[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 39 (Monday, September 27, 2004)]
[Pages 2037-2047]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in a Discussion on Women's Issues in Charlotte, North Carolina

September 17, 2004

    The President. Thanks for being here. Go ahead and be seated. We've 
got some work to do here. [Laughter] Thanks for such a warm welcome here 
in the great State of North Carolina. It's nice to be back here. I'm 
here asking for the vote, and I'm here to ask for your help.
    Gosh, there's a lot of people back there. Can you hear me back 
there? [Applause] That's good. Thanks for coming.
    The first thing I'd like you to do is ask you to register your 
friends and neighbors to vote. And while you're doing that, don't 
overlook discerning Democrats like Zell Miller. And then after we get 
them registered to vote, when it comes voting time, head them to the 
polls and remind them if they want a safer America, a stronger America, 
a better America, to put me and Dick Cheney back in office.
    Listen, we've got an interesting way to talk about some issues 
today. One of the things you've got to know is, I've got a reason to run 
again. I'm asking for the vote because there's more to do to make this 
country a safer place and a better place for everybody, a more hopeful 
place for those of us who live here in America. And so I asked some of 
our fellow citizens here to share some ideas, or to discuss some of the 
ideas I have about a new term. I think you're going to find it 
interesting. I hope you do.
    Before I begin to talk with them about ways to make this country a 
more hopeful place, I do want to tell you that I lucked out when Laura 
said, ``Yes.'' One way to maybe look at this race is, you can judge the 
nature of a fellow by the company he keeps. I'm keeping great company 
when it comes to Laura Bush. I'm proud of her. Listen, when I asked her 
to marry me, she said, ``Fine, just so long as I don't have to give any 
political speeches.'' [Laughter] I said, ``Okay, you won't have to give 
any speeches.'' Fortunately, she didn't hold me to my word. The other 
night the country got to see what I've seen in Laura for all these 
years: She's compassionate; she's decent; she's strong; she is a great 
mom, a wonderful wife, and a fantastic First Lady for our country.
    I want to thank my friend Elizabeth Dole. She's a great United 
States Senator for the State of North Carolina. I want to thank my 
friend Robin Hayes. I appreciate you being here, Congressman. I'm glad 
you're here. Nice to see you, sir. Congresswoman Sue Myrick, she's here. 
Thanks for coming, Sue. It's great to see you. Richard Burr, is he here? 
Where is he? Burr, how are you? I'm in town not only to talk about my 
race; I'm in town to talk about his race. He needs to be elected to the 
United States Senate.
    I want to thank Pat McCrory, the great mayor of Charlotte, North 
Carolina. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming. Cherie Berry is with us 
today. We got some statehouse folks. We got Patrick Ballantine, the next 
Governor, with us today.
    I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here today. These 
people put up the signs and do the hard work. I want to thank you for 
what you have done and what you're going to do, which is, coming down 
the pike, turn people out to vote. We carried North Carolina last time, 
and with your help, we're going to carry it this time.
    I know Teresa Earnhardt is with us today. I'm proud you're here, 
Teresa. It's good to see you. Thanks for coming. There you are. 
Appreciate you being here. I was going to the NASCAR race in New 
Hampshire on Sunday, but I'm going down to help provide as much comfort 
as I can to the folks whose lives have been turned upside down by the 
hurricane that hit the coast so hard. I know it's affecting parts of 
North Carolina. We send our prayers to the people whose lives are being 
affected in your great State, and

[[Page 2038]]

we stand ready to help when this storm passes through.
    I appreciate you all coming. Let me tell you something about what I 
believe. I believe Government should stand side by side with people, not 
try to tell people how to run their life. I believe the proper role of 
Government is to help people help themselves, not dictate to people. 
There's a fundamental difference in this campaign in philosophy of 
Government. And in the course of the next days coming down the stretch, 
people are going to see a clear difference.
    Today I also want you to understand I understand the world of ours 
is changing, and the fundamental systems of Government must change with 
the changing world. The Government of the--the society of ours has 
changed dramatically. For example, in the old days women used to stay at 
home. Now they're staying at home and working; they're inside the house 
and outside the house. That's a fundamental shift in our labor market. 
And yet, the labor laws haven't changed. So we're going to talk about 
flex-time and comp-time today, to help women juggle the needs of work 
and family. We want the labor laws to be family-friendly here in 
America. We want them to adjust with the times.
    In the old days, you know, the dad or granddad worked for one 
company and one career, and today, people are now changing jobs and 
careers oftentimes. And yet, the worker training programs haven't 
adjusted with the times. If you've got a workforce where people are 
changing jobs often, you've got to have a worker training program that 
helps train people for the jobs which actually exist. And so we're going 
to talk about how to make sure the worker training programs here in 
America work.
    See, what I'm telling you is many of the systems of Government were 
designed for yesterday. I'm running for President to make sure they're 
designed for tomorrow--our tax system is designed for tomorrow, our 
health care systems are designed for tomorrow, our pension plans are 
designed for tomorrow. I want to make sure Government helps people be 
able to realize their dreams here in the greatest country on the face of 
the Earth.

