For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 9, 2004
President's Remarks at Missourians for Matt Blunt and the Missouri Republican Party Breakfast
America's Center Convention Center
St. Louis, Missouri
8:34 A.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thanks for coming. (Applause.)
Thank you all for coming. Please be seated. I appreciate that kind
introduction, Governor. (Laughter and applause.) He said, are you
doing anything for breakfast? (Laughter.) I said, waking up.
(Laughter.) He said, why don't you come by and have some eggs with
some friends. (Laughter.) I said, more than happy to. I want to
thank you all for coming. With your help, Matt Blunt will be the next
governor for the great state of Missouri. (Applause.)
It's good to be back in St. Louis, home of the mighty Cardinals.
(Applause.) You might remember opening day. (Laughter and applause.)
The Cardinals had a great season after that. I can't claim any
credit. (Laughter.) Although I've always wanted to lead a baseball
team into the playoffs. (Laughter and applause.)
I'm proud to be traveling with Laura. (Applause.) So when I asked
her to marry me, she said, fine, just so long as I never have to give a
speech. (Laughter.) I said, okay, you got a deal. (Laughter.)
Fortunately, she didn't hold me to that promise. The American people
have seen her speak and have come to know her as a strong,
compassionate, great First Lady. (Applause.) We're off to Iowa, and
then Minnesota. And I'm going to remind the people of those states,
like I'm reminding everybody, there's some reasons to put me back into
office, but perhaps the most important one is so that Laura will have
four more years. (Applause.)
We got a great family. I'm proud to be with my Uncle Bucky Bush
and my Aunt Patty Bush. Thank you for your love and compassion.
(Applause.) I want to thank Melanie Blunt for her willingness to serve
the state of Missouri as the next First Lady of Missouri.
(Applause.) Besides Matt, you've got another fine Missourian on the
ticket, running for federal office, and that's Kit Bond. You need to
put him back into office. He's a great Senator. (Applause.)
I know Brenda Talent is here. I appreciate you being here,
Brenda. Thank you for coming. (Applause.) You know, that fine
husband of yours, I didn't hold it against him that he missed another
one of my speeches, but he's heard a lot of them before. (Laughter.)
He's doing a great job, and I know you're proud of him. I know the
people of Missouri are proud of him, as well. (Applause.)
Congressman Todd Akin -- I don't know if Todd made it this morning,
or not, but I'm proud of the job he's doing for the people of this area
of Missouri. (Applause.) I saw Peter Kinder last night. I don't know
if Pete is here, but he's going to make a great lieutenant governor for
the state of Missouri. Yes, Peter, thank you for coming. (Applause.)
You've come a long way fora country boy. (Laughter.)
I want to thank Catherine Hannaway, who's going to be the next
secretary of state for the great state of Missouri. (Applause.) I
want to thank Ann Wagner, who has done such a fine job as the
co-chairman of the RNC and as the chairman of the Missouri Republican
Party. Thank you for being here, Annie, it's good to see you.
(Applause.) I want to thank my friend, Sam Fox and Marilyn Fox for
helping to organize this breakfast today. And I want to thank you all
for joining the Foxes in supporting this good man, Matt Blunt for
governor. (Applause.)
I know Sarah Steelman is here, running for state treasurer; and
Chris Byrd, running for attorney general. Thank you both for running.
Good luck. I'm all for you. (Applause.) But most of all, thank you
all for coming. Thank you for being here. Thank you for what you're
going to do, which is turn out the vote. (Applause.)
And thanks for supporting Matt. It takes a lot of work to get 750
people to show up for breakfast. (Laughter.) It's a great
organizational effort. I want to thank Matt's friends for putting this
breakfast on. It's an important election here in Missouri. Matt has
everything it takes to lead this state.
In 2001, he became the first statewide elected official in Missouri
history to be called up to active duty. Think about that. He served
his nation with honor in the United States Navy. (Applause.) He's
still a member of the Navy Reserves, and I'm proud to be his
Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.) He knows people in the "show me"
state want government that gets results, not government that just
spends money.
For the last four years, Matt has been getting results as the
Secretary of the State. He's a results-oriented person. That's what
you need in your statehouse. I know something about being a governor.
I was one once. (Laughter.) A governor's job is to get things done
for the people of their state, and that's what he's going to do as your
governor.
His top priority is education, and that's the way it should be.
Anybody running for governor must make sure the education of the state
is the top priority. I used to say in Texas, education is to a state
what national defense is to the federal government. Matt understands
that, and he believes that. (Applause.) He's got good plans and good
visions for the schools of this state. He'll make sure school funding
gets to the teachers and the classrooms, so not any child, not one
child is left behind in this state. He'll make sure this great state
continues to create jobs. He understands that a good economy is one in
which the farmers and ranchers do well.
