Remarks at a Fundraising Dinner for Senator Wayne Allard and Governor Bill Owens in Denver, Colorado

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, August 20, 2001

August 14, 2001

Thank you, all. Thank you very much. Thank you all very much. Okay, sit down, please. Thank you, all.

Madame Secretary, thank you for that kind introduction. You read it just like I wrote it. [Laughter] I'm really proud of my appointment of Gale Norton to the Secretary of the Interior. She is doing a fabulous job.

I think one of the things that people are going to find about our administration is we bring some common sense to Washington, DC. And Gale Norton brings a lot of common sense--common sense--to the Interior Department. And it needed a little common sense. [Laughter]

I'm sorry my wife isn't with me, but I want to give you a family report. I'm extremely proud of our First Lady. She's doing a fabulous job. She's working on a reading initiative that will have a profound impact all across America. Right now she's worrying about the two dogs and the cat on our ranch in Crawford, Texas.

We love our ranch in Crawford, Texas. But I must say, after having been in Estes Park--[laughter]--it's good to get out of Washington. [Laughter] I love my job. I want to thank all of you here who helped me become the President. It's a huge honor. But it's also a--and I like going to the Oval Office every day. As you can imagine, walking into this great office is--it's hard to describe how I feel every morning.

But it's also important to get out and see the people, too. It's important to keep balance and perspective. We find that on our ranch in central Texas, and I find it as I travel the heartland. No better place to come than the great State of Colorado, where people are down-to-earth and work hard and adhere to great American values. And I want to thank you for the warm welcome I've received today.

I appreciate so very much traveling today with United States Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. He is a--he is an interesting man--[laughter]--who I'm proud to call friend. He brings a lot of class to the United States Senate, and he represents your State with a lot of dignity.

I want to thank the Members of the Congressional delegation who are here, as well: Scott McInnis, who just came off Mount McKinley today to say hello to his President. And I want to thank you, Scott. I traveled today with Tom Tancredo and Bob Schaffer, as well. Both of these men-all three of these men are good, solid citizens in the United States Congress, and I appreciate their friendship. I appreciate their advice. I get a lot of advice from Members of Congress these days. [Laughter] Most of all, I appreciate their votes. Thank you all for being here.

I want to thank my friend, Joe Rogers, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Colorado, for being here. Thank you, Joe. And Mr. Chairman, thank you for your leadership. Where is he? There he is, down there. I appreciate you taking on the lead. I appreciate you toiling in the trenches. I appreciate you make sure Colorado remains in the public--Republican camp in 2002.

I'm here to help two good men get reelected, and I appreciate you all's work helping them get reelected. There's no finer Governor in the United States than Bill Owens. Jeb Bush isn't all that bad. [Laughter] But he's done a great job. He is the kind of fellow you want in office because he does what he says he's going to do.

That sounds pretty simple to people from the outside, but a lot of times in the political process, that's not the way it works. A lot of times, you have candidates running for office who say one thing, and they don't mean it. They go out and tell the people all across the State that they're going to do something for education, but they really don't mean it, or they can't get it done.

This is a man who has done in office what he said he would do. He's cut the taxes, he's made education a priority, and you need to send him back. You need to put him back in the statehouse. Plus, he married well. [Laughter] Frances is a great First Lady for the State of Colorado.

Bill is going to work hard; I know. And he's going to run on a positive agenda; that's what the people want. He told me today on the airplane that although he's done a lot for education, he's going to continue to stay on education. And we're going to help him with a good bill out of Washington, DC, that will give more power and flexibility to the States. Education is his priority, and it needs to be his priority. It's the people's priority of the State of Colorado.

And I'm proud to stand up here for Wayne, as well. He's a good man. He works hard, and I need him in the Senate. I need somebody who I can count on in the United States Senate.

And Colorado needs him in the Senate. Colorado needs a man who understands natural resources and who brings balance to the issue. Colorado needs a man who understands energy. Colorado needs a fiscal conservative in the United States Senate. Colorado needs a commonsense man, and that man is Wayne Allard.

Let me say one other thing. It's much better to have two United States Senators who will have their phone call returned from the White House than one. [Laughter] It's much better to have two people working on the State's business, who can work closely with an administration. It's important to have somebody who is an ally in the Oval Office, to represent your State. And I view Wayne as an ally, and I think he views me as an ally of Colorado. That's important.