[At this point, a portion of the President's remarks were missing from 
the transcript made available by the Office of the Press Secretary.]

    I already worked through one mike. [Laughter]
    In order to make sure there's a hopeful society, we've got to make 
sure this economy continues to grow. Now, when you're out gathering the 
vote, remind your friends and neighbors what this economy has been 
through. We've been through a recession. We've been through corporate 
scandals. That meant some people forgot what it meant to be a 
responsible citizen. We passed laws that now make it clear we're not 
going to tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of our country. And we 
went through that attack on our country on September the 11th, 2001, 
that cost jobs. It affected our economy.
    We're overcoming these obstacles. These are obstacles in the way for 
economic growth and vitality. We're overcoming them because we've got 
great workers, great farmers and ranchers, great small-business owners, 
and because of tax relief.
    The economy has added 1.7 million jobs since August of last year. 
The national unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, which is lower than the 
average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The unemployment rate here in 
North Carolina is 5 percent. The tax relief we--the economic stimulus 
plan we passed is working. And so the fundamental question is, how are 
you going to make sure this recovery is sustained economic growth? I'm 
going to talk a little bit about that, if you don't mind.
    First, we need an energy plan to make sure jobs stay right here in 
America. In order to make sure people can find work, this country must 
have an energy plan. I submitted one to Congress that said: We're going 
to encourage conservation; we'll use renewables like ethanol and 
biodiesel; we'll use clean coal technologies; we'll use technologies to 
explore in environmentally friendly ways for natural gas. But it's a 
plan that understands this: In order to make sure people can find work 
here in America today and tomorrow, we need to be less dependent on 
foreign sources of energy.
    In order to make sure we have jobs here in America, we need to do 
something about these junk lawsuits that are threatening

[[Page 2039]]

small-business owners. In order to do something about making sure we got 
jobs here in America, we got to be wise about our regulatory policy. 
Many small-business owners fill out regulations. I can't guarantee you 
whether anybody in the Federal Government has ever read them. [Laughter] 
But I do know paperwork is costly.
    In order to make sure jobs stay in America, we got to have wise 
trade policy. Now, we've opened up our markets for foreign goods, which 
is good for the American consumers. If you have more choices in the 
marketplace, you're more likely to get the product you want at a better 
quality and a better price. So what I'm saying to other nations is, 
``You treat us the way we treat you.'' That's why we were the first 
administration to invoke the China Textile Safeguard. That's why we were 
the first administration to file a WTO case against China. The message 
is clear: If you want to trade with us, you treat us fairly, because 
Americans can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere if the rules are 
fair.
    Two other things I want to tell you about in order to make sure jobs 
are here. See, I've got a six-point economic plan to make sure the 
recovery that we're witnessing is a lasting recovery, so people can 
realize their dreams here in America. Listen, a hopeful society is one 
not only that changes fundamental systems to help people, but it's one 
in which the economic vitality is strong enough for people to be able to 
find work or start their own business or have a chance to realize their 
dreams.
    Now, we got to be wise about how we spend your money in Washington 
if we're going to make sure this economy continues to grow. Here's my 
view of things. We're going to set priorities, and then we're going to 
let you keep as much money as we possibly can. Because once the Federal 
Government meets those priorities, I think you can spend your money 
better than the Federal Government can.
    To make sure this economy grows, we got to keep your taxes low. 
We're going to talk to a small-business owner here in a minute, a woman-
owned business. One of the most amazing--one of the most important 
changes that has taken place in this changing world is that there are 10 
million women-owned businesses here in America. What a phenomenal change 
in society, isn't it?
    I think tax policy ought to encourage the formation of women-owned 
businesses, and I think tax policy ought not to harm women-owned 
businesses. Do you realize most businesses today--small businesses are 
Subchapter S corporations or limited partnerships, which means they pay 
tax at the individual income-tax level? So when you cut individual 
income taxes, you're really helping small businesses. You're helping 
women-owned small businesses.
    I think raising taxes on small businesses would be a mistake. It 
would hurt our economy. I'm running against a fellow who's promised $2.2 
trillion in new Federal spending so far, and we haven't even got to the 
stretch run yet. So they said, ``How are you going to pay for it?'' He 
said, ``Oh, that's simple. We'll just tax the rich.'' You run up the top 
two brackets of the individual income taxes, you're taxing about a 
million small businesses here in America. Seventy percent of new jobs in 
America are created by small businesses, and you're taxing the job 
creators.
    That doesn't make any economic sense. You've heard the talk before, 
haven't you, ``We're just going to tax the rich.'' Yes. The rich hire 
accountants and lawyers, so you get stuck with the bill. You can't tax 
the rich enough to pay for $2.2 trillion of new spending. There's a tax 
gap. And guess who gets stuck with that tax gap? You do. But we're not 
going to let him tax you, because we're going to win in November.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Okay. Thank you. We've got work to do here.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. We've got a little work to do. Thanks. I told you one 
of the most amazing statistics is the fact there's 10 million small-
business owners. I think, in the State of North Carolina, I think 45 
percent of the small businesses are owned by women. That is an 
incredibly hopeful statistic, isn't it? It's a fantastic statistic.
    See, when I talk about a changing world, that's what I'm talking 
about. And so we got one of those entrepreneurs with us today.

