 Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States and the Vice President of the United States and Mrs. Bush. States and the next President of the United States, the Honorable George Bush. Thank you. Thank you so much. What a wonderful, enthusiastic crowd. For a minute I thought we'd come to the welcoming ceremony for Wayne Gretzky. This is fantastic. I want to thank the Governor, the Good Duke. Thank him for that introduction. To urge with all my heart the overwhelming re-election of Pete Wilson, that's going to benefit all of us on the ticket. What a glittering array of stars each and every one of you. I thank you and Bob, those kind words about my dad. Thank you very much for that. But we're delighted to be here, Barbara and I. There's a danger, you have President Reagan, Governor Duke Magin and George Bush watch out overdose of charisma. That's not too good. So Mr. President, I was listening to your wonderful speech at the convention and all I can say is I am grateful for those most supportive words and yes, we are going to go out and win one for the Gipper in November. That's the one it's going to be. California is absolutely essential. So Barbara and I will be here. My running mate and his wife Marilyn will be here and we are not going to overlook any single area in this all important state. I came to ask for your help. With it I am convinced we can win in November. There is a profound difference between me and my opponent in this election, a difference not only of policies, but really of fundamental values. And I believe the two most important issues facing our country are jobs and peace. And that's what I will focus on if elected president and that's what this election is all about, jobs and peace. In the last six years we have created 17 million new jobs, 90 percent of them are full time. The majority are in higher paying categories and we are not creating just good jobs and good wages. We are creating better jobs at better wages and we intend to keep right on doing it. The president met with some of us earlier and he reminded me that more Americans are at working today, more Americans are at work today than ever before in the history of this country and a greater percentage of the workforce is at work than any time in the history of this country. And they're making more money and they're keeping more of it in their own pockets where it belongs and instead of spending it and sending it into Uncle Sam, I mean on April 15th, we are going to keep those tax rates down and hold the line on taxes. And the Democrats, Democrats probably with that old Carter Mondale misery index in mind are running all around the country talking about the Swiss cheese economy and as I said in New Orleans that may be how it looks to the three blind mice but that's not how it looks to the American people and when they were in charge it was all holes and no cheese at all and now we're on the move. And so I have a program to build on what the Reagan Bush administration has done. Start with urban and rural enterprise zones, cut the capital gains tax rate to help small businesses get started, keep Congress from regulating business to death and slash the deficit with a flexible freeze on spending and align item veto for the president. There's a good five point program for you. All we have to do is keep the economy growing at the same rate and guarantee that everyone who wants a job has a job but we'll never get it done if we return to those discredited policies of tax and spend. And as governor, my opponent increased taxes so fast that his state was named Tax-Ochucits, you've seen the bumper stickers, and if he had, this is a fact, if he had increased federal taxes at the same rate that he's done in Massachusetts, the average American family would be paying $2,300 more this year in income taxes alone. We cannot afford that philosophy in the White House. And our opponents are trying to give the America the same old line, the unemployment line, but of course, if I'm going to be really fair about it, I have to admit that the governor has created one new job. He has a third man on their ticket, but let me just repeat what I said on taxes. I promise you, if Congress tries to raise the taxes when I'm president and you know they will, I'll say no. And if they try again, I'll stare them right in the eye and say, read my lips. No new taxes to the millions of Americans taking out a loan on that new car or a mortgage on their first house. I'm going to say we've cut inflation from double digits to 4 percent and we've cut those interest rates in half. And I'm not going to let them take it away from you. And to the leaders of this expansion, the leaders of this expansion, the women who help create the new jobs and fill two out of every three of them, I say you know better than anyone that equality begins with economic empowerment. You're gaining economic power, and I'm not going to let them take that away from you either. And to the older Americans, we're going to keep that Social Security Trust Fund sound, and we're not going to let them take that security away from the older Americans in this country either. I am worried about foreign affairs and the national security of this country. I'm concerned about my opponent's approach to national security matters. If there's one thing that our president has proved beyond all doubt, it is that weakness and ambivalence tempt aggressors to start wars and strength and clarity deter aggression and preserve the peace. We've had a bipartisan consensus on this. Roosevelt, Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan, all of them understood this, formed a basis for our bipartisan consensus on foreign policy that has kept the peace for 40 years. And I think it is fair to ask whether my opponent understands that. And his policies place him far outside the bipartisan consensus, far out on the liberal left wing. And that's where he is on these security issues. Let me give you an example. He was the only governor, many were approached, he was the only one to oppose and prevent construction of the ground wave emergency network in his state, a vital communications link, vital to our national deterrent and to the security of the United States of America. And he was the only one that opposed it. And thanks, I'd rather keep this, I'd rather keep this country prepared. And so we are going to have a debate on these fundamental factual issues. It comes to the land-based part of our triad, his three positions, no new MX, no midget man, no flight testing of new missiles that add up to no modernization. And in this troubled world we're in, no modernization amounts to unilateral cuts. And so I ask, is he discarding the mainstream strategic doctrine of Democratic and Republican presidents alike for 30 years? Is he saying we don't