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Skriven 2004-11-01 23:33:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0411017) for Mon, 2004 Nov 1
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Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 1, 2004

Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally
Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake
Burgettstown, Pennsylvania



9:38 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) Thank you all for coming.
(Applause.) Thanks for being here. I am so honored so many came out to say
hello. I'm here to ask for your vote and ask for your help. (Applause.) It
is close to voting time, and I'm out here to ask you to get our fellow
Republicans and wise independents and discerning Democrats here in western
Pennsylvania -- (applause) -- to do our duty and go to the polls tomorrow.
(Applause.) And remind your friends and neighbors, if they want a safer
America, and a stronger America, and a better America, to put me and Dick
Cheney back into office. (Applause.)

Perhaps the most important reason to put me back in is so that Laura will
be the First Lady for four more years. (Applause.) I regret that she's not
here. We started --

AUDIENCE: Awww --

THE PRESIDENT: I understand. (Laughter.) We were campaigning together
tomorrow [sic]. She's off on her own for a while, which is wise use of her
time. (Laughter.) A lot of people have come to know her like I know her;
she is a warm, compassionate, great First Lady. (Applause.)

I'm proud of my running mate, Dick Cheney. (Applause.) I really don't
intend to insult anybody who's follically challenged -- (laughter) -- but I
readily concede that the Vice President does not have the waviest hair in
the race. (Laughter.) The people of western Pennsylvania will be pleased to
know I didn't pick him because of his hairdo. (Laughter.) I picked him
because of his judgment and his experience. He's getting the job done.
(Applause.)

I want to thank Curt and Shonda Schilling for taking time out of a busy
life to come and endorse my candidacy for President. We all know him as a
great baseball player. I know him as a great dad, a wonderful husband, a
man of enormous character and value. I'm proud to have his support. And
Santorum talks about Shonda lobbying the Congress -- she's pretty effective
about lobbying the President, too. (Laughter.) I want to thank them for
their concern, their care, and their compassion. Thank you all for coming.
(Applause.)

I want to thank my friend, the Senator from Pennsylvania, Ricky Santorum.
(Applause.) I wish Senator Arlen Specter all the best. When you put me in,
put him in, too. (Applause.) I appreciate Congressman Tim Murphy, his
dedication and service in the United States Congress. I want to thank
Congresswoman Melissa Hart for her service. (Applause.) I want to thank all
the candidates who are here, those running statewide and those running
locally. I want to thank my friend, Lynn Swann, for his friendship and
leadership.

I want to thank Mark Wills and Daron Norwood for being here today. Both of
them are fine singers. I want to thank the Wingmen for Bush. They are a
coalition of guys I served with. I am honored they're here. I appreciate
your friendship. Thank you all for taking time to come. (Applause.)

Most of all, I want to thank the grassroots activists for being here. I
want to thank you for putting up the signs. I want to thank you for making
the phone calls. I want to thank you for what you have done, and what
you're going to do over the next 24 hours. (Applause.) By turning out the
vote, by finding people who are concerned about the future of this country,
we are going to carry Pennsylvania and win a great victory on Tuesday.
(Applause.)

Tomorrow the people of this good state and the people of our nation will be
heading to the polls. And I'm excited about election day, and I'm
optimistic about the future of this country. You know, one of my favorite
sayings comes from a fellow Texan who said this: He said, "Sarah and I live
on the east side of the mountain. It is the sunrise side, not the sunset
side. It is the side to see the day that is coming, not to see the day that
is gone." During the course of this campaign, my opponent has spent a lot
of time talking about the day that is gone. I'm talking about the day
that's coming. (Applause.)

I see a great day coming for America. I see a day where prosperity reaches
every corner of this country. I see a day where every child is able to read
and write and add and subtract. I see a day in which this world becomes
more peaceful so our children and our grandchildren can grow up in the
peace we all want. (Applause.) I see a day that's better for every
American. And tomorrow, the American people have a chance to bring that
better day by voting for Bush-Cheney. (Applause.)

The American President must lead with clarity and purpose. The role of the
President is not to follow the path of the latest polls. (Applause.) The
President must lead based on principle and conviction and conscience.
(Applause.)

During these four years I've learned that whatever your strengths are
you're going to need them, and whatever your weaknesses are, people will
notice them. Sometimes I'm a little too blunt. (Applause.) I get that from
my mother. (Applause.) Sometimes I mangle the English language. (Laughter.)
I get that from my dad. (Laughter.) But all the time, whether you agree
with me or not, you know where I stand, what I believe, and where I'm going
to lead. (Applause.)

