pd07oc02 Memorandum on Designation of Officers of the Department of Commerce To...

	Web GovRecords.org

low expectations, to understand that when you set the bar low, when you 
have such low standards, you're going to get lousy results, and children 
will be left behind. That's no longer acceptable in America.
    I'm told--Rick was telling me--Rick and the Governor-to-be were 
telling me you've got a great school district here in Flagstaff. That's 
because the citizens care about the schools. I want to thank the 
teachers who are here for being teachers. I want to thank the principals 
who are here. I want to thank the parents who are here who demand on 
high standards for every single child.
    A better America means we've got to have a health care system that's 
modern. Listen, Medicare is an incredibly important program. Medicine 
has changed. Medicare hadn't. [Laughter] Medicine has changed because of 
technology and innovation. Medicare is the same program it was a while 
ago. In order to make sure Medicare works, like we want it to for our 
seniors and for America to be a better place, our seniors need 
prescription drug coverage.
    And you know what else we need to do? We need to end the frivolous 
and junk lawsuits which drive up the cost of medicine, which makes it 
harder for folks to find health care.
    We've also got to make sure that we unleash the true strength of the 
country, and that is the hearts and souls of the American people. I 
believe strongly that we must have a Faith-Based Initiative in America, 
an initiative which recognizes that in our churches and synagogues and 
mosques we find universal love. See, people have asked me, ``What can I 
do to help on the war against terror?'' What you can do is, you can love 
your neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. If you want to 
fight evil, do some good in America.
    No, the enemy hit us. The enemy hit us, but they didn't realize who 
they were hitting.

[[Page 1650]]

They hit a nation which will fight for our security and freedom. But 
they also aroused a new spirit in the country, a spirit which says, it's 
more than a patriot who puts his hand on a heart; it's a patriot who 
helps a neighbor in need. It's a patriot who understands that there are 
some pockets of despair and loneliness in America and that, while 
Government can hand out money, what Government cannot do is put hope in 
a person's heart or a sense of purpose in a person's life. That's done 
when somebody puts their arm around a neighbor in need and says, ``I 
love you. What can I do to help you?'' It's done when somebody mentors a 
child. It's done when somebody goes and feeds the hungry, provides 
shelter for those who don't have shelter. That's what it means. And 
that's happening in America.
    All across our country, people are understanding there is a new 
culture of responsibility emerging. See, out of the evil done to America 
is going to come some really incredible good, in my judgment, because I 
believe so strongly in the purpose of this great country.
    I'm reminded all the time, as I travel our country, about what 
happened on Flight 93. Flight 93 was a historic moment in our country. 
It's a sad, sad moment, but it was a time when average citizens were 
flying across the land. They knew the plane was going to be used as a 
weapon. They were on their phones, and they told their loved ones 
goodbye. They used the word ``love.'' They said a prayer. One guy said, 
``Let's roll,'' and they drove the plane into the ground to save 
somebody else's life.
    It's a powerful--it is the most profound, profound example of the 
great American values--that we understand in order to be the country of 
promise and hope that we're meant to be, that we've got to live our 
lives beyond just ourself, that we've got to serve something greater 
than ourself in life.
    There's no doubt in my mind, no doubt in my mind that we can achieve 
peace in the world if we remain strong and diligent and focused and 
tough when we need to. And there's no doubt in my mind we can be a more 
compassionate and decent and hopeful nation. And you know why? Because 
this, my fellow Americans, is the greatest nation on the face of the 
Earth, full of the most decent and loving and kind people.
    Thank you for coming. May God bless you all, and may God bless 
America.

Note: The President spoke at 2:02 p.m. at the Coconino County 
Fairgrounds. In his remarks, he referred to Roberta Renzi, wife of 
candidate Rick Renzi; Arizona gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon; Gov. 
Jane Dee Hull of Arizona; Ramzi bin al-Shibh, an Al Qaida operative 
suspected of helping to plan the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 
who was captured in Karachi, Pakistan; and President Saddam Hussein of 
Iraq. Rick Renzi is a candidate for Arizona's First Congressional 
District. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.


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

[Page 1650-1656]
 
Pages 1639-1697
 
Week Ending Friday, October 4, 2002
 
Remarks at a Dinner for Gubernatorial Candidate Matt Salmon in Phoenix, 
Arizona

September 27, 2002

    Thanks for that kind introduction, ``Governor.'' First, I want to 
thank the host of the dinner for organizing an early dinner. [Laughter] 
It's good for Colangelo's ballpark. [Laughter] I guess tonight's the 
night for the D-backs.
    I know this for certain, that this will be the only candidate I ever 
campaigned for who rides a Harley, speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese, and 
fronts an Elvis cover band. [Laughter] He's the candidate I'm 
campaigning for who's going to win. Matt's a breath of fresh air. See, 
he told the voters of his congressional district he'd only serve three 
terms. And when the third term finished, he didn't run again. He's the 
kind of person who does in office what he says he is going to do, which 
is vital for the statehouse and Arizona.
    The State faces real challenges, but with him you're going to get a 
straightforward fellow, somebody who will tell you the truth, somebody 
who will give it his all to make Arizona the best State for everybody 
who lives here. It's my honor to be here. I'm proud to support him, and 
I thank you all for coming as well.
    I had the privilege of meeting Nancy. Both of us married above 
ourselves. [Laughter] Nancy and Matt are the proud parents of

