[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 33 (Monday, August 16, 2004)]
[Pages 1561-1567]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks in Phoenix, Arizona
August 11, 2004
The President. Thank you all for coming. So yesterday, there we were
in a bus in northern Florida, and old John McCain said, ``Wait until you
get to Phoenix.'' He's right.
I'm working hard to ask for your vote. I'm here to let you know
there is more to do to make America a safer place, a stronger place, and
a better place. I'm here to ask for your help. We won Arizona last time;
we're going to win it this time. And we're going to win a great national
victory.
Thank you all for coming. I only wish that Laura were here to see
this crowd. She is a remarkable woman. She is a great wife, a fantastic
mother. I'm going to give you some reasons tonight to put me back in,
but perhaps the most important reason of all is so that Laura has 4 more
years.
I'm proud to be running with Dick Cheney. Now look, I admit it, he's
not the prettiest face in the race. [Laughter] I didn't pick him for
that reason. I picked him because of his judgment, his experience. I
picked him because he can do the job.
I'm proud to be traveling with a great American and a fine citizen
of this State, a person who served his Nation with distinction and
honor--John McCain. I want to thank his wife, Cindy, for joining us as
well. She's a class act, good lady.
I also want to thank my friend Jon Kyl, the other Senator from this
State. You got two fine United States Senators from Arizona.
I want to thank my friends from the congressional delegation, Renzi,
Franks, Shadegg, J.D. Hayworth, Jeff Flake, for their leadership.
[[Page 1562]]
I'm proud that Secretary of State Jan Brewer is here. I want to
thank Jan for coming, and State Treasurer David Petersen. Listen, thank
you all for coming.
I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here. I want to
thank my friend Luis Gonzalez and his great wife, Christine. I know my
friends the Lehmans are here. I'm glad they're here. Old Tom Lehman, I
could use a putting lesson. [Laughter] I don't have much time to
practice these days; I'm out working.
See, I'm asking for your help to register voters. You've got a lot
of new people moving in this State, and they, like you, have a duty in a
democracy to vote and to participate. We're asking for people to do a
little extra work to register our fellow citizens and urge them to go to
the polls. And when you get them headed to the polls, you might just
tell them America will be better off with Bush-Cheney in the White
House.
The past few years--in the past few years, Americans have been
through a lot together, a whole lot, and we've accomplished a great
deal. But there's only one reason to look backward at the record, and
that is to determine who best to lead us forward. I'm running--I'm
asking for your vote because so much is at stake. We have much more to
do, much more to do to move this country forward and make it a better
place.
We've got more to do to make our public schools the centers of
excellence we all know they can be so that no child is left behind in
America. When we came to office 3\1/2\ years ago, too many of our
children were being just shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
without learning the basics. So we challenged the soft bigotry of low
expectations. We raised the sights of everybody. We believe in
accountability. We believe in local control of schools. We believe in
challenging schools that refuse to change and refuse to teach.
And we're making progress. We're closing that achievement gap here
in America. More of our children are learning to read and write and add
and subtract, and there's more to do. We want our high school diplomas
to mean something. We need to make sure our children are educated for
the jobs of the 21st century, so we need to concentrate on science and
math. We need to bring technology into classrooms in America. What I'm
telling you is, after 4 more years, a rising generation will have the
hope and the skills necessary to succeed in this world.
We have got more work to do to make sure health care is available
and affordable. We addressed the issue of our seniors square on. You
might remember that political campaign after political campaign, our
seniors were promised a stronger Medicare system. We got the job done.
Our seniors now have the ability to choose a plan that meets their
needs, and there will be coverage for prescription drugs for our
seniors. We're doing more to make sure health care is available and
affordable. We're expanding community health centers for low-income
Americans. We're providing health savings accounts so American families
can save tax-free to meet their own health care needs.
In order to make sure American families have got health care, we
must allow small employers to join together to be able to purchase
insurance at discounts that big companies are able to do. We'll harness
technology to reduce costs and prevent mistakes. We'll expand research
and seek new cures. And to make sure you've got affordable health care,
we need to end the frivolous lawsuits that are harming our docs and
harming our patients.
You cannot be pro-patient, pro-doctor, and pro-trial-lawyer at the
same time. You have to choose. My opponent made his choice, and he put
him on the ticket.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I made my choice. I am for medical liability reform
now. In all we do to improve health care here in this country, we will
make sure the health care decisions are made by doctors and patients,
not by Washington, DC, bureaucrats.
