For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
July 27, 2004
Vice President's Remarks and Q&A; at a Reception for Ameri and Zupancic
July 26, 2004
Embassy Suites
Portland, Oregon
6:25 P.M. PDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Thank
you very much. We appreciate that warm welcome. It's great to be back
in Portland -- an honor to stand with two of Oregon's next
representatives in the U.S., Goli Ameri and Jim Zupancic. (Applause.)
You know, Lynne talked about our having been associated for a long
time. I guess I could put it that way. About a week ago, we went back
to our hometown of Casper, Wyoming to our 45th high school reunion.
But I explain to people oftentimes that a very important event in our
lives was the election of Dwight Eisenhower as President of the United
States in 1952. Now, you may not think that elections have far
reaching consequences. But I'm here to tell you, in 1952, my folks and
I lived in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dad worked for the Soil Conservation
Service. And Eisenhower got elected. He reorganized the Agriculture
Department. Dad got transferred to Casper, Wyoming -- which is where I
met Lynne. We grew up together, went to high school together, and
we'll soon celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. (Applause.) Our
fourth grandchild and first grandson arrived about three weeks ago.
But I explained to a group the other day that if it hadn't been for
that victory by Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, Lynne would have married
somebody else. (Laughter.) And she said, right, and how he'd be Vice
President of the United States. (Laughter and applause.)
Anyway, we've been looking forward to this visit. It's good to get
back to Oregon. And we enjoy the opportunity to come home and campaign
in the West. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to live in this
great land. And we're spending this week traveling around this part of
the country, doing everything we can, obviously, to make certain that
we elect great candidates like Goli and Jim to the United States House
of Representatives.
We were in Washington state earlier today. We'll be in California
tonight and tomorrow. Wednesday, we'll be in Utah. Thursday is a day
off. Friday then, we make another swing back through Yakima,
Washington; Medford, Oregon; Reno, Nevada; Tucson, Arizona; and
Albuquerque. So it should be a good trip. The stakes are very high in
this election. And we're delighted to have the opportunity to come out
here and spend some of that time with all of you. I want to bring good
wishes to each and every one of you from our President, George W.
Bush. (Applause.)
The President and I are grateful for every one of our supporters
here in Oregon. We're going to work very hard to earn the vote here,
and we're going to work very hard for candidates like Jim and Goli. I
know many Oregonians plan to cast their ballots by mail, and the
President and I have a lot of confidence in our chances because, come
November, Oregon is going to be part of a great nationwide victory.
(Applause.)
I'm really looking forward to this fall campaign, especially now
that I know who my opponent is going to be. (Laughter.) People keep
telling me that Senator Edwards got picked because he's sexy, charming,
good looking. And I say to them, How do you think I got this job?
(Applause.) Why do they laugh, Lynne? (Laughter.)
Here in Oregon, you have a great tradition of smart, independent
public servants. And as President of the Senate, I'm delighted to work
with your outstanding U.S. Senator, Gordon Smith. (Applause.) And
when the 109th Congress convenes next January, I'm confident that
Gordon will be joined by Goli Ameri and Jim Zupancic in Oregon's
delegation. (Applause.)
These are two strong, independent-minded leaders, with consistent
principles and a deep commitment to serving the people of Oregon. As
an immigrant from Iran, Goli shares the President's determination to
fight terrorism at its source and to spread freedom in the greater
Middle East. Goli will be a valuable leader in winning the war on
terror, and in making the people of Oregon more secure. As a
businesswoman and community leader, Goli has a sensible, bipartisan
vision for lower taxes, better health care, and a quality education for
every child in Oregon's first district. In the coming months, the
voters here are going to realize that it's time for a new voice in
Congress -- and Goli Ameri is the right person to do that job.
(Applause.)
