Remarks in Davenport, Iowa

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, August 9, 2004

August 4, 2004

The President. Thank you all so very much for coming. Thanks for having me. It's great to be back here in the Quad Cities area.

It's a great place to work and raise your family. It's what I would call the heart and soul of the country. We have a little difference of opinion about the heart and soul--some of them think you can find it in Hollywood.

Audience members. No-o-o!

The President. I think you find it right here in Davenport, Iowa.

I'm looking forward to the race. I'm here to ask for your vote and ask for your help. Everywhere we're going, the crowds are big, the enthusiasm is high, the signs are good. With your help, Dick Cheney and I will have 4 more years.

I regret that Laura is not here to see this significant crowd. She is a fabulous First Lady. She is a great mother and a wonderful wife. Today I'm going to give you some reasons for you to put me back in office, but perhaps the most important reason of all is so that Laura will be the First Lady for 4 more years.

I'm proud to be running with Dick Cheney. I admit he's not the prettiest one on the ticket. [Laughter] I didn't pick him for his looks. [Laughter] I picked him for his judgment and his experience. Dick Cheney is a great Vice President.

I want to thank my friend Jim Nussle. I appreciate his leadership in the United States Congress. He's the budget man. He's looking out after your money. He and I understand when we spend money in Washington, it's not the Government's money; it's the people's money.

I appreciate my friend Jim Leach joining us today. What a fine, fine citizen of the State of Iowa. I want to thank my friend Tom Latham for joining us, the Congressman from the other part of the State. Thanks for inviting him here to eastern Iowa. It's good for your Congressmen to get a taste for the decency of the folks that live in this part of the State.

I want to thank Chuck Gipp, David Vandt, all the State officials here. I appreciate the mayor coming. Mr. Mayor, we're proud you're here. Fill the potholes. [Laughter]

I want to thank Mayor Freemire of Bettendorf as well. I'm proud you're here. I want to thank my friend David Roederer, who is the campaign chairman for this great State of Iowa. I appreciate my friend Larry

Gatlin. We were both raised in west Texas together. I was in Midland; he was in Odessa. I can't sing; he can. [Laughter]

Listen, I want to thank all the grassroots activists who are here. I appreciate you coming. I want to thank you for what you are going to do, which is to register the voters. We have a duty in this country to vote. Make sure you register people. Don't worry about what party they're in; we want everybody voting in America. However, now when you're convincing them who to vote for, don't overlook discerning Democrats and wise independents. [Laughter] When you get them headed toward the poll, nudge them our way. I'm counting on your help, and together we're going to win not only Iowa, but it's going to be a great victory in November nationwide. We were close in Iowa last time--not this time; we're going to carry it.

Every incumbent who's asking for the vote has to answer a question why--why should the American people give me the great privilege of serving as your President for 4 more years? In the past years we've been through a lot together. We've been through a whole lot together, and we've accomplished a great deal. But there's only one reason to look backward at the record, and that is to determine who best to lead our Nation forward.

I'm asking for your vote because so much is at stake. We have more to do. We must work to move America forward. I want to be your President for 4 more years to make our country safer.

Audience members. Four more years!

Four more years! Four more years!

The President. I want to be your President for 4 more years to make our economy stronger. I want to be your President for 4 more years to make our future brighter and better for every one of our citizens. From creating jobs to improving schools, from fighting terror to spreading the peace, we have made much progress, and there is still more to do.

We have more to do to make our public schools the centers of excellence we know that they can be, so that no child is left behind in this country. When we came to office 3 1/2 years ago, too many children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year, without learning the basics. So we've challenged the soft bigotry of low expectations. We've raised the bar. We believe in accountability. We believe in making sure local folks are in charge of public schools. We believe in empowering parents. And today, children across America are showing real progress in reading and math. When it comes to improving America's public schools, we're turning the comer, and we're not turning back.

Listen, we've got more to do. The world we're in is changing. The jobs of the future will require greater knowledge and a higher-level skills, so we've got to reform our high schools to make sure a high school diploma means something. We're going to expand math and science so young people can compete in our high-tech world. We will expand the use of the Internet to bring high-level training into classrooms. With 4 more years, we will help a rising generation gain the skills and confidence they need to realize the American Dream.