Day 2 RNC 8/31/04: Keynote The First Family

Source: Sun-Sentinel "Text of a speech by Jenna and Barbara Bush delivered Tuesday at the Republican National Convention, as transcribed by e-Media Inc." http://www.sun-sentinel.com/nyc-twinsspeech,0,5872715.story?coll=sfla-home-utility

JENNA BUSH: It's great to be here. We love Arnold. Isn't he awesome?

Thanks to him, if one of us ever decides to marry a Democrat, nobody can complain, except maybe our grandmother, Barbara. And if she doesn't like it, we would definitely hear about it.

We already know she doesn't like some of our clothes, our music, or most of the TV shows we watch.

Gammie, we love you dearly, but you're just not very hip.

She thinks "Sex and the City" is something married people do, but never talk about.

We spent the last four years trying to stay out of the spotlight. Sometimes, we did a little better job than others.

We kept trying to explain to my dad that when we are young and irresponsible, well, we're young and irresponsible.

BARBARA BUSH: Jenna and I are really not very political, but we love our dad too much to stand back and watch from the sidelines.

We realized that this would be his last campaign, and we wanted to be a part of it.

Besides, since we've graduated from college, we're looking around for something to do for the next few years.

Kind of like dad.

JENNA: Our parents have always encouraged us to be independent and dream big. We've spent a lot of time at the White House, so when we showed up the first day, we thought we had it all figured out. But apparently my dad already has a chief of staff, named Andy.

BARBARA: When your dad's a Republican and you go to Yale, you learn to stand up for yourself.

I knew I wasn't quite ready to be president, but number two sounded pretty good.

Who is this man they call Dick Cheney?

JENNA: I think I know a lot about campaigns. After all, my grandfather and my dad have both run for president, so I put myself in charge of strategy. Then I got an angry call from some guy named Karl.

BARBARA: We knew we had something to offer. I mean, we've traveled the world; we've studied abroad. But when we started coming home with foreign policy advise, dad made us call Condi.

JENNA: Not to be deterred, we thought surely there's a place for strong willed, opinionated women in communications. And next thing we know, Karen's back.

BARBARA: So we decided the best thing we could do here tonight would be to introduce somebody we know and love.

JENNA: You know all those times when you're growing up and your parents embarrass you? Well, this is payback time on live TV.

BARBARA: Take this. I know it's hard to believe, but our parents' favorite term of endearment for each other is actually Bushy.

And we had a hamster, too. Let's just say ours didn't make it.

JENNA: But, contrary to what you might read in the papers, our parents are actually kind of cool. They do know the difference between mono and Bono. When we tell them we're going to see Outkast, they know it's a band and not a bunch of misfits. And if we really beg them, they'll even shake it like a Polaroid picture.

BARBARA: So, OK, maybe they have learned a little pop culture from us, but we've learned a lot more from them about what matters in life, about unconditional love, about focus and discipline.

They taught us the importance of a good sense of humor, of being open-minded and treating everyone with respect.

And we learned the true value of honesty and integrity.

JENNA: When you grow up as the daughters of George and Laura Bush, you develop a special appreciation for how blessed we are to live in this great country.

We are so proud to be here tonight to introduce someone who read us bedtime stories, picked up car pool, made us our favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheered for us when we scored a goal, even when it was for the wrong team.

BARBARA: Someone who told us we actually looked cute in braces, always welcomed our friends and was there waiting when we came home at curfew.

JENNA: Ladies and gentlemen, one of the two most loving, thoughtful people we know.

BARBARA: Your president and our dad, George W. Bush.


Source: PRNewswire "Remarks by First Lady Laura Bush to the Republican National Convention With Introduction Via Satellite by President George W. Bush"
August 31, 2004 http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/09-02-2004/0002243387

Madison Square Garden
New York, New York

10:30 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you Barbara and Jenna. You make me so very proud. I have really enjoyed being on the campaign trail with both of you. It's kind of like the camping trip I promised to take you on. (Laughter.)

Tonight, I have the best and easiest job of this convention -- introducing our First Lady. (Applause.) My life has been better every day since that wonderful day Laura Welch said yes to me. (Applause.) At every stage of our journey, Laura has shown the grace and character I fell in love with. She's a wonderful mother who fills our home with love and kindness. She's a teacher who wants every American child to read and discover a broader world of ideas. She's a friend of authors, who has brought talented Americans to the attention of the world. She has been a voice of calm and comfort in difficult times.

I'm a lucky man to have Laura at my side, and America would be fortunate to have her in the White House for four more years. (Applause.)

It is my honor to introduce my wife, my partner and the First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush. (Applause.)

MRS. BUSH: Thank you all. Thank you so much. And thank you, George. I like being introduced by the President of the United States. (Applause.) And Barbara and Jenna, you were great. We're so proud of you both. (Applause.)

I also want to recognize the best father- and mother-in-law anyone could ever ask for: President Bush and Barbara Bush. (Applause.) And my husband's brothers and sister who have become my brothers and sister too, thank you all. Thanks so much for being here. (Applause.) And watching tonight from her home in Midland, Texas, my mother, Jenna Welch. Hi, Mom. (Applause.) And Vice President Cheney and Lynne, and all the Cheney family. Thank you all so much. Thanks for everything you do. Where are they? Oh, there they are. (Applause.) And I want to thank everybody here tonight. Thank you all very much for the wonderful privilege you have given me and my husband of serving our great country.

Our lives have been enriched by meeting so many of our fellow Americans. As we've visited your communities, we have witnessed your decency, your kindness and your character. I'm enjoying this campaign. It has reminded me of our very first one, 25 years ago. George and I were newlyweds and he was running for Congress. Our transportation wasn't quite as fancy back then -- an Oldsmobile Cutlass, and George was behind the wheel. (Laughter.) Even then, he was always on time and he knew where he wanted to go. (Applause.)

You learn a lot about your husband when you spend that much time in a car with him. By the end of the campaign, he had even convinced me to vote for him. (Laughter.)

This time, I don't need any convincing. (Applause.)

I'm so proud of the way George has led our country with strength and conviction. Tonight, I want to try to answer the question that I believe many people would ask me if we sat down for a cup of coffee or if ran into each other at the store: You know him better than anyone else. You've seen things no one else has seen -- why do you think we should reelect your husband as President?

As you might imagine, I have a lot to say about that. (Applause.) I could talk about my passion, education. At every school we visit, the students are so eager. Last fall, the President and I walked into an elementary school in Hawaii, and a little second grader -- there's Hawaii -- a little second grader came out to welcome us and bellowed, "George Washington!" Close, just the wrong George W.

When my husband took office, too many schools were leaving too many children behind, so he worked with Congress to pass sweeping education reform. The No Child Left Behind Act provides historic levels of funding with an unprecedented commitment to higher standards, strong accountability and proven methods of instruction. We are determined to provide a quality education for every child in America. (Applause.)

I could talk about the small business owners and entrepreneurs who are now creating most of the new jobs in our country -- women like Carmela Chaifos -- the only woman to own a tow truck company in all of Iowa. (Applause.) The President's tax relief helped Carmela to buy the business, and modernize her fleet, and expand her operations. Carmela is living proof of what she told me. She said, "If you're determined and you want to work hard, you can do anything you want to. That's the beautiful thing about America." (Applause.)

I could talk about health care. For years, leaders in both parties said we should provide prescription drug coverage in Medicare. George was able to bring Republicans and Democrats together to get it done. (Applause.)

I could talk about the fact that my husband is the first President to provide federal funding for stem cell research. And he did it in a principled way, allowing science to explore its potential while respecting the dignity of human life. (Applause.)

I could talk about the recent record increase in home ownership. Home ownership in America, especially minority home ownership, is at an all-time high. (Applause.)

All of these issues are important. But we are living in the most historic struggle my generation has ever known. The stakes are so high. So I want to talk about the issue that I believe is most important for my own daughters, for all of our families, and for our future: George's work to protect our country and defeat terror so that all children can grow up in a more peaceful world. (Applause.)

As we gather in this hall and around our television sets tonight, Joshua Crane stands watch aboard the U.S.S. John C. Stennis. His brothers Matthew and Nicholas stand watch near Fallujah. And at home in Colorado -- (applause) -- their mother Cindy stands watch too -- with worry, and prayer. She told me all three of her sons enlisted after September 11th, because they recognized the threat to our country. (Applause.) Our nation is grateful to all the men and women of our armed forces who are standing guard on the front lines of freedom. (Applause.)

