[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 44 (Monday, November 1, 2004)]
[Pages 2675-2679]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in Manchester,
New Hampshire

October 29, 2004

    The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for 
coming. We are honored you are here. Thanks for being here today. You've 
lifted our spirits. And with your help, we'll carry New Hampshire and 
win a great victory next Tuesday.
    I want to thank my friends Senator Judd Gregg and Kathy. I want to 
thank Senator Sununu, Congressman Bradley, Congressman Bass, Governor 
Benson--put him back in. Put Gregg back in too. Most of all, thank you 
for coming.
    Laura and I are thrilled you are here. You know, I'm here to tell 
the people of New Hampshire, you need to put me back in for a reason. 
Perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura is the First Lady 
for 4 more years. I love her dearly. She is a great First Lady.
    In the final 4 days of this historic campaign, I'm taking my vision 
of a more hopeful America directly to the people of this country. That's 
what I've come to New Hampshire about, to talk about a hopeful future 
for all of us. Today, our economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. 
The tax relief we passed is working. Think about this: Homeownership 
rate is at an alltime high in America. More minority families own a home 
than ever before in our Nation's history. Our farmers are making a good 
living. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in America.
    In the course of traveling your State, I met a lot of small-business 
owners who are making a good living because of our tax relief and 
because of their ingenuity and vision. And because they're making a good 
living, they're hiring people. We've added 1.9 million new jobs across 
this country in the last 13 months. The national unemployment rate is 
5.4 percent. Let me put that in perspective for you. That's lower than 
the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. The 
unemployment rate in the great State of New Hampshire is 3.5 percent. 
Our economic policies are working.
    In a new term, we'll keep your taxes low. We'll reduce the 
regulations. We'll do something about these lawsuits. We will put plans 
in place to make sure the entrepreneurial spirit is strong so people can 
continue to work.
    When I campaigned in 2000, I promised to challenge the soft bigotry 
of low expectations in our public schools. I kept my word. In a new 
term, we'll stay on the path of reform and results in all our schools so 
no child is left behind in America. In a new term, we'll make sure 
health care is more affordable and accessible for our families. In all 
we do to reform health care, we will make sure the health care decisions 
are made by doctors and patients, not by officials in Washington, DC. In 
a new term, we'll keep the promise of Social Security for our seniors 
and strengthen the system for our children and our grandchildren. In a 
new term, we'll protect marriage and family, which are the foundations 
of our society.
    And all the progress we hope to make depends on the security of our 
Nation. We face enemies who hate our country and would do anything to 
harm us. I will fight these enemies with every asset of our national 
power. We will do our duty, and we will protect the American people.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. On September the 11th, 2001, our Nation suffered 
terrible harm, and the pain was greatest for our families of the lost. 
With us today are Ernie Strada and his wife, Mary Ann, who lost their 
son, Tom, at the World Trade Center. Please welcome the Stradas. The 
September 11th families will always be in our thoughts and always be in 
our prayers. This Nation must never forget their pain.
    On the day of that tragedy, I made a decision: America will no 
longer respond to terrorist murder with half-measures and empty threats. 
We will no longer look away from gathering dangers and simply hope for 
the best. We are pursuing a comprehensive strategy to fight the 
terrorist enemy and defend America. We will not relent, and we will 
prevail.
    First, we're on the offensive against the terrorist networks. The 
best way to prevent future attacks is to go after the enemy. We will 
confront the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at 
home. We are

[[Page 2676]]

