 Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, accompanied by Congressman Jim Santini. United States Senator from the great state of Nevada, Jim Santini. President in this generation, Ronald. Thank you all very much, and Jim, thank you for that kind introduction. You know, I was once a drum major of a boys' band in Dixon, Illinois. So, I hope you'll forgive me if I thank the Carson City High School Senator Band, the McQueen High School Band, the Edward C. Reed High School Marching Raider Band, and the Wooster High School Marching Pulse. Special thanks to the University of Nevada Reno and the Wolfpack Marching. Should I be mistaken or do I hear blue thunder? I see the Wolfpack has brought their thunder meter along. Well, let's be sure to keep that hand going up all the way and let all of Nevada know how we feel. I can't help but see the young people here in the audience, and I have a special message to you from my roommate. She said to tell you that when it comes to drugs, please, for yourselves, for your families, for your future in your country, just say no. It's great to be here with all of you. It's really great to be here with my best friend, Paul and Carol Laxalt. It's great to be here with Senator Chick Hect. And let me ask you a favor. Will you send Barbara Vukanovic and Bob Ryan to Washington to join Chick Hect and Jim Santini in making Nevada an all-Republican team in Washington? There's one thing in this election. I've heard some people here and there talking about checks and balances and so forth in government, and they're a little mixed up. If you like what Chick Hect has been doing up there, and he's been doing like Paul Laxalt has been doing, why should you send a senator up there with him to cancel his vote? Send someone who will vote with him. And now having been governor for myself for some time, I think I recognize good governor material when I see it and believe me. Patty Cafferata and her running mate, Joe Brown, are the very best. I know that a running mate will do a good job in filling the shoes of Robert Cashel, who's the outgoing Lieutenant Governor. It's wonderful to be here in Nevada, and you know, as I often say to my staff, when we're taking off in Air Force One, it's great to get out of Washington and get back where the real people are. You probably know that I couldn't do this much traveling when Congress was in session. As Jim Santini will tell you, that's because some of those folks need watching. Hey, I am not saying anything against the institution of the Congress. I respect it highly. But there are some people up there that, well, those individuals, their approach to doing government business reminds me of the three fellows that came out of a building one day and found they'd locked themselves out of their car. And one of them said, get me a wire coat hanger. I could straighten it out, and I can get in there and flip the latch and get us in. And the second one said, you can't do that. They'll think we're stealing the car. And the third one said, well, we better do something pretty quick because it's starting to rain and the top's down. But that story, that story says so much about how the tax and tax spend and spend policies left our country just a few short years ago. Lefted with negative growth, double digit inflation, the highest interest rates since, and get ready, the highest rates since the Civil War. And so in 1981, Jim and I cut government growth slash regulations and cut income taxes almost 25%. Today, today we're enjoying one of the longest economic expansions in our history. The prime interest rate has fallen by two thirds. Mortgage and auto loan rates are down. Inflation has plummeted from more than 12% when we got there to 1.8%. And we've created more than 11.5 million new jobs in less than four years, more jobs than Western Europe and Japan put together have created in 10 years. Of course, you know, when we started that economic program for recovery and expansion, there were a lot of criticism and a lot of people making fun and some of them downright angry. And yet I knew that the program was working when they stopped calling it Reaganomics. Before I go any further, I want to give you some good news. Following last week's announcement showing Gross National Product, that's the figure GNP that represents the country's economic growth, and other indicators show our economy is gathering momentum. Just this morning, we learned the trade deficit in September declined for the second month in a row and is down now 30% from its high. This is particularly good news for our manufacturing industries. We also learned new home sales in September were up over 10%. The stock market today went in a sharp upswing and is now almost touching the all-time high. I believe the economy is on a roll and think it's a sure bet that we're about to hit another jackpot. Now, we pulled the handle and it came up jobs, jobs, jobs. And I'm determined to see that those who still are not sharing fully in our nation's prosperity do so, and I give you my pledge. Neither Jim Santini nor I will be satisfied until this expansion reaches every sector of our economy and every home in America and until every American who wants a job has a job. To broaden our expansion, I signed into law last week the most sweeping reform of the tax code in our nation's history. For more than 80% of Americans, it means a top tax rate of 15% or less, and that's why I call it tax cut two. But wouldn't you know it, even before this fair share tax plan had reached my desk, the Democratic leadership in Congress was saying that they wanted to break faith with the American people and turn tax reform into a tax hike. You're right. You know, the truth is those