In the fifth district, Jim is putting together a fine campaign of
his own. He's a hard worker, and it's no surprise that he has
succeeded at every job he's ever had --from nurseryman, to attorney, to
high tech entrepreneur. Jim is also a family man, and he understands
what families need to build confidence for the future. As your
congressman, he'll be an advocate for time-tested Oregon industries
like farming, forestry, and fishing, as well as promising new
opportunities in research and technology. People in the fifth district
deserve leaders who will work hard every day in Washington, and produce
real results for the folks back home, and that's exactly what they get
when they send Jim Zupancic to Congress. (Applause.)
What I'd like to do today is proceed little differently than what
we usually do at these events. What I'd like to do is make a few brief
remarks, and then open it up to questions and hear from you, and have
an opportunity to hear what's on your mind, as well. So let me begin a
brief set of comments by emphasizing how enormously important the
stakes are in this election. We are facing one of the great challenges
in our history. We're facing an enemy today every bit as intent on
destroying us as the Axis powers were in World War II, or the Soviet
Union in the days of the Cold War.
And this is not just my view. I want you to listen to the words of
the 9/11 Commission that reported this week. The enemy, in the words
of the 9/11 report is "sophisticated, patient, disciplined, and
lethal." "What this enemy wants, as the 9/11 report explains, "is to do
away with democracy, and the rights of women, and rid the world of
religious pluralism" -- in other words anybody who doesn't practice
their faith.
And in pursuit of this goal, this enemy is perfectly prepared to
slaughter anyone -- man, woman, or child -- to advance their cause.
This is not an enemy we can reason with, or negotiate with, or
appease. This is, to put it simply, an enemy that we must vanquish.
And under the determined leadership of President George W. Bush that is
exactly what we will do. (Applause.)
From the moment we were attacked on September 11th and lost 3,000
of our fellow citizens, our President has been focused and steadfast.
Under his leadership, we removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan
and closed down the training camps where terrorists were trained to
kill Americans. Under his leadership, we removed the regime of Saddam
Hussein, a man who cultivated weapons of mass destruction, used them
against his own people, and provided safe harbor and sanctuary for
terrorists. Saddam Hussein once controlled the lives and the future of
almost 25 million. Tonight, he's in jail. (Applause.)
What this President has accomplished in three-and-a-half years is
remarkable, but the danger has not passed. The threat remains. And in
the time ahead -- during the time ahead, we need the same steadfast
presidential leadership that we have had over the last three-and-a-half
years.
As Goli and Jim know well, the security of our nation has to be our
first concern. But our nation's strength also depends on the health of
our economy. When George Bush and I stood on the inaugural platform at
the United States Capitol and took the oath of office, our economy was
sliding toward recession. To set it on the right path, the President
worked with Congress to provide tax relief to the American people --
not once, not twice, but three times.
The Bush tax cuts have helped our national economy create jobs now
for 10 consecutive months. We've added more than a million and a half
new jobs since last August. Here in Oregon, more than 42,000 people
have gone to work at a new job during the past year. The national home
ownership rate is at a record high. Business investment is growing.
Consumer confidence is at a two-year high. And personal incomes are on
the rise. The economy is strong and growing stronger. And to keep it
moving forward, we need to continue the pro-growth, pro-jobs economic
policies of President George W. Bush. (Applause.)
There are many other areas I could touch on today, but I do want to
hear from all of you, so let me just say that the President and I are
looking forward to the campaign ahead. I know Goli and Jim are, too.
And with your help, November 2nd, is going to be a great Republican day
here in Oregon and across the nation. (Applause.)
As I say, we're experimenting a bit tonight. But we do have some
people in the audience with microphones. And if they raise their
hands, I'll call on them and they can get people to respond. Yes, sir,
right here.
Q Mr. Vice President, the Bush administration is really diverse
in its make-up. And you've done a great job of broadening the
Republican Party. But despite this progress, many voters still
perceive us a bit stuff, and I think sometimes they think of white guys
in blue suits when they think of Republicans. (Laughter.) In order to
showcase our party's diversity and reach, would you be willing to work
on getting Goli Ameri a speaking spot at the Republican National
Convention? (Applause.)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: With that kind of move, I think Goli is going
to be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. (Applause.)