[[Page 1651]]

four kids, and they place their family above all else. And it gives me 
great comfort to know I'm working for somebody who has got his 
priorities straight.
    And I appreciate you mentioning Laura, Matt. She sends her best. She 
sends her best to our friends who are here. She sends her best to you 
and Nancy. She's over there in Crawford, waiting for me. One of the good 
things about coming out West is, I get to spend the night in Crawford 
and remember there are values other than Washington values that count in 
the Nation. It's good to come out West where the spirit of individualism 
still remains strong, to come out West where you can see a long way, to 
come out West where people understand helping neighbors is an important 
part of building a good State. So thanks for having me. I'm sorry 
Laura's not here. She's doing great. And by the way, I'm really, really 
proud of the job she's doing as our First Lady.
    We went up to Flagstaff where we were working on the drought relief 
program. It was raining. [Laughter] But I was up there to help a fellow 
named Rick Renzi, who is going to be the next Congressman from northern 
Arizona. I want to thank Rick for putting his hat in the ring, and I 
want to thank you all for helping him.
    I'm also honored to be with two great United States Senators, a 
great patriot, a man who is speaking clearly about the need to defend 
America and defend our freedoms, and that's John McCain. And by the way, 
he married above himself too. [Laughter] And today I was traveling with 
Jon Kyl.
    One of the jobs of the President is to pick good judges, is to put 
people of sound judgment and great talent on our Federal benches. And 
the United States Senate has been, in some cases, not treating my 
nominees fairly. I named a great lady named Priscilla Owen to the bench. 
She'd run statewide in our State, had overwhelming votes, one of the top 
graduates of her law school. The lawyer group rated her one of the best, 
the highest ratings they could give. And yet the Senate distorted her 
record because she wouldn't be willing to legislate from the bench. Jon 
Kyl has remained strong on the Judiciary Committee to make sure my 
nominees get a fair hearing. We need to change the United States Senate 
so we can change the United States course.
    I want to thank Congressman Hayworth--he's not here, but I'm going 
to thank him anyway--and Shadegg and Flake and Kolbe for their support. 
Arizona has got a fine congressional delegation, and I'm proud to be 
able to work with these Members. I want to thank your Governor for 
coming today, my friend Jane Dee Hull. I want to thank the mayor of 
Phoenix for being here, Mayor Rimsza. And I also want to appreciate 
those of you who helped organize this dinner. I want to thank Chairman 
Fannin.
    But most of all, I want to thank the grassroot activists who are 
here, the people who put the signs in the yards, the people who do the 
phone calling, the people who do the mailers, those tireless souls who 
never get thanked. I want to thank you for what you have done, and as 
importantly, I thank you for what you're going to do, which is to turn 
out a big vote come November the 5th.
    I appreciate your next Governor's agenda. It starts with making sure 
that the State doesn't raise the taxes on the working people. I 
appreciate that promise. He's a man who keeps his word. It's one of 
these issues that will distinguish him from his opponent. If he says 
he's not going to raise your taxes, he means he's not going to raise 
your taxes. And that will be good for the economy of Arizona.
    He's focused on jobs. He briefed me on his WorkFair 2010 program. 
See, he and I understand the role of Government is not to create wealth 
but to create an environment in which the entrepreneur can flourish, in 
which small businesses can grow to be big businesses. I appreciate his 
vision for job creation.
    I also appreciate his brand of compassionate conservatism, which 
says, we're going to help people help themselves, that when it comes to 
welfare, that job training is essential to help people find work. We 
understand that in work you find dignity, in work you find the chance to 
put food on the table, in work you have a chance to realize your own 
self-worth. And so when it comes to helping people, your next Governor 
will make sure that work is an essential part of your welfare system 
here in the State of Arizona.

[[Page 1652]]