waging a global campaign from the mountains of Central Asia to the 
deserts of the Middle East, from the Horn of Africa to the Philippines. 
We're getting results. Since September the 11th, more than three-
quarters of Al Qaida's key members and associates have been detained or 
killed, and the rest of them know we are on their trail.
    Secondly, we are confronting regimes that harbor terrorists and feed 
the terrorists and support the terrorists. I set a doctrine that these 
regimes are equally as guilty as the terrorists. When a President 
speaks, he must speak clearly and he must mean what he says. I meant 
what I said, and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan doubted our 
commitment. The regime is no more, and America and the world are safer.
    Third, we're confronting outlaw regimes that pursue weapons of mass 
destruction, have ties to terror, and defy the world. A lesson of 
September the 11th is we must never allow the terrorists to gain the 
world's most dangerous weapons. Saddam Hussein chose to defy the world. 
He doubted our resolve, and America and the world are safer because he 
is sitting in a prison cell. And that message was heard in Libya, which 
has now given up its weapons of mass destruction programs, and that has 
made America and the world safer.
    Fourth, we're promoting freedom and democracy in the broader Middle 
East. If 20 years from now the Middle East is dominated by dictators and 
mullahs who build weapons of mass destruction and harbor terrorists, our 
children and our grandchildren will grow up in a nightmare world of 
danger. This does not have to happen. We have a duty to protect 
ourselves and to protect future generations of Americans.
    By taking the side of reformers and democrats in the Middle East, we 
will gain allies in the war on terror. And we'll isolate the ideology of 
hatred, and we'll help defeat the despair and hopelessness that feeds 
terror. So we're helping to build free societies in Afghanistan and Iraq 
and across that troubled region. Freedom is on the march, and America 
and the world are more secure.
    Our strategy to win the war on terror is succeeding. We are 
shrinking the area where terrorists can operate freely. We have the 
terrorists on the run. And so long as I am your President, we'll be 
determined and steadfast, and we will keep the terrorists on the run.
    Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
    The President. To win the war on terror, to do our duty, America 
needs an unwavering commitment to see the task through. In any war, 
there are good days and there are bad days, but everyday, you need the 
same resolve.
    When I took the oath of office 4 years ago, none of us could have 
envisioned what these years would bring. We've been through a lot 
together. My years as your President have confirmed some lessons and 
have taught me some new ones. One of the things I've learned about the 
Presidency is that whatever your strengths are, you're going to need 
them, and whatever your shortcomings are, people are going to notice 
them. [Laughter] Sometimes, I'm a little too blunt. I get that from my 
mother. Sometimes, I mangle the English language. [Laughter] I get that 
from my dad. But all the times, you know where I stand, what I believe, 
and where I'm going to lead this country.
    A President must make America's priorities absolutely clear, 
especially in our uncertain world. I've learned firsthand how hard it is 
to send young men and women into battle, even when the cause is right. 
I've been reminded that the world looks to America for leadership, and 
it is crucial for the American President to be consistent. I have 
learned a President must base decisions on principle, core convictions 
from which he will never waver. The issues vary. The challenges are 
different every day. The polls go up; the polls go down. But a 
President's convictions must be consistent and true.
    And through these 4 years, I have learned anew the enduring 
character of this great Nation. I have met exceptional men and women 
during my time as your President. I have seen their strength and their 
sacrifice, and their examples have confirmed there is no limit to the 
greatness of America. I have seen the character in people like Cheryl 
McGuinness, Debra Burlingame, and Elizabeth Kovalcin, who are with us 
today.
    Cheryl's husband, Tom, and Debra's brother, Charles, were both 
pilots who lost

[[Page 2677]]

