pd06my02 Remarks at a Cinco de Mayo Reception...

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[[Page 710]]

this army; all of them anxious to make the American experience extend 
throughout all neighborhoods. And I feel the same way.
    I fully understand that 10 years ago this city, because of some 
violence--a lot of violence--saw incredible destruction in lives and in 
property. Mr. Kim was talking about the dashed dreams of many of the 
Korean entrepreneurs. A lot of hopes were lost. The violence and the 
lawlessness always affects the most poor, always hurts the weakest. And 
yet out of this violence and ugliness came new hope, and we discussed 
that today.
    I want to congratulate this city. Mr. Mayor, you're the mayor of a 
great city. And I want to congratulate the leaders here and the people 
here, to show the rest of the country what is possible, what can happen, 
what is possible in America when people put aside differences and focus 
on what's best for all.
    And that's what I heard today at the table. We talked about economic 
development. I believe strongly it's important for people to learn to 
own, own their own business. And we talked about the hurdles between 
ownership and reality and what the Government can do about those 
hurdles. I heard from bankers talking about the CRA and how to make that 
more effective. I heard from shopping center developers who believe 
strongly and understand fully that investment in south central L.A. is, 
first and foremost, good business policy. And it obviously is good 
social policy as well. And I want to thank them for sharing that with 
me.
    I heard about the renaissance program. More than once did I hear 
about it. [Laughter] I was about ready to sign up. [Laughter]
    We talked about education. I like to put it this way: Reading is the 
new civil right. Because if you can't read, you cannot possibly be 
educated, and if you're not educated, you can't succeed. And so in order 
to make sure that everybody--and I mean everybody; I don't care how you 
vote--everybody gets a shot, we've got to make sure that everybody gets 
educated.
    And there is a role for the Federal Government to play. We fund, and 
that's important. But I firmly believe that the Federal Government and 
local governments must expect the best from every child--I mean the 
best. Every child can learn. I refuse to accept a system that quits on 
certain children because it's deemed--they're deemed to be too hard to 
educate. We must determine as a society whether our children are 
learning or not. And if they're not, we've got to insist upon change. We 
can't have a system that just simply shuffles children through. That's 
got to end if we're going to make sure that every child gets educated in 
America.
    I am passionate on the subject of education. I also am wise enough 
to know that all wisdom doesn't exist in Washington, DC. We can write a 
pretty good check, but we ought not to be telling the local folks how to 
chart the path to excellence. We ought to be encouraging educational and 
social entrepreneurs to get involved with the education of every single 
child. And when there's failure, we need to blow the whistle on failure. 
And when we find success, we need to praise success.
    We talked about after-school programs. Big Lou Dantzler was talking 
about the Challengers Boys and Girls Clubs, and I want to thank Lou for 
his leadership.
    We talked about--we talked about faith and the importance of faith 
in our society. Now, I don't want Government to be the church, and I 
don't want the church to be the Government. But Government should not 
fear faith and faith-based programs. Government should not worry about 
programs that come out of church or synagogue or a mosque, all aimed at 
loving a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. The 
universal call to love is something to be nourished, not feared.
    And I--there is a role for Government. When we fund programs, we 
ought not to discriminate against faith-based programs, and we ought not 
to cause the faith-based program to have to change its mission in order 
to receive any money. Otherwise it won't be a faith-based program. It 
will fall into the old Government program. See, Government can hand out 
money, but Government cannot put hope in people's hearts. It cannot put 
faith in people's lives. And faith is a powerful--faith is a powerful 
motivator. Many a program relies upon faith, and we ought to welcome the 
faith-based programs into the compassionate delivery of help.

[[Page 711]]

    I know firsthand. I know what faith can mean in somebody's life. 
That's why I remind people, I'm just a humble sinner who sought 
redemption. And I--[applause].
    Audience member. Preach, Mr. President. [Laughter]
    The President. Well, I don't want to get too far. [Laughter]
    Audience member. Well--[laughter].
    The President. You know, we have a chance to show the world that out 
of the evil that was done on September the 11th can come incredible 
good. I believe that; I truly do. I believe that by being firm and tough 
when it comes to hunting down killers, that eventually we can help bring 
peace to the world. That is my goal. I want the children and their 
children's children to grow up in a peaceful world. And I think we can 
do that; I do.
    And we can show the world the true face of America as well. Oh, it's 
a diverse face, no question about it, which is our strength, not our 
weakness. But it's a face that can be bound by common goals and common 
values. It's a face that can stand squarely in the face of evil by the 
collective acts of people doing good in America.
    And that's what I heard today. The great hope of the country really 
isn't the Government. The great hope of the country lies in the hearts 
and souls of our people. You've showed it in this community. Ten years 
after civil unrest that made history, the community is rebuilding 
herself with great hope and great promise.
    And that's an important lesson. It's an important lesson not only 
for other communities; it's an important lesson for our whole country, 
because out of the evil that was done on September the 11th can come 
incredible good. And it's happening.
    So my job as the President is to rally--rally the spirit of the 
Nation, and to thank those who are integrally involved in helping people 
help themselves. I want to thank John again for such a kind invitation. 
I am so honored that you would invite me, a Texan--[laughter]--to come 
right here to L.A. and to herald what is possible.
    You know, we live in a great country--I mean, the greatest country 
on the face of the Earth. I'm proud of America. I'm proud of our 
country. I'm proud of what we stand for. Oh, I know there's pockets of 
despair. That just means we've got to work harder. It means you can't 
quit. That means we've got to rout it out with love and compassion and 
decency. But this is the greatest country on the face of the Earth. And 
it is such an honor to be the President of such a great land.
    Thank you all for coming today. May God bless you. May God bless 
America.