folks never met a tax they didn't like. And when it comes to spending your hard-earned money, they act like they've got your credit card in their pocket, and believe me, they never leave home without it. The American people know the truth. We don't have a deficit because we're taxed too little. We have a deficit because Congress spends too much. And isn't it about time they started protecting the family budget instead of fattening the federal budget? Now, the contrast between us and the leaders of the other party is just as apparent when it comes to judicial appointments. Now, you know, the president appoints the federal judges, but they have to be approved by the United States Senate. And since I began appointing federal judges to be approved by the Republican Senate, the federal judiciary has become tougher, much tougher on criminals. Criminals are going to jail more often and they're receiving longer sentences. But over and over, the Democratic leadership has tried in the Senate to torpedo our choices for judges. And that's where Jim can make all the difference without him and the Republican majority in the Senate. We'll find liberals, like a certain fellow from Massachusetts, deciding who our judges are. Now, I bet, and I bet you'll agree, I'd rather have a judiciary committee headed, as it is now, by Strom Thurmond than one headed by Teddy Kennedy any time. This thing of partisan politics, right now I'm reminded of a story. Never mind, when you get to be my age, everything will remind you of a story. There was a Democratic fundraiser in a downtown hotel and when they came out from the fundraiser, there was a kid with a bunch of puppies and he was offering them for sale by a Democrat puppy, by a Democrat puppy. Two weeks later the Republicans held a fundraiser there and when they came out, there was the same kid with the puppies and he was saying buy a Republican puppy, buy a Republican puppy. But it was a newsman there who recognized him from two weeks before and he said, hey kid, wait a minute, two weeks ago those were Democrat puppies. Now you're here selling them and saying they're Republican puppies, how come? Now they got their eyes open. But ladies and gentlemen, we've come now to an issue that transcends in importance even all the other crucial matters I've mentioned. My most solemn duty as President the safety of the American people and the security of these United States and here too because of the support of men like Jim Santini, we've been able to restore America's strength. There is nothing I'm prouder of in this job than the two million young men and women who make up the armed forces of the United States. Now that same leadership that same leadership that I've been criticizing has been busy every year trying to whack away and cut away on defense spending. Well let me tell you if we ever have to ask those young people to put their lives on the line for the United States of America then they deserve to have the finest weapon equipment that we can produce. And with Jim Santini's help that's the way it's going to be. They're going to have that equipment. But you know because of our young men and women in uniform things have really changed around the world. You know America used to wear a kick me sign around its neck. Well we threw that sign away and now it reads don't tread on me. Today every nickel and dime indicator around the world knows that if he tangles with the United States of America he will have a price to pay. And one other thing I'm especially proud of after six years of this administration not one square inch of territory in the world has been lost to communism and one small country Grenada has been freed from communism. There's another special issue we remain committed to our decision to move ahead with our strategic defense initiative against ballistic missiles SDI. Today we're dealing with the Soviet Union from a position of strength and it was SDI that brought the Soviet Union to the bargaining table. And let me pledge to you let me pledge to you our goal is to keep America strong to save the West from mutual nuclear terror to make ballistic missiles obsolete and ultimately to eliminate them from the face of the earth. SDI is America's insurance policy to protect us from accidents or some madman who might come along as Hitler did or a Gaddafi or just in case the Soviets don't keep their side of a bargain. Their record on treaty violations is very clear we can either bet on American technology to keep us safe or on Soviet promises each has its own track record and I'll bet on American technology any time. I knew there were those who had their doubts but flying back from Iceland I knew the American people would support firmness with the Soviet Union so I couldn't come here today without thanking each of you for that support. For you students I have to confess I'm not a linguist but I was very proud of one little foray I made into the use of a foreign language while we were in Iceland I spoke Russian I said to General Secretary Gorbachev Dobenyi No probly I it means trust but verify let me tell you we never could have come this far without the support of people like Jim Santini. I remember back in 1981 when we needed all the help we could get to cut your taxes and get this economic expansion rolling Jim was a Democrat back then but despite threats from the Liberal Democratic Party leadership Jim Santini promised me his support and Jim Santini is as good as his word he came through with the votes just as over and over again Jim Santini has come through for the great state of Nevada it's time it's time we got some facts out about Jim's opponent I don't think the fiercely independent people in Nevada want as their senator