[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 35 (Monday, August 30, 2004)]
[Pages 1679-1685]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks in Farmington, New Mexico
August 26, 2004
The President. Thanks for coming. I appreciate--It's good to be here
in Farmington, New Mexico, in the Four Corners area of our country. I
appreciate you all coming out. I told Rudy, I said, ``I can't wait to
get to Farmington. You're going to meet some really fine people here.
It's a part of the country where the boots outnumber the suits.''
The other day, my opponent said he thinks he can find the heart and
soul of America in Hollywood.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. I think you find it right here in Farmington, New
Mexico. I appreciate your hospitality. Rudy and I love being here. I
want thank you all for coming out. It's such a beautiful day. I'm here
to ask for the vote. I'm traveling with this great leader around New
Mexico to tell the people I've got more to do to make this country
safer, stronger, and better.
I also want to thank those of you who are involved with grassroots
politics. Those are the people who put up the signs. Those are the
people who make the phone calls. Those are the people who help register
the voters, people like Bill Redmond, people who run the county here.
These are the people who do their duty. See, I think we have a duty in
America to vote.
Audience members. Yes!
The President. I think we have an obligation. I think we have an
obligation in this society to go to the polls, and so therefore, I'm
asking for your help. I hope you will register people to vote--register
Republicans, register independents. I see a man here, he says, ``Navajo
Democrats for Bush.'' Register Democrats to vote. And when you get them
headed to the polls, tell them we're ready to lead for 4 more years.
Tell them we're ready to make this country a safer place and a better
place.
I regret that Laura's not with me.
Audience members. Aw-w-w!
The President. No, I know, she's fabulous. I met the Vice President
of the Navajo Nation out at the airport and met his beautiful wife, and
the first thing she asked me, she said, ``Where's Laura?'' [Laughter]
She's working. [Laughter]
I kissed her goodbye today in Crawford and headed west. I'm really
proud of her. She's a great mom and a wonderful wife. She's a fabulous
First Lady. Today I'm going to give you some reasons to put me back in,
but perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura is the First
Lady for 4 more years.
I'm running with a good man for Vice President, Dick Cheney. He is
a--I know there's a State rep named Dick Cheney from this part of the
world. I hope he's as good a man as the Dick Cheney I call runningmate.
I bet he is. Dick Cheney is solid as a rock. I picked him because he
knows what he's doing. I picked him because he can get the job done.
That's why I'm running with Dick Cheney.
Listen, I enjoy working with your Senator, Pete Domenici. He's a
good man. He and Nancy are taking a vacation. I don't blame them. He's
been working hard for the people of New Mexico. But in his stead, we've
got another great United States Senator with us today, and that's my
friend Ben Nighthorse Campbell and his wife, Linda, from the State
[[Page 1680]]
of Colorado. Where are you? Oh, yeah. [Laughter] I'm going to miss you,
friend. I'm going to win, and I'm going to miss your presence in the
United States Senate. He's a great man. I appreciate you coming.
I want to remind you that we have been through a lot together. We
have accomplished a lot too. But you know something, the only reason to
look backward at the record is to--who best to lead us forward into the
future. I'm here traveling your State because there's so much at stake.
We have done much, but there is more to do to move this country
forward. We have more to do to create jobs and improve our schools. We
have more to do to fight terror and to protect the American people. We
have more to do to spread freedom and peace we all want. We've made
progress, and over the next 4 years, we will do more on behalf of the
American people.
We've got more to do to make our public schools the centers of
excellence we know they can be so no child is left behind in America.
You might remember how the system worked 3\1/2\ years ago. Too many of
our children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year,
without learning the basics. I went to Washington to challenge the soft
bigotry of low expectations. I said, ``We'll provide more money from
Washington to help the schools, but in return we expect results.'' We
want our children to learn to read and write and add and subtract, and
our plan is working. We're closing the achievement gap in America, but
there's more to be done. We got to make sure our high school students
get more math and sciences, because in order to be able to compete in
the 21st century, we're going to need new skills. We got to have early
intervention programs to make sure no child is left behind. We want to
make sure our high school diploma means something when a kid graduates
from high school, so they can find work. What I'm telling you is, after
4 more years, a rising generation will have the skills and the
confidence necessary to realize the American Dream.