Note: The President spoke at 4:01 p.m. in the Media Center at the First 
African Methodist Episcopal Renaissance Center. In his remarks, he 
referred to John Bryant, founder, chairman of the board, and chief 
executive officer, Operation HOPE, Inc.; Juanita Smith, Mr. Bryant's 
mother; Rev. Cecil L. Murray, senior minister, First African Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Los Angeles; John W. Mack, president, Los Angeles 
Urban League; Charles Kim, executive director, Korean American 
Coalition, Los Angeles; Antonia Hernandez, president and general 
counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Mayor James 
K. Hahn of Los Angeles; and Lou Dantzler, president and chief executive 
officer, Challengers Boys & Girls Club.


<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
 [frwais.access.gpo.gov]
                         

[Page 711-715]
 
Pages 697-742
 
Week Ending Friday, May 3, 2002
 
Remarks at a Dinner for Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon in Los 
Angeles

 April 29, 2002

    Thank you all very much. It is a high honor to be back in the great 
State of California. I am honored to be speaking in front of so many 
folks who are here for a common purpose, and that is to see to it that 
this good man, Bill Simon, becomes the next Governor of the State of 
California.
    I want to thank Bill and Cindy. Flying in on Air Force One today, we 
had a good chance to visit, to talk about our families, to talk about 
our shared values. And after our conversation, it was quite clear to me 
that both he and I married above ourselves. [Laughter] I want to thank 
Cindy Simon for her willingness to join Bill in this fantastic journey 
to become the State's next Governor. It takes a very strong wife and a 
good partner to be willing to make this sacrifice.
    I know firsthand, because I've got a great wife. The country is 
beginning to see why

[[Page 712]]

I asked Laura to marry me. She's calm, and she's steady; she's strong. A 
lot of people are still wondering why she said yes. [Laughter] But I'm 
sorry she's not with us tonight. She's back in Washington, DC. But I am 
really proud of the First Lady of the United States.
    I want to thank members of the congressional delegation who are 
here, Congressmen Rohrabacher, Issa, and Miller. I want to thank them 
for their friendship, and I want to thank them for joining in helping 
pass an agenda that is positive for all Americans. I want to thank Bill 
Jones--California's secretary of state is here as well. I'm not sure if 
Bruce McPherson's here, the Lieutenant Governor candidate, but he's a 
fine guy. And I want to thank all the State and local officials who are 
here as well.
    And I want to thank you all for supporting this good man. I want to 
thank you for the friendship you've given him, for the contributions you 
make, and for your willingness to do more than just contribute, the 
willingness to go out and talk him up and to tell your friends and 
neighbors. As we say in Texas, it's coffeeshop chatter that helps 
somebody get elected.
    I want to thank all of you who are here who are involved in 
grassroots politics in California. I want to thank you for your making 
the phone calls, for licking the envelopes, for doing all the hard work 
necessary to see to it that candidates can win elections.
    This is a good man I'm campaigning for and a good man you're 
supporting. He's a fellow who's got his values straight. He's an 
entrepreneur with a generous heart. He loves his family, and he loves 
his country.
    I've been reading about what some of the comments have been here in 
California. Some of the Democrats are saying, ``This is a fellow who's 
never held elective office. Heck, all he's been is a successful 
businessman. [Laughter] What can he possibly know about running any 
organization?'' [Laughter] Sounds familiar. Sounds like Ann Richards is 
advising the Davis campaign. [Laughter]
    In 1994, the people of Texas voted for a positive vision for a great 
and diverse State. And that is exactly what's going to happen in the 
great State of California this November. This great and diverse State is 
going to vote for a breath of fresh air, a positive vision. This State 
will reject old-style politics and elect as its Governor a man who is 
willing to lead, a man who doesn't need a poll or a focus group to tell 
him what to think, a man who will stand on principle, and a man who has 
got the courage to do what is right for the people of the State of 
California.
    I appreciate so very much Bill's emphasis on education. As he 
mentioned, we just passed historic reform in Washington, DC. Let me tell 
you what the bill says. It says we believe every child can learn in 
America, and therefore, we expect high standards for every single child. 
The bill says that we trust the local people to make the right decisions 
for the children of California or Texas or any other State in the Union. 
The bill says that when we spend money, we expect results. And the bill 
says that when we confront--when we find failure, we must be courageous 
enough to confront it, for no child should be trapped in a school that 
refuses to teach and a school that refuses to change.
    That is the philosophy of Bill Simon, a philosophy which will suit 
all the citizens of this State in good stead.
    I appreciate Bill's understanding about the importance of energy for 
the State of California. It's hard to believe that our Nation has had no 
comprehensive energy plan for a long time. And as a result, the people 
of this State began to suffer. And so in Washington, we put together a 
plan that says, on the one hand, we've got to do a better job of 
conserving our scarce resources. And at the same time, we've got to use 
our vast technological know-how to develop renewable sources of energy. 
But it also says that for the sake of our economic security and for the 
sake of our national security, we must become less dependent on foreign 
sources of crude oil.
    Bill and I know that we've got to be wise about how we explore for 
oil and gas in our own country. And we both believe that through 
technology, we can do so in an environmentally friendly way. But it's 
time for this State to have leadership when it comes to energy. In order 
for people to be able to find work, this State needs to have a Governor 
who understands the need to have a comprehensive energy plan, and Bill 
Simon is that man.