a tax and spend liberal who's against a balanced budget amendment and I don't want anybody to think I'm taking this personally but Jim's opponent voted against me more often than Teddy Kennedy and that's saying something now I know I couldn't be speaking to a crowd like this without there being a lot of Democrats and independents present here in the audience and I know these Democrats and I've seen them all across the country as hardworking patriotic people whose support I've relied on during these past six years but to those Nevada Democrats I used to be a Democrat myself just like Jim and I must tell you from my heart that Jim Santini represents your views far better than the liberals who run the Democratic Party in Washington and yes and yes right here in Nevada so I ask all Nevada Democrats whether just maybe they ought to join the Republican Party as Jim and I did I know it isn't I know it isn't easy but as Winston Churchill that great British statesman when he was in the parliament Churchill changed parties and was criticized and maligned for doing so and Churchill summed it all up he said some men change principle for party and others change party for principle and even if you can't quite bring yourself to change parties well you can still send the liberals a message by voting for Jim Santini I had to tell you a little experience I had to sort of fit what I've seen happen to the party that Jim and I once belong to and why I know that there must be Democrats here because I've met them all across the country who know that they're out of step with a leadership when I was that drum major that I mentioned that band we were taken to a little neighboring town to lead the Decoration Day parade well the real leader of course was the Marshal of the parade and a big white horse up in front but we're going down the street I'm pumping the baton the band is playing and he gallops back down the line of parade to see if everything's coming along alright and pretty soon I think music is sounding fater and I sneak to look over my shoulder the man and the horse had gotten back just far enough to turn the band to the right down an intersection where the parade was to go and I was marching up the street all by myself and that's an apt description of the Democratic Party the membership of the party by the millions long ago has turned to the right and there still the leadership marching down the street but you know the eyes of America are on you and your great state will you choose the Democratic leaders who in 1980 weakened our nation and nearly brought our economy to its knees who raised your taxes and announced their plans to do so again who oppose our efforts to pursue a defense to protect us from attack by nuclear ballistic missiles or will you choose to give Jim and me a chance to finish the job now just to be sure where you stand I thought I'd conduct an informal poll and I want you to speak up loudly and let all America hear do you want to go back to the days of big spending high taxes and runaway inflation do you want Ted Kennedy controlling the confirmation of federal court judges do you want to return to policies that gave us a weak and vacillating America that's good to hear now would you rather have a would you rather have an America that is strong and proud and free do you want Jim Santini as your senator from the great state of Nevada you just made my day and you didn't hurt Jim Santini's feelings at all my name will never appear on about it again but if you'd like to if you'd like to vote for me one more time you can do so by voting for Jim Santini but the important is this election will be to me it'll be even more important to you especially to you young people for it'll shape our nation's future every poll shows that the age group 18 to 24 gives us the highest percentage of people in support of what we're doing wait just a second every poll also shows just as clearly that it's that same age group that has the lowest voter turnout so so when you go out of here determined to vote go out of here also ready to button hold your friends of your own age and tell them to come to the poll with you and also cast their votes you know back at the beginning back at the beginning of World War II as we enter that terrible war General George C. Marshall the chief of staff of the United States Army was asked if we had a secret weapon and if so what it might be and George Marshall said yes we do have a secret weapon it's just the best blankity blank kids in the world I think if George Marshall were here today he'd look at your generation and say yes you are the best blankity blank kids in the world they've in this hall today they share that same feeling and make that same pledge there have been times in over recent years when things have slipped as they did a few years ago and when it didn't seem as if we were going to turn over that kind of an America but now it is there and we're determined that when it's your turn that's the kind of America that we're going to hand to you and when we look at you when we see your openness your enthusiasm for America and for life itself it gives us heart so when you go to the polls win one for Jim Santini win one for your future and for America's future I've said thank you and God bless you but I just have to add if any of you have been wondering what does somebody like me what does it feel like to hear you I'll tell you it's a very it's a very humbling experience and I'll do my best to try to deserve as a token and symbol of appreciation from my former university the number one football team in the nation from the University of Nevada Reno your jersey for the next game Mr. President and our appreciation and thank you to you