For Immediate Release Office of the
Press Secretary June 21, 2002
Remarks by the President at Republican Party of Florida
Majority Dinner Universal Studios Portofino
Hotel Orlando, Florida
6:44 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Gosh, thanks for that warm welcome. It's an honor
to be back here in the great state of Florida. I want to -- I
appreciate all of you who have come tonight. I'm here to help
support the Republican Party of this state and make sure your
unbelievably great Governor gets reelected. (Applause.)
It was a real treat for me to be able to see mi cunada, my
sister-in-law, Columba. Jeb and I both married above ourselves.
(Laughter.) I know you're proud of the job that Columba's doing as
the First Lady of Florida. (Applause.) And I'm really proud of the
job Laura's doing as the First Lady of America. (Applause.)
I'm pleased to report that our Mother is still telling both of us
what to do. (Laughter.) And we're both listening -- most of the
time. But it's great to be here with my family. As you know, we love
our -- we've got a great family; we love each other a lot. And
anything I can do to help Jeb stay in the Governor's Office I'll do.
(Applause.) Even if that means keeping Brogan as the Lt. Governor.
(Laughter and applause.) I appreciate you, Frank. Frank Brogan is a
very good man, and you're doing a great job, Frank. I appreciate
you. (Applause.)
I want to thank an Orlando product, who traveled with me today,
for his service to the country. Mel Martinez is doing a great job in
my Cabinet. (Applause.) I want to thank former Senator Connie Mack
for staying involved with the Republican Party and for helping a
lot. (Applause.) I appreciate so very much Congressman Ric Keller,
who's doing a fine job in the United States Congress. Ric, thank you
very much. (Applause.) Mike Bilirakis is here, and Mike is a great
Congressman from up the coast. I appreciate you being here, Mike.
(Applause.)
They tell me Congressmen Miller and Foley and Weldon may be here.
If you're not here, I can understand -- I'm going to give a long
speech. (Laughter.) If you are here, thank you for your service to
the state of Florida and to the country. (Applause.)
And finally, they've been a little lax on the immigration laws
here in Florida; you let a man from Georgia come in. He's a great
Congressman from south Georgia, Charlie Norwood. Congressman
Norwood. (Applause.)
I appreciate members of the elected -- who have been elected
statewide here in Florida -- Charlie Bronson, Charlie Crist, and Tom
Gallagher. I'm honored you all are here. (Applause.) I want to thank
the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, Al Cardenas, for
his hard work and noble efforts for this party. (Applause.) And I
want to thank Al Hoffman and Al Austin for their loyal friendship
and longtime support for both Jeb and me. I want to thank you for
your hard work. (Applause.) I want to thank the Mayor of this fine
city, and the Mayor of Sarasota, as well, for coming -- both Carolyn
Mason and Glenda Hood. Thank you all for being here. (Applause.)
I appreciate so very much members of the Florida legislature,
starting with the Speaker, Tom Feeney, and Senate Leader John McKay.
Thank you both for being here, and all of you for coming.
(Applause.)
But most of all, I want to thank you all for supporting a great
cause and a great slate of candidates. I want to thank those of you
who have contributed your money, and I want to thank those of you
who contribute your time.
We understand -- at least Jeb and I understand how important it
is to have a viable, vibrant grass-roots organization. And for those
of you who spent hours dialing phones and putting up signs and
passing out pamphlets, thanks for your hard work. Get a little rest
over the next couple of weeks -- (laughter) -- and get ready. We
need you this fall. (Applause.)
My attitude is when you find a man who brings integrity to
office, you've got to send him back into that office. (Applause.)
And that's Jeb Bush. He's a man with strong principles. He fights
for what he believes in. He sets high standards. The thing I'm most
proud about Jeb, he is the Governor of everybody in the state of
Florida. (Applause.) He doesn't think about keeping people out, or
doesn't think about special people in. When Jeb thinks and acts, he
thinks about how best to improve the lives of everybody.
And I want the citizens of Florida to stay focused on his
education agenda and his education vision. Jeb Bush understands and
believes that every child in the state of Florida. He knows that if
you set low standards, certain children aren't going to learn. He
believes that he's got to set high standards to make sure that every
child in this great state learns how to read and write and add and
subtract. (Applause.)
He's a man of enormous principle who believes in holding people
accountable. He understands that in order to make sure every child
learns, you must measure. You see, there used to be a system in
Florida that said -- it must have said certain kids can't learn, so
the easy way out is just to move them through. And guess who got
moved through -- inner-city African American kids. Let's just quit
on them and move them through and hope nobody notices.
How about children whose parents don't speak English as a first
language -- they're easy to quit on. But under the leadership of
Governor Jeb Bush, because he set high standards and holds people
accountable for results, his program and his vision will do more to
make sure that every child -- I mean, every single child in this
great state is going to get a good education. And no child will be
left behind. I'm proud of you, brother. (Applause.)
It hasn't been easy times for governors around the country when
it comes to managing the budget. But, fortunately, ou've got a
governor who didn't run up the baselines of your budget when it
seemed like time for plenty. You've got a fiscally sound governor.
