Remarks at the Farm Progress Show in Alleman, Iowa

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Sept 6, 2004

None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another began. I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers on September the 14th, 2001. It's a day I'll never forget. There were workers in hardhats yelling at me at the top of their lungs, "Whatever it takes." I remember thanking people for their hard work, and a guy grabbed me by the arm, and he looked me in the eye with his bloodshot eyes, and he said, "Do not let me down."

I have a duty that has gone on since that day. I wake up every morning trying to best determine how to protect our country. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.

We've come through a lot together. We've done a lot of hard work. There's more to be done to make sure our schools reach their full potential. There's more to be done to spread opportunity to every single corner of this country. There's more to be done to pass the values of this land on to another generation. There's more to be done to spread freedom and peace so our children can grow up in a peaceful world.

You know, when I campaigned across your State, I said if you gave me the honor of holding this office, I would uphold the honor and dignity of the office to which I had been elected. With your help, with your hard work, I will do so for the next 4 years.

Thanks for coming, and may God bless. Thank you all very much. God bless you all. Thank you all.

NOTE: The President spoke at 3 p.m. at the Alleman Farm. In his remarks, he referred to Glen Keppy, chairman, Iowa Farm Team, Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.; Mayor Bill Bodenstiner of Alleman, IA; Iowa State Senator Stewart Iverson; former Governors Terry Branstad and Bobert D. Ray of Iowa; Stan Thompson, candidate for Congress in Iowa's 3d Congressional District; Jan Lyons, president, National Cattlemen's Beef Association; Leon "Leo" Corzine, first vice president, 2004 Corn Board, National Corn Growers Association; Ron Heck, chairman, American Soybean Association; Keith Berry, president, board of directors, National Pork Producers Council; Craig Lang, president, board of directors, Iowa Farm Bureau; Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya; and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. He also referred to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), administered by the Farm Service Agency, United States Department of Agriculture.