Right, we could do a lot worse. (Laughter.) But, no, I think we have
done -- we work at it continuously. I've worked for four Presidents
now, and watched a couple of others up close. And I sit in on all of
the personnel meetings the President has, as he's staffed up his
administration. I did a lot during the transition and since. And I
must say, I think he's been absolutely committed to seeing to it that
he does have a diverse Cabinet, and a diverse staff. I think we should
have -- should receive considerable credit for having some people in
key positions without regard to race, or ethnicity or anything else.
He really went out to get the best people for the job, and we end up
with people like Condi Rice as our National Security Advisor; and Colin
Powell, as our Secretary of State; and Al Gonzales, as the Counsel to
the President. And I could go on with a long list. And, yes, there
are a few of us old white guys in blue suits hanging around, too.
(Laughter.)
But it's an important point. It's something the President believes
in very deeply, and I think his record shows that. And let me see if I
can put in a good word for Goli, okay? (Applause.)
Right here.
Q Mr. Vice President, you know our current congressman in the
first district, is David Wu, a very liberal Democrat, who virtually
votes 100 percent with the Democratic leadership. And I think in Goli
Ameri, we have, clearly, an independent thinker who can sway many of
the swing voters here in Oregon. And although her personal views and
positions, aren't exactly the same as Republican platform, what more do
you think we could have the Republican national campaign help in
getting her elected here in Oregon?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, we'll do everything we can. I know I'm
here -- and I'm only doing targeted races. That is to say, I spend
about half my campaign time -- and I'm out now during the break, five
or six days a week on the road. My time is split evenly between
Bush-Cheney events and helping congressional candidates. I wouldn't be
here tonight if it weren't for the fact that both at the White House,
as well as at the Congressional Campaign Committee that the Republicans
run on Capitol Hill, if these races weren't deemed to be critical
races, and targeted races that we believe we can win -- because we've
got great candidates. They've done very well up until now. What they
need is the continued support and effort from all of us.
So my very presence here is testimony to the effect that we do, in
fact, believe that these two races in the first and fifth districts
here in Oregon are absolutely winnable for us. And we're prepared to
do everything we can to help. So I think -- I look forward to coming
out here. (Applause.)
Q Mr. Vice President, I've got a policy question, or a political
question, if there is a difference. Oregon is a crisis state. We're
losing doctors every day to frivolous lawsuits. What specific policy
recommendations is the White House going to advance to help health care
here in Oregon, and specifically women trying to receive effect health
care on the OB side of things?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, this is increasingly a problem I
encounter around the country. It's a problem in my own home state of
Wyoming. The Wyoming legislature, which never works more than 40 days
every other years -- (Laughter.) I'm going to get in trouble, I'm
sure. But they just had a special session, which is a unique event in
Wyoming. And the reason the legislature was called back into special
session was specifically because of the rising cost of medical
malpractice insurance that's made it impossible to recruit new docs to
come into the state, and made it impossible for many of them to stay
there and continue to practice there. Just to give you a quick
example, a doctor there in Casper, a general practitioner, two years
paid $40,000 for their malpractice insurance policy; today it's
$100,000. They were quoted as saying that they were trying to recruit
new doctors. They went and talked to these guys just coming out of --
finishing their med school and residency, and so forth, and internship,
and said, look, it's a great state. You'll love living there and so
forth. All you need is $80,000 for your insurance policy, and, oh, by
the way, that's got to be cash up-front. Nobody is willing to take
them up on the offer. And it's worse, even in specialties like
OB/GYN. It's a big problem in Pennsylvania, a big problem in
Maryland. All states where I've encountered people trying to deal with
it recently.
What we're trying to do at the federal level is to pass medical
liability reform. We've got it through the House twice now.
