First Lady Laura Bush Delivers Remarks, Introduces President Bush at GOP Convention

CQ Transcripts Wire
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 10:10 PM

SPEAKER: FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH

[*] LAURA BUSH: Thank you so much. Thank you, all. Thank you very, very much. Thank you so much.

(APPLAUSE) Thanks, everybody. I'm thrilled to be part of this historic convention, on the eve of the nomination of John McCain for president of the United States.

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And I also want to recognize a former president and first lady, my father-in-law, President George Bush and Barbara Bush, and my sister-in-law, Dorothy.

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The Republican Party has a very exciting ticket, a real American hero, John McCain, and a strong executive and proven reformer, Governor Sarah Palin.

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I am proud -- I am proud that America's first female vice president will be a Republican woman.

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Women -- women have always played an important role in our party, from energizing grassroots to driving policy. Thank you to the dedicated women in our audience for making the Republican Party so strong.

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I am proud that impressive women have served in my husband's administration, women like Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao...

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... and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

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President Bush will address the convention in just a minute from the White House. Before I introduce him, though, I want to talk to you a little bit about the man I love.

The first time I spoke at our convention, George was governor of Texas and I was in front of the largest crowd I'd ever addressed. That night, I told you about a man of character, whose principles would not shift with the winds of politics or polls.

A lot has changed in the last eight years, but one thing has stayed constant. George remains a man of strong values, with enduring love for the United States of America.

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America is in the middle of a heated campaign. Recently, you've heard a lot of politicians offer a lot of opinions. But you haven't heard very many facts.

So I thought I'd share a few with you tonight. In honor of our nominee, let's call it a little straight talk.

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On an issue that's close to my heart, President Bush initiated the most important education reforms in a generation, holding schools accountable, and boosting funds for reading instruction.

Today, student achievement is rising across the board and test scores for minority students are at the highest they've ever been.

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We all know how important it is for America to have judges who respect the Constitution. Our whole nation can be proud of the two newest members of the Supreme Court, Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

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Many in this arena and many across our nation are people of faith, people who have answered the call to love your neighbor. The president has empowered faith-based and community charities to partner with them to help those in need.

Engaging these groups is successful policy. One way we know this, across the country, 35 governors from both parties have started faith-based and community initiatives of their own.

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And here's another inspiring statistic. When my husband took office, fewer than 50,000 Africans suffering from AIDS were receiving the medicine they needed to survive.

Thanks to the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, that number is now nearly two million.

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You might call that change you can really believe in.

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George is using American's influence to lift up lives around the world. Millions of children are protected from malaria by mosquito nets the American people provide.

LAURA BUSH: In Afghanistan and Iraq, 50 million people are now living in freedom.

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And let's not forget President Bush has kept the American people safe.

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We'll always be grateful to the men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform of the United States, to the military families who know the anxiety of waiting for a loved one to return.

America honors your service and we give you our thanks.

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In two months, the American people will choose a new president. No one knows what the job requires better than the man who holds this office.

Ladies and gentlemen, my husband and the president of the United States, George W. Bush.

END