[[Page 2040]]

Stewart Gordon is with us, a businessowner, The Buttercup, Inc. What do 
you do?
    Stewart Gordon. We're a gift and stationery shop, and we started 29 
years ago, five women with an investment of $500 each--only in America.
    The President. Wait a minute. You're obviously still in business.
    Ms. Gordon. We are. We're still going strong.
    The President. Do you have employees?
    Ms. Gordon. We have 37 talented women that work with us. We own our 
own building, and we have a good time. It's a nourishing environment, 
not only for us, our staff, but also for our customers. We are true 
``steel magnolias.'' So with determination and a little hard work, The 
Buttercup is strong.
    The President. Good. The Buttercup is a Subchapter S corporation. 
That means they pay tax at the individual income-tax level, and so when 
you hear them coming out of Washington saying, ``Oh, we're just going to 
tax the rich,'' keep The Buttercup in mind. See, when they run up the 
top two brackets, companies like The Buttercup get affected. And if they 
start taking money out of The Buttercup's coffers, it's less likely the 
women who work there are going to be able to keep their jobs.
    How many people did you hire this year, do you know?
    Ms. Gordon. We hired six.
    The President. Six people. See, that's what's happening in the 
economy. Six people hired by this small business here, six there. This 
economy is growing because the small-business sector is strong. Tax 
policy ought to help women-owned business, not hurt women-owned 
businesses. Let's talk about flex-time, do you want to?

[Ms. Gordon made further remarks.]

    The President. See, Federal labor law--[applause]--hold on for a 
minute--labor law prevents there to be maximum of flex-time. The labor 
law is stuck in the past. It was written when women stayed at home. The 
world has changed. We've got women now working in the house and out of 
the house, like I said, and that's good for our economy. But the labor 
laws need to adjust to allow moms to be able to juggle the needs of the 
workplace and the family. I'm running again because I want to change 
systems of Government that prevent people from realizing their dreams.
    If you make it easier for a mother--or a father, for that matter--to 
be a good mom or a dad, it's more likely they're going to be a better 
employee and have a higher quality of life.
    Good job. Are you ready? Yes, she's ready. Frances, you're ready. My 
old buddy Frances. We met before.
    One of the things we've changed is to change this concept of 
Government--getting people dependent upon Government. We changed welfare 
laws in a more compassionate way, as far as I'm concerned. We made the 
system more compassionate so as to help people realize their dreams.
    And Frances Cunningham is with us--my old buddy, right?
    Frances Cunningham. I'm here.
    The President. Until I asked her to come on the stage. [Laughter] 
Mother of two.
    Ms. Cunningham. Yes. Can you hear me?
    The President. Oh, yes, they can hear you loud and clear.

[Ms. Cunningham made brief remarks.]