We got more to do to make sure this economy is stronger. We've been
through a lot. We've been through a recession; we've been through
corporate scandals; we've been through the terror attacks. Yet we've
overcome these obstacles. We've overcome these obstacles because we've
got great workers in America. We've overcome these obstacles because the
entrepreneurial spirit is strong and the small-business sector of our
economy
[[Page 1563]]
is flourishing. We've overcome these obstacles because we've got great
ranchers and farmers. And we've overcome these obstacles because we
delivered well-timed tax relief to the American people. Because we
acted, our economy has grown at a rate as fast as any in nearly 20
years. Because we acted, we've added nearly 1.5 million jobs over the
past year. Because we acted, Arizona's unemployment rate is at 4.7
percent.
We're making progress. We're not turning back. So long as anybody is
looking for work, we're going to keep working to make sure there's a job
available for them. There is more work to do to keep jobs here in
America and to keep this job base growing; we need to become less
dependent on foreign sources of energy. We need to reduce the
regulations on our employers in America. We need real, meaningful tort
reform in America to keep jobs here. In order to keep jobs here at home,
we need to be opening up markets for Arizona products. We must not
become economic isolationists in America. We must be confident--you see,
we can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so long as the playing
field is level. In order to be keeping jobs here in America, we've got
to make sure our workers are trained for the jobs of the 21st century.
That's why I'm such a strong backer of the community college system, not
only here in Arizona but all across our country. In order to make sure
we keep jobs here, we've got to be wise about how we spend your money,
and we've got to keep your taxes low.
We're working together to protect our residents and forests across
the West from catastrophic wildfires. Listen, I understand you're in a
severe drought. Water is a precious commodity. And as a result of the
drought you're in, our national treasures are--forest fires--are
vulnerable. That's why I worked with John McCain and Jon Kyl to pass a
bipartisan bill called Healthy Forests Restoration Act.
I understand the West. I understand the issues of the West. Some
people took a different view of that Healthy Forests legislation. Back
in October, my opponent told us Healthy Forests would let people chop
down mountainsides of old-growth trees. When I signed the bill, he said
we're taking a chainsaw to public forests. I understand the West. I
understand the issues you face out here. Yet, when he came out West to
campaign, he turned that position around. Now he says he likes a lot of
the parts of the law. I guess it's not only the wildfires that shift
with the wind. [Laughter]
I'm running for 4 more years to keep our Nation's economy the
strongest in the industrialized world. I'm running so our small
businesses are vibrant. I'm running so our farmers and ranchers are
healthy, and I'm running so people can find good-paying jobs.
We have more to do to wage and win the war against terror. America's
future depends on our willingness to lead in the world. If America shows
uncertainty or weakness 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. The world changed on that terrible September morning,
and since that day, we've changed the world. Before September the 11th,
Afghanistan served as the home base of Al Qaida, which trained and
deployed thousands of killers and set up cells in nations around the
world, including our own. Because we acted, because we acted with our
friends, Afghanistan is a rising democracy. Afghanistan is an ally in
the war on terror. Young girls now go to school for the first time in
Afghanistan, and America and the world are safer.
Before September the 11th, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia weren't joining
us in the war on terror. Today they are. Today, Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia are allies in the war on terror. They're after Al Qaida. America
and the world are safer.
Because of our leadership, we're changing the world. Before
September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire weapons of
mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies have sent a
clear message and a strong message, the leader of Libya has abandoned
his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and America and the world
are safer.
Before September the 11th, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of
America. He was defying the world. You might remember he was firing
weapons at American pilots who
[[Page 1564]]
were enforcing the world's sanctions. He had pursued and he had used
weapons of mass destruction. He harbored terrorists. He invaded his
neighbors. He subsidized the families of suicide bombers. He had
murdered tens of thousands of his own citizens. He was a source of great
instability in the world's most volatile region.
We saw a threat. We looked at the intelligence, and we saw a threat.
And as we did so, we remembered a vital lesson of September the 11th,
and that lesson is we must take threats seriously, before they fully
materialize.
I knew it was important on this vital matter to work with the United
States Congress. So I went to the Congress and said Saddam Hussein's a
threat. The Congress looked at the same intelligence, and members of
both political parties, including my opponent, agreed that Saddam
Hussein was a threat. And then we went to the United Nations
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. And the United Nations looked at the intelligence and
concluded that Saddam Hussein was a threat. And they passed a resolution
that said ``Disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences.'' As he had
for over a decade, Saddam Hussein defied the free world. As a matter of
fact, when we sent inspectors in--or the world sent inspectors in, he
systematically deceived the inspectors. And so I had a choice to make.
