For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 26, 2004
Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney 2004 Luncheon
Galt House Hotel
Louisville, Kentucky
12:35 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Thanks for your
support. Thanks for your friendship. Thanks for your warm welcome.
I'm proud to be back here in the great Commonwealth of Kentucky.
(Applause.) I'm pleased to be with so many friends.
I appreciate my friend, Darrell Waltrip being here. (Applause.) I
was at NASCAR the other day. Man, I can see why he liked that so
much. (Laughter.) It's an amazing environment. He has a lot to be
proud of. He had a fabulous career. I know one of his proudest
moments came when his little brother won the big race in Florida. I
went through the same experience. (Laughter and applause.)
We're ready to go here in Kentucky. We've got a great
organization. I want to thank the people who are going to man the
phones and put up the signs and get the people to the polls. The Vice
President and I appreciate all you did for us last time. We appreciate
all you're going to do for us this time. We intend to win the state of
Kentucky. (Applause.)
Vice President Cheney is a great Vice President. He's done a heck
of a good job for our country. Our country has had no finer Vice
President -- although Mother may have a second opinion. (Applause.)
No, I'm proud to have him by my side. Proud to be campaigning with
him.
I'm also proud of the job Laura is doing. She's a fabulous First
Lady for this country. (Applause.) She sends her best, her best
wishes and her love to our friends here in Kentucky.
I want to thank Cathy Bailey for taking on a tough job and doing
such a good job. I want to thank Elaine Chao, who is with us today, a
member of my Cabinet. I think when people start to analyze an
administration's effectiveness, they need to look at the people in the
Cabinet. When people surround themselves with excellence -- they
should surround themselves with excellence, and I have. I've attracted
a really good team of people from all walks of life to come to the
Nation's Capital and to serve something greater than their
self-interest -- their country. And Elaine is part of the fabulous
Cabinet I put together, and I want to thank you for being here,
Elaine. And I understand why your husband is not here -- he's voting.
But Mitch has done a really good job for the people of Kentucky, and
I'm proud to call him friend. (Applause.)
You need to send Jim Bunning back to Washington, D.C., as well.
(Applause.) I flew down with Anne Northup today on the plane. We had
a great visit about Kentucky and the issues down here. She's a really
competent, good person. I know Woody is with us -- Anne had to go back
and cast an important vote. I gave her permission to do so.
(Laughter.) But she really is a fine, fine representative of the
people of Louisville, Kentucky. You need to send her back, too.
(Applause.)
And I appreciate my friend, the Governor, being here. He's got the
-- I used to say the governor was the best job in America. I'm not so
sure, because you don't have much foreign policy. (Laughter.) But
it's important to have somebody who is willing to make decisions, and
Ernie is that kind of person. He'll do a fine job as a governor of
this state, and I'm proud -- proud, Ernie, that you ran. I appreciate
you coming. (Applause.)
And I'm glad Steve Pence is with us, Lt. Governor; and Secretary of
State Trey Grayson is here, as well. Senate President David Williams
-- he and I were just laughing about the time we campaigned in southern
Kentucky in a mobile home, eating Kentucky barbecue. (Laughter.)
Gosh, I hope I get some on the plane going back. But good to see
David. And Dick Roeding is with us, as well. I appreciate the local
and state officials who have come today. I want to thank Mike Duncan
and Ellen Williams, great friends of mine, who are helping steer this
party to victory. I want to thank my friend, Mercer Reynolds, who is
the national finance chairman. He's from Cincinnati, Ohio -- who has
taken time out of his busy life to help make sure that we're ready to
go, that when the bell rings, this campaign is fully funded and ready
to take our message across the country.
You know, we meet here during the presidential primary season.
We're witnessing a clear trend. It looks like we have a winner in the
Republican primaries. (Laughter and applause.) The other party's
nomination battle is still playing out. They're an interesting group
with a lot of strong differences of opinion. They're for tax cuts and
against them; for NAFTA and against NAFTA; for the Patriot Act, against
the Patriot Act; in favor of liberating Iraq, and opposed to it. And
that's just one Senator from Massachusetts. (Applause.)
They haven't -- they're not finished selecting their nominee. Yet
this much is certain: Come November, the voters are going to have a
very clear choice. It's 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. I look forward to setting these
alternatives squarely before the American people. I look forward to
the campaign. (Applause.)
We have a record of historic achievement. And most importantly, we
have a positive vision for the years ahead -- for winning the war
against terror; for extending peace and freedom throughout our world;
and for creating jobs and opportunity here at home. We will leave no
doubt where we stand, and we will win on the 2nd of November.