    The President. You're doing good.
    Ms. Cunningham. Thank you.
    The President. Frances is a great story, you know. She was on 
welfare. They have a great welfare department here. They said, ``Let's 
help--let's help somebody help themselves.'' That's what I'm telling you 
about. We're changing systems so people have a chance to realize dreams.
    Now what she's saying, she wants to go to the next level. Hopefully, 
somebody is listening out there in the camera that says, ``Wait a 
minute, maybe Frances could make a''----
    Ms. Cunningham. And I have been promoted on my job, and it just 
opened up a lot of doors for me. And I'm sure a lot of women out here 
understand, you know, when you have to depend on the Government to help 
you, that is fine for a while--to help you get your life in order. And 
it's been great. And I just encourage business to just help one another 
and help people and

[[Page 2041]]

help us to become better citizens out here and mothers and fathers, you 
know?
    The President. That's good. You're doing great. Listen, she has the 
hardest job in America, though. I want you to know she's got the 
toughest job in America--a single mother is the toughest job in America. 
And we need to help. And I appreciate you, you did great.
    I want to talk to Kema Jenkins. We're going to talk to Kema right 
now----
    Ms. Cunningham. Can I say one more thing?
    The President. Absolutely. You've got the mike and it's still on.
    Ms. Cunningham. I just want to thank my supervisor.
    The President. Where is your supervisor?
    Ms. Cunningham. That's her, right there.
    The President. Good job. Thanks for coming.
    Ms. Cunningham. She's been very supportive.
    The President. Appreciate you being here.
    Ms. Cunningham. Give her a handshake for me.
    The President. Handshake right now? Well, let me finish the thing 
here. [Laughter]
    Ms. Cunningham. Okay. All right. Thank you. And Mr. Jacobson, he's 
not here, Department of Social Service director. He's been like a 
mentor.
    The President. That's good. See, people can make a difference in 
somebody's life. We can change one America one heart and one soul at a 
time if somebody just takes time out of their life to love a neighbor 
like you'd like to be loved yourself.
    Are you ready, Kema? I told you one of the real challenges we have 
is to help people have the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st 
century. We've got a really interesting story here in Kema Jenkins. She 
is a--she's a good soul who--well, tell us. You used to work for?
    Kema Jenkins. A textile company. That is now----
    The President. Yes. You don't want to say its name? No? Okay. 
Pillowtex--I will. [Laughter]

[Ms. Jenkins made brief remarks.]

    The President. Let me--if I can help say what you just said. Look, 
the Government needs to help people gain the skills necessary to fill 
jobs. I know what it's like here with the textile industry, and so do 
you. It's been hit hard. But the amazing thing about your economy is 
that it is diversifying. There are health care jobs available. And the 
Government, I think, has a responsibility to help people like Kema gain 
the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century.
    Nobody likes jobs going away. But there's new opportunity. In a 
changing economy like ours, there are new opportunities for people. When 
an economy changes it certainly creates dislocation, and I understand 
that. And that's not good. But what is good is that jobs are replaced 
with higher paying jobs so long as the people have the skill set 
necessary to fill the jobs. And that's what we're talking about here. 
Women need help. If they get laid off from work, they need help. That's 
why I'm such a big believer in the community college system, in helping 
people go back and gain the skills.
    You can't say--Government can't pass a law that says Kema has got to 
go back to school. She's got to make up her own mind. She said, ``I want 
to embetter myself,'' and ``Is there a place to find help?'' I think 
it's a legitimate use of your taxpayer--of your money, is to help 
somebody like Kema be able to realize dreams in the workplace.
    Now, let me ask you something. One of the interesting things about 
education--I didn't see you all over there; that's the end zone. Okay, 
never mind.
    One of the interesting things about education is that as you 
increase your skill level, you increase your productivity. It means 
you're a more productive worker. And when you become more productive, 
you make more money. One of the interesting things about a changing 
economy is that our workers are more productive than ever before. That 
means instead of using a hoe, you use a backhoe. Or instead of using, 
you know, a regular old standard typewriter, you use a computer. In 
other words, that's an example of becoming more productive.
    But that creates a challenge for us. It creates a challenge for us 
in our society because the more productive workers become, the

[[Page 2042]]

