[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 29 (Monday, July 19, 2004)]
[Pages 1299-1305]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin

July 14, 2004

    The President. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming. Thanks 
for inviting me. It's good to be here in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. Thank 
you so much.
    We've been having a great bus tour. I've been traveling all across 
this important State asking for the vote. I'm here to ask for your help. 
What a fantastic trip we've had. I did stop at Leon's Custard Shop. I 
also stopped in West Bend at Mick's Candyman Store. It's been a day of 
great excitement and high caloric intake. [Laughter] But I love being 
back here. It's good to see the Cheeseheads coming in. I know it's not 
the time of year, but I probably need to come back next fall, don't I? 
One thing is for certain: The Green Bay area is Bush-Cheney country.

[[Page 1300]]

    I'm here to ask for your help. Give me 4 more years, this country is 
going to be safer and stronger and better.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. I'm sorry Laura is not traveling with me today.
    Audience members. Aw-w-w!
    The President. That's generally the reaction. [Laughter] I interpret 
that to mean, ``Too bad she didn't come and you didn't stay at home.'' 
[Laughter] I don't blame you. She's a fabulous woman. I'm really proud 
of her. She's a wonderful First Lady. I'm going to tell you what I 
intend to do for 4 more years, but perhaps the best reason to put me 
back in is so she'll be the First Lady for 4 more years. Fortunately, 
however, a member of my family is traveling with me today. I want to 
thank one of our daughters, Barbara, for coming today. Thank you for 
being here, Barbara.
    I'm also traveling today with a great American, a person who served 
our country so well in my Cabinet, and a person you trained very well as 
your former Governor, and that's Tommy Thompson.
    You've got a really fine Congressman from this area. Congressman 
Mark Green is a decent, honorable man. And I appreciate his wife, Sue, 
joining us today. Thanks for coming, Sue. I'm glad you're here.
    State Treasurer Jack Voight is with us as well. I want to thank the 
mayors who are here. I want to thank those who serve at the State level 
and at the local level for your willingness to serve your communities. I 
appreciate so very much the grassroots activists who are here.
    I'm going to thank my friend Dennis Miller, who's joined us today. I 
appreciate my friend Wayne Newton for joining us today. Thanks for 
coming. I know Brian Noble is here. Thanks for coming, Brian. I 
appreciate you being here to help warm up the crowd.
    But most of all, I want to thank you all for being here. It means a 
lot. I need your help. They have a--get on the web page and call up 
georgewbush.com. It's a place where you can find out how to volunteer to 
turn out the vote. Get your neighbors to register. We have a duty in 
this country to vote. Gather the people up and encourage them to do 
their duty. You might suggest they vote Bush-Cheney while they're 
heading to the polls.
    And when you're gathering up that vote and when you're talking to 
your friends and neighbors, tell them that this administration has faced 
serious challenges over the last 3\1/2\ years, and we've given serious 
answers.
    We came to office with the stock market in decline and an economy 
headed into recession. We acted. We delivered historic tax relief, and 
over the past 3 years, America has had the fastest growing economy of 
any major industrialized nation.
    We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. We pursued 
the terrorist enemy across the world. We have captured or killed many 
key leaders of the Al Qaida network. We will stay on the hunt until 
justice is done.
    We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror and the spread 
of weapons of mass destruction. We acted against two of the most violent 
and dangerous regimes on Earth. We have liberated 50 million people. 
Today, America is proud to lead the armies of liberation.
    I'm running with a great American in Dick Cheney. He's a solid, 
solid citizen. And when he 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.
    These accomplishments are important to the security and prosperity 
of our country. You see, it's the President's job to confront problems, 
not to pass them on to future Presidents and future generations. The 
President has to make hard decisions and keep his commitments. And with 
your help, 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. I'm looking forward to the race. I'm looking forward 
to it. I'm looking forward to taking our positive and hopeful message 
all across the country. And it's going to be a tough race.
    Audience member. [Inaudible] [Laughter]

[[Page 1301]]