This election --

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: This election -- this election comes down to clear choices
on five vital issues facing our families, and the first clear choice
concerns your family's budget. When I ran for President four years ago, I
pledged to lower taxes for American families, and I kept my word.
(Applause.) We doubled the child credit to help moms and dads. (Applause.)
We reduced the marriage penalty. We believe the tax code ought to
encourage, not penalize marriage. (Applause.) We lowered taxes on everybody
who pays taxes. As a result of these policies, our economy is growing at
rates as fast as any in nearly 20 years. (Applause.) Real after-tax income,
the money in your pocket, is up by 10 percent since I've been your
President. (Applause.) Home ownership rate is an all-time high in America,
and more minority families own a home today than ever before in our
history. (Applause.)

Pennsylvania's farmers are making a living. The entrepreneurial spirit is
strong. Small businesses are flourishing all across the state. (Applause.)
We've added 1.9 million jobs in the last 13 months. The national
unemployment rate is 5.4 percent. Let me put that in perspective for you.
That's lower than the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s and then 1990s.
And the unemployment rate here in Pennsylvania is 5.3 percent. (Applause.)
This economy is strong and it is getting stronger. (Applause.)

People in western Pennsylvania need to hear this message. I know this state
depends on a healthy steel and coal economy. And we will keep taxes low. We
will insist on free and fair trade, and we will make those industries
strong so the Pennsylvania recovery keeps on creating jobs for the
Pennsylvania people. (Applause.)

My opponent has an economic plan.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: Let me remind you of his history. He's been in the United
States Senate 20 years. He's voted to raise taxes 98 times.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: That's five times for every year he's been in the Senate. I
would call that a predictable pattern, a leading indicator. (Laughter.) And
when you couple that with the fact that he's promised $2.2 trillion in new
spending --

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: -- you begin to get a sense of his economic plan. That's
$2.2 trillion with a "T." That is a lot, even for a senator from
Massachusetts. (Applause.) They asked him how he was going to pay for it,
he said he'll tax the rich. You have heard that before. You can't raise
enough money to pay for $2.2 trillion. There is a tax gap. There is a gap
between what he has promised and what he can deliver. And given his record,
guess who is going to get to fill that tax gap.

AUDIENCE: We are!

THE PRESIDENT: Hardworking people of western Pennsylvania. We are not going
to let him tax you. We're going to carry Pennsylvania and win on November
the 2nd. (Applause.)

The second clear choice -- the second clear choice involves the quality of
life for your families. I ran for President to challenge the soft bigotry
of low expectations by reforming our public schools, and I have kept my
word. (Applause.) We passed education reforms to bring high standards to
our classrooms. Math and reading scores are now on the rise. We're closing
the achievement gap by helping minority children. My vision for a new term
is to build on these reforms and send them to our high schools so that no
child is left behind in America. (Applause.)

We'll continue to improve life for our families by making health care more
affordable and available. We will expand health savings accounts. We will
allow small businesses to join together so they can buy insurance at the
same discount that big companies are able to do. (Applause.) We will help
our families in need, and we will do something about these junk lawsuits
that are making it hard to find good doctors in Pennsylvania. (Applause.)

We have a difference of opinion on these lawsuits. My opponent has voted
against medical liability reform not once, twice, three times, but 10
times, as a member of the United States Senate.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: He put a personal injury trial lawyer on the ticket.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: I understand the problem you face here in Pennsylvania. I've
talked to too many OB/GYNs in this state that are having problems staying
in practice. I've talked to too many expectant moms that are worried about
their health care. I'm standing with the doctors of Pennsylvania, I'm
standing with the patients of Pennsylvania. I am for medical liability
reform now. (Applause.) In all we do to improve health care, we will make
sure the decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by officials in
Washington, D.C. (Applause.)

My opponent takes a different approach. He voted for the education reforms,
but now wants to weaken the accountability standards.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: He's proposed a big-government health care plan. I remember
that debate when he looked square in the camera and he said the government
didn't have anything to do with it, when he was talking about his health
care plan. I could barely contain myself. The government has got a lot to
do with it. Eighty percent of the people end up on a government-run plan.
The wrong prescription for American families is to federalize your health
care. (Applause.) He can run from his record, but he cannot hide.
(Applause.)

