The Complete Bush Quotes

January 22, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Press Pool, Nothin' Fancy Cafe, Roswell, New Mexico
***
THE PRESIDENT: I need some ribs.

Q Mr. President, how are you?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm hungry and I'm going to order some ribs.

Q What would you like?

THE PRESIDENT: Whatever you think I'd like.

Q Sir, on homeland security, critics would say you simply haven't spent enough to keep the country secure.

THE PRESIDENT: My job is to secure the homeland and that's exactly what we're going to do. But I'm here to take somebody's order. That would be you, Stretch -- what would you like? Put some of your high-priced money right here to try to help the local economy. You get paid a lot of money, you ought to be buying some food here. It's part of how the economy grows. You've got plenty of money in your pocket, and when you spend it, it drives the economy forward. So what would you like to eat?

Q Right behind you, whatever you order.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm ordering ribs. David, do you need a rib?

Q But Mr. President --

THE PRESIDENT: Stretch, thank you, this is not a press conference. This is my chance to help this lady put some money in her pocket. Let me explain how the economy works. When you spend money to buy food it helps this lady's business. It makes it more likely somebody is going to find work. So instead of asking questions, answer mine: are you going to buy some food?

Q Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay, good. What would you like?

Q Ribs.

THE PRESIDENT: Ribs? Good. Let's order up some ribs.

Q What do you think of the democratic field, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: See, his job is to ask questions, he thinks my job is to answer every question he asks. I'm here to help this restaurant by buying some food. Terry, would you like something?

Q An answer.

Q Can we buy some questions?

THE PRESIDENT: Obviously these people -- they make a lot of money and they're not going to spend much. I'm not saying they're overpaid, they're just not spending any money.

Q Do you think it's all going to come down to national security, sir, this election?

THE PRESIDENT: One of the things David does, he asks a lot of questions, and they're good, generally.

January 23, 2004
President Bush Speaks with Nation's Mayors at Winter Meeting
Capital Hilton Hotel
Washington, D.C.
***
"We're on an international manhunt. We have to find these people before they come and get us."

***
"If you -- if al Qaeda was a corporation in America, you'd have the board of directors somewhat intact, but the operators, the middle management, retired, no longer useful, no longer a part of the problem."

***
"It is hard for the Western mind to fathom such a regime, a regime that refuses to allow young girls to go to school."

***
"Then you wake up at the high school level and find out that the illiteracy level of our children are appalling."

 

January 26, 2004
President Bush Calls for Medical Liability Reform
Remarks by the President on Medical Liability
Baptist Health Medical Center
Little Rock, Arkansas
***
"It used to be in the old days, you could measure progress based upon the number of airplanes that the enemy had or the number of ships in a flotilla. And the big battles of the past were clashes of equipment that were visible for people to see."

 

January 29, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on the Economy, Fidelity Investments, Manchester, New Hampshire
***
"There was a day when we thought oceans could protect us from an enemy, that we were okay if there was a threat overseas because oceans served as protection for America."

 

January 29, 2004, Interview of the President by Mouafac Harb of Middle East Television Network, The Map Room
***
"See, one of the interesting things in the Oval Office -- I love to bring people into the Oval Office -- right around the corner from here -- and say, this is where I office, but I want you to know the office is always bigger than the person."

***
" And today a free society is emerging. And it may look bumpy at times, but democracy sometimes looks bumpy. I mean, here in our own country I'm sure people take a step back and say, what is happening in the election process?"

***
Q If, hypothetically, people in the Middle East could vote, would the next four years be -- if you were to be elected -- would be good for them?

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, absolutely.

Q Why would they vote for you?

THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Well, they'd vote for me because I am strong on the war on terror, for starters. I refuse to relent to terrorist groups. There's no negotiation with these people. These are people that are willing to kill people who are devout, religious people, and not care about it. They kill innocent women and children and not care about it. More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than -- I say more Muslims -- a lot of Muslims have died -- I don't know the exact count -- at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill. They would appreciate George W. in the future because I understand that freedom and prosperity go hand in hand.

 

January 31, 2004, Remarks by the President at the 2004 "Congress of Tomorrow" Luncheon, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
***
"These are historic times, because we're at war -- you're a war Congress."

 

February 9, 2004, President Meets with Workers and Small Business Owners on Economy, SRC Automotive, Springfield, Missouri
***
"See, when a stock market sometimes indicates -- is a predictor of the future, and sure enough, in the first quarter of 2001, the country was in a recession."
***
"It's tough times when the country is in a recession."

***
"Except when you're marching to war, it's not a very optimistic thought, is it? In other words, it's the opposite of optimistic when you're thinking you're going to war."

***
"Government needs to stand with the moms and dads. We need to be squarely on their side, whether it be sending signals to professional sports teams, we're not going to put up with any -- you ought not to be putting up with any steroid use amongst your players."

 

February 16, 2004, President Bush Meets with Small Business Owners in Tampa, NuAir Manufacturing, Tampa, Florida
***
"Laura reminded me that early in the summer of 2002 on our TV screens it started to say, 'march to war,' a prediction of war. It's not a good environment to invest capital when you see on your TV screens 'march to war.' It's hard to be optimistic about the future when you think you're marching to war. Now we're marching to peace. Now the world is more peaceful."

***
"Our markets are open to other countries, let's open theirs. We're good at things. Just give our people a chance to sell them overseas, and we'll compete."

***
"I believe we set the stage for further growth of small businesses, so people can own something. We want people owning something in America."

***
"And it's -- but you're going to say, well, of course, they just pick the upbeat people [to come on stage at an event like this] . Well, the truth of the matter is, people are pretty upbeat all over the country. That's what I'm here to report to you. There's an optimism in our country that is undeniable. And we've got growth. And the key question is are we wise enough to continue the policies, but to keep the policies in place that encourage growth."

***
"Technology races through our economies, as you know. Oftentimes the labor market is lagging behind in the change necessary to make sure the workers have got the skills necessary."

***
"But as the economy changes, as these new machines come into be, people need to learn how to use them."

 

February 19, 2004, President Bush Urges Congress to Make Tax Cuts Permanent, Presidential Hall, Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"When you turn on your TV screen in the summer of 2002 and it says, 'America's March To War,' that's not very conducive for investment. Marching for war doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the future."

 

February 23, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Republican Governors Association, Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
***
"The Governor of California is new to politics, so he's still getting used to all the cameras and lights. (Laughter.) I used to think the coolest governor was from Florida. (Laughter and applause.)"

***
"I believe in private property so much, I want everyone in America to have some. (Applause.)"

 

February 23, 2004, Remarks by the President to the National Governors Association, State Dining Room
***
"You ought to see the movie, "Osama." It's an interesting movie. It talks about what it was like to be a woman in Afghanistan during the Taliban era. It will give you a perspective about what it means to be a governor in a nation which is willing to sacrifice not only for its own security, but for the freedom of others."

***
"I had a dinner with Koizumi -- Prime Minister Koizumi in Tokyo. And we were eating Kobe beef, which is quite good, I might add. And we were talking about, of all things, North Korea, how best, as friends, to deal with North Korea. It dawned on me in the midst of that conversation, what would it have been like if we'd blown the peace with Japan. Would I have ever -- or any American President ever been sitting down with a Prime Minister talking about how to deal with the current threat, for the common good?"

***
"We want us to be an ownership society in America."

 

February 26, 2004, President Bush Speaks Out on the Economy in Kentucky, Isco Industries, Louisville, Kentucky
***
"You know, it's like, I started my business in my garage. You know how many times this happens in America? It is -- think about a country that has got an environment that encourages people to start their business behind their dad's store. It's a really exciting part of our country, isn't it?"

 

February 27, 2004, Remarks by President Bush and German Chancellor Schroeder in a Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
***
"I believe that marriage has served society well, and I believe it is important to affirm that, that marriage between a man and a woman is the ideal. And the job of the President is to drive policy toward the ideal."

***
Q Mr. President, you're father mentioned Germany as partner in leadership. Is this still the case? And how would you describe the personal relationship between Chancellor Schroeder and yourself?

PRESIDENT BUSH: The Chancellor has got a good sense of humor, and therefore, he is able to make me laugh. And a person that can make me laugh is a person who is easy to be with. And a person who is easy to be with means I've got a comfortable relationship with him.

 

March 3, 2004, President's Remarks at Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Conference, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California
***
"And let me put your mind at ease, we're talking about healing our nation, we're not talking politics. (Applause.) We're all here to do everything in our power to save lives. And by saving a life, we improve our community. And as we improve communities, we improve our nation."

***
"I'm here to thank you for hearing that call. Actually, I shouldn't be thanking you, I should be thanking a Higher Power for giving you the call."

***
"We talk about our military might or we talk about our wallets, but the true strength of the country is the fact that there are decent, honorable citizens who would like to love their neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves. (Applause.) "

***
"And so here we are at the Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. That's a pretty fancy word for our government trying to tell you that we're trying to change the culture in Washington, D.C. -- (applause) -- to welcome people of faith in helping meet social objectives. That's what this means. That's a long title for: The hope and healing of faith-based services are an integral part of working together to make America a more hopeful place for all. And it is essential for those of us in government to recognize the vital work that faith-based programs are able to do."

***
"And so there's a practical aspect to this conference, and that is for members of my administration and others to come and explain how you can access the federal monies. There is a -- hopefully, you walk away from here hearing a commitment from the government. And that is, if you decide to interface with taxpayers' money, you won't have to change your mission. See, I believe this: It's hard to be a faith-based program if you can't practice your faith. (Laughter and applause.)

And I fully recognize -- I fully recognize there are a lot of social entrepreneurs who are nervous about interfacing with government. What we're working on is to change the culture, to recognize that there are results, fantastic results being achieved; and that those of us who are policymakers must welcome those who are achieving the good results of the work of faith."

***
"Where are you, John? Somewhere. There he is. Thanks for coming, John. (Applause.) His job is to work on the demand side of the equation, to work with people to encourage kids not to use drugs. No better place to do that, by the way, than faith-based programs."

***
"The next Sunday he gets up there again, another stemwinder, and the guy screams, "Use me, Lord, use me."

***
"I appreciate Robert Schuller coming. I'm honored you're here. (Applause.) From the Crystal Cathedral."

***
"In spite of the fact that we've got large bankrolls and wealth, beyond imagination for many people in the world, in our own society there's darkness and loneliness and addiction and wonder -- wonder whether their life is worth anything."

***
"Sometimes the prison system needs a little different look to it." (Applause.)

***
"We're really here to talk about miracles. And they happen in all kinds of ways in our society, if you really step back and take a look. I talked to some people who I think would say, my life is changed because of a miracle. God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about their future can hear."

***
"When you hear these kind of stories and you're in a position like I'm in, or the Mayor is in, or somebody else is in, in elected office, you say, well, gosh, how can we spread, how can we help make this happen more?"

***
"And there's been a big debate about this, of course, because we want to make sure there's a separation of church and state -- the state should never be the church and the church should never be the state. That's clear. That's clear."

***
"I'm a person who believes in results -- I think you can hear that in my voice. "

***
"You see, I set up a faith-based office in the White House."

***
"But one of the special initiatives I'm working with Congress on, I think we're making pretty good -- I know we're making good progress is addiction. A few people use a lot of drugs in our society, and therefore, it seems to make sense to focus resources on the few."

 

March 4, 2004, Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney 2004 Luncheon, Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California
***
"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."

***
"I believe in private property so much, I want everybody to have some in America." (Applause.)

 

March 10, 2004, President Talks Jobs/Trade at Women's Entrepreneurship Forum, Remarks by the President at the Women's Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Forum, Cleveland Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio
***
In some fields, one person can do the work that used to be done by many. That's what being more productive means."

***
"People think -- when they think about productivity, you think of it this way: Operating heavy equipment every day is hard work, but operating a shovel every day is harder work. I don't think many people here want to trade in your laptop for one of those old hunt-and-peck typewriters. (Laughter.)

Advances in productivity lead to higher wages -- that is a fact. The more productive a worker becomes, the better wages that person will receive. A more productive society means lower prices for consumers. A more productive society is one that generates greater national wealth. And small businesses are leading the way in this productivity revolution. And for that, I'm grateful."

***
"Look at it this way: America has got 5 percent of the world's population. That means 95 percent of potential customers are in other countries." (Applause.)

***
"The best products are those -- (applause.) Listen: The best product on any shelf anywhere in the world."

***
"The death tax will eventually come back to life. Imagine what it's going to be like in 2011, when it's supposed to come back to life. There's going to be a lot of people maybe trying to die a little earlier to avoid the -- (laughter.) It's unbelievable when you think about it. Think about public policy that says: Your taxes are going to be down this year, but not."

 

March 11, 2004, Remarks Via Satellite by the President to the National Association of Evangelicals Convention, The Map Room
***
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, Ted. I want to thank you for your kind introduction. (Applause.) Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Thank you all. Ted, I think I need to invite you to Crawford so you can drive my pickup truck and learn the joys of that truck.

***
"The National Association of Evangelicals was founded 62 years ago with the highest of calling -- to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Today, your organization includes 51 denominations representing some 30 million people."

***
"America is a nation with a mission. We're called to fight terrorism around the world, and we're waging that fight."

 

March 12, 2004, Remarks by the First Lady and the President on Efforts to Globally Promote Women's Human Rights, The East Room
***
"If people aren't free, it is likely that women will be suppressed."

***
"The Taliban were incredibly barbaric. It's hard for the American mind to understand 'barbaric.'"

 

March 15, 2004, President Discusses Homeownership in Pennsylvania, Main Line YMCA, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
***
"That's what we're here to discuss: homeownership and how best to help people buy a home; and what is it like to be someone who wonders about homeownership and the struggles of trying to figure out all the fine print and how to get something done. That's what we're really here to talk about."

***
"We think it's in the best interests of the country that more people own something."

***
"We got attacked by a bunch of cold-blooded killers. And the attack hurt. It hurt our psyche because we thought oceans could protect us."

***
"It's hard to be a manufacturer in the state of Pennsylvania if you're worried about where your next energy is coming from."

 

March 16, 2004, President Discusses Health Access, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
***
"It's an economic lesson. But we're not using Ph.D.'s. Well, we're using Ph.D.'s in the sense that we're talking to entrepreneurs who are on the front lines of making capital decisions every day, and decisions of -- big decisions for each person they hire. That's what we're here to discuss."

***
"Heck, we're 5 percent of the world's population, which means there's 95 percent of the people ready for products that say, 'Made in the USA.'"

 

March 18, 2004, President Bush Meets with Military Personnel at Fort Campbell
***
"They see people like PFC Amanda Thompson Cummings, who volunteered to serve in Iraq. She's an Army cook who also works on security patrol. She said this to a reporter: "They know I can shoot. I'm one of the best in my battalion. But, hey, I'm a redneck, what do you expect?" (Laughter and applause.) Those are her words, not mine. (Laughter.)"

***
"The war continues. It's a different kind of war, but it goes on."

***
"There's no safety for any nation in a world that lives at the mercy of gangsters and mass murderers. Eventually, there's no place to hide from the planted bombs, or the far worse, weapons that terrorists seek."

 

March 19, 2004, Remarks by the President on Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, The East Room
***
"The murders in Madrid are a reminder that the civilized world is at war."

***
"The war on terror is not a figure of speech. It is an inescapable calling of our generation."

 

March 20, 2004, Remarks by the President at Florida Rally, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
***
"I used to say that Jeb was the coolest governor in the country. That's until Arnold got elected." (Applause.)

***
"I got here a little late. I didn't get to hear my friend, Billy Ray Cyrus. (Applause.) Thank you, Billy Ray."

***
"My friend, Lynn Swann is with us." (Applause.)

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 21 through March 27, 2004, as National Poison Prevention Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by participating in appropriate activities and by learning how to prevent poisonings among children.

 

March 24, 2004, Opening New Markets for America's Small Businesses, Renaissance Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"One of the things we are in America is we're fair."

***
"There's some great things that are happening in the education."

 

March 25, 2004, President Discusses Job Training and the Economy, New Hampshire Community Technical College, Nashua, New Hampshire
***
"During the run up to the liberation of Iraq, on our TV screens you see, 'March to War.' That's hard to the business world."

 

March 26, 2004, President Bush Meets with First-Time Homebuyers in NM and AZ, Expo New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
***
"You can't see what you think is a threat and hope it goes away. You used to could when the oceans protected us, but the lesson of September the 11th is, is when the President sees a threat, we must deal with it before it -- before it comes to fruition through death on our own soils, for example."

 

March 26, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Homeownership, Phoenix Carpenters Training Center, Phoenix, Arizona
***
"We used to think oceans could protect us, where we could kind of sit back and see threats gather and could deal with them if we felt like it, or ignore them if we wanted to, because oceans protected us."

 

March 30, 2004, Remarks by the President on the Economy, Fox Cities Performing Art Center, Appleton, Wisconsin
***
"We weren't thinking about attacks in the scale of which they attacked us. It was a new thought for America. After all, most of us baby boomers grew up thinking that oceans would protect us forever."

