Remarks by the President in Reno, Nevada
Reno-Sparks Convention Center
Reno, Nevada
2:47 P.M. PDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Thank you
all. Go ahead and be seated. Please be seated, unless, of course, you
don't have a seat. (Laughter.) It's great to be here in Nevada.
Thanks for coming. (Applause.) Thank you all for coming. You didn't
think I'd get it right, did you? (Laughter.) I appreciate your warm
welcome. I appreciate the kind words of Senator John McCain.
(Applause.)
Both candidates in this race are honored to be the friend of John
McCain. Only one of us gets his vote. (Applause.) And I am proud
that it is me. (Applause.) John McCain has lived a life of true
service to this country. (Applause.) He is a man of honor; he is a
man of integrity; he's a man of personal courage and political
courage. And I thank him for his friendship and his support.
(Applause.)
It's good to be here in Reno. (Applause.) It's a town known for
its good people -- (applause) -- and it's good times. (Applause.) I
always like being in a place where the cowboy hats outnumber the ties.
(Applause.)
Vice President Cheney and I were proud to carry Nevada last time,
and we're going to carry it this time. (Applause.) And I'm here to
thank you for your help. I'm here to thank you for what you have done,
what you will do to turn out that vote. (Applause.) Thanks for
coming.
I am sorry that First Lady Laura Bush isn't here. You drew the
short straw. (Laughter.) She is a -- she is a fabulous woman. She is
a -- (applause) -- she's a great First Lady. If there's any reason to
put me back in there for four more years, it's to make sure Laura is
the First Lady for four more years. (Applause.)
I'm also proud to be running with Dick Cheney. He's the -- he's
the finest Vice President our country has ever had. (Applause.)
Mother heard me say that one time, and said, "Now wait a minute,
buster." (Laughter.)
I appreciate your Governor, Kenny Guinn. He's a fine, honest,
honorable, great Governor of this state. (Applause.) And like me, he
married well -- (laughter) -- when he married Dema.
Today, John McCain and I had the honor of traveling from Fort
Lewis, Washington with a great United States Senator from Nevada, and
that is Senator John Ensign. (Applause.) And old Jim Gibbons stumped
on the plane, too. (Applause.) He's doing a fabulous job for this
part of the country. I'm proud to call him friend. It's great to be
with his wife, Dawn.
You know, Senator Ensign and Congressman Gibbons and I worked on a
project that's very important for your part of the world. It's a
project that concerns the health of Lake Tahoe. (Applause.) For years
you've been hearing that the federal government would help maintain
this national treasure. For years you've been hearing excuses about
why it hadn't happened. Well, I'm here to tell you it's happened.
(Applause.) I signed a bill, working with this good Senator and this
good Congressman, to make $300 million available for the restoration of
that lake. (Applause.) So that generations of our fellow countrymen
can enjoy its beauty.
I appreciate the Lieutenant Governor being here, Lorraine Hunt.
Thanks for coming. I want to thank your very fine Attorney General, my
close friend, Brian Sandoval, for being here. (Applause.) State
Treasurer Brian Krolicki is with us today. Thanks for coming, Brian.
(Applause.) I mean, we're about -- we've got them all here, the
Secretary of State, Dean Heller, is with us today. Mother? Yes, we've
got mom right here on the first row, Dean. (Laughter.) She's watching
you like a hawk. (Laughter.) Probably like my mother, still telling
you what to do. (Laughter.)
` We've got the State Comptroller, Kathy Augustine, is with us
today. (Applause.) We've got Bob Cashell, the Mayor of this great
city, is with us today. (Applause.) Mister Mayor, all I can tell you
is just fill the potholes and the people will love you. (Laughter and
applause.)
We've got local officials, we've got state officials, and we've got
grassroots activists. Thanks for coming. (Applause.) And if you want
to figure out how to help, get on the Internet at GeorgeWBush.com.
(Applause.) If you want to volunteer, if you want to figure out how to
help turn out the vote, get on your Internet and call it up. And we
want -- and we will help you help us, because, you see, we're counting
on you. We're counting on you to turn out the vote. We're counting on
you to talk to both Republicans and Democrats and independents.
(Applause.)
And when you're talking to them, tell them this: The last
three-and-a-half years have brought serious challenges, and we have
given serious answers. (Applause.) We came to office with a stock
market in decline and an economy headed into recession. We delivered
historic tax relief. And since last summer, America has had the
fastest growing economy in the industrialized world. (Applause.)
We uncovered corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their
savings. So we acted. We passed strong corporate reforms. We brought
wrongdoers to account, and we made it clear that we will not tolerate
dishonesty in the boardrooms of America. (Applause.)
