For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 7, 2003
Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney 2004 Reception
M.c. Benton, Jr. Convention Center
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
12:00 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for your warm welcome. Thank you for
coming. I appreciate you. It is great to be back in Winston-Salem --
it's a incredibly beautiful part of our country. But more beautiful
are the people who live here. And I want to thank you for your
friendship; I want to thank you for your support; I want to thank you
for coming today. What we're doing is laying the foundation for what
will be a great national victory in November of 2004.
We had a good run in 2000, thanks to you all. And the Vice
President and I expressed our deepest appreciation for the hard work
you all put in in the year 2000. We'll do even better in 2004 here in
North Carolina. I want to thank you for -- (applause.) I'm loosening
up. (Laughter.) I'm getting ready. But I've got a job to do -- I've
got to work on the people's business in Washington, D.C. We've got a
lot on the agenda, and so when you go to your coffee shops, your houses
of worship, or your community centers, please tell them -- Republican,
Democrat, or independent alike -- that the President is focused on the
people's business and he will keep this nation secure and strong and
prosperous and free. (Applause.)
I regret that Laura isn't with me today. You drew the short
straw. (Laughter.) She's a fabulous wife, a great mother, a wonderful
First Lady. I'm really proud of the job she has done. (Applause.)
She sends our very best to our friends here in North Carolina -- her
very best to our friends here in North Carolina. We've got a great
friend in the Culbertsons. I'm so proud to know the Culbertsons. I
want to thank them for their friendship and their leadership.
I appreciate so very much traveling today with Congressman Richard
Burr. He flew down -- (applause) -- he flew down on Air Force One.
There isn't much air rage on Air Force One. (Laughter.) He is going
to make a great United States Senator for North Carolina. (Applause.)
It's good to see Brooke Burr. I appreciate so very much that David
Burr was here, his dad, who gave the invocation. I'm sorry that
Senator Elizabeth Dole is not here, who, by the way, is doing a really
good job for the people of North Carolina. (Applause.)
I appreciate the Senator whose place she took, a man who stood
strong, a man who stood on principle, Jesse Helms. (Applause.)
Speaking about former senators, I know Jim Broyhill is here. I
appreciate you coming, Senator. I will pass your best to your good
friend, my -- (applause) -- I will pass your best to your good friend,
number 41. (Laughter.) If you know who I'm talking about there.
(Laughter.) Who, by the way, is going to jump out of an airplane on
his 80th birthday. I know it. (Laughter.) Mother had the same
reaction. (Laughter.)
I want to thank very much my friend, the Mayor of Charlotte, Pat
McCrory, who is here with us today. Mayor, thank you for coming. Good
to see you. (Applause.) I know there's a lot of State House folks
here and local government officials. I want to thank you all for being
here. I appreciate your service to your great state and to your
communities.
I've asked a North Carolina graduate to serve as the National
Finance Chairman for the Bush-Cheney campaign of '04. Mercer Reynolds
is doing a fantastic job of working hard on our behalf, and I want to
thank Mercer for his dedication and his friendship. I also want to
appreciate -- appreciate Dr. Aldona Wos, the State Chairman for
Bush-Cheney. Thank you very much for your hard work. (Applause.)
We've got a lot of grassroots activists who are here, people who
are actually going to get on the phone and put up the signs and lick
the envelopes, all necessary to make sure that we run a vibrant
campaign. I want to thank Ferrell Blount for his leadership here in
North Carolina. I want to thank all the grassroots activists for what
you're fixing to do when we're coming down the stretch in 2004.
(Applause.)
Chief Linda Davis is here. I'm honored the Chief is with us. I
appreciate the fine job she is doing. It's not the first time I have
seen the Chief. I know you're proud of the job she does here in
Winston-Salem. I want to thank her for coming. But most of all, thank
you all once again. It's a great turnout. It makes a fellow feel good
to see so many people supporting him.