A dad whose wife is deployed in Iraq recently wrote about what he is learning as he struggles to rear his three children alone. "I have ruined at least three loads of laundry," he said. "Once you turn everything pink, it stays pink." (Laughter.) He goes on: "I have learned what our soldiers' wives have known for generations: hope and grief and perseverance."

This time of war has been a time of great hardship for our military families. The President and I want all of our men and women in uniform and their wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters to know that we appreciate their sacrifice. (Applause.) And we know that it will mean a more peaceful future for our children and grandchildren.

No American President ever wants to go to war. Abraham Lincoln didn't want to go to war, but he knew saving the Union required it. Franklin Roosevelt didn't want to go to war -- but he knew defeating tyranny demanded it. And my husband didn't want to go to war, but he knew the safety and security of America and the world depended on it. (Applause.)

I remember some very quiet nights at the dinner table. George was weighing grim scenarios and ominous intelligence about potentially even more devastating attacks. I listened many nights as George talked with foreign leaders on the phone, or in our living room, or at our ranch in Crawford. I remember an intense weekend at Camp David. George and Prime Minister Tony Blair were discussing the threat from Saddam Hussein. And I remember sitting in the window of the White House, watching as my husband walked on the lawn below. I knew he was wrestling with these agonizing decisions that would have such profound consequence for so many lives and for the future of our world.

And I was there when my husband had to decide. Once again, as in our parents' generation, America had to make the tough choices, the hard decisions, and lead the world toward greater security and freedom. (Applause.)

I wasn't born when my father went to World War II. Like so many of our greatest generation, he is now gone, lost to Alzheimer's nine years ago. He served in the United States Army in Europe for almost three years, and helped liberate Nordhausen, one of the concentration camps. You can imagine his horror at what he found there. The methods of the terrorists we face today are different -- but my father would know this struggle.

Our parents' generation confronted tyranny and liberated millions. As we do the hard work of confronting today's threat, we can also be proud that 50 million more men, women and children live in freedom thanks to the United States of America and our allies. (Applause.)

After years of being treated as virtual prisoners in their homes by the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan are going back to work. After being denied an education, even the chance to learn to read, the little girls in Afghanistan are now in school. (Applause.) Almost every eligible voter -- over 10 million Afghan citizens -- have registered to vote in this fall's presidential election, more than 40 percent of them women. (Applause.) And wasn't it wonderful to watch the Olympics and see that beautiful Afghan sprinter race in long pants and a t-shirt, exercising her new freedom while respecting the traditions of her country. (Applause.)

I recently met a young Iraqi woman. She is one of the new Iraqi Fulbright scholars studying in the United States. She survived horrific horrors, including the gassing of her village by Saddam Hussein. She told me that when people look at Iraq, what they don't see is that Iraq is a country of 25 million people, each with their own hope.

As we watch the people of Iraq and Afghanistan take the first steps to build free countries, I am reminded of what Vaclav Havel once told me. Vaclav Havel -- playwright, intellectual, freedom fighter, political prisoner, then President of the Czech Republic -- said to me, "Laura, you know, democracy is hard: it requires the participation of everybody." I think of how long it took us in our country, even though we were given such a perfect document by our founders. It took almost 100 years after the founders declared that all men are created equal to abolish slavery -- and not until 84 years ago this month did American women get the right to vote. (Applause.) Our nation has not always lived up to its ideals -- yet those ideals have never ceased to guide us. They expose our flaws, and they lead us to mend them. We are the beneficiaries of the works of the generations before us, and it is each generation's responsibility to continue that work. (Applause.)

These last three years since September 11th have been difficult years in our country's history, years that have demanded the hope, grief and perseverance that our soldier's husband wrote about. We've learned some lessons we didn't want to know -- that our country is more vulnerable than we thought, that some people hate us because we stand for liberty, religious freedom and tolerance. But we have also been heartened to discover that we are also braver than we thought, stronger and more generous. (Applause.)

These have been years of change for our family as well. Our girls went off to college and graduated, and now they are back home. We are so happy they are campaigning with us this fall and we're so proud that they will be pursuing their own careers soon. My mother moved out of my childhood home and into a retirement community. We lost our beloved dog Spotty, and had our hearts warmed by the antics of Barney.

People ask me all the time whether George has changed. He's a little grayer -- and of course, he has learned and grown as we all have. But he's still the same person I met at a backyard barbecue in Midland, Texas, and married three months later. (Applause.) And you've come to know many of the same things that I know about him. He'll always tell you what he really thinks. You can count on him, especially in a crisis. His friends don't change -- and neither do his values. (Applause.) He has boundless energy and enthusiasm for his job, and for life itself. He treats every person he meets with dignity and respect; the same dignity and respect he has for the office he holds. (Applause.)

And he's a loving man, with a big heart. I've seen tears as he has hugged families who've lost loved ones. I've seen him return the salute of soldiers wounded in battle. And then, being George, he invites them to come visit us at the White House. And they've come, bringing an infectious spirit of uniquely American confidence that we are doing the right thing and that our future will be better because of our actions today. (Applause.)

Many of my generation remember growing up at the height of the Cold War, hiding under desks during civil defense drills in case the communists attacked us. And now when parents ask me, what should we tell our children -- I think about those desks. We need to reassure our children that our police, our firemen, our military and our intelligence workers are doing everything possible to keep them safe. (Applause.) We need to remind them that most people in the world are good. And we need to explain that because of strong American leadership in the past we don't hide under our desks anymore. (Applause.)

And because of President Bush's leadership and the bravery of our men and women in uniform, I believe our children will grow up in a world where today's terror threats have also become a thing of the past. (Applause.)

These are also years of hope for our country and our people. We have great confidence in our ability to overcome challenges. We have gained a new appreciation of the many blessings of America, and we've been reminded of our responsibilities to the country we love.

George and I grew up in West Texas, where the sky seems endless, and so do the possibilities. He brings that optimism, that sense of purpose, that certainty that a better day is before us, to his job every day -- and with your help, he'll do it for four more years. (Applause.)

These are times that require an especially strong and determined leader. And I'm proud that my husband is that kind of leader. (Applause.)

Thank you all. God bless you, and God bless America. (Applause.)

10:55 P.M. EDT
END

Day 2 RNC 8/31/04: Keynote CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Source: PRNewswire "Remarks by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA) as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, August 31, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2004/0002241863

Thank you.

What a greeting! This is like winning an Oscar! ... As if I would know!

Speaking of acting, one of my movies was called "True Lies." It's what the Democrats should have called their convention.

My fellow Americans, this is an amazing moment for me. To think that a once-scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to become Governor of California and stand in Madison Square Garden to speak on behalf of the President of the United States that is an immigrant's dream. It is the American dream.

I was born in Europe ... and I've traveled all over the world. I can tell you that there is no place, no country, more compassionate -- more generous -- more accepting -- and more welcoming than the United States of America.

As long as I live, I will never forget that day 21 years ago -- when I raised my hand and took the oath of citizenship.

Do you know how proud I was? I was so proud that I walked around with an American flag around my shoulders all day long.

Tonight, I want to talk about why I'm even more proud to be an American -- why I'm proud to be a Republican -- and why I believe this country is in good hands.

When I was a boy, the Soviets occupied part of Austria. I saw their tanks in the streets. I saw communism with my own eyes. I remember the fear we had when we had to cross into the Soviet sector. Growing up, we were told, "Don't look the soldiers in the eye. Look straight ahead." It was a common belief that Soviet soldiers could take a man out of his own car and ship him off to the Soviet Union as slave labor.

My family didn't have a car -- but one day we were in my uncle's car. It was near dark as we came to a Soviet checkpoint. I was a little boy, I wasn't an action hero back then, and I remember how scared I was that the soldiers would pull my father or my uncle out of the car, and I'd never see him again. My family and so many others lived in fear of the Soviet boot. Today, the world no longer fears the Soviet Union -- and it is because of the United States of America!

As a kid I saw the socialist country that Austria became after the Soviets left. I love Austria and I love the Austrian people -- but I always knew America was the place for me. In school, when the teacher would talk about America, I would daydream about coming here. I would sit for hours watching American movies -- transfixed by my heroes like John Wayne. Everything about America seemed so big to me -- so open, so possible.

I finally arrived here in 1968.I had empty pockets, but I was full of dreams. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon and Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend who spoke German and English, translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism - which is what I had just left. But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting government off your back, lowering taxes, and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air.

