For Immediate Release
October 30, 2004
President's Radio Address
Audio
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In just a few days, Americans will
choose who will lead our country during a time of war and economic
opportunity. And the choice on Tuesday comes down to a few issues of
great consequence. The first choice is the most important, because all
our progress depends on our safety.
Since September the 11th, 2001, I have led a relentless campaign
against the terrorists. We have strengthened homeland security. We
removed terror regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are on the
offensive around the world, because the best way to prevent future
attacks is to go after the enemy.
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My opponent has a different view. Senator Kerry says September the
11th didn't change him much, and his policies make that clear. He says
the war on terror is "primarily an intelligence and law enforcement
operation." He has proposed what he calls a "global test" that would
give foreign governments a veto over American security decisions. And
when our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq needed funding for body armor
and bullets, Senator Kerry voted against it.
The direction of the war on terror is at stake in the election of
2004. And when you go to the polls on Tuesday, remember this: I will
do whatever it takes to defend America and prevail in the war on
terror, and I will always support the men and women who do the
fighting.
The second choice in this election concerns your family budget. As
a candidate, I pledged to lower taxes for families, and I have kept my
word. We doubled the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty,
and dropped the lowest tax bracket to 10 percent. Now working families
keep more of their paychecks, and America's economy is growing faster
than any other among major industrialized nations.
My opponent voted against all our tax relief for working families.
His votes would have squeezed about $2,000 more in taxes from the
average middle-class family. Now Senator Kerry is promising to
increase federal spending by more than $2.2 trillion. And to pay for
all that new spending, he would have to raise taxes on American
families. I will keep your taxes low because I know it's not the
government's money, it's your family's money.
The third choice in this election involves your quality of life.
As President, I signed historic education reforms to bring high
standards to the classroom and make schools accountable to parents, and
our children are making progress in reading and math. We've
strengthened Medicare, created health savings accounts, and expanded
community health centers to help more Americans get health care. I'm
proposing a series of practical reforms to make health care more
affordable and accessible by expanding health savings accounts,
allowing association health plans, and protecting patients and doctors
from junk and frivolous lawsuits.
My opponent has a different approach. Senator Kerry voted for the
No Child Left Behind Act, but he has pledged to weaken the
accountability standards. He's voted 10 times against medical
liability reform. And now, he's proposing a big-government health care
plan that would do nothing about rising health costs, and would cause
millions of Americans to lose their private health insurance and end up
on government programs.
Finally, this election presents a choice on the values that keep
our families strong. I believe marriage is a sacred commitment, and I
will always defend it. I will continue to appoint judges who strictly
interpret the law. And I will keep working to move this good-hearted
nation toward a culture of life.
On these issues, my opponent and I are miles apart. Senator Kerry
was part of an out-of-the-mainstream minority that voted against the
Defense of Marriage Act. He believes there ought to be a liberal
litmus test for judicial appointments. He voted against banning the
brutal practice of partial birth abortion. I believe that reasonable
people can find common ground on difficult issues, and I will continue
reaching out and bringing Americans together to protect our
deepest-held values.
All of these choices make this one of the most important elections
in our history. These past four years, you have seen how I do my job.
Even when you might not agree with me, you know where I stand, what I
believe, and what I intend to do. Soon, the decision will be in your
hands. And however you decide, I urge you to get out and vote on
Tuesday.
Thank you for listening.
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