And he'll do something else, what's needed. The high cost of
medicine is making it hard for small businesses to expand, for people
to keep their health care. He understands like I understand, these
frivolous lawsuits are driving good doctors out of business and driving
up your cost of medicine. (Applause.)
We both share a commitment to keep our economy growing and to keep
the people safe. We have some things in common. We're both in the
same line of work as our dads. (Laughter.) But all the good advice
comes from our mothers. (Laughter.) I want to thank Matt's mom for
being here. Roseanne, great to see you. (Applause.) God bless you.
We share the same values. We stand for a culture of life, which
every person matters and every being counts. (Applause.) We stand for
marriage and family, which are the foundations of our society.
(Applause.) We believe in the power of faith, and we stand with the
armies of compassion. (Applause.) We stand for judges who know the
difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of
the law. (Applause.) These values are shared by Republicans and
Democrats and independents all over the state of Missouri. When the
people of Missouri elect Matt Blunt, you'll get a governor who stands
up for those values every single day. Let's get him in office.
(Applause.)
We're getting close to voting time here in this country. But who's
counting the days? (Laughter.) There was voting time elsewhere in
this world today. A marvelous thing is happening in Afghanistan.
Freedom is powerful. Think about a society in which young girls
couldn't go to school and their mothers were whipped in the public
square. And today, they're holding a presidential election.
(Applause.)
The first person to vote in the presidential election, three years
after the Taliban ruled that country with such barbarism, was a
19-year-old woman, an Afghan refugee, who fled her homeland during the
civil war. Here's what she said: "I cannot explain my feelings, just
how happy I am. I would never have thought I would be able to vote in
this election." She's voting in this election because the United States
of America believes that freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man
and woman in this world. (Applause.) And today is an appropriate day
for Americans to remember and thank the men and women of our Armed
Forces who liberated Afghanistan. (Applause.)
The people of Australia voted today, as well. And I want to
congratulate my good friend, Prime Minister John Howard, who won a
great victory. (Applause.)
Laura and I are here to ask for people's vote. We believe you've
got to get out amongst the people and say, I want your vote, I want
your support. I'm looking forward to coming down the stretch,
traveling this great country, talking about a strong and positive
message for our country. I've worked hard to make this country more
hopeful and secure. I've led our country with principle and resolve,
and that's how I'll lead this country for the next four years.
(Applause.)
It was good to be back at Washington University. If I spend any
more time there, they might give me an honorary degree. (Laughter.)
But I enjoyed that debate last night, and I really appreciated the
questions from the people of Missouri. They were good questions. And
they helped highlight some fundamental differences, on issues from jobs
to taxes, to health care to national security.
Much as he tried to obscure it, on issue after issue, my opponent
showed why he's earned the ranking, the most liberal member of the
United States Senate. (Applause.) And several of the statements just
don't pass the credibility test. With a straight face, he said, "I've
only had one position on Iraq." He must think we've been on another
planet. (Laughter.) In the spring of 2003, as I ordered the invasion
of Iraq, Senator Kerry said, it was the right decision. Now he says
it's the wrong war. And he tries to tell us he's had only one
position. Who is he trying to kid? He can run, but he cannot hide.
(Applause.)
With another straight face, he tried to tell Americans that when it
comes to his health care plan -- quote -- "The government has nothing
to do with it." (Laughter.) Eight out of 10 people who would get
health insurance under Senator Kerry's plan will be placed on a
government program. He can run, but he cannot hide. (Applause.)
Then Senator Kerry was asked to look into the camera -- (laughter)
-- and promise he would not raise taxes for anyone who earns less than
$200,000 a year. The problem is, to keep that promise, he would have
to break almost all of his other ones. (Laughter.) His plan to raise
taxes on the top two income brackets will raise $600 billion by our
count, $800 billion by his. But his health care plan alone costs more
than $1.2 trillion. He can't have it both ways. To pay for the big
spending program he's outlined during his campaign, he will have to
raise your taxes. He can run, but he cannot hide. (Applause.)
Much of what my opponent said last night is contradicted by his own
record -- 20 years of votes that earned him the "most liberal" label.
He voted 98 times to raise taxes, more than 200 times to break spending
caps. He voted against tort reform, although last night he tried to
claim he now supports it. On national security, he has a voting record
-- a record of voting against the weapons systems that helped our
country win the Cold War. He voted to cut America's intelligence
budget by $7.5 billion. And now he says he wants a global test before
taking action to defend America's security. The problem is, Senator
Kerry's own record shows he can never pass that test.
In 1991, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution
supporting action to remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. The
international community was united. Countries throughout the world
joined our coalition. Yet in the United States Senate, after the
Security Council resolution, Senator Kerry voted "no." I have a
different view. I'll work with our allies. I'll continue to build a
strong coalition. But I will never allow other nations to veto
America's national security decisions. (Applause.)