(Applause.)
The last three years have brought serious challenges, and we have
given serious answers. We came to office with an economy heading into
recession. We delivered historic tax relief, and now our economy is
the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation. We had to
confront corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their
savings. So we passed strong corporate reforms and we made it
abundantly clear we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of
America. (Applause.)
We saw war and grief arrive on a quiet September morning. So we
have pursued the terrorist enemy across the world, and have captured or
killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network. And the rest of them
will learn there is no cave or whole 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 freed more than 50 million people
in those two countries. (Applause.) Once again, America is proud to
lead the armies of liberation.
When Dick Cheney and I came to Washington, we found a military that
was under-funded and under-appreciated. So we gave our military the
resources and respect they deserve. And today no one in the world can
question the skill and the strength and the spirit of the United States
military. (Applause.)
When we came to office, people had gotten used to gridlock. And
old problems were used to score points. Old problems were politicized
and debated and just -- then just passed on from year to year. But we
didn't come to Washington to do things the Washington way. We came to
get some things done. We passed major reforms to raise standards in
public schools all across America. We passed reforms in Medicare to
get prescription drugs and choice to senior citizens. We chose to lead
and we have delivered results for the American people. (Applause.)
Here's what I believe -- it is the President's job to confront
problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future
generations. (Applause.) A President needs to step up, make the hard
decisions and keep his commitments. And that is how I will continue to
lead our country. (Applause.)
Great events will turn on this election. The man who sits in the
Oval Office will the set the course of the war on terror and the
direction of our economy. The security and prosperity of America are
at stake. Our opponents have not offered much in the way of strategies
to win the war or policies to expand the economy. So far all we hear
is a lot of old bitterness and partisan anger. Anger is not an agenda
for the future of America. (Applause.) We will take on the big issues
with optimism and resolve and determination. We stand ready to lead
our country for the next four years. (Applause.)
A big issue for every family in America is the federal tax burden.
With the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was the President, we
have left more money in the hands of those who earned it. By spending
and investing, people have helped to move this economy forward. More
people are finding work. The American people have used their money far
better than the government would have. (Applause.)
Our opponents have their own plan for the tax cuts -- they plan to
take them away. They will use that money to expand the federal
government. I have a better idea. To keep the economy growing, we
must have fiscal discipline in Washington, D.C. To keep the economy
growing, the tax cuts must be permanent. (Applause.)
We must do more. We need to protect small business owners and
employees from frivolous lawsuits and needless regulation. We need to
control the costs of health care by passing medical liability reform.
(Applause.) We need to pass sound energy legislation to modernize our
electricity system and to make America less dependent on foreign
sources of energy. (Applause.) Our opponents talk about job creation,
but they're against every one of these job-creating measures. Empty
talk about jobs won't get anybody hired. The way to create jobs is
through our pro-growth, pro-entrepreneurial economic agenda.
(Applause.)
This economy of ours is going through a time of challenge and
change. And we're helping people to gain the skills and security to
make a good living and to look forward to a good retirement. All
skills start with education. That's why I was so insistent that
Congress pass the No Child Left Behind Act. It is a good law, a sound
piece of legislation, historic reform that brings high standards and
accountability to every classroom in America.
There's more to do. We have a plan to help high school students
who fall behind in reading and math. We have plans to make sure our
community colleges train workers for the industries that are creating
the most new jobs. Education is the gateway to a hopeful future, and
that gate must be open to all Americans. (Applause.)
This administration is also working toward an ownership society in
which more people own their own homes, to build their own savings. We
want more people owning their own small businesses. We want people
owning and managing their health care plans. We want younger workers
to own and manage their retirement under Social Security. When people
have solid assets, they gain independence and security and dignity and
more control over their future. I believe so strongly in private
property. I want every American to own some. (Applause.)
On issue after issue, the American people have a clear choice. Our
opponents are against personal retirement accounts. They're against
putting patients in charge of Medicare. They're against tax relief.
They seem to be against every idea that gives Americans more authority
and more choices and more control over our own lives. It's the same
old Washington mind set. They'll give the orders, and you will pay the
bills. I've got news for them. America has gone beyond that way of
thinking, and we're not going back. (Applause.)
Inherent in all our policies is this theme, this belief: We trust
the people, not Washington politicians, to make the best decisions for
their own money, their own health, their own retirement, and their own
lives. (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 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.)
No friend or enemy today doubts the word of the United States.
This nation is strong; we are steadfast; we are confident in the cause
of freedom. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror
regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban chose defiance. The Taliban are no
longer in power. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the
terror regime in Iraq. The dictator chose defiance. The dictator now
sits in a prison cell. (Applause.)