My choice was do I forget the lessons of September the 11th----
Audience members. No-o-o!
The President. ----and hope for the best----
Audience members. No-o-o!
The President. ----and trust the word and deeds of a madman, or do I
take action to defend America. I will defend America every time.
Even though we have not found the stockpiles we expected to find, we
do know that Saddam had the capability to make weapons of mass
destruction, and he could have passed that capability on to our enemies.
That was a risk we could not afford to take. Knowing what I know today,
I would have taken the same action. And America and the world are safer
because Saddam Hussein sits in a prison cell.
Now, almost 2 years after he voted for the war in Iraq and almost
220 days after switching positions to declare himself the antiwar
candidate, my opponent has found a new nuance. He now agrees it was the
right decision to go into Iraq. After months of questioning my motives
and even my credibility, Senator Kerry now agrees with me that even
though we have not found the stockpiles of weapons that we all believed
were there, knowing everything we know today, he would have voted to go
into Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. I want to thank my
opponent for clearing that up. But just remember, there are 83 days left
in the campaign--time enough to change his mind again.
I'm running for 4 more years because I know we must continue to work
with our friends and allies to aggressively pursue the terrorists and
the foreign fighters in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere.
See, you cannot talk sense to these people. You cannot negotiate with
these people. We must engage the enemy around the world so we do not
have to face them here at home.
During the next 4 years, America will continue to lead the world
with confidence and moral clarity. We put together a strong coalition to
help us defeat terror. Listen, we've got nearly 60 nations involved with
the Proliferation Security Initiative. Nearly 40 nations are involved in
Afghanistan. Some 30 nations are involved in Iraq. I'll continue to
build our alliances and work with our friends for the sake of peace, but
I will never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders
of other countries.
America and the world are safer. We're heading to peace because our
commitments are kept by the men and women of our military. I want to
thank the veterans who are here for setting such a great example to the
men and women of our military. I've had the privilege of meeting with
those who defend our country and sacrifice for our security. I've seen
their great decency and their unselfish courage. Ladies and gentlemen,
the cause of freedom and peace is in really good hands. And anytime--and
our troops deserve the full support of the United States Government.
Last September, while our troops were in combat in Afghanistan and
Iraq, I proposed
[[Page 1565]]
supplemental funding to support them in their missions. This money was
going to--this money did provide body armor and vital equipment, hazard
pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and spare parts for our
military. In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-mainstream minority of
12 Senators voted against that funding. Two of those twelve Senators are
my opponent and his runningmate.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. My opponent tried to explain his vote this way: ``I
actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' End
quote. And then he went on to say that he was proud he and his
runningmate voted against it, and then he went on to say, at another
time, the funding issue is a complicated matter. There is nothing
complicated about supporting our troops in combat.
In the long run, our security is not guaranteed by force alone. We
must work to change the conditions that give rise to terror: poverty and
hopelessness and resentment. I see a lady holding a sign there that
says, ``My son is in Iraq.'' I want you to know, ma'am, that your son is
performing a duty that is changing the world. A free and peaceful Iraq
and a free and peaceful Afghanistan will be powerful examples to their
neighbors. These parts--people in these parts of the world are desperate
for freedom. In Iraq and Afghanistan, there are now strong leaders who
understand the power of free societies. And we understand the power of
freedom in America. We know that free societies do not export terror. We
know that in free societies, leaders listen to the hopes and aspirations
of their people.
By serving the ideal of liberty, we are bringing hope to others, and
that makes our country more secure. By serving the ideal of liberty,
we're making the world more peaceful. By serving the ideal of liberty,
we're serving the ideals of our country. Freedom is not America's gift
to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman
in this world.
I'm running for 4 more years because I know we've got a lot of work
to do to protect us. Enemies who hate us are still plotting to harm us.
My opponent says that going to war with the terrorists is actually
improving their recruiting efforts. His logic is upside-down, and it
shows a dangerous misunderstanding of the enemy we face. During the
1990s, terrorists were recruiting and training for war with us, long
before America went to war with them. They don't need an excuse for
their hatred. It's wrong to blame America for the anger and the evil of
those killers. You don't create terrorists by defending yourself and
fighting back; you defeat the terrorists by fighting back.