Basically, what it would do is cap non-economic damages. In effect
what we would say -- because there are people that do deserve a shot in
court at righting grievous wrongs. Occasionally, there are serious
problems, complications that come as a result of medical practice.
Those people have a right to be able to go to court and seek an
adjustment, if you will, a redress of their grievances. But the fact
of the matter is, the courts are clogged. And we've gotten to the
point now where the medical liability has become so great, the cost of
insurance and so forth that it has grossly complicated things and
raised the costs for everybody.
One estimate I've seen recently said that the average call you make
now in a doctor's office, $40 of the price for that goes for insurance
to help them deal with that situation. Our proposal that the President
supported, that we passed through the House, as I say, would cap
non-economic damages at $250,000. That's been done elsewhere.
California has operated that way for some considerable period of time
now, and it worked. The California malpractice insurance premiums are
significantly lower than they are elsewhere in the country. And most
of the reduction comes out of the take of the personal injury trial
lawyers, not the people who are insured -- not the individual
patients. And that would be a positive development, as well, too.
(Applause.)
The bottom line is Senators Kerry and Edwards have both voted
against medical liability reform -- in Senator Kerry's case, many
times. They're opposed to any legal reform that would stop the abuse,
if you will, of the tort system. And so we need to continue to work on
that very aggressively. And I think -- well, I think it's an important
issue.
Yes, sir, right here.
Q Mr. Vice President, my son is a United States Marine serving
overseas. He's been a year deployed. (Applause.) Thank you. He's
been -- he's been in harm's way for a year. And he's asked me to do
everything I can at home to make certain that you and his personal
friend, Mr. Zupancic, are elected this time. And I'm willing to take
that fight on here, if for no other reason, out of respect for him.
But my question is, I believe if the American people knew how the
war -- I mean, he and his fellow Marines are in support of the
Bush-Cheney policy in executing this war and making sure it's taking it
on, if the American people knew it, this wouldn't be a race we'd be in
at all. What can we do to make sure the American people understand how
the troops in the field feel?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, the first thing we need to do is thank
him for his service. (Applause.) I'm going to be down at Camp
Pendleton in Southern California tomorrow, on the Marine base there, as
a matter of fact, to meet with a group of Marines. And I very much
look forward to it, and having the opportunity on behalf of the
President, myself, and all Americans, really, to thank them for their
service. They've done a superb job in Afghanistan, Iraq, and so many
other places around the world.
I think it's important for people to understand a couple of basic
propositions that are being discussed in this campaign. Prior to 9/11,
the way we used to deal with terror was to treat it as a law
enforcement problem. That is to say, somebody attempted to blow up the
World Trade Center, in '93, we'd go out and find the guilty party,
arrest them, put them in jail, case closed.
What we failed to understand was that our adversaries were tied
together, in terms of an organization, a structure -- it came to be
called al Qaeda -- behind it, that they had declared war on us in
1996. And so they didn't recognize this as a law enforcement problem.
They saw it as a war. And what we needed was a national strategy to
deal with that war. And that's what we've had since 9/11 because of
decisions the President made. And he made several.
One, defend the country -- do everything we could to harden the
target, to make it tougher for the terrorists to come after us. Two,
recognize that there's no such thing as perfect defense. We can be
successful 99 percent of the time, they only have to get through one
time to do enormous, devastating damage to us. Number three, you've
got to go on offense. You simply have to go after the terrorists
wherever they are, wherever they plan, train, recruit -- wherever they
live, basically, and take them out before they can launch attacks
against us. And that means aggressive use of U.S. military force in
places like Afghanistan, and Iraq, and any place else that the
President believes that's necessary in order to defend the nation.
We'd much rather have -- in spite of the burden that places on our
forces -- much rather have our forces actively deployed overseas taking
on the terrorists in Afghanistan or Iraq than have to fight them here
on the streets of our own cities with our firefighters and policemen,
and medical personnel. And that's just a crucial difference, I think,
or distinction, if you will, between the President's approach and the
way John Kerry would approach this issue. It's vital that we get it
right. We've been reasonably successful since 9/11 at defending the
nation. But it is thanks especially to the enormous sacrifice of so
many brave young Americans who are willing to put on the uniform and go
in harm's way on our behalf. We must never forget the enormous debt we
owe to all of them. (Applause.)
