For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
June 28, 2004
Vice President's Remarks at Geoff Davis Event
Marriott Cincinnati Airport Hotel
Hebron, Kentucky
12:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Thank you very much for
that welcome and, thank you, Geoff, for that introduction. It's good to
be back in Kentucky, and I'm proud to stand with the next congressman
from the 4th district, Geoff Davis. (Applause.)
And it's a pleasure to bring greetings to all of you from our
President, George W. Bush. (Applause.)
Lynne is traveling with me today. We will shortly celebrate our
40th wedding anniversary, come August. (Applause.) I often explain to
people that the only reason we got married was because of politics,
that if it hadn't been for Dwight Eisenhower's election victory in
1952, things would have turned out very differently. Because in 1952, I
was living with my parents in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dad worked for the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eisenhower got elected, he reorganized
the Agriculture Department, dad got transferred to Casper, Wyoming,
when I was 13. And that's where I met Lynne. So we grew up together,
went to high school together, and, as I say, we'll celebrate our 40th
wedding anniversary here in a couple of months.
When I explained that to a group of people the other night, that if
it hadn't been for Dwight Eisenhower's great election victory in 1952,
Lynne would have married somebody else. And she said, right, and now
he'd be Vice President of the United States. (Laughter and applause.)
As Vice President, many of you may not know this, but my only real
job is to preside over the Senate. That when they wrote the
Constitution they created the post of Vice President, they got down to
the end of the convention and discovered they hadn't given the Vice
President anything to do, so they made him the presiding officer in the
Senate, let him cast tie-breaking votes and so forth. So I get to spend
a lot of time watching and working in the Senate. And I want to say a
word about Kentucky's two fantastic senators. You've got a great team
in Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning. They're both doing great work in
Washington, for the nation and for the people of this state. And next
January, I look forward to swearing in Jim Bunning for another term in
the United States Senate. (Applause.)
The President and I are tremendously grateful for all of our
supporters here in Kentucky. We were proud to carry this state in the
last election, and we're going to work hard to earn your support again
this year. And with your help, Kentucky is going to be part of a
nationwide victory on November 2nd. (Applause.)
The elections this November will decide critical questions about
our country's future. Every race on the ballot is very important, and
that's why it's so vital for you to send Geoff Davis to the United
States Congress. Serving in the House is a serious responsibility. I
served in the House of Representatives in Wyoming for 10 years. Wyoming
had a small delegation, there was only one congressman -- but it was
quality. (Laughter.)
But I came to appreciate the value of what it takes to make an
effective member of Congress, and I think Geoff has exactly the right
ideas and the right experience for the job. He's defended his nation as
an Army Ranger. He leads a successful business. He works hard to make
his community a better place to live, and we need more people like
Geoff in Washington and I know he's going to be the next congressman
from Kentucky's 4th district. (Applause.)
Geoff understands that these are challenging times for our country,
and we're meeting every challenge with strength and resolve. And,
today, the American people can be confident of a better future, a
stronger economy and a nation more secure against the dangers of our
new era because of the character and the leadership of our President,
George W. Bush.
In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on America, people in
every part of the country, regardless of party, took pride and comfort
in the conduct of our President. Since 9/11, he's led a steady,
focused, relentless campaign against the enemies who struck America and
killed some 3,000 of our fellow citizens. And in that effort, we will
prevail. (Applause.)
Around the world we are fighting and winning the war on terror.
Already, more than two-thirds of al Qaeda's known leaders have been
captured or killed. Those still at large are on the run, and they know
we're on their trail. In Afghanistan, we removed the brutal Taliban
from power and destroyed the camps where terrorists have trained to
kill Americans. In Iraq, America and our allies rid the Iraqi people of
a murderous dictator, and rid the world of a gathering threat to our
peace and security. Saddam Hussein once controlled the lives and the
future of almost 25 million people. Today, he's in jail. (Applause.)
Because we acted, he will never again brutalize the Iraqi people,
never again support terrorists or pursue weapons of mass destruction,
never again threaten the United States of America.
We still face serious challenges in those liberated countries, as
we saw last week in the bombings in Iraq. The killers who strike police
stations and government buildings are not fighting foreigners, they are
fighting the Iraqi people, themselves. They are enemies of democracy
and hope and a peaceful future for Iraq. They will not succeed.
Earlier today, two days ahead of schedule, the world witnessed the
arrival of a free and sovereign Iraq, and an emerging democracy that
the United States will be able to call a friend.
We're making progress in Afghanistan, as well. An interim
government is operating, a constitution has been written, later this
fall there will be free elections. And earlier this month, Afghan
President Hamid Karzai spoke to a joint session of Congress and thanked
the American people for liberating his country.
The defeat of tyranny and violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the
rise of democracy in the heart of the Middle East will be a crucial
setback for international terrorism. Because we're strong and resolute,
Iraq will never go back to the camp of tyranny and terror. And America
will never go back to the false comforts of the world before 9/11.
Terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength, they are
invited by the perception of weakness. (Applause.)
This nation has made a decision: We will engage the enemy, facing
him with our military in Iraq and Afghanistan today, so that we do not
have to face him with armies of firefighters, police and medical
personnel on the streets of our own cities.
This nation is extremely fortunate during these times of testing to
have the dedicated service of our men and women in uniform. Many of our
armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq deployed from Fort Campbell, here
in Kentucky. They are proving every day that when we send them to
defend our country, we are sending the very best of the United States
of America. (Applause.) One of the most important commitments that
George W. Bush and I made during the 2000 campaign was that the armed
forces would be given every resource they need and all the respect they
deserve, and we've kept our word to the United States military.