need it? And I want to know and I believe the American people have a right to know how we're approaching these defense matters. I will make you this pledge. I will keep our forces modern and I will keep them strong and I will keep America secure and at peace. My opponent is called SDI, a fantasy. Let me tell you something. The appalling danger of nuclear missiles is no fantasy. It is a nightmare. And he would leave America totally defenseless against missiles. And I will not, I will go forward with the strategic defense initiative and make a safer world for our children. I believe that when it comes to our vital foreign policy and our national defense and yes, our national intelligence, we cannot take another gamble. The American people have gambled once on a moderate sounding liberal governor making vague provinces and then avoiding the issues and we cannot make that mistake a decade later. We must have tough experience leadership and someone's who's been there and someone you can trust and I am that man. A lot of the campaign today, today we're entering into a new era in American history, era of growth and opportunity, an era where we're strong and hopes are high but the foundation of our pride, the people's pride is values, old fashioned American values like family and faith, patriotism, persistence and really a belief in freedom and I just have to insert something here. Yesterday my opponent came out swinging on of all things the pledge of allegiance and what is, what is it about the pledge of allegiance that upsets him so much? The Democratic Legislature, now listen to these facts. The Democratic Legislature in Massachusetts supports it. Ten years ago they required teachers to lead the pledge and that remains the law in Massachusetts today because the Legislature overrode my opponent's veto by an overwhelming vote. I would have signed that bill, any constitutional question that someone might raise should be decided by the Supreme Court of the United States and Governor Jim Thompson who faced a similar choice made the right choice signed the same bill and now it's law in Illinois and let's face it. My opponent was looking for a reason not to sign that bill, I would have looked for a reason to sign that legislation. It is very hard, it is very hard for me to imagine that the founding fathers Samuel Adams and John Adams and John Hancock would have objected to teachers leading students in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States. I just don't believe that was their concept when they wrote the Constitution of our great country. Now I've served with a great president and this is no time to go in the opposite direction. This is the time to build on what we have done and to take this country forward. This is the time, this is the time to offer hope to every American. Some haven't benefited by this the longest recovery in history but if we stay the course and keep this country moving ahead everyone will benefit. And now I'd like, and let me be very, very clear about one last point, I have been very proud, very proud indeed to serve as Vice President for President Ronald Reagan. And now, and now it is my high honor to once again introduce him to you, his friends and strong supporters, ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Governor Duke Magin, Senator and Mrs. Wilson and Barbara and Mr. Vice President, well now wait a minute, you're already President of the Senate so thank you Mr. President. You know George, some people have been kind enough to say that I'm a great communicator but after your speech to the convention I'd say America has another great communicator and he's going to be America's next President and I must confess I like your running mate too. He has many more years of experience in dealing with national security issues than the head of the other ticket. He's the author of the Job Training Partnership Act and thousands of Americans are working today because of that legislation and he has the most important qualification of all for a co-pilot. He won't be trying to turn the plane in one direction while the pilot is flying it in the other. Ben Quayle stands for the same principles George Bush and I stand for. We have a big job ahead of us this November. It was more than two decades ago that we first launched right here in California our crusade to restore America's freedom and its greatness. We Californians lit the spark here in our state. We nursed it and tended it until it grew into a flame and then into a great beacon fire that has illuminated our nation and inspired the world. As this fire has grown brighter in the last eight years as we cut interest rates as George told you to half of what they were and inflation to a third of what it was as we set America on the longest peacetime expansion in history and gave new vitality to America's promise of opportunity as we restored America's reduction of what I should say strength not reduction. I'm jumping ahead of myself here and negotiated the first real reduction in world of US and Soviet nuclear missiles in world history. As we achieved all this no one has been closer to my side and has contributed more to our success than George Bush. And yet my friends I must tell you that everything George Bush and I have done these last eight years everything could be lost faster than you can say furlough. I said in New Orleans that the convention our liberal opponents held in Atlanta was the biggest masquerade since last year's Mardi Gras. Our opponents adopted our rhetoric and our slogans but every word was like a mask which hid the liberal face of their agenda. When they said opportunity they meant subsidies. When they said reducing the deficit they meant raising taxes. When they said strong defense they meant cutting defense spending and that's why I've just got to believe that when the American people say election day they'll mean we want George Bush. Yes, yes hard as they tried to hide the liberal the liberals gave themselves away when they said that if they're elected the Reagan era will be over. So now I'd like to ask you something. When George Bush and I took office eight years ago America was in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We turned that around and since our expansion began we've created as George told you actually it's been now more than 17 and a half million jobs reduced the unemployment rate to the lowest it's been in 14 years and presided over the greatest flowering of new businesses and new technology in the history of the world. For every plant that closes in America today every business that closes six new ones are started. So do you want this era to be over? Well let me ask you another question. Between 1977 and 1981 the real income of the typical American family dropped by almost 7%. Think of what that means. If