faster the economy has to grow so people can find work. That's why my 
six-point plan is essential to making sure people in a productive world 
can find work.
    So you worked there for Pillowtex for a while and--so what's the 
difference in pay? I'm not--maybe not exactly numbers. More, less, same?
    Ms. Jenkins. I'm going to be making more this year than I've made 
the past 21 years at Pillowtex.
    The President. Yes. See, that's the great opportunity for women. 
It's the great opportunity for women in the workplace. If you can help a 
person with the skill set necessary to work, help them become more 
productive, they make more money. She's making more money in the 
beginning of a new career than she made at the end of her other career.
    And that's what's happening all around America. That's why it's 
important for us to change fundamental systems to help women--and men, 
for that matter--realize their dreams. And that's what we're talking 
about. It's helping people. It's a difference of philosophy. As opposed 
to saying, you know, ``You will be dependent on Government,'' or, ``You 
will do this, or you will do that,'' my philosophy says, ``Can we help 
you, and can we help you help yourself.'' In a changing world, helping 
people help themselves creates a more hopeful America.
    Let me talk about health care right quick. It's an issue in this 
campaign. There is a fundamental difference between what I believe and 
my opponent believes when it comes to health care. I believe the best 
health care decisions are made by doctors and patients. I believe it is 
essential that the Federal Government does not run your health care.
    And I put out some practical plans to help people. Do you know that 
about 50 percent of the working uninsured work for small businesses? And 
the reason why they're uninsured is because small businesses have 
trouble purchasing affordable health care for their employees. And yet, 
most small-business owners want to purchase affordable health care for 
their employees. I see a lot of the women businessowners here nodding. 
They--the best way to help small businesses and their employees and 
their families is to allow small businesses to pool together, to bind 
together across jurisdictional boundaries so they can buy insurance at 
the same discounts that big businesses get to do.
    Those are called association health plans. My opponent is against 
them. I think they make a lot of sense. Government should help people 
solve problems. The--health savings accounts are a very interesting way 
for people to save money when it comes to health care and to help small 
businesses afford insurance for their employees. Health savings accounts 
are basically catastrophic plans with a high deductible and that the 
employer and employee contribute, based upon the contractual 
arrangement, tax-free money into an account. So, in other words, if 
you've got--say, the insurance company will pay for everything over 
$2,000, you cover from zero to 2,000 either as a contribution to your 
employee or the employee puts it in, and it's your money. And if you 
spend the 2,000, you replenish next year. If you spend nothing on your 
health care because you're a good exerciser, you make good choices, 
you've been lucky, things went well, that 2,000 is your money. It earns 
interest tax-free. You carry it over from one year to the next, and then 
you've got a nest egg for the next year.
    And basically what it says is, it says that people make decisions on 
health care, not some faceless bureaucrat. It means that you've got a 
chance to control this health care plan. In a changing world, people 
change jobs and careers quite often, which means you take your health 
savings account with you wherever you go.
    To make sure health care is available and affordable, we're going to 
spend some money to make sure that children who are eligible for the 
low-income health programs at the government level get signed up. See, 
there's too many of the kids not signing up what they call SCHIP. It's a 
good program, and we ought to encourage families to take advantage of 
the low-income health programs for our children.
    I also want to tell you another interesting idea. Actually, we're 
doing it right now. To make sure health care is available for all of us, 
we're going to expand community health centers. Now, community health 
centers are places where the indigent and the poor can get primary care 
and preventative care. It's

[[Page 2043]]

a good use of your money to expand community health centers. It's better 
that people get this kind of care and get this kind of care at a 
community health center and not in an emergency room of a local 
hospital. And so, in a second term, we will expand community health 
centers to every poor county in America.
    Two other things on health care I want to talk about--want to talk 
about Medicare. I went to Washington to fix problems, not pass them on 
to future Presidents and future generations. We had an issue in 
Medicare. We had an issue in Medicare. A lot of senior women were 
affected by a Medicare system that hadn't modernized. People say, ``What 
are you talking about?'' I say, ``Well, Medicare would pay for the 
$100,000 for the heart surgery but would not pay for the prescription 
drugs that might prevent the heart surgery from being needed in the 
first place.'' That didn't make any sense. It didn't make any sense for 
Medicare recipients. It didn't make any sense for taxpayers.
    And so we're modernizing the system. They've got drug discount cards 
now available for our seniors. I urge our seniors to look at the drug 
discount card. People are having great savings when it comes to 
prescription drug coverage, particularly our poor seniors, because we're 
helping them with the purchase of drugs. In 2005, there will be 
preventative screenings paid for by Medicare for the first time ever in 
the system. It helps us solve problems by diagnosing problems early. And 
in 2006, our seniors will get prescription drug coverage, and the system 
makes sense.
    And finally, we've got a healer with us today, a doc, Andrea 
Torsone. One reason why it's hard for small businesses to afford health 
care, one reason why your health care costs are going up, one reason why 
docs are becoming less available for people is because these junk 
lawsuits are beginning to hurt the health-care industry significantly. 
If you're a doctor and you're getting sued all the time or your neighbor 
is getting sued all the time, you're going to practice defensive 
medicine so that you can defend yourself in a court of law. That costs--
practicing of defensive medicine, in other words, you're prescribing 
more than you need to do; you're just doing the extra X ray here or 
extra test there--that costs the Federal Government $28 billion a year, 
to practice defensive medicine. I mean, there is a direct correlation 
between these lawsuits and the cost of Government.
    We need to do something about it. Too many good docs are leaving 
practice. Too many women are having trouble with keeping their ob-gyn. 
Particularly the ob part of the ob-gyn. And they're getting run out of 
business. I've talked to too many women who are pregnant, and they don't 
have their local doc because the local doc had to surrender the practice 
due to the high cost of premiums caused by lawsuits. And that's not 
right. That's not right. Good health care for women and good health care 
for every American depends on having a legal system that is reasonable. 
We need medical liability reform--now.
    And this is an issue in this campaign. This is an issue in this 
campaign. There's a fundamental difference of opinion. See, I don't 
think you can be pro-doctor and pro-patient and pro-hospital and pro-
trial-lawyer at the same time. I think you have to choose. I think you 
have to choose. My opponent made his choice, and he put a trial lawyer 
on the ticket.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. I made my choice. I'm standing with the docs and 
patients. We're for medical liability reform in this campaign.
    All right, Doc. You are a--what kind of doc?