I said to my friend, "What party is he?" My friend said, "He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican!" And I've been a Republican ever since! And trust me, in my wife's family, that's no small achievement! I'm proud to belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln, the party of Teddy Roosevelt, the party of Ronald Reagan - and the party of George W. Bush.

To my fellow immigrants listening tonight, I want you to know how welcome you are in this party. We Republicans admire your ambition. We encourage your dreams. We believe in your future. One thing I learned about America is that if you work hard and play by the rules, this country is truly open to you. You can achieve anything.

Everything I have -- my career -- my success -- my family -- I owe to America. In this country, it doesn't make any difference where you were born. It doesn't make any difference who your parents were. It doesn't make any difference if, like me, you couldn't even speak English until you were in your twenties.

America gave me opportunities, and my immigrant dreams came true. I want other people to get the same chances I did, the same opportunities. And I believe they can. That's why I believe in this country, that's why I believe in this party -- and that's why I believe in this President.

Now, many of you out there tonight are "Republican" like me in your hearts and in your beliefs. Maybe you're from Guatemala. Maybe you're from the Philippines. Maybe Europe or the Ivory Coast. Maybe you live in Ohio - Pennsylvania - or New Mexico. And maybe - just maybe - you don't agree with this party on every single issue. I say to you tonight I believe that's not only okay -- that's what's great about this country. Here we can respectfully disagree and still be patriotic -- still be American -- and still be good Republicans.

My fellow immigrants, my fellow Americans how do you know if you are a Republican? I'll tell you how.

If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government...then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group... then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does... then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children ... then you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world ... then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen ...if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism ... then you are a Republican!

There is another way you can tell you're a Republican. You have faith in free enterprise, faith in the resourcefulness of the American people ...and faith in the U.S. economy. To those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say: Don't be economic girlie men!

The U.S. economy remains the envy of the world. We have the highest economic growth of any of the world's major industrialized nations. Don't you remember the pessimism of twenty years ago - when the critics said Japan and Germany were overtaking the U.S.? Ridiculous!

Now they say India and China are overtaking us. Don't you believe it! We may hit a few BUMPS -- but America always moves ahead! That's what Americans do!

We move prosperity ahead. We move freedom ahead. We move people ahead. Under President Bush, and Vice President Cheney, America's economy is moving ahead in spite of a recession they inherited and in spite of the attack on our
homeland.

Now, the other party says there are two Americas. Don't believe that either. I've visited our troops in Iraq, Kuwait, Bosnia, Germany, and all over the world. I've visited our troops in California, where they train before they go overseas. And I've visited our military hospitals. And I can tell you this: Our young men and women in uniform do not believe there are two Americas!

They believe we are one America - and they are fighting for it! We are one America -- and President Bush is defending it with all his heart and soul!

That's what I admire most about the President. He's a man of perseverance. He's a man of inner strength. He is a leader who doesn't flinch, doesn't waiver, does not back down. My fellow Americans, make no mistake about it - terrorism is more insidious than communism, because it yearns to destroy not just the individual but the entire international order.

The President didn't go into Iraq because the polls told him it was popular. As a matter of fact, the polls said just the opposite. But leadership isn't about polls. It's about making decisions you think are right and then standing behind those decisions. That's why America is safer with George W. Bush as President.

He knows you don't reason with terrorists. You defeat them. He knows you can't reason with people blinded by hate. They hate the power of the individual. They hate the progress of women. They hate the religious freedom of others. They hate the liberating breeze of democracy. But,ladies and gentlemen, their hate is no match for America's decency.

We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children.

We're the America that sends out missionaries and doctors to raise up the poor and the sick. We're the America that gives more than any other country, to fight aids in Africa and the developing world. And we're the America that fights not for imperialism but for human rights and democracy.

You know, When the Germans brought down the Berlin Wall -- America's determination helped wield the sledgehammers. When that lone, young Chinese man stood in front of those tanks in Tiananmen Square -- America's hopes stood with him. And when Nelson Mandela smiled in election victory after all those years in prison America celebrated, too.

We are still the lamp lighting the world -- especially for those who struggle. No matter in what labor camp they slave -- no matter in what injustice they're trapped -- they hear our call ... they see our light ... and they feel the pull of our freedom. They come here -- as I did -- because they believe. They believe in US.

They come because their hearts say to them, as mine did, "If only I can get to America." Someone once wrote -- "There are those who say that freedom is nothing but a dream." They are right. It's the American dream.

No matter the nationality, no matter the religion, no matter the ethnic background, America brings out the best in people. And as Governor of the great state of California -- I see the best in Americans every day ... our police, our firefighters -- our nurses, doctors and teachers -- our parents.

And what about the extraordinary men and women who have volunteered to fight -- for the United States of America! I have such great respect for them and their heroic families.

Let me tell you about the sacrifice and commitment I've seen firsthand. In one of the military hospitals I visited, I met a young guy who was in bad shape. He'd lost a leg -- had a hole in his stomach ... his shoulder had been shot through.

I could tell there was no way he could ever return to combat. But when I asked him, "When do you think you'll get out of the hospital?" He said, "Sir, in three weeks." And do you know what he said to me then? He said he was going to get a new leg ... and get some therapy ... and then he was going back to Iraq to serve alongside his buddies! He grinned at me and said, "Arnold ... I'll be back!"

Ladies and gentlemen, America is back! -- back from the attack on our homeland- back from the attack on our economy -- back from the attack on our way of life. We're back because of the perseverance, character and leadership of the 43rd President of the United States -- George W. Bush.

My fellow Americans ... I want you to know that I believe with all my heart that America remains "the great idea" that inspires the world. It's a privilege to be born here. It's an honor to become a citizen here. It's a gift to raise your family here -- to vote here -- and to live here.

Our president George W. Bush has worked hard to protect and preserve the American dream for all of us. That's why I say ... send - him - back to Washington for four more years!

Thank you, America -- and God bless you all!

Zell Miller's Speech to the RNC, 9/1/04

By The Associated Press

Text of speech by Democratic Sen. Zell Miller (news, bio, voting record) of Georgia as prepared for delivery Wednesday at the Republican National Convention:

_____________

Since I last stood in this spot, a whole new generation of the Miller Family has been born: Four great grandchildren.

Along with all the other members of our close-knit family, they are my and Shirley's most precious possessions.

And I know that's how you feel about your family also. Like you, I think of their future, the promises and the perils they will face.

Like you, I believe that the next four years will determine what kind of world they will grow up in.

And like you, I ask which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect my family?

The clear answer to that question has placed me in this hall with you tonight. For my family is more important than my party.

There is but one man to whom I am willing to entrust their future and that man's name is George Bush (news - web sites).

In the summer of 1940, I was an 8-year-old boy living in a remote little Appalachian valley. Our country was not yet at war, but even we children knew that there were some crazy men across the ocean who would kill us if they could.

President Roosevelt, in his speech that summer, told America "all private plans, all private lives, have been in a sense repealed by an overriding public danger."

In 1940, Wendell Wilkie was the Republican nominee.

And there is no better example of someone repealing their "private plans" than this good man. He gave Roosevelt the critical support he needed for a peacetime draft, an unpopular idea at the time.

And he made it clear that he would rather lose the election than make national security a partisan campaign issue.

Shortly before Wilkie died, he told a friend, that if he could write his own epitaph and had to choose between "here lies a president" or "here lies one who contributed to saving freedom," he would prefer the latter.

Where are such statesmen today?

Where is the bipartisanship in this country when we need it most?

Now, while young Americans are dying in the sands of Iraq (news - web sites) and the mountains of Afghanistan (news - web sites), our nation is being torn apart and made weaker because of the Democrat's manic obsession to bring down our Commander in Chief.

What has happened to the party I've spent my life working in?

I can remember when Democrats believed that it was the duty of America to fight for freedom over tyranny.

It was Democratic President Harry Truman who pushed the Red Army out of Iran, who came to the aid of Greece when Communists threatened to overthrow it, who stared down the Soviet blockade of West Berlin by flying in supplies and saving the city.

Time after time in our history, in the face of great danger, Democrats and Republicans worked together to ensure that freedom would not falter. But not today.

Motivated more by partisan politics than by national security, today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator.

And nothing makes this Marine madder than someone calling American troops occupiers rather than liberators.

Tell that to the one-half of Europe that was freed because Franklin Roosevelt led an army of liberators, not occupiers.