Somebody who understands that the people's money is their money, not
the government's money. Somebody who's done a fabulous job on behalf
of the taxpayers of the people of Florida. (Applause.)
I've enjoyed very much working with Jeb on a lot of key issues,
and I know for the state of Florida there is no more key issue than
making sure that the coastline of Florida didn't have a lot of oil
and gas drilling. As a matter of fact, under our vision, it's not
going to have any. And so we worked together on Destin Dome --
(applause.) We worked together on Destin Dome and the Collier
property in the Everglades. And thanks to the leadership of this
governor, thanks to the leadership of Jeb Bush he has been a strong
environmental steward for the people of the state of Florida.
This guy is doing a great job for the people. And I'm confident
with your help, you're going to send him back up to Tallahassee.
(Applause.)
We've got work to do in Florida and we've got work to do in
Washington. And I want to share some thoughts about how I think
things are going. First, I know there's a lot of talk about
statistics in Washington, D.C. They're always quoting this person's
statistic, or this smart person's statistic. Here's my attitude: If
somebody wants to work and can't find a job, we've got a problem. If
somebody's looking for work and can't find that job, all of us
involved in public policy must do everything we can to expand the
job base. The role of government is not to create wealth; the role
of government is to create an environment in which the entrepreneur
can flourish, in which the small business owner has a chance to
realize his or her dreams.
And that's why I insisted last year that the United States
Congress join me in cutting the taxes on the working people all
around America. (Applause.)
I readily concede some people in Washington read a different
economic textbook than I have. They believe that when the economy
slows down, you've got to keep more of the money in Washington. I
believe that if you let people have their own money, they'll spend
it. And they'll demand a good and service, and when they demand a
good or a service, somebody's going to produce that good and
service. And when somebody produces that good and service,
somebody's more likely to have a job.
It is essential in Washington, and in Tallahassee, that you have
leaders understand the entrepreneurial potential of our country, and
of the state of Florida. So whether it be on tax policy, or
terrorism insurance -- and by the way, I want to thank the Senate
and the House for passing me a terror insurance bill, so that we can
make sure large-scale construction projects can go forward in the
state of Florida. But they've got to make sure they send me a bill
that doesn't enrich plaintiffs' attorneys, but instead encourages
workers to be able to find work. (Applause.)
And you're going to see, there's going to be some budget
struggles in Washington, D.C. The temptation is to spend, and I
understand that. But they've given the President the veto for a
reason. And one of the reasons is to make sure that there is fiscal
discipline in Washington, D.C. And I intend to use the veto to make
sure we do not overspend in our nation's capital. (Applause.)
We're making progress on the economic security front. But I'm
telling you, we've got a lot more to do, and we will. We will. And
we're making progress on the defense of our homeland as well. As you
probably have heard, I have asked Congress to help me in
streamlining and making more effective the ability of all of us
involved with homeland security to do our jobs. I readily concede
that some are probably asking the question, why would he try to
create more government? After all, I didn't run and say, vote for
me, I promise to create bigger government.
The reason why I have asked Congress to join me is because I want
to take the over 100 agencies involved with homeland defense and
bring them under one agency, so that they can be more effective, so
that we can be more accountable and doing the most important job we
have to do, which is to keep the enemy from hurting innocent
Americans.
I say "keep the enemy from hurting innocent Americans" because
that's exactly what they want to do. We're dealing with cold-blooded
killers, and that's all they are. These are people who hijack a
great religion and kill in the name of that religion. These are
people who send youngsters to their death, and they hide in caves.
And so I just want you to know that my main focus, and the main
focus of a lot of hard-working people, is to do everything we can to
protect America. We're chasing down every single lead. (Applause.)
We're chasing down every single lead. If there is a hint that
somebody might try to do something to America, we're on them. We
are. I know there's been a lot of consternation in Washington -- and
probably in your newspapers here -- about the FBI and the CIA.
There's no question that the FBI needed to change its attitude after
September the 11th. After all, prior to September the 11th, the main
function of the FBI was to run criminals down here in America and
arrest them and bring them to justice -- and that's still an
important function. But now that we've realized that we've got a war
on our hands, an enemy that wants to hurt us, the FBI's primary
mission is now to prevent an attack.
And they're talking better than ever. With intelligence-gathering
networks, we're getting pretty good at it, and we're communicating
better. My point to you is that the defense of the homeland,
although never perfect, is improving every single day thanks to a
lot of hard-working Americans.
But the best way to secure the homeland, the best way to make
sure that I do my job, is to hunt the killers down one by one and
bring them to justice. And that is precisely what America is going
to do. (Applause.)
I've submitted a significant increase in the defense spending of
the United States. It's the largest increase since Ronald Reagan was
the President of our country. (Applause.) I did so for two main
reasons. One, any time any one of our troops goes into the battle or
into harm's way, that person deserves the absolute best equipment,
the best pay, the best training possible. (Applause.) And the second
reason is it sends a clear signal to our country, the coalition we
have put together, and the enemy, that the United States, when it
comes to defending our freedom, will take however long it takes;
that this is a long struggle -- this is going to be a struggle of --
it's going to last a long time.
