Remarks to the National Association of Home Builders in Columbus, Ohio

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 11, 2004

I believe it is the job of a President to confront problems, not pass them on to future Presidents and future generations. And in the last 4 years, we have faced some problems. We faced a recession, corporate scandal. We passed tough laws now that make it abundantly clear, we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America. We faced a terrorist attack and war. Because we confronted these challenges with focus and resolve, our Nation is on the path to a better future. If America shows weakness or uncertainty in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This is not going to happen on my watch.

We're going after the terrorists. We will hunt them down where they plot and plan, and we're making progress. Today, more than three-quarters of Al Qaida's key members and associates have been brought to justice. I have the solemn duty to protect the homeland, and we'll do everything we can here at home to protect you. But the best way to protect the homeland is to stay on the offensive, fighting the terrorists overseas so we do not have to face them here in America.

But I understand this: To make sure our children and grandchildren grow up in a hopeful, peaceful world, this country must continue to spread freedom and liberty. Freedom in Afghanistan--10 million citizens in that country that was once ruled by the barbarians, the Taliban, have registered to vote, 41 percent of whom are women, in the upcoming Presidential elections. Freedom is on the march.

We'll continue to work for a free society in Iraq. It's hard work there. You know it's hard, and I know it's hard. It's hard for a reason, because the terrorists fear freedom. Liberty will transform societies. Someday, an American President will be sitting down with a duly elected leader of Iraq talking about the peace, and our children and grandchildren dill be able to grow up in a more peaceful world. In the long run, our interests are served by spreading freedom and liberty and, therefore, spreading peace.

There are clear differences in this campaign. In the debate Thursday night, my opponent continued his pattern of confusing contradictions on Iraq. After voting for the war, after saying my decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, he now says it was all a mistake. Then he was asked if our troops were dying for a mistake. He said, "No." You can't have it both ways. You can't say it's a mistake and not a mistake. You can't be for getting rid of Saddam Hussein when things look good and against it when times are hard. You can't claim terrorists are pouring across the border into Iraq yet, at the same time, try to claim that Iraq is somehow a diversion from the war against terrorism. A President cannot keep changing his mind. A President must be consistent. A President must speak clearly, and a President must mean what he says.

In the debate, Senator Kerry also said something revealing when he laid out the Kerry doctrine. He said that America has to pass a "global test" before we can use American troops to defend ourselves.