By Matt Hurley for the TIB Network:
Mel Martinez:I believe in George Bush's idea of "compassionate conservatism." From the time I first heard him talk about it, I said "compassionate conservatism is the story of my life."Martinez should be a huge boost for the President in the Cuban-American populace. Above and beyond that though, he appears to be a great guy with an amazing story.
And it is the story of so many other people. Working moms trying to make ends meet.
Dads working two jobs to give their children a better life. Immigrants, who, like me, saw America as a land of opportunity.
Throughout my journey, I have come to know firsthand the compassion of America and the genuine goodness of Americans.
I was deeply honored to serve in the Cabinet of a President with a big heart and deep affection for all Americans.
Not only does President Bush believe in the American dream, but his policies are helping people across our country to realize their own American Dream.
John Kerry Delenda Est!
Gen. Tommy Franks:I'm not a Republican. I'm not a Democrat. But I believe in democracy. I believe in America.And here is a bit from the General about the War on
After almost four decades as a Soldier I've been Independent...some would say very independent
But, here I stand tonight, endorsing George W. Bush to be the next President of the United States.
America is a land of opportunity and a land of choice.
A great war time President, Franklin Roosevelt, once said: "Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely."
Delegates and Friends I am prepared to "choose wisely."
And I choose George W. Bush.
Our Nation is safer today because we have hardened our defenses and taken the fight to the terrorists, but we still have work to do.On coalitions and allies:
The Global War on Terrorism will be a long fight. But make no mistake we are going to fight the terrorists. The question is do we fight them over there -- or do we fight them here. I choose to fight them over there.
Some argue that we should treat this war as a law enforcement issue. Some say we should fight a less aggressive war -- that we should retreat into a defensive posture and hope that the terrorists don't attack us again.
Well, my wife Cathy and I are simply not willing to bet our grandchildren's future on the 'good will' of murderers.
I learned long ago that hope is not a strategy.
I am proud that America has given 50 million people a chance.Last one from Franks:
And we have not been in this fight alone.
President Bush has built the largest coalition in the history of the world nations united together against terrorism.
Some have ridiculed the contributions made by our allies, but I can tell you that every contribution from every nation is important.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in thanking our Coalition partners for being there when America and the world needed them most.
Citizens and friends, I began tonight by reminding you that America must make a choice.
I choose George W. Bush because he is a leader we can depend on to make the tough decisions and the right decisions.
I choose George W. Bush because his vision to take the fight to the terrorists is the best way to protect our country.
I choose George W. Bush because he stands up for the American fighting man and woman and because he remembers our veterans.
I choose George W. Bush because we know the next 200 years of American history depends on the decisions we make as a Nation today.
And, I choose President George W. Bush because I believe his leadership will help ensure a better future for my grandchildren -- Anne Cathryn and Samuel Thomas Matlock.
John Kerry Delenda Est!
Gov. George Pataki:Every four years people say 'This is the most important election of our lifetime.' This time it's true.
We have a choice between two very different men.
Different views, different histories. I know them both we were at college together, the president a year behind me, Senator Kerry a year ahead.
John Kerry was head of the Liberal Union, I was head of the Conservative Union.
We never got to debate back then. But the Senator has asked for a full and frank discussion.
Well, let's start now.
I want to help voters compare President Bush's record of achievement with Senator Kerry's. That way they'll be able to see the difference, which is that President Bush has a record of achievement.
Almost four years ago George W. Bush raised his right hand and took the oath of office. And from the first he showed us something we hadn't seen in a while. When he said he was going to do something, he meant it.
And then he did it.
Given recent history, that's amazing.
He inherited a recession, and then came September 11th. But George Bush said he would turn around the economy and create new jobs.
He said he'd do it. And he did.
He said he would cut taxes on the middle class, and ease the tax burden on all Americans.
He said he'd do it. And he did.
He said he'd help small businesses, protect social security, and expand home ownership.
He said he'd do it. And he did.
He said he'd apply tougher standards to our schools. He'd help our seniors get the prescription drug coverage they need.
He said he'd do it. And he did.
And George Bush said he'd fight to allow the power of faith to help our young and help our troubled.
He said he'd do it. And he did.
There's much more, but you get the point.
George W. Bush says what he means, he means what he says, you can trust him.
John Kerry Delenda Est!
