WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
7:29 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you for the warm
welcome. Good evening. I appreciate that kind introduction--Jeb.
(Laughter.) And I thank you for bringing Melissa, too.
It's my honor to be with you. I can't thank you enough for coming
to support our candidates running for the United States House, the
United States Senate, and for the White House. I appreciate my friends
from the Congress who are here. I especially want to pay tribute to
Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican Leader, Congressman John
Boehner, House Republican Leader. (Applause.) Senator John Ensign, the
Chairman of the NRSC -- (applause) -- who, by the way, brought his
son, Michael. Congressman Tom Cole, Chairman of the NRCC. (Applause.)
A man who deserves a lot of credit, along with Jeb, for tonight's
success, my friend from the state of Utah, Senator Orrin Hatch.
(Applause.) I thank the RNC Chairman, Mike Duncan; all those here at
the head table for their leadership in making this an incredibly
successful event.
Most of all I want to thank you all for coming, for giving of your
time and your money to help us achieve a big victory in November of
2008. (Applause.)
This is my eighth President's Dinner--also known as my last dinner
before mandatory retirement. (Laughter.) I can't say for sure what I'm
going to be doing at this time next year--I suspect I'll be in
Crawford, watching the Rangers on TV. But I know what you'll be doing
-- you'll be holding this dinner in honor of a new guest: President
John McCain. (Applause.)
I know John McCain well. I have worked with him, and I have run
against him. Take it from me: It's better to have him on your side.
The stakes in this election are high. I know the pressures of the
Oval Office--the daily intelligence briefings, the unexpected
challenges, and the tough decisions that can only be made at the
President's desk. In trying times, America needs a President who has
been tested and will not flinch. We need a President who has the
experience and judgment to do what is right, even when it is not easy.
We need a President who knows what it takes to defeat our enemies. And
this year, there is only one man who has shown those qualities of
leadership--and that man is John McCain. (Applause.)
Sending John to the White House is a great goal, but it's not our
only goal. As President, he's going to need strong conservative allies
on Capitol Hill. And that means we need to put the House and the
Senate back where they belong--into Republican hands. (Applause.) And
I appreciate you coming tonight to see that is exactly what happens.
You know, this election season is just beginning. The real
campaign will be in the fall. And the American people will take the
measure of the candidates running and their vision for the future. And
when they do, they're going to find some big differences between our
parties. On issues that matter the most--from taxes and spending, to
confirming good judges and building a culture of life, to protecting
our people and winning the war on terror--the American people will
have a clear choice. And after the speeches and the debates and when
the American people focus on what matters to their future, they're
going to send Republican candidates to the House, Republican
candidates to the Senate, and John McCain to the White House.
(Applause.)
This November, the American people are going to have a clear
choice when it comes to taxes and spending.
Republicans believe American families can spend their money far
better than the federal government can. We've restrained spending in
Washington, D.C. We delivered the largest tax cut since Ronald Reagan
was the President of the United States. (Applause.) We cut taxes for
married couples. We cut taxes for families with children. We cut taxes
for small businesses. We cut taxes on dividends and capital gains. We
put the death tax on the road to extinction. We eliminated income
taxes for nearly 5 million families in the lowest tax bracket. And as
a result, the American people have more money in their pocket and that
is the way it should be. (Applause.)
Our opponents take a different view. The Democratically-controlled
Congress refuses to make the tax relief permanent. And when tax relief
expires, every income tax rate in America will go up. The marriage
penalty will return in full force. The child tax credit will be cut in
half. Taxes on capital gains and dividends will increase
significantly. The death tax will return to life. A typical family of
four with an income of $40,000 will face a tax increase of more than
$2,000. At a time when the American people are struggling with high
food (prices), high gas prices, and economic uncertainty, the absolute
last thing they need is a tax increase. (Applause.) In order to make
sure that doesn't happen the American people need to elect a Congress
and a President that will make the tax relief permanent. (Applause.)
There's a reason why the Democrats want to raise taxes--they need
more money to pay for all the new spending they have in mind. When the
Democrats campaigned in 2006, they promised fiscal responsibility. But
when they took control of the Congress, they tried to go on a spending
spree and stick the American people with the tab. Over the past 17
months, Democrats in Congress have routinely filed legislation with
excessive spending. But there was an important thing that stood
between them and the American people paying more in taxes, and it's
called a veto pen. (Applause.)
You know, when it comes to taxes and spending, our opponents offer
a lot of soothing words. But keep this in mind: While their talk may
be cheap, their agenda isn't. And here's the bottom line: If you want
a bigger tax bill and bigger government, put the Democrats in charge
of both the White House and Capitol Hill. But if you want to keep your
taxes low and stop wasteful spending, elect John McCain and a
Republican Congress. (Applause.)
This November, the American people will have a clear choice when
it comes to confirming good judges and building a culture of life.
Republicans aspire to build a society where every human being is
welcomed in life and protected in law. We've funded crisis pregnancy
programs and supported parental notification laws. We outlawed the
cruel practice of partial birth abortion. We defended this good law
all the way to Supreme Court--and we won. (Applause.)
This victory shows how important it is to put good judges on the
bench.
