Remarks in Sioux City, Iowa

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, August 23, 2004

August 14, 2004

The President. Thank yon all. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming. I've got an interesting line of work, don't I. Yes, it's a line of work where you get introduced by your wife. [Laughter] Thankfully, she said yes when I said, "Will you marry me?" What a great First Lady she is, a fabulous mom, and a wonderful wife. I'm going to give you some reasons today why I think you ought to put me back into office, but perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura will be the First Lady for 4 more years.

We're glad to be in Sioux land, and we thank you all for coming. I'm here to ask for the vote. I'm here traveling this important State to say, there's more to do to make this country a safer, stronger, and better nation for all of our citizens. And I'd like your help. I'd like you to register your friends and neighbors. See, we have an obligation in this free land to vote. And I'd like my supporters to encourage all your citizens to register to vote and to do our duty. And when you get them headed to the polls, you might just tell them, for the sake of a better nation, George Bush and Dick Cheney are ready to lead for 4 more years.

Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

The President. We're coming off a swing around the West. It's been a great trip. The crowds are large. The enthusiasm is strong. And there's no doubt in my mind with your help, we will carry Iowa, and we will win a great national victory in 2004.

Tomorrow, I'm going to travel down to Florida to visit with those whose lives have been hurt by Hurricane Charley. I just want them to know that our Federal Government is responding quickly. We have got aid stations in place. FEMA Federal officials are on the ground working with State and local officials. Many lives have been affected by this hurricane. And I know you join me in sending our prayers to those people who look for solace and help.

I'm running with a really good man in Vice President Cheney. Look, I didn't pick him because he's the prettiest guy in--[laughter]--I picked him because he can do the job. I picked him for his advice and his sound judgment. And we're ready to go. I'm looking forward to it. There are big differences, and I'm looking forward to making those differences clear to the American people.

I want to thank my friend Congressman Steve King. I appreciate his leadership. I look forward to working with him for 4 more years for the good of this country.

I know the State auditor, David Vaudt, is here. I know the speaker is with us today, Christopher Rants. And I want to thank Ralph Klemme for coming. I want to thank all the State officials who are serving the State of Iowa and those from Nebraska. Those good souls from South Dakota who have come down here. Let me make something clear about South Dakota: John Thune needs to be the United States Senator.

I want to thank the mayor, Dave Ferris, here from Sioux City. Mr. Mayor, thanks for coming. Fill the potholes. [Laughter] I want to thank my friend Dave Roederer, who is the State campaign chairman for Iowa. He knows what I know; we're going to carry this State.

Backstage, I had the honor of meeting Jeff Fortenberry. He's running for the United States Congress for Nebraska. I want to thank the Blue County band for being here. I appreciate you lending your talents. I thank the All-American Concert Band for being here. Most of all, I want to thank you all for being here. Thanks for taking time out of your weekend to come.

You know, in the past few years, Americans have been through a lot together. These have been hard times. We've accomplished a great deal. But there's only one reason to look backwards, and that is to determine who best to lead us forward. See, that's the only reason to look backwards, is who best to get the job done for the American people.

I'm asking for the vote, and I'm working hard to ask for the vote because so much is at stake in this election. We have much more to do to move this country forward. I'm running again because I want to work to continue to create jobs and improve our schools. I'm running again because I know we've got to continue to fight the terrorists to secure our homeland. I'm running again to spread the peace. I'm running again--what I'm here to tell you is, we have made much progress, and there is more work to be done.

We have more to do to make our public schools the centers of excellence we all know they can be, so that no child is left behind in America. You might remember, 3 1/2 years ago, there was--when we came to office, too many of our children were being shuffled from grade to grade, year after year, without learning the basics. We have challenged the soft bigotry of low expectations. We have raised the bar, We believe in accountability because we want to know whether or not our children are learning to read and write and add and subtract. We believe in local control of schools. When we find schools that will not teach and will not change, we are bold enough to challenge the status quo.