We've got more to do to make sure that we've got quality health care
that's affordable to our citizens. Listen, when we came to office, the
Medicare promise had been broken year after year. You might remember
those old campaigns. They'd say, ``Vote for me. I'm going to strengthen
Medicare.'' Sure enough, nothing took place in Washington. There's a lot
of special interests there, a lot of people dug in. But we got the job
done. We strengthened Medicare for our seniors. Starting in the year
2006, seniors will have choices in Medicare, including prescription drug
coverage.
We've expanded community health centers for low-income Americans. We
will continue to do so over the next 4 years. We've created health
savings accounts so families can save tax-free for their health care
needs. We're making progress. There is more work to be done. Listen,
most Americans get health coverage through their work. Most of today's
new jobs are created by small businesses. But small businesses all
across America are having trouble with health care. In order to help
American families get the health care they need, we must allow small
employers to join together so they can purchase insurance at the same
discount that big businesses are able to do so.
We will harness technology to save money in health care and to cut
down on errors. We will continue to expand research and seek new cures.
In order to make sure you've got good docs here in Farmington, New
Mexico, in order to make sure we got good health care in this part of
the world that's affordable, we need to cut down on the frivolous
lawsuits that are running up your cost of medicine.
See, I don't think you can be pro-patient, pro-hospital, and pro-
doctor and pro-plaintiff-attorney at the same time. I think you have to
choose. My opponent made his choice, and he put him on the ticket.
[Laughter] I made my choice: I'm standing with the patients and the
doctors. I am for medical liability reform--now. In all we do to improve
health care in America, we will make sure the health care decisions are
made by doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
We've got more to do to make this economy stronger. Our economy has
been through a lot. We've been through a recession. We've been through
corporate scandals. We've been through a severe attack on our country,
and yet, the economy is strong, and
[[Page 1681]]
it's getting stronger, because our workers are great. Our farmers are
great. Our ranchers know what they're doing. The small-business sector
of America is strong and vibrant. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive
and well in this country.
I also think one of the reasons we've overcome these obstacles is
because of well-timed tax cuts. We gave tax relief to every American who
pays taxes. That seems fair.
Audience members. Yes!
The President. You might remember we helped American families by
raising the child credit. We reduced the marriage penalty. The Tax Code
penalizes marriage. We ought to be encouraging marriage, not penalizing
marriage. We're helping our small businesses. And this time, the check
actually was in the mail. [Laughter]
Because we acted, our economy since last summer has grown at a rate
as fast as any in nearly 20 years. Since last August, we've added about
1.5 million new jobs. The unemployment rate nationally is 5.5 percent,
and the unemployment rate in your important State is 5.3 percent.
The economy is strong. It's getting stronger, and there's more to do
to keep jobs here at home. We've got to make sure our regulations are
reasonable and fair. We need tort reform, not only in the health care
field but all across the board to make sure our employers don't spend
their money on frivolous lawsuits but are able to do so on their
employees.
Listen, in order to make sure jobs stay here, we need a sound energy
policy. Of course, we need to encourage conservation and renewable
sources of energy, but we need to be exploring for natural gas right
here in America too. We need to be less dependent--in order to make sure
jobs stay in America, we need to become less dependent on foreign
sources of energy.
In order to make sure jobs are here, we've got to open up markets
like we've opened up ours. Listen, I believe American workers and
farmers and ranchers can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so
long as the rules are fair.
In order to make sure jobs stay here in America, we've got to make
sure our workers have a lifetime of learning available to them. See,
this is a changing world, and jobs are changing. The skill sets are
different. That's why I'm such a strong believer in the community
college system. I believe we need to use our community colleges and help
workers gain the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century.
In order to make sure we keep jobs here, we've got to be wise about
how we spend your money. Listen carefully to the rhetoric coming out of
Washington. They say, ``Well, we're going to spend the Government's
money.'' That's not what I think, and that's what I know--not--that's
what I know. We're not talking about the Government's money. We're
talking about the people's money. It's your money we spend in
Washington, DC.
In order to make sure we keep jobs here in America, we must keep
your taxes low. Running up the taxes on the working people and the small
businesses of America will slow down this economic recovery. Now, I'm
running against a fellow who's already made over $2 trillion of promises
in the course of the campaign, and we haven't even gotten to the stretch
run yet. [Laughter] We're not even coming down the pike. No telling what
he'll promise in October. [Laughter] The problem is, he hasn't said how
he's going to pay for it. Well, he said one thing; he said he's going to
tax the rich. You've heard that before, haven't you?