***
"By the way, when the President says something, you better mean it."

***
"The resolve of the country, by the way, is incredible when tested. It's a nation of people of deep character. Perhaps it's because we've got a lot of deep faith in our country. (Applause.)"

***
"But we discovered shortly thereafter that there were some of our citizens who must have not been raised right, because they didn't tell the truth. There was corporate scandals in America that betrayed the trust. When somebody betrays the trust in our world, it can affect confidence."

***
"I was having a kobe beef with Prime Minister Koizumi from Japan."

***
"It's a hard job in Iraq."

***
"Think about what it means, march to war. It's a negative thought. One of the hurdles we had to overcome was the business about going to war. If you're trying to plan your future, whether you're an employer or employee, you're not going to be all that optimistic, thinking that your country's marching to war. We're now marching to peace."

***
"In order to pay for more spending, you'll hear the language, 'tax on the rich.'"

***
"Look at it this way. America's got five percent of the world's population. That means there's 95 percent of the people out there that should be buying products that say 'Made in the USA.' (Applause.)"

 

March 30, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Wisconsin First Responders The Radisson Hotel, Appleton, Wisconsin
***
"I've always felt that September the 11th was going to be -- the type of war that started that day was going to be the type of war that I constantly have to explain to the American people. It's going to be different. I suspect there's some old vets here. It's easy to find infantry and airplanes and a flotilla of ships. It's hard to find people that are so cold-blooded in their murder that they hide in caves and the dark corners of cities."

***
"The other thing is, is that you've just got to know that anytime you see a threat after September the 11th, you've got to take it seriously. It used to be that oceans would protect us, that we can say, well, there's a threat over here, we can deal with it if we feel like it, but we're protected by oceans."

 

April 5, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Travel Pool, Central Piedmont Community College-Central Campus, Charlotte, North Carolina
***
"This is one person -- this is a person, and followers, who are trying to say, we don't want democracy -- as a matter of fact, we'll decide the course of democracy by the use of force. And that is the opposite of democracy."

 

April 5, 2004, Remarks by the President at a Bush-Cheney '04 Luncheon Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
***
"I want to thank Ric Flair, professional wrestler. He's with us today. Big Ric, I'm proud you're here. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)"


April 5, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Travel Pool, Central Piedmont Community College-Central Campus, Charlotte, North Carolina
***
"This is one person -- this is a person, and followers, who are trying to say, we don't want democracy -- as a matter of fact, we'll decide the course of democracy by the use of force. And that is the opposite of democracy."


April 5, 2004, Remarks by the President at a Bush-Cheney '04 Luncheon Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
***
"I want to thank Ric Flair, professional wrestler. He's with us today. Big Ric, I'm proud you're here. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)"

***
"Obviously, I pray every day there's less casualty."

***
"And today, on bended knee, I thank the good Lord for protecting those of our troops overseas, and our coalition troops and innocent Iraqis who suffer at the hands of some of these senseless killings by people who are trying to shake our will."



April 6, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Job Training and the Economy, South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado, Arkansas
***
"And therefore, if you think an ocean can protect you from harm's way, and you see a threat somewhere else, you can decide to deal with it or not, you're pretty well assured that you would be safe here at home."

***
"And then, as I told you, September the 11th changed our calculation. Let me put it to you this way: When we see a gathering threat, we must deal with it before it materializes, is the best way to put it. Threats are dealt in different ways, by the way. Not every threat is dealt with the way I decided to deal with the threat in Iraq."

***
"These people hate freedom. and we love freedom. And that's where the clash occurs."

***
"Laura reminded me that one time on the TV screens in the summer of 2000 we saw, "March to War." It is hard to have economic vitality when you're marching to war. That's a negative thought. It's about as negative a thought as you can think about."

***
"The No Child Left Behind Act is a really good piece of law, for this reason: It finally asked a question whether or not our children are learning to read, write, and add and subtract early. That's what it's asking."

***
"I think all high schools ought to participate in what's called the NAEP. The NAEP is a national norming (sic) test. It's not a national test. It says, there is -- they take the Arkansas test and they compare them to other states to determine whether or not standards are being met. That's all it is."

***
THE PRESIDENT: You're doing good, Sammie.

MS. BRIERY: I told you you'd have to cut me off.

THE PRESIDENT: I haven't cut you off yet. You and my mother go to the same hair-dye person. (Laughter.)

MS. BRIERY: President Bush, I'm a natural blonde.

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yes.

MS. BRIERY: I'm just a natural blonde.

THE PRESIDENT: I couldn't help myself, sorry. (Laughter.)



April 11, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Travel Pool, Fort Hood, Texas
***
"Happy Easter to everybody. It's our honor to have celebrated this holy day with family members whose loved one is in Iraq."



April 13, 2004, PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH RELEASE 2003 TAX RETURN
***
President and Mrs. George W. Bush reported taxable income of $727,083 for the tax year 2003. This resulted in a total of $227,490 in federal income taxes paid by President and Mrs. Bush.

The President's 2003 income included salary earned as President and investment income from the trusts in which their assets are held.

President and Mrs. Bush contributed $68,360 to churches and charitable organizations, including Evergreen Chapel at Camp David, Tarrytown United Methodist Church, St. John's Church, the M.D. Anderson Clinic, and the Federal Government's Combined Federal Campaign.



April 13, 2004, VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY AND MRS. CHENEY RELEASE 2003 INCOME TAX RETURN; FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Terrence O'Donnell or James T. Fuller of Williams & Connolly LLP at (202) 434-5000
***
The income tax return shows that the Cheneys owe federal taxes for 2003 of $253,067 on taxable income of $813,226. During the course of 2003 the Cheneys paid $258,779 in taxes through withholding and estimated tax payments. The Cheneys elected to apply the resulting $5,712 tax overpayment to their 2004 estimated tax payments.

The wage and salary income reported on the tax return includes the Vice President's $198,600 government salary. In addition, the tax return reports the payment of deferred compensation from Halliburton Company, in the amount of $178,437. In December 1998, the Vice President elected to defer compensation earned in calendar year 1999 for his services as chief executive officer of Halliburton. This amount is to be paid in fixed annual installments (with interest) in the five years after the Vice President's retirement from Halliburton. That election to defer income became final and unalterable before Mr. Cheney left Halliburton. The amount of deferred compensation received by the Vice President is fixed and is not affected by Halliburton's current economic performance or earnings in any way. In addition, the Vice President purchased, with his personal funds, an insurance policy that guarantees that he will receive the amount that is owed to him even if Halliburton is unable to make the deferred compensation payments.

The tax return also reports Mrs. Cheney's wage and salary income from her continuing work at the American Enterprise Institute and compensation from Reader's Digest, on whose board of directors she served in 2003. The Cheneys donated $321,141 to charity in 2003, primarily from donations of Mrs. Cheney's royalties from Simon & Schuster on her books America: A Patriotic Primer and A is for Abigail, as well as her forthcoming book titled Fifty States.



April 13, 2004, President Addresses the Nation in Prime Time Press Conference Press Conference of the President, The East Room
***
"Good evening. Before I take your questions, let me speak with the American people about the situation in Iraq. This has been tough weeks in that country."

***
"We're not an imperial power, as nations such as Japan and Germany can attest. We are a liberating power, as nations in Europe and Asia can attest, as well."

***
"No one can predict all the hazards that lie ahead, or the costs they will bring. Yet, in this conflict, there is no safe alternative to resolute action. The consequences of failure in Iraq would be unthinkable."

***
"A free Iraq in the midst of the Middle East will have incredible change. It's hard -- freedom is not easy to achieve. We had a little trouble in our country achieving freedom."

***
"If he wants to keep troops there to help, I'm more than willing to say, 'Yes, General Abizaid.'"

***
"Well, let me step back and review my thinking prior to going into Iraq. First, the lesson of September the 11th is, when this nation sees a threat, a gathering threat, we've got to deal with it. We can no longer hope that oceans protect us from harm."

***
"I went to the U.N., as you might recall, and said, either you take care of him, or we will. Any time an American President says, if you don't, we will, we better be prepared to."

***
"See, the war on terror had changed the calculations. We needed to work with people. People needed to come together to work."

***
"I thought it was very interesting that Charlie Duelfer, who just came back -- he's the head of the Iraqi Survey Group -- reported some interesting findings from his recent tour there. And one of the things was, he was amazed at how deceptive the Iraqis had been toward UNMOVIC and UNSCOM; deceptive in hiding things. We knew they were hiding things -- a country that hides something is a country that is afraid of getting caught. And that was part of our calculation."

***
"Well, the oil revenues are -- they're bigger than we thought they would be at this point in time. I mean, one year after the liberation of Iraq, the revenues of the oil stream is pretty darn significant."

***
"Finally, the attitude of the Iraqis toward the American people -- it's an interesting question. They're really pleased we got rid of Saddam Hussein."

***
"Some citizens are fearful of stepping up. And they were happy -- they're not happy they're occupied. I wouldn't be happy if I were occupied either."

***
"Let me put that quote to Woodward in context. He had asked me if I was -- something about killing bin Laden. That's what the question was."

***
"I think the hearings will show that the Patriot Act is an important change in the law that will allow the FBI and the CIA to better share information together. We were kind of stove-piped, I guess is a way to describe it."

***
"And the other thing I look back on and realize is that we weren't on a war footing. The country was not on a war footing, and yet the enemy was at war with us. And it's -- it didn't take me long to put us on a war footing. And we've been on war ever since."

***
"The people know where I stand. I mean, in terms of Iraq, I was very clear about what I believed. And, of course, I want to know why we haven't found a weapon yet."

***
"The report, itself, I've characterized as mainly history, and I think when you look at it you'll see that it was talking about '97 and '98 and '99. It was also an indication, as you mentioned, that bin Laden might want to hijack an airplane, but as you said, not to fly into a building, but perhaps to release a person in jail. In other words, serve it as a blackmail."

***
"Now, in what's called the PDB, there was a warning about bin Laden's desires on America, but, frankly, I didn't think that was anything new. Major newspapers had talked about bin Laden's desires on hurting America."

***
"This is a -- these are people that have -- the gut leaders have made the decision to put people in harm's way for the good of the world."

***
"Maybe I can best put it this way, why I feel so strongly about this historic moment. I was having dinner with Prime Minister Koizumi, and we were talking about North Korea, about how we can work together to deal with the threat. The North Korea leader is a threat. And here are two friends now discussing what strategy to employ to prevent him from further developing and deploying a nuclear weapon. And it dawned on me that had we blown the peace in World War II, that perhaps this conversation would not have been taking place. It also dawned on me then that when we get it right in Iraq, at some point in time an American President will be sitting down with a duly-elected Iraqi leader talking about how to bring security to what has been a troubled part of the world."

***
"Some of the debate really center around the fact that people don't believe Iraq can be free; that if you're Muslim, or perhaps brown-skinned, you can't be self-governing and free."

***
Q: I was asking why you're appearing together, rather than separately, which was their request.

THE PRESIDENT: Because it's a good chance for both of us to answer questions that the 9/11 Commission is looking forward to asking us, and I'm looking forward to answering them.

***
"After 9/11, the world changed for me, and I think changed for the country. It changed for me because, like many, we assumed oceans would protect us from harm, and that's not the case, it's not the reality of the 21st century. Oceans don't protect us. They don't protect us from killers."

***
"We're at war. Iraq is a part of the war on terror. It is not the war on terror; it is a theater in the war on terror. And it's essential we win this battle in the war on terror. By winning this battle, it will make other victories more certain in the war against the terrorists."

***
Q: ...After 9/11, what would your biggest mistake be, would you say, and what lessons have you learned from it?

THE PRESIDENT: I wish you would have given me this written question ahead of time, so I could plan for it. (Laughter.) John, I'm sure historians will look back and say, gosh, he could have done it better this way, or that way. You know, I just -- I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with an answer, but it hadn't yet.

I would have gone into Afghanistan the way we went into Afghanistan. Even knowing what I know today about the stockpiles of weapons, I still would have called upon the world to deal with Saddam Hussein. See, I happen to believe that we'll find out the truth on the weapons. That's why we've sent up the independent commission. I look forward to hearing the truth, exactly where they are. They could still be there. They could be hidden, like the 50 tons of mustard gas in a turkey farm.

***
"There's a terror still in the soul of some of the people in Iraq; they're worried about getting killed, and, therefore, they're not going to talk."

***
"I hope I -- I don't want to sound like I've made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't -- you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one."

***
"One thing is for certain, though, about me -- and the world has learned this -- when I say something, I mean it. And the credibility of the United States is incredibly important for keeping world peace and freedom.

Thank you all very much."

END 9:32 P.M. EDT



April 15, 2004, Millions of Families are Benefitting from President's Tax Relief, Remarks by the President on Tax Relief and the Economy, Des Moines Marriott Downtown
***
"I want to thank -- I'm a member of the ex-governors' club. Those are those of us who are fortunate to be governors of a state."

***
"But the true strength of the country is in the hearts and souls of our citizens. See, that's the really good strength of America. You know that if you live in rural America, you know what I'm talking about -- the notion of people taking time out of their lives to make their community a better place."

***
"We grew up thinking that oceans could protect us. We learned a horrible lesson on that day that we were no longer immune from threats that might be gathering overseas."

***
"The lenders who are here know what I mean. I mean, it's kind of hard to lend into an environment when you know the country is preparing for war. War is negative, not positive. We're now marching to peace."

***
"The interesting thing that happened last month is that America hit an all-time record for exports. And that's positive news, positive news throughout the country. The reason why -- you know why? It's because we produce the best products. When it says, "Made in the USA," they're the best. (Applause.)"

***
"You know, you oftentimes hear talk about neighborliness in rural America -- neighbors caring for neighbors. Part of a responsibility era is a neighbor loving your neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. That's part of the responsibility era, as well."




April 2004, Bush, Blair Discuss Sharon Plan; Future of Iraq in Press Conference, Remarks by the President and United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair in Press Availability, Rose Garden
***
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, all. Mr. Prime Minister -- Tony, as I like to call you -- Cherie Blair, thanks for coming, it's great to see you. Laura and I are pleased to welcome you once again to America and to the White House.

***
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, did you ask Secretary Rumsfeld to draw up war plans against Iraq in November, 2001, just as the military action was getting underway in Afghanistan? Why couldn't Iraq wait?

PRESIDENT BUSH: No, I thought -- one question apiece. Not one question or one question apiece.

You know, I can't remember exact dates that far back. I do know this, that at a key meeting at Camp David, the subject of Iraq -- this was on September the --

Q Fifteenth.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Fifteenth. We had been attacked on September the 11th, obviously. On the 15th, we sat down, I sat down with my national security team to discuss the response, and the subject of Iraq came up. And I said as plainly as I possibly could, we'll focus on Afghanistan. That's where we'll focus. I explained this to the Prime Minister, as well, in a subsequent meeting. That was about the 20th of September, I think, we came and talked about the response we were going to take in dealing with the attacks on our country.

So I don't remember in times of -- what was being developed or not being developed. But I do know that it was Afghanistan that was on my mind. And I didn't really start focusing on Iraq until later on, particularly about the time I started going to the United Nations with this message. To the United Nations, I said, let's uphold the demands of the world, finally, after decades of -- after a decade of threats to Saddam -- you know, if you don't do this, this will happen -- why don't we finally just say something that we mean?

And it was at that point in time, when a President steps up in front of the United Nations and you say, either take care of business or we, others will, you better mean it. And I meant it when I went up in front of the United Nations at that point in time.

Q I was asking you about November.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I can't remember. I'd have to get back to you about a specific moment. But I can tell you, in September, I said, let us focus on Afghanistan, let us make sure that we do this job and do it well.




April 19, 2004, President Bush Calls for Renewing the USA PATRIOT Act, Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
***
"They say America is strong because we're the wealthiest nation. That's good, we need to keep it that way. But the real reason we're strong is because of the hearts and souls of American citizens. That's why we're strong."

***
"Young girls now go to school for the first time in their life, thanks to the incredible compassion of the United States of America." (Applause.)

***
"There's another very important lesson about September the 11th that we must never forget, and that is, we can no longer take threats that may exist overseas for granted."

***
"See, September the 11th changed the equation. It used to be that oceans would protect us, that we saw a threat, we didn't have to worry about it because there was two vast oceans."

***
"This is an historic mission, in my judgment. This is an historic opportunity. I told the story, I think, at one of these endless press conferences I had last week -- (laughter) -- where -- I love them, of course -- where -- (laughter) -- where I had dinner with Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. And it was at that dinner that we were talking about the situation in North Korea. And it dawned on me during the course of the conversation with my friend that, if we hadn't got it right after World War II, would I have been having this conversation with the Prime Minister about a common threat we share? And it probably wouldn't have. If we hadn't secured the peace in a proper way after World War II, I don't think -- maybe I'll be wrong -- but I don't think I would have been having the very kind of conversation I was having with Prime Minister Koizumi. And it dawned on me during that conversation, when we get it right in Iraq, some American President will be sitting down with a duly-elected official from Iraq talking about how to keep the peace in that troubled part of the world."