The third clear choice involves your retirement. Our nation has made a
solemn commitment to America's seniors on Social Security and Medicare.
When I ran for President four years ago, I promised to keep that commitment
and improve Medicare by adding prescription drug coverage. I have kept my
word. (Applause.) Seniors are already getting discounts on medicine with
drug discount cards. And beginning in 2006, all seniors will be able to get
prescription drug coverage under Medicare. (Applause.)

My opponent has a record. He voted against the Medicare bill that included
prescription drug coverage.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: And his campaign is trying to scare our seniors when it
comes to Social Security. But he forgets to mention that he is the one who
voted to increase taxes on Social Security benefits eight times.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: I have kept the promise of Social Security. And we will
always keep the promise of Social security for our seniors. (Applause.) And
baby boomers like me, and some others out there I see, are in good shape
when it comes to the Social Security trust. But we need to to worry about
our children and our grandchildren. (Applause.) That's why I believe
younger workers ought to be able to take some of their payroll taxes and
set up a personal savings account, an account they call their own.
(Applause.) In a new term I will bring people together to strengthen Social
Security for generations to come. (Applause.)

The fourth clear choice in this election is on the values that are so
crucial to keeping our families strong. (Applause.) I want the Democrats
and Republicans, independents of western Pennsylvania to understand this: I
stand for marriage and family, which are the foundation of our society.
(Applause.) I stand for a culture of life in which every person matters and
every being counts. (Applause.) I proudly signed the ban on partial birth
abortions. (Applause.) I stand for the appointment of federal judges who
know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation
of the law. (Applause.)

On issue after -- on these issues, my opponent and I are miles apart. He
voted against the ban on partial birth abortion.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: He voted against the Defense of Marriage Act.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: There is a mainstream in American politics and John Kerry
sits on the far left bank. (Applause.) He can run from his record, but he
cannot hide. (Applause.)

The final choice --

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: The final choice -- the final choice in this election is the
most important of all because it concerns the security of your family. All
progress in every other issue depends on the safety of our citizens. The
most solemn duty of the American President is to protect the American
people. (Applause.) If this country shows uncertainty or weakness during
these troubled times, the world will drift toward tragedy. This is not
going to happen on my watch. (Applause.)

Our strategy is clear: We are protecting our homeland. Tom Ridge, the
former governor of this great state, is doing a wonderful job. (Applause.)
We're reforming and strengthening our intelligence capabilities. We are
transforming our all-volunteer army. There will be no draft. (Applause.) We
are determined, we are relentless, we are steadfast. We're staying on the
offensive. We are fighting the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face
them here at home. (Applause.)

We're succeeding. Afghanistan is free and an ally in the war on terror.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are making raids and capturing terrorist leaders.
Libya is dismantling its weapons program. (Applause.) The army of a free
Iraq is fighting for freedom. Al Qaeda no longer controls Afghanistan.
We've shut down its camps there. We are systematically destroying the al
Qaeda network. (Applause.)

We are making progress on protecting the American people because we've got
a great military. (Applause.) We will keep it a great military. And I want
to thank those who wear our nation's uniform for your service. (Applause.)
I want to thank the military families who are here for your sacrifice for
our country. (Applause.) I want to thank the veterans who are here for
having set such a great example to those who wear the uniform. (Applause.)
And I assure you, we'll make sure our troops have that which they need to
complete their missions. (Applause.)

That's why, in September of 2003, I went to the United States Congress and
asked for $87 billion to support our troops in combat. It was a very
important funding request. My opponent -- my opponent said on national TV
that it would be irresponsible to vote against the funding for our troops.
And then, because the political polls changed, he changed his position and
he did the irresponsible thing and he voted against funding for our troops.

AUDIENCE: Flip-flop! Flip-flop! Flip-flop! Flip-flop!

THE PRESIDENT: And then he entered the flip-flop hall of fame by saying
this -- (applause) -- upon his entry, here is what he said: "I actually did
vote for the $87 billion, right before I voted against it."

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: I doubt many people in western Pennsylvania talk that way.
(Laughter.) He's given a lot of explanations since that vote, but I think
the most revealing is this -- he said, the whole thing was as complicated
matter. (Laughter.) My fellow citizens, there is nothing complicated about
supporting our troops in combat. (Applause.)

Senator Kerry's record on national security has far deeper problems than
election-year reversals. For 20 years, on the largest national security
issues, he has been consistently wrong. During the Cold War, I want the
citizens of this -- of western Pennsylvania to hear the he truth here.
During the Cold War, Senator Kerry voted against critical weapons systems
and opposed President Ronald Reagan's policy of peace through strength.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: History -- history has shown that Senator Kerry was wrong
and President Ronald Reagan was right. (Applause.)

