Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Dec. 3 2121

Remarks at a Luncheon for doesn’t own that money. It’s not the Govern- Senatorial Candidate Suzanne Haik ment’s money that we spend. It’s the people’s Terrell in , money. December 3, 2002 And she’s going to have some good hands to work with in the Congress Nice to be back in New Orleans, home from the great State of Louisiana, starting of a new basketball team, home of a winning with the chairman, Billy Tauzin. I love work- football team, and in the State of the next ing with Billy. He brings good common sense United States Senator, Suzie Terrell. to the Halls of the United States Congress. I’m thrilled to be here amongst a lot of And I like working with David Vitter from our friends. It seems I’ve been coming to right here in the New Orleans area. David, New Orleans for a long time. [Laughter] thank you for being here. And Jim McCrery What a fabulous town. I’m honored to be is with us today, and I appreciate your hard here on behalf of a great candidate, some- work, Jim. Thanks for coming. And Richard body who represents the values of Louisiana, Baker is with us. Where are you, Richard? somebody who has got a record of accom- Baton Rouge. Good to see you, Richard. plishment, somebody who is not afraid to I so very much appreciate being here with speak her mind to the President of the your Governor. He too gives the President United States—[laughter]—but somebody an earful. [Laughter] He’s not the prettiest who I know will do a great job on behalf Governor in America. [Laughter] But he’s of all of Louisiana. one of the most effective. He’s done a heck I’m here to thank you for your support. of a job for the people of Louisiana. I’m here to remind the good folks of Lou- And I know we’ve got another Governor isiana they have a duty to go to the polls on here with us—celebrating the Louisiana Pur- Saturday. In the land of the free, you have chase, which I’m sure the people of Lou- an obligation to defend freedom by being a isiana agree with me, is a heck of a deal. part of our democracy. I don’t care whether [Laughter] But Frank Keating from Okla- you’re Republican or Democrat or don’t give homa is here today as well. Frank, I appre- a hoot about a political party; you have an ciate you coming. Yes, sir. He probably wants obligation in this country to vote. But I’ve to talk about the OU-Texas game. [Laughter] got a suggestion. [Laughter] For the good I’m honored to be up here with Pat Brister of Louisiana and for the good of America, and Boysie Bollinger, both of whom are good Suzie Terrell needs to be the next United friends, and both of whom represent the States Senator. grassroots activists in the State of Louisiana. She’s got a lot going for her. First of all, I’m here to remind you all that—I want to she’s a mother of three fabulous young girls. thank you for what you have done and what There they are: Julie, Bebe, and Chrissy. you are going to do over the next couple of Anybody who can raise three teenage girls— days, and that is to gather up your buddies [laughter]—you know what I mean. [Laugh- and get them to vote, is to man the phones ter] and put up the signs and grab people by the I appreciate her willingness to serve the wrists and say, ‘‘You owe it to Louisiana to people, willingness to take the path that a vote for Suzie Terrell for the United States lot of people won’t take, and that is offer her- Senate.’’ self up for office. And she’s done a great job I like Suzie’s attitude and her tone, the in the office that she held. After all, you way she wants to go to Washington to get might remember that the election commis- some things done, and we need more of that sioner’s office needed a little house-cleaning, in Washington, DC. Sometimes, Washington needed to have the integrity restored, and is one of these towns where the person— Suzie Terrell did it. She saves the taxpayers people who think they’ve got the sharp elbow money. is the most effective person; kind of zero- I need an ally up there who understands, sum politics in Washington: ‘‘I win. You when it comes to spending what they call the lose.’’ That’s not the right attitude for the Government’s money, the Government American people. We need a United States 2122 Dec. 3 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002

Senator from Louisiana whose mission it is power out of Washington, DC, because we to improve the lives as best we can of all believe in local control of schools. I look for- our citizens. And we’re making some ward to working with Senator Terrell to make progress in Washington. sure that in return for Federal money, that Slowly but surely, we’re changing the tone we know whether or not our children can and getting things done on behalf of the read and write and add and subtract. In order American people. This week, last couple of to make sure no child gets left behind, we weeks, I signed some important legislation. must challenge schools which will not teach I signed the Department of Homeland Secu- and will not change. And I’m confident I rity, which will better enable our Federal have an ally in Senator Suzie Terrell. Government to plan and to protect the We need a Senator who can help break American people from further attack. And logjams in the , particu- I want to thank the Members of the Senate larly when it comes to getting us a good en- and the House who finally came together to ergy bill. I see Billy nodding his head. He’s