President George W. Bush:I believe every child can learn, and every school must teach so we passed the most important federal education reform in history. Because we acted, children are making sustained progress in reading and math, America's schools are getting better, and nothing will hold us back.A nice overview that touches on most everything that he needed to...
I believe we have a moral responsibility to honor America's seniors so I brought Republicans and Democrats together to strengthen Medicare. Now seniors are getting immediate help buying medicine. Soon every senior will be able to get prescription drug coverage, and nothing will hold us back.
I believe in the energy and innovative spirit of America's workers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and ranchers so we unleashed that energy with the largest tax relief in a generation. Because we acted, our economy is growing again, and creating jobs, and nothing will hold us back.
I believe the most solemn duty of the American president is to protect the American people. If America shows uncertainty and weakness in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not happen on my watch.
Many of our most fundamental systems the tax code, health coverage, pension plans, worker training were created for the world of yesterday, not tomorrow. We will transform these systems so that all citizens are equipped, prepared and thus truly free to make your own choices and pursue your own dreams.I look forward to hearing more about these programs/policies. The sentiment expressed here is right on target.
Let's talk the economy:
My plan begins with providing the security and opportunity of a growing economy. We now compete in a global market that provides new buyers for our goods, but new competition for our workers. To create more jobs in America, America must be the best place in the world to do business. To create jobs, my plan will encourage investment and expansion by restraining federal spending, reducing regulation, and making tax relief permanent. To create jobs, we will make our country less dependent on foreign sources of energy. To create jobs, we will expand trade and level the playing field to sell American goods and services across the globe. And we must protect small business owners and workers from the explosion of frivolous lawsuits that threaten jobs across America.Barring distractions from the world stage (i.e. more terrorism), the President should be able to accomplish all of this.
Another drag on our economy is the current tax code, which is a complicated mess filled with special interest loopholes, saddling our people with more than six billion hours of paperwork and headache every year. The American people deserve and our economic future demands a simpler, fairer, pro-growth system. In a new term, I will lead a bipartisan effort to reform and simplify the federal tax code.
Another priority in a new term will be to help workers take advantage of the expanding economy to find better, higher-paying jobs. In this time of change, many workers want to go back to school to learn different or higher-level skills. So we will double the number of people served by our principal job training program and increase funding for community colleges. I know that with the right skills, American workers can compete with anyone, anywhere in the world.
In this time of change, opportunity in some communities is more distant than in others. To stand with workers in poor communities and those that have lost manufacturing, textile, and other jobs we will create American opportunity zones. In these areas, we'll provide tax relief and other incentives to attract new business, and improve housing and job training to bring hope and work throughout all of America.
Another priority for a new term is to build an ownership society, because ownership brings security, and dignity, and independence.This is the fundamental difference between compassionate conservatism and whatever the liberal equivelent is: the compassionate conservative agenda is people-centered, the liberal agenda is government-centered. Conservatives believe we should have the right to make decisions for ourselves and that government should not be a significant part of our daily lives.
Thanks to our policies, homeownership in America is at an all-time high. Tonight we set a new goal: seven million more affordable homes in the next 10 years so more American families will be able to open the door and say welcome to my home.
In an ownership society, more people will own their health plans, and have the confidence of owning a piece of their retirement. We will always keep the promise of Social Security for our older workers. With the huge Baby Boom generation approaching retirement, many of our children and grandchildren understandably worry whether Social Security will be there when they need it. We must strengthen Social Security by allowing younger workers to save some of their taxes in a personal account a nest egg you can call your own, and government can never take away.
In all these proposals, we seek to provide not just a government program, but a path a path to greater opportunity, more freedom, and more control over your own life.
Education:
This path begins with our youngest Americans. To build a more hopeful America, we must help our children reach as far as their vision and character can take them. Tonight, I remind every parent and every teacher, I say to every child: No matter what your circumstance, no matter where you live your school will be the path to the promise of America.Kerry Comparison:
We are transforming our schools by raising standards and focusing on results. We are insisting on accountability, empowering parents and teachers, and making sure that local people are in charge of their schools. By testing every child, we are identifying those who need help and we're providing a record level of funding to get them that help. In northeast Georgia, Gainesville Elementary School is mostly Hispanic and 90 percent poor and this year 90 percent of its students passed state tests in reading and math. The principal expresses the philosophy of his school this way: "We don't focus on what we can't do at this school; we focus on what we can do; we do whatever it takes to get kids across the finish line." This principal is challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations, and that is the spirit of our education reform, and the commitment of our country: No dejaremos a ning n ni o atr s. We will leave no child behind.
