For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 9, 2004
President's Remarks at York, Pennsylvania Rally
York Fair and Expo Center
York, Pennsylvania
6:02 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) I'm honored you're
here. We've had a fantastic day in the great state of Pennsylvania.
(Applause.) See my little bus there? We've been traveling the back
roads of this great state. It's so beautiful. All kinds of people
came out to say hello. And what a great place to end a great trip, in
York, Pennsylvania. Thanks for coming. (Applause.)
You probably know this, but for nine months in 1777 and 1778, York
was the capital of the United States. (Applause.) Today, York is the
capital of Bush-Cheney country. (Applause.)
I want to thank all my fellow Republicans, I want to thank the
discerning Democrats and wise independents who are here today.
(Applause.) I'm proud you're here. I'm here to let you know that I
have the desire, the drive and the vision to lead this nation for four
more years. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: I'm back in this important state to ask for the
vote. (Applause.) And I'm here in this crowd to ask for your help.
Register your friends and neighbors. Work those phones, put up the
signs. If you want to help, go on to GeorgeWBush.com on the Internet.
You can find out how to sign up to help. I'm counting on you. And
together we will win a great victory in Pennsylvania, and a great
victory across this nation on November the 2nd. (Applause.)
You know how many people running for President would love to have
Joe Paterno introduce him in Pennsylvania? (Applause.) Everybody who
has ever run for President wants Joe Paterno to introduce him.
(Laughter.) But in the year 2004, there's only one. (Applause.) And
I'm honored it's me. (Applause.) I want to thank you, Joe. Thank you
very much for being here. I'm proud of the example you set. You're a
fine, fine, fine American. And you raised a fine son in Scott. We
need to send him to the United States Congress -- Scott Paterno.
(Applause.)
I regret that Laura is not here. I'm going to give you all kinds
of reasons to send me back to Washington today, but probably the most
important one is so that Laura is the First Lady for four more years.
(Applause.) I'm really proud of her. She's a fantastic, fantastic
woman. I love her dearly. We talked to her on the phone on the bus --
she sent her best. And in her stead, traveling with me today is a new
graduate from the University of Texas, one of my great daughters, Jenna
Bush. (Applause.) Made it through in four years, I want you to know.
Proud to be here on stage and traveling today with a fine United
States Senator, Senator Rick Santorum. (Applause.) What a fine job
Congressman Todd Platts is doing for the people of this area.
(Applause.) Where's your mother? There's mom, right there. She made
me some fudge. (Laughter.) I'm going to run all day -- well, I'm
going to bike all day tomorrow. (Laughter.) Thanks for the fudge, I
actually had some.
I appreciate Jerry Pappert, the Attorney General from the great
state of Pennsylvania, who joined us today. Thanks for coming,
General. (Applause.) State Senator Jeff Piccola is with us. I know
other members of the statehouse are here. Thank you all for coming.
I'm proud you're here. Turn out the vote. Make sure you spend enough
time in your district to get the vote out.
I want to thank state Senator Charlie Dent. He's running for the
Congress up the road here. He's going to make a fine United States
congressman. Charlie, thanks for coming. (Applause.) I know we've
got other candidates here, and I want to thank you for running. I
appreciate my friend, Alan Novak, the Chairman of the Pennsylvania
Republican Party. He's representing the grassroots activists who are
here.
A grassroots activist is somebody who is getting ready to turn out
the vote. And for those of you who are going to do that, thanks a
lot. It really means a lot. It's important. The stakes are high in
this election. Just like you're counting on me, I'm counting on you.
(Applause.)
I love the Oak Ridge Boys. (Applause.) Every time I see them,
they say, we're your friend, you can count on us. And sure enough,
every time I've counted on them they have been there. I am honored to
have you here. (Applause.) Thanks for coming.
I want to thank the Matt Goss Band, as well. Thank you for
coming. (Applause.) Ethel Berdall (phonetic) is with us. She is 101
years young. (Applause.) Hi, Ethel. I'm proud to have your support.
(Applause.) Thanks for coming.
The last three and a half years have brought serious challenges.