get that legislation done. been working on an energy bill. He agrees And I signed a bill on terrorism insurance. with me, in this world we need an energy It’s a bill that will get our hardhats back to strategy. I mean, face it; we import a lot of working again, a bill that should make it easi- energy from overseas. Some of the people er for big construction projects to get started we import from don’t exactly like us. [Laugh- so that a lot of hard-working Americans can ter] We need an energy plan that encourages find work—by the way, a bill which is more conservation and new technologies. We need favorable to the hardhats than to the trial law- an energy plan that encourages the develop- yers in America. It’s a good piece of legisla- ment of safe nuclear power. We need an en- tion that shows what can happen when peo- ergy plan that encourages clean-coal tech- ple come together to get the people’s busi- nologies. We need an energy plan that en- ness done. courages environmentally safe exploration for Yesterday at the Pentagon, I signed the de- hydrocarbons in the United States of Amer- fense authorization bill, fulfilling a promise ica. that I made— and I made— that said that we’re going to do everything I look forward to working with Senator we can to make sure we’ve got the strongest Terrell to modernize Medicare. Medicare is military in the world. A strong military makes an aged system which is not adapting to the it more likely the world is going to be peace- times. Medicine has changed, but Medicare ful. We not only had pay raises for our folks; hasn’t. Medicine is modern. There’s all kinds I can say to those whose families serve in of new technologies and prescription drugs the service, ‘‘You’re going to have the best which can save lives. But Medicare is stuck training and the best possible equipment in the past. I want to work with Senator when you put on the uniform of the U.S. Terrell to see to it that we modernize Medi- military.’’ care, making sure we fulfill our promises to We’re making good progress, but there’s our seniors. And a modern Medicare system a lot of work to be done. And I look forward means prescription drug coverage for our to working with Senator Terrell. We did seniors. some good things in education, but there’s I look forward to working with Senator more to do. So long as any child can’t read, Terrell to make sure the environment for the we’ve got a problem in America. As a matter entrepreneurial spirit is strong. We under- of fact, the new civil right is to make sure stand the role of Government is not to create every child can read in America. I look for- wealth; the role of Government is to create ward to working with a Senator Terrell to an environment in which the entrepreneur make sure we maintain the highest of high can flourish, in which small businesses can standards, to challenge what I call the soft grow to be big businesses. And one way the bigotry of low expectations. Federal Government can affect job growth I look forward to working with Senator is to let people keep more of their own Terrell to make sure that we continually pass money, is through tax relief. Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Dec. 3 2123

Tax relief is not a political slogan; it’s good that hides in caves and sends youngsters to economic policy. If a person has more of their suicidal deaths. These people do not their own money, they’re likely to demand value innocent life. In America, we say every an additional good or a service. And in the life is precious; everybody has value; every- marketplace, when somebody demands a body counts. Our enemy we face today mur- good or a service, somebody is likely to ders in the name of a great religion, and they produce the good or a service. And when could care less who dies. They’re nothing but somebody produces the good or a service, coldblooded killers, and we’re going to treat somebody in Louisiana or elsewhere in them that way. It doesn’t matter how long America is going to be able to find work. We it takes; it doesn’t matter how deep the cave, passed tax relief at the right time in American the United States of America and our friends economic history, and now I need a Senator and allies will hunt them down, one by one, to join me in making sure that tax relief is in the name of freedom. permanent. And there is no question where I cannot imagine what was going through Suzie Terrell stands on tax relief. their mind when they hit America. They And I need somebody to work with me must have thought we were so soft, so weak, to make sure that we’ve got a good judiciary. so fragile that after 9/11/ 2001, we might file It’s amazing what an election will do. [Laugh- a lawsuit or two. [Laughter] But they’re ter] For a long period of time, I couldn’t get learning something about America that I my judges even to have hearings. There’s a know, that when it comes to our freedoms, vacancy gap on our Federal bench—bench- when it comes to the values we hold dear, es—and that’s a problem. It’s a problem for this United States of America is plenty tough. people who need to have a hearing. It’s a And that’s the way we got to be in this new problem for people who want justice. And war of the 21st century. I couldn’t get my judges through the Senate And we’re making progress. You just need because they were playing politics with the to know we’re making good progress. After people I put up, good, honorable, decent all, this great