Tell that to the lower half of the Korean Peninsula that is free because Dwight Eisenhower commanded an army of liberators, not occupiers.

Tell that to the half a billion men, women and children who are free today from the Baltics to the Crimea, from Poland to Siberia, because Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) rebuilt a military of liberators, not occupiers.

Never in the history of the world has any soldier sacrificed more for the freedom and liberty of total strangers than the American soldier. And, our soldiers don't just give freedom abroad, they preserve it for us here at home.

For it has been said so truthfully that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest.

It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag.

No one should dare to even think about being the Commander in Chief of this country if he doesn't believe with all his heart that our soldiers are liberators abroad and defenders of freedom at home.

But don't waste your breath telling that to the leaders of my party today. In their warped way of thinking America is the problem, not the solution.

They don't believe there is any real danger in the world except that which America brings upon itself through our clumsy and misguided foreign policy.

It is not their patriotism — it is their judgment that has been so sorely lacking. They claimed Carter's pacifism would lead to peace.

They were wrong.

They claimed Reagan's defense buildup would lead to war.

They were wrong.

And, no pair has been more wrong, more loudly, more often than the two Senators from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry (news - web sites).

Together, Kennedy/Kerry have opposed the very weapons system that won the Cold War and that is now winning the War on Terror.

Listing all the weapon systems that Senator Kerry tried his best to shut down sounds like an auctioneer selling off our national security but Americans need to know the facts.

The B-1 bomber, that Senator Kerry opposed, dropped 40 percent of the bombs in the first six months of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The B-2 bomber, that Senator Kerry opposed, delivered air strikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hussein's command post in Iraq.

The F-14A Tomcats, that Senator Kerry opposed, shot down Khadifi's Libyan MIGs over the Gulf of Sidra. The modernized F-14D, that Senator Kerry opposed, delivered missile strikes against Tora Bora.

The Apache helicopter, that Senator Kerry opposed, took out those Republican Guard tanks in Kuwait in the Gulf War (news - web sites). The F-15 Eagles, that Senator Kerry opposed, flew cover over our Nation's Capital and this very city after 9/11.

I could go on and on and on: against the Patriot Missile that shot down Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s scud missiles over Israel; against the Aegis air-defense cruiser; against the Strategic Defense Initiative; against the Trident missile; against, against, against.

This is the man who wants to be the Commander in Chief of our U.S. Armed Forces?

U.S. forces armed with what? Spitballs?

Twenty years of votes can tell you much more about a man than twenty weeks of campaign rhetoric.

Campaign talk tells people who you want them to think you are. How you vote tells people who you really are deep inside.

Senator Kerry has made it clear that he would use military force only if approved by the United Nations (news - web sites).

Kerry would let Paris decide when America needs defending.

I want Bush to decide.

John Kerry, who says he doesn't like outsourcing, wants to outsource our national security.
That's the most dangerous outsourcing of all. This politician wants to be leader of the free world.
Free for how long?

For more than 20 years, on every one of the great issues of freedom and security, John Kerry has been more wrong, more weak and more wobbly than any other national figure.

As a war protester, Kerry blamed our military.

As a Senator, he voted to weaken our military. And nothing shows that more sadly and more clearly than his vote this year to deny protective armor for our troops in harms way, far away.
George Bush understands that we need new strategies to meet new threats.

John Kerry wants to re-fight yesterday's war. George Bush believes we have to fight today's war and be ready for tomorrow's challenges. George Bush is committed to providing the kind of forces it takes to root out terrorists.

No matter what spider hole they may hide in or what rock they crawl under.

George Bush wants to grab terrorists by the throat and not let them go to get a better grip.
From John Kerry, they get a "yes-no-maybe" bowl of mush that can only encourage our enemies and confuse our friends.

I first got to know George Bush when we served as governors together. I admire this man. I am moved by the respect he shows the first lady, his unabashed love for his parents and his daughters, and the fact that he is unashamed of his belief that God is not indifferent to America.
I can identify with someone who has lived that line in "Amazing Grace," "Was blind, but now I see," and I like the fact that he's the same man on Saturday night that he is on Sunday morning.
He is not a slick talker but he is a straight shooter and, where I come from, deeds mean a lot more than words.

I have knocked on the door of this man's soul and found someone home, a God-fearing man with a good heart and a spine of tempered steel.

The man I trust to protect my most precious possession: my family.

This election will change forever the course of history, and that's not any history. It's our family's history.

The only question is how. The answer lies with each of us. And, like many generations before us, we've got some hard choosing to do.

Right now the world just cannot afford an indecisive America. Fainthearted self-indulgence will put at risk all we care about in this world.

In this hour of danger our President has had the courage to stand up. And this Democrat is proud to stand up with him.

Thank you.

God Bless this great country and God Bless George W. Bush.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Bill's Final Comment: To those who said that the Democratic United States Senator from Georgia who have said that he did this out of anger, you are right. HE IS ANGRY! HE IS ANGRY WITH THE PARTY HE HAS CALLED HIS OWN FOR HIS LIFE! At least he lives in reality, unlike the the extremes leftists that pull the strings.

I can sum up his message to the Democratic Party in Marine Corps jargon. (My father, too, is a Marine, and served proudly for this country in Vietnam. ) :

You maggots make me want to puke. Get your worthless carcasses out of my face, scumbag!

I am so glad to have Mr. Miller on the same team for this election.

Day 2 RNC 8/31/04: Notable Non-Keynote Speeches

Source: 2004 Republican National Convention http://www.gopconvention.com/cgi-data/speeches/files/dvof23hx84a8vte3d9s75lb50mby3nfm.shtml

Senator Bill Frist

Ten years ago, on my first day as a Senator, my dad, a family doctor in Tennessee for 50 years, paid me a visit.

As we sat in my new office, he said: "Son, the nameplate on your door reads William Frist.

Always remember you're a doctor. You're committed to healing and helping people.

It really should read, William Frist M.D."

Well, today the nameplate on the door of my Capitol office reads just that William Frist M.D. It's a constant reminder of my dad's advice: to work each day to better the life of every individual American.

And that, my friends, is what President George W. Bush has done -- particularly when it comes to health care.

He has won some huge victories to make health care cost less and be there when you need it.

So, let's talk about what that means for Americans, and what health care in America can become.

Health care is the lifeblood of our future, and it touches every life -- our grandparents, our parents, our children, you.

And when you need it, you want it to be reliable.

You want it to be affordable and lifelong.

You want it to reflect the dignity and the value of those you love. And you want it to be the best.

Let me remind you: in 2000 before someone borrowed his line George Bush promised that "help is on the way."

Tonight, America can take comfort that help is here.

Today, unlike when my dad practiced, the most powerful tools in American medicine are prescription drugs.

These medicines help so many get out of bed, pick up their grandchild, walk to the store, and find joy in each day.

Yet these miracle medicines were denied by Medicare.

Well, George Bush has righted that wrong!

Thanks to his leadership, over 40 million seniors and individuals with disabilities will soon have access to prescription drugs.

What's more, prescription drug coverage is the centerpiece of something bigger: the first real reform of Medicare since its creation.

Among the improvements we made are new screenings for heart disease, diabetes and cancer -- a first ever "Welcome to Medicare" physical exam.

And right now, thanks to the President's action, this Medicare prescription drug discount card is providing 4 million seniors with immediate relief from the high cost of their medicines.

Now some of our opponents don't want seniors to get this card.

They don't want seniors to know that our Party cut the cost of their medicines.

They'd rather play politics than help patients.

Don't listen to them! You can get your card today. And it's simple. Just call 1-800-MEDICARE. Tell 'em you want your card. Tell 'em Dr. Frist prescribed it.

And let me point out that our opponents talked about doing this for eight years.

While seniors suffered they talked and talked and talked.

George Bush and the Republican Congress delivered. We acted.

Not just talk action.

This victory for our Party -- and above all for seniors -- is part of a larger battle we're fighting on behalf of every American.

How we do so is crucial.

Our opponents have a way of confusing compassion with dependency.

We believe true compassion encourages and empowers Americans to be responsible and take control of their own lives.

That's what President Bush and the Republican Congress did when we made Health Savings Accounts HSAs -- the law of the land.

With an HSA you can invest tax-free in a personal savings account.

You can roll it over year to year or withdraw funds if you get sick without paying a penny of tax.

YOU own it. YOU invest it.