[[Page 713]]

    I appreciate Bill's understanding of the need to have fiscal 
discipline in our seats of government. And at the same time, he 
understands that the money we're spending is not the Government's money. 
The money we spend, whether it be in Washington or Sacramento, is the 
people's money.
    I remember campaigning right here in this room, and I said if I was 
fortunate enough to become the President, I would go to Washington, DC, 
and insist that we return some of the people's money back to them. For 
the good of the entrepreneurial spirit in America, we let them keep more 
money. For the good of small business growth, people should keep more 
money. For the good of encouraging people to be able to realize their 
dreams, they ought to be able to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. 
And fortunately, Congress listened, and the tax cut we passed came at 
the exact right time.
    I heard some of them talking up there about, ``Well, you know, we 
need to raise taxes,'' or ``We've got to stop the tax relief.'' They're 
reading the wrong textbook, as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what 
course they took, but what America should not do is, in the face of 
economic difficulties, raise the taxes on the people. What America must 
do is trust people with their own money. And Bill Simon understands that 
as well as anybody who's running for office in America today.
    He's a good man with a good agenda for everybody who lives in the 
State of California. When he wins, he's going to be the Governor of 
everybody. Doesn't matter whether somebody voted for him or not; this 
good man will represent the best interests of all the people of this 
important State.
    We've got a lot on our agenda in Washington. We're talking about 
trade promotion authority, and that's incredibly important, to be able 
to open up markets. Listen, the State of California benefits when we 
trade. And I hope Congress finally gets me a trade promotion authority. 
I hope Congress finally gets me an energy bill. I hope Congress acts. 
But there's nothing more important than making sure we defend the 
homeland of the United States of America.
    I have the high honor of walking in the Oval Office every morning 
that I'm in Washington. I'm an early morning guy, and I've got an 
interesting routine. I get up and get the First Lady a little coffee--
[laughter]--sometimes I read the headlines of the newspapers--
[laughter]--rarely do I read the editorial pages--[laughter]--in all due 
respect; take the dogs out. And Spot, the dog who is now 13, born to 
Millie at the White House when Mother and Dad were there, joins me in 
the Oval Office. Barney, the 1\1/2\-year-old Scottish terrier, is not 
allowed in. [Laughter] After all, we've got a beautiful new rug. 
[Laughter]
    But I sit at this fantastic desk called the H.M.S. Resolute desk. 
It's a desk that Theodore Roosevelt had used and Franklin Roosevelt had 
used. President Kennedy used it. You might remember the picture of John-
John Kennedy looking out from the door at the desk. And I sit there in 
this beautiful sanctuary of democracy and read a threat assessment. 
Every morning, I see a compilation of intelligence about what the 
enemies may or may not do. And it reminds me of the most solemn task I 
have, and that is to protect innocent Americans from further attack.
    And make no mistake about it, the people we're dealing with are 
nothing but coldblooded killers. I can't put it any more plainly, and 
we're going to deal with them as such.
    You need to know our country is doing a heck of a lot better job of 
sharing intelligence. Anytime we get a whiff of somebody thinking about 
doing something to us, we react. We react within the confines of the 
United States Constitution, but we react. We chase down every single 
lead there is. There's great cooperation now--or better cooperation now 
between our CIA and the FBI and much better cooperation between the 
Federal Government and the State government and local authorities.
    At the same time that we're chasing down every single lead, we're 
also making the homeland more secure. The budget I've submitted to 
Congress has got a significant increase in monies available for border 

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