Bush: 'Spirit high,' as are 'stakes' in November

by Mark Silva

President Bush, delivering the closest thing to a valedictory speech which he will make this early this year, plans to address a conservative forum this morning in Washington with a reminder of all that he has stood for as president -- from the "culture of life'' to taking the war to the enemy -- as he heads out for a tour of tornado devastation that has wracked the South.

The president is addressing the Conservative Political Action Convention in Washigton -- the venue where Mitt Romney abandoned his campaign for president yesterday, and where John McCain embraced the mantle of the nominee-apparent -- at dawn today:. 7:15 am EST. That's because Bush is flying to Tennessee to surveil the damage of killer tornadoes.

"On matters of war and peace, we have taken the fight to our enemies abroad and are defending our people here at home,'' Bush plans to say. "We are standing with new partners in Afghanistan and Iraq to help them build free nations. We refused to yield when the going got tough. And when the history of our actions is written, it will show that we were right.''

Bush will tell his audience: "Over the past seven years, we engaged the opposition with a clear and consistent philosophy.

"We applied our philosophy on issues relating to our economic prosperity. When I took office, we inherited a recession – and we took decisive action,'' he will say.

The president, declaring that his "spirit is high'' and promising to "finish strong,'' will acknowledge that the campaign of 2008 is taking hold of the public's attention.

"In the meantime, we will elect a new president,'' the president will say. "We have had good debates and soon we will have a nominee who will carry the conservative banner into this election and beyond. The stakes in November are high. Prosperity and peace are in the balance. So with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, let us go forward ... fight for victory ... and keep the White House in 2008.''

"(We) have seen vigorous debates in this country on nearly every conceivable issue: matters affecting prosperity at home and peace abroad,'' the president will say. "Our views are grounded in timeless truths. We believe that the most reliable guide for our country is the collective wisdom of ordinary citizens. We believe our culture benefits from a diversity of faith, a respect for values, and the guidance of a higher power. We believe in personal responsibility.

"We believe in the universality of freedom. We believe our nation has the right to defend itself – even if others sometimes disagree. And we believe America remains a force for good in the world.”

Bush will tell his audience: "Over the past seven years, we engaged the opposition with a clear and consistent philosophy.

"We applied our philosophy on issues relating to our economic prosperity. When I took office, we inherited a recession – and we took decisive action.

"We were guided by this principle: the best way to help our economy grow is to leave money in the hands of those responsible for our prosperity: the American people. With your support, we passed one of the largest tax cuts in American history – and then we cut taxes again…Our critics wanted a different approach. They believed the best way to help the economy was to keep tax dollars in Washington and expand the size and scope of the federal government.

"The tax cuts we passed contributed to a record 52 months of job creation,'' Bush will say, overlooking the fact that last month, payrolls declined in the United States.

"They helped produce strong economic growth – and the increased revenues from that growth have put us on track to a balanced budget by 2012,'' he will say, bypassing the fact that the budget he proposes for 2009 projects a near-record defict of $407 billion, not counting the costs of the war in Iraq, which could well push the deficit past the record he set in his terms.

"Here’s the bottom line: tax relief works,'' Bush will say. "Now we must act decisively again. We are in a period of economic uncertainty. We are working with Congress to pass a short-term economic growth package, and I thank Members of Congress for their efforts on this legislation. This bill reflects our principles. It is pro-growth. It is robust. And it will get money into the hands of American workers and businesses.

"On matters relating to our economy, our record is clear. You and I succeeded in cutting taxes. We are reducing wasteful spending. On these issues, both sides have made their case. The results are in. And they are proving us right.

"We applied our philosophy to questions affecting the moral fabric of our nation. We believe that all human life is precious and deserves to be protected.

"In 2001, I had a grave decision to make on the question of embryonic stem cell research. I believed we could empower scientists and researchers to discover cures for terrible diseases – without crossing a moral line. So I authorized research on existing stem cell lines, and stood against any effort to use federal tax dollars to support the destruction of human life. Our critics had a different view. They thought our defense of life was short-sighted and harmful.

“Then last November, scientists announced a landmark achievement. They found a way to reprogram adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells. This discovery has the potential to end the divisive debate over stem cell research. And it will allow us to expand the frontiers of medicine, while maintaining a culture of life.