***
"Freedom frightens people who are terrorists. The worst thing that can happen to a society, if you're a terrorist, is for the society to be free. And it scares them."

***
"And we're facing supporters of the outlaw cleric, remnants of Saddam's regime that are still bitter that they don't have the position to run the torture chambers and rape rooms, and get the special privileges they've had for all these years."

***
"The Patriot Act changed that, and now we have the essential tool. See, with court approval, we have long used roving wire taps to lock up monsters -- mobsters. Now we have a chance to lock up monsters, terrorist monsters." (Laughter and applause.)




April 19, 2004, President Bush Presents Trophy to the U.S. Naval Academy, The East Room
***
"I watches some of your games on TV."

***
"I'm proud of your predecessors serving overseas. They're serving brilliantly in zones of combat."

April 26, 2004, Remarks by the President at American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
***
"For years, when we grew up -- at least us baby boomers grew up -- we thought that oceans would protect us from harm's way."

***
"I shared a story the other day during a press conference where I talked about a dinner I had with Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. And we're eating Kobe beef. I don't know whether it's grown here in Minnesota or not, but it's real good."

***
"And so I'm working with Congress to pass the Striving Reader and Math Initiative Program, and that's a fancy word for saying we're going to intervene quickly with struggling middle-class -- middle grade and high school students."

***
"Well, I believe it's possible to grow our way out of some dependence on foreign sources of energy. I mean, I can't wait to see the day when Minnesota farmers are out there harvesting corn that becomes an integral mix of the energy supply of the country."

***
"I want to talk about one other aspect of promising technologies, and that is the hydrogen fuel cell, which captures energy from chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. See, it captures energy from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen."

***
"One of the things consumers like is they like to go to their neighborhood gas station. When you hear talk about development of infrastructures like go to your neighborhood hydrogen station -- and that's going to be a difficult hurdle in order to make sure that we've changed behavior here in America, but it's a hurdle that we've got to overcome."

***
"See, when we get it right here, when we get the hydrogen car up and running, not only will it make America a better place, we'll become the innovator of the world."

***
"How about Terlingua, Texas? There's not a lot of wires out there. But wireless technology is going to change all that so long as government policy makes sense."

April 30, 2004, Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Martin of Canada in a Press Availability, The Rose Garden
***
Q: Mr. President, you're a rancher. Is there any hope -- what hope can you offer your fellow ranchers in Canada about when the border might be open to live Canadian cattle?

PRESIDENT BUSH: As soon as possible. My administration is committed to a policy of free trade when it comes to beef. And we had a discussion about that today with -- that subject today, with our respective agricultural ministers -- or secretaries, as we call them here. And I assured the Prime Minister, I want to get this solution -- this issue solved as quickly as possible. And it's in our nations' interests that live beef be moving back and forth.

***
"I believe that people whose skins aren't necessarily -- are a different color than white can self-govern."

May 3, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at "ask President Bush" Event, Niles Senior High School Niles, Michigan
***
"The lesson of September the 11th is oceans no longer protect us, and, therefore, we cannot let threats fully materialize. In other words, we can't see a threat and hope it goes away. We can't see a threat and say, oh, gosh, maybe the person will change their mind and all of a sudden their hatred for America will diminish."

***
"Fred [Upton, (Rep.), Mich] and I were talking about how wonderful it would be if some President sometime said, the corn crop is up and we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

***
THE PRESIDENT: It also says here that Lynn [Hegg] convinced you to maybe make some household repairs, or buy some appliances, is that right?

MRS. HEGG: We were able to go ahead and make -- get a new washer and dryer.

THE PRESIDENT: New washer and dryer. Somebody had to make the washer and dryer.

MRS. HEGG: And we went ahead and we bought -- within our community, which is -- Whirlpool is right up the street from us in St. Joe's there, in Benton Harbor, the world headquarters, so we would be not stoned by our friends, you have to buy within your area. (Applause.)

***
"Listen, we've got people who are hooked on drugs. As a matter of fact, a lot of the drug abuse can be traced to serious addiction. In other words, a few using a lot is a way to maybe describe drug abuse in the country."

***
"Freedom is such an integral part of -- should be an integral part of the U.S. foreign policy. Some say, well, let's work for stability in parts of the world. No, that's not what we're interested in. Of course, we want stability. Free societies will bring stability. The ultimate long-term objective for American foreign policy must be the spread of freedom."

***
"And the other thing I want to do is to make sure that everybody can feel the great power of love. Again, I fully understand government's role is limited in love. Government is not a loving organization, particularly around April 15th. (Laughter.) But people, whether it be me, or the Governor, or the Mayor, can inspire people, call upon people to serve our nation by loving a neighbor."

***
Q I'm curious to know why -- I hear you mention God in most of your speeches, and I'm curious to know how your faith in God affects your daily routine. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir. First, you've got to understand, my job is never to promote a religion. My job is to promote freedom for people to worship the way they see fit. The job of the President is to make sure that America is a free society where you can worship or don't worship. You're just as strong a patriot if you worship, as if you don't worship. That's -- the job of the President is to make sure this precious aspect of our society is strong.

Personally, I do rely upon the Almighty. I'm reading Oswald Chambers. (Applause.) If you've read Oswald Chambers, you understand that Oswald Chambers is a pretty good gauge to test your walk. I rely upon -- let me say this -- I appreciate the prayers of the people. The fact that people pray for me and Laura is a powerful part of our life. It is humbling to know that people in Niles, Michigan, who I probably will never get to thank personally, say a prayer for us. And it sustains me.

Somebody said to me one time, well, how do you know they're praying for you? And I said, I just do, I know it. And it's an important part of the presidency from my perspective. (Applause.)

Come on, Baby. Laura just gave me the hook. (Laughter.)"

May 3, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at Bush-Cheney '04 Event Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, Michigan
***
"On September the 11th, we realized that oceans wouldn't protect us, and that because of what we believe, there's an enemy that wants to hurt us. That's the reality that we now face."

***
"The thing I really like about our action [in Afghanistan] besides making America more safe and secure is the fact that we liberated people."

***
"The American President must be a realist. He must see the world the way it really is."

***
"You might remember on the TV screens, it said "March to War." That's not a conducive environment in which to risk capital. Marching to war is an incredibly negative thought. Fortunately, now we're marching to peace."

***
"Listen, I want to be the person who lays the groundwork for a President to be able to say, hey, the corn harvest was up, and we're less dependent."



May 4, 2004, Remarks by the President at Pancake Breakfast, Lucas County, Ohio Recreation Center
Maumee, Ohio
***
"We got better intelligence-sharing now."

***
" I love to tell the story about my dinner with Prime Minister Koizumi. He's the Prime Minister of Japan. And Laura and I were visiting him in Tokyo. And we were having Kobe beef, by the way."

***
"We've been through a recession. That is a relatively long word for meaning we were going backwards, that there was negative growth."

***
"The stock market also started to decline in March of 2000. That makes people feel pitiful -- not pitiful, it makes them feel more poor -- when you see your asset base drop, when you open up your retirement accounts, and all of a sudden, the value is less."

***
"I say that [Ohio is going to feel the economic vitality] because in the month of March, there were 7,900 new jobs created in Ohio -- 7,900 out of the 308,000 new jobs that were created in the month of March. In other words, 7,900 in March in Ohio, part of the 308,000. In other words, the job picture is improving."



May 4, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Hara Complex, Dayton, Ohio
***
"Look, I'd love to be the President someday to be able to say, the corn crop is good; therefore, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. I'd like to be able to grown energy, but it's going to take a while to get the research and development to kick in."

***
"In other words, envision going from the shovel to the backhoe. You had to learn how to drive the backhoe, and when you did, you're incredibly more productive than you were with a shovel. It's that same equivalent that's taking place throughout our economy right now."

***
Q My name is Erica Keene. I'm eight years old. And what's the funnest thing to be -- about being President? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: The funnest thing is this: making decisions that make the world a better place. (Applause.) I've got to make a lot of decisions -- some of them you'll see, and some of them you don't see -- which means that, in order to make good decisions, you better know what you believe, you better stand on principle.

***
"I like to tell people the Oval Office is the powerful place. People will stand outside the Oval Office, and they say, I can't wait to get in there and tell him what for. And then they open the door, and they walk in this majestic shrine to democracy, and they're overwhelmed by the atmosphere. And they say, man, you're looking beautiful, Mr. President."



May 6, 2004, Remarks by the President on National Day of Prayer, East Room
***
"Colonel Oliver North is the 2004 National Day of Prayer Honorary Chairman. Thank you for taking on the job."

***
"At so many crucial points in the life of America, we have been a nation at prayer."

***
"Americans do not presume to equate God's purposes with any purpose of our own."

***
"God is not on the side of any nation, yet we know He is on the side of justice. And it is the deepest strength of America that from the hour of our founding, we have chosen justice as our goal."



May 6, 2004, Remarks by President Bush and His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in a Press Availability, The Rose Garden
***
"That's what has to happen. That's road map. In other words, that's how you head down the road to peace."



May 6, 2004, Interview of the President by Al-Ahram International, The Map Room
***
"The other day I had the Olympic Committee from Iraq come, two members of the Olympic Committee. It was an exciting moment. I love sports, for starters."

May 7, 2004, Remarks by the President and the First Lady at "ask President Bush" Event, Cabela's Distribution Center, Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin
***
"Let me tell you something; those few people have stained the honor of this country. They have put -- they've helped paint a picture of the country that doesn't exist."

***
"There's new technologies happening all the time."

***
"At some point in time, we're going to say, gosh, the yields on corn are real good, and now we're less dependent."



May 10, 2004, President Bush Reaffirms Commitments in Iraq, Statement by the President, The Pentagon
***
"Mr. Secretary, thank you for your hospitality, and thank you for your leadership. You are courageously leading our nation in the war against terror. You're doing a superb job."

May 13, 2004, Remarks by the President to the American Conservative Union 40th Anniversary Gala, Jw Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"The conservative movement has become the dominant intellectual force in American politics, on the strength of writers and thinkers like Whitaker Chambers and Bill Buckley and Russell Kirk."

***
"On the fundamental issues of our times, conservatives have been right. (Applause.) Conservatives were right that the Cold War was a contest of good and evil."

***
"See, I believe in private property so much, I want every American to have some. (Applause.)"

 

May 13, 2004, Expanding Opportunities for American Students and Workers, Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg, West Virginia
***
"I want to congratulate the seniors who are getting ready to graduate. Make sure you don't take the foot off the gas pedal too soon -- isn't that right? Keep studying until the final bell rings. But good luck to you."

***
"I want these Marines to know that they are serving in historic times. The world is changing for the better. The world will be more free and more peaceful, thanks to the United States of America and our military. These are historic times."

***
"And here I was talking to the Prime Minister of a former enemy. My dad, like many of your relatives, fought in the Pacific in World War II, and here I was talking to the Prime Minister of the country against whom we used to fight, a country that had attacked us. And we were talking about how to keep the peace. We were strategizing about how to make sure the Korean Peninsula is nuclear weapon-free. It was a very interesting conversation. First of all, I like the guy a lot, and secondly, it was a positive conversation, an important conversation, to help keep the peace. Had we not gotten the peace right after World War II, it might have been that I wouldn't be having the conversation with Prime Minister Koizumi. As well, during the conversation, I thought about what it would be like for a future American President to be talking to a duly-elected leader of Iraq, a free Iraq, a peaceful Iraq, a democratic Iraq, about how to deal with problems future generations will face." (Applause.)

***
"I won't yield because I believe so strongly in what we're doing, and I have faith in the power of freedom to spread its wings in parts of the world that desperately need freedom."

***
"I mean, we're seeing what it means to be hooked on foreign sources of energy right now."

***
"We've got to encourage -- by the way, AP -- listen to what she said -- if you pass the AP, you get through college faster. And that takes a lot of the financial pressure off. I mean, it's not only good in terms of your brain, it's good in terms of your wallet."

***
"These aren't the jobs like we've had in the past. These are better-paying jobs, steady work that require the use of your brain."

 

May 17, 2004
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
The sacred institution of marriage should not be redefined by a few activist judges. All Americans have a right to be heard in this debate. I called on the Congress to pass, and to send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of a man and a woman as husband and wife. The need for that amendment is still urgent, and I repeat that call today.
###

 

May 18, 2004, Remarks by the President to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
***
"We have stopped shipments -- we have stopped shipments of chemical precursors and nuclear-related -- weapons-related components bound for states that sponsor terror."

 

May 19, 2004, Remarks by the President After Cabinet Meeting, The Cabinet Room
***
"We had a very interesting discussion about capacity. For example, had ANWR been passed -- had it not been vetoed in the past, we anticipate an additional barrels of oil would have been coming out of that part of the world, which would obviously have a positive impact for today's consumers."

***
"All in all, we're upbeat about the spread of freedom and peace and the ability for our fellow citizens to find work."

May 19, 2004, Remarks by the President to NCAA Winter Sports Champions,
The East Room
***
"Here's a chance, a chance to be more than just an athlete; it's a chance to be a hero to somebody who needs a role model; somebody who -- like when you go to visit the children in the hospital -- and I know you do -- somebody -- when you touch their life -- you go in as a champ, and you touch a life, and somebody feels better as a result of a little love and compassion; or serving food or helping with toy drives. All of it matters, see."

 

May 20, 2004, Interview of the President by Al Zaman Newspaper
The Library, May 18, 2004
[Al Zaman is a London-based Arabic language newspaper]
***
"And one of the things in our country is people are innocent until proven guilty. And, therefore, with that presumption of innocence, therefore, the process must be very thorough before you start accusing people."

***
"Iraq is changing for the better. I mean, look at the soccer team."

 

May 19, 2004
Remarks by the President in Photo Opportunity with Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy
The Oval Office
***
"Thank you for coming. You just interrupted a conversation about how we're working on a strategy to help the Iraqis become a free nation."

 

May 24, 2004
President Bush Congratulates WNBA Champs Detroit Shock
The Rose Garden
***
"They've [Detroit Shock team members] achieved an interesting status: a championship status, and now they converted to helping somebody change their life, or somebody to be loved."

 

May 25, 2004, President Meets with Iraqis Who Received Medical Care in the US, The Oval Office
***
"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein."

 

May 28, 2004 (released by White House June 4)
Interview of the President by Paris Match Magazine
The Diplomatic Reception Room, Rome, Italy
***
Q The whole world remembers you addressing the firemen in the ruins of the World Trade Center. You were healing the wounds and uniting the world at that time. Today, your message through the megaphone doesn't reach the world. Don't you feel isolated?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I feel very comfortable with what I'm doing.

Q Yes, but all the nations --

THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish my -- you ask a question, I give you the answers. And then if you want to ask another question, you're allowed to do so.

 

June 1, 2004
President Bush Discusses the Iraqi Interim Government
The Rose Garden
***
"It's important for our partners to understand that I don't view it as American democracy, nor do I think it's going to happen overnight. I will remind them that the Articles of Confederation was a rather bumpy period for American democracy."

***
"It's a war against people who have got this perverted vision about what the world should look like."

***
"And at my Air Force Academy speech, which you [the reporter who stated that he wouldn't be at the speech] won't be at, I'll remind people that part of their objective is to drive the United States from a country -- countries in the Middle East, so that they can flow their hatred into a vacuum."

***
Q Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Chalabi is an Iraqi leader that's fallen out of favor within your administration. I'm wondering if you feel that he provided any false information, or are you particularly --

THE PRESIDENT: Chalabi?

Q Yes, with Chalabi.

THE PRESIDENT: My meetings with him were very brief. I mean, I think I met with him at the State of the Union and just kind of working through the rope line, and he might have come with a group of leaders. But I haven't had any extensive conversations with him.

Mr. Brahimi made the decision on Chalabi, not the United States. Mr. Brahimi was the person that put together the group. And I haven't spoken to him or anybody on the ground as to why Chalabi wasn't taken.

In terms of information --

Q I guess I'm asking, do you feel like he misled your administration, in terms of what the expectations were going to be going into Iraq? THE PRESIDENT: I don't remember anybody walking into my office saying, Chalabi says this is the way it's going to be in Iraq.

June 1, 2004
America’s Compassion in Action
Remarks by the President at the First White House National Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Washington Hilton and Towers, Washington, D.C.
***
"It is a powerful change agent when you start reading the bible in prison. (Applause.)"

 

June 8, 2004
Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Martin of Canada in Photo Opportunity
Dunbar House Sea Island, Georgia
***
"You've always been a strong advocate of Canadian interests, of course, and I appreciate that. Hopefully we can resolve the mad cow quickly, that you've asked me to do, and that we will continue to work on a soft wood lumber agreement that's beneficial to both countries."

 

June 5, 2004
Remarks by President Bush and President Chirac in a Joint Press Availability
Elysee Palace, Paris, France
***
Q Thank you, sir. I would have a question for Mr. Bush. Once, President Kennedy said, "Everyone has two countries, their own, and France." And why is it that your policy tends to be pushing your country and France to divorce?