We are making progress and there is more to do. In this time of change, most new jobs are filled by people with at least two years of college, yet only about one in four students gets there. In our high schools, we will fund early intervention programs to help students at risk. We will place a new focus on math and science. As we make progress, we will require a rigorous exam before graduation. By raising performance in our high schools, and expanding Pell grants for low and middle income families, we will help more Americans start their career with a college diploma.
These changing times can be exciting times of expanded opportunity. And here, you face a choice. My opponent's policies are dramatically different from ours. Senator Kerry opposed Medicare reform and health savings accounts. After supporting my education reforms, he now wants to dilute them. He opposes legal and medical liability reform. He opposed reducing the marriage penalty, opposed doubling the child credit, and opposed lowering income taxes for all who pay them. To be fair, there are some things my opponent is for he's proposed more than two trillion dollars in new federal spending so far, and that's a lot, even for a senator from Massachusetts. To pay for that spending, he is running on a platform of increasing taxes and that's the kind of promise a politician usually keeps.I like the rhetoric, but that first sentence in the last paragraph is one that I'm not real sure I would have used. While the President has reduced the tax burden, his spending habits have been rather unsavory.
His policies of tax and spend of expanding government rather than expanding opportunity are the policies of the past. We are on the path to the future and we are not turning back.
The Candidate of Conservative Values:
My opponent recently announced that he is the candidate of "conservative values," which must have come as a surprise to a lot of his supporters. Now, there are some problems with this claim. If you say the heart and soul of America is found in Hollywood, I'm afraid you are not the candidate of conservative values. If you voted against the bipartisan Defense of Marriage Act, which President Clinton signed, you are not the candidate of conservative values. If you gave a speech, as my opponent did, calling the Reagan presidency eight years of "moral darkness," then you may be a lot of things, but the candidate of conservative values is not one of them.Nice try Senator, but nobody was going to buy that one. The President puts this one away easily.
Moving on to foreign policy:
Our strategy is succeeding. Four years ago, Afghanistan was the home base of al-Qaida, Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups, Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist fundraising, Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, Iraq was a gathering threat, and al-Qaida was largely unchallenged as it planned attacks. Today, the government of a free Afghanistan is fighting terror, Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders, Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests, Libya is dismantling its weapons programs, the army of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom, and more than three-quarters of al-Qaida's key members and associates have been detained or killed. We have led, many have joined, and America and the world are safer.While there is a lot in this section that is open for debate; the reality, in my opinion, is that the President is right. While the world is not safe it is definately safer and there is plenty of work still left to do to make the world even more safe. There will always be a threat of some kind, so the world will never be totally safe, but the gathering threat of terror on American soil has been diminished. And, by definition, that makes us safer.
This progress involved careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose, and some tough decisions. And the toughest came on Iraq. We knew Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and support for terror. We knew his long history of pursuing, even using, weapons of mass destruction. And we know that September 11th requires our country to think differently: We must, and we will, confront threats to America before it is too late.
Iraq:
In Saddam Hussein, we saw a threat. Members of both political parties, including my opponent and his running mate, saw the threat, and voted to authorize the use of force. We went to the United Nations Security Council, which passed a unanimous resolution demanding the dictator disarm, or face serious consequences. Leaders in the Middle East urged him to comply. After more than a decade of diplomacy, we gave Saddam Hussein another chance, a final chance, to meet his responsibilities to the civilized world. He again refused, and I faced the kind of decision that comes only to the Oval Office a decision no president would ask for, but must be prepared to make. Do I forget the lessons of September 11th and take the word of a madman, or do I take action to defend our country? Faced with that choice, I will defend America every time.Mark and I heard some of this material being developed when we saw the President here in Cincinnati awhile back. It works.
Of Allies and Freed Peoples:
Our allies also know the historic importance of our work. About 40 nations stand beside us in Afghanistan, and some 30 in Iraq. And I deeply appreciate the courage and wise counsel of leaders like Prime Minister Howard, and President Kwasniewski, and Prime Minister Berlusconi and, of course, Prime Minister Tony Blair.The historical impact:
Again, my opponent takes a different approach. In the midst of war, he has called America's allies, quote, a "coalition of the coerced and the bribed." That would be nations like Great Britain, Poland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, El Salvador, Australia, and others allies that deserve the respect of all Americans, not the scorn of a politician. I respect every soldier, from every country, who serves beside us in the hard work of history. America is grateful, and America will not forget.