We have given serious answers. We came to office with a stock market
in decline and an economy heading into a recession. But we acted. We
led. We delivered historic tax relief, and over the past three years,
America has had the fastest growing economy in the industrialized
world. (Applause.)
There were corporate crimes in America recently, people who forgot
what it means to a responsible citizen. We acted. We passed tough
corporate reforms. We're bringing wrongdoers to account. It is now
clear that we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of
America. (Applause.)
We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. We
acted. I have led. We pursued the terrorist enemy across the world.
We have captured or killed many key leaders of the al-Qaida network.
We will stay -- (applause.) We will stay on the hunt until justice is
served and America is safe from attack. (Applause.)
We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror, and the spread
of weapons of mass destruction. We acted against two of the most
violent and dangerous regimes on Earth. We have liberated over 50
million people. (Applause.) America is safer because of our actions.
The world is better off; America is once again proud to lead the armies
of liberation. (Applause.)
When the Vice President -- and oh, am I running with a fine man in
Dick Cheney -- (applause) -- when he and I came to Washington, the
military -- remember back three-and-a-half years ago -- the military
was underfunded and underappreciated. We gave our Armed Forces the
resources and respect they deserve. (Applause.) And today, no friend
or foe can question the skill, the strength, and the spirit of the
United States military. (Applause.)
It is the President's job -- it is the President's job to confront
problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future
generations. (Applause.) It is the President's job to make hard
decisions, to keep his commitments. That is how I have led our
country, and that is how I will continue to lead our country for four
more years. (Applause.)
I'm ready for the contest. I'm ready for the contest. (Applause.)
I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a tough race, make no
mistake about it. That's why I'm traveling stop to stop on this great
bus. I take nothing for granted. After all, I'm running against an
experienced United States Senator from Massachusetts.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: He's been there a long, long time. He's been there
long enough to take both sides on just about every issue. (Applause.)
He voted for the Patriot Act, for NAFTA, for the No Child Left Behind
Act, and for the use of force in Iraq. Now he opposes the Patriot Act,
NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the liberation of Iraq. If
you disagree with the Senator from Massachusetts on most any issue, you
may just have caught him on the wrong day. (Laughter.)
And now, just last weekend, he even tried to claim he was the
candidate with conservative values. (Laughter.) I know -- I know, but
I'm quoting his own words. Believe it or not, that's what he said.
(Laughter.) It's hard to square that statement with his previous
statement when he said, "I'm a liberal and proud of it." On issue
after issue, from funding our troops who are on the battlefield, to
involving parents in important decisions of their minor daughters, to
supporting faith-based and community organizations that are helping
those in need, the Senator is out of step with the mainstream values
that are so important to our country. (Applause.)
My opponent now has a running mate. I look forward to a spirited
debate. Senator Kerry is rated as the most liberal member of the
Senate, and he chose a fellow lawyer who is the fourth most liberal
member of the Senate. Back in Massachusetts, that's what they call
balancing the ticket. (Laughter.)
Great events will turn on this election. The person who sits in
the Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror, and the
direction of our economy. I have a clear vision to win the war on
terror, and to extend peace and freedom throughout the world. I'm
asking for your vote because I have a plan and a strategy to create
more jobs, so every single citizen has a chance to realize the great
promise of America. I'm seeking the vote to rally the compassionate
spirit of this country so every citizen can realize their full,
God-given potential. (Applause.) I will be clear on where I stand and
I'll be certain about where I'm going to take this nation.
(Applause.) When America gives me four more years, America will be
safer, stronger, and better. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: A big issue for every family in America is the tax
burden. By providing the largest federal tax relief since Ronald
Reagan was the President -- (applause) -- we have left more money in
the hands that earned it. (Applause.) By spending and investing and
helping create new jobs, the American people have used their money far
better than the federal government could have. (Applause.)
Our economy is strong and it is growing stronger. (Applause.)
Since last summer, our economy is outpacing the entire world by growing
at its fastest rate in nearly 20 years. (Applause.) In less than a
year's time, we've added more than 1.5 million new jobs. (Applause.)
In this state, in the great state of Pennsylvania, you've added 44,000
new jobs since February. (Applause.) The unemployment rate in this
state is at 5.1 percent, below the national average. (Applause.)