YOU grow it. YOU control it.

It is YOURS.

So here's the choice: do we grow the bureaucracy and gouge you with higher taxes, as Mr. Kerry will do?

Or, do we let the American people grow their own HSAs and own their health care, as George Bush wants to do?

We've made our choice.

But I'll tell you what Senator Kerry's prescription will be: take a handful of tax increases and don't call me in the morning.

President Bush wouldn't stop with HSAs. Health insurance costs too much. People need help.

President Bush is working for tax credits of up to $1,000 for individuals, and $3,000 for families, to help the uninsured purchase their own health insurance.

And as for small businesses, they're burdened, often crushed, by health care costs.

So, we want to help them band together to provide affordable health care for their employees and their families.

Another reason health care costs too much is our abused medical liability system.

The culprits are personal injury trial lawyers.

We oppose these predators.

We must stop them from twisting American medicine into a litigation lottery where they hit the jackpot and every patient ends up paying.

Let me share with you a story.

Two years ago, on a family vacation in Florida, I came across a horrendous car accident as my sons and I drove along Alligator Alley.

The accident had just happened.

I rushed forward as any doctor would do -- to help four people thrown from their car and two people trapped inside. Tragically, three children died.

But their parents who were critically injured and another relative -- did survive.

The next morning, I went to the hospital to check on the family.The two trauma surgeons who had cared for them pulled me aside. They said, "Dr. Frist, we may have to leave this hospital, maybe the state, maybe even what we love to do. We just can't afford our liability insurance. And it keeps going up."

Today I checked in with the hospital's Chief of Staff Dr. Callari. He said the situation has worsened. Though he has never been sued, his liability insurance has doubled.

He couldn't afford it and had to drop it.

Dr. Callari's father and grandfather were both physicians.

But he doesn't want his 11 and 12 year old boys to go into medicine. Because everything he has worked for -- his savings, his family, his livelihood -- is now at risk.

And so are the people of southern Florida. That hospital has the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the region. What if it closes?

This is unacceptable.

Because in medicine, seconds often mean the difference between life and death.

Let's be clear: you can no longer be both pro-patient and pro-trial lawyer.

John Kerry has made his choice.

He put a trial lawyer on his ticket.

By his votes and by his actions, he is the "Dr. No" of tort reform in America.

President Bush is fighting this good fight.

And in the Senate, where reform has been blocked, we will fight too. We will come back again and again and again until doctors, patients, and the American people win.

Before I close, I'd like to touch briefly on stem cell research.

Scientists work on two basic types of stem cell research.

One is adult -- with cells taken, for example, from bone marrow or cartilage. Another uses cells taken from human embryos.

Adult stem cell research has already led to cures. And both fields hold promise.

But, contrary to the claims of some, embryonic stem cell research is still at a very early stage.

John Kerry claims that the President has put a "sweeping ban" on stem cell research.

I challenge Mr. Kerry tonight: what ban? Shame on you, Mr. Kerry.

Under the President's policy, the federal government is funding both types of stem cell research at record levels. And the private sector remains free to fund and pursue any type of stem cell research.

The President has also said that we should conduct this research with the highest moral and ethical standards.

An embryo is biologically human. It deserves moral respect.

This President will not use your taxpayer dollars to destroy human life or create human embryos solely for the purpose of experimentation.

My friends, I'm so proud of our President's record. He's making health care more affordable, more accessible.

He's uniting ownership and opportunity for millions. And he is looking to the future.

He has a vision to harness America's awesome potential: through the power of our technologies, the strength of our sciences, the efficiency of our enterprises, and the highest aspirations of our people.

Prescription drugs in Medicare, tax-free Health Savings Accounts, an ethical framework for scientific discovery: these will be part of our future.

Tax credits for the uninsured, electronic medical records, a just, fair and fast medical liability system: these could be part of our future. But, only one candidate will lead us there President George W. Bush.

We have a choice. John Kerry's trillion dollar government-run plan will place your health in the hands of others faraway.

President Bush's plan is patient-centered which is the only, sure prescription for superior care.

Mr. Kerry will empower those who tax you. President Bush will empower those who cure you.

John Kerry remains the personal injury lawyers' best friend. George Bush will put the interests of patients, doctors and nurses first.

Fellow citizens, on November 2nd, there is only one choice for a stronger, healthier and freer America -- George W. Bush.


Source: PR Newswire "Remarks by Stephen McDonald as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, August 31, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2004/0002241850

I am like so many of you.

Every day I live to serve and every day I serve to live. In a lifetime of transforming events both hopeful and fateful: one thing is constant -- my need to serve. Serving as a United States Navy Corpsman.

Serving this great city as a New York City police officer. Then, and especially now, I have followed St. Paul's guidance that all of us really walk by faith.

Today, because of President Bush's leadership and values, we are now recognizing and promoting the good works of America's faith-based and community organizations which help the youngest and oldest, the poorest and weakest among us.

The federal government is no longer discriminating against charitable groups with a religious mission -- it is welcoming them as partners. I am proud to be an American led by a President who makes sure that the promise of
America is not the privilege of a few, but the birthright of all.

As a Democrat who is putting principle over politics, I say we need President Bush to secure our future.

Thank you.


Source: PR Newswire "Remarks by George P. Bush as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, August 31, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2004/0002241853

No matter how often I visit New York, I never tire of looking at the Statue of Liberty.

I can't help but reflect upon the impression she must have made on our weary but hopeful ancestors whose first glimpse of America was that inspiring silhouette.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

Although many immigrants could not read the words, the outstretched arm that pierced the heavens was clear affirmation that they had found what they were seeking -- the land of freedom and opportunity.

In return, these immigrants, and those who followed them, made this country stronger through their labor; safer through their sacrifice in defending its shores; and richer through diversity.

Our Party has always represented the interests of all people seeking opportunity.

We are the home of entrepreneurs.

Men and women who want to know the pride of accomplishment. The honor of self-sufficiency.

We meet in New York to reaffirm our commitment to these individuals - whether new to our country or born in the heartland.

That commitment begins with our children.

President Bush introduced and signed into law the No Child Left Behind initiative to raise standards, strengthen accountability, and improve student achievement in every school in America.

It's based on a simple but revolutionary idea: Every child can learn.

And every child deserves our best effort to help them succeed. President Bush has provided the largest education funding increase in history. And, we are already seeing impressive results.

For the first time since Florida started testing students, we are above the national average in reading, at the national average in math, and among the top ten states in writing!

Another way President Bush has fostered the American Dream is through tax relief. Letting people keep more of their own money helps them pay the mortgage. Save for college. Start a business.

When small business owners keep more of their earnings, they are more likely to expand and add jobs. This, in turn, allows others to earn a paycheck and support a family.

Thanks to President Bush's leadership, more people than ever own their home. And, more than half of minorities are now home owners -- the highest level in history.

The President's American Dream Downpayment Act is helping people overcome one of the biggest hurdles to being a homeowner -- finding the money for a downpayment.

Since the President announced his plan in 2002, more than 1.6 million minorities have become homeowners.

Men and women who work hard for decades should not be forced to relinquish the American Dream in retirement.

For those now in or near retirement, President Bush will always uphold the promise of Social Security. But President Bush understands that Social Security needs to be fixed to help make it more secure for our younger workers.

He believes that younger workers should have the opportunity to take some of their Social Security payments and put them into personal accounts that they own and control.

People should be able to build a nest egg that they can draw from during their golden years and pass on to their children and grandchildren.

Guided by Liberty's lamp, our Party and our President will continue to preserve the American Dream for every individual who seeks it.

"I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

"Yo levanto mi lampara al lado de la puerta dorada."

Juntos, debemos abrir la puerta de oportunidad por la reelecion del
Presidente George W. Bush!


Source: PRNewswire "Remarks by Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele on Civil Rights Anniversary as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, August 31, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2004/0002241854

Good evening. Is this a great party or what?

I had planned to give a moving defense of the conservative principles of the Republican Party tonight.

But there was only one problem; Barak Obama gave it last month at the Democratic Convention.

I am the first African-American ever elected to a statewide office in Maryland.

Even more amazingly, on a ticket with Governor Bob Ehrlich, the first Republican Governor in Maryland in 40 years, I became the first Republican lieutenant governor in my state.

Together, we made history.

I am proof that the blessings of liberty are within reach of every American.

We have come an incredibly long way since the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

We have come a long way since another Republican President, Dwight Eisenhower, sent the National Guard into Little Rock to open the school doors to black and white children alike.