[Dr. Andrea Torsone made brief remarks.]

    The President. See, this is a problem. Here is a kind, compassionate 
soul who is obviously talented and went to school because she wanted to 
deliver babies. And the cost of doing medicine is so high because of 
lawsuits that she no longer does so. It's just one less person to help a 
woman, and it's--we got a national problem with this issue. She said her 
premiums have gone up 300 percent in a very brief period of time. That's 
because it's like a legal lottery out there, and you just keep filing 
these lawsuits, one after another. And it's happening State after State. 
Good people are saying, ``I'm through. I wish I could practice. I wish I 
could heal. I wish I could help, but I can't afford it anymore.''

[[Page 2044]]

    And this is a living example of why we need medical liability reform 
in Washington, DC. Listen, I believe that this is a national issue. I 
believe it is a national problem. And I know it's causing our budgets to 
go up, and that's why I submitted a plan to the House and the Senate. It 
passed the House. It's stuck in the Senate because there's too many 
trial lawyers in the United States Senate.
    I also want to share some thoughts with you about my most important 
duty, which is protect you and your children. That's the most important 
duty I have. Let me share some lessons I've learned from September the 
11th.
    One, we face an enemy that has no conscience. They--it's hard for us 
to understand people that will kill for the sake of an ideology of 
hatred, but they do. And therefore, you cannot negotiate with these 
people. You cannot hope for the best. You cannot sit down and maybe 
think, ``Well, gosh, there's a chance we can rationalize with them.'' 
You cannot. And that's why our strategy in this Government is to find 
them in places around the world so we do not have to face them here--is 
to bring them to justice in foreign lands. [Applause] Okay, hold on a 
second. Thank you all, but not yet.
    Secondly--I've got more than one lesson to share with you. Secondly, 
this is a different kind of struggle. It's a different kind of war. 
There are places where these people can hide and wait and plan. And 
therefore, I laid out a doctrine which said, ``If you harbor a 
terrorist, you're just as equally--you're just as guilty as the 
terrorist.'' Now, when the President says something--hold on for a 
second--when the President says something, he better mean what he says 
in order to make this world more peaceful. I meant what I said. I meant 
what I said.
    The Taliban ignored what we said. And thanks to a lot of really 
fine, fine soldiers, the Taliban is no longer in power in Afghanistan. 
And we're better off for it. The world is safer for it, and so is 
America. No longer does Al Qaida have a safe haven. See, these people 
are like parasites, and they try to find a weak host so they can 
eventually kind of become the host. And as a result of removing the 
Taliban from power, we're safer. These Al Qaida no longer have safe 
haven there. There's still some hiding in remote regions of that part of 
the world, and we're after them. Day after day, we're slowly but surely 
dismantling the Al Qaida network. Seventy-five percent of their leaders 
and associates have been brought to justice. Over the next 4 years, 
we'll continue to keep the pressure on. That's our duty to the American 
people.
    But I also want to tell you what else happened in Afghanistan. This 
is a country where many young girls didn't get to go to school. When I 
talk about ideologies of hate, I'm talking about people that would not 
allow girls to be educated. That's part of an ideology of hate. Their 
mothers were taken to the squares of that country and whipped or killed 
in some cases, in the sports stadium, because they would not toe the 
line of this dark ideology. That's the way these people think. There is 
no freedom, in their view. As a matter of fact, freedom frightens them, 
freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of speech.
    Today, in Afghanistan--this is 3 years ago, which really isn't very 
long, when you think about it--3 years after these people were 
brutalizing much of that society, 10 million citizens, 41 percent of 
whom are women, have registered to vote in the upcoming Presidential 
election. Isn't that fantastic? Think about that. This is a society 
which has gone--which is going from darkness to light because of 
freedom. And we're better off for it. We're better off that Afghanistan 
is a free country. It helps us to have an ally in the war on terror 
there, as opposed to a place where the terrorists can hide.
    Third lesson is that we must take threats seriously before they 
fully materialize. That's one of the lessons of September the 11th. It's 
a harsh lesson, but it's one we must never forget. Prior to September 
the 11th, planners and thinkers in Washington, DC, could see a threat 
and say, ``Well, we don't have to worry about it because it could never 
come and hurt us.'' That's what we thought. It wasn't that way during 
the cold war, admittedly, but we had a plan, mutually assured 
destruction. But after the cold war, we thought we were safe, didn't we? 
If you really think about the time, 3 short years ago, we felt like we 
were protected. And so when we saw threats we could decide to deal with 
it