And we're making progress, we really are. Some of it's very
evident; we routed out this barbaric regime called the Taliban. We
sent our incredibly brave troops into Afghanistan, and in pretty
short order we liberated a country. We freed people from the
clutches of people who wouldn't even let girls go to school, and now
they do, thanks to the United States of America. (Applause.)
But a lot of what's happening you won't see. That's the nature of
the new war. We're kind of chasing down shadowy networks, people
that try to blend into big, crowded cities, or they hide in, as I
said, caves. But you just need to know we're after them. We've got
them on the run. And we're going to keep them on the run. And we're
going to continue making sure we send a clear message: either you're
with us or you're with the enemy.
We spend a lot of time talking to our friends and allies, and
bolstering our coalition. Today, one of our coalition members,
President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, did the world a great
service. There was a group of killers named Abu Sayyaf in her
country. They kidnapped, they killed. And today, their leader met
his Maker thanks to one of our coalition partners. (Applause.)
We've hauled in, one way or the other, 2.400 -- make it 2,401 --
people that have been a part of this shadowy army. But there's more
to do. There's more to do. And you can bet the United States of
America, so long as I'm the President, is going to do what needs to
be done. (Applause.) Because after all, we defend our freedom.
And the decisions we make today, and our steadfast resolve, will
help our children to live in a free world. And there's some tough,
tough tasks ahead, no question about it. There will be some tough
battles. There's a threat that faces our country, which I take very
seriously, and that is the capacity of some of the world's worst
regimes to develop and harbor weapons of mass destruction.
I'm a patient man. The United States has got a lot of tools at
our disposal. And we'll use every tool at our disposal to make sure
that the axis of evil doesn't hold us hostage, doesn't hold our
friends hostage, and does not hurt the freedoms that we love so
dearly. (Applause.)
I believe that out of the evil done to America will come some
good. I believe that this country is so strong, and so powerful, and
so good and decent, that out of the evil done on September the 11th
can come some important, lasting contributions to the world,
starting with peace.
You know, Laura always -- not always; sometimes -- gets on me for
my rhetoric. (Laughter.) And if your children question, you know,
why is the President talking this way or the other way? I ask you to
look them in the eye and say, because he loves peace. Because he
believes that the United States has been called into action. That
history has given us a chance to seize the moment to use our
position in the world to make the world more peaceful. Peaceful in
America; peaceful in parts of the world where people cannot possibly
dream of peace right now: peace in South Asia, peace in the Middle
East. So long as I'm the President, I will drive public policy and
foreign policy to achieving peace. (Applause.)
And at home, and at home, I believe that out of the evil is
coming incredible good. People say, what can I do to help?
You can love your neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself.
If you want to fight evil, do some good. You see, it's the million
acts of kindness and decency that take place every day in America
that will help us fight off evil.
As a result of people loving their neighbor, mentoring a child,
helping a shut-in, our culture's changing in America. I gave a
speech at Ohio State University a week ago today, and I was pleased
to see that 70 percent of all the graduating class had at one time
or another done some volunteer work. It's a great sign to realize
that our young have heard the call, that life is more than just
profit and loss; that life of service is an important part of being
not a spectator, but a citizen of the United States of America.
The most compelling story, of course, in my judgment after 9/11
or during 9/11 was Flight 93, when brave souls heard that their
airplane was a weapon. They called their loved ones, they said a
prayer, and they took the airplane in the ground in the ultimate
gesture of serving something greater than yourself. I believe that
lesson has reverberated throughout our society. I believe millions
of our fellow citizens now realize that in order to be a
full-fledged American, it means you've got to help somebody in need.
There are pockets of despair and hopelessness in America that can
be solved by love and compassion, by works of faith. And I believe
that out of the evil, more and more Americans, as a result of our
fellow Americans showing compassion and decency, will realize the
American Dream extends to every neighborhood in this great land.
(Applause.)
I believe that Americans understand that the culture of if it
feels good do it, and you got a problem, blame somebody else, is a
culture that must fade off into the sunset. It's being replaced by a
culture of personal responsibility. Each of us are responsible for
loving our children. If you happen to be a mom or a dad, your most
important job is to love your children with all your heart and all
your soul.
In order to be a good neighbor, you must love your neighbor. If
you're running a business, a public company in America, you have the
responsibility to have clean balance sheets, to be -- fully disclose
your assets and your liabilities, and treat your shareholders and
employees with the respect they deserve. (Applause.)
No, out of the evil done to America has come a new culture, a new
sense of responsibility. The enemy thought they were hurting
America, and they killed too many lives, no question about it. But
they didn't realize who they were dealing with.
They were dealing with the greatest nation, the most decent
nation, the most compassionate nation on the face of this Earth.
And it is my high honor to be the President of such a great
place.
Thank you for coming. (Applause.) God bless you all. (Applause.)
END 7:10 P.M. EDT
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