Audience members. Yes!
The President. Yes. Guess what? The rich dodge, and you pay.
Audience members. Yes!
The President. But we're not going to let him. We're going to beat
him come November. And it's going to start with carrying the great State
of New Mexico.
We have more to do to wage and win the war on terror. America's
future depends on our willingness to lead in the world. If America shows
uncertainty or weakness in this decade, the world will drift toward
tragedy. This isn't going to happen on my watch.
The world changed on a terrible September morning, and since that
day, we have changed the world. Before September the 11th of 2001,
Afghanistan served as the home base of Al Qaida, which trained and
deployed thousands of killers to set up terror cells around the world,
including our own country.
[[Page 1682]]
Because we acted, Afghanistan is a rising democracy. Because we acted,
over 10 million people have registered to vote in a country that a short
time ago was brutalized by a barbaric regime called the Taliban. Because
we acted, Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror. Because we acted,
many young girls go to school for the first time. Because we acted,
America and the world are safer.
Before September the 11th, Pakistan and Saudi didn't take Al Qaida
seriously. Today, they are allies in the war against the terrorists.
America and the world are safer.
Before September the 11th, Libya was spending millions to acquire
weapons of mass destruction. Today, because America and our allies have
sent a strong and easy-to-understand message, the leader of Libya has
abandoned his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and America and
the world are safer.
Before September the 11th, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of
America. He was defying the world. He was firing weapons at American
pilots enforcing the world's sanctions. He had pursued and he had used
weapons of mass destruction. He harbored terrorists. He invaded his
neighbors. He subsidized the families of suicide bombers. Saddam Hussein
and his henchmen murdered tens of thousands of his own citizens. He was
a source of great instability in the world's most volatile region. He
was a threat.
Audience member. No longer!
Audience member. Not anymore!
The President. After September the 11th, we had to look at the world
differently. It's very important for our country to remember the lessons
of September the 11th. One of the clearest lessons is that we must take
threats seriously, before they fully materialize.
So I went to the United States Congress. The Congress looked at the
intelligence I looked at. They remembered Saddam's history and came to
the same conclusion I did--he was a threat--including the person I'm
running against, came to that same conclusion.
Because a military action ought to be the last option of an American
President, I went to the United Nations. I said to the United Nations,
``You have seen a threat in the past. We see a threat. The world has
changed since September the 11th. What do you think?'' They came
together after a debate, looked at the same intelligence we did, and
concluded that Saddam Hussein was a threat, that he must disclose,
disarm, or face serious consequences. The world spoke.
But as he had for over a decade, he defied the demands of the free
world. See, he didn't seem to care what the free world said. Not only
that, when we sent inspectors into the country, he systematically
deceived the inspectors. So I had a choice to make. Do I trust a madman
and forget the lessons of September the 11th, or take action necessary
to defend America? Given that choice, I will defend our country every
time.
Even though we did not find the stockpiles that we expected to find,
Saddam Hussein had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction
and could have passed that capability on to our enemy, and that was a
risk we could not afford to take. Knowing what I know today, I would
have made the same decision. Saddam Hussein sits in a prison cell, and
America and the world are safer.
And now, almost 2 years after he voted for the war in Iraq and
nearly 7 months after switching positions to declare himself the antiwar
candidate, my opponent has found a new nuance. He now agrees it was the
right decision to go into Iraq. See, after months of questioning my
motives and even my credibility, the Senator now agrees with me that
even though we have not found the stockpiles we thought we would find,
knowing everything we know today, he would have voted to go into Iraq
and remove Saddam Hussein from power. I want to thank him for clearing
that up. However, there's still a little over 60 days for him to change
his mind again. [Laughter]
I'm running because I understand we must continue to work with our
allies and friends to aggressively pursue the terrorist enemy in Iraq
and Afghanistan and elsewhere. See, you can't talk sense to these
people. You cannot negotiate with them. You cannot hope for the best. We
must aggressively pursue them around the world so we do not have to face
them here at home.
America will continue to lead the world with confidence and moral
clarity. We put
[[Page 1683]]
together a strong coalition to help us. There's over 40 nations
involved--or nearly 40 nations involved in Afghanistan and some 30
nations involved in Iraq, 60 nations involved in the Proliferation
Security Initiative. We'll continue to build alliances and work with our
friends for the sake of security and peace. But I'll never turn over
America's national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
When America says something, we've got to mean it.