And we have come even further since a majority of Republicans in the United States Senate fought off the segregationist Democrats to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

My journey to this moment has been inspired by men and women who remained forever vigilant in their pursuit of equality and opportunity.

Individuals like Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and Maebell Turner, refused to accept the poisonous path of complacency.

They each had dreams, but more important, they all had plans for turning those dreams into an American reality. The promise of America is the promise of endless possibilities.

America remains that place President Reagan called "a shining city on a hill."

But while the promise of America is real, the challenges we face to secure that promise for every American are no less real.

We must continue to be vigilant in our fight against the blight of poverty, poor education and lost opportunity.

What truly defines the civil rights challenge today isn't whether you can get a seat at the lunch counter.

It's whether you can own that lunch counter in order to create legacy wealth for your children. We heard one word over and over again at the Democratic Convention: Hope.

But there is a problem, my friends: Hope is not a strategy. Hope doesn't protect you from terrorists, hope doesn't lower your taxes, hope doesn't help you buy a home, and hope doesn't ensure quality education for your kids.

As the book of James reminds us "it is not enough just to have faith. Faith that does not show itself by good deeds is no faith at all." You see, it's results that matter; and President Bush does not just talk about hope, he stands on a record of putting hope into action for America.

President Bush knows that a competitive marketplace will require providing our children with a first-rate education.

He knows that too many of our children are headed for the state pen instead of Penn State. He knows that the "soft bigotry of low expectations" is today's version of blocking the entrance to the schoolhouse door. President Bush didn't just hope for dramatic education reform, he turned that hope into No Child Left Behind, and our children are learning again. He didn't just hope for economic recovery, he turned that hope into action by returning money to the people who earned it -- American families.

Today, over 111 million taxpayers are keeping more of their own money. And the President is committed to making that tax relief permanent.

President Bush didn't just hope for increased home ownership in America, he put his hope into action.

Today, more Americans own homes than ever before and for the first time ever, more than half of all minority families are homeowners. This is a powerful and transforming time in our nation's history. I am, like many of you, a 20th century parent trying to raise 21st century kids.

I realize that my responsibility for them doesn't end when I bundle them up, kiss their foreheads and send them off into the world.

If we expect to succeed, if we expect our children to succeed, we must look to ourselves and not to government to raise our kids, start our business, or provide care to our aging parent.

What government can do is give us the tools we need and then get out of the way and let us put our hopes into action!

Yet, this requires strong leadership. Senator Kerry's leadership is illustrated best by the Senator himself when he said, "I actually voted for the 87 billion dollars before I voted against it."

He also recently said that he doesn't want to use the word "war" to describe our efforts to fight terrorism.

Well, I don't want to use the words "Commander-in-Chief" to describe John Kerry.

Just a year after the first attack on the World Trade Center, most Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats rejected an amendment to slash our intelligence budget by $6 billion. But not John Kerry.

It was his amendment. Most Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats voted to give our combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan the funding necessary for things like body armor. But not John Kerry.

When Vice President Gore urged the Senate to "Reinvent Government" and reduce the federal workforce, most Republicans and Democrats voted for it. But not John Kerry.

Republicans and Democrats in the Senate voted to reform the product liability system that was making trial lawyers rich while causing playgrounds and small businesses to close. But not John Kerry.

Most Senators in both parties voted to protect the institution of marriage with the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by President Clinton. But not John Kerry.

Enough about him.

Now you may remember I mentioned Maebell Turner as one of the great inspirations in my life. Maebell is just one of many faces in America who struggled to raise a family and believed that she could offer something more for her children.

She grew up the daughter of sharecroppers and had to quit school in the fifth grade to work a farm. She married a man who died from alcoholism.

She worked forty-five years in a Laundromat, making minimum wage and still managed to send her kids to parochial school.

She never took public assistance, because as she put it, she didn't want the government raising her kids.

Maebell always saw the hope that her kids would be better off than she was, and she channeled her hope for that legacy into action.

Today, Maebell Turner has a daughter who is an accomplished pediatrician ... and a son who is Lieutenant Governor of Maryland.

A lifelong Democrat, she once asked me how I could become such a strong Republican; I simply replied "Mom, you raised me well."

You see, she raised me to understand and appreciate the words of Abraham Lincoln, who said: "You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and incentive. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they should do for themselves."

These are the beliefs of our Republican Party. These are the principles that drew me to this Party 28 years ago.

And today, the standard-bearer of these convictions is George W. Bush.

So, let's continue to work to re-elect a compassionate man who understands people's yearning for freedom, a man who knows that families make better decisions than government, a man who turns hope into action, and moves us all toward that Shining City on a Hill: PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH!

Day 1 RNC 8/30/04: Jewish Democrats Endorse President George W. Bush

Source: Sun-Sentinel "REMARKS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY AT THE 2004 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION ON MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2004" http://www.sun-sentinel.com/nyc-kochspeech,0,4147987.story?coll=sfla-home-utility

THE HONORABLE EDWARD I. KOCH

I know what you're thinking.

What's Ed Koch doing at the Republican Convention?

Me. A Democratic district leader in Greenwich Village. Democratic City Councilman. Democratic congressman. Democratic mayor.

Why am I here?

To convert you.

But that's for the NEXT election.

This year, I'm voting for the re-election of President George W. Bush.

How'm I doin'?

When I was asked to lead the campaign to recruit 8,000 volunteers to make the convention a success, I said, of course!

I did a TV commercial - perhaps you saw it - starring Minnie, the Republican Elephant, and me.

Let me tell you a secret. Making that commercial violated a commitment I made almost sixty years ago. Not to the Democrats--to my mother...who told me... "Eddie, never fool around with a wild animal!" But I did it - for New York.

I did it because I want every single delegate and guest to go back home and tell everyone: I had the time of my life, and I really love New York.

Hey, you don't have to believe me....see for yourself!


Source: PR Newswire "Remarks by Ron Silver as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Monday, August 30, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-30-2004/0002240914

I want to thank the President and the Republican Party for holding this event in my hometown, my father's hometown, my grandfather's and great grandfather's birthplace.

Just over 1,000 days ago, 2,605 of my neighbors were murdered at the World Trade Center -- men, women and children -- as they began their day on a brilliantly clear New York autumn morning, less than four miles from where I am now standing.

We will never forgive. Never forget. Never excuse!

At the end of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander of the South Pacific, said:

"It is my earnest hope - indeed the hope of all mankind - that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world found upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice."

The hope he expressed then remains relevant today.

We are again engaged in a war that will define the future of humankind. Responding to attacks on our soil, America has led a coalition of countries against extremists who want to destroy our way of life and our values.

This is a war we did not seek.

This is a war waged against us.

This is a war to which we had to respond.

History shows that we are not imperialists... but we are fighters for freedom and democracy.

Even though I am a well-recognized liberal on many issues confronting our society today, I find it ironic that many human rights advocates and outspoken members of my own entertainment community are often on the front lines to protest repression, for which I applaud them but they are usually the first ones to oppose any use of force to take care of these horrors that they catalogue repeatedly.

Under the unwavering leadership of President Bush, the cause of freedom and democracy is being advanced by the courageous men and women serving in our Armed Services.

The President is doing exactly the right thing.

That is why we need this President at this time!

I am grateful for the chance to speak tonight to express my support for our Commander-in-Chief, for our brave troops, and for the vital cause which they have undertaken.

General Dwight Eisenhower's statement of 60 years ago is true today...

"United in this determination and with unshakable faith in the cause for which we fight, we will, with God's help, go forward to our greatest victory."

Thank you.

My Rebuttal to Governor McGreevey's Op/Ed

This is my rebuttal to Governor James E. McGreevey's op/ed:

Dear Mr. Governor:

I am writing this is response to your op/ed in the August 23, 2004 New York Times. This is not much of a personal attack, just a counter to what you had written.

To begin, I give you credit for accountability in your errors in judgment, both personal and professional. I am certain that for you to get the burden off of your shoulders required true grit, despite a number of people either knowing or speculative of your former dark secret. Most of us know that your preference, for the most part, has not factored in the majority of your decisions that effect the State of New Jersey. The one grey area that poses in my cerebrum is if the domestic partnership legislation you signed into law is of a partial personal motive?