"When I took office, our society was also grappling with a troubling rate of drug use among our children…So in 2002, I set our country on an ambitious goal: to cut drug use among young people by 25 percent over five years. Critics didn’t think that was possible.

"We stood our ground. We worked with international partners to interdict drugs into our country. We increased funds for drug treatment programs. We helped move drug addicts from a culture of victimization to a culture of responsibility. And we got results. Since I took office, the overall use of illicit drugs by young people has dropped by 24 percent…

"On matters relating to America’s moral compass, we defended human life. We promoted strong families. We confronted the crippling cycle of drug dependency. We challenged the critics…Both sides made their case. The results are in. And they are proving us right.”

"We also applied our philosophy to issues of national security. Six-and-a-half years ago, our country faced the worst attack in our history. I

"I understood immediately that we would have to act boldly to protect the American people. So we have gone on the offense – and stayed on the offense – against the extremists. We recognize that this is a war, not just a matter of law-enforcement. And we recognize that we are engaged in the decisive ideological struggle of our time.

"Critics had a different view. One commentator said most Afghans would oppose an American invasion and fight the foreign occupiers.

“We stood our ground – and we have seen the results…The Taliban was driven from power. The Afghan people braved threats of violence to elect a new president and a new parliament. Roads and hospitals are being built. Girls who were once forbidden to learn now go to school. America ... our 25 NATO allies ... and 15 partner nations are helping the Afghan people secure their country. And the Taliban, al Qaeda, and their allies are on the run. Afghanistan has a long road ahead, but they have a future that offers promise and hope.

"By standing with the Afghan people, we are helping millions claim their liberty. And we are working to ensure that Afghanistan will never again be a safe haven for those who want to attack America.

"“The war against America’s enemies also brought us to Iraq… Because we acted, 25 million Iraqis are free. We have seen them go to the polls and elect a representative government. We have also seen an enemy determined to roll back this progress through horrific acts of violence designed to pit Iraqis against one another. One year ago, things were not going well in that country…So we reviewed our strategy – and changed course. I sent reinforcements into the country in a dramatic policy shift that has become known as ‘the surge.’

"“Our critics had a different view. They looked at rising violence in Iraq and declared the war was lost. Some concluded the surge had failed before it had even fully begun…We stood our ground – and we are seeing the results…The progress in Iraq is fragile and there are tough days ahead. Yet even the enemy recognizes that they are on the wrong side of events. They are disheartened. They are demoralized. And they will be defeated.

"“As we fight the enemy overseas, we must also take measures to protect America. We must give our intelligence officials the tools they need to uncover terrorist plots and prevent new attacks. One of the most important tools is the ability to monitor terrorist communications. We need to know who the terrorists are talking to ... what they are saying ... and what they are planning. So Congress passed the Protect America Act. This law modernized an outdated surveillance law and closed dangerous gaps in our intelligence. Critics had a different view. One liberal interest group called the law “an end run around the Constitution.” Others falsely claimed law-enforcement officials wanted to ‘spy on Americans.'

"“We countered these critics – and stood our ground. Our ability to monitor the communications of terrorists overseas has helped us gain crucial intelligence on terrorist cells, and helped keep our country safe. The Protect America Act is working. The problem is that Congress set the law to expire one week from tomorrow – though the threat posed by al Qaeda will not end next week. Congress must ensure the flow of vital intelligence is not disrupted. Congress must pass liability protection for companies believed to have assisted in efforts to defend America. The time for temporary fixes has ended. Congress must pass this law – and they must pass it now.

"On matters of war and peace, we have taken the fight to our enemies abroad and are defending our people here at home,'' Bush plans to say. "We are standing with new partners in Afghanistan and Iraq to help them build free nations. We refused to yield when the going got tough. And when the history of our actions is written, it will show that we were right.

"I look forward to working with you this year,'' the president will tell his party's most conservative members. "My energy is up, my spirit is high, and I intend to finish strong.

"In the meantime, we will elect a new president,'' the president will say. "We have had good debates and soon we will have a nominee who will carry the conservative banner into this election and beyond. The stakes in November are high. Prosperity and peace are in the balance. So with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, let us go forward ... fight for victory ... and keep the White House in 2008.”