Nation and our friends liber- people, people whose job it is not to try to ated a country from one of the most barbaric write legislation from the bench, people regimes in the history of mankind by routing whose job it is to strictly interpret the United the Taliban. We went into Afghanistan not States Constitution. Those are the kind of to conquer anybody but to liberate people. people I put on the bench. And now, thanks to our great country and And Louisiana needs a Senator who will our great soldiers and our wonderful friends, vote for Louisiana values when it comes to young girls—many young girls go to school the judiciary. And there’s no question in my for the first time in a country that has been mind that when it comes to having a good, liberated by the American people. sound judiciary, the right United States Sen- And we’ve got more work to do there. And ator is Suzie Terrell from the State of Lou- we’ll stay there until we rout them out. See, isiana. they think they can kind of hide in the coun- No, there’s a lot of issues we’ll be working tryside there in Afghanistan, and they may on, but there’s no bigger issue than to win be able to hide for a day or two. They may this war against the terrorists. I talked about be able to hide for a year. But it doesn’t mat- the homeland security bill I signed, and you ter how long. See, that’s what you just have just need to know there’s a lot of good folks to know. It just doesn’t matter how long; working overtime to protect the American we’re going to stay on the hunt. These people homeland. But the best way to secure the are scattered in 60 different countries. homeland is to chase the killers down, one They’re scattered around, and slowly but at a time, and bring them to justice. And surely, we’re dismantling their terrorist net- that’s what we’re going to do. work—slowly but surely. It’s a different kind of war. In the old days, The guy who led the U.S.S.—the bombing, you could destroy tanks and ships and air- mastermind the bombing on the U.S.S. Cole, planes, and say you’re making progress. This he was the Al Qaida general for the Gulf is a different kind of enemy. It’s an enemy states. He’s not a problem anymore. 2124 Dec. 3 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002

[Laughter] One by one, we’re bringing them weapons of mass destruction. He used weap- to justice. That’s what we’ve been called to ons of mass destruction on his neighbors, and do. History has put this big spotlight on us, he used weapons of mass destruction on his and we’re not going to let future generations own citizens. He’s a man who has professed of Americans down. hate to America as well as our friends and And that’s why I was so proud to sign this allies. He’s a man who has got terrorist ties, defense appropriation authorization bill. The a man who helps train terrorists. He’s a big increases in defense spending sent a clear threat, and he’s a danger. message to the world: We’re in this deal for I went to the United Nations because I the long pull. felt like, in a world that required cooperation And we’ve also got to recognize here in in this new war of the 21st century, that it America times have changed. See, when a was important the United Nations show some lot of us were growing up, we could feel pret- backbone, that the United Nations be some- ty secure by the fact that we had two oceans thing other than an empty debating society, surrounding us and protecting us from dan- that when they issue a resolution, they mean gers that might be gathering abroad. Sep- it. And on a 15–0 vote, the United Nations tember the 11th, 2001, completely changed recognized the threat of Saddam Hussein the strategic calculations of this country. The and demanded that he disarm. battlefield is here. And therefore, it’s incum- I then went to our close Allies in NATO bent upon the President and the Congress and said the same thing. I said, ‘‘This man’s to work together to anticipate gathering dan- a threat. He’s a threat to us. He’s a threat gers before they become acute, before the to you. He too must disarm.’’ And now, as situation becomes so dire that drastic meas- you’ve seen in your newspapers, inspectors ures might be needed. are inside of Iraq. Inspectors are there not It’s very important for us to recognize to play hide-and-seek with Mr. Saddam Hus- threats when we see them and deal with sein. Inspectors are there to verify the will them appropriately. After all, the threat gath- of the world. And the will of the world says ering in a distant land turns out to be a threat clearly, ‘‘Disarm.’’ Saddam Hussein, for the directly on the American people. We’ve got sake of peace, must disarm. And if he refuses to be wise about how we view the world and to disarm, if he tries to deceive his way out make sure that the new arrangements, the of disarmament, this Nation, along with other new alliances, aren’t allowed to develop, an willing nations, will disarm Saddam Hussein. alliance, for example, where a nation that has I say that because I believe in peace. I weapons of mass destruction uses a shadowy believe this is how you achieve peace, by terrorist network as a forward army, perhaps being strong and resolute, by fighting ter- encouraging them to attack America without rorism and all forms of terror, by not allowing leaving any fingerprints. You’ve got to worry those who hate to try to dictate to those of about disrupting training facilities. us who love freedom. See, I