PRESIDENT BUSH: To paraphrase President Kennedy, there's America, and then there's Texas.

 

June 8, 2004
Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Martin of Canada in Photo Opportunity
Dunbar House
Sea Island, Georgia
***
"Canada is a great friend, and you've been very cooperative at figuring out ways to cooperate in the war on terror."

 

June 10, 2004
Press Conference of the President After G8 Summit
International Media Center
Savannah, Georgia
***
"I also understand it takes a while to adopt the habits of a democratic society and a free society. After all, it took our own country a while. You might remember the period of the Articles of Confederation. You do remember the period of the Articles -- (laughter.) "

***
Q Mr. President, I wanted to return to the question of torture. What we've learned from these memos this week is that the Department of Justice lawyers and the Pentagon lawyers have essentially worked out a way that U.S. officials can torture detainees without running afoul of the law. So when you say that you want the U.S. to adhere to international and U.S. laws, that's not very comforting. This is a moral question: Is torture ever justified?

THE PRESIDENT: Look, I'm going to say it one more time. If I -- maybe -- maybe I can be more clear. The instructions went out to our people to adhere to law. That ought to comfort you. We're a nation of law. We adhere to laws. We have laws on the books. You might look at those laws, and that might provide comfort for you. And those were the instructions out of -- from me to the government.

***
"The latest prosthesis were put on their hand -- were put on their arms. And their hands worked. I remember the guy signing 'God Bless America' with his new hand in the Oval Office."

 

June 11, 2004
President Bush's Eulogy at Funeral Service for President Reagan
The National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
***
"And he believed in taking a break now and then, because, as he said, there's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse."

***
"He often began his speeches by saying, "I'm going to talk about controversial things." And then he spoke of communist rulers as slavemasters, of a government in Washington that had far overstepped its proper limits, of a time for choosing that was drawing near."

***
"And where does that strength come from? Where is that courage learned? It is the faith of a boy who read the Bible with his mom."

***
"In his last years, he saw through a glass darkly. Now he sees his Savior face to face."

 

June 14, 2004
Remarks by the President to the Travel Pool
HY-VEE Pharmacy, Liberty Missouri
***
Q How much did she save, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: Seventeen dollars. Her total cost is $1.90.

Q Not bad.

THE PRESIDENT: So, like, if you add $17 to $1.90 -- (laughter.) Here, Wanda, come over here, give us your card.

One of the reasons we're here is we want people to understand the benefits of this card, so more people use it.

MRS. BLACKMORE: This is my Medicare card.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, brand new. When did you get it?

MRS. BLACKMORE: I got this Saturday. And this is the second time I've used it.

THE PRESIDENT: What's that going to do for you?

MRS. BLACKMORE: Keep my blood flowing.

THE PRESIDENT: Keep your blood flowing. (Laughter.)

END 3:11 P.M. CDT

 

June 14, 2004, Medicare Drug Discount Cards Help Seniors Save on Drug Costs, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Medicare and Approved Prescription Drug Discount Cards, Liberty Community Center, Liberty, Missouri
***
"There's other ways to -- you can log on if you happen to be a high-tech person, and use the Internet. You can go to www.medicare.gov. It's not all that hard."



[Cheney quote]
June 15, 2004, Remarks by the VICE President for the 2004 Joint State Victory Reception Bay Point Marriott Resort, Panama City, Florida, June 14, 2004
***
"All I have to do when I run into people who say, well, it doesn't really matter what I do in this election. I don't have to get very actively involved. How can I affect things? And I just point out to them: Florida 2000, 537 votes. (Laughter.) And they get it."



June 15, 2004, Remarks by the President Via Satellite to the Southern Baptist Convention
***
"I support a constitutional amendment to protect marriage as a union of a man and a woman." (Applause.)



June 15, 2004, President Bush Meets with President Karzai of Afghanistan, Remarks by President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan in a Press Availability, The Rose Garden
***
PRESIDENT BUSH: We'll answer some questions, in the tradition of democratic societies. Are you ready? We'll start with Hunt.

PRESIDENT KARZAI: I'm ready. I now know, Mr. President, what the free press means. We have it in Afghanistan.

PRESIDENT BUSH: That's good.

***
Q Mr. President, you've referred to Muqtada al-Sadr as a thug, and your administration has promised to bring him to justice. Is it appropriate for the new interim Iraqi government to now welcome him into the political fold?

PRESIDENT BUSH: The interim Iraqi government will deal with al-Sadr in the way they see fit. That's -- they're sovereign. When we say we transfer full sovereignty, we mean we transfer full sovereignty. And they will deal with him appropriately.

Let's see here. Do you want to run the table, or do you want to go eat lunch?

PRESIDENT KARZAI: Go ahead.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Run the table, okay.

***
Q Mr. President, there are signs that inflation may be on the horizon in the U.S. economy. How concerned are you about this? What are you -- I mean, do you think this might slow down the recovery that you've been so happy about? Also, if I can ask you a follow-up on the security about Saddam Hussein. What guarantee --

PRESIDENT BUSH: How many questions? One question apiece. If we're going to stand out here in 100-degree temperature, let's just have one question.

Q Okay.

PRESIDENT BUSH: You can pass your question on to some other person, and I might call on them. I'm not so sure I'm going to be so international this press conference. (Laughter.)

The first question was about am I concerned about economic vitality? I'm pleased with -- what?

Q -- inflation --

PRESIDENT BUSH: No, I thought you said am I worried that inflation is going to -- what I'm pleased about is the fact that our economy is strong and is getting stronger. All indications are -- is that the economic stimulus plan we put in place is working. There's strong growth. There is -- there is -- there are new jobs being added. Consumer spending is up. Disposable -- after-tax disposable income is high. In other words, the ingredients for continued economic growth are present. And I'm very pleased. I'm particularly pleased because it means that workers are able to do their duties to their families.

***
"I guess if you want to try to find something to be pessimistic about, you can find it, no matter how hard you look, you know?"

***
"My job is to say to the American people, follow me, the world is going to be better."

***
Q Mr. President, I want to follow up on this issue of Iraqi security because I'm detecting some reservation that you may have about the Iraqis' ability to really head up their own security after June the 30th, because you seem to signal that there are concerns about their ability to even continue to detain Saddam Hussein. So what will happen between now and June 30th that would help you overcome that concern? And just related to that, there was a report from Baghdad yesterday indicating that after the deadly bombing, car bombing, that Iraqi police, as crowds gathered against the United States, just stood around and didn't do anything. Why is that happening?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Which question do you want me to answer?

Q Well, I think they're related; both --

PRESIDENT BUSH: No, they're not -- (laughter.)

Q Please, I'll say, please.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Look, it's very hot out here, we've got a President from a -- a respectful President here. Why don't you just ask one question, if you don't mind? I don't mean to be telling you how to do your business. All right, I'll answer both. (Laughter.)

***
"I'm getting distracted over here, there seems to be some noise."



June 18, 2004, Remarks by the President in Reno, Nevada, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno, Nevada
***
"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 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."



June 22, 2004,President Commemorates Black Music Month at White House, The East Room
***
"Recently, we've lost two of our greatest African American musicians. Last month, the celebrated jazz drummer Elvin Jones passed away. He was the fiery pulse of John Coltrane's Quartet. Elvin Jones loved music so much that rather than spend his last days in the hospital, he brought an oxygen tank on stage with him, so he could keep amazing his audiences until the very end."



June 23, 2004,President Bush Discusses HIV/AIDS Initiatives in Philadelphia, People for People, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
***
"And proven methods of prevention are showing the spread of this disease -- are slowing the spread of this disease in some parts of the world. In other words, prevention -- we're beginning to understand how to prevent the disease from spreading."

***
"Let's go where the problems are the toughest, I said. Let's bring America -- let's bring America to where -- where people suffer the most. We want to tackle the toughest problems in this country, not the easiest ones. We'll leave the easier ones for other people. (Applause.)"

***
"There's nothing better than a hopeful society in dealing with the pandemic. A hopeful society means you think you can win."

***
"Because, you see, every life matters to the Author of life, and so they matter to us."

***
"And part of the challenge we face is to help poor countries have the capacity to absorb the drugs and compassion of America."



June 24, 2004,President Bush: High Tech Improving Economy, Health Care, Education, Remarks by the President on Innovation, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
***
"I constantly say to people, gosh, wouldn't it be wonderful to be the President and say, how good is the corn crop, Madam Secretary? Oh, it's really good -- that means we're going to have more ethanol to take the place of -- (applause.) I mean, I'd like to grow our way out of dependence."

***
"Well, broadband is the capacity to move information a lot quicker and to move more information a lot quicker. As a matter of fact, broadband is four to 100 times faster than dial-up access. So in other words, if you -- if you have your -- if you're on a -- just a dial-up phone for your computer, imagine information getting to you a hundred times quicker. That means more information can move quicker."

***
"Imagine how efficient businesses will be when they're that far away from their customer. That's what broadband technology will enable us to do."

***
"I mean, if you've ever been a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It's difficult to do. It's, like, cost-prohibitive."

***
"A lot of people in rural America like living there. (Laughter.) The quality of life is really good. You walk down your street and know who you're looking at, and, generally, they'll say, how are you doing? It's good to see you. I hope you're having a wonderful day. What can we do to help you?"

***
"It's amazing with the software that has been developed these days that enable a camera to distinguish the difference between a squirrel and a bomb."

***
"Remember, we're still in a battle against ideological extremists who use terrorism as a tool to frighten, scare, kill people such as us who love freedom. And, therefore, what I'm telling you is as broadband expands, it's going to enable us better to protect our homeland, which is a vital concern of any of us in our government."

***
"I was shown a wi-fi hookup today that enables somebody to load a system in their home that when their child comes home, if it's set up properly, they will be able come in, it'll trigger a noise, the person will look on their phone and see a picture of their kid coming in the home. It's pretty imaginative, isn't it?"



June 24, 2004, Interview of the President by Radio and Television Ireland, The Library
***
Q But, Mr. President, the world is a more dangerous place today. I don't know whether you can see that or not.

THE PRESIDENT: Why do you say that?

Q There are terrorist bombings every single day. It's now a daily event. It wasn't like that two years ago.

THE PRESIDENT: What was it like September the 11th, 2001? It was a -- there was a relative calm, we --

Q But it's your response to Iraq that's considered --

THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish. Let me finish, please. Please. You ask the questions and I'll answer them, if you don't mind.

On September the 11th, 2001, we were attacked in an unprovoked fashion. Everybody thought the world was calm. And then there have been bombings since then -- not because of my response to Iraq. There were bombings in Madrid. There were bombings in Istanbul. There were bombings in Bali. There were killings in Pakistan.

Q Indeed, Mr. President, and I think Irish people understand that. But I think there is a feeling that the world has become a more dangerous place because you have taken the focus off al Qaeda and diverted into Iraq. Do you not see that the world is a more dangerous place? I saw four of your soldiers lying dead on the television the other day, a picture of four soldiers just lying there without their flight jackets.

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, nobody cares more about the death than I do --

Q Is there a point or place --

THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish, please. Please. Let me finish, and then you can follow up, if you don't mind.

Nobody cares more about the deaths than I do. I care about it a lot. But I do believe the world is a safer place and becoming a safer place. I know that a free Iraq is going to be a necessary part of changing the world. Listen, people join terrorist organizations because there's no hope and there's no chance to raise their families in a peaceful world where there is not freedom. And so the idea is to promote freedom, and at the same time protect our security. And I do believe the world is becoming a better place, absolutely.

***
Q Do you believe that the hand of God is guiding you in this war on terror?

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I think that God -- that my relationship with God is a very personal relationship. And I turn to the good Lord for strength. And I turn to the good Lord for guidance. I turn to the good Lord for forgiveness.

But the God I know is not one that -- the God I know is one that promotes peace and freedom. But I get great sustenance from my personal relationship. That doesn't make me think I'm a better person than you are, by the way. Because one of the great admonitions in the Good Book is, don't try to take a speck out of your eye if I've got a log in my own.

***
Q Why is it that others don't understand what you're about?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't know. History will judge what I'm about. But I'm the kind of person, I don't really try to chase popular polls, or popularity polls. My job is to do my job and make the decisions that I think are important for our country and for the world. And I argue strongly that the world is better off because of the decisions I have made -- along with others. America is not in this alone. One of our greatest allies of -- in the world is your neighbor, Great Britain. Tony Blair has been a strong advocate for not only battling terrorists, but promoting freedom, for which I am grateful.

Let me say one other thing about America that your viewers must know -- is that not only are we working hard to promote security and peace, we're also working to eradicate famine and disease. There is no more generous country on the face of the earth than the United States of America, when it comes to fighting HIV/AIDS. As a matter of fact, it was my initiative --

Q Indeed, that's understood --

THE PRESIDENT: -- my initiative, that asked Congress to spend $15 billion over five years to battle this pandemic. And we're following through on it. And no other country in the world feeds more of the hungry than the United States. We're a compassionate nation.

***
Q And how do you see the handover going? The next few weeks are going to be crucial. Can democracy really flourish with the violence that's going on? A hundred Iraqis dead today, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: I don't like death, either. I mean, you keep emphasizing the death and I don't blame you -- but all that goes to show is the nature of the enemy. These people are willing to kill innocent people. They're willing to slaughter innocent people to stop the advance of freedom. And so the free world has to make a choice: Do we cower in the face of terror, or do we lead in the face of terror?

And I'm going to lead in the face of terror. We will not let these terrorists dash the hopes and ambitions of the people of Iraq. There's some kind of attitude that says, oh, gosh, the terrorists attacked, let's let the Iraqis suffer more. We're not going to let them suffer more. We're going to work with them. And I'm most proud of this fellow, Prime Minister Allawi. He's strong and he's tough. He says to me, Mr. President, don't leave our country, help us secure our country so we can be free.



June 26, 2004, Remarks by President George Bush, Prime Minister of Ireland Bertie Ahern, and President of the European Commission Romano Prodi in Press Availability, Dromoland Castle, Shannon, Ireland
***
"He recruits suiciders, orders suiciders, and has them attack on a regular basis."



June 27, 2004, Remarks by President Bush in a Photo Opportunity with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Prime Minister's Residence, Ankara, Turkey
***
"Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. You're right, this is my first trip to your beautiful country as President. It also happens to be my first trip to your beautiful country ever."



June 29, 2004,Remarks by the President at Galatasary University, Istanbul, Turkey
***
Thank you all very much. Distinguished guests, Many Americans trace their heritage to Turkey, and Turks have contributed greatly to our national life -- including, most recently, a lot of baskets for the Detroit Pistons from Mehmet Okur.

***
"Whatever our culture differences may be, there should be respect and peace in the House of Abraham."



June 29, 2004, President Bush Discusses Democracy, Freedom From Turkey
***
"In my own country it took generations to throw off slavery, racial segregation, and other practices that violated our ideals. So we do not expect or demand that other societies be transformed in a day."



July 8, 2004, President Discusses American Dream, Remarks by the President Via Satellite to the League of United Latin American Citizens Annual Convention
***
"See, we share the same goal: We will keep working to make this nation a welcoming place for Hispanic people, a land of opportunity para todos who live here in America."
***
"My judgment is too many children in America have been just shuffled through the system without learning essential schools. It's easy to quit on a boy or girl from an immigrant family. We've got to end that practice of social promotion."



July 9, 2004, Remarks by the President at York, Pennsylvania Rally, York Fair and Expo Center, York, Pennsylvania
***
"What a fine job Congressman Todd Platts is doing for the people of this area. (Applause.) Where's your mother? There's mom, right there. She made me some fudge. (Laughter.) I'm going to run all day -- well, I'm going to bike all day tomorrow. (Laughter.) Thanks for the fudge, I actually had some."

***
"I love the Oak Ridge Boys. (Applause.) Every time I see them, they say, we're your friend, you can count on us."



July 9, 2004, Remarks by the President in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lapp Electrical Service, Inc., Smoketown, Pennsylvania
***
"One of the great statistics in America is the fact that more people -- the homeownership rate in the country is the highest ever. And that includes amongst minority citizens."

***
"I mean, I love the idea -- think about people from all walks of life being able to say, welcome to my home. This is my piece of property. I own this."

***
"And they're going to buy new mezzanines, budget trucks and service vans. That's called investment. In other words, they set aside $80,000, and they're going to do something with the $80,000. Now, the way the economy works is that as they make a purchase with the $80,000, somebody has to manufacture, or fix up, or take care of the product they're buying -- in this case, a mezzanine, or a bucket truck, or a service van."

***
"Here's what Greg said about tax relief: 'It helped us pull out of the lull quicker than we would have.' That's positive, isn't it? In other words, they were in a lull. It's called recession. Actually, in his case it was like neutral."



July 9, 2004, Remarks by the President at Ask President Bush Event, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
***
"This is a different kind of war. I remember, right after September the 11th, saying to the American people that this is a different kind of war. This is something that's just beyond our -- the way we have thought before about how war goes."