somebody were just to cut your paycheck by that much today how much less you could buy at the grocery store the clothes you couldn't get for your children the books you couldn't buy for their education and how you might have to cut back when your church or synagogue passes the collection plate each week. Yet that's just what happened under the last administration. Since 1981 the year we took office real family income has soared almost 9%. Do you want this era to be over? During the last liberal administration the Justice Department started to lose interest in narcotics cases. Each year they brought fewer cases and convictions were down by almost half by their last year in office. Since George Bush and I got in there federal narcotics convictions have more than doubled and while the number of drug users soared during the last administration it's dropping now and recently we got the best news of all. High school students have heard the plea of a certain lovely lady I know and they're saying no to drugs and that includes no to cocaine. Now do you want this progress to be lost in this era to be over? This year the liberal opposition has fielded a three headed ticket that doesn't know left from center. They talk about reaching for the center but on issues like national defense they've taken positions that only a McGovern could love. As former secretary of defense James Schlesinger wrote recently their ticket seems to believe that in secretary Schlesinger's words the way to deter war is to be unprepared to respond. They would cut the B-1 bomber the MX missile our strategic defense initiative as George told you and two carrier battle groups. In fact what they plan for the Navy is so bad. By the time they get through Michael may have to row the boat ashore. He won't have any other choice. Yes my friends when our liberal friends refuse to even whisper the L word and insist that this election is not about ideology it's about competence they're just acknowledging that where they want to take America doesn't want to go. They know as well as you do as well as our nation does that the one issue the only issue that will matter after inauguration day is the issue of direction. Will we reelect peace and prosperity or will we play truth or consequences with trench coat liberals? Throughout our history whenever this great and blessed land is searched for true leadership it's founded and this year is no exception. I've worked more closely with George Bush these two terms than with any other member of the administration. I've seen him keep a cool head in hot crises. I've seen his leadership and vision. I've given him some of the most sensitive and difficult tasks that we've had and he has never let me or the country down. I once said that he's a great vice president but I know and I've seen that it didn't come easily. George Bush is a man of action. A man accustomed to command. The vice president he doesn't fit easily on such a man. But George Bush is also a patriot and so he made it fit and he served with the distinction no one has ever matched. Day in, day in, day out. I've sought George Bush's counsel from the very first day of our administration. Believe me no one is better prepared to lead America into the next decade and the threshold of the next century. To continue the work that we've begun to finish the task that is before us than President George Bush. There's one way, however, that I hope a Bush administration will be different. If it hadn't been for a Republican Senate in our first six years we wouldn't have accomplished half of what we did. If we'd had won these last two years we could have done much more. But today with the other party in control of both houses we face a monkey wrench Congress determined to throw almost anything into the gears of government to gum up the works. I hope we can make sure that George Bush has more friends on Capitol Hill than he had on that Pacific Island where he was shot down. And there's no better way to start that than to return Pete Wilson to the United States Senate and to elect Republican congressional candidates to the House. Should I remind you that the Gary Mandarin that has gone on particularly in this state with regard to congressional district and state legislative districts has been such that in the last election more Californians voted for Republican congressional candidates then there were votes for the Democratic candidates but the Democratic candidates outnumbered when they were elected. The Republicans elected to that office because they have Gary Mandarin the district so that a majority of Californians become a minority when it comes to counting by those districts. Nothing would please me more than for President Bush to have an inauguration day gift a Republican Congress. You know it's time for that yes I had a Republican Senate one house for six years. But in the last 56 years only one Republican president has had a Republican Congress in both houses and that was for only two of his eight years during the Eisenhower term for 56 years 52 of those years the House of Representatives has been held by the Democrats. Well on that inauguration day it's coming I know I'll be thinking of the journey we Californians began two decades ago a journey of rebirth for ourselves and our nation as it has been so often since then our choice this year is simple the future or the past back to the past of inflation humiliation and malaise or continue forward with George Bush on the road of hope opportunity and peace. We saw here in California a few years ago how quickly a liberal administration could undo years of our good work. Let's not let that happen again they they say our state is close but I have a hunch I know which way California will go in the end because the hope opportunity and peace that George Bush stands for are the same things that California stands for hope and opportunity and a land of peace that's what I found when I first climbed on a train and headed here so many years ago that's what California like America has been for so many millions through the years so here's my last request to you put California in the Republican column this November send Pete Wilson back to the Senate send George Bush to the White House and yes I know I'm copying something that was just said here once before but I don't mind saying it again go out and win one last one for the getter thank you all thank you all and God bless you. Mr. Mr. President and Mr. Vice President on behalf of all of the people who are here today in this room and other supporters throughout this great state I want to make a presentation to our Vice President and this is a presentation that shows to him the kind of gift that we're going to give him on November the 8th and that is the most important 47 electoral votes in the entire United States.