1962 Nov. 3 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 Representative Ray LaHood, candidate for reelec- I’m proud to be up here with three fine tion in Illinois’ 18th Congressional District; and Members of the United States Congress: Gil President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Gutknecht, Mark Kennedy, and Jim Ramstad. I appreciate their service to our Remarks in St. Paul, Minnesota country. I appreciate the fact that they’re friends. I appreciate the fact they’re willing November 3, 2002 to run. The President. Thank you all. Glad I Most of all, I’m here to thank you all for came. Norm said, ‘‘If you come back, we what you have done and what you’re going might have a few of my friends over to say to do. Many of you have been working hard hello.’’ [Laughter] over the last months, weeks, and days to sup- I want you to know I understand that Min- port the Coleman candidacy. You’ve been nesota is going through a traumatic time. putting up signs. You’ve been dialing the After all, just 9 days ago, you lost a principled phones. You’ve been sending the brochures Senator, along with his wife and daughter in the mail. Don’t stop. I will promise you and five other fellow Americans. Paul this, when you go to your coffee shops or Wellstone was respected by all who worked your community centers and urge your fellow with him. He’ll be missed by all who knew Minnesota citizens to go to the polls, you can him. make a huge impact on this election. You Now a vote is coming on, in the middle can decide who your next United States Sen- of a State that is mourning. And even though ator and Governor and Members of Congress your State is still in mourning, I’m here to will be. remind people from all political parties that And when you go to those coffee shops you have a duty to vote. In spite of the fact and community centers, make sure you reach that people still mourn, Republicans and out to discerning Democrats and inde- Democrats, independents, people who could pendent voters. There are a lot of good peo- care less about political parties, have an obli- ple who may not call themselves Repub- gation in the land of the free to go to the licans, who’ve been impressed, like I have, polls and exercise your right as an American. with the nature of the campaign that Norm Now, once you get in that voting booth, Coleman has run. There’s a lot of people who I’ve got a suggestion. [Laughter] The best may not be Republicans, who’ve been im- candidate for the future of Minnesota is your pressed by the quality of service he gave to next United States Senator, Norm Coleman. The best choice for Governor of Min- the citizens of St. Paul as the mayor of St. nesota, the best choice for the taxpayers and Paul. the schoolchildren, is Tim Pawlenty. And the They know him like I know him, somebody best choice in a contested race in this part who’s willing to get rid of the stale, old, tired of the world, the best choice for United name-calling in politics, somebody who’s not States Congress, is Mr. John Kline. interested in pitting one group of people It’s great for—great to be able to see Lau- against another to get ahead, somebody rie Coleman today. She is working hard, who’s willing to work hard to bring people along with Norm and their entire family. together for the common good. That’s the Proud to meet Mr. and Mrs. Coleman, too. Norm Coleman I know. Ms. Coleman said she’s a little nervous. When he held office, he showed what he [Laughter] I said, ‘‘Well, you watch and see could do. He performed. He’s the kind of what happens next Tuesday.’’ fellow who does in office what he says he’s Norm married above himself, and so did going to do. That’s refreshing. After all, we I. [Laughter] Yesterday Laura was here. I are in the house that Norm built. want to thank you for such a warm reception He kept taxes down. He brought more she received. I don’t blame Norman for than $3 billion of new development into St. bringing her in coming down the stretch. Paul. He performed in office. He did so with After all, she’s done a fabulous job as our class. He did so with the one thing in mind: country’s First Lady. how to benefit all the people of St. Paul. He Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Nov. 3 1963 understands that in order to create oppor- produce the good or a service. And when tunity for all the citizens of this State, that somebody produces the good or a service, the small-business owner and the entre- somebody is more likely to be able to find preneurs, the backbone of creativity and job work. growth, no matter where they are in this I need the United States Senator from country—[applause]. Minnesota who not only supports tax relief, Pat Boemer owns McGovern’s Pub and but is willing to stand with me to make tax Restaurant just down the street from here. relief permanent. He knows firsthand how Norm worked with Norm and I understand in Washington, small-business owners to cut the regulations when you hear them talking about the Gov- that oftentimes make it hard for people to ernment’s money, they don’t understand. expand and/or exist. Norm understands the See, we’re not talking about the Govern- role of small businesses. Because of Norm’s ment’s money in Washington. It’s important help, Pat was able to expand his restaurant, to have a Senator understand whose money a project that employed 30 people during the it is. It’s your money. It’s the people’s money. expansion and added 35 new permanent jobs. I look forward to working with Norm on Pat—let me tell you what Pat said about a lot of issues. We need to get a terrorism Norm Coleman. I want you to hear what one insurance bill out that gets our hardhats of your citizens said about this man. He said, working again. The terrorists hit us, and as ‘‘He’s a breath of fresh air.’’ And that’s the a result, a lot of projects aren’t going forward kind of fresh air we need in the United States because they can’t find insurance. And there- Senate. fore, a lot of hardhats aren’t working. We Believe me when I say, we need fresh air need to get somebody in the Senate with in the United States Senate. The future of whom I can work to make sure we get us Minnesota rests with Norm Coleman. Not a terrorism insurance bill that rewards the only do I like to promote somebody who is hardhats of America, not the trial lawyers of a good, honorable person; I’m looking for an America. ally. [Laughter] I want somebody from this I look forward to working with a Norm great State with whom I can work, somebody Coleman to make sure that Medicare works. with whom we can work to help all the peo- See, we made a solemn promise to our sen- ple. iors. The problem is, medicine has changed. We’ve got some problems here in this It’s becoming modern. Medicare is stuck in country. See, our economy is kind of bump- the past. There’s a lot of new technologies ing along. It’s not as strong as it should be. that have helped health care become mod- Anytime somebody is looking for a job and ern, new discoveries that have changed the they can’t find work means we’ve got a prob- nature of health care. But Medicare hasn’t lem. And I’m not going to rest until people changed. I look forward to working with Sen- can find work, until people who want to put ator Norm Coleman to modernize Medicare, food on the table are able to do so. which means prescription drugs for our sen- But it’s important to have somebody from iors. this State who understands the role of Gov- And let me give you another reason I need ernment is not to create wealth, but the role to work with him in the Senate. One of my of Government is to create an environment most solemn obligations is to name good peo- in which small businesses can grow to be big ple to Federal benches. The Senate has done businesses, in which this entrepreneurial a lousy job. There are too many of my nomi- spirit is strong. nees that have been stalled, and therefore, There’s a fundamental difference of atti- we have a vacancy crisis on the Federal tudes in this race. See, Norm and I under- benches in America. And that hurts you. It stand this, that when a person has more hurts our citizens who need to have access money in their pocket, they’re likely to de- to justice. mand an additional good or a service. And You see, they don’t like my judges. They when they demand a good or a service in don’t like the fact that I named good, honor- the marketplace, somebody is likely to able people who will not use the bench from 1964 Nov.