July 9, 2004, President Bush Discusses Senate Intelligence Committee Report
***
"We knew he [Hussein] was paying families of suiciders."



July 12, 2004, Remarks by the President on the War on Terror, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
***
"These materials are the sobering evidence of a great danger. Certain regimes, often with ties to terrorist groups, seek the ultimate weapons as a shortcut to influence."



July 13, 2004, Remarks by the President at Marquette, Michigan Rally, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan
***
"I want to be the President who says, the corn crop is up and we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)"

***
"The other day my opponent said, when he was with some entertainers from Hollywood, that they were the heart and soul of America."

AUDIENCE: Booo!



July 14, 2004, Remarks by the President in "ask President Bush" Event, Mid-States Aluminum Corporation, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
***
"You've heard about the threats. They're real. These people are -- these people are still -- lurk. And we got to be correct a hundred percent of the time in America, they got to be right once."

***
"We can reduce the deficit in half and still fund the war on terror and protect the homeland. We just can't meet every single political promise that people feel comfortable throwing out."

***
"Now, we've used things like roving wiretaps on drug dealers before. Roving wiretaps mean you change your cell phone."

***
"You're not going to believe this -- at least I didn't believe it -- that the FBI, the branch involved with intelligence -- in other words, who might be coming into the country, who might be -- who somebody suspects might do us harm -- could not discuss a case with the law enforcement division of the FBI."

***
"There were skeptics who said, well, the Japanese, they'll never be able to self-govern. After all, they're not Anglo-Saxon, or they're not Methodists, or I don't know."

***
"As a matter of fact, it is a grand vision to think about a President saying -- reading the corn harvest and saying, oh, they're up, and now we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

***
"But, no, I can't think of anything better for the future than to say, gosh, the corn crop is up, and now we have to buy less foreign sources of energy. But in the meantime, we're hooked."

***
"It's in the employee's interest that they make wise decisions. In other words, you don't want to purchase too much health care. In other words if you go to the doctor here, doctor there, doctor -- into the office -- so you start asking questions, do I really need this?"

***
"But, no, I don't see how you can get compulsory voting because I'm not sure what the consequences."

"I do know that the organization [Al Queda] is -- got the ability to kind of exist without his [Bin Laden's] physical presence. In other words, there's command -- there's commanders that are able to rise up event though we may capture a previous commander."

***
"This guy, Zarqawi, operating out of Iraq, we call him an affiliate of al Qaeda. We're not sure he has sworn allegiance to al Qaeda, but he gets instructions from al Qaeda. They deal with al Qaeda. We've intercepted an email, as you might remember, of Zarqawi to al Qaeda-types in remote parts of Pakistan -- I think it's where the email came from."

***
"I mean, in order -- this is a -- I remember after September the 11th, this is a different kind of war. I remember specifically telling the country that. Sometimes, you'll see action, sometimes you won't see action. It's a different kind of a contest. It requires good intelligence."

***
"Look, I want great intelligence."

 

July 14, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Travel Pool, Leon's Frozen Custard, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
***
Q First a candy store and now ice cream, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm loading up, carbo-loading for the weekend. (Laughter.)



July 14, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Press Pool, Mitch's Candy, West Bend, Wisconsin
***
Q I thought you gave up on the sweets, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm confronted with excellent sweets.

 

July 20, 2004, Remarks by the President at St. Charles, Missouri Rally, Family Arena, St. Charles, Missouri
***
"In this big, sweet country of ours, there's no such thing as perfect security"

 

***
THE AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I believe the heart and soul of America is found in places like St. Charles, Missouri. (Applause.)

 

July 20, 2004, Remarks by the President in 'Ask the President' Event, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
***
"We've got a little different format today. It's an opportunity for me to interface with some of your citizens about why I've done some of the policies that I've done, give them a chance to explain to you how these policies might have helped."

 

***
"Listen, there's a place you can go on the web page -- I mean on the Internet called georgewbush.com. And you need to get on there if you want to figure out how to help. So you can get on there and you can register to vote, or you can figure out ways to help people register to vote, or you can sign up to work in your neighborhood."

 

***
"We used to think we could hope for the best until September the 11th changed it all. And now we must deal with it."

 

***
"And he deceived the inspectors. These are the people who have been over there studying what went on, made it clear -- I saw that happening. And then -- at least we thought it was happening, it's been verified that it was happening."

 

***
"For a while, we were marching to war; now we're marching to peace."

 

***
"First of all, coming to the Oval Office is a -- it's a pretty powerful experience, American or Iraqi. (Laughter.) It's the kind of place where people stand outside the door and they say, I can't wait to get in there and tell him what for. (Laughter.) And they walk in, and they get overwhelmed by the Oval Office, and say, man, you 're looking pretty, Mr. President. (Laughter.)"

 

***
"Driving in this -- through this part of the world -- which I have done before, I might add, quite a few times -- I'm better for it -- (laughter) -- it just reminded me once again, wouldn't it be wonderful for somebody to walk up and say, Mr. President, the corn crop is up and we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. (Applause.)"

 

***
"You can't have a healthy economy if everybody is getting sued."

 

***
"In the past, they -- we can't have an interface with government and faith."

 

***
"You see, if you can't raise enough by taxing the rich, guess who gets to pay next? Yes, the not-rich. (Laughter.) That's all of us."

 

***
"History will judge -- let me tell you something interesting about Iraq and history. I read a lot of history. I love history, and I'm reading about -- I'm getting clips from the post-World War II period."

 

***
"Barney -- Barney is a near four-year-old Scottish terrier. Gosh, I'm glad you asked. (Laughter.) He's a fabulous little guy."

 

July 21, 2004, Remarks by the President at the 2004 President's Dinner, The Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
***
"My opponent has been spending some time with his base, as well -- at a recent gala with his Hollywood friends. (Laughter.) Evidently, things got a little out of hand. My name came up a few times. (Laughter.) And now the Senator refuses to release a tape of that whole enchanted evening. (Laughter.) Could be that his friends, whom he said conveyed the "heart and soul of America," actually embarrassed themselves and the candidate. (Applause.) I have a different theory. You see, the tape shows a meeting of all those unnamed foreign leaders that the Senator says have endorsed him. (Applause.)"

 

***
"Some people say that Senator Edwards was chosen in part because of his boyish good looks. After all, People Magazine once named John Edwards the "sexiest politician." One of my administration's great goals for a new term is to get Dick Cheney on that list. (Laughter and applause.)"

 

July 21, 2004, Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase of Romania in Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
***
"Again, I haven't seen the [9/11 Commissiion] report. I hope they talk about more human intelligence, because human intelligence is one of the most effective ways for us to gather intelligence in the first place."

 

***
"Let me say one other thing about the 9/11."

 

July 21, 2004,President Bush Signs Project Bioshield Act of 2004, Remarks by the President at the Signing of S.15 - Project Bioshield Act of 2004, The Rose Garden"
***
"Not long ago, few of these men and women could have imagined duties like monitoring the air for anthrax, or delivering antibiotics on a massive scale."

 

July 22, 2004, President Bush Discusses Progress in Homeland Security in Illinois, Remarks by the President on Homeland Security, Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy, Glenview, Illinois
***
"The events of September the 11th, 2001, demonstrated the threats of a new era. We found that oceans which separated us from other continents no longer separate us from danger."

 

July 30, 2004, Remarks by the President in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
***
"This is going to be a great campaign; I'm looking forward to it. And there is going to be big differences."

 

***
"And there seems to be a difference over the heart and soul of America. My opponents think you can find it in Hollywood. I think you find it right here in Grand Rapids, Michigan."(Applause.)

 

July 30, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Athletes of the International Children's Games and Cultural Festival, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
***
"I know you join me in thanking all the volunteers from the city of Cleveland who have worked hard to make sure your stay here is a good stay. I suggest you go to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. (Applause.) Oh, yes, that's where you need to spend some time."

 

***
"Like, there's all kinds of cultures here, and different languages are spoken, but I think you'll find you share a lot of things in common."

 

***
"I think you'll find you're all God's children. There's so much in common."

 

July 31, 2004, Remarks by the President in Canton, Ohio, Canton Memorial Civic Center, Canton, Ohio
***
"I particularly thank those who are sitting behind me -- you've probably got the best view in the house. (Applause.)"

 

***
THE PRESIDENT: You hear big differences on taxes, on how to win the war on terror. There seems to be a difference over the heart and soul of America. My opponents think you define the heart and soul of America in Hollywood.

 

THE AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: The true heart and soul of America is found right here in Canton, Ohio. (Applause.)

 

***
"He said he's only going to raise the tax on the so-called rich. But you know how the rich is, they've got accountants."

 

July 31, 2004, Remarks by the President in Cambridge, Ohio, Cambridge City Park, Don Coss Field, Cambridge, Ohio
***
THE PRESIDENT: There seems to be a difference of opinion about the heart and soul. I'm running against a fellow who thinks you can find the heart and soul in Hollywood.

 

THE AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: No, I know where you find the heart and soul of America, right here in places like Cambridge, Ohio. (Applause.)

 

July 31, 2004, Remarks by the President in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
***
THE PRESIDENT: The United Nations looked at the intelligence and demanded a full accounting --

 

THE AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: -- of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs.

 

August 2, 2004, Remarks by the President on Intelligence Reform, The Rose Garden
***
"We are a nation in danger."

 

***
THE PRESIDENT: I'll answer a couple of questions today. Scott, have you got one?

 

Q Yes, Mr. President. First, I'd like to ask you what the level of urgency is here on those actions that require congressional approval. They're out on recess until Labor Day. Can you envision calling them back into special session? And, also, you've got a terror warning, as you said, in three cities. How do you react, without tipping the bad guys off and without turning the country into a fortress?

 

THE PRESIDENT: Well, the first question is -- the Congress has been thinking about some of these ideas. They can think about them over August and come back and act on them in September. We look forward to working with them. Not only the creation of the National Intelligence Director, how to do it the right way, but also the 9/11 Commission had some very constructive suggestions for congressional reform. I think Tom told me one time he -- how many different committees have you testified in front of?

 

SECRETARY RIDGE: Well, 140 times our leadership was up there last year.

 

THE PRESIDENT: He testified 140 different times.

 

SECRETARY RIDGE: Leadership.

 

THE PRESIDENT: And --

 

SECRETARY RIDGE: The leadership -- under secretaries --

 

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I mean, it's a lot of -- he's got a lot of jurisdictions up there, and so he goes committee, subcommittee, this committee, that committee. I mean, it seems like it's one thing to testify, and there to be oversight, it's another thing to make sure that the people who are engaged in protecting America don't spend all their time testifying. And so there's going to be some important reforms. We look forward to working with Congress on the reforms.

 

***
"We will stay -- the best way to protect the American homeland is to stay on the offense. It is a ridiculous notion to assert that because the United States is on the offense, more people want to hurt us. We are on the offense because people do want to hurt us."

 

***
"I will hire the person [National Intelligence Director], and I can fire the person, which is -- any President would like. That's how you have accountability in government."

 

***
"First of all, we all thought we would find stockpiles of weapons. We may still find weapons. We haven't found them yet."

 

August 3, 2004, President Discusses Compassionate Conservative Agenda in Dallas, Hyatt Regency Dallas, Texas
***
"The Knights were born in New Haven, Connecticut. Come to think of it, so was I." (Laughter and applause.)"

 

***
"You know, one of the great statistics of this modern era is the fact that more people are owning their own home."

 

***
"See, we got fellow citizens who are trapped in the misery of drugs and gang violence and the collapse of the family."

 

***
"Listen, we'll do all we can to bust the thugs, interdict the drugs coming in from foreign -- overseas."

 

***
"In December 2002, I issued an executive order -- I was hoping, frankly, that Congress would pass a law. I got tired of waiting. (Laughter.) I got tired of the process debate. See, I'm focused on results. I want there to be positive results. I want lives to be saved, as best as possible. The process bogged down. For those of you who pay attention to Washington, you know what I'm talking about when I say the process bogs down."

 

***
"I'll tell you another program that's important is to help the addict, is to help the person so stuck on drugs that they can't realize the great human potential that God has given them, and they need desperate help."

 

***
"The Almighty God is good at changing hearts -- (applause) -- which happens to be the cornerstone of effective faith-based programs."

 

***
"Let's be frank about it. Many faith-based programs don't want to interface with government. You know why? They're afraid of losing the ability to practice their faith. How can you be a faith-based program if you're not allowed to practice your faith?"

 

***
"The Knights of Columbus are transferring lives with works of compassion, and, just as importantly, you're defending the values of faith and family that bind us as a nation. I appreciate your fight to protect children from obscenity. I appreciate your working to protect the Pledge of Allegiance, to keep us "one nation under God." (Applause.) I want to thank you -- I want to thank you for the defense of the traditional family. That is a most fundamental institution for our society. I appreciate the fact you're promoting the culture of life. (Applause.)"

 

***
"I support a constitutional amendment to protect the sanctity of marriage by ensuring it is always recognized as the union of a man and woman as husband and wife. (Applause.)"

 

August 4, 2004, Remarks by the President, Leclaire Park and Bandshell, Davenport, Iowa
***
THE PRESIDENT: We have a little difference of opinion about the heart and soul -- some of them think you can find it in Hollywood.

 

THE AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I think you find it right here in Davenport, Iowa. (Applause.)

 

August 4, 2004, Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney Rally, Southern Minnesota Construction Company Quarry, Mankato, Minnesota
***
"It's what I call the heart and soul of the country. (Applause.) The other folks believe the heart and soul can be found in Hollywood. I think it's found right here in southern Minnesota. (Applause.)"

 

August 5, 2004, President Signs Defense Bill, Remarks by the President at the Signing of H.R. 4613, the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005, Room 350, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we. We must never stop thinking about how best to defend our country when we all must always be forward-thinking."

 

August 5, 2004, Remarks by the President in "ask President Bush" Event, Aladdin Shrine Center, Columbus, Ohio
***
"Let me share with you some of the lessons that I remember. One, we're facing an enemy which has no heart, no compassion. And that puts them at an advantage, in a way, because we're a country of heart and compassion."

 

***
"They're willing to try to have their way by wanton destruction of innocent life. That stands the opposite of what America stands for, isn't' it?"

 

***
"I want to thank my friend, Bernie Kosar. (Applause.) I reminded him that the Dallas Cowboys are going to be starting a 40-year-old quarterback this year."

 

***
"This is a different kind of war. Sometimes you'll see action, sometimes you won't. We're chasing people down in caves in the dark recesses of the world."

 

***
"No, this world is getting better off."

 

***
"He is a -- Saddam was a fellow who paid the families of suicide bombers. That's one of the -- suiciding to kill innocent people as an act of terror."

 

***
"The world is changing. This is an historic times."

 

***
"My hope is that we never have to live another day like we did on September the 11th." (Applause.)

 

***
"Walking in that Oval Office, by the way, is a pretty interesting experience -- the kind of place people say outside and say, when I get in I'm going to tell him what-for. And they walk in, they get overwhelmed by the Oval Office, say, many, you're looking good, Mr. President." (Laughter.)

 

***
"So I'm having Kobe beef one night with Prime Minister Koizumi. He's the Prime Minister of Japan and a good friend of mine. We're talking about how to keep the peace. We're talking about how to deal with Mr. Kim Jong-il of North Korea -- people are starving, by the way, and who wants to try to blackmail the free world with a nuclear weapon."

 

***
"There's nothing better than a story when somebody says, we own our first home."

 

***
"It's interesting, isn't it, a foreign company investing in the United States. That's positive. (Applause.) I can see why they did. We've got great people here in America. They need to keep coming with their money."

 

***
"Okay, tell us about -- this is an interesting story. I hope people out there are listening to Jerry's story. Go ahead. I feel like a talk show host." (Laughter.)

 

***
"There are -- the truth of the matter is, a few consume most of the drugs, relatively few. The addicts are really the big drugs users. I don't know all the statistics off the top of my head. I'm going to guess, maybe 15 percent of the drug users consume by far the vast majority of the drugs. They're hooked. They can't get off."

 

***
Q Mr. President, I don't have a question, I have three thank yous.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

 

Q One, thank you for your availability to serve.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir.

 

Q Two, your candle is burning brightly.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

 

Q And three, thanks for accepting the call and answering the call to work for what's right in the country and in the world.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir. God bless. Thank you. Thanks, a lot. (Applause.) I'll tell you what, a guy just gave me the hook. I'm off to Saginaw, Michigan. I want to conclude by telling you this, it is an honor to be the President of such a great nation.

 

August 5, 2004, Remarks by the President at Saginaw, Michigan Rally, Wendler Arena, Saginaw, Michigan
***
"See, my opponents believe you can find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood. I think you can find it right here in Saginaw, Michigan. (Applause.)"

 

AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!

 

August 6, 2004, President's Remarks to the Unity Journalists of Color Convention, Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
***
"I appreciate the chance to -- I deal with my press corps on a regular basis. It's a beneficial -- it's a mutual beneficial society. See, I need them to get the message out, and they need me to be a messenger."