Q Mr. Vice President, I understand this is the last question,
many of the Democrats, or your opponents, complain about the No Child
Left Behind Act. And as a mother of four daughters that are
school-age, I'm very interested in your assessment of the negative and
the positive impact of this at the local level?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, we think the No Child Left Behind Act
was an absolutely crucial piece of legislation. It harkens back to the
President's experience in Texas. The Texas public schools were having
considerable difficulties. And growing out of that experience and work
he did there, we developed and proposed -- it was the President's first
proposal to the Congress after he got elected -- the No Child Left
Behind Act that basically says we're going to measure performance and
find out how well our kids are doing, and then we're going to hold the
school system accountable for results. And we're going to give parents
the opportunity, for example, of public choice. If they have their
kids in a school that's not performing up to snuff over a period of
time, they'll have the opportunity to send them to another public
school.
We think you cannot possibly assess how our schools are doing if
you don't measure results. It's true of any other endeavor, human
endeavor. And so that's at the heart of what the President proposed,
and Congress approved on a bipartisan basis. Ted Kennedy was at the
signing ceremony. This was not a partisan effort at all, but it was
widely supported on both sides of the aisle.
Now, the criticism that's been offered by the Democrats is, well,
you didn't fund it adequately. Well, my reconstruction is if you look
at the funding that was available in 2001, when we started versus the
funding in 2004 for Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act, which is the heart of where that funding goes, it's up 42 percent
in about three years. So we have, in fact, committed significant
resources to the effort. It's vital that we continue to work on this
path.
Lynne and I had the great, good fortune to go to public schools in
Casper, Wyoming back in the '50s. We got a tremendous education. We
had devoted teachers, parents who cared, a school system that worked.
That's something that we ought to provide for every child in America,
and No Child Left Behind is to date the best thing I've seen in terms
of moving us down that road. (Applause.)
So again, let me thank all of you for being here tonight. We got
two outstanding candidates here in Goli and Jim. They'll do a superb
piece of work if you give them the opportunity to do that for you.
This election is going to be very close. After what we went through
four years ago, don't let anybody tell you that individual effort
doesn't matter. When you get down to 537 votes in Florida decided who
was going to be President of the United States for the next four
years. Every vote counts. Every volunteer hour counts. Working the
phone banks counts. Registering the voters, getting your friends and
family to register and make certain that they're out there. Every
dollar that's contributed is absolutely essential.
And you can take that basic concept -- if it applies to the
presidency, it applies out there in House and Senate races all across
this country. I had the privilege of casting three tie-breaking votes
in the Senate in the last Congress, last year. That's what I get to
do. That's the Vice President's only real job. (Laughter.)
But I cast them on the budget resolution last year, in '03, that
set the overall parameters of the budget debate and made room for our
tax cut. I cast the deciding vote on reducing the tax on capital
gains, and reducing the double taxation of dividends, and final passage
on the tax bill. (Applause.) I don't deserve any special credit for
that because I went to Capitol Hill that day with some pretty firm
instructions from the President -- what I was supposed to do.
(Laughter.)
The point is if we'd had one less senator in the United States
Senate, we would not have had the recovery we have today that's
directly attributable to those policies. If we hadn't controlled the
House of Representatives, which we didn't the 10 years I served there,
we wouldn't have had that tax package because it had to originate in
the House. The Republican House reported out a great bill. We were
able then to get it through the Senate. It was crucial to where we are
today as an economy and as a nation. This election matters. It
matters a great deal. It matters not only at the national level, but
down at the county, the precinct level, and especially in congressional
districts. You got two great candidates here, make sure they win on
November 2nd.
Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
END 7:00 P.M. PDT
|