their lives on September the 11th. Elizabeth's husband, David, was a 
passenger on Flight 11. These women have shown that hope can be found 
even in the worst tragedy. Cheryl says this: ``While those terrorists 
may have killed almost 3,000 of our husbands and wives, mothers and 
fathers, children and friends on that day, they did not take away our 
spirit, our hope, or the promise of tomorrow.'' There is hope beyond the 
ashes of September the 11th, and nobody can take that away from us.
    I've seen the character of America in people like Lisa Beamer and 
the husband she lost. Todd Beamer and other passengers on Flight 93 
rushed those hijackers and led the first counterattack in the war on 
terror. Todd's final words captured the spirit of a nation. He said a 
prayer, and then he said, ``Let's roll.'' Todd's dad, David Beamer, is 
with us today. I have been honored to have met Lisa as well. In terrible 
sadness, this family has been a model of grace, their own and the grace 
of God.
    Just over a month after her husband's death, Lisa decided to take 
the same Newark-to-San Francisco flight that Todd had taken. And she 
explained, ``I won't be held captive by fear.'' In the years to come, 
Lisa's words must be remembered by all Americans. As we fight the 
terrorists, they will try to frighten us. They will test our will by 
their barbaric tactics. We must be resolved. So long as I'm your 
President, we will not be held captive by fear.
    The enemies who hit our country on September the 11th thought 
Americans would be fearful and weak. Instead, the world saw courageous 
rescuers, like New York City firefighters Michael Boyle and Tim and Tom 
Haskell, who ran toward danger. Michael's father, Jimmy, is with us 
today. Also with us is Ken Haskell, brother of Tim and Tom. America 
honors the courage of our first-responders. And we must always be 
grateful to those who carry out the great tradition of bravery and 
courage in the likes of Michael, Tim, and Tom.
    After September the 11th, the world saw strangers comforting each 
other and a nation united in pride and defiance. For 3 years, the people 
of this country have shown patience and purpose in the hard tasks of 
history. We've risen to great challenges, and every American can be 
proud of their country.
    I have seen the spirit of our country in those who wear our Nation's 
uniform, people like Mike McNaughton. Mike is a platoon sergeant from 
the Louisiana National Guard. He enlisted after September the 11th. He 
fought in Afghanistan and lost two fingers and a leg. I remember 
visiting Mike in the hospital. I said, ``What do you like to do?'' He 
said, ``I like to run.'' I said, ``Well, someday, you and I are going to 
run on the South Lawn of the White House.'' I don't know if he believed 
me at the time, but one day he showed up at the South Lawn of the White 
House, and we ran. I will never forget his determination and his courage 
and his sacrifice for our freedom.
    I've spoken with so many of our people in uniform, from bases across 
America to a Thanksgiving in Baghdad. And I know their courage and their 
honor. They have fought our enemies with skill. They have treated the 
innocent with kindness, and they have delivered millions from 
oppression.
    I have returned the salute of the wounded who told me they were only 
doing their duty. I've tried my best to comfort the families of the lost 
who told me to honor their loved ones by completing the mission. Like 
the men of Normandy and Iwo Jima before them, another great generation 
is serving America today, and our Nation is proud to stand with them.
    All Americans must always remember the debt this Nation owes to the 
men and women who defend us. Those who wear the uniform are people of 
great character and service and duty and honor. We are thankful. And as 
we remember those who wear the uniform today, we must always remember 
the veterans who have set such a good example for today's men and women. 
And we are grateful to our military families for their sacrifice. And as 
long as I am the Commander in Chief, I assure you, we will keep our 
commitment we have made to our troops and their families. They will have 
the resources they need to complete their missions. As America saw on 
the $87 billion supplemental request, when I say something, I mean it.

[[Page 2678]]

    We are not in this war alone. We must remember, our cause has been 
joined by many great nations and strong leaders. I've seen the 
determination of allies like Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain. 
The Prime Minister and I come from different political backgrounds and 
traditions, yet we share a clear understanding of the threat we face and 
our duty to defeat it. I remember a phone call I had with Prime Minister 
Blair on a Sunday morning early last year. I called him when he was 
facing a political crisis at home. I told him I wanted him as an ally, 
but if politics was such that he could not commit British troops to 
combat in Iraq, I would understand. The Prime Minister replied that he 
believed our cause was right, and because it was right, Britain would 
join us. He said, ``I am with you, and I mean it.'' That day I heard the 
spirit of Winston Churchill in the Prime Minister of Britain.
    More than 90 countries share this commitment in the war on terror, 
because they understand this is civilization's fight. All 26 NATO 
nations have personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. And 14 of the 
countries that have joined our coalition in Iraq have lost forces in our 
vital work. In the war on terror, America has led; many have joined; and 
America and the world are safer.
    We must always remember the steadfast conviction of our good allies. 
Their contributions and their sacrifice must never be dismissed or 
denigrated. They have earned the gratitude of the American people. In a 
new term, in order to secure America, I will continue to work with our 
allies. We will strengthen our alliances. But I will never turn over 
America's national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
    As the President, I've also seen the spirit of the people we have 
liberated. I will never forget the day when seven Iraqi men came into 
the Oval Office. Coming into the Oval Office can be sometimes a awe-
inspiring experience. It's a magnificent shrine to democracy. They came 
in--they had all had their right hands cut off by Saddam Hussein. They 
had had their hands cut off because his currency had been devalued and 
he needed a scapegoat. These men had been discovered in Iraq, had been 
flown to America to get a prosthesis, a new hand.
    I told them, I said, ``Welcome to the Oval Office. As we helped 
secure liberty in your country, we'll make sure--and you need to make 
sure--the institutions are bigger than the people who occupy the 
offices.'' That's certainly the case of the Oval Office. The institution 
of the President is always bigger than the person. I told them that by 
having the institutions bigger than the people, never again will 
somebody be able to pluck them out of society and arbitrarily cut off 
their right hands.
    I will never forget the moment when one of those Iraqi men grabbed a 
Sharpie and in his new hand that he was just learning to use, slowly 
wrote out in Arabic a prayer for God to bless America. America should 
always be proud that our country remains the hope of the oppressed and 
the greatest force for good on this Earth.
    Just last month, I welcomed Iraq's Prime Minister Allawi to the 
White House. For decades, he was a fearless critic of Saddam Hussein. As 
a matter of fact, in 1978, a team of assassins sent by the dictator 
attacked Dr. Allawi and his wife with axes and nearly killed him. He is 
a courageous man. Saddam Hussein knows the man he tried to murder is the 
leader of a free Iraq. Prime Minister Allawi is now confronting the 
enemies of freedom with strong determination. In the Rose Garden, he 
said that his nation would fight the terrorists in Iraq, room to room 
and house to house, so that the people of Iraq would never again have to 
live in tyranny.
    Our mission in Iraq is clear. We are helping Iraq's new Government 
train armies and police forces and security forces so they can do the 
hard work of defending their freedom, so they can stand up and fight the 
terrorists who are trying to stop the advance of liberty. We'll help 
Iraq get on the path to stability and democracy as quickly as possible, 
and then our troops will come home with the honor they have earned.
    The will of the Iraqis is strong, and their dream for freedom is 
moving forward. The terrorists are brutal and cruel. Yet everyday, Iraq 
and coalition forces are defeating the enemy's strategic objectives. The 
enemy in Iraq wants to establish terrorist bases from which to operate. 
We are on the offensive. We are denying them sanctuary. The enemy