We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. So we
pursue the terrorist enemy across the world. We've captured or killed
many of the key leaders of the al Qaeda network. (Applause.) And the
rest will know there is no cave or hole deep enough to hide from
American justice. (Applause.) We confronted the dangers of
state-sponsored terror and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
So we ended two of the most violent and dangerous regimes on Earth. We
liberated over 50 million people. Once again America is proud to stand
against tyranny and to set nations free. (Applause.)
When Dick Cheney and I came to Washington, the military was
under-funded and under-appreciated. So we gave our Armed Forces the
resources and respect they deserve. (Applause.) And today no one can
question the skill and the strength and the spirit of the United States
military. (Applause.)
No, we've confronted problems head on. It is the President's job
to confront problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and
future generations. (Applause.) That is how I have led our country,
and that is how I will continue to lead our country for four more
years. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: Great events will turn on this election. The man
who sits in the Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror
and the direction of our economy. The security and prosperity of
America are at stake. This is going to be a tough race. That is why
I'm here to ask for your help. I'm running against an experienced
United States Senator who has built up quite a record. My opponent has
been in Washington 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 and NAFTA, and the No Child Left Behind Act,
and the liberation of Iraq. His position on these issues reminds me of
a saying we have in Texas about the weather -- if you don't like it,
just wait a few minutes and it will change. (Applause.)
We had another example recently. Last December I had the honor of
signing the Healthy Forest Act. I appreciate Senators McCain and
Ensign and Congressman Gibbons' help on this vital piece of
legislation. (Applause.) A vital piece of legislation by thinning the
underbrush -- that helps thin the underbrush, that allows thinning the
underbrush -- to restore these national treasures of ours. As we're
talking -- debating the bill in Washington, my opponent opposed the
law, saying we were taking a chainsaw to public forests.
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: Well, now he's packing his bags and he's getting
ready to head out West, and he says he now likes parts of the law.
(Laughter.) Says he wants to stop -- he wants there to be a strong
logging industry. You know something? It's not only the wildfires
that shift with the wind. (Laughter and applause.)
The voters will have an unmistakable choice this year. It is a
choice between keeping the tax relief that is moving the economy
forward, or putting the burden of higher taxes back on the American
people. It is a choice between an America that leads the world with
strength and confidence, or an America that is uncertain in the face of
danger. (Applause.)
The other side has not offered much in the ways of strategies to
win the war, or policies to expand our economy. We're well into the
campaign, and all we have heard is old bitterness and partisan anger.
They will soon learn that anger is not an agenda for the future of
America. (Applause.) I will take on the big issues with optimism and
resolve and determination, and I will make it clear that we stand ready
to lead this nation for four more years. (Applause.)
A big issue for every family in America is the federal tax burden.
With the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was President, 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 would have.
(Applause.)
Our economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. (Applause.)
The economy is growing at its fastest four-quarter rate in nearly 20
years. (Applause.) We added 248,000 jobs last month, and nearly a
million jobs in the last 100 days. (Applause.) The unemployment rate
has fallen from 6.3 percent last summer, to 5.6 percent last month.
(Applause.) State unemployment rates have fallen in 46 out of the 50
states over the past year. Here in Nevada, you have added 3,800 new
jobs last month. You've added 50,000 new jobs in the last year.
(Applause.)
Home ownership rate in America is at an all-time high. (Applause.)
Business investment is growing, the stock market is improving, consumer
confidence increasing, personal incomes are on the rise. The tax
relief we passed is working. (Applause.)
There are people in Washington who are pessimistic about the future
of our economy, and that includes my opponent. Lately, he's dusted off
an old term called the Misery Index. The only problem is, when you
actually apply the index he came up with, it tells you the economy was
better in the late 1970s than it was in the 1980s. (Laughter.) I
guess he is nostalgic for the days of malaise. (Laughter.) But that's
not where we're headed. America is on the path of progress and
opportunity, and we're not going backwards. (Applause.)
And the challenge is to make sure this economy continues to grow
and remain strong. My plan starts with keeping taxes low and
maintaining spending discipline in Washington, D.C. (Applause.) And
the first way to make sure people understand the need for discipline is
to remind them that government does not spend it's own money,
government spends your money. And we should be wise about how we spend
it. (Applause.)
In order to make sure this economy continues to grow, we must
protect our small business owners from frivolous and junk lawsuits and
needless regulation. (Applause.) To make sure the economy grows, we
must control the cost of health care by giving people better access
through association health plans and tax-free health savings accounts.
And we need to pass medical liability reform at the federal level.