Across the country, the manufacturing sector is growing stronger.
Homeownership rate is at an all-time high. (Applause.) Interest rates
are low; business investment is growing; consumer confidence is at a
two-year high; personal incomes are on the rise. The economy is moving
into high gear. The tax relief we passed is working. (Applause.)
My opponents look at all this progress and somehow conclude the sky
is falling. But whether their mission is -- whether their message is
delivered with a frown or a smile, it's the same old pessimism. And to
cheer us up, they propose higher taxes, more federal spending, and
economic isolationism. That's the surest way to end economic growth
and to put Americans out of work. This nation is on the path of
progress, and we're not turning back. (Applause.)
To sustain economic growth, we need to keep your taxes low.
(Applause.) Higher taxes right now would undermine growth and destroy
jobs. To help grow the American economy and create more jobs for
American workers, I have a better idea. Congress needs to make the tax
relief permanent, and not raise taxes on the American people.
(Applause.)
To make sure this economy continues to grow we've got to be wise
about how we spend the money you send to Washington. That's why we
need discipline -- spending discipline -- in Washington, D.C.
(Applause.) And spending discipline starts with understanding whose
money we spend. We're not spending the governor's -- government's
money in Washington, D.C., we're spending the people's money in
Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
I not only want us to grow next year, but I want us to keep growing
in the out-years. So I've got a plan to do so. First, we've got to
stop these frivolous and junk lawsuits. (Applause.) You cannot be
pro-small business and pro-trial lawyer at the same time. (Applause.)
You have to choose. My opponent has made his choice, and he put him on
the ticket. (Applause.) I have made my choice. I will continue to
push Congress to reform tort laws and end frivolous and junk lawsuits.
(Applause.)
And that includes medical liability reform. (Applause.) Small
businesses make it difficult -- it's very difficult for small
businesses to hire new people, because their health care premiums are
going up. And one of the reasons why is because there's too many junk
lawsuits suing the docs around this country and in this state.
(Applause.)
We need energy legislation, common-sense energy legislation if we
want our economy to continue to grow. A couple of years ago, I
submitted a plan to the United States Congress that encourages
conservation, that modernizes our electricity grid, but also says that
we need to use the resources we have at hand in
environmentally-friendly ways. We need to be less dependent on foreign
sources of energy. (Applause.)
We need to be opening up markets for Pennsylvania entrepreneurs and
farmers and ranchers. Listen, I know we've got some farmers here.
(Applause.) You're making a good living these days, and one of the
reasons why is because we're selling Pennsylvania farm products all
around the world. (Applause.) We need to be opening up markets. Our
market is open; let's get other countries to open up theirs. Give us a
level playing field, and America can compete with anybody, anyplace,
anywhere, anytime. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE PRESIDENT: Angry talk, and class warfare rhetoric, and
economic isolationism won't get anybody hired. That's not a plan for
the future. The best way to make sure our people find work and keep
work is to reelect a pro-growth, pro-entrepreneur, pro-small business,
pro-farmer President, George W. Bush. (Applause.)
America's future also depends on our willingness to lead in the
world. The momentum of freedom in our time is strong, but we still
face serious dangers. Al Qaeda is wounded but not broken. (Applause.)
Terrorists continue to attack in Afghanistan and Iraq. Regimes in
North Korea and Iran are challenging the peace. If America shows
weakness or uncertainty in this decade, the world will drift toward
tragedy. This will not happen on my watch. (Applause.)
As in other times, many Americans are serving and sacrificing to
keep this country safe and to bring freedom to others. And we thank
them for their sacrifice. We mourn the dead and vow never to forget
their sacrifice. (Applause.) I thank the families, the wives and the
husbands, the moms and the dads, and the sons and daughters of those
whose loved one is overseas serving our nation. We stand with your
loved one. America honors their service. (Applause.)
They serve because after the attacks of September the 11th, 2001,
this nation resolved to fight the terrorists where they dwell. We
resolved to hold regimes that hide and sponsor terrorists to account.
Afghanistan was a terror state, provided safe haven for al Qaeda. They
trained and plotted and planned there. Because we acted, America is
more secure, the training camps no longer exist, Afghanistan is a
rising democracy. Young girls go to school for the first time in their
lives. And they're an ally -- Afghanistan is an ally in the war on
terror. (Applause.)
