create new jobs, the American people have used their money 
far better than the Federal Government would have.
    Our economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. The economy is 
growing at its fastest 4-quarter rate in nearly 20 years. We added 
248,000 jobs last month and nearly a million jobs in the last 100 days. 
The unemployment rate has fallen from 6.3 percent last summer to 5.6 
percent last month. State unemployment rates have fallen in 46 out of 
the 50 States over the past year. Here in Nevada, you have added 3,800 
new jobs last month. You've added 50,000 new jobs in the last year.
    Homeownership rate in America is at an alltime high. Business 
investment is growing. The stock market is improving. Consumer 
confidence is increasing. Personal incomes are on the rise. The tax 
relief we passed is working.
    There are people in Washington who are pessimistic about the future 
of our economy, and that includes my opponent. Lately, he's dusted off 
an old term called the Misery Index. The only problem is, when you 
actually apply the index he came up with, it tells you the economy was 
better in the late 1970s than it was in the 1980s. [Laughter] I guess he 
is nostalgic for the days of malaise. [Laughter] But that's not where 
we're headed. America is on the path of progress and opportunity, and 
we're not going backwards.
    And the challenge is to make sure this economy continues to grow and 
remain strong. My plan starts with keeping taxes low and maintaining 
spending discipline in Washington, DC. And the first way to make sure 
people understand the need for discipline is to remind them that 
Government does not spend its own money. Government spends your money, 
and we should be wise about how we spend it.
    In order to make sure this economy continues to grow, we must 
protect our small-business owners from frivolous and junk lawsuits and 
needless regulation. To make sure the economy grows, we must control the 
cost of health care by giving people better access through association 
health plans and tax-free health savings accounts. And we need to pass 
medical liability reform at the Federal level. The Senate up there must 
choose between small business and trial lawyers. I have made my choice. 
I stand squarely on the side of the small-business owners.
    In order to make sure our economy is competitive and continues to 
grow, we need sound energy legislation. We need to encourage 
conservation. We need to encourage alternative sources of energy. But we 
need to use the energy we have so we become less dependent on foreign 
sources of energy.
    In order to make sure people can find work and our economy continues 
to grow, we need to knock down trade barriers and open up new markets 
for American products. Listen, we're good at things in America. We're 
good at growing things. We're good at raising things. We're great 
entrepreneurs. Rather than fall prey to the empty logic of economic 
isolationism, we ought to say to countries, ``We treat you fairly. You 
treat us fairly.'' We can compete anyplace, any time, anywhere with a 
level playing field.
    In order to make sure the economy grows, we must have certainty in 
the Tax Code. It's hard if you're a businessperson to be making 
decisions if you're wondering whether the Tax Code is going to remain 
the same or not. And see, parts of the tax relief we passed is going to 
expire.
    Today I met with Joe and Tammy Barkowski and their three children. 
The reason I bring them up is I want people to fully understand what I 
talk about when it comes to tax relief and its importance to make sure 
that it is stable. The Barkowski family saved about $2,200 on their 
taxes last year. And they'll save about the same on their taxes this 
year because of the tax relief we passed. Oh, that doesn't sound like a 
lot to some in Washington. It's a lot to the Barkowskis. As a matter of 
fact, Joe and Tammy said they're going to use some of their money to 
remodel their

[[Page 1120]]