(Applause.)
The Senate up there must choose between small business and trial
lawyers. I have made my choice. I stand squarely on the side of the
small business owners. (Applause.)
In order to make sure our economy is competitive and continues to
grow, we need sound energy legislation. We need to encourage
conservation. We need to encourage alternative sources of energy. But
we need to use the energy we have so we become less dependant on
foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)
In order to make sure people can find work and our economy
continues to grow, we need to knock down trade barriers and open up new
markets for American products. Listen, we're good at things in
America. We're good at growing things. We're good at raising things.
We're great entrepreneurs. Rather than fall prey to the empty logic of
economic isolationism, we ought to say to countries, we treat you
fairly, you treat us fairly. We can compete anyplace, any time,
anywhere with a level playing field. (Applause.)
In order to make sure the economy grows, we must have certainty in
the tax code. It's hard if you're a business person to be making
decisions if you're wondering whether the tax code is going to remain
the same, or not. And, see, parts of the tax relief we passed is going
to expire.
Today I met with Joe and Tammy Barkowski, and their three
children. The reason I bring them up is I want people to fully
understand what I talk about when it comes to tax relief, and its
importance to make sure that it is stable. The Barkowski family saved
about $2,200 on their taxes last year. And they'll save about the same
on their taxes this year because of the tax relief we passed. Oh, that
doesn't sound like a lot to some in Washington. It's a lot to the
Barkowskis. As a matter of fact, Joe and Tammy said they're going to
use some of their money to remodel their kitchen -- just as soon as she
decides the color of the paint. (Laughter.)
If Congress does not act, if Congress does not make sure that the
tax relief we have passed stays in place, their tax bill is going to go
up by $1,000 next year. I don't think it's right, I don't think that
makes sense.
Here's what he had to say -- "If they give us our own money, we can
do a better job with it." And he's right. (Applause.) Higher taxes
would undermine growth and destroy jobs. Just as our economy is
getting better, we should not be taking money out of the pockets of our
consumers and small business owners. Congress needs to make the tax
relief permanent and not raise taxes on the American people.
(Applause.)
Our future also depends on America's leadership 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. Terrorists are testing
our will in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Regimes in North Korea and Iran
are challenging the peace. If America shows weakness and uncertainty
in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not
happen on my watch. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. This nation is strong and confident
in the cause of freedom. We know that freedom is not America's gift to
the world, freedom is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman
who lives in this world. (Applause.) And today, no friend or enemy
doubts the word of the United States of America. (Applause.)
America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in
Afghanistan. The Taliban chose defiance, and the Taliban are no longer
in power. (Applause.) And there are thousands of Afghan citizens
grateful for the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers on their soil.
(Applause.) There are thousands of Afghan moms who are grateful to
America because, for the first time, many young girls now get to go to
school. (Applause.)
America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in
Iraq. The dictator chose defiance, and now the dictator sits in a
prison cell. (Applause.)
September the 11th, 2001 taught a lesson I will never forget.
America must confront threats before they fully materialize.
(Applause.) In Iraq, my administration looked at the intelligence and
looked at the history of Saddam Hussein, and we saw a threat. Members
of the United States Congress from both political parties looked at the
intelligence and they saw a threat. The United Nations Security
Council looked at the intelligence and it saw a threat. As a matter of
fact, the previous administration and Congress looked at the
intelligence and they made regime change in Iraq the policy of our
country.
In 2002, the U.N. Security Council yet again demanded a full
accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. The world spoke with
common voice when it said, disclose, get rid of your weapons, or face
serious consequences. What I believe is that when you say something,
you better mean it. (Applause.) As he had for over a decade, Saddam
Hussein refused to comply. He ignored the demands of the free world.
So I had a choice to make: either take the word of a madman, or defend
America. And given that choice, I will defend America every time.
(Applause.)
We showed the dictator and the watching world that America means
what it says. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons programs are ended
forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have gotten the message
and renounced their own weapons programs. (Applause.) Because we
acted, an example of democracy is rising at the very heart of the
Middle East. Because we acted, the world is more free. Because we
acted, America is more secure. (Applause.)
Tough times in Iraq right now. I know it and you know it. But
we're making progress. We're headed toward a free country. An interim
government is in place. And in less than two weeks, the Iraqi people
will have their sovereignty. In the days ahead, we'll see more
bombings, more suiciders, more killings of the innocent, because the
terrorists' greatest fear is an Iraqi government of, by, and for the
people. (Applause.) They know there is no future for them in a free
society. You see, they're trying to shake our will. They're killing
to try to -- to get us to leave, to break our word, to break our bond.