Iraq only last year was controlled by a dictator who threatened the
civilized world. He had used weapons of mass destruction on his own
people. For decades he tortured and tormented the people of Iraq. We
must never forget the mass graves of the thousands he murdered.
Because we acted, America is more secure. Because we acted, Iraq is
free and a sovereign nation. (Applause.) And because we acted, the
dictator is now in a prison cell and will receive the justice he denied
so many for so long. (Applause.)
We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. It's a
lesson -- there are many lessons, but I want to share one with you that
we -- I will never forget, and I hope this country never does: America
must confront threats before they fully materialize. (Applause.) When
we see a threat, we just can't hope for the best anymore. That's the
lesson of September the 11th. And we must never forget the lesson. My
administration looked at intelligence, and we remembered the past of
Saddam. We remembered he used weapons on his own people. And then we
looked at further intelligence, and we saw a threat. The members of
the United States Congress from both political parties looked at the
very same intelligence, and they saw a threat. The United Nations --
the United Nations looked at the intelligence and it saw a threat.
Remember I went to the United Nations. I said, for too long you
have said the man is a threat and he has ignored you. And so we went
to the United Nations and he -- and demanded a full accounting of
Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. That's what the United Nations
said. And as he had for over a decade, he ignored the ultimatums of
the free world. He said, your resolutions don't matter to me.
I happen to believe that when you say something, you better mean
it. (Applause.) Well, we said -- we, being the free world out of the
United Nations Security Council -- said, disclose your weapons, disarm,
or face serious consequences. That's what was said. And he denied, he
deceived, he wasn't about to listen to the demands. So I had a choice
to make. Either take the word of a madman, or defend America. Given
that choice, I will defend America every time. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE PRESIDENT: Although we haven't found stockpiles of weapons, I
believe we were right to go into Iraq. (Applause.) And America is
safer today because we did. (Applause.) We removed a declared enemy
of America who had the capability of producing weapons of mass
destruction and could have passed that capability to terrorists bent on
acquiring them. In the world after September the 11th, that was a risk
we could not afford to take. (Applause.)
We've got tough work to do. We've got hard work to do in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Our immediate task in those countries is to
capture or kill the terrorists and foreign fighters. (Applause.)
Every terrorist we deal with abroad is one who will never do harm to an
innocent American or anyone else. (Applause.) You can't talk sense to
these people. You can't negotiate with these people. They're
cold-blooded. They are -- they've hijacked a great religion. They're
not religious people. You cannot sit back and hope for the best. We
must engage these people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world, so
we do not have to face them here at home. (Applause.) And that's
exactly what I will do during the next four years. (Applause.)
My most solemn duty -- my most solemn duty is the security of
American families. (Applause.) It's my solemn obligation. There is
no such thing as perfect security. The threats to our homeland are
real. We know the terrorists want to strike us again because they want
to spread fear and disrupt our way of life. We've reorganized our
government to protect the homeland. I put a good man in there to run
that organization. (Applause.) You trained him well. Tom Ridge is
doing a great job. (Applause.) A lot of people are working hard on
our behalf, your behalf, a lot of good people.
I want to thank the police and firefighters and emergency teams
from York, Pennsylvania, for standing on the front lines of homeland
security. (Applause.)
We're defending our homeland, we will defeat the terrorists
abroad. Yet, in the long run, our safety and the safety of our
children and grandchildren requires something more. We must work to
change the conditions that give rise to terror in the Middle East --
the poverty, the hopelessness, and the resentments that terrorists can
exploit. Life in that region will be far more hopeful and peaceful
when men and women can choose their leaders and the people can decide
their own future.
By serving the ideal of liberty, we are bringing hope to others,
and that makes America more secure. (Applause.)
By serving the ideal of liberty, we also serve the deepest ideals
of our country. We know that freedom is not America's gift to the
world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this
world. (Applause.)