[[Page 2679]]

wants to intimidate Iraqis from joining the security forces, yet more 
100,000 Iraqi soldiers and police and border guards are bravely serving 
their country. The enemy seeks to disrupt the march toward democracy, 
but Iraqis are preparing for free elections on schedule this coming 
January. The violent acts of a few will not divert Iraqis or our 
coalition from the mission we have accepted. Iraq will be free. Iraqis 
will be secure. And the terrorists will fail.
    The Afghan people are also showing their character. The terrorists 
did everything they could to stop this month's elections, but the will 
of the Afghan people was more powerful than the hatred of the killers. 
Millions of Afghans lined up at the polls. The first vote in the 
Presidential election--the first voter was a 19-year-old woman. Imagine 
what the Taliban would have said about that. [Laughter]
    The new President, Hamid Karzai, is a brave, respected leader who 
traveled southern Afghanistan by horseback to rally forces against the 
Taliban. Three years ago, his country was the training camp of Al Qaida. 
Now it is a democracy, a friend of America, and an ally in the war on 
terror.
    By acting in Afghanistan and Iraq, we removed threats. We're making 
our country safer. We are also living up to the highest calling of our 
history. We're the Nation that freed Europe and lifted up former enemies 
in Germany and Japan. And we gave hope to captive peoples behind the 
Iron Curtain. The liberation of more than 50 million people in our time 
is a noble achievement, and every American can be proud of that 
achievement.
    We must always remember the principles of our founding and the hope 
that our country has brought to the world. As long as I'm your 
President, this Nation will stand for freedom and stand by our friends 
and never cut and run. I believe everybody wants to be free. Freedom is 
not America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to 
each man and woman in this world.
    These experiences have helped shape my view of the world and the 
kind of leader I am. And one of the most powerful and defining 
experiences took place on September the 14th, 2001. George Howard, an 
officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was off-duty 
on September the 11th. But when he learned the news, he went right to 
the Twin Towers. He died trying to save others. On that day of September 
the 14th, I met his mom, Arlene, who is with us today. She gave me 
George's police shield. She asked me not to forget the fallen. I carry 
Shield Number 1012. I will never forget the fallen. God bless you, 
Arlene.
    Time passes, but we must always remember the enemy that kills 
without shame or mercy. I will always remember the men in hardhats at 
Ground Zero shouting at me at the top of their lungs, ``Whatever it 
takes.'' My determination has not faded since that day. My determination 
is wrong--strong. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it 
takes.
    We have come so far. We've accomplished so much. Yet, our work is 
not finished. All of us are part of a great historic endeavor. We will 
lead our country through a time of danger. We will build a world of 
freedom and peace beyond the war of terror. I know we'll succeed. I know 
the character of the American people.
    The polls open in Manchester at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. For a safer 
America, for a stronger America, and for a better America, I ask the 
people of New Hampshire to vote for me.
    God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 10:56 a.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena. 
In his remarks, he referred to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg, wife of Senator 
Judd Gregg; Gov. Craig Benson of New Hampshire; former President Saddam 
Hussein of Iraq; Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; Prime 
Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi Interim Government; and President 
Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.