The people we have freed won't forget either. Not long ago, seven Iraqi men came to see me in the Oval Office. They had "X"s branded into their foreheads, and their right hands had been cut off, by Saddam Hussein's secret police, the sadistic punishment for imaginary crimes. During our emotional visit one of the Iraqi men used his new prosthetic hand to slowly write out, in Arabic, a prayer for God to bless America. I am proud that our country remains the hope of the oppressed, and the greatest force for good on this earth.
Others understand the historic importance of our work. The terrorists know. They know that a vibrant, successful democracy at the heart of the Middle East will discredit their radical ideology of hate. They know that men and women with hope, and purpose, and dignity do not strap bombs on their bodies and kill the innocent. The terrorists are fighting freedom with all their cunning and cruelty because freedom is their greatest fear and they should be afraid, because freedom is on the march.ZING!
I believe in the transformational power of liberty: The wisest use of American strength is to advance freedom. As the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq seize the moment, their example will send a message of hope throughout a vital region. Palestinians will hear the message that democracy and reform are within their reach, and so is peace with our good friend Israel. Young women across the Middle East will hear the message that their day of equality and justice is coming. Young men will hear the message that national progress and dignity are found in liberty, not tyranny and terror. Reformers, and political prisoners, and exiles will hear the message that their dream of freedom cannot be denied forever. And as freedom advances heart by heart, and nation by nation America will be more secure and the world more peaceful.
America has done this kind of work before and there have always been doubters. In 1946, 18 months after the fall of Berlin to allied forces, a journalist wrote in the New York Times, "Germany is a land in an acute stage of economic, political and moral crisis. [European] capitals are frightened. In every [military] headquarters, one meets alarmed officials doing their utmost to deal with the consequences of the occupation policy that they admit has failed." End quote. Maybe that same person's still around, writing editorials. Fortunately, we had a resolute president named Truman, who with the American people persevered, knowing that a new democracy at the center of Europe would lead to stability and peace. And because that generation of Americans held firm in the cause of liberty, we live in a better and safer world today.
In the last four years, you and I have come to know each other. Even when we don't agree, at least you know what I believe and where I stand. You may have noticed I have a few flaws, too. People sometimes have to correct my English I knew I had a problem when Arnold Schwarzenegger started doing it. Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called "walking." Now and then I come across as a little too blunt and for that we can all thank the white-haired lady sitting right up there.He's referring to former First Lady Barbara Bush, of course. I like this bit because it is something that needed to be done a LONG time ago. People have been abusing this President's mannerisms for quite some time now and I think the humor he displayed here was appropriate. Here's more on the point:
One thing I have learned about the presidency is that whatever shortcomings you have, people are going to notice them and whatever strengths you have, you're going to need them. These four years have brought moments I could not foresee and will not forget. I have tried to comfort Americans who lost the most on September 11th people who showed me a picture or told me a story, so I would know how much was taken from them. I have learned first-hand that ordering Americans into battle is the hardest decision, even when it is right. I have returned the salute of wounded soldiers, some with a very tough road ahead, who say they were just doing their job. I've held the children of the fallen, who are told their dad or mom is a hero, but would rather just have their dad or mom.The Big Finish:
To everything we know there is a season a time for sadness, a time for struggle, a time for rebuilding. And now we have reached a time for hope. This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting liberty abroad, we will build a safer world. By encouraging liberty at home, we will build a more hopeful America. Like generations before us, we have a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom. This is the everlasting dream of America and tonight, in this place, that dream is renewed. Now we go forward grateful for our freedom, faithful to our cause, and confident in the future of the greatest nation on earth.All said and done, it was a good speech. His performance and delivery was quite good despite a couple of distractions that quite frankly the organizers should be more embarrassed by than anyone else.
God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.
Two months to go...I think the President will probably receive a four to eight point bounce off this convention, which was very successful. He really shouldn't do much more campaigning personally. He should go back to the White House and be the President of the United States and not act like a candidate. Naturally, he should make a few appearances in battleground states and the like, but there shouldn't be much heavy campaigning going on involving the President himself.
