George H.W. Bush: “A strange political year, yes. But snappy answers and glib talk will not get the job done. Let somebody else become the…”

“A strange political year, yes. But snappy answers and glib talk will not get the job done. Let somebody else become the darling of the talking heads on television; I'm going to keep on fighting to get something done for this country. You wait until August, and we'll roll up our sleeves and get in that campaign mode. But there's too much at stake for America to forget about trust and judgment and values; too much at stake, as we say here, to buy a pig in a poke. And you can count on this: We will win in November. And I am convinced we are going to carry Texas, and we are going to win going away. Just the the last 4 years, the world that we have known for the last 40 years has changed. And by our willingness to stand up for freedom and stand against aggression and fight for what's right, we changed the world. And our mission for the next 4 years is to shape our new world, not just abroad but right here at home. It's a big job to set the course for the next 40 years, and it means solving big problems with a level head, with tolerance and good judgment. Being President is a demanding job, and a President must be temperamentally suited for the job. I have been tested by fire, and I am the right man for that job. You and I understand America and her problems, and we understand where we must go. And we all want families strong and united, good schools, safe neighborhoods, job-creating economy, and a world at peace. Since becoming your President, I have been to all 50 States in the country. I have felt the heartbeat of America. I felt it up close-- farmers and ranchers and cities and city kids and teachers and truck drivers. I know the American people, and they are with us, but they're angry. They're angry at big Government, small results, and big excuses. And they are right: Government is too big, and it spends too much. And we've got to change that. This election must be a referendum on some big ideas. And one of them is that Government works right without raising taxes. Unlike one of my opponents, I do not believe that the only way to ever balance the budget is, quote, a massive tax increase, unquote. The American people know that I proposed an amendment to balance the budget. They know I fought for it, the only Presidential candidate to support it. That's why in the fall, they will be with us. You send us more Congressmen from Texas who will do what the people want. And the people want a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. And by the way, while you're still standing, the American people know that the President should have what 43 Governors have to control spending. They know I fought for it, and they will be with us. America wants the line- item veto. [Applause] Thank you. Now, the taxpayers know how the budget gets busted. It's an arrogant, permanent, liberal, Democratic-controlled Congress, unaccountable to the people. The American people are with us, and it is time to limit the term for Members of Congress. You and I know each other. And throughout my life in Texas you've seen me close up. When I sent our sons and daughters into battle in Panama and in Desert Storm, Texans anguished with me and overwhelmingly supported me. And when I agreed to pay a painful price for a spending controls deal on the budget, Lord knows you argued with me. And when I said I will not eat broccoli, every kid in Texas said, ``Yes!'' But through it all, you knew I wouldn't break with those Texas values that we hold most dear: freedom and faith, honor and decency, and, most of all, family. History will record this: American leadership changed the world. Panama is a democratic country. Its democratically elected leaders, once beaten by those ``dignity battalions,'' are now back in office, and its narco-trafficking dictator in jail where he belongs. And Eastern Europe is free. Germany is united. Imperial communism is dead and buried. And just this week, Boris Yeltsin and I stood in the Rose Garden to announce the most sweeping nuclear arms cuts in history, eliminating those enormous multiwarheaded ICBM's that have threatened the world. That is something big. That is something spectacular. Dreams come true for America. And these kids here will sleep at night without the same fear of nuclear war. I am proud of that record, and I will take that record to the American people. But let me warn you, let me just put out this one word of warning. For all the great triumphs that freedom has made, the world still remains a dangerous place. That's why a big idea in this campaign is defending America's interests abroad. And the best way to keep America safe is to keep America strong. The Soviet bear might now be a creature of the past, but there are still plenty of wolves out there, and you know who they are. But as our actions in the Gulf proved, we will defend our interests. We will keep the wolves at bay. And we will never let aggression stand. Yes, our successes abroad have laid the foundation for stepping up our attack on these domestic problems. And as I work to correct what's wrong, I will always remember: The people don't work for the Government; the Government works for the people. No, to set things on a track right here at home we must start with a moral, even a spiritual revival across this country, particularly when it comes to instilling values in our kids. So here's another big idea. Fads may come and go, but in the Bush administration the family will always be in fashion. And that's how we put first things first. Families united, fathers and mothers staying together in spite of tough times because they love their kids and want them to grow up whole and strong. It all begins with the family. And we must find ways to strengthen the American family. The Commission I appointed will do just that. And all of us should make suggestions that will help. You know, some of the ideas that I've put forth for changing America unnerved those who cling to the old thinking of the status quo. Not everyone is ready for new ideas, so it's going to take some time. And 4 years just haven't been enough to finish our mission. Some people say, why can't you bring the same kind of purpose and success to the domestic scene as you did in Desert Shield and Desert Storm? And the answer is: I didn't have to get permission from some old goat in the United States Congress to kick Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait. That's the reason. Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!”