Audience members. Yes!
The President. In order to make this world a more peaceful place
when we speak, we better mean what we say. And so we'll keep our
commitments to the people in Afghanistan and Iraq as they become
peaceful and democratic societies. It's in our interest they become
peaceful and democratic societies, and now they've got two strong
leaders who are guiding those nations, people committed to the hopes and
aspirations of their fellow citizens. We're training up Iraqi citizens
and Afghan citizens to defeat the terrorists who are trying to stop the
advance of freedom. We're helping them so they can help themselves. Our
military will complete this mission as quickly as possible so our troops
don't a stay a day longer than necessary.
It's important work we're doing. We're talking about keeping the
peace. We're talking about spreading freedom. And our troops are helping
us to keep our commitments. I'm proud of the United States military. I'm
proud of our troops.
I want to thank the veterans who are here for having set such a
great example to those who wear the uniform. We're going to support our
troops. That's a commitment we owe not only to those who wear the
uniform but the loved ones of those who wear the uniform. That's why
last September, while our troops were in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq,
I proposed supplemental funding to support them in their mission. This
legislation provided funding for body armor and vital equipment, hazard
pay, health benefits, ammunition, fuel, and spare parts. It was an
important piece of legislation.
We received great bipartisan support. Matter of fact, the support
was so strong in the United States Senate that only 12 Senators voted
against that funding, 2 of whom are my opponent and his runningmate. So
they asked him, they said, why? He said, ``Well, I actually did vote for
the $87 billion, before I voted against it.'' That's not exactly the way
people talk in this part of the world.
Audience members. No-o-o!
The President. So they pressed him further. He said, well, he's
proud of his vote, and the whole thing was just a complicated matter.
There is nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat.
In the long run, our security is not guaranteed by force alone. We
will work to change the conditions that give rise to terror, poverty and
hopelessness and resentment. See, a free and peaceful Iraq and a free
and peaceful Afghanistan will set powerful examples to a part of the
world that is desperate for liberty. Free nations do not export terror.
Free nations are able to defeat hopelessness, because they listen to the
hopes of their people.
By serving the cause of liberty, we're bringing hope to others, and
that makes our country more secure. By serving the cause of liberty,
we're spreading the peace that we all want. And by serving the cause of
liberty, we're serving the deepest ideals of the American spirit.
Freedom is not America's gift to the world. Freedom is the Almighty
God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
I'm running because I know there's more work to do to protect the
homeland. There's enemies who hate us out there that are still plotting.
We have a difference of opinion on the enemy, it seems. My opponent said
that going to war with the terrorists is actually improving their
recruiting efforts. The logic is upside-down. I think it shows a
misunderstanding of the enemy. See, during the 1990's, the terrorists
were recruiting and training for war with us long before we went to war
with them. They don't need an excuse for their hatred. It is wrong to
blame this country for staying on the offense. See, we don't create
enemies and terrorists by fighting back. We defeat the terrorists by
fighting back.
We're working hard to protect you. There's a lot of good people at
the Federal level and the State level and the local level who are
working long hours to protect the
[[Page 1684]]
American people. We're working on reform. There'll be good, solid
intelligence reform to make sure that I've got what's needed to make
good decisions on behalf of the American people, that we can respond to
the threats as they exist.
We've created the Department of Homeland Security to better protect
you. We've got to do a better job on our ports and borders. We've got to
do a better job of strengthening our intelligence sharing. We need to
renew the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act is a vital tool for law
enforcement to bust these terrorist organizations.
I'll continue to push for reform, but it's hard. I mean, there's a
lot of entrenched interests. The special interests are strong. That's
why it's not enough to advocate reform. You've got to be able to get the
job done.
So when you're out campaigning, and when you're out convincing
people to go to the polls, you might remind them, when it comes to
reforming schools to lift the standard so every child can learn, we're
getting the job done. When it comes to health care reforms that have
helped our seniors and helped our families, we're getting the job done.
When it comes to improving our economy and creating jobs, we're getting
the job done. When it comes to better securing the homeland and
spreading freedom and peace, we're getting the job done. When it comes
to choosing a President, put somebody in there who can get the job done.
Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
The President. We're living in a time--we're living in changing
times. A lot of moms are working. A lot of people are changing jobs. A
lot of people need new skills in order to fill the jobs of the 21st
century. These are changing times, and I recognize they can be
unsettling. But Government can help by standing side by side with
people. Instead of ordering people around, Government can help people
have the tools so they can decide for themselves. And one way to do so
is to promote an ownership society. We want people owning their own
health care accounts, so they can take them from job to job.