The last two-and-a-half years, our nation has acted decisively to
confront great challenges. I came to this office to solve problems
instead of passing them on to future presidents and future
generations. (Applause.) I came to seize opportunities instead of
letting them slip away. My administration is meeting the tests of our
time. (Applause.)
Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is
what they got. We've captured or killed many of the key leaders of the
al Qaeda network. And the rest of them know we're on their trail. In
Afghanistan and in Iraq, we gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those
regimes chose defiance, and those regimes are no more. (Applause.)
Fifty million people, fifty million people in those countries once
lived under tyranny. And today, they live in freedom. (Applause.)
Two-and-a-half years ago, our military was not receiving the resources
it needed and morale was beginning to suffer. So we increased the
defense budgets to prepare for the threats of a new era. And today, no
one in the world can doubt or question the skill or the strength or the
spirit of the United States military. (Applause.)
Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession.
And then our nation was attacked. And then we had some scandals in
corporate America. And then we marched to war, war in Afghanistan and
Iraq, all of which affected the people's confidence. That's a tough --
tough hurdles to cross, when it came to our economy. Yet, this
administration acted. We passed tough new laws to hold corporate
criminals to account. And to get the economy going again, I have twice
led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the
American people. (Applause.)
I know that when Americans have more take home pay to spend, to
save, or invest, the whole economy grows and people are more likely to
find a job. So we're returning more money to the people to help them
raise their families. We're reducing taxes on dividends and capital
gains to encourage investment. We're giving small businesses
incentives so they can hire new people. With all these actions, this
administration has laid the foundation for greater prosperity and more
jobs across America so every single citizen can realize the American
Dream. (Applause.)
Two-and-a-half years ago, there was a lot of talk about education
reform. But there wasn't much action. So I acted. I called for and
Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act. (Applause.) With a
solid bipartisan majority, we delivered the most dramatic education
reforms in a generation. We believe every child can learn to read and
write and add and subtract. We expect every child to learn to read and
write and add and subtract. This administration is challenging the
soft bigotry of low expectations. (Applause.)
We dramatically increased Title One funding. For the first time,
the federal government is now asking the question, are you succeeding?
We're asking the question of every single public school whether or not
we're meeting the high standard that we expect. The days of excuse
making are over. This country will stay focused on the basics to make
sure every child learns to read and write and add and subtract so not
one single child is left behind. (Applause.)
We reorganized the government and created the Department of
Homeland Security to better safeguard our ports and borders and to
better protect the American people. We passed trade promotion
authority to open up markets for North Carolina's farmers, ranchers,
and entrepreneurs. But I understand that trade is a two-way street,
that if we have trade with other neighbors and countries, we expect
there to be fair trade coming the other way. (Applause.)
We passed much needed budget agreements to help maintain a spending
discipline. In Washington, D.C., on issue after issue, this
administration has acted on principle, has kept its word, and has made
progress for the American people. A lot of the credit goes to the
Congress, people like Congressman Burr, people with whom we've --
(applause) -- people like Speaker Denny Hastert, Majority Leader Bill
Frist.
We're working hard to focus the town on results, not on senseless
politics. There's too much politics in Washington, D.C. The leadership
in the administration -- we're trying to set a better standard. See,
the people want us there to do the business. People there want us to
do what's right for the country. That's what we're working hard to do,
to change that culture in Washington. And those are the kind of people
I've asked to serve in our government. I put together a fantastic team
of people from all walks of life to serve the American people.
(Applause.) Our country has had no finer Vice President than Dick
Cheney. (Applause.) Mother may have a second opinion. (Laughter.)
In two-and-a-half years, we've done a lot. We have come far. But
our work is only beginning. I've set great goals worthy of a great
nation. First, America is committed to expanding the realm of freedom
and peace for our own security and for the benefit of the world. And
second, in our own country, we must work for a society of prosperity
and compassion so that every citizen, every single citizen has a chance
to work and to succeed and to realize the great promise of America.