 

***
"We actually misnamed the war on terror, it ought to be the struggle against ideological extremists who do not believe in free societies who happen to use terror as a weapon to try to shake the conscience of the free world." (Laughter.)

 

August 9, 2004, Remarks by the President in "ask President Bush" Event,
Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia
***
"We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. First of all, the enemy that we face is cruel. Unlike Americans, they don't have a conscience."

 

***
"In this world of threats to our homeland, in this world where there are folks who cannot stand our country and our way of life, we must deal with threats. It used to be we didn't have to. Now you just can't hope they go away. They must be dealt with -- hopefully, diplomatically; hopefully, we can cure things, problems peacefully."

 

***
"The fellows [7 Iraqi men who had their hands cut off by Hussein] walked in, were just overwhelmed by the majesty of a shrine to democracy. And it was -- imagine, seeing the President of the United States."

 

***
"We want more people owning things in this country. (Applause.) Let me put it to you bluntly: In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life."

 

***
" She's an entrepreneur. Isn't that a lovely word? You know, entrepreneur -- we want entrepreneurs."

 

***
"First of all, what government cannot do is encourage Sharon to start her own business. (Laughter.) We can't tell her to. I beg your pardon, we can encourage her to by good policy. We can't tell her to. See, you can't make her be an entrepreneur."

 

***
"You know, when a home owner starts talking about his own home -- in this case he starts talking about, my value has gone up -- (laughter) -- that means his worth."

 

***
THE PRESIDENT: You've probably got some ideas about how to remodel the
home, don't you? (Applause.)

 

MR. BRAULT: Big time, absolutely.

 

THE PRESIDENT: That's a word we use in this administration a lot, "big
time." (Laughter and applause.)

 

***
"Secondly, the tactics of our -- as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's -- ever since the late '70s, we have no contacts with them, and we've totally sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions -- you can't -- we're out of sanctions."

 

***
"I tell this story a lot; I'll share it with you, about my friend, Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. And we were having Kobe beef one day and -- it's quite good, I might add, and -- (laughter.)"

 

***
"Let me talk about rural life real quick. One of the things -- are there any farmers here? Yes, there you go. The farm economy is strong. You know why? One, good policy -- good tax policy. And, secondly -- and, thirdly, because we're opening up markets."

 

August 9, 2004, President Bush Meets with Prime Minister Belka of Poland, The Oval Office
***
"We've just had a very good visit, but that's what you would expect from two friends who are talking about important issues."

 

Remarks by the President at Pensacola, Florida Rally, Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida
***
"I appreciate Ricky Skaggs. I'm honored Ricky took time to come over and sing for you all." (Applause.)

 

August 11, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Eclipse Aviation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
***
"These are people that will hide in caves and they will seek safe haven. Their ideal situation is where they can find a weak government that fears them or likes them and lets them hide and lets them burrow in the -- in their countryside or in their cities."

 

***
"It's a different kind of war. We cannot hope for the best anymore. In the old days, we could, because we thought oceans would protect us."

 

***
"And you know what? You know, the great thing about this country? I'll tell you the great thing about the country -- there's a lot of people praying for him. Yes. I appreciate you wearing -- "USMC mom." That's great. He's going to be just fine, by the way."

 

***
"That's a -- what a compassionate government, when you think about it. You know, there's other governments that might let their troops kind of languish around, you know, maybe get them out of the tent somewhere, sometime. Not America. Not America."

 

August 12, 2004, Remarks by the President to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, International Training Facility, Las Vegas, Nevada
***
"I told you, one of the things I'm working on is to make the country a better country."

 

***
"Can you read, can you write, can you add and subtract? Seems like legitimate questions to ask." (Applause.)

 

***
"Their hearts are so filled with hatred, they're willing to take innocent life (snaps fingers) like that."

 

***
"It's a change, obviously, of doctrine because prior to 9/11, we used to think, well, gosh, if we saw a threat, we're safe anyway."

 

***
"The Oval Office is a powerful place. It's -- you know, people walk in and just get overwhelmed by the majesty of this shrine to democracy. I do, on a daily basis."

 

August 13, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at "ask President Bush with Small Business Owners" Event, Southridge High School, Beaverton, Oregon
***
"And so, today, Chris Dudley has joined us. You might remember him because of his exploits on the basketball court."

 

***
"This is the kind of war where these people will hide in dark corners of the world, or find a cave and plot and plan."

 

***
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, ma'am. I like the cowboy boots, strong look.

 

Q I thought you might like that.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, yes, it's strong.

 

***
Q Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. President, for visiting Oregon. I've heard through the grapevine that Oregon is one of the most unchurched states in the union, and I really feel like it shows up in every walk of our society. Could you take a moment to pray for Oregon, for us, right now?

 

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. I'd -- look, I think this. I think the thing about our country that you must understand is that one of the most valuable aspects of America is that people can choose church or not church, and they're equally American. That is a vital part of our society. (Applause.)

 

August 14, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at Sioux City, Iowa Rally, Tyson Events Center, Sioux City, Iowa
***
"Someday my hope is that somebody walks into the Oval Office and plops a report right in front of the President and says, the corn crop is up and we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy." (Applause.)

 

***
"Government [sic] happens when a loving neighbor puts their arm around somebody who hurts and says, I love you, and can I help you."

 

August 16, 2004, Remarks by the President at Traverse City, Michigan Rally, Grand Traverse County Civic Center, Traverse City, Michigan
***
"You got some big differences in this campaign. One of them is that my opponent thinks you can find the heart and soul in Hollywood; I think you find it right here in Traverse City, Michigan." (Applause.)

 

***
"I appreciate Trick Pony, the band, that was playing here. I'm glad they're here. (Applause.) It's good of them to come."

 

August 17, 2004, President's Remarks at Hedgesville, West Virginia Rally, Hedgesville High School, Hedgesville, West Virginia
***
"It's such an honor to be back in what they call the Mountain State. What a beautiful place. (Applause.) I really -- some of them think you can find the heart and soul in Hollywood. I think you find it right here."

 

***
"We need more conservation, more renewable."

 

August 18, 2004, President's Remarks at Ask President Bush Event, Lakefront Park, Hudson, Wisconsin
***
"And the faith-based programs are those programs that are able to help a person change their heart, to get them less hooked on drugs or alcohol. And so there's a -- part of my vision is for a better country."

 

***
"Yes, see, what's happening is, is that, you know, it's an interesting world we're in -- people are changing jobs, and that's a little unsettling. But if you're able to upgrade your skills or be good at what you do, a lot of times when people changes jobs, they can make more money."

 

***
"This is really -- the war on terror is an interesting way to describe the world in which we live. It's really a battle and a struggle against ideological extremists who have hijacked a great religion and used terror as a weapon to intimidate people of good heart and good soul and good conscience. I clearly see the task at hand."

 

***
"That's what happened on September the 11th -- we no long have that luxury of thinking our security is afforded by protection from oceans."

 

***
"And when we find a threat it's important to be able to pick up the phone and call a friend, like Great Britain, and say, pick this person up, please, because -- and here's the evidence. In other words, there's got to be a collaborative effort. And we are."

 

***
"And my attitude is that I'll sign laws that begin to change people's perception of life, and at the same time, speak out for a culture of life, because I think a culture of -- a society that embraces a culture of life is a much more hospitable, generous and compassionate society. (Applause.) Thank you."

 

***
Q I'm a local youth minister, recently hired. And one of the things -- two of the things we've talked about today are enemies and freedom. And I believe that the enemy that we need the greatest freedom from right now happens to be Satan, and it's the enemy that we also don't necessarily always see. There's so many people who are being attacked on every level. A lot of those people are youth that are in our middle schools and our high schools. And I was just wondering how we can do more for faith-based initiatives for children, before they're drug addicts?

 

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I appreciate you saying that. Look, well, first of all, it's for me to call upon people such as yourself to interface with children early, before it's too late. You answered the question by your actions. But in terms of reducing demand for drug -- you ask a specific issue on drug use, for example. We've got a collaborative effort with faith-based groups, community groups, neighborhood groups all aimed at sending the same message you're sending. And it's a kind of universal effort necessary to say to a child, drugs will destroy you.

 

***
"I put together a committee to make sure that -- look, what I don't want to do is be the President that says we'll allow for importation and, all of a sudden, drugs that are manufactured somewhere else come in over the Internet and it begins to harm our citizens."

 

August 18, 2004, Remarks by the President at St. Paul, Minnesota, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
***
"You know, there's a lot of differences in this campaign. The other day, my opponent said he thought you could find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood. I think you can find it right here in this hall. (Applause.)"

 

***
"I want to thank the Minnesota Teen Challenge Choir for joining us tonight. (Applause.) Thank you all for coming. And I appreciate my friend, Ricky Skaggs, for being here, as well. (Applause.)"

 

August 26, 2004, Remarks by the President at Las Cruces, New Mexico Rally, New Mexico State University, Pan American Center, Las Cruces, New Mexico ***
"This is a part of the world, Rudy [Giuliani], where the boots outnumber the suits. (Applause.) Nice to be in country where the cowboy hats outnumber the ties." (Applause.)

 

***
"I believe it's important to travel this great state and our country talking about where I intend to lead the country."

 

August 26, 2004, Remarks by the President at Farmington, New Mexico Rally Ricketts Park, Farmington, New Mexico
***
THE PRESIDENT: The other day my opponent said he thinks he find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood.

 

AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I think you find it right here in Farmington, New Mexico.

 

August 27, 2004, Remarks by the President and the First Lady at Miami, Florida Rally, Miami Arena, Miami, Florida
***
"We need to make sure that trade around the world is fair. We just want countries to treat us like we treat them, because we can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere when the rules are fair." (Applause.)

 

***
"Last weekend we're continuing to implement our strategy of la verdad, the truth. We took action to continue breaking the dictator's information blockade. We launched the first of what will be regular airborne broadcasts into Cuba."

 

***
"A few years earlier in 2000, he [John Kerry] said the only reason we don't change the embargo is because of the politics of Florida."

 

***
"We have done a lot together. We have done a lot together, and we've done a lot of hard work. We've done a lot of hard work. There's more work to be done."

 

August 28, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Lima Senior High School, Lima, Ohio
***
"Let's encourage research into how to make sure renewable forms of energy are more cost-effective -- that means corn, for example, or soybeans." (Applause.)

 

***
"Can you imagine, someday -- and I believe it's going happen -- someday a President is going to walk in and the ag-type advisor is going to say, hey, Mr. President, the corn crop is up, and now we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. That's what I'm telling you."

 

***
"See, part of government has got to empower people to make more choices, to give people -- stand beside, side-by-side with people, not be so onerous with people that it makes it difficult to realize dreams."

 

***
"I never thought I was going to be a war President when I campaigned in 2000 in Ohio and around the country. You know, it's just something that I never thought about. And then all of a sudden, I became one because of one day."

 

"It's a different kind of war. It's a war that -- it's a war in which the enemy is an enemy that has a dark ideology that is opposite of what we believe in America, is the best way to put it."

 

***
"Religious people don't behead people."

 

***
"Once you figure out the nature of the enemy, and know that they hide in caves and dark resorts (sic) of the city, it requires a universal effort to find them."

 

***
"This is a group of people that didn't even let young girls go to school. They'd take their mothers out in the public square and whip them if they thought they were kind of out of line. They were barbarians as far as I was concerned."

 

***
"We were -- we've lived for a long time before there was an attack on America the likes of which we saw. Pearl Harbor I guess was the last significant attack like that. And we felt, gosh, we're pretty well immune from threats. And sure enough, we aren't."

 

***
"You know, it wasn't all that long ago in the big scheme of things, in the long lineage, in the long time frame of history, that my dad and your dads were fighting the Japanese as a mortal enemy."

 

***
"So I'm in the Oval Office. The Oval Office is the kind of place where people stand outside the door saying, I can't wait to get in and tell him what for. And they walk in, open up, and they go, man, you're looking pretty, Mr. President."

 

***
"He's [Prime Minister Allawi] a guy who one night woke up in London and saw a -- people with an axe try to axe him to death -- and Saddam had sent him. And the axe hit his wife and it really severely affected her."

 

***
AUDIENCE MEMBER: God bless you, Mr. President!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. He has.

 

***
"It's an amazing country that prays for the President, and I am grateful."

 

***
Q Thanks for coming. I was just wondering what your favorite book is, because I'd like to read it.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Book. That's a great question. Well, I -- the Bible. (Applause.) Hold on, hold on. I read the Bible.

 

August 29, 2004, Remarks by the President at Wheeling, West Virginia Rally, Wesbanco Arena, Wheeling, West Virginia
***
THE PRESIDENT: There's a lot of differences in this campaign. You know, one of the most notable differences came up the other day when my opponent said, well, you can find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood.

 

AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I think you find the heart and soul of America right here in Wheeling, West Virginia. (Applause.)

 

***
"They're getting a whiff of liberty in Afghanistan, that sweet smell of freedom." (Applause.)

 

***
"After September the 11th -- after September the 11th, this country must remember the new lessons. And a new lesson is, is that we must take threats seriously before they fully materialize." (Applause.)

 

August 30, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Nashua High School North, Nashua, New Hampshire
***
"September the 11th changed America. I'm running for four more years because I want to make this country a safer place, change your sweet life. (Applause.) That day taught us that oceans no longer protect us from harm's way, that suddenly and unexpectedly, an enemy can strike us, and, therefore, we've got to do a lot to protect the homeland."

 

***
"The terrorist act is important."

 

***
"Now, when the America President -- when the American President speaks, he must do so clearly, and he must mean what he says, in order to make the world a more peaceful place." (Applause.)

 

***
"Step one in determining threats is whether or not they like us or hate us."

 

***
"I spent time with Prime Minister Koizumi. And Laura and I were having Kobe beef with him, there in Tokyo. He's the Prime Minister of a county that my Dad fought against."

 

***
"One of the things I find out where I travel is there's all kinds of support groups, which is so strong and so American, isn't it?"

 

***
"Tyranny -- you know, the fact that people starve in this globe bothers me. Do you know your country has more food for starvation around the world, by far, than any country in the world?"

 

August 31, 2004, Remarks by the President at 2004 Farm Progress Show, Alleman Farm, Alleman, Iowa
***
"It's good to be here at the Farm Show. You know, some people think you can find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood. I think you find it right here in Iowa."

 

***
"I want to thank Keith Berry, whose pork people are here. Pork grower -- pork raisers. (Laughter.) Pork Producers Council." (Applause.)

 

***
"See, I think, one of these days, with good research, a President is going to be sitting at the desk there in the Oval Office -- somebody is going to walk in and say, guess what, Mr. President, the corn crop is up and we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy." (Applause.)

 

September 2, 2004, President's Remarks at the 2004 Republican National Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
***
"Soon every senior will be able to get prescription drug coverage, and nothing will hold us back." (Applause.)

 

***
"If you say the heart and soul of America is found in Hollywood, I'm afraid you're not the candidate of conservative values." (Applause.)

 

***
"Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called 'walking.'" (Applause.)

 

September 3, 2004, Remarks by the President and the Mrs. Bush at Victory 2004 Rally, Lackawanna County Stadium, Moosic, Pennsylvania
***
"I'm proud of my running mate, Dick Cheney. (Applause.) He doesn't have the longest and prettiest hair in the race. (Laughter.) I didn't pick him for his hair."

 

September 4, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, Ohio
***
"It's a different kind of war. It's a war that -- where we've got to find people who are buried in caves and hiding in cities."

 

***
Q As you look backwards and forwards over your two administrations, what do you see as your most important legacy to the American people?

 

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, thank you. Peace; that after eight years of a presidency, the country is more secure and the world is a more peaceful place.

 

***
"Let me explain it [drilling for oil in the ANWR] to you now so you understand -- that the drilling area would be the size of an airport in Cleveland, Ohio. In other words, it would be on what would be like your airport, and the rest of the entire area here would have no exploration at all. In other words, the pad, the place at which they would place the equipment to drill for much-needed crude oil and natural gas, would be the size of the airport region here inside your entire county. It's a very small part of the world."

 

***
"Nothing better than some President sitting down some day, and they come in with the crop report, and they say, corn is up, we got more bushels than ever before, and therefore, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

 

September 5, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg, West Virginia
***
"Since the terrible morning of September the 11th, we have fought with the terrorists across the Earth -- not for pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens depend on it." (Applause.)

 

***
"You know, I like to tell about my business with Prime Minister Koizumi."

 

September 6, 2004, President's Remarks at a Victory 2004 Rally in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Ray Clinton Park, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
***
"We've got an issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

 

***
"We knew Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and support for terror. Remember, he housed Abu Nidal and his crowd. He's the guy that killed Leon Klinghoffer. Zarqawi and his bunch -- he's the guy that beheads people -- he paid the families of suiciders. He subsidized them."

 

September 7, 2004, Remarks by the President at a Victory 2004 Rally, Boone County Fairgrounds, Columbia, Missouri
***
"It is great to be back in Columbia. It is nice to be here at the Boone County Fairgrounds. I was hoping to get a corny dog. (Laughter.) Thanks for coming."

