For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
January 14, 2004
Remarks by the Vice President at Reception for the Republican Party of Oregon
Embassy Suites Hotel
Portland, Oregon
January 13, 2004
6:18 P.M. PST
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, Greg. We
appreciate your kind remarks. And, Lynne, you didn't do bad on the
introduction. (Laughter.) I explain to people lots of times that
Lynne and I have a Republican marriage -- that was a hell of a red
dress, by the way. (Laughter.) I mean, it was unfair to unleash that
on a 16 year old boy. (Laughter.)
In 1952, when Dwight Eisenhower ran for President, my family was
living in Lincoln, Nebraska, where dad worked. And Eisenhower got
elected, he came in, reorganized the Agriculture Department, dad got
shipped to Casper, Wyoming. That's where I met Lynne. We grew up
together, went to high school together -- and in August, we'll mark our
40th wedding anniversary. (Applause.)
And I explained to a group the other night that if it hadn't been
for that tremendous Republican victory in 1952, I would never have
moved to Wyoming, and Lynne would have married somebody else. She
said, "Right, and now he'd be Vice President of the United States."
(Laughter.) I love that story. (Laughter.)
But we are delighted to be back in Oregon, and appreciate the warm
welcome. We've got some great Republican leaders here. Of course, I
got to see Governor Vic Atiyeh earlier today, I've known Vic for a long
time. (Applause.) I love working with Greg in Washington. And, of
course, we've got an outstanding state chairman now in Kevin Mannix.
And we appreciate you taking on that very difficult assignment and
responsibility, Kevin.
I know Senator Smith is traveling abroad and couldn't be here
today. But as the President of the Senate, I can report to you that he
does an outstanding job for the people of Oregon and the people of the
nation in Washington.
You know, my only job is as the President of the Senate. And when
they wrote the Constitution, they created the post of Vice President.
But they got down to the end of the constitutional convention, they
remembered they hadn't given him anything to do. And so they made the
Vice President the President of the Senate, made him the presiding
officer, gave him the right to cast tie-breaking votes. And my
predecessor, John Adams, even had floor privileges -- that is, he could
go leave the chair, go down into the well of the Senate and engage in
the debate of the issues of the day. And then he did a couple of
times, and they withdrew his floor privileges. (Laughter.) And
they've never been restored. But I do have that privilege of
participating from time to time in the Senate, especially when there
are tie votes. And it's been a real privilege. And as I say, I think
in Gordon Smith that we've got an outstanding colleague who's doing a
superb job. (Applause.)
We've been looking forward to our visit to Portland. Being from
Wyoming, I thought I knew a thing about big snow and cold weather --
but apparently it's nothing compared to what happened to all of you
last week. But it looks like you dug out pretty well.
It's my honor, as well, to join all of you in supporting the
Republican Party of this great state. And I bring good wishes to
everybody tonight from the President of the United States, The
Honorable George W. Bush. The President and I are very grateful for
the tremendous support we received in Oregon in 2000. We came within
some 6,800 votes of carrying Oregon. This is traditionally a high
turnout state, and because Oregonians vote by mail, some of the first
ballots of the election are going to be cast here. And with your help,
we're going to have a solid, effective effort throughout this election
year, and we look forward to carrying the state of Oregon for the
Bush-Cheney ticket. (Applause.)
Next Tuesday night, the President will deliver his annual State of
the Union address to the Congress and the entire nation. Next Tuesday
also marks the third anniversary of our inauguration on January 20,
2001. I think on that day no one could have predicted all that lay
ahead for America. But President Bush and I took office with a clear
understanding of our responsibilities. We were determined to solve
problems instead of simply passing them on to future generations. And
we were determined to seize new opportunities for reform and to get
beyond the old debates that had all too often stood in the way of
progress.
Today, as we look ahead to the election of 2004, we have a record
of accomplishment, I believe, to show for our efforts. I think the
American people can be confident of a better future, a stronger
economy, and greater security against the dangers of our new era,
because of the character and the leadership of our President, George
Bush.
In the weeks and months following September 11th, people in every
part of the country, regardless of party, took comfort and pride in the
character and the conduct of our President. From that day to this,
he's led a steady, focused and relentless campaign against the enemies
who struck America that morning and killed 3,000 of our fellow
citizens.