It is clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the
actions of America. This nation is freedom's home and freedom's
defender. We welcome this charge of history, and we are keeping it.
(Applause.) The war on terror continues. The enemies of freedom
aren't idle. And neither are we. This country will not rest, we will
not tire, we will not stop until this danger to civilization is
removed. (Applause.)
We are confronting that danger in Iraq where Saddam holdouts and
foreign terrorists are desperately trying to throw that country into
chaos by attacking coalition forces, by attacking the people who are
there to provide aid to the long-suffering Iraqi citizens, and by
attacking Iraqi citizens themselves. See, they know that the advance
of freedom in Iraq would be a major defeat in the cause of terror. This
collection of killers is trying to shake the will of American in the
civilized world. And this country will not be intimidated.
(Applause.)
Impressively striking the terrorists in Iraq, defeating them there
so we will not have to face them in our own country. We're calling on
other nations to help. If you see a free Iraq, a peaceful Iraq, a
peaceful Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will make the entire
world more secure.
We're standing with the Iraqi people, the very capable, competent
Iraqi people as they assume more of their own defense and as they move
toward self-government. These are not easy tasks, but they are
essential tasks. And we will finish what we have begun. We will win
this essential victory in the war on terror. (Applause.)
Our greatest security comes from the advance of human liberty
because free nations do not support terror. Free nations do not attack
their neighbors. Free nations do not threaten the world with weapons
of mass terror. Americans believe that freedom is the deepest need and
hope of every human heart. And I believe that freedom is the right of
every person. And I believe that freedom is the future of every
nation. (Applause.)
America also understands that unprecedented influence brings
tremendous responsibilities. We have duties in this world. And when
we see disease and starvation and hopeless poverty, we will not turn
away. On the continent of Africa, America is now committed to bringing
the healing power, the healing power of medicine to millions of men and
women and children now suffering with AIDS. This great, powerful,
strong, compassionate land is leading the world in this incredibly
important work of human rescue. (Applause.)
We face challenges here at home, as well, and our actions will
prove equal to those challenges. So long as any of our citizens who
want to work can't find a job, it says to me, we've got a problem. I
will continue to try to create an environment of job creation and job
growth by enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit of America. We've had
some good news recently about our economy. But we won't rests until
everybody who wants to work can find a job.
I'm going to talk today at one of your fine community colleges
about the need for us to make sure there is adequate worker training
programs to train -- to help train the good citizens of North Carolina
for the jobs which actually exist in the state of North Carolina.
(Applause.)
We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by
strengthening and modernizing Medicare. A few weeks ago, Congress took
historic action to improve the lives of older Americans. For the first
time since the creation of Medicare, the House and the Senate have
passed reforms, reforms which will increase the choices for our
seniors, reforms which will provide coverage for prescription drugs.
The next step is for both Houses to reconcile their differences and
to get a good bill to my desk. We must handle our responsibilities in
Washington by making sure the Medicare system is vibrant and viable and
real, not only for seniors today, but for those of us who are fixing to
be seniors tomorrow. (Applause.)
For the sake of our health care system, we need to cut down on the
frivolous lawsuits which increase the cost of medicine. (Applause.)
People who have been harmed by a bad doctor deserve their day in
court. Yet the system should not reward lawyers who are simply fishing
for a rich settlement. (Applause.) Frivolous lawsuits drive up the
cost of health care, and they, therefore, affect the federal budget.
Medical liability reform is a national issue which requires a
national solution. I put forth a good piece of legislation which
passed the House of Representatives. It is stuck in the United States
Senate. It is time for some of the senators to understand that no one
has every been healed by a frivolous lawsuit. We need medical
liability reform today. (Applause.)