 

September 7, 2004, Remarks by the President at a Victory 2004 Rally, Boone County Fairgrounds, Columbia, Missouri
***
"The world we're living in is different. Women now work outside the home. They work in the home and outside the home."

 

September 12, 2004, President's Remarks to the Press Pool, Russian Embassy, Washington, D.C.
***
"The atrocities that took place in the school were beyond comprehension. Many in America, and I know many in Russia, simply cannot conceive the hearts of a person that would mow down innocent children."

 

September 13, 2004, Remarks by the President in Victory 2004 Rally, Ottawa County Fairgrounds, Holland, Michigan
***
"Thank you all very much for coming. Nothing like a little Dutch hospitality on the campaign trail." (Applause.)

 

September 13, 2004, Remarks by the President in Victory 2004 Rally, C.o. Brown Stadium, Battle Creek, Michigan
***
"It wasn't all that long ago we discovered mass graves where the tyrant just killed people whimsically."

 

September 13, 2004, President's Remarks in "Focus on Health Care" Event, Muskegon County Airport, Muskegon, Michigan
***
"People say, what do you mean by productivity increases? It means you've gone from a shovel to a -- you know, to a mechanized digger, or from a manual typewriter to a computer, that's what it means, when you come more productive."

 

***
"If the same worker can -- if one worker can double the output of the past, it means the economy has to grow faster in order to make sure people can find work, if they're not working. That's what that means. "

 

***
"And then September the 11th came and it hurt us. I'm going to talk a little bit later on what it meant, in terms of working to secure the homeland. There's some interesting -- not "interesting," really important lessons from that day."

 

***
"It used to be, prior to September the 11th, that if we saw a threat, we could deal with it or not deal with it because we never dreamt it would come home to hurt us if we saw something materializing overseas. Policymakers in the country could say, well, that makes sense to deal with that, or, we can let that one go, because it can't possibly -- it can't possibly hurt us. That's what we thought. And history had taught us that. I can understand why everybody felt that way. But September the 11th changed that equation."

 

September 14, 2004, President's Remarks in Victory 2004 Rally, Coors Amphitheatre, Greenwood Village, Colorado
***
"I'm honored to be introduced by the man who led the drive. (Applause.) Now I'm glad he's helping my drive. (Laughter and applause.) John Elway is a class act. I'm proud to call him 'friend' and I'm proud to call him 'supporter.'" (Applause.)

 

***
"I want to thank my friend, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, for being here. (Applause.) I was a little hot at old Ben when I heard he was retiring, because he's such a fine senator, but I feel a lot better knowing that Pete Coors is going to be the U.S. Senator following him." (Applause.)

 

AUDIENCE: Pete! Pete! Pete!

 

September 16, 2004, President's Remarks at "Focus on Health with President Bush" Event, NSC Sports Hall, Blaine, Minnesota
***
"I think it's important to have a congressman who can call over to the White House and the President answer the phone. I'll answer [Congressman Mark] Kennedy's calls." (Applause.)

 

***
"My hope is that most Americans have a personal electronic health record within the next decade. That's a fancy way of saying that when you have a system where docs who can barely write -- well, they can write, you just can't read it -- handwrite every file, there's inefficiencies in the system."

 

***
"The nationalization of health care would be wrong for the American citizen." (Applause.)

 

***
"Secondly, this is a different kind of war, and it's important to understand that. It's a war in which the enemy will try to find a host nation so they can become an active parasite."

 

***
"Listen, we had some troubles getting from point A to point B when it came to our own democracy. The Articles of Confederation weren't exactly a smooth-running period here in America. But Afghanistan is headed toward presidential elections. It's amazing when you think about it."

 

***
"Prior to September the 11th, when we saw a threat overseas, we could say, well, we'll deal with it if we feel like it, and we may not, because we're fine here in at home, we're safe."

 

***
"It's essential that we have this great faith in the ability of liberty to transform the world. Those are the stakes in which we live."

 

September 16, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud, Minnesota
***
"I want to thank John Stone. I appreciate his country music songs he sings."

 

September 17, 2004, Remarks by the President at Focus on Women's Issues Event, Charlotte Merchandise Mart, Charlotte, North Carolina
***
"I know Teresa Earnhardt is with us today. I'm proud you're here, Teresa. It's good to see you. Thanks for coming. There you are. Appreciate you being here. (Applause.) I was going to the NASCAR race in New Hampshire on Sunday, but I'm going down to help provide as much comfort as I can to the folks whose lives have been turned upside down by the hurricane that hit the coast so hard."

 

***
"One of the interesting things about a changing economy is that our workers are more productive than ever before. That means instead of using a hoe, you use a backhoe. Or instead of using, you know, a regular old standard typewriter, you use a computer. In other words, that's an example of becoming more productive." (Applause.)

 

***
"No longer does al Qaeda have a safe haven. See, these people are like parasites and they try to find a weak host so they can eventually, kind of, become the host."

 

***
"Prior to September the 11th, planners and thinkers in Washington, D.C. could see a threat and say, well, we don't have to worry about it because it could never come and hurt us. That's what we thought. It wasn't that way during the Cold War, admittedly, but we had a plan, mutually assured destruction."

 

September 19, 2004, Statement by the President after greeting First Responders, Orange Beach Fire and Rescue Station 1, Orange Beach, Alabama
***
"The amazing thing about devastation is how there is such compassion in the face of such devastation."

 

September 20, 2004, President's Remarks at Ask President Bush Event in Derry, New Hampshire, The Sportszone, Derry, New Hampshire
***
"Traditional people take your politics seriously. Traditional people expect there to be a reason for running."

 

***
"As the worker becomes more productive, there is a need to make sure you've got pro-growth policies in place. And that's what a productive work force does. But if you're a productive worker, you're going to make more money."

 

***
"And I think the world would be better off if we did leave -- if we didn't -- if we left, the world would be worse."

 

September 21, 2004, Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi of the Interim Government of Iraq in a Photo Opportunity, The Waldorf-Astoria, New York, New York
***
Q Right here, Mr. President, thank you. Why do you think the CIA's assessment of conditions in Iraq are so much at odds with the optimism that you and Prime Minister Allawi are expressing at the moment?

 

PRESIDENT BUSH: The CIA laid out a -- several scenarios that said, life could be lousy, like could be okay, life could be better. And they were just guessing as to what the conditions might be like.

 

September 22, 2004, President's Remarks in "Focus on Education with President Bush" Event, Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
***
"Notice she said, research-based. In other words, what that means is, people have actually looked at what works and have incorporated what works into the textbooks. That's what we want. We want curriculum that actually achieves our objectives. Remember the old reading debates -- there was -- sometimes people had this notion about what might work, and we never knew whether it was or not until we started to measure. That's how you can say, research-based textbooks."

 

***
"Yesterday I met with President Karzai. He's running for election. Could you ever imagine somebody from the Taliban saying, I'm running for election?" (Laughter.)

 

September 23, 2004, President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi Press Conference, The Rose Garden
***
"Mr. Prime Minister, you've accomplished a great deal in less than the three months since the transition to a free Iraq that is governed by Iraqis."
***

 

***
"Talk to the leader. I agree --I'm not the expert on how the Iraqi people think, because I live in America, where it's nice and safe and secure."

 

***
"We're an influential nation, and everybody watches what we say. And I think it's very important for the American President to mean what he says. That's why I understand that the enemy could misread what I say. That's why I try to be as clearly I can."

 

September 23, 2004, Remarks by the President to Army Reservists and Army National Guard Troops World Airlines Plane, Bangor International Airport, Air National Guard Base, Bangor Maine
***
"May God bless you all. May God keep you safe. May God bless America, as well."

 

September 24, 2004, Remarks by the President at "focus on Education" Event Janesville Conference Center, Janesville, Wisconsin
***
"In order to make sure jobs stay right here in this country and people can find work, we need an energy policy that encourages conservation; that renews -- uses renewable sources of energy like corn, through ethanol and biodiesel, as a result of soybeans; that uses technology to use coal in an environmentally friendly way; that allows us to explore for environmentally ways for natural gas by use of technology."

 

***
"One idea of what I'm talking about is this: In North Carolina there was a healthy textile industry for years. The textile industry became uneconomic."

 

***
"Let me tell you some of the lessons I learned as your President, some of the lessons I learned about September the 11th. Lesson one is that we face an enemy that's cold-blooded, and they are haters. They believe in an ideology of hate. They -- they -- they stand for the exact opposite we stand for in America."

 

***
"Second lesson -- this is a different kind of war."

 

***
"See, the way these people think is -- they're parasitical, they want to be a parasite, and they kind of burrow into weak societies in hopes that they can have -- be able to plot and plan. It's the nature of the world we live in."

 

***
"The third lesson is that when we see a threat, we must take it seriously before it fully materializes. You know, prior to September the 11th, we could see a threat overseas and say, well, we could deal with it if we felt like it, or maybe we're not going to deal with it because it can't possibly come to hurt us."

 

***
"Think about that. It's hard for anybody in this country to imagine a group of barbarians that wouldn't let young girls go to school. But that's the way it was. When I'm telling you the ideology of hate, that's what I mean."

 

***
"You know, we weep when we see a person be beheaded on our TV screens, and we weep for his families. That's what we do, because we've got a conscience in America."

 

***
"This country [Iraq] is going to have elections in January. Afghanistan is going to have them in October, and they'll be held in January."

 

***
"You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility."

 

***
"If Saddam Hussein were in power, the world would be better off, not -- the world would be worse off, not better off."

 

October 1, 2004, Remarks by President Bush and Senator Kerry in First 2004 Presidential Debate, Convocation Center, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida ***
"In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard. You know why? Because an enemy realizes the stakes."

 

***
"I work with Director Mueller of the FBI. He comes into my office when I'm in Washington every morning talking about how to protect us. There's a lot of really good people working hard to do so. It's hard work."

 

***
"It's -- and it's hard work. I understand how hard it is. I get the casualty reports every day. I see on the TV screens how hard it is."

 

***
"The plan says we'll train Iraqi soldiers so they can do the hard work -- and we are."

 

***
"We're making progress. It is hard work. It is hard work to go from a
tyranny to a democracy. It's hard work to go from a place where people get
their hands cut off, or executed, to a place where people are free."

 

***
"You know, it's hard work to try to love her as best as I can, knowing full well that the decision I made caused her loved one to be in harm's way."

 

***
"Yes, we're getting the job done. It's hard work. Everybody knows it's hard work because there's a determined enemy that's trying to defeat us."

 

***
"We've done a lot of hard work together over the last three-and-a-half years."

 

September 27, 2004, President's Remarks in "Focus on Education with President Bush" Event, Midwest Livestock and Expo Center, Springfield, Ohio
***
"In a different kind of war, we had to recognize that we're not facing a nation; we're facing a group of people who have adopted an ideology of hatred and love to find places where they can hide."

 

***
"They [The Taliban] have a dark vision about the world. We have a vision based upon light."

 

***
"This guy -- Zarqawi and his crowd, they are so cold-blooded that they have no conscience. Yet, they know we do. And their main tool is their capacity to get on our TV screens with horror that the American people just cannot stomach it and -- because we're civilized and we love and we're compassionate."

 

September 27, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in West Chester, Ohio, Voice of America Park, West Chester, Ohio
***
"I want to thank Darryl Worley. I'm honored you're here, Darryl. I hope you like his music as much as I do." (Applause.)

 

***
"You cannot lead, you cannot lead a coalition, you cannot convince the Iraqi people that we stand with them if, when their Prime Minister and their leader comes to U.S. soil, someone is willing to criticize him." (Applause.)

 

October 2, 2004, President's Remarks to the National Association of Home Builders, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
***
"When you work hard, like you've done, and there are good policies coming out of our nation's capital we're creating a home -- an ownership society in this country, where more Americans than ever will be able to open up their door where they live and say, welcome to my house, welcome to my piece of property." (Applause.)

 

"We'll continue to work for a free society in Iraq. It's hard work there. You know it's hard, and I know it's hard. It's hard for a reason -- because the terrorists fear freedom."

 

October 2, 2004, President's Remarks at a "Focus on Ownership" Event, Renaissance Theater, Mansfield, Ohio
***
"Women were taken into the public square and whipped, or sports stadiums and killed, if they didn't adhere to the strict doctrine of hatefulness. That was the reality and the truth."

 

***
"Somebody said, well, you know, this war of yours is creating more enemy."

 

October 2, 2004, President's Remarks at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Rally, Cuyahoga Falls Civic Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
***
"I've been to a lot of summits -- I've never seen one that brought a terrorist to justice."

 

October 4, 2004, President's Remarks at an Ask President Bush Event in Clive, Iowa, 7 Flags Event Center, Clive, Iowa
***
"Listen, if somebody does something wrong in our country, we've got plenty of justice, and we don't need to be signing up for a federal -- international court."

 

October 6, 2004, President's Remarks in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
***
"Senator Kerry's proposal would put us on the path to 'Clinton-care.'"

 

AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

"It wasn't easy for my opponent to become the single most liberal member of the Senate. You might even say, it was hard work." (Laughter and applause.)

 

***
"He said terrorists are pouring across the Iraqi border, but also said that fighting those terrorists is a diversion from the war on terror. (Laughter.) You hear all that and you can understand why somebody would make a face." (Laughter and applause.)

 

October 6, 2004, Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally, Oakland Community College-Orchard Ridge Campus, Farmington Hills, Michigan
***
"Laura sends her best. (Applause.) She's warming up for the Jay Leno show. He's lucky to have her as a guest, and I'm lucky to have her as a wife."

 

***
"I want to thank my friend, Mark Wills, country/western singer, for being here." (Applause.)

 

***
"My opponent's plan would put us on the path to 'Hillary-care.'"
AUDIENCE: Booo!

 

***
"Listen, it wasn't easy for my opponent to become the single most liberal member of the Senate. You might even say it was hard work." (Laughter.)

 

***
"There was a risk Saddam Hussein would pass weapons or materials or information to terrorists networks. In a world after September the 11th that was a risk we could not afford to take." (Applause.)

 

October 11, 2004, President's Remarks at Coors for Senate Luncheon, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Denver, Colorado
***
"If you think the carnage was bad with airplanes, imagine what it would be with a weapon of mass destruction."

 

***
"Remember the old days of prior to September the 11th -- if we saw a threat, we felt safe, because oceans seemed to protect us. That's all changed. It's essential your President understand that."

 

October 11, 2004, President and General Tommy Franks's Remarks at a Victory 2004 Rally in Morrison, Colorado, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, Morrison, Colorado
***
"I want to thank -- I want to thank my friend Mike Shanahan for being up on stage with me. I appreciate him taking the time. (Applause.) I said, you got any suggestions? He said, yes, stay on the offense. (Applause.) I appreciate Peggy coming. I want to thank all the Bronco players who are here today."

 

October 12, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Paradise Valley, Arizona
***
"I told the girls when they were young, I said, oh, don't worry, we'll go on the famous father-daughter camping trip, come to the Grand Canyon, maybe ride down the Colorado River. And this is the grand camping trip we never took them on, campaigning for President. (Laughter.) But it's a lot of fun to have your family out there."

 

October 12, 2004, President's Remarks at a Victory 2004 Rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs World Arena and Ice Hall, Colorado Springs, Colorado
***
"It's an amazing line of work, isn't it, where you get your daughter to introduce you in front of thousands of people."

 

October 20, 2004, Focus on the Economy with President Bush, Rochester Aviation Hangar, Rochester International Airport, Rochester, Minnesota
***
"You want to make sure that that which comes in from Canada is actually manufactured in Canada. You don't want to be buying something from a third-world country."

 

***
"This is an exciting new era available for medicine."

 

***
"You cannot win a war when you don't believe we're fighting a war."

 

***
"I want to share one other thing with you. I have a firm belief in the power of obstacles to transform societies."

 

October 20, 2004, Focus on Rural America with President Bush, J&d Manufacturing, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
***
"I mean, can you imagine some day a President sitting in the Oval Office, they come in and say, on crops, we got a great corn crop, and the first reaction is, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

 

***
"I understand the world in which we live." (Applause.)

 

***
"It's kind of the classic case of the host and the parasite -- the al Qaeda was the parasite and the host was becoming weaker and weaker and -- in the sense that al Qaeda has the free will, doing what they wanted to do inside the country."

 

***
"Because we acted in our self-interest, the poor people living in that country have been liberated from the clutches."

 

***
"You know, we used to think oceans could protect us. We'd see a threat overseas and if we didn't deal with it, it could be okay because it wouldn't come home to hurt us."

 

October 20, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in Mason City, Iowa, North Iowa Fairgrounds, Mason City, Iowa
***
"It is great to be in Mason City, Iowa. (Applause.) I appreciate the warm welcome. It's the home of fine corn, fine people, and fine music." (Applause.)

 

***
"When I came into public office too many republic [sic] schools were passing children, grade to grade, year after year, without learning the basics."