Because we have taken this fight to the enemy, because freedom is
rising in places they claim as their own, the terrorists are
increasingly desperate. They know their cause is failing. They know
that time is against them. And their only chance is to shake the
resolve of America and Iraq and anyone else who loves freedom. So
their actions have grown even more cruel and sadistic. They cover
their faces in videos of their crimes. But those hoods cannot hide the
face of evil. (Applause.) We've seen their kind before, in death camps
and gulags. And as before, America will persevere, we will fear no
evil, and we will prevail. (Applause.)
Our men and women in the military are keeping America more secure.
They're taking great risks on our behalf. At bases across the country
and around the world, I have had the privilege, the high privilege, of
meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice for our
security. I've seen their decency and their unselfish courage. And I
assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in good
hands. (Applause.)
And when we put our soldiers in harm's way, they deserve the very
best. They deserve the full commitment of the federal government.
That's why I proposed supplemental funding to support our military in
its mission. This legislation provided for body armor and vital
equipment, for hazard pay, for health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and
spare parts for the military. (Applause.)
In the Senate, only a small, out-of-the-mainstream minority voted
against the legislation -- and two of those 12 senators are my opponent
and his running mate.
AUDIENCE: Boooo!
THE PRESIDENT: When asked to explain his vote, the Senator from
Massachusetts said this: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion
before I voted against it." End quote. That sure clears things up.
(Laughter.) The American President must speak clearly and mean what he
says. (Applause.)
America is leading the world with confidence and moral clarity. We
have a strong coalition of more than 30 countries in Iraq. I will
continue to build on our alliances and to work with our friends for the
cause of security and peace. But I will never turn over America's
national security decisions to leaders of other countries. (Applause.)
This nation is prosperous and strong, yet we need to remember that
our greatest strength is in the hearts and souls of our the American
citizens. We're strong because of the values we try to live by --
courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. We're strong because
of the institutions that help give us direction and purpose -- our
families and our schools, our religious congregations. These values
and institutions are fundamental to our lives. They deserve the
respect of the government. (Applause.)
We stand for good public schools by insisting on high standards,
local control, and strong accountability measures. (Applause.) We
stand for fair treatment of faith-based groups, so they can receive
federal support for their works of compassion and healing.
(Applause.) We stand for welfare reforms that require work and
strengthen marriage, which have helped millions of Americans find
independence and dignity. (Applause.) We stand for a culture of life
in which every person matters and every person counts. (Applause.) We
stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the
foundations of our society. (Applause.) We stand for judges who
strictly and faithfully interpret the law. (Applause.)
We stand for a culture of responsibility in our country. The
culture of America is changing from one that has said, if it feels
good, do it, and if you've 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. (Applause.) If you're fortunate enough to
be a mother or a dad, you are responsible for loving your child with
all your heart and all your soul. If you're worried about the quality
of the education in the community in which you live, you're responsible
for supporting the teachers and the schools. (Applause.) If you're a
CEO in corporate America, you're responsible for telling the truth to
your shareholders and your employees. (Applause.) And in this new
responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our
neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves. (Applause.)
For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand
apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation, when little is
expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. You and I are
living in a period when the stakes are high, and the challenges are
difficult -- a time when resolve is needed. (Applause.)
None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and
another began. On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of
the Twin Towers. I'll never forget that day. There were workers in
hard-hats shouting at me, "Whatever it takes!" I remember looking in
the eyes of those firefighters and policemen -- and a guy looked at me
and said, "Don't ever let me down." (Applause.)
As we all did that day, these men and women searching through the
rubble took it personally. I took it personally. I have a
responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice
to our enemies. I will defend the security of America, whatever it
takes. (Applause.)
In these times I've also been a witness to the character of this
nation. I've seen the unselfish courage of our troops. I've seen the
heroism of Americans in the face of danger. I've seen the spirit of
service and compassion renewed in our country. We've all seen our
nation unite in common purpose when it mattered most.
We'll need all these qualities for the work ahead. We have a war
to win, and the world is counting on us to lead the cause of freedom
and peace. We have a duty to spread opportunity to every part of
America. We will make America safer, stronger, and better. This is
the work that history has set before us. We welcome it. And we know
that for our blessed country, the best days lie ahead.
God bless. Thank you all. (Applause.)
END 6:54 P.M. EDT
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