After listening to the litany of complaints and the dour pessimism,
I did all I could not to make a bad face. (Laughter and applause.) We
got a better way to make sure this country is more hopeful and more
safe. When you're out counting -- rounding up the votes, remind people
what we've been through. We've been through a recession -- and, by the
way, the stock market started to decline six months before I became
President. And then we had a recession. Then we had some corporate
scandals. We passed tough laws to make it clear that we're not going
to tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America. And then we got
attacked, and that attack cost us 1 million jobs in the three months
after September the 11th.
But I put the right policies in at the right time, at the right
place, right here at home. We cut the taxes on the people. We gave
the people more money to stimulate consumption and encourage in
investment. And because we acted, the recession we faced was one of
the shortest in history. America is on the move. (Applause.)
Yesterday we learned we've created 1.9 million new jobs in the last
13 months. We're on the move. The national unemployment rate is 5.4
percent. That is lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and
1990s. Farm income is up; small businesses are flourishing; the
entrepreneurial spirit is strong. Home ownership rates are at an
all-time high in America. (Applause.)
There is more to do. To make sure jobs stay here in America and
this economy grows, we need less regulations on our job creators. We
need legal reform in America. We need to make sure we have an energy
plan that encourages consumption, that works with renewables, that
explores for coal by using technologies to protect our air. To make
sure jobs are here in America, America must be less dependent on
foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)
To make sure jobs remain here, we got to reject economic
isolationism. You know, we open up our markets for goods from
overseas, and that's good for consumers. If you have more goods to
choose from, you're likely to get that which you want at a better price
and higher quality. That's how the marketplace works. That's why I'm
saying to China, you treat us the way we treat you. Level the playing
field. And I believe strongly that America can compete with anybody,
any time, anywhere, so long as the rules are fair. (Applause.)
To make sure we continue to grow this economy we got to make sure
our people get educated. I went to Washington to solve problems, not
to pass them on to future Presidents and future generations.
(Applause.) I knew something about public schools because I was the
governor of a state. I knew that people in leadership positions had to
challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations, a system that just quit
on certain kids, a system that thought certain kids couldn't learn so
they just shuffled them through, grade after grade, year after year.
We let down too many families with that kind of attitude.
Yes, we've increased spending at the federal level, but excellence
in the classrooms requires more than just spending increases. It
requires a change of attitude. We've raised the standards. We now
measure early, so we can solve problems before it's too late. We
believe every child can learn. And when we find a problem, we provide
extra resources. And guess what's happening in America. There was an
achievement -- there is an achievement gap in America, but it's
closing. It's closing because the system now focuses on each child,
provides resources for each child, and will not let any child get
behind in America. (Applause.)
There's more to do. There's more to do. We got -- in a changing
world, most new jobs require a college degree; yet one in four of our
students gets there. That's why I believe in intermediate help in high
schools for at-risk students. That's why I know we got to put math and
science in place. That's why I'm for extending Pell grants for low-
and middle-income families, so more of our people start their career
with a college diploma. (Applause.)
And in a changing world, the skill sets required for jobs in the
21st century change, as well. That's why I'm a big believer in the
community college systems, to make sure our workers have got the
capacity to fill the jobs of the 21st century.
No, there's more to do. We've done a lot. We've had a record of
accomplishment. But the only reason to look back is to tell the people
I'm going to do what I'm telling you I'm going to do. The only reason
to look back at the record is to say, this man intends to accomplish
more for the American people. We got to make sure our health care
system is available and affordable.
I remember campaigning here in 2000, going to a community health
center right here in St. Louis, Missouri. I saw the compassionate care
being delivered to the people there, to those who can't afford
insurance, to those who need help. I'm a big believer in community
health centers to help the poor and the indigent. I believe every poor
county in America ought to have a community health center. I believe
we ought to extend and expand the low-income health program -- the
health program for low-income children. I know to make sure health
care is more affordable, we must allow small businesses to pool risk
across jurisdictional boundaries so they can buy insurance at the same
discounts big companies can. I strongly believe we need to expand
health savings accounts, tax-free accounts, coupled with catastrophic
care, so workers have got more affordable health care, so small
businesses can better afford health care.
I know we need to introduce technologies into the medical system to
wring out the inefficiencies in the system to reduce the cost of health
care. And I agree with Matt Blunt; in order to make sure health care
is available and affordable, we need medical liability reform now.
(Applause.) I don't think you can be pro-doctor, pro-patient, and
pro-trial lawyer at the same time. (Applause.)
No, there's more to do to make sure America is a hopeful place, and
there's more to do to make sure America is a safer place, as well. Our
strategy is clear: We're defending the homeland; we're transforming
and strengthening the all-volunteer army -- and we will keep it an
all-volunteer army. (Applause.) We're making sure we got the best
intelligence in the world. We will stay on the offensive. We will
strike the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at
home. (Applause.) We'll continue to work for freedom and peace in the
broader Middle East and around the world. And we'll prevail.