    I also appreciate his commonsense views on our forests. You've got a 
lot of vital land here. We're mismanaging our forests. We're doing a 
lousy job of protecting an important treasure for the country. We ought 
to be thinning our forests. We ought to be taking the burnt timber and 
making use of it. We ought to be clearing the timber out from underneath 
our trees. We ought to be saving our forests with commonsense forest 
policy. And I want to work with a Governor who understands that.
    No, I appreciate Matt. I appreciate him working hard to make this 
State a safer and stronger and better place. And that's what we've got 
to do for our country as well. A strong America is a country that works 
to make sure people can find work. I'm worried about the fact that some 
of our fellow Americans who want to work can't find a job. And we've got 
to do everything we can to increase our job base, to do everything we 
can to make sure our economy continues to grow.
    That's why it's absolutely essential, in my judgment, that we make 
the tax cuts we passed permanent, that we don't let them be temporary, 
that we get rid of that Senate rule that says, we're going to give--on 
the one hand we giveth, on the other hand we taketh away. See, we give 
you tax cuts, but because of a--kind of a weird rule in the Senate, 
those go away after 10 years. For the sake of planning, for the sake of 
job creation, for the sake of growth, for the sake of small businesses, 
the tax cuts need to be permanent. And that includes getting rid of the 
death tax forever.
    We need an energy bill out of Washington, DC. For the sake of job 
security and for the sake of national security, we need an energy bill. 
They've been talking too long up there. We need a bill which encourages 
conservation, promotes new technologies, promotes renewables, but a bill 
which will encourage increase of supply here in America. Listen, we're 
too dependent on foreign sources of crude oil. And unfortunately, some 
of those people don't like us. For the sake of job security and national 
security, I need an energy bill, and I need it soon.
    There are some big projects that have been put on hold because 
construction folks can't get terrorism insurance. They estimate over 
300,000 of our fellow citizens aren't working, 300,000 hardhats aren't 
working because people can't get insured because of the terrorist 
attacks. Congress needs to act. They need to get a terrorism insurance 
bill to my desk. For the sake of job creation, for the sake of helping 
people find work, for the sake of the 300,000 hardhats who would be 
working, I need a terrorism insurance bill, a bill that does not reward 
the trial lawyers, but a bill that encourages construction workers to 
get back to work.
    There's a lot of things Congress can do to help, and I look forward 
to working with them to create the jobs. And I know the two Senators 
here and the Members of Congress are anxious to help to expand our 
economy. But one thing Congress must not do is overspend. See, one thing 
Congress has got to do is hold the line on spending if we want our 
economy to grow. Interest rates are low. Inflation is low. Productivity 
is some of the best in the world. The foundation for growth is there.
    But to make sure people can find work, it's important for Congress 
not to overspend. And there's a danger. See, every program in Washington 
sounds good. Everybody's idea is a brilliant idea. The problem is, is 
those brilliant ideas cost in the billions. Plus, the Senate doesn't 
have a budget. Senator McCain wants it to have a budget. Senator Kyl 
wants it to have a budget. It doesn't have a budget. The other side 
hasn't been able to get a budget. And when you don't have a budget, 
guess what the danger is--that there's no fiscal responsibility with 
your money. There's no fiscal restraint. For the sake of job creation, 
the Congress must fund our priorities and hold the line on additional 
spending.
    And we'll work together, and we'll work hard together to make sure 
this country is a stronger country, to make sure people can find work. 
We've also got to make sure it's a safer country. I think our biggest 
job is to protect the homeland, and the reason we need to do so, there 
is still an enemy out there which hates America. They hate us because of 
what we love. We love freedom. We love the fact that people can worship 
an almighty God any way they see fit here in America. We love the fact 
that people can

[[Page 1653]]

have honest discourse and political debate. We love a free press. We 
love everything about freedom, and we refuse to relinquish that love. 
And so long as we love freedom, there are people that want to hurt us. 
See, that's the problem we face.
    And the other difference is, we value life in America. Every life 
matters. Everybody counts. Everybody is precious--not to the enemy. They 
have hijacked a great religion, and murdered--murdered innocent people 
and could care less. And that's who we're fighting, and they're out 
there. So we've got to do everything we can to protect the homeland.
    You've got to know, there's a lot of good people working hard to 
protect you: Conversations taking place that never took place before in 
Washington; a lot of information sharing; a lot of folks running down 
every hint, every lead, every idea that somebody might be thinking about 
doing something to America. We're moving on it, within the confines of 
the United States Constitution, I might add. We're pursuing leads. We're 
disrupting. We're making sure, as best as we possibly can, that the 
enemy doesn't hit us again.
    And that's why I went to the United States Congress and asked the 
Congress to join me in the creation of a Homeland Security Department. I 
did so because there's over 100 agencies in Washington, DC, that have 
something to do with securing the homeland. They're everywhere, and it 
seems like to me that if the number one priority of the Government is to 
defend the homeland, they ought to be under one agency, so we can change 
the culture of these agencies, so we can insist on priority.
    And the House moved, and the Senate is stuck. And the Senate is 
stuck because they want to micromanage the process, not all Senators but 
some Senators. They want to have a thick book of rules that will tell 
the executive branch and this administration and future administrations 
how to deal with the--securing our homeland. I appreciate these two 
Senators here, standing strong for doing what's right, for leaving a 
legacy behind so future Presidents can more likely deal with an enemy 
who could care less about rules and regulations, an enemy which is 
willing to move fast.
    Now, let me just tell you what I'm talking about, so you'll 
understand. After September the 11th, the Customs Service wanted to 
require its inspectors at our Nation's 301 ports of entry to wear 
radiation detection devices so they could--these guys would have them on 
their belts, and if there was--somebody was trying to smuggle a weapon 
of mass destruction into our country, we'd know about it, somebody was 
trying to bring something in illegally, across the border, we would know 

Other Popular 2002 Presidential Documents Documents:

Other Documents:

2002 Presidential Documents Records and Documents