Republicans have a clear view of the role of courts in our
democracy. We believe that unelected judges should strictly interpret
the law, and not legislate from the bench. I've nominated and Congress
has confirmed good judges, including the two newest members of the
Supreme Court--Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.
(Applause.)
Our opponents have a different view. There's no clearer
illustration of their differences in our judicial philosophies than
this: John McCain voted to confirm these eminently qualified Supreme
Court justices. His opponent voted against them.
We received a fresh reminder of the importance of the courts last
week. A bare majority of five Supreme Court justices overturned a
bipartisan law that the United States Congress passed and I signed to
deliver justice to detainees at Guantanamo Bay. With this decision,
hardened terrorists--hardened foreign terrorists now enjoy certain
legal rights previously reserved for American citizens. This is
precisely the kind of judicial activism that frustrates the American
people. And the best way to change it is to put Republicans in charge
in the Senate and John McCain in the White House. (Applause.)
This November, the American people will have a clear choice when
it comes to protecting our country and winning the war on terror.
Republicans believe that our most solemn duty is to protect the
American people. Since September the 11th, 2001, we have worked day
and night to stop another attack on our homeland. Here at home, we've
strengthened our defenses, reformed our intelligence community, and
launched a new program to monitor terrorist communications. Around the
world, we have gone on the offense against the terrorists, we've
advanced freedom as the great alternative to the ideology of hatred
and violence. In a time of war we need a President who understands
that we must defeat the enemy overseas so we do not have to face them
here at home -- (applause) -- and that man is John McCain. (Applause.)
In Afghanistan, we destroyed al Qaeda training camps and removed
the Taliban from power. And today we're helping a democratic society
take root--ensuring that Afghanistan will never again be a safe haven
for the terrorists planning an attack on America.
And in Iraq we removed the dangerous regime of Saddam Hussein.
Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision at the time, and it is
the right decision today. (Applause.) Early last year, when the
situation in Iraq was deteriorating, we launched what's called the
surge. And since the surge, violence in Iraq has dropped. Civilian
deaths and sectarian killings are down. And political and economic
progress is taking place. A democracy is taking root where the tyrant
once ruled. In Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world, our men and
women in uniform are performing with skill and honor--and our country
needs a Commander-in-Chief who will respect and fully support the
United States military, and that man is John McCain. (Applause.)
The war on terror is the great challenge of our time. And on this
vital issue, the Democratic Party has repeatedly shown it would take
America down the wrong direction. Democratic leaders in Congress have
yet to renew a surveillance law that our intelligence professionals
say is critical to protecting America. They tried to shut down a CIA
program -- CIA program for questioning terrorists, a program that has
saved American lives. They've repeatedly delayed funding for our
troops in the field.
On Iraq, the Democrats declared the surge a failure before it
began. And now that the surge has turned the situation around, they
still call for retreat. The other side talks a lot about "hope," and
that sums up their Iraq policy pretty well: They want to retreat from
Iraq and hope nothing bad happens. But wishful thinking is no way to
fight a war and to protect the American people. (Applause.) Leaving
Iraq before the job is done would embolden our enemies and endanger
our citizens. The only path to victory is to support the Iraqi people,
support our commanders, support our troops, support Republicans for
Congress, and elect John McCain as the next Commander-in-Chief.
(Applause.)
Over the next few months of this campaign, you're going to hear a
lot of talk about change. Democrats say they're the party of change.
There was a time when they believed that low taxes were the path to
growth and opportunity--but they've changed. There was a time when
they believed in common-sense American values--but they have changed.
There was a time when they believed that America should pay any price
and bear any burden in the defense of liberty--but they have changed.
These days, if you want to know how a Democrat in Congress is going to
vote tomorrow, just visit the website of MoveOn.Org today. (Applause.)
This is change alright, but it's not the kind of change the
American people want. Americans want change that makes their life
better and our country safer--and that requires changing the party in
control of the United States Congress. (Applause.) So with your
efforts and with your hard work, I am confident that the American
people will send Republicans to Congress--and to send our friend John
McCain to the White House. (Applause.)
This is the final time I'm going to speak to this event. And when
I ran for President eight years ago, as Jeb mentioned, I promised to
uphold the dignity and honor of this office. And to the best of my
ability, I have tried to live up to that promise. (Applause.) Next
January I will leave with confidence in our country's course--and the
proud work we have done together.
We've worked together to make our country safer and to spread
prosperity throughout our land. I've been strengthened by your support
and lifted up by your prayers. I've also been blessed to share these
years with a strong and loving family, including a fabulous woman
named Laura Bush. (Applause.) I believe she's the finest First Lady in
our nation's history. (Applause.) Just don't tell Mother. (Laughter.)
And in this job, I have had no finer example of character, decency,
and integrity than the first man to be called President George Bush.
(Applause.)
This isn't a farewell speech because we've got a lot to do this
year. I want you to know my energy is up, my spirits are high, and I
am going to finish this job strong. (Applause.) So with confidence in
our vision, strong belief in our philosophy, faith in our values, let
us go forward, reclaim the Congress, and elect John McCain as
President in 2008.
God bless you, and God bless America. (Applause.)
END 7:47 P.M. EDT
White House Press Office
1-202-456-2580
Copyright Business Wire 2008