kitchen, just as soon as she decides the color of the paint. [Laughter]
    If Congress does not act, if Congress does not make sure that the 
tax relief we have passed stays in place, their tax bill is going to go 
up by $1,000 next year. I don't think it's right. I don't think that 
makes sense.
    Here's what he had to say, ``If they give us our own money, we can 
do a better job with it.'' And he's right. Higher taxes would undermine 
growth and destroy jobs. Just as our economy is getting better, we 
should not be taking money out of the pockets of our consumers and 
small-business owners. Congress needs to make the tax relief permanent 
and not raise taxes on the American people.
    Our future also depends on America's leadership in the world. The 
momentum of freedom in our time is strong, but we still face serious 
dangers. Al Qaida is wounded but not broken. Terrorists are testing our 
will in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Regimes in North Korea and Iran are 
challenging the peace. If America shows weakness and uncertainty in this 
decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not happen on my 
watch.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Thank you all. This Nation is strong and confident in 
the cause of freedom. We know that freedom is not America's gift to the 
world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman who 
lives in this world.
    And today, no friend or enemy doubts the word of the United States 
of America. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror 
regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban chose defiance, and the Taliban are 
no longer in power. And there are thousands of Afghan citizens grateful 
for the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers on their soil. There are thousands of 
Afghan moms who are grateful to America because, for the first time, 
many young girls now get to go to school.
    America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in 
Iraq. The dictator chose defiance, and now the dictator sits in a prison 
cell.
    September the 11th, 2001, taught a lesson I will never forget. 
America must confront threats before they fully materialize. In Iraq, my 
administration looked at the intelligence and looked at the history of 
Saddam Hussein, and we saw a threat. Members of the United States 
Congress from both political parties looked at the intelligence, and 
they saw a threat. The United Nations Security Council looked at the 
intelligence, and it saw a threat. As a matter of fact, the previous 
administration and Congress looked at the intelligence and made regime 
change in Iraq the policy of our country.
    In 2002, the U.N. Security Council yet again demanded a full 
accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. The world spoke with 
common voice when it said, ``Disclose. Get rid of your weapons, or face 
serious consequences.'' What I believe is that when you say something, 
you better mean it. As he had for over a decade, Saddam Hussein refused 
to comply. He ignored the demands of the free world. So I had a choice 
to make: Either take the word of a madman, or defend America. And given 
that choice, I will defend America every time.
    We showed the dictator and the watching world that America means 
what it says. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons programs are ended 
forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have gotten the message 
and renounced their own weapons programs. Because we acted, an example 
of democracy is rising at the very heart of the Middle East. Because we 
acted, the world is more free. Because we acted, America is more secure.
    Tough times in Iraq right now--I know it, and you know it. But we're 
making progress. We're headed toward a free country. An interim 
government is in place. And in less than 2 weeks, the Iraqi people will 
have their sovereignty. In the days ahead, we'll see more bombings, more 
suiciders, more killings of the innocent, because the terrorists' 
greatest fear is an Iraqi government of, by, and for the people. They 
know there is no future for them in a free society. You see, they're 
trying to shake our will. They're killing to try to get us to leave, to 
break our word, to break our bond. They do not understand the United 
States of America. We will not be intimidated by thugs and assassins.
    We're living in historic times. The world is changing for the 
better. A free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will show others

[[Page 1121]]