As we stand here today, many of al Qaeda's known leaders have been
captured or killed. Those still at large are living in fear -- and
their fears are well founded, because we're on their trail. In
Afghanistan, the Taliban regime brutalized an entire population and
harbored al Qaeda -- and that regime is no more. In Iraq, a ruthless
dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to
deliver them, he gave support to terrorists, and defied the demands of
the civilized world -- and that regime is no more.
At the beginning of 2003, Saddam Hussein controlled the lives and
the future of some 25 million people. At the beginning of 2004, he's
in jail. (Applause.) Never again will he brutalize his people, never
again will he support dangerous terrorists, and never again will he
threaten the United States of America. (Applause.)
Freedom still has enemies in Iraq -- terrorists who are targeting
the very success and freedom that we're providing to that country. But
terror attacks on innocent civilians will not intimidate the American
people, and will not intimidate the Iraqi people. With good allies at
our side, we are helping the Iraqis build a free society, which will
all of us more secure. We are standing with the Iraqi people as they
assume more responsibility for their own security and move toward self
government. These are not easy tasks -- yet they are absolutely
essential. As the President has said many times -- and no one can
doubt -- we will finish what we've begun, and we will win this
essential victory in the war on terror. (Applause.)
We're also working hard to oppose the proliferation of deadly
weapons around the world. And last month, after some nine months of
talks with the United States and Britain, the leader of Libya
voluntarily committed to disclose and dismantle all his weapons of mass
destruction programs. Leaders around the world are learning that
weapons of mass destruction do not bring influence, or prestige, or
security -- they only invite isolation, and carry other costs. The
success in Libya is directly related to the strong leadership the
President provided in policies that we've pursued in Afghanistan and
Iraq, and has had a decisive result. Leaders who abandon the pursuit
of those weapons will find an open path to better relations with the
United States of America.
In all they have done and continue to do, the men and women who
wear this nation's uniform have performed with incredible skill and
courage. (Applause.) Active duty service members from here and across
America, along with a great many National Guard and reserve personnel
have faced hard duty, long deployments and the loss of comrades. They
are confronting danger every day to protect all of us, and they are
earning the trust of the people they've liberated.
As most of you know, I had the honor of serving as Secretary of
Defense under former President Bush. I was grateful every day for the
opportunity to associate with the people in our armed forces. I feel
the same way about them now. They reflect extraordinary credit on the
United States of America, and our whole country is proud of each and
every one of them. (Applause.)
The long-term security of our nation, and our friends and allies,
has been a principal concern of President Bush's administration, and so
has the economic well-being of our citizens. By the time we took
office, the economy was sliding into recession. And to get it growing
again, we've delivered significant tax relief to the American people.
(Applause.) We're leaving more money in the hands that earned it --
because when Americans have more take-home pay, they have more to
spend, to save, and to invest. We've reduced taxes on dividends and
capital gains to encourage investment. And we've given small
businesses incentives to expand and to hire new people.
And now we are seeing the results of the hard work of the American
people, and the sound policies of this administration. The figures for
the third quarter show the economy grew at an annual rate of 8.2
percent -- the fastest pace in nearly 20 years. Business investment,
manufacturing, housing construction are all on the rise. And our
economy has added over a quarter of a million new jobs over the last
five months. The Bush tax cuts are working. (Applause.)
As you know, there are voices in the land who want to roll back the
Bush tax cuts. Sometimes I hear these voices at night on the evening
news -- emanating from Iowa and other locales. But, in fact, the Bush
tax cuts were exactly what this economy needed, and they have now set
us on a path to long-term growth and job creation. And we're going to
stay on that path. President Bush is absolutely determined that we
will not be satisfied until every person who wants to work can find a
job. (Applause.)
America must also confront a basic fact -- that some of the jobs
being generated in our growing economy are not being filled by American
citizens. These jobs represent an opportunity for workers who come in
from abroad -- yet under current law, the only practical way to attract
many of those workers is through a massive, undocumented economy. As a
result, we have millions of workers who live on the fringes of society
-- fearful, often abused, frequently exploited. And the hidden labor
market, fed by illegal entry across our borders, makes the task of
homeland security far more difficult.