I see we got a lot of younger workers here. I appreciate you coming.
Baby boomers and older folks can look at Social Security and know it's
going to be around for us. Younger workers need to be concerned about
the fiscal solvency of Social Security. That's why I believe we ought to
give younger workers the option of establishing personal savings
accounts with their own money, that they call their own and pass on from
generation to generation.
In order to meet the changing times, we've got to change the work
rules to give our families flex-time and comp-time so you can better
juggle your family needs. In order to make sure that we've got a hopeful
America, we've got to continue to spread ownership--ownership of
businesses. Listen, I love the fact that the homeownership rate in
America is at an alltime high. We'll continue to expand homeownership
over the next 4 years. We'll continue to expand ownership--
homeownership. There's nothing better than somebody opening up a front
door of the house, saying, ``Welcome to my home. Welcome to my piece of
property.'' We believe in ownership because we know that when somebody
owns something, they have a vital stake in the future of the United
States of America.
In this world of rapid change, there are some things that will not
change, our belief in liberty, our belief in opportunity, and our belief
in the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity. The individual values we
try to live by, courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. In a
changing world, we must honor those institutions that give us direction
and purpose, our families, our schools, and our religious congregations.
We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the
foundations of society. We stand for a culture of life in which every
person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges who
faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench.
We stand for a culture of responsibility in this country. Listen,
the 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're responsible
for the decisions we make in life. If you're fortunate enough to be a
mother or a father, you are responsible for loving your child with all
your heart and all your soul.
[[Page 1685]]
If you're worried about the quality of the education in Farmington, New
Mexico, you're responsible for supporting your teachers and 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. And in this responsibility society of ours, each of us is
responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved
ourself.
I'm running for 4 more years to continue to rally the armies of
compassion. See, I believe we can change this country one heart and one
soul at a time by relying upon the true strength of America, which is
the hearts and souls of the American people.
Today I met Rod Conover. He's involved with Project Read. He's a
volunteer. He's taking time out of his life to help somebody else learn
to read. See, we'll change this country. We'll change this country by
calling upon the great love of the American people to serve something
greater than themselves, to help somebody in need, to help the homeless,
to feed the hungry, to help the addicted by surrounding with something
the Government can't live, which is love. Now, Government can give
money, but Government cannot give love. And so over the next 4 years,
I'll continue to call upon the great spirit of the American people.
We're living in a--we've come through a lot together. The last 4
years have brought great challenges. I'll never forget the day Rudy and
I went to the ruins of the Twin Towers. It was a very emotional day. I
remember the workers in hardhats yelling at me, ``Whatever it takes.'' I
remember a worker looking me in the eye and saying, ``Do not let me
down.'' See, it's clear to me, and I know it's clear to Rudy, that that
day, people took it personally on that site. I took it personally. I
know you did as well. I have a duty that goes on. I wake up every day
trying to figure out how best to secure this homeland. I will never
relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
We've done hard work over the past years, and there's more work to
be done. During the next 4 years, we will spread ownership and
opportunity so everybody can realize the great promise of America.
During the next 4 years, we will continue to pass on the enduring values
of our country to a younger generation. During the next 4 years, we will
continue to lead in the cause of freedom and peace. With your support,
I'll be a leader America can count on in a world of change.
For 4 years, I traveled this great country, including your great
State, asking for the vote--4 years ago I did, asking for the vote. I
said if you gave me a chance to serve in this high office, I would
uphold the dignity and the honor of the office to which I had been
elected. And with your help, I will do so for the next 4 years.
Thanks for coming. May God bless. Thank you all. Thank you all very
much.
Note: The President spoke at 12:35 p.m. at Ricketts Park. In his
remarks, he referred to Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New York
City; former Representative Bill Redmond of New Mexico; Frank Dayish,
Jr., Vice President, Navajo Nation, and his wife, Virginia;
Representative Richard P. Cheney, New Mexico House of Representatives;
Nancy Domenici, wife of Senator Pete Domenici; Linda Nighthorse
Campbell, wife of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell; Col. Muammar Abu
Minyar al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya; President Hamid Karzai of
Afghanistan; and Prime Minister Ayad al-Alawi of the Iraqi Interim
Government.