the hope of a free society, a society in which moms and dads are able to 
raise their children in peace. And a society in which their children can 
strive to realize their own dreams, not the dreams of a tyrant, will be 
a powerful change in a world desperate--desperate--for hope.
    Terrorists are recruited because they hate and recruited because 
they're hopeless. Free societies inspire. Free societies are peaceful 
societies. We believe firmly that a free Iraq will help the world become 
more peaceful and America more secure.
    These aren't easy tasks for America. We've done hard things before. 
I like to remind people that right after World War II, there was a lot 
of doubters and cynics and pessimists as to whether or not a free 
Germany could arise or a free Japan could arise. But just recently, I 
hosted the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, and we were talking about a free 
Iraq. As I looked around the table, I saw the Chancellor of Germany, the 
Prime Minister of Japan talking about how to make the world more 
peaceful and secure. I was thankful that my predecessors didn't fall 
prey to pessimism and cynicism. I was thankful that my predecessors had 
faith in the desire for people from all walks of life to be free. 
Because right after World War II we didn't lose faith in the values of 
America, the United States President today is working with the leaders 
of former enemies as to how to make the world a more peaceful and free 
place.
    No, this is hard work. But we've done this kind of work before, and 
someday an American President will be working with a duly elected leader 
from Iraq as to how to make sure America is more secure and our children 
have a chance to grow up in a more peaceful world.
    On national security, Americans have a very clear choice. My 
opponent says he approves of bold action in the world, but only if other 
countries do not object. I'm for--I'm all for united action, and so are 
the more than 30 coalition partners we have in Iraq right now. But I 
will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders of 
other countries.
    Some are skeptical that the war on terror is really a war at all. 
They think it's a matter only of law enforcement and intelligence. I 
strongly disagree. Our Nation followed this approach after the World 
Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The matter was handled in the courts 
and thought by some to be settled, but the terrorists were still 
training in Afghanistan. They were still plotting in other nations. They 
were still drawing up more ambitious plans.
    After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough 
to serve our enemies with legal papers. With those attacks, the 
terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States of 
America, and war is what they got. And winning this war requires us to 
give our troops the best equipment, the best training, the best possible 
support. That is the commitment I have made. That is the commitment that 
Senator McCain and Ensign have made and a commitment Congressman Gibbons 
has made.
    And that is why I proposed an $87 billion supplemental last fall. 
Most of that money was going to our troops. Someone recently asked my 
opponent why he voted against that bill. Here's what he said. He said, 
``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' 
The American President must speak clearly and mean what he says.
    Our men and women in the military are taking great risks on our 
behalf. At bases across the country and the world, I have had the 
privilege of meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice for 
our security. I've seen their great decency and unselfish courage, and I 
assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in very good 
hands.
    This Nation is prosperous and strong. Yet we need to remember that 
our greatest strength is the hearts and souls of our citizens. We're 
strong because of the values we try to live by, courage and compassion, 
reverence and integrity. We're strong because of the institutions that 
help give us direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our 
religious congregations. These values and institutions are fundamental 
to our lives, and they deserve the respect of our Government.
    We stand for the fair treatment of faith-based groups, so they can 
receive Federal support for their works of compassion and healing. We 
stand for welfare reforms that require work and strengthen marriage, 
which

[[Page 1122]]

have helped millions of Americans find independence and dignity. We 
stand for a culture of life in which every person counts and every 
person matters. We stand for institutions like marriage and family, 
which are the foundations of our society. We stand for judges who 
strictly and faithfully interpret the law.
    And we stand for a culture of responsibility in America. This 
culture of our country is changing from one that has said, ``If it feels 
good, do it,'' and ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody else'' to a 
culture in which each of us understands we are responsible for the 
decisions we make in life. If you are fortunate enough to be a mother or 
a father, you're responsible for loving your child with all your heart. 
If you're worried about the quality of the education in the community in 
which you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. If 
you're a CEO in corporate America, you're responsible for telling the 
truth to your shareholders and your employees. And in a new 
responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our 
neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves.
    For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand 
apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is 
expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. You and I are 
living in a period when the stakes are high, challenges are difficult, a 
time when firm resolve is needed.
    None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another 
began. On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin 
Towers. I will never forget that day. There were workers in hardhats 
shouting, ``Whatever it takes.'' Working the ropeline with tired 
firefighters and police and rescue workers, they said, ``Don't let us 
down.'' As we all did that day, these men and women searching through 
the rubble took it personally. I took it personally. I have a 
responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice to 
our enemies. I will defend our country, whatever it takes.
    In these times, I have also been witness to the character of this 
Nation. Not so long ago, some had their doubts about the American 
character, our capacity to meet serious challenges, our willingness to 
serve a cause greater than self-interest. Americans have given their 
answer. I have seen the unselfish courage of our troops. I've seen the 
heroism of Americans in the face of danger. I've seen the spirit of 
service and compassion renewed in our country. We've all seen our Nation 
unite in common purpose when it mattered most.
    We will need all these qualities for the work ahead. We have a war 
to win, and the world is counting on us to lead the cause of freedom and 
peace. We have a duty to spread opportunity to every part of America. 
This is the work that history has set before us. We welcome it, and we 
know that for our great land, the best days lie ahead.
    May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 2:47 p.m. at the Reno-Sparks Convention 
Center. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Kenny C. Guinn of Nevada and 
his wife, Dema; Dawn Gibbons, wife of Representative Jim Gibbons; Mayor 
Robert Cashell of Reno, NV; former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; 
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany; and Prime Minister Junichiro 
Koizumi of Japan. This item was not received in time for publication in 
the appropriate issue.