In contrast, your appointment of one Mr. Golan Cipel to the post of counterterrorism Czar was definitely a ball-dropper (pardon the pun) on your part. From listening to you during your appearances on WKXW's (NJ 101.5-FM) "Ask The Governor", you seem to be a very bright individual, partisan politics pushed aside; but, what were you thinking? We could have had former FBI Director Louis Freeh for the post, who was more than qualified. Instead, you appointed a non-American citizen who was not even given clearance in Washington, DC. However, I do give you proper credos by naming Sid Casperson to that position, for that I feel much safer with him in charge. Overall, I suppose that both you and the party bosses saw this as another patronage position.

Your resignation had nothing to do with your sexuality, but rather the corruption done by your closest, personal allies. To me, I can see your point by admitting that you are a homosexual, in that hopefully both others will "come out" and that it is okay. But, was your August 12 news conference the proper forum to self-promote this fact towards the gay community? At first, I believed that a few thought that your resignation was due to that; but, as time has progressed, more are seeing the light of the behind-the-scenes activities of both your inner circle and the party heads. (Since I live in New Jersey, both parties are guilty of ethics violations, which will be a topic at a future time.)

In regards to your resignation, you mentioned that your "original inclination was to accept responsibility, apologize, and move on quickly." Why did you not do it? If you did, you would have saved face for both yourself and the office, which you singlehandedly jeopardize into harm's way. If you had left office either that day, or twelve noon the following day (which would have been Friday the 13th) a la Richard Nixon, our thirty-seventh President, we would have had no problem. The residents would give Richard Codey time to adjust to the role as acting governor, just like we did to Donald DiFrancesco when he finished out Christine Todd Whitman's second term; this way, the distractions of both your personal and professional/political puzzle be sorted out and rectified without compromise to the position, just like Watergate.

You also mentioned that, "Simply put, there are demands and projects which need to be addressed and put in place now." I am sure that Mr. Codey would use his best judgment to see that they are carried out, if viable. I would think that you would have more faith, or could this be part of "legacy building"?

I am aware of the fact that the 1947 state constitution establishes the Senate president as the first in line to complete an unexpired term. I have no problem with that. However, you said that "the constitution does not outline provisions or state requirements for the timing of a resignation." Could it be such because that resignations are immediately, in most cases? Who are you trying to fool with this "three month transition period"?

I know that you mentioned that it had to do with the heightened level of homeland security. However, Mr. Governor, in a story reported recently by Millennium Radio New Jersey, YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH IT; for that it is being handled by the feds in our nation's capitol, the Office of Counterterrorism, and the New Jersey State Police.

In my opinion, I believe that the date of November 15 is nothing more than a calculated move by the Clinton-controlled Democratic National Committee. By selecting this date, the DNC would not have to siphon money for the candidate running in a special election, and to disfranchise the residents of New Jersey their power to select whom they feel will be the better person to rectify this quagmire your administration has put the state in. Also, to keep focus off of you and the state, and more on the Kerry/Edwards ticket attempt to win on November 2.

In closing, I am sure that your intentions were meant well back on August 12, 2004; but, the smog that is forming has the potential to have a more putrid stench than a backed-up cesspool on a hazy, hot, and humid summer day. Why not step down now, while you have some dignity left?

I think I smell Pepe le Peu approaching.

Day 1 RNC 8/30/04: Keynote Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Source: PR Newswire "Remarks by The Honorable Rudy Giuliani, Former Mayor of the City of New York, as Prepared for Delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention on Monday, August 30, 2004" http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/08-30-2004/0002241056

Welcome to the capital of the World.

New York was the first capital of our great nation. It was here in 1789 in lower Manhattan that George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States.

It was here in 2001 in lower Manhattan that President George W. Bush stood amid the fallen towers of the World Trade Center and said to the barbaric terrorists who attacked us, "They will hear from us."

They have heard from us!

They heard from us in Afghanistan and we removed the Taliban.

They heard from us in Iraq and we ended Saddam Hussein's reign of terror.

They heard from us in Libya and without firing a shot Qadhafi abandoned weapons of mass destruction.

They are hearing from us in nations that are now more reluctant to sponsor terrorists.

So long as George Bush is President, is there any doubt they will continue to hear from us until we defeat global terrorism.

We owe that much and more to those loved ones and heroes we lost on September 11th.

The families of some of those we lost on September 11th are here with us. To them, and all those families affected by September 11th, we recognize the sacrifices your loved ones and you have made. You are in our prayers and we are in your debt.

This is the first Republican Convention ever held in New York City. It makes a statement that New York City and America are open for business and stronger than ever.

We're not going to let the threat of terrorism stop us from leading our lives.

From the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, to President George W. Bush our party's great contribution is to expand freedom in our own land and all over the world.

And our party is at its best when it makes certain that we have a powerful national defense in a still very dangerous world.

I don't believe we're right about everything and Democrats are wrong about everything.

Neither party has a monopoly on virtue.

But I do believe that there are times in our history when our ideas are more necessary and important for what we are facing.

There are times when leadership is the most important.

On September 11, this city and our nation faced the worst attack in our history.

On that day, we had to confront reality. For me, standing below the north tower and looking up and seeing the flames of hell and then realizing that I was actually seeing a man - a human being - jumping from the 101st or 102nd floor drove home to me that we were facing something beyond anything we had ever faced before.

We had to concentrate all of our energy, faith and hope to get through those first hours and days. And I will always remember that moment as we escaped the building we were trapped in at 75 Barclay Street and realized that things outside might be even worse than they were inside the building.

We did the best we could to communicate a message of calm and hope, as we stood on the pavement seeing a massive cloud rushing through the cavernous streets of lower Manhattan.

Our people were so brave in their response.

At the time, we believed we would be attacked many more times that day and in the days that followed. Spontaneously, I grabbed the arm of then Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and said to Bernie, "Thank God George Bush is our President."

And I say it again tonight, "Thank God George Bush is our President."

On September 11, George W. Bush had been President less than eight months. This new President, Vice President, and new administration were faced with the worst crisis in our history.

President Bush's response in keeping us unified and in turning the ship of state around from being solely on defense against terrorism to being on offense as well and for his holding us together.

For that and then his determined effort to defeat global terrorism, no matter what happens in this election, President George W. Bush already has earned a place in our history as a great American President.

But let's not wait for history to present the correct view of our President. Let us write our own history. We need George Bush now more than ever.

The horror, the shock and the devastation of those attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and over the skies of Pennsylvania lifted a cloud from our eyes.

We stood face to face with those people and forces who hijacked not just airplanes but a religion and turned it into a creed of terrorism dedicated to eradicating us and our way of life.

Terrorism did not start on September 11, 2001. It had been festering for many years.

And the world had created a response to it that allowed it to succeed. The attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics was in 1972. And the pattern had already begun.

The three surviving terrorists were arrested and within two months released by the German government.

Action like this became the rule, not the exception. Terrorists came to learn they could attack and often not face consequences.

In 1985, terrorists attacked the Achille Lauro and murdered an American citizen who was in a wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer.

They marked him for murder solely because he was Jewish.

Some of those terrorist were released and some of the remaining terrorists allowed to escape by the Italian government because of fear of reprisals.

So terrorists learned they could intimidate the world community and too often the response, particularly in Europe, was "accommodation, appeasement and compromise."

And worse the terrorists also learned that their cause would be taken more seriously, almost in direct proportion to the barbarity of the attack.

Terrorist acts became a ticket to the international bargaining table.

How else to explain Yasser Arafat winning the Nobel Peace Prize when he was supporting a terrorist plague in the Middle East that undermined any chance of peace?

Before September 11, we were living with an unrealistic view of the world much like our observing Europe appease Hitler or trying to accommodate ourselves to peaceful co-existence with the Soviet Union through mutually assured destruction.

President Bush decided that we could no longer be just on defense against global terrorism but we must also be on offense.

On September 20, 2001, President Bush stood before a joint session of Congress, a still grieving and shocked nation and a confused world and he did change the direction of our ship of state.

He dedicated America under his leadership to destroying global terrorism.

The President announced the Bush Doctrine when he said: "Our war on terror begins with Al Qaeda, but it does not end there.

It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.

"Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."

And since September 11th President Bush has remained rock solid. It doesn't matter how he is demonized.

It doesn't matter what the media does to ridicule him or misinterpret him or defeat him.

They ridiculed Winston Churchill. They belittled Ronald Reagan.

But like President Bush, they were optimists; leaders must be optimists. Their vision was beyond the present and set on a future of real peace and true freedom.

