[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 40 (Monday, October 13, 2008)]
[Pages 1302-1303]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to the White House Press Pool in San Antonio, Texas

October 6, 2008

    It's nice to be here in San Antonio. I've just had a very 
illuminating conversation with small-business owners here. We have a car 
dealer, a automobile repair shop, a restauranteurs--two restauranteurs. 
And it's clear that these small-business owners are dealing with the 
effects of a credit crunch. And by that I mean that they're having 
trouble getting money to be able to continue to either expand their 
business or to be able to--money to help their consumers be able to buy 
their products. And it's--and I told them one of the reasons why, you 
know, I was so strongly for this rescue package was, inherent in the 
strategy of the rescue package is to free up credit, is to get money 
moving.
    And it's going to take a while. I signed the bill on--last week, but 
it's going to take a while to get in place a program that, one, is 
effective; two, that doesn't waste taxpayers' money--we don't want to 
rush into this situation and not have the program be effective. It's 
going to take a while to restore confidence in the financial system. But 
one thing people can be certain of is that the bill I signed is a big 
step toward solving this problem.
    A lot of people here in Texas and around the country are not pleased 
with the Government having to take the steps they took. Their question 
is, ``I pay my bills, I pay my mortgage, why are you helping Wall 
Street?'' And the answer is because had we not done anything, people 
like the folks behind me would be a lot worse off. We will make sure, as 
time goes on, this doesn't happen again. In the meantime, we got to 
solve the problem. And that's why people sent me to Washington, DC. When 
you see a problem, put a team together and solve it.

[[Page 1303]]

    And I want to thank you all for your time. I'm glad to be back here 
in Texas. I miss my friends in Texas. I am--you know, people say, ``Are 
you looking forward to coming home?'' Yes, I'm looking forward to living 
here, but in the meantime, it looks like I'm going to have a lot of work 
to do between today and when the new President takes office. But Laura 
and I are glad to be with our friends, and thank you for your time. 
Thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:44 a.m. at Olmos Pharmacy. In his 
remarks, he referred to Betty Garza, owner, Olmos Pharmacy.