From the beginning, America had sought and received international
support for our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the war on
terror, we will always seek cooperation from our allies around the
world. But as the President has made very clear, there is a difference
between leading a coalition of many nations and submitting to the
objections of a few. The United States will never seek a permission
slip to defend the security of our country. (Applause.)
These are not times for leaders who shift with the political winds,
saying one thing one day, and another the next. Geoff understands that,
and so do the people of Northern Kentucky. We need a Commander-in-Chief
of clear vision and steady determination, and that's just what we have
in President George W. Bush. (Applause.)
The President's opponents these days comes at things a little
differently. Sometimes his position on a big issue depends on when you
ask him. When Congress voted to authorize force against Saddam Hussein,
he voted "yes." This year, when it served his purpose, he described
himself as an opponent of the war. When it came time to fund our troops
in Iraq, he managed to take both sides of that issue, as well. Last
fall, at the President's request, Congress considered legislation
providing funding for body armor and other vital support for our
military, such as hazard pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel and
spare parts. The legislation passed overwhelmingly with a vote of 87 to
12 in the Senate. Senator Kerry voted "no."
He then gave one of those explanations we've all come to expect
from him. He said -- and I quote -- "I actually did vote for the $87
billion before I voted against it." Well, that sure clears things up.
(Laughter.)
There's no doubt that great events will turn on this election. The
leader who sits in the Oval Office and the men and women who represent
you on Capitol Hill will set the course for the war on terror and set
the direction for the American economy. Strong, consistent leadership
is required, both on our actions overseas and our policies here at
home. By the time the President and I took office three-and-a-half
years ago, the economy was sliding into recession. Then, just as our
economy was ready to recover, terrorists struck our nation and shook
our economy once again.
President Bush took strong steps to get the economy growing.
Working with our allies on Capitol Hill, the President signed into law
significant tax relief for millions of American families and
businesses. We've doubled the child tax credit, decreased the marriage
penalty, cut tax rates across the board, and put the death tax on the
path to extinction. As a business owner, Geoff understands the wisdom
of our actions. And across the nation, the results of the President's
policies are clear.
The economy added 248,000 new jobs last month alone. We've added
more than 1.4 million new jobs since last August. Manufacturing jobs
have increased for four straight months. The home ownership rate is the
highest ever. Productivity is high. Incomes and wages have been
rising. Economic growth over the last year was nearly 5 percent, with
GDP growth since last summer rising at the fastest three-quarter rate
in 20 years. There's a simple reason for our growing prosperity: The
Bush tax relief is working. (Applause.)
Just as we expected, the American people are using their money far
better than the government would have, and Congress was right to let
them keep it. (Applause.)
Some look at all the economic growth and efforts of workers across
America and can find only cause for pessimism. And their idea for
cheering up the country is to raise our taxes. The President's opponent
has promised to repeal most of the Bush tax cuts within the first 100
days in office. This isn't surprising when you consider his record.
Over the years, Senator Kerry has voted over 350 times for higher taxes
on the American people, including the biggest tax increase in American
history. That's an average of a vote for higher taxes every three weeks
for the last 20 years. At least the folks back in Massachusetts knew he
was on the job.
For the sake of long-term growth and job creation, we should do
exactly the opposite of what the economic pessimists propose. We should
make the tax cuts permanent because they are the basis for our economic
recovery. (Applause.) Under the strong economic leadership of
President Bush, and with the help of Geoff Davis, this nation is going
to continue moving forward with an aggressive, optimistic, pro-growth,
pro-jobs agenda. The President and I will not be satisfied until every
American who wants to work can find a job.
Our nation needs to end lawsuit abuse, to protect small businesses
from junk lawsuits, and to curb needless regulation. America's
entrepreneurs should be able to hire productive workers, instead of
hiring lawyers. (Applause.)
Our country also needs medical liability reform to control the cost
of health care. (Applause.) Here in Kentucky and across the nation,
doctors should be able to spend their time healing patients, not
fighting off frivolous lawsuits. (Applause.)
As Geoff has said, our country needs a comprehensive energy plan.
It's time for Congress to pass the common sense plan that President
Bush submitted three years ago, and make the United States less
dependent on foreign sources of energy.
Geoff also understands the importance of defending our society's
fundamental rights and values. And so it's also time for the United
States Senate to get about the business of confirming President Bush's
judicial nominees. (Applause.) Far too many of the nominees are being
forced to spend months or even years waiting for hearings and
up-or-down votes. A number are still being filibustered. That's unfair
to the judicial nominees and it's an abuse of the constitutional
process. Every nominee deserves a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate
floor, and that's another reason we need to send Jim Bunning back to
the United States Senate. (Applause.)
Ladies on gentlemen, on issue after issue, the choice on November
2nd will be very clear: it will be a choice between our optimism and
our opponent's pessimism; on national security, it's a choice between
confidence and their confusion; on the economy it's a choice between
those who took action and have led America to days of progress and
opportunity, and those who would take us back to the days of malaise.
That's a contest we all welcome. That's a contest we will win.
President Bush has a clear vision for the future of the nation.
Aboard he will use -- excuse me, abroad he will use America's great
power to serve great purposes, to protect our homeland by turning back
the forces of terror and to spread hope and freedom throughout the
world. Here at home, we will continue building prosperity that reaches
every corner of the land. Geoff shares that vision and once he's in
Congress, he'll be a key ally in carrying it out. The President and I
are proud the stand with him today. He's a hard worker, a decent man,
and he's going to be a superb congressman. We'll be grateful to the
people of this district for sending him to Washington, and we look
forward to working with him for a good many years to come.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)
END 12:32 P.M. EDT
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