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Administration of George W. Bush, 2004 / Oct. 23 2549 We’ll build their prosperity. We will defend America, to put me and Dick Cheney back the deepest values. We’ll spread freedom in in office. this world, and as we do so, we’ll keep Amer- I think it’s important to go around this ica safe and spread the peace. country telling people what you’re going to Four years ago, when I traveled your great do. I’m here to tell you why I think you need State asking for the vote, I made this pledge. to put me in office for 4 more years. But I said if I was elected, I would uphold the perhaps the most important reason of all is honor and the dignity of the office to which so that Laura is the First Lady for 4 more I had been elected. With your help, I will years. do so for 4 more years. Audience members. Laura! Laura! Laura! God bless. Thanks for coming. The President. I’m sure some of you all will appreciate this, when I tell you that NOTE: The President spoke at 10:10 a.m. at City Laura and I knew each other in the seventh of Palms Park. In his remarks, he referred to Sen- grade in San Jacinto Junior High in Midland, ator Zell Miller of Georgia, who made the keynote address at the Republican National Convention; Texas. We became reacquainted. She was a Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; former Senator Connie public school librarian at the time. I said, Mack III of Florida; Connie Mack IV, candidate ‘‘Will you marry me?’’ She said, ‘‘Fine, so for Congress in Florida’s Fourteenth Congres- long as you make me a promise.’’ I said, sional District; Mel R. Martinez, senatorial can- ‘‘What is it?’’ She said, ‘‘I never want to have didate in Florida; Mayor Jim Humphrey of Fort to give a political speech.’’ [Laughter] I said, Myers, FL; State Attorney General Charlie Crist ‘‘Okay, you got a deal.’’ Fortunately, she of Florida; Johnnie Byrd, speaker, Florida House didn’t hold me to that deal. She is giving a of Representatives; country music entertainer lot of speeches, and when she speaks, the Daron Norwood; senior Al Qaida associate Abu American people see a compassionate, warm, Musab Al Zarqawi; and Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist network. strong First Lady. I’m proud of my runningmate, Dick Che- ney. He’s doing a great job. I see some others Remarks in Lakeland, Florida out here who are follically challenged. October 23, 2004 [Laughter] See, I admit he doesn’t have the waviest hair in the race. [Laughter] You’ll be The President. Thank you all for coming. pleased to hear I didn’t pick him because Audience members. Four more years! of his hairdo. [Laughter] I picked him be- Four more years! Four more years! cause he can get the job done. I picked him The President. Thank you all for coming because of his judgment. I picked him be- today. Laura and I are so honored that so cause of his experience. many came out to say hello. We really appre- I’m proud to be traveling with my brother. ciate it. It is a beautiful day to be cam- Jeb Bush is a great Governor for Florida. paigning in the great State of Florida. Of He’s led with conviction. You know, one course, according to your Governor, every thing about him, you don’t have to worry day is a beautiful day in Florida. about where he stands. In other words, he’s I’m here to ask for your vote, and I’m here not one of these politicians who is going to to ask for your help. We’re close to voting take a poll or run a focus group, trying to time. As a matter of fact, in your State, voting figure out what to tell you. He stands on prin- time is already here. Please go to your friends ciples. That’s how we were raised. You stand and neighbors, people from all parties—don’t for what you believe. And Jeb showed great overlook discerning Democrats—[laugh- courage and compassion during the times of ter]—people like Zell Miller. They want a these storms. I came over to try to lend a better country too. Tell them we have a duty hand and show the people of this important in this country to vote. Tell them we have State that the Federal Government cared, an obligation in a free society to go to the people around the country cared for you. But polls. And when you get them headed to the I was incredibly impressed by two things, polls, remind them, if they want a safer one, Jeb’s leadership, and two, the great com- America and a stronger America and a better passion of the people of Florida. VerDate Aug 04 2004 12:32 Nov 02, 2004 Jkt 205250 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P44OCT4.029 P44OCT4 2550 Oct. 23 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2004 I’m proud to be up here with Adam Put- ues that are so critical to our families and nam. I call him Red; you call him Congress- our future. man. [Laughter] We went over and saw some The first choice is the most important be- orange growers the other day, and it was my cause it concerns the security of your family. honor to be in that citrus grove, telling the All progress on any of the other issues de- orange growers of this part of the State, we’re pends on the safety of our citizens. This will going to help them get their feet back on be the first Presidential election since Sep- the ground. tember the 11th, 2001. Americans will go to I want to thank—listen, while you’re out the polls in a time of war and ongoing threats there voting, voting for me and Dick Cheney, unlike any * we have seen before. The terror- make sure you vote for Mel Martinez for the ists who killed thousands are still dangerous, United States Senate. He’ll be a fine United and they are determined to strike again. The States Senator, no doubt in my mind. outcome of this election will set the direction I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Toni of the war against terrorism. Jennings for being here. I want to thank the I believe the most solemn duty of the State Senate majority whip. I want to thank American President, the most solemn duty, all the local and State officials who are here. is to protect the American people. If America I want to thank Trini Triggs for performing shows uncertainty or weakness, the world will for you all. drift toward tragedy. This will not happen I want to thank the grassroots activists, the on my watch. people putting up the signs, the people mak- Since that terrible morning, September ing the phone calls, the people who have en- the 11th, 2001, we’ve fought the terrorists couraged this rally. I want to thank you for across the Earth, not for pride, not for power, what you’ve done. I want to thank you for but because the lives of our citizens are at what you’re going to do. With your help, we stake. Our strategy is clear. We’re strength- will carry Florida and win a great victory in ening the homeland. We’re reforming our in- November. telligence services. We are transforming our We just got 10 days to go in the campaign. All-Volunteer Army. We will not have a draft. Who’s counting? The voters have a clear We are staying on the offensive against these choice between two very different candidates terrorists. We are relentless and we are de- with dramatically different approaches and termined, and our strategy is paying off. records. You know where I stand. And some- More than three-quarters of Al Qaida’s key times, you even know where my opponent members and associates have been brought stands. We both have records. We both have to justice, and the rest of them know we’re records. on their trail. Audience members. Flip-flop! Flip-flop! My opponent has a different approach. He Flip-flop! says that September the 11th, quote, ‘‘didn’t The President. We both have records. I’m change me much at all,’’ end quote. proudly running on mine. And the Senator Audience members. Boo-o-o! is running from his, and there’s a reason why. The President. And that’s pretty clear. He There is a mainstream in American politics, considers the war on terror primarily a law and Senator John Kerry sits on the far left enforcement and intelligence gathering oper- bank. I’m a compassionate conservative and ation. proudly so. At a time when our country has Audience members. Boo-o-o! much to accomplish and much more to do, The President. His top foreign policy ad- I offer a record of reform and results, and viser questioned it is even a war at all, saying, my opponent offers a long list of out-of-the- ‘‘It’s just like a metaphor, like the war on mainstream votes. poverty.’’ Anyone who thinks we’re fighting This election comes down to five clear a metaphor does not understand the enemy choices for American families, five choices we face. You cannot win a war if you are on issues of great consequence: your family’s not convinced we are even in one.

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