[[Page 2045]]

if we wanted to deal with it or not. After that day, every threat must 
be taken seriously.
    In Saddam Hussein, I saw a threat. I saw a threat because he was a 
sworn enemy of the United States of America. He was our enemy. As a 
matter of fact, they were firing missiles--he was firing missiles at 
U.S. aircraft enforcing the world's sanctions. We had been to war with 
Saddam Hussein before. He had been to war in his neighborhood. In other 
words, he was a destabilizing influence. He had terrorist ties. Abu 
Nidal killed Leon Klinghoffer, if you remember. Remember that incident? 
The guy was in Baghdad, as were people in his organization. Zarqawi, the 
beheader, was in and out of Baghdad, and he had a poisons network in 
Iraq. He was a terrorist. Saddam Hussein paid the families of suicide 
bombers. Suicide bombing is a terrorist activity. He had terrorist ties. 
He also had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction, and he 
had used weapons of mass destruction. And the intelligence I looked at 
and the intelligence Congress looked at said he actually had them there.
    So I saw a threat. And I went to the United States Congress and 
said, ``We got an issue here that we're going to have to deal with.'' 
Members of the Congress of both political parties looked at the very 
same intelligence I looked at--the very same intelligence--and they 
remembered the same history I remembered, and they concluded that Saddam 
Hussein was a threat and authorized the use of force. My opponent looked 
at the same intelligence I looked at, and when they said, ``Do you 
authorize the use of force,'' he voted ``yes.''
    Before the Commander in Chief commits troops into harm's way, before 
the Commander in Chief looks a mom or dad in the eye and says, ``I'm 
sending your son or daughter into harm's way,'' we must have tried all 
options--all options. And I was hopeful diplomacy would solve this 
problem. I was hopeful that we could diplomatically deal with the 
threat. And so I went to the United Nations, said, ``We see a problem.'' 
They looked at the same intelligence I looked at. They remembered the 
same history I remembered, and with a 15-to-nothing vote in the United 
Nations Security Council, they voted to tell Saddam Hussein, ``You 
disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences.''
    Now, I told you when I say something, you better mean it if you're 
the President. I think when international bodies speak, they better mean 
it as well. And they said this. Saddam Hussein, as he had for resolution 
after resolution after resolution after resolution, ignored this one. He 
wasn't about to disclose, disarm. So he didn't believe there would be 
serious consequences, I guess. As a matter of fact, when they sent 
inspectors in, the U.N. sent inspectors in, he systematically deceived 
them. And I knew he was deceiving them. So I have a choice to make at 
this point in time: Do I take the word of a madman and forget the 
lessons of September the 11th, or take action to defend our country? 
Given that choice, I will defend America every time.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Okay, hold on.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. Thank you all. Thank you all.
    A couple of other things I want to share. Let me share some other 
things with you right quick. We didn't find the stockpiles we thought we 
would find, the stockpiles that everybody thought was there. But I do 
know that he had the capability of making those weapons, and he could 
have passed that capability on to an enemy. And that's a risk we could 
not afford to take after September the 11th. Knowing what I know today, 
I would have made the same decision. The world is better off with Saddam 
Hussein sitting in a prison cell, make no mistake about it.
    Prime Minister Allawi is coming here next week. He's a tough guy who 
believes that Iraq should be free. And he cares about the hopes and 
aspirations of the Iraqi people. He is--I'm looking forward to meeting 
him. I think he's coming to speak to the Congress--I hope I didn't let 
the cat out of the bag. Everybody knows that? Okay, good. [Laughter] 
Hope he knows it. [Laughter] I'm looking forward to the American people 
hearing him. It's important that we hear from someone there on the 
ground who believes that