Our strategy is succeeding. Think about the world some
three-and-a-half years ago. Afghanistan was the home base of al
Qaeda. Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups. Saudi
Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist fundraising. Libya was
secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Iraq was a gathering threat, and al
Qaeda was largely unchallenged as it planned attacks.
Because we led, because we acted, Afghanistan is fighting terror
and holding a presidential election today; Pakistan is capturing
terrorists; Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests; Libya is
dismantling its weapons programs; a army of a free Iraq is fighting for
freedom, and more than three-quarters of al Qaeda's leaders and
associates have been brought to justice. (Applause.) We've led, many
have joined, and America and the world are safer.
And we've got more work to do. Over the next four years, we'll
pursue al Qaeda wherever they hide. Over the next four years, we'll
continue to disrupt the flows of weapons of mass destruction. Over the
next four years, we'll continue to spread freedom.
And that's what's happening in Iraq. Last night I talked about the
finance minister who came to see me. Let me recount some of that
conversation I had with him. I thought it was really interesting and
illustrative. He walks in full of confidence. He says, Mr. President,
thank you for what you and your country have done for us, we're headed
toward elections. Think about that statement. A fellow shows up in
the Oval Office of the President of the United States and says, we're
headed for elections. For most of us, that doesn't sound like much.
But for a person who used to live under the -- in a country that was
ruled by a brutal tyrant, where there were torture rooms and mass
graves, where people had no freedom at all, to say, "we're headed
toward elections," is a powerful statement.
And our strategy is clear. We're going to help the Iraqis. We're
going to train Iraqis so they can do the hard work necessary for a free
society to emerge. It's their country. We just want to stand with
them as democracy comes to that piece of the world. And so we're
training the troops. We'll have 125,000 police, Afghan [sic] national
army and army trained up by the end of December. It's an essential
part of our strategy. We got $7 billion allocated for reconstruction
efforts. We're working with a grand coalition; some 30 nations are
involved there in Iraq.
As an aside, you cannot lead a coalition in Iraq if you tell them,
this is the wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time. Imagine my
opponent's grand idea of a global summit, and he walks in, and there
are the leaders around the world, sitting there, waiting for the
American President to speak. And he says, follow me into a great
mistake. Nobody is going to follow. You must have optimism. You must
believe in what you're doing if you expect to lead. And I believe in
what we're doing in Iraq. (Applause.) And in January, Iraq will have
elections, and that's important. You see, I believe in the power of
liberty to transform societies.
I tell people all the time about my relationship with Prime
Minister Koizumi of Japan. I was with him at the United Nations a
couple of weeks ago, and I said, I don't know if you know this, but I'm
traveling the country talking about you and talking about our
relationship, is that okay -- after having done it about 30 times, he
had to say yes. (Laughter.) He said, sure. I didn't tell him I was
going to tell you his favorite singer is Elvis. (Laughter.)
But think about that for a minute. He and I are friends, and we're
talking about different issues confronting the world. And the reason I
say, think about it, is because it wasn't all that long ago that we
were at war with Japan. If you're 58 years old, like me, it seems like
an eternity. But a lot of people in this country still remember that
war. My dad does, Buck's brother. I'm sure you've got dads and
grandads who fought against the Japanese. They were our sworn enemy.
And after we were victorious in World War II, Harry S. Truman, from
the state of Missouri, believed that liberty could transform an enemy
into an ally. And so did a lot of other citizens. Oh, there were some
skeptics in those days, and you can understand why. We had just
finished a war. A lot of people's lives had been hurt as a result of
that war. A lot of Americans had lost a loved one. They weren't
interested in worrying about Japan, they were interested in their own
souls and their own hearts. I'm sure there was a lot of people here
that said, it's just impossible for an enemy to become a friend. But
because my predecessor and other Americans believed in the power of
liberty to transform societies, I sit at the table with Prime Minister
Koizumi, talking about the peace we all want.
We'll get the job done in Iraq. Freedom is powerful. And when we
succeed, an American President will be sitting down with a duly-elected
leader of Iraq, talking about the peace that we all want, and we will
have known, this generation of Americans will have known we have done
our duty to our children and our grandchildren to leave behind a better
world. (Applause.)
The stakes are high. This is an historic opportunity. It's
essential that we be resolute and clear in our vision, and have faith
in the values that make us a great nation. I believe this century will
be liberty's century. I know that by spreading freedom abroad we'll
bring the peace. And by spreading freedom at home, opportunity will go
into every single corner of this country.
It's my honor to represent you. I look forward to winning this
election. I want to thank you for help. May God bless you all, and
may God continue to bless our country. (Applause.)
END 9:08 A.M. CDT
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