They do not understand the United States of America. We will not be
intimidated by thugs and assassins. (Applause.)
We're living in historic times. The world is changing for the
better. A free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will show others
the hope of a free society, a society in which moms and dads are able
to raise their children in peace. And a society in which their
children can strive to realize their own dreams, not the dreams of a
tyrant, will be a powerful change in a world desperate, desperate for
hope.
Terrorists are recruited because they hate, and recruited because
they're hopeless. Free societies inspire. Free societies are peaceful
societies. We believe firmly that a free Iraq will help the world
become more peaceful and America more secure. (Applause.)
These aren't easy tasks for America. We've done hard things
before. I like to remind people that right after World War II, there
was a lot of doubters and cynics and pessimists as to whether or not a
free Germany could arise, or a free Japan could arise. But just
recently, I hosted the G8 Summit in Sea Island, and we were talking
about a free Iraq. As I looked around the table, I saw the Chancellor
of Germany, the Prime Minister of Japan talking about how to make the
world more peaceful and secure. I was thankful that my predecessors
didn't fall prey to pessimism and cynicism. I was thankful that my
predecessors had faith in the desire for people from all walks of life
to be free. (Applause.) Because right after World War II we didn't
lose faith in the values of America, the United States President today
is working with the leaders of former enemies as to how to make the
world a more peaceful and free place. (Applause.)
Now, this is hard work, but we've done this kind of work before.
And some day an American President will be working with a duly-elected
leader from Iraq as to how to make sure America is more secure and our
children have a chance to grow up in a more peaceful world.
(Applause.)
On national security, Americans have a very clear choice. My
opponent says he approves of bold action in the world, but only if
other countries do not object. I'm for -- I'm all for united action,
and so are the more than 30 coalition partners we have in Iraq right
now. But I will never turn over America's national security decisions
to leaders of other countries. (Applause.)
Some are skeptical that the war on terror is really a war at all.
They think it's a matter only of law enforcement and intelligence. I
strongly disagree. Our nation followed this approach after the World
Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The matter was handled in the courts
and thought by some to be settled. But the terrorists were still
training in Afghanistan. They were still plotting in other nations.
They were still drawing up more ambitious plans.
After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough
to serve our enemies with legal papers. (Applause.) With those
attacks, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United
States of America -- and war is what they got. (Applause.) And
winning this war requires us to give our troops the best equipment, the
best training, the best possible support. (Applause.) That is the
commitment I have made; that is the commitment that Senator McCain and
Ensign have made; and a commitment Congressman Gibbons has made.
And that is why -- (applause) -- that is why I proposed an $87
billion supplemental last fall. Most of that money was going to our
troops. Someone recently asked my opponent why he voted against that
bill. Here's what he said. He said, "I actually did vote for the $87
billion, before I voted against it." The American President must speak
clearly and mean what he says. (Applause.)
Our men and women in the military are taking great risks on our
behalf. At bases across the country and the world I have had the
privilege of meeting with those who defend our country and sacrifice
for our security. I've seen their great decency and unselfish
courage. And I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom
is in very good hands. (Applause.)
This nation is prosperous and strong. Yet we need to remember that
our greatest strength is the hearts and souls of our citizens. We're
strong because of the values we try to live by -- courage and
compassion, reference and integrity. We're strong because of the
institutions that help give us direction and purpose -- our families,
our schools, our religious congregations. (Applause.) These values
and institutions are fundamental to our lives, and they deserve the
respect of our government. (Applause.)
We stand for the 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 counts, and every person matters. (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.)
And we stand for a culture of responsibility in America. This
culture of our country 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 are fortunate enough to
be a mother or a father, you're responsible for loving your child with
all your heart. (Applause.) If you're worried about the quality of
the education in the community in which you live, you're responsible
for doing something about it. (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 a 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, challenges are difficult,
a time when firm resolve is needed.
None of us will ever forget that week when on era ended and another
began. On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin
Towers. I will never forget that day. There were workers in hard-hats
shouting, "Whatever it takes." Working the rope line with tired
firefighters and police and rescue workers, they said, "Don't let us
down." 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 our country, whatever it takes.
(Applause.)
In these times, I have also been witness to the character of this
nation. Not so long ago, some had their doubts about the American
character, our capacity to meet serious challenges, our willingness to
serve a cause greater than self-interest. Americans have given their
answer. I have seen the unselfish courage of our troops. I've seen
the heroism of Americans in the face of danger. (Applause.) 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 will 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. This is the work that history has set before us. We welcome
it. And we know that for our great land, the best days lie ahead.
May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.
(Applause.)