    The President. My opponent is an experience United States Senator. 
He's been in Washington a lot longer than I have.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. No, he's been there long enough to take both sides of 
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, NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the 
liberation of Iraq.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. If you disagree with the Senator on most any issue, 
you may just have caught him on the wrong day. Recently, in the Midwest, 
he even tried to claim he was the candidate with conservative values.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. I know--I know. [Laughter] That's what he said. 
[Laughter] It's kind of hard to square that with his previous statement 
when he said, ``I'm liberal and proud of it.'' [Laughter] Now he has a 
runningmate. Senator Kerry is rated as the most liberal Member of the 
United States Senate, and he chose a fellow lawyer who is the fourth 
most liberal Member of the United States Senate.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. In Massachusetts, that's what they call balancing the 
ticket. [Laughter]
    Great events will turn on this election. The person who sits in the 
Oval Office will set the course on the war on terror and the direction 
of our economy. I'm here asking for the vote and your help because I 
have a vision and a strategy to win the war on terror and to extend 
peace and freedom throughout the world. I'm asking for the vote because 
I have a plan to continue to create jobs and opportunity for every 
single American. I'm asking for the vote because I have a plan to 
continue to rally the compassionate spirit of America, so every single 
citizen has a chance to realize the great promise of our country. I'm 
asking for the vote because with your help, America will be safer and 
stronger and better.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. A big issue for every family is their tax burden. By 
providing the largest Federal 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. Since last 
summer, our economy has been growing at its fastest rate in nearly 20 
years. In less than a year's time, we have added more than 1.5 million 
new jobs. Here in this great State, your unemployment rate has dropped 
to 5.1 percent. The manufacturing sector is growing stronger, with 
64,000 new jobs created since January. Homeownership rate is at an 
alltime high. Business investment is growing. Consumer confidence is at 
a 2-year high. Personal incomes are on the rise. The tax relief we 
passed is working.
    My opponents look at all this progress and somehow conclude that the 
sky is falling. [Laughter] But whether their message is delivered with a 
frown or a smile, it's the same old pessimism. And to cheer us up, they 
propose higher taxes----
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. ----more Federal spending----
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. ----and economic isolationism.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. The surest way to end economic growth and put 
Americans out of work is their plan. The Nation is on the path to 
progress and opportunity, and we're not going backwards.
    To sustain economic growth, we need to keep taxes low. Higher taxes 
would now undermine growth and destroy jobs. To help grow the American 
economy and create more jobs for American workers, I've got a better 
idea than my opponent's plan: Congress needs to make tax relief 
permanent and not raise taxes on the American people.
    In order to make sure our economy continues to grow, we've got to be 
smart about how we spend the money that you send to Washington, DC. We 
need fiscal discipline. We need to make sure Congress doesn't 
overpromise and underdeliver. It all starts with understanding whose 
money we spend

[[Page 1302]]

in Washington, DC. It's not the Government's money we spend; it's the 
people's money we spend in Washington, DC.
    In order to make sure people can find work and people are willing to 
invest so small businesses can thrive and grow, we need to stop 
frivolous lawsuits. You cannot be pro-small-business and pro-trial-
lawyer at the same time. You have to choose. My opponent has made his 
choice, and he put him on the ticket. [Laughter] I made my choice: I 
will continue to push Congress for reform to end the junk lawsuits.
    In order to make sure that Americans can find work not only this 
year but in the coming years, we must make sure Americans have 
affordable health care. And that means giving people better access to 
association health plans and giving Americans more control over their 
health care through tax-free health accounts. It means making sure that 
the customer is in charge of health decisions, not the Federal 
Government. And to make sure the healers are able to do their work and 
people can afford health care, we must have medical liability reform at 
the Federal level.
    Listen, to make sure we continue to grow our economy and people can 
find work, we need an energy policy. I submitted a plan to the United 
States Congress 2 years ago. It's a plan that modernizes our electricity 
system. It's a plan that encourages alternative sources of energy. It is 
a plan that encourages conservation. But it's also a plan that 
recognizes we can explore for energy in environmentally friendly ways. 
For the sake of national security, we need to become less dependent on 
foreign sources of oil.
    I suspect we may have some farmers here. This farm economy is strong 
in Wisconsin. And that's good news, and one of the reasons why is 
because we're selling farm products all around the world. You see, the 
job of the President is to open up markets. We need a level playing 
field when it comes to trade. This country can compete with anybody, 
anytime, anywhere with free trade and fair trade, and that's exactly how 
I will continue to lead.
    I've got a plan to make sure this economy continues to grow so 
America is stronger. It's a plan that understands the role of Government 
is not to create wealth but to create an environment where the small-
business owner can flourish, where the farmer and rancher can make a 
living. My plan is pro-entrepreneur, pro-small-business, pro-farmer. 
Give me 4 more years, and this economy will continue to grow.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. America's future also depends on our willingness to 
lead 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 continue to attack in Afghanistan and Iraq. Regimes in North 
Korea and Iran are challenging the peace. If America shows weakness or 
uncertainty in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This 
will not happen on my watch.
    After the attacks of September the 11th, 2001, this Nation resolved 
and I resolved to bring justice to the terrorists, wherever they dwell. 
We resolved to hold regimes that hide and sponsor terrorists to account. 
Afghanistan was a terrorist state, a training camp for Al Qaida killers. 
Because we acted, Afghanistan is a rising democracy, is an ally in the 
war on terror. And because we acted, now young girls go to school for 
the first time in their lives.
    Iraq, only last year, was controlled by a dictator who threatened 
the civilized world, a dictator who had used weapons of mass destruction 
against his own people. For decades, he tormented and tortured the 
people of Iraq. Because we acted, Iraq is a free and sovereign nation. 
Because we acted, its dictator now sits in a prison cell and will 
receive the justice he denied so many for so long.
    September the 11th, 2001, taught a lesson I will never forget and a 
lesson this country must never forget. America must confront threats 
before they fully materialize. I remembered that lesson. I remembered 
the past behavior of Saddam Hussein, and my administration looked at the 
intelligence and we saw a threat. The United States Congress, including 
members of both political parties, looked at the same intelligence, and 
they saw a threat. The United Nations Security Council looked at the 
intelligence, and it saw a threat. The previous administration and the 
Congress looked at the same intelligence and