To meet all these challenges, President Bush is proposing a new
temporary worker program that matches willing foreign workers to
willing American employers, when no American citizens can be found to
fill those jobs. In addition, we would offer legal status to temporary
workers already in the country, provided they have a job.
The President's proposal is good for the economy, because it would
allow needed workers to come into the country under an honest, orderly,
and regulated system. The proposal is humane, because it would lift
millions of hardworking people out of the shadows of American life.
And the proposal would help us protect the homeland. Law enforcement
would face fewer problems with undocumented workers, and be better able
to focus on the true threats to our nation. This would complement all
of the steps we've already made to tighten border security -- with 40
percent greater funding over the last two -- last two years, with
better technology to record and track movements of people and cargo,
and more than a thousand new agents on our borders. We are acting on a
fundamental belief -- America's borders should be open to legal travel
and honest trade. They must be shut and barred tight to criminals,
drug traffickers, and terrorists. (Applause.)
On issue after issue -- from national security, to economic growth
and trade, to improving our schools -- President Bush is leading the
way and making progress for the nation. All of us in this
administration -- and our Republican friends in the House and Senate --
recognize that our job is not to rest on a strong record, but, rather,
to keep adding to that record.
Abroad, the fundamental interests of this nation require that we
oppose threats to our freedom and security wherever they gather. Yet
overcoming threats is only the beginning of America's
responsibilities. In the Middle East, we are encouraging free markets,
democracy, and tolerance -- because these are the ideas and the
aspirations that overcome violence and turn societies to the pursuit of
peace. In that region and beyond, all who strive and sacrifice for the
cause of freedom will have a friend in the United States of America.
Here at home, we have a full agenda, and I think a record of
achievement, as well. President Bush has now signed into law the
Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003, which
modernizes the program and gives seniors the prescription drug coverage
they need. After many years of inaction in Washington, we've delivered
the greatest advance in health care coverage for America's seniors
since the founding of Medicare. (Applause.)
Going forward, we must also improve our health care system through
liability reform. In this state and across America, doctors should be
able to spend their time healing patients, instead of fighting off
frivolous lawsuits. (Applause.)
In Washington, D.C., it's also time for the United States Senate to
get about the business of confirming President Bush's judicial
nominees. (Applause.) The President has a responsibility to make sure
the judicial system runs well, and he's met that duty. He's put
forward superb nominees to serve on the federal bench -- talented,
experienced men and women who represent the mainstream of American law
and American values. Yet some of these nominees have been denied
up-or-down votes for months, and even years. Senate Democrats have
taken to waging filibusters against certain nominees who don't meet
their litmus test. This means that even though these nominees may have
a majority of senators supporting them, they cannot get confirmed
unless they get a super-majority of 60 votes. That's unfair to the
nominees, and it's an abuse of the constitutional process. Every
nominee deserves a prompt up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate --
and that's why we need more Republicans in the United States Senate.
(Applause.)
The campaign season is on its way, and President Bush and I will be
proud to present our record to voters here in Oregon and all across the
country. We'll run hard and take nothing for granted. And we'll
continue making good use of every day we have the honor of serving the
American people.
Long before I took my current job, I had the good fortune to work
with other Presidents I greatly admire. As a White House staffer in
the aftermath of Watergate, I watched Gerald Ford restore confidence in
government by the sheer force of his character and his decency. As a
congressman during the decisive years of the Cold War, I saw the
conviction and the moral courage of Ronald Reagan. And as a member of
the Cabinet under former President Bush, I saw the ideal of public
service in its purest form and came to know a leader of true honor and
integrity.
Along the way, I learned a few things about the presidency, and the
kind of person that it takes to do that job well. It takes the finest
qualities of character: conviction, personal integrity, good judgment,
compassion, and courage in times of testing for the nation. And,
ladies and gentlemen, we have all of those qualities and more in
President George W. Bush. (Applause.) I count it a privilege to serve
with a President who's united our nation behind great goals and brought
honor and integrity to the White House.
Once again, I want to thank all of you for the commitment to the
cause we share. The President and I are deeply grateful to our many
friends in Portland and all across Oregon. We'll be back -- and we
look forward to a great victory on November 2nd.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)
END 6:35 P.M. PST
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