When former President Bush assembled an international coalition to drive
Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, Senator Kerry voted against the use of force to
liberate Kuwait.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: History has shown that Senator Kerry was wrong and former
President Bush was right. (Applause.)

One year after -- (audience interruption.)

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: One year after the first bombing of the World Trade Center,
the Senator proposed massive cuts in America's intelligence budget, so
massive -- (audience interruption.)

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: So massive that his colleague Ted Kennedy opposed them.
Well, history has shown that Senator Kerry was wrong and -- we got to be
fair -- Senator Kennedy was right. (Laughter and applause.)

We have a difference of opinion. And as you gather up the vote, remind
people about this difference of opinion as to how to better secure our
nation's families -- (audience interruption.) My opponent suggested America
must pass a global test before we defend ourselves.

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: I will always work with our friends and allies, but I will
never turn over America's national security decisions to leaders of other
countries. (Applause.)

Senator Kerry says September the 11th didn't change him much at all. It
changed me. It changed my outlook about how to better defend this country.
I remember going to the ruins of the Twin Towers on September the 14th,
2001. It's a day I'll never forget. There were workers in hard hats there
yelling at me at the top of their lungs, "Whatever it takes." I remember
the man who came out of the rubble, and he grabbed me by the arm, he looked
me in the eye, and he said, "Do not let me down." Ever since that day --
(applause.) Ever since that day, I get up every morning trying to figure
out how to better protect our country. I will never relent in defending
this country, whatever it takes. (Applause.)

Over the next four years, we will defend this country. We will use every
asset at our disposal, and one of the most powerful assets we have is
freedom. (Applause.) I believe in the power of liberty to transform
societies. I want the youngsters here to realize what has happened in a
short period of time in Afghanistan. It wasn't all that long ago that young
girls could not go to school, and their mothers were taken into the public
squares and whipped and sometimes shot in a sports stadium, because the
ideologues of hate, the Taliban, had such a dim view of the world.

Because we acted to defend ourselves, because we upheld the doctrine that
said, if you harbor a terrorist, you're equally as guilty as the terrorist,
millions -- (applause) -- millions of citizens went to the polls to vote
for their President. The first voter was a 19-year-old woman. (Applause.)
Freedom is on the march. (Applause.) And free societies help us keep the
peace we all want.

Iraq is still dangerous. That's because that country is headed toward
democracy. There will be elections in Iraq in January. Think how far that
country has come from the days of torture chambers and mass graves.
(Applause.)

I believe every person wants to live in a free society. I believe mothers
and dads want to raise their children in a free and peaceful world. I
believe this -- I believe this, not because freedom is America's gift to
the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this
world. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: We are living in historic times, and a lot is at stake in
this election. The future safety and prosperity of America are on the
ballot. The truth of the matter is, this election comes down to who do you
trust: Who do you trust to make this country secure. (Applause.) Who do you
trust to offer leadership and results in a time of challenge to America.
(Applause.)

If you believe that taxes should stay low so families can pay the bills and
small businesses can expand and create jobs, I ask you to come stand with
me. (Applause.)

If you believe in high standards for public schools, I ask you to come
stand with me. (Applause.)

If you believe that patients and doctors should be in charge of health
care, I ask you to come stand with me. (Applause.)

If you believe this nation must honor the commitments of Medicare and
strengthen Social Security for generations to come, I ask you to come stand
with me. (Applause.)

If you believe that this nation should honor marriage and family and make a
place for the weak and the vulnerable, I ask you to come stand with me.
(Applause.)

If you believe America should fight the war on terror with all our might
and lead with unwavering confidence in our ideals, I ask you to come stand
with me. (Applause.)

If you are a Democrat who believes your party has turned too far to the
left this year, I ask you to come stand with me. (Applause.)

If you are a minority citizen and believe in free enterprise and good
schools and the enduring values of family and faith, and if you are tired
of your vote being taken for granted, I ask you to come stand with me.
(Applause.)

And if you are a voter -- if you are a voter who believes that the
President of the United States should say what he means and do what he says
and keep his word, I ask you to come stand with me. (Applause.)

When I traveled -- when I traveled your great state four years ago, I made
a pledge that if elected, I would uphold the honor and the dignity of the
office. With your help, with your hard work, I will do so for four more
years. (Applause.) Thanks for coming. Thank you all. (Applause.)

END 10:12 A.M. EST
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