Listen, the September--the 9/11 Commission wrote a good report, and
it said that because of the actions we've taken since September the
11th, our homeland is safer, but we're not yet safe. I agree with that
conclusion. There's more work to do. Beginning immediately after
September the 11th, we started the hard process of reform. We created
the new Department of Homeland Security. We passed the PATRIOT Act,
which is vital; it is necessary to give our law enforcement the tools
necessary to disrupt terrorist activity. We're integrating intelligence
and law enforcement better than ever before.
We're taking up a lot of those recommendations. We've got to do a
better job of securing our ports and borders and training our first-
responders and dramatically improving our intelligence-gathering
capabilities. I called on Congress to create the position of National
Intelligence Director so that one person is in charge of coordinating
our intelligence efforts overseas and here at home. There's a lot of
really good people working hard to defend the American people, and I'm
proud of their efforts.
Now, reforms are never easy in Washington. It takes on--it requires
taking on the entrenched interests, those who are happy with the status
quo. It's not enough to advocate reform; you have to be able to get it
done. When it came to reforming our public schools, we're getting the
job done. When it comes to giving our health care reforms to our
families, with more access and more choices, we're getting the job done.
When it comes to creating jobs in America, we're getting the job done.
When it comes to defending America and spreading the peace, we're
getting the job done. And when it
[[Page 1566]]
comes to choosing a President, you better have a President who can get
the job done.
Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
The President. We live in a time of rapid change. These are exciting
times. One way to help American citizens during this time of change is
to encourage an ownership society. We want people owning and controlling
their own health care accounts. We want our Social Security system to
work. Listen, for old people like me and McCain--[laughter]--the Social
Security is sound enough for us. I'm worried about the younger workers.
I'm worried about the solvency of Social Security. Therefore, I think
younger workers ought to be allowed to have personal savings accounts
that they can call their own.
We want more people owning their business. I love the fact when
somebody says to me, you know, ``I just started my own business.'' We
want more people owning their own home. Homeownership rate is at an
alltime high in America. What a fantastic thought to know that more and
more Americans are opening up their front doors saying, ``Welcome to my
home.'' You see, this administration understands that when you own
something, you have a vital stake in the future of our country.
In this time of change, there's some things won't change: our belief
in liberty and opportunity and in the nonnegotiable demands of human
dignity; the individual values we try to live by, courage and
compassion, reverence and integrity; the institutions that 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 Government.
We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the
foundation of society. We stand for a culture of life in which every
person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges who
faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench. We
stand for a culture of responsibility in America. This culture of ours
is changing from one that has said, ``If it feels good, just go ahead
and do it,'' and ``If you 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 the community in
which you live, you are 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.
I'm seeking the vote because I want to continue to rally the armies
of compassion for the next 4 years. I understand the strength of this
country is the hearts and souls of the American people, and I know--and
I know that by rallying the great strength of America, we can change our
society one heart, one soul, one conscience at a time.
For all Americans, these years in our history will 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. It's a time that requires
firm resolve, strong belief in the values that have made our country
great.
None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another
began. As John mentioned, on September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the
ruins of the Twin Towers. It's a day I'll never forget. There were
workers in hardhats yelling at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I remember--I
remember working the ropeline, thanking people, and a fellow grabbed me.
He had bloodshot eyes. He had been searching the rubble for somebody
that he had worked with, and he said, ``Do not let me down.''
He took that day personally. All the workers took it personally. I
know you took it personally, and so do I. I have a duty that goes on. I
wake up every morning thinking about how to best protect our country. I
will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
We've come through much together. We've done a lot of hard work.
There's more work to be done over the next 4 years. We will spread
ownership and opportunity to every corner of America. During the next 4
[[Page 1567]]
years, we'll pass the enduring values of our country on to another
generation. During the next 4 years, we will continue to lead the world
to spread freedom and peace.
Four years ago, I traveled this great country asking for the vote. I
made a pledge to my fellow Americans that if you honored me with this
great responsibility, I would uphold the dignity and the honor of the
office to which I have been elected, so help me God. And with your help,
I will do so for the next 4 years.
Thanks for coming. Thank you all.
Note: The President spoke at 6:22 p.m. at Arizona Veterans Memorial
Coliseum. In his remarks, he referred to Arizona Secretary of State
Janice K. Brewer; Arizona State Treasurer David A. Petersen;
professional baseball player Luis Gonzalez and his wife, Christine;
professional golfer Tom Lehman; Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi,
leader of Libya; former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and the
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11
Commission).