[[Page 1303]]

made regime change in Iraq the policy of our country.
    In 2002, I went to the United Nations. And after deliberation, the 
United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a full accounting of 
Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. And as he had for over a decade, 
Saddam Hussein made the choice. He refused to comply. The free world had 
spoken, and he refused to comply with the request of the free world. 
Knowing what I knew about him, remembering the lessons of September the 
11th, I had a choice to make: Either to trust a madman or to defend the 
United States of America. And given that choice, I will defend our 
country every time.
    Although we have not found stockpiles of weapons of mass 
destruction, I believe we were right to go into Iraq and America is 
safer for it. We removed a declared enemy of America who had the 
capability of producing weapons of mass destruction and could have 
passed that capability to terrorists bent on acquiring them. In the 
world after September the 11th, that was a risk we could not afford to 
take.
    We still have important work to do in that country. We've got hard 
work to do. Our immediate task in places like Iraq and Afghanistan is to 
capture or kill the terrorists and foreign fighters. See, you can't talk 
sense into the terrorists. You can't negotiate with the terrorists. You 
cannot sit back and hope for the best. We must stay on the offensive. We 
will engage the enemies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world so we 
do not have to face them here at home.
    Listen, there's no such thing as perfect security in America. The 
threats are real to the homeland. We know the terrorists want to strike 
us. They want to spread fear and disrupt our way of life. We've 
reorganized our Government to better protect the homeland. You just need 
to know there are a lot of really good people at the Federal level, at 
the State level, and at the local level doing everything possible to 
protect our fellow citizens. And I know I speak for everyone here when I 
say thanks to the police and the firefighters and the emergency teams of 
the great State of Wisconsin.
    We'll defend our homeland; we'll be relentless in our pursuit of the 
terrorists abroad. Yet in the long run, our safety requires something 
more. We must work to change the conditions that give rise to terror in 
the Middle East, the poverty and the hopelessness and the resentments 
that terrorists can exploit. Life in that region will be far more 
hopeful and peaceful when men and women can choose their own leaders and 
the people can decide their own future.
    By serving the ideal of liberty, by standing true to our beliefs, 
we're bringing hope to others, and that makes America more secure. By 
serving the ideal of liberty, we also serve the deepest ideals of our 
country. We understand that freedom is not America's gift to the world; 
freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
    America is leading the world, and the world is changing because of 
our leadership. Just 3 years ago, Afghanistan was the home base of Al 
Qaida. And now, there's a democracy rising in that troubled part of the 
world, and America is safer for it. Three years ago, Pakistan was a safe 
transit point for terrorists on missions of murder and terror. Now, the 
Pakistan Government has joined us in the war on terror, and Pakistan 
forces are rounding up the terrorists, and America is safer for it. 
Three years ago, in Saudi Arabia, terrorists found little opposition. 
Now, the Saudi Government has joined the war on terror, and they're 
bringing to justice Al Qaida terrorists, and America is safer for it. 
Three years ago, Libya was spending millions to acquire weapons of mass 
destruction. Now, thousands of Libya's chemical munitions have been 
destroyed. Libya has given up nuclear processing equipment, and the 
American people are safer for it. The world is changing for the better. 
Three years ago, the dictator in Iraq had the capability of producing 
weapons of mass murder. And now, that dictator faces justice, and the 
American people are safer for it.
    We will finish the work of democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq. A free 
society in Afghanistan and Iraq makes America more secure. Free 
societies are peaceful societies. And the good people in those countries 
are standing up for a free society. They have got good, strong 
leadership now. You see, these people want to be free. And therefore, 
the security forces in Iraq, made up of Iraqis,

