Special Event

Texas Governor George W. Bush on the Stump in Tennessee

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the Volunteer State, specifically Chattanooga, once again, here is the Texas governor still on the stump there in Tennessee.

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GOV. GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... And my trust is well-founded; not only do I have the philosophy that says local people know best, but I married a teacher. I married a fabulous woman.

(APPLAUSE)

And, by the way, should it all go well, America's going to have a fantastic first lady in Laura Bush.

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I nearly forgot, yesterday was our anniversary.

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Just goes to show how patient she is.

Another priority is Medicare. We've got to make sure our health system for our seniors fulfills its promise. We've got a plan that says that all seniors should have prescription drug benefits in Medicare, a plan that says our compassionate nation will help people who cannot help themselves.

Any time we find a senior having to choose between food and medicine, we'll correct that problem immediately.

Now, we're a compassionate nation, but we're also going to trust seniors to make different choices, if they're unhappy with the federal system. You see, we not only want to make sure the federal system is modern and up-to-date, but we want to trust our seniors in America. We trust people in this campaign. We understand the people can make the best decisions for their lives, not the federal government.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, I know you've heard the debate on all these issues, and there's been a lot of discussion. Take Medicare, for example. He says something and I say something. But one thing from which they cannot run nor hide is this fact, and you need to tell the undecided voters this: In 1992, they went around our country saying, "Oh, just give us a chance to reform Medicare." I don't know if you all remember that or not. Well, in 1996, they said the same thing. Now, here we are four years later; it's like echoes from the past. Four years later, they're still saying the same thing.

Now, you may remember my opponent's favorite slogans and one of them is, "You ain't see nothing yet." Well, guess what? He's right. We ain't seen nothing yet.

America: Americans -- and Americans expect leadership to do in office what they say they're going to do. A leader is somebody who sets a clear agenda and brings people together to achieve that agenda.

A leader is somebody who is results-oriented. For eight long years, our people have been waiting for Medicare reform, but we ain't seen nothing yet.

AUDIENCE: Ain't seen nothing yet. Ain't seen nothing yet.

BUSH: There's an achievement gap in public education. Some of our children are being just shuffled through. We need local control of schools and high standards. We need to make sure that people are held accountable for results. But for eight long years, we ain't seen nothing yet.

AUDIENCE: Ain't seen nothing yet. Ain't seen nothing yet.

BUSH: There's a Social Security system that needs to be reformed. It's time to quit using that issue as a political issue. It's time to quit frightening seniors. It's time to understand that we can both keep the promise to our seniors and make sure the youngsters of America have got a retirement account they can call their own. But for eight long years, we ain't seen nothing yet.

AUDIENCE: Ain't seen nothing yet. Ain't seen nothing yet.

BUSH: But guess what? Guess what my fellow Americans? Tomorrow we can send a clear signal that we have seen enough. It's time for new leadership. It's time for somebody who's going to bring people together to get the people's business done.

(APPLAUSE)

There's been some...

AUDIENCE: W, W, W, W, W.

BUSH: There's been some really interesting moments in this campaign, some very poignant moments and some pretty funny moments.

I think perhaps one of the more funny moments came in the third debate. My opponent looked in the camera and said: I am against big government.

(LAUGHTER)

I could barely contain myself. I thought I was going to fall out on national TV.

(LAUGHTER)

I knew the man was -- he was prone to exaggerations, but this one took the cake, because, you see, we've been totally up all his promises, all of them. He's proposed more spending, new spending than Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis combined. That's a lot. That's a whole lot.

But I'm not surprised, because he's of Washington, by Washington and for Washington. He trusts the federal government. And that's why he has proposed what he calls targeted tax cuts. And that stands in stark contrast to our vision of tax relief, which says that if you pay income taxes, you should get relief.

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This is another issue that has confounded some of the pundits, because when I got talking about it at the very beginning of my campaign, people were saying, "Well, you know, the people don't want their money back." But I understood differently. You see, it's the right thing to do. It's the right thing to set priorities with your money in Washington and with the excess money. Understand that workers pay now more in federal, state and local taxes than they do in housing and food and clothing combined.

Understanding this, a new phenomena that affects the people of our country: As a result of failed energy policy, your gasoline bills are higher. As a result of an administration being asleep at the switch, you're paying more at the pump.

No, our folks are paying too much in taxes. Anytime the basic cost of living is lower than the cost of taxes, we're taxing the people too much. And if we keep taxing them too much, it's going to affect the economic growth in America. So I want to send some of that surplus back to you. But that's no big deal, it's your money to begin with.

(APPLAUSE)

We going to get rid of the death tax. We're going to do something on the marriage penalty. If you're a family of four in the state of Tennessee making $50,000 a year, you get a 50 percent cut on your federal income taxes.

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And there's a reason why -- there's a reason why. That surplus is not the government's money, the surplus is the people's money. It's your money.

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I want to ask you all some quick questions here.

How many of you own a hybrid electric gasoline engine vehicle? Well, if you did, you'd get a targeted tax cut.

Let me ask you this. Any of you got a rooftop photovoltaic system on your house?

AUDIENCE: No.

BUSH: Well, if you do, you'd get targeted tax cut.

How many of you are married?

(APPLAUSE)

That's good. Under the vice president's plan, you get a targeted tax cut, but only if you do not deduct, for example, the mortgage deduction on your home.

He talks about the death tax. Let me ask you this: How many of you plan to materially participate in the operations of your small business five out of the eight years before your death? And will your heirs pledge to materially participate for another 10 years? Well, if you raised your hand, you'd get a targeted tax cut.

Now, let me ask you this: How many of you pay federal income taxes?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

BUSH: You get tax relief under our vision.

HEMMER: Texas Governor George W. Bush on the stump in the Volunteer State. We will track him throughout the day. A busy schedule for both men throughout the day.

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