[[Page 2046]]

people want to be free, believes that the people of Iraq really want to 
be free.
    Here's our strategy in both Afghanistan and Iraq. We're going to 
help the Iraqis hold elections. The Afghan people are holding their 
elections soon. There will be free elections in Iraq in January of this 
year. People want to vote. People want to participate. We're going to 
help train Iraqi police and army so they can defend themselves against 
the few who are trying to stop the dreams of the many in that country. 
We'll help them, and we're making progress. We're making progress. It's 
tough. Of course it's tough, because there are killers there who are 
trying to shake our will and shake the will of the Iraqis. It's tough on 
the Iraqi citizens. These people are indiscriminately killing because 
they want to cause us to leave, and they want the Iraqis to grow weary 
of trying to be a free society. Listen to Allawi. He'll talk about what 
it means to be free.
    Once we get these folks trained and get them on the path to 
stability and democracy, our troops are coming home with the honor they 
earned. And I appreciate those in the United States military. I'm proud 
you all are here.
    Here's the fourth lesson I want to share with you. The fourth lesson 
is, when we put troops in harm's way, they deserve the full support of 
the Federal Government, full support. That's why I went to the Congress 
and asked for $87 billion of support for our troops. And this is 
important funding, really important funding. As a matter of fact, it was 
so important that there was wide bipartisan support in the Senate and in 
the House. As a matter of fact, when I say ``wide bipartisan support,'' 
I'm talking only 12 Members of the Senate voted against the funding, two 
of whom are my opponent and his runningmate.
    Audience members. Boo-o-o!
    The President. When you're out rounding up the vote, when you're 
rounding up the vote, remind people of this fact. Only four Members of 
the Senate voted to authorize the use of force and then voted not to 
fund the troops, two of whom are my opponent and his runningmate.
    Now, you might remember, when they asked him, they said, ``Why,'' 
and he said, ``Well, I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I 
voted against it.'' There's not a lot of folks in Charlotte, North 
Carolina who speak that way, I can assure you.
    We've done hard work. We've done hard work. Because of the hard work 
we've done, this world is becoming more peaceful. I believe in the 
transformational power of liberty. That's what I believe. It's the heart 
of much of what I think, is because I believe liberty can change enemies 
to allies and change distressed societies to hopeful societies. I like 
to share with people my feelings about Japan. You know, Prime Minister 
Koizumi is a friend of mine. I like him. He's a good guy to talk to. And 
he is the Prime Minister of a country with which we were at war during 
my dad's lifetime. After all, he was there, as was your dads and 
granddads. Think about that. It wasn't all that long ago that Japan was 
the sworn enemy of the United States of America. We were fighting them. 
Young men went off to war, and a lot didn't come back.
    And yet, after World War II, Harry Truman and other American 
citizens believed that if Japan became a democracy the world would be 
better off. And that was hard work, really hard work. You can imagine 
why. You can imagine the moms here saying, ``What do you mean, working 
with Japan to make a democracy. They just killed--caused great harm.'' 
And yet, there was this unshakeable faith that liberty could change 
societies. And as a result of that unshakeable faith of a prior 
President and citizens of this country, I now sit down at the table with 
Prime Minister Koizumi talking about keeping the peace. Think about 
that.
    Someday, an American President, whoever he or she may be, will be 
sitting down with a duly elected leader of Iraq talking about how to 
keep the peace in the greater Middle East. And our children and 
grandchildren will be better off for it.
    Liberty can change societies. Free societies are peaceful societies. 
Free societies help change the world. I believe everybody longs for 
freedom. And I believe this not because freedom is America's gift to the 
world; I believe it because freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each 
man and woman in this world.

[[Page 2047]]

    I'm here today to let you know I have a reason to seek the office 
again. I'm running to help transform systems of Government so people can 
realize their dreams. I'm running again to continue to lead so this 
world will be a safer place. I'm running again because I want to help 
spread the peace we all want. I'm running again because I have great 
faith in the American people and have great faith in the values that 
make us a great nation. I know where I want to lead. And I want to thank 
your help--for your help in helping us get there. With your help, we'll 
win a great victory in November of this year.
    God bless. God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 4:01 p.m. at the Charlotte Merchandise 
Mart. In his remarks, he referred to Senator Zell Miller of Georgia, who 
made the keynote address at the Republican National Convention; 
Representative Richard Burr of North Carolina, senatorial candidate in 
North Carolina; North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry; North 
Carolina gubernatorial candidate Patrick Ballantine; Teresa Earnhardt, 
chief executive officer and president, Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; senior Al 
Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the 
Iraqi Interim Government; and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. 
This item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate 
issue.