I have a responsibility as the President to make sure the judicial
system runs well, and I have met that duty. I have nominated superb
men and women to serve on the federal courts, people who will
interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. Here in Carolina, I
nominated Judge Terry Boyle for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. I
nominated this good man, this man of integrity, more than two years
ago. We're still waiting for his vote in the United States Senate
because a small group of senators is willfully obstructing the
process. Too many nominees like Judge Boyle are being denied an
up-or-down vote. These needless delays in the system are harming the
administration of justice. They're deeply unfair to the nominees and
their families themselves. It is time for some of the members of the
United States Senate to stop playing politics with American justice.
(Applause.)
The Congress needs to complete work on a comprehensive energy
plan. Our nation must promote better energy efficiency, better
conservation, we must develop clean technology to help us explore in
environmentally friendly ways. But for the sake of economic security,
for the sake of national security, this nation must become less
dependent on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)
A prosperous nation must also be a compassionate nation. I will
continue to advance our agenda of compassionate conservatism which says
we will apply the most innovative ideas, the most effective ideas to
the task of helping our fellow citizens who hurt.
There are still millions of men and women who want to end their
dependence on government and become independent through hard work. We
must build on the success of the welfare reform by bringing work and
dignity into the lives of more of our fellow citizens. Congress should
complete the citizen service act so more Americans can serve their
communities and their country.
And both Houses should reach agreement on my faith-based initiative
to support the armies of compassion that are mentoring our children,
caring for the homeless, and offering hope to the addicted.
Oftentimes, many of the problems that our citizens face are problems of
the heart. And government can hand out money, but it can't put hope
people's hearts or sense of purpose in people's lives. That's done
when people from any faith put their arms around a brother and sister
in need and says, I love you. Our government should not fear the work
of our faith-based programs. We ought to welcome faith-based programs
and the healing of citizens who hurt. (Applause.)
A compassionate society must promote opportunity for all, including
the independence and dignity that come from ownership. This
administration will constantly strive to promote an ownership society
in America. We want more people owning their own home. Today in
America, we have a minority home ownership gap. I've submitted a plan
to the United States Congress to close that gap. We want more people
owning and managing their own retirement accounts. We want them owning
and managing their own health care accounts. We want more people
owning their own small business in America. We understand that when a
person owns something, he or she has a vital stake in the future of our
country.
In a compassionate society, people respect each other, and people
take responsibility for the decisions they make. The culture of
America is changing from one that has said, if it feels good, do it,
and you got a problem, blame somebody else, to a culture in which each
of us understands we are responsible for the decisions we make in
life.
If you're fortunate enough to be a mom or a dad, you're responsible
for loving your child with all your heart. If you're worried about the
quality of the education in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you're
responsible for doing something about it. If you're a CEO in corporate
America, you're responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders
and your employees. (Applause.)
And in the new responsibility society, each of us are responsible
for loving our neighbor just like we would like to be loved ourself.
(Applause.) The culture of service and the culture of responsibility
is growing around us here in America. I started what's called the USA
Freedom Corps in order to encourage Americans to extend a compassionate
hand to a citizen in need. And the response has been fantastic.
People from all walks of life are willing to help, willing to stand up,
willing to make a difference in their communities. Our faith-based
programs are strong and vibrant and growing. The social
entrepreneurship in American is an integral part of the fabric of our
society.
You've got policemen and fire fighters and people who wear our
nation's uniform remind us what it means to sacrifice for something
greater than yourself. Once again, the children of America believe in
heroes because they see them every day. (Applause.) In these
challenging times, the world has seen the resolve and the courage of
America. And I have been privileged to see the compassion and the
character of the American people.
All the tests of the last two-and-a-half years have come to the
right nation. We're a strong country, and we use that strength to
defend the peace. We're an optimistic country, confident in ourselves
and in ideals bigger than ourselves. Abroad, we seek to lift whole
nations by spreading freedom. At home, we seek to lift us lives by
spreading opportunity to every corner of America. This is the work
that history has set before us. We welcome it. And we know that for
our country, the best days lie ahead.
May God bless you all.
END 12:31 P.M. EST
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