 

October 21, 2004, President's Remarks at Victory 2004 Rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Pennsylvania
***
"There's nothing better than campaigning for a President with a daughter you love." (Applause.)

 

October 22, 2004 Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally, Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
***
"I will continue to reach out to Americans of every belief, and move this good-hearted nation toward a culture of life." (Applause.)

 

***
"My opponent -- my opponent has said that you can find the heart and soul of America in Hollywood. (Laughter.) Most of us don't look to Hollywood as the source of values. (Applause.) The heart and soul of America is found right here in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania." (Applause.)

 

October 23, 2004, President's Remarks in Ft. Myers, Florida, City of Palms Park
***
"I thank my friend, Daron Norwood, for singing to help entertain you before the -- before we made it here." (Applause.)

 

1st verse and chorus from Daron Norwood's "In God We Trust":
Take his prayers from the schoolhouse
His name off the dollar bill
Take his name out of the pledge
Cause you don't think he's real
You got every right to be wrong
But give me my rights too
Be yourself, but leave well enough alone
And I'll be myself, living in my Christian home

 

Chorus:
If there's no Jesus
Tell me who died for us?
If there's no Father
Why do I feel His love?
If there's no Heaven
Tell me where do Mamas go?
It's more than just a name we choose to love
It's in God we trust

 

***
"All our progresses on every issue depends on the safety of our citizens."

 

***
"Most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values.
The heart and soul of America is found right here in Fort Myers, Florida."
(Applause.)

 

October 23, 2004, President's Remarks in Lakeland, Florida, Ty Cobb Field
***
"I want to thank Trini Triggs for performing for you all."

 

from Trini Triggs website bio: "Besides music, the other great obsession in Trini's life is his love of working out."

 

***
"I understand most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values. (Applause.) The heart and soul of America is found in communities like Lakeland, Florida." (Applause.)

 

October 23, 2004, Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally Space Coast Stadium, Melbourne, Florida
***
"Most American families don't look to Hollywood as the source for values. The heart and soul of America is found in communities like Melbourne, Florida." (Applause.)

 

October 23, 2004, Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally, Alltel Stadium
***
"I want to thank Bill Civerny (phonetic) and Aaron Tippin for providing such wonderful entertainment here for this great crowd." (Applause.)

 

Lyrics from "Big Boy Toys" by Aaron Tippin:
Big boy toys, motors and lights
Knobs and switches and a four-wheel-drive
Running up the road or crawling across the farm
And when they break down, I jack them up in the yard
Pull out my tools, my pride and joy
Man, you gotta love them big boy toys

Now, sometimes baby just can't understand
The mud on my boots and the grease on my hands
I try to explain how it makes me feel
The awesome power of my hands on the wheel
If i can't find the words to set things right
I just scoot over and I let my baby drive-- she likes

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
Yeah, it's boats and cars, tractors and trucks
Gasoline and diesel fuel a running through my blood - I like them

Repeat Chorus

***
"Most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values. I believe the heart and soul of America is found in communities like Jacksonville, Florida." (Applause.)

 

October 24, 2004, President's Remarks in New Mexico, Alamogordo High School, Alamogordo, New Mexico
***
"No, most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values. The heart and soul of America is found in places like Alamogordo, New Mexico." (Applause.)

 

October 25, 2004, President's Remarks in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa
***
"In the last four years we've been through a lot of history. We saw a ruthless, sneak attack on the United States. We learned of heroism on doomed airplanes. We saw the bravery of rescuers rushing toward danger." (Applause.)

 

***
"After September the 11th, we set a new direction for American policy and endorsed a doctrine that is clear to all: If you support or harbor terrorists, you're equally guilty of terrorist murder." (Applause.)

 

***
"Ever since September the 11th, 2001, America has sounded a certain trumpet. We have stated clearly the challenge to civilization, and we have rallied many nations to oppose it."

 

October 25, 2004, Remarks by the President at Victory 2004 Rally, The Rivercenter, Davenport, Iowa
***
"Most American families do not look to Hollywood for a source of values. (Laughter.) The heart and soul of America is found in caring and loving communities like Davenport, Iowa." (Applause.)

 

October 26, 2004, Remarks by the President in "focus on the Economy with President Bush", Richland Center High School, Richland Center, Wisconsin
***
"The more you're able to have -- the more you're involved with your health care decisions, the more likely it is there's a cost discipline in the marketplace."

 

***
"Prior to September the 11th, if we saw a threat, we could deal with it, or not deal with it, because we felt secure. We felt oceans could protect us."

 

November 4, 2004, Press Conference of the President, Room 450, Eisenhower Building
***
"We are fighting a continuing war on terror, and every American has a stake in the outcome of this war."

 

***
"Every civilized country also has a stake in the outcome of this war."

 

***
"Our government also needs the very best intelligence, especially in a time of war."

 

***
"You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That's what happened in the -- after the 2000 election, I earned some capital."

 

November 12, 2004, President and Prime Minister Blair Discuss Iraq, Middle East, The East Room
***
"I hate to put artificial time frames on things; unfortunately I've got one on my existence as President. It's not artificial, it's actually real."

 

November 13, 2004, Statement by Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Director of the, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at George Washington University Hospital
***
The Vice President has departed George Washington University Hospital and has returned to his residence. The Vice President, complaining of a productive cough and shortness of breath, was evaluated at George Washington Medical Center today. Tests ruled out any cardiac cause of the Vice President's symptoms. Tests also ruled out pneumonia and other pulmonary causes. The Vice President likely has a viral, upper respiratory infection.

 

November 17, 2004, President Pardons "Biscuits and Gravy" in Annual Turkey Ceremony, The Rose Garden
***
"It came down to a few battleground states. (Laughter.) It was a tough contest, and it turned out some 527 organizations got involved -- (laughter) -- including Barnyard Animals for Truth. (Laughter.) There was a scurrilous film that came out, "Fahrenheit 375 Degrees at 10 Minutes Per Pound." (Laughter.) Now, it's a time for healing."

 

***
"We are a nation founded by men and women who deeply felt their dependence on God and always gave Him thanks and praise."

 

 

November 26, 2004, President's Remarks to the Press Pool, Coffee Station, Crawford, Texas
***
"Listen, I've got to go eat a burger. Thank you all."

 

 

November 30, 2004, President and Prime Minister Martin Discuss Common Goals, Lester B. Pearson Building, Ottawa, Canada
***
"I'll consult with our friends and neighbors, but if I think it's right to remove Saddam Hussein for the security of the United States, that's the course of action I'll take. And some people don't like that; I understand that. But that's a good thing about a democracy, people can express themselves freely."

 

December 1, 2004, President Discusses Strong Relationship with Canada Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
***
"Paul and I share a great vision for the future, two prosperous, independent nations joined together by the return of NHL hockey." (Laughter and applause.)

 

***
"I proudly ate some Alberta beef last night and -- (laughter) -- I'm still standing." (Laughter and applause.)

 

December 4, 2004, President Bush and President Musharraf Discuss International Relations, Commerce, The Oval Office
***
"Tommy was commenting on the fact that we're a large company -- country, with all kinds of avenues where somebody can inflict harm."

 

***
Q Mr. President, the public perception in Pakistan is that Pakistan is doing much more, deeper cooperation, and doing more favors to the United States than Pakistan is getting anything in return. What is your comment, and what is the room for Pak-U.S. relations during your next term?

 

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, first of all, I don't view relations as one that there's a score card that says, you know, well, if we all fight terror together, therefore, somebody owes somebody something.

 

December 10, 2004, Remarks by the President at Visit to Uso Care Package Stuffing Facility, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia
***
"But you can't ever thank the troops enough. This is one way of saying, America appreciates your service to freedom and peace and our security. You can't put enough playing cards in there; you can't put enough sticks of gum."

 

***
"The world is changing. And as it changes, as the world becomes more free, America becomes more secure and the peace we all long for becomes more real."

 

December 11, 2004, President's Remarks to Press Pool
***
"And although I think the doc will put out a report that shows you that I'm physically fit, and still able to get on the stress tests, I'm a little overweight. And therefore, I fully intend to lose some inches off my waistline and some pounds off my frame. But other than that, I'm feeling great.

 

Thank you all."

 

December 15, 2004, President and Prime Minister Berlusconi Discuss Middle East, Economy, The Oval Office
***
"There's a trade deficit. That's easy to resolve; people can buy more United States products if they're worried about the trade deficit."

 

December 20, 2004, Press Conference of the President, Room 450, Dwight DC Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"But this is a vital and important relationship [with Russia]. And it's a relationship where it's complicated -- it's complex, rather than complicated."

 

***
"We've vetted a lot of people in this administration. We vetted people in the first, we're vetting people in the second term, and I've got great confidence in our vetting process."

 

***
"There have been some cases where when the heat got on, they left the battlefield. That's unacceptable. Iraq will never secure itself if they have troops that when the heat gets on, they leave the battlefield. I fully understand that."

 

***
Q What about that percentage, though, 48 percent to 41 percent [of Americans confident about a successful outcome in Iraq]? More Americans losing confidence --

 

THE PRESIDENT: You know, polls change, Dave. Polls go up. Polls go down. I can understand why people -- they're looking on your TV screen and seeing indiscriminate bombing where thousands of innocent, or hundreds of innocent Iraqis are getting killed, and they're saying whether or not we're able to achieve the objective. What they don't see are the small businesses starting; 15 of the 18 provinces are relatively stable, where progress is being made; life is better now than it was under Saddam Hussein. And so there is -- there are very hopeful signs.

 

***
"They're trying to shake the will of the Iraqi people, and frankly, trying to shake the will of the American people. And car bombs that destroy young children or car bombs that indiscriminately bomb in religious sites are effective propaganda tools."

 

***
"I fully recognize this [Social Security reform] is going to be a decision that requires difficult choices, John. Inherent in your question is, do I recognize that? You bet I do. Otherwise, it would have been."

 

***
"One of the philosophies of this government is if you own something, it is -- it makes the country a better -- if more people own something, the country is better off; you have a stake in the future of the country if you own something."

 

***
"Now let me talk about the immigration issue. First, we want our border patrol agents chasing crooks and thieves and drug runners and terrorists, not good-hearted people who are coming here to work. And therefore, it makes sense to allow the good-hearted people who are coming here to do jobs that Americans won't do a legal way to do so."

 

***
"But if we expect the border patrol to be able to enforce a long border, particularly in the south -- and the north, for that matter -- we ought to have a system that recognizes people are coming here to do jobs that Americans will not do."

 

***
"But if we expect the border patrol to be able to enforce a long border, particularly in the south -- and the north, for that matter -- we ought to have a system that recognizes people are coming here to do jobs that Americans will not do. And there ought to be a legal way for them to do so. To me, that is -- and not only that, but once the person is here, if he or she feels like he or she needs to go back to see her family, to the country of origin, they should be able to do so within a prescribed -- in other words, and the card, the permit would last for a prescribed period of time."

 

***
"There are some people -- there are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do."

 

***
"People are coming to put food on the table, they're doing jobs Americans will not do."

 

***
"And to me, it makes sense for us to recognize that reality, and to help those who are needing to enforce our borders; legalize the process of people doing jobs Americans won't do; take the pressure off of employers so they're not having to rely upon false IDs; cut out the coyotes who are the smugglers of these people, putting them in the back of tractor trailers in the middle of August in Texas, allowing people to suffocate in the badk of the tucks; stop the process of people feeling like they've got to walk miles across desert in Arizona and Texas in order just to feed their family, and they find them dead out there. I mean, this is a system that can be much better. "

 

December 21, 2004, President and Mrs. Bush Visit with Soldiers and Their Families, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
***
"Any time of the year it's a time of sorrow and sadness when we lose a loss of life."

***
"The idea of a democracy taking hold in what was a place of tyranny and hatred and destruction is -- is such a hopeful moment in the history of the world."

 

December 29, 2004, President Discusses Support for Earthquake and Tsunami Victims, Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford, Texas
***
"Now, Osama bin Laden issued a statement, as you know, which made the stakes of this pretty clear to me. His vision of the world is where people don't participate in democracy. His vision of the world is where people kill innocent lives in order to affect their behavior and affect their way of living."

 

***
Q New Year's resolutions?

THE PRESIDENT: I'll let you know. Already gave you a hint on one, which is my waistline. I'm trying to set an example.

Thank you all.

 

January 5, 2005, Remarks by the President on Medical Liability Reform, Gateway Center, Collinsville, Illinois
***
"I want to thank all the good folks who provide health care for the folks in this part of the world: the nurses, the docs, the administrators."

 

***
"Thanks for taking an active interest in an important issue that faces not only this part of the world, but the country."

 

***
"We need to have our medical records put on the IT."

 

***
"When doctors move or close their practices, guess who suffers. The patients; the people who live in these good town in this part of the world."

 

***
"Chris decided that closing his head trauma part of his practice was the only way he could afford to stay in this area. He told me he loves living here in this part of the world."

 

***
"I've come to this part of the world because I want to assure you that, one, I understand the problem and I intend to work with Congress to do something about it."

 

***
"Nobody likes to come to a part of the world that says the judicial system is out of control and people lose confidence in it."

 

***
"I know the people of this part of the world understand it, because you see firsthand what happens when the system gets out of control -- 160 docs leave two counties."

 

January 7, 2005, President Names Senators Mack and Breaux on Federal Tax Reform Panel, The Oval Office
***
"I suspect if you were asking me questions 18 months ago and I said there was going to be elections in Iraq, you would have had trouble containing yourself from laughing out loud at the President. But here we are at this moment, and it's exciting times for the Iraqi people. And it's so exciting there are some who are trying to intimidate people from going to the polls."

 

January 7, 2005, President Participates in a Conversation on Asbestos Litigation, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Macomb Community College, Clinton Township, Michigan
***
"And finally, we're here to talk about asbestos lawsuits. We got a problem. The Supreme Court recognized it as a problem. They said it is a huge mass of -- huge mass of asbestos cases defies customary judicial administration and calls for national legislation. That's a better -- it's better that they define it than me. After all, these are all lawyers and judges; I'm not."

 

January 10, 2005, President Briefed on U.S. Assistance for Tsunami Affected Regions, The Oval Office
***
"Who could have possibly envisioned an election in Iraq at this point in history? And yet we're going to have an election. And I'm sure there are -- a lot of people are incredibly excited about the thought of having an election in Iraq inside the Iraqi territory, except for a handful who want to stop democracy, because they understand what an election means. And so I'm -- as a democrat, as a person who believes in democracy -- a Republican democrat, I might add -- as someone who believes that everybody has a right to live in a free society and everybody wants to live in a free society, the month of January, 2005, is an extraordinary month."

 

January 11, 2005, President Nominates Michael Chertoff as Secretary of Homeland Security, The Roosevelt Room
***
"In the days after September the 11th, Mike helped trace the terrorist attacks to the al Qaeda network. He understood immediately that the strategy on the war on terror is to prevent attacks before they occur."

 

***
"Our nation is still at war. We're focused."

 

January 14, 2005, President Participates in Conversation on Higher Education, Job Training, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, South Campus, Jacksonville, Florida
***
"I'm looking forward to Congress to -- passing a smart budget, one that recognizes we got to be wise about how we spend your money and deal with our deficit."

 

***
"But if you're a youngster in America, you better understand that by the time -- if you're in the 20s and by the time you retire, if nothing is done about Social Security, the system will be bust."

 

***
"I believe government ought to fund that which works and de-fund that which does not work."

 

***
"I'm going to reform the student loan program to make it more -- or ask Congress to reform it -- to make it more effective and efficient, and thereby saving money."

 

January 18, 2005, President Encourages Service at 'America's Future Rocks' Concert, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, D.C.
***
"How about Three Doors Down? (Applause.) Pretty cool guys, right? Seem cool to me. (Applause.) Fuel -- I appreciate Fuel being here." (Applause.)

 

January 19, 2005, Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
***
Q He saw the Washington Bible this morning. Does he want to use that
tomorrow for the ceremony?

 

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he will be using a family Bible that he used in 2000 -- or 2001, I'm sorry -- that I know his brother used for his gubernatorial inaugural. And I know that that's a Bible that his father used in addition to the one that George Washington used. They used two Bibles. And I know the intention back in 2001 was to also use the George Washington Bible, but because of the weather and the fragile nature of that Bible, it was not used. They were going to -- but his father used both Bibles for his swearing-in ceremony.

 

Q What will they do tomorrow? Will they -- is he going to use both?

 

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the intention is to use the family Bible.

 

January 19, 2005, Remarks by the President at "Celebration of Freedom" Concert, The Ellipse Washington, D.C.
***
"Thanks for being out here in the cold. You know, I was realizing there is -- you know, no night is too cold to celebrate freedom." (Applause.)

***
"I want to thank our host, Ryan Seacrest. Thanks for so much, Ryan. You're doing a fine job. I appreciate you being here."

 

***
"Tomorrow, I will take an oath and deliver an inaugural address. You'll be pleased to hear I'm not going to deliver it twice. But I will speak about freedom."

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