[[Page 1304]]

are now going after the terrorists that are trying to stop the advance 
of freedom. And the peoples in those countries can count on America. We 
promised to help deliver them from tyranny, to restore their 
sovereignty, and to set them on the path to democracy. And when America 
gives its word, America keeps its word.
    Our men and women in the military are keeping America's commitment, 
and they're taking great risks on our behalf. At bases around our 
country and the world, I've had the privilege of meeting those who 
defend our country and sacrifice for our security. I recently met with 
Rita and Ken Jerabek. Their son, Ryan, died in service to our country. 
They died so America would be more secure. I told the Jerabeks the best 
way to honor the memory of their great son, Ryan, was to complete the 
mission. A free society in Iraq will make the world a better place. I'm 
honored that Rita and Ken are with us tonight. God bless them.
    When we put our troops in harm's way, it's important they have the 
very best we can give them. We owe it to our troops, and we owe it to 
their loved ones. Last September, I proposed supplemental funding to 
support our military in its mission. The legislation provided funding 
for body armor and vital equipment, for hazard pay, for health benefits, 
ammunition, and fuel, and spare parts. In the Senate, only a small, out-
of-the-mainstream minority voted against that legislation. Two of those 
twelve Senators are my opponent and his runningmate.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. Senator Kerry tried to explain his vote by saying 
this: ``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against 
it.'' [Laughter] End quote. Now he is offering a different explanation. 
Earlier this week, he said he was proud that he and his runningmate 
voted against the funding for the troops. Now listen, he's----
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. He's entitled to his view. But Members of Congress 
should not vote to send troops into battle and then vote against funding 
them. I will continue to stand with our troops and make sure they have 
what they need in order to complete the mission. As Commander in Chief, 
I am proud to lead a great military full of decent and honorable 
citizens.
    America is leading the world with confidence and moral clarity. We 
put together a strong coalition to help us defeat terror. There's over 
60 nations involved with the Proliferation Security Initiative; nearly 
40 nations are involved in Afghanistan; over 30 nations involved in 
Iraq. And I appreciate the contributions from those countries. But I 
will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders of 
foreign countries.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. This Nation is prosperous and strong. Yet, we need to 
remember that our greatest strength is in the character of our citizens. 
The other day, my opponent said that a bunch of entertainers from 
Hollywood conveyed the heart and soul of America.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. I believe the heart and soul of America is found in 
places like Green Bay, Wisconsin.
    Our Nation is strong because of the values we try to live by, 
courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. We are strong because 
of the institutions that help give us direction and purpose, our 
families and our schools and our religious congregations. These values 
and institutions are fundamental to our lives, and they deserve the 
respect of our Government.
    We stand for high standards in our public schools, local control of 
our public schools, accountability in our public schools so no child is 
left behind in America. 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 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 instead of 
legislating from the bench.
    We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. The culture of 
this country is

[[Page 1305]]

changing from one that has said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead and 
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're fortunate enough to be a mother or 
a father, you are responsible for loving your child with all your heart 
and all your soul. If you're worried about the quality of the education 
in your community, 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 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 where the stakes are high, where the 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. It's a day I'll never forget. Workers in hardhats chanted, 
``Whatever it takes.'' A fireman or a policeman--I don't know which 
one--grabbed me and said, ``Do not let me 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 
the security of our country, whatever it takes.
    In these times, I've also been witness to the character of our 
Nation. I've 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. And 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 corner of our country. This is the work 
that history has set before us. We welcome it. And we know that for our 
blessed land, the best days lie ahead.
    Thanks for coming. May God bless. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 6:17 p.m. in the Resch Center at the Brown 
County Veterans Memorial Complex. In his remarks, he referred to 
comedian Dennis Miller; entertainer Wayne Newton; and Brian Noble, head 
coach, arenafootball2's Green Bay Blizzard.