September the 11th, 2001 taught a lesson I have not forgotten.
America must confront threats before they fully materialize. In Iraq,
my administration looked at the intelligence, and we saw a danger.
Members of Congress looked at the intelligence, and they saw danger.
The United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence. It saw
a danger. The previous administration and Congress looked at the
intelligence, and made regime change in Iraq the policy of our
country.
In 2002, the United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a
full accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. And as he had
for over a decade, Saddam Hussein refused to comply. So we had a
choice to make, either to take the word of a madman, or take action to
defend America and the world. Faced with that choice, I will defend
America every time. (Applause.)
Others would have chosen differently. They now agree that the
world is better off with Saddam removed from power. They just didn't
support removing him from power. (Laughter.) Maybe they were hoping
he would lose the next Iraqi election. (Laughter.)
We showed the dictator and the watching world that America means
what it says. Because our coalition acted, Saddam's torture chambers
are closed. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons programs are ended
forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have gotten the message
and renounce their own weapons programs. 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, and America is more secure.
(Applause.)
We still face thugs and terrorists in Iraq who would rather go on
killing the innocent than accept the advance of liberty. They know
that a free Iraq will be a major defeat for the cause of terror. This
collection of killers is trying to shake the will of America. America
will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. (Applause.)
We're aggressively striking the terrorists in Iraq, defeating them
there so we don't have to face them in our own country. We're calling
on other nations to help Iraq build a free society, which makes all of
us more safe. We're standing with the Iraqi people as they assume more
of their own defense and move toward self-government. These aren't
easy tasks, but they are essential tasks. We will finish what we have
begun. And we will win this essential victory in the war on terror.
(Applause.)
On national security, Americans have the clearest possible choice.
Opponents say they approve of bold action in the world, but only if no
other government disagrees. I'm all for united action, and so are the
34 coalition partners we have in Iraq right now. Yet America must
never out source America's national security decision to leaders of
other governments. (Applause.)
Some of our opponents are skeptical that the war on terror is
really a war at all. They view terrorism more as a crime, a problem to
be solved with law enforcement and indictments. Our nation followed
that approach after the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The
matter was handled in the courts, and thought by some to be settled.
Terrorists were still training in Afghanistan, still plotting in other
nations, and 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. With those attacks, the terrorists and supporters
declared war on the United States of America, and war is what they
got. (Applause.)
At bases across our country and the world, I've had the privilege
of meeting with the men and women of our military who are defending
this country, who are sacrificing for our security. I've seen their
great decency, their unselfish courage. And I can assure you, ladies
and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in good hands. (Applause.)
Our nation is prosperous and we are strong, yet we need to remember
that our greatest strength is in the hearts and souls of our 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 to give us direction and purpose: families and
schools and religious congregations. These values and institutions are
fundamental to our lives, and they deserve the respect of our
government.
We stand for fair treatment of faith-based groups, so they can
receive federal support for their works of compassion and healing. We
will not stand for government discrimination against people of faith.
(Applause.) We stand for welfare reforms that require work and
strengthen marriage, which have helped millions of Americans find
independence and dignity. We will not stand for any attempt to weaken
those reforms and to send people back into the lives of dependence.
We stand for a culture of life in which every person counts and
every person matters. We will not stand for the treatment of any life
as a commodity, to be experimented upon, or exploited, or cloned.
(Applause.) We stand for the confirmation of judges who strictly and
faithfully interpret the law. (Applause.) We will not stand for
judges who undermine democracy by legislating from the bench, or try to
remake the culture of America by court order. (Applause.)
We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. We're
changing the culture in this country 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're 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. 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. 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 ourself.
For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand
apart. There are quiet times in the life of the nation when little is
expected of our leaders. This is not one of those times. You and I
are living in a period when the stakes are high, the challenges are
difficult, the choices are clear, a time where resolve is needed. 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 remember a lot about that day. Workers in hard hats were
shouting, "Whatever it takes." I remember a guy pointing at me and
saying, "Don't let me down." As we did all -- as we all did that day,
the men and women who were searching through the rubble took it
personally. I took it personally. I have a great responsibility that
goes on. I will never relent and 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. Not long ago, some had their doubts about the American
character, a capacity to meet serious challenges, capacity to serve a
cause greater than self-interest. Americans have given their answer.
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 all have seen our nation
unite in common purpose when it mattered most.
We will need all of 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 country, the best days lie
ahead.
May God bless you all. (Applause.)
END 1:06 P.M. EST
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