Remarks with Jack Kemp in Anaheim, California

DORNAN: Hello. Well, now we have on the platform the only ace to ever serve in the United States Congress, we have two Army Medal of Honor winners, one Marino and finally, the Navy comes weighing in with James Stockdale. Who, listen to me carefully, who won his Medal of Honor winner in the filthy dungeons of Hanoi while Clinton was in Moscow as part of the [off-mike], saying, "Go, Hanoi!" That's right. The media doesn't like to report on that history. Now, have you ever seen a better vice presidential candidate in your lives?

Never! In 10 years of co-service in the House, the only person I ever knew could beat me out for the Energizer bunny award is my pal Jack Kemp!

[applause]

KEMP: Thank you, Bob. Thank you.

AUDIENCE: Dole/Kemp! Dole/Kemp! Dole/Kemp! Dole/Kemp! Dole/Kemp! Dole/Kemp!

KEMP: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Please, please. Take your seats. What a beautiful day in southern California. The sun is shining on California again and on Bob Dole for president in 1996.

[applause]

It is great to be home in California. Next week, in eight days, the American people will decide who will lead this country into the next century and the next millennium.

[applause]

This election can be boiled down to a simple, yet profound choice in America: hope versus fear. President Roosevelt in 1932 said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Well, ladies and gentlemen, the only thing the Clinton administration has to offer is fear itself.

[applause]

They are spreading fear of Social Security's future; fear of inflation; fear of deficits; and, worst of all, fear of Medicare's future. The reason they're using fear is because our opponents are defending the status quo. They don't think the American people can do any better. They're right, they can't do any better. The American people can do better under Bob Dole as President of the United States of America.

[applause]

Last week, last week in Georgia, President Clinton was quoted by the New York Times that Bob Dole's idea of sacrifice was to — listen to this — take Head Start away from five-year-old children; college loans away from students; Medicare away from seniors; the environment," now wait a minute, listen to this. He said that we're going to take the environment away from all our people. And then he went on, believe it or not, to say it would weaken the economy to cut the tax rates across the board on working and saving and investing in America.

[boos]

Well, my friends, these are lies and Bill Clinton knows it.

[applause]

Under Bob Dole we will fully fund Head Start. Bob Dole will expand college loans and Pell Grants for young people. Bob Dole will save Medicare like he saved Social Security.

KEMP: And he will protect the environment with common sense measures. And his economic plan will give relief to