believe out of And that’s why I started talking about Iraq the evil done to America is going to come and Saddam Hussein, not only starting a de- some incredible good. Part of the good done bate in the Halls of the United States Con- to this—part of the evil done to this country gress, which overwhelmingly supported any is going to help lead the world to peace. means necessary to deal with the threat to Oh, I know some don’t believe that, but the United States, but also took the debate I do. I believe that if we remain steadfast to the United Nations and a couple of weeks and strong, if we remain true to our values, ago to NATO. we’ll achieve peace, not only peace for our- It’s important for our fellow Americans to selves but because we believe every life is understand that, when we’re talking about precious, everybody matters, everybody has Saddam Hussein, we’re talking about a man worth. We can achieve peace in parts of the who said he has had no weapons of mass de- world where they’ve quit on peace, where struction, yet we believe has weapons of mass people have given up hope. destruction, a man who has not only had I also believe here at home we can be a weapons of mass destruction, but he’s used more compassionate country. See, there’s Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Dec. 3 2125 people who are hurting in America. Amongst and decent America for every citizen who’s our plenty, there are pockets of despair, of lucky enough to live in this country. loneliness and hopelessness. There are peo- And I can make that prediction with abso- ple when you say, ‘‘American Dream,’’ they lute certainty, because I know America. This wonder what the heck does that mean, Amer- is the greatest country, full of the most de- ican Dream? They have no idea about the cent people on the face of this Earth. I’m promise of this country. And my attitude is, honored you’re here. May God bless you all, so long as some hurt, we all hurt. and may God bless America. And I also recognize the limitations of Government. Government can hand out money, and frankly, we do a pretty good job NOTE: The President spoke at 1:10 p.m. in the of it sometimes. But what it can’t do is put Imperial Ballroom at the Fairmont Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. M.J. ‘‘Mike’’ Foster hope in people’s hearts or a sense of purpose of Louisiana; Pat Brister, chairman, Republican in people’s lives. That’s done when a neigh- Party of Louisiana; Donald ‘‘Boysie’’ Bollinger, bor puts their arm around somebody who chairman of the board and chief executive officer, hurts and says, ‘‘I love you. What can I do Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.; Abd al-Rahim al- to help?’’ See, I strongly believe that America Nashiri, Al Qaida’s chief of operations for the Per- is going to change one heart, one soul, one sian Gulf; and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. conscience at a time, because the spirit of this country, a selfless spirit, is alive and well. There are thousands of people all across Proclamation 7632—National Drunk New Orleans and Louisiana and all across and Drugged Driving Prevention America who understand the responsibility Month, 2002 of being an American. It’s more than just making a living. The responsibility of a true December 3, 2002 patriot is somebody who’s willing to serve something greater than themselves, serve By the President of the United States their country. And one way to best serve your of America country is to love your neighbor just like you’d like to be loved yourself. A Proclamation No, there was tremendous evil done to America, but out of the evil is a new spirit, Drunk and drugged driving threatens the a vitality of the American spirit, perhaps best safety of millions of Americans. Reducing the represented by the folks on Flight 93. The incidence of impaired driving remains one story, in my judgment, is going to be one of our Nation’s greatest challenges. As we of the profound stories of the September the gather with family and friends to celebrate 11th, 2001, tragedy. It captures what I know this holiday season, I urge all Americans to is the strength of our country. People were observe National Drunk and Drugged Driv- flying across the land, and they heard the ing Prevention Month by making responsible airplane they were on was going to be a choices that will help keep our roads safer weapon. Imagine what went through their for all. minds. They eventually got their thoughts to- Drunk driving accidents take a life every gether. They called their loved ones and said 30 minutes and injure someone every 2 min- ‘‘goodbye’’ and ‘‘I love you.’’ History will utes. In the last 24 months, 41 percent of show that a prayer was said. One guy said, those killed in traffic accidents, which is al- ‘‘Let’s roll.’’ These citizens took the plane most 35,000 Americans, have been killed in into the ground to save lives, to serve some- alcohol-related crashes. To better protect our thing greater than themselves. citizens and decrease the number of drunk That spirit of America is so strong and so and drugged driving traffic accidents, we alive, it allows me to boldly predict that out must work together to educate our commu- of the evil done to this country is going to nities about the seriousness of this offense come incredible good, not only a peaceful and we must raise awareness of its dev- world but a more compassionate and hopeful astating consequences.