Some call it stubbornness. I call it principled leadership.

President Bush has the courage of his convictions.

In choosing a President, we really don't choose a Republican or Democrat, a conservative or liberal.

We choose a leader.

And in times of danger, as we are now in, Americans should put leadership at the core of their decision.

There are many qualities that make a great leader but having strong beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader.

Winston Churchill saw the dangers of Hitler while his opponents characterized him as a war-mongering gadfly.

Ronald Reagan saw and described the Soviet Union as "the evil empire" while world opinion accepted it as inevitable and belittled Ronald Reagan's intelligence.

President Bush sees world terrorism for the evil that it is.

John Kerry has no such clear, precise and consistent vision.

This is not a personal criticism of John Kerry.

I respect him for his service to our nation.

But it is important to see the contrast in approach between the two men; President Bush, a leader who is willing to stick with difficult decisions even as public opinion shifts, and John Kerry, whose record in elected office suggests a man who changes his position often even on important issues.

When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, John Kerry voted against the Persian Gulf War. Later he said he actually supported the war.

Then in 2002, as he was calculating his run for President, he voted for the war in Iraq.

And then just 9 months later, he voted against an $87 billion supplemental budget to fund the war and support our troops.

He even, at one point, declared himself an anti-war candidate. Now, he says he's pro-war. At this rate, with 64 days left, he still has time to change his position at least three or four more times.

My point about John Kerry being inconsistent is best described in his own words when he said, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."

Maybe this explains John Edwards' need for two Americas - - one where John Kerry can vote for something and another where he can vote against the same thing.

Yes, people in public office at times do change their minds, I've done that, or they realize they are wrong or circumstances change.

But John Kerry has made it the rule to change his position, rather than the exception. In October, 2003, he told an Arab-American Institute in Detroit that a security barrier separating Israel from the Palestinian Territories was a "barrier to peace."

A few months later, he took exactly the opposite position. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post he said, "Israel's security fence is a legitimate act of self defense."

The contrasts are dramatic. They involve very different views of how to deal with terrorism. President Bush will make certain that we are combatting terrorism at the source, beyond our shores, so we can reduce the risk of having to confront it in the streets of New York.

John Kerry's record of inconsistent positions on combatting terrorism gives us no confidence he'll pursue such a determined course.

President Bush will not allow countries that appear to have ignored the lessons of history and failed for over thirty years to stand up to terrorists, to dissuade us from what is necessary for our defense.

He will not let them set our agenda. Under President Bush, America will lead rather than follow.

John Kerry's claim that certain foreign leaders who opposed our removal of
Saddam Hussein prefer him, raises the risk that he would accommodate his position to their viewpoint.

It would hardly be the first time he changed his position on matters of war and peace.

I remember the days following September 11th when we were no longer Democrats or Republicans, but Americans determined to do all we could to help the victims, to rebuild our city and nation and to disable our enemies.

I remember President Bush coming here on September 14, 2001 and lifting the morale of our rescue workers by talking with them and embracing them and staying with them much longer than originally planned.

In fact, if you promise to keep it just between us so I don't get in trouble it was my opinion that the Secret Service was concerned about the President remaining so long in that area.

With buildings still unstable, with fires raging below ground of 2000 degrees or more, there was good reason for concern.

Well the President remained there and talked to everyone, the firefighters, the police officers, the healthcare workers, the clergy, but the people who spent the most time with him were our construction workers.

Now New York construction workers are very special people. I'm sure this is true all over but I know the ones here the best. They were real heroes along with many others that day, volunteering immediately. And they're big, real big. Their arms are bigger than my legs and their opinions are even bigger than their arms.

Now each one of them would engage the President and I imagine like his cabinet give him advice. They were advising him in their own words on exactly what he should do with the terrorists. Of course I can't repeat their exact language.

But one of them really went into great detail and upon conclusion of his remarks President Bush said in a rather loud voice, "I agree."

At this point the guy just beamed and all his buddies turned toward him in amazement.

The guy just lost it.

So he reached over, embraced the President and began hugging him enthusiastically.

A Secret Service agent standing next to me looked at the President and the guy and instead of extracting the President from this bear hug, he turned toward me and put his finger in my face and said, "If this guy hurts the President, Giuliani you're finished."

Meekly, and this is the moral of the story, I responded, "but it would be out of love."

I also remember the heart wrenching visit President Bush made to the families of our firefighters and police officers at the Javits Center.

I remember receiving all the help, assistance and support from the President and even more than we asked.

For that I will be eternally grateful to President Bush.

And I remember the support being bi-partisan and actually standing hand in hand Republicans and Democrats, here in New York and all over the nation.

During a Boston Red Sox game there was a sign held up saying Boston loves New York.

I saw a Chicago police officer sent here by Mayor Daley directing traffic in Manhattan.

I'm not sure where he sent the cars, they are probably still riding around the Bronx, but it was very reassuring to know how much support we had.

And as we look beyond this election - and elections do accentuate differences - let's make sure we rekindle that spirit that we are one - one America - united to end the threat of global terrorism.

Certainly President Bush will keep us focused on that goal. When President Bush announced his commitment to ending global terrorism, he understood - - I understood, we all understood - - it was critical to remove the pillars of support for the global terrorist movement.

In any plan to destroy global terrorism, removing Saddam Hussein needed to be accomplished.

Frankly, I believed then and I believe now that Saddam Hussein, who supported global terrorism, slaughtered hundreds of thousands of his own people, permitted horrific atrocities against women, and used weapons of mass destruction, was himself a weapon of mass destruction.

But the reasons for removing Saddam Hussein were based on issues even broader than just the presence of weapons of mass destruction.

To liberate people, give them a chance for accountable, decent government and rid the world of a pillar of support for global terrorism is something for which all those involved from President Bush to the brave men and women of our armed forces should be proud.

President Bush has also focused on the correct long-term answer for the violence and hatred emerging from the Middle East. The hatred and anger in the Middle East arises from the lack of accountable governments.

Rather than trying to grant more freedom, create more income, improve education and basic health care, these governments deflect their own failures by pointing to America and Israel and other external scapegoats.

But blaming these scapegoats does not improve the life of a single person in the Arab world. It does not relieve the plight of even one woman in Iran.

It does not give a decent living to a single soul in Syria. It certainly does not stop the slaughter of African Christians in the Sudan.

The changes necessary in the Middle East involve encouraging accountable, lawful governments that can be role models.

This has also been an important part of the Bush Doctrine and the President's vision for the future.

Have faith in the power of freedom.

People who live in freedom always prevail over people who live in oppression. That's the story of the Old Testament. That's the story of World War II and the Cold War.

That's the story of the firefighters and police officers and rescue workers who courageously saved thousands of lives on September 11, 2001.

President Bush is the leader we need for the next four years because he sees beyond today and tomorrow. He has a vision of a peaceful Middle East and, therefore, a safer world. We will see an end to global terrorism. I can see it. I believe it. I know it will happen.

It may seem a long way off. It may even seem idealistic.

But it may not be as far away and idealistic as it seems.

Look how quickly the Berlin Wall was torn down, the Iron Curtain ripped open and the Soviet Union disintegrated because of the power of the pent-up demand for freedom.

When it catches hold there is nothing more powerful than freedom. Give it some hope, and it will overwhelm dictators, and even defeat terrorists. That is what we have done and must continue to do in Iraq.

That is what the Republican Party does best - when we are at our best, we extend freedom.

It's our mission. And it's the long-term answer to ending global terrorism. Governments that are free and accountable.

We have won many battles - at home and abroad - but as President Bush told us on September 20, 2001 it will take a long-term determined effort to prevail.

The war on terrorism will not be won in a single battle. There will be no dramatic surrender. There will be no crumbling of a massive wall.

But we will know it. We'll know it as accountable governments continue to develop in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

We'll know it as terrorist attacks throughout the world decrease and then end.

And then, God willing, we'll all be able on a future anniversary of September 11th.

To say to our fallen brothers and sisters. To our heroes of the worst attack in our history and to our heroes who have sacrificed their lives in the war on terror.

We will say to them we have done all that we could with our lives that were spared to make your sacrifices build a world of real peace and true freedom.

We will make certain in the words of President Bush that they have heard from us.

That they have heard from us a message of peace through free, accountable, lawful and decent governments giving people hope for a future for themselves and their children.

God bless each one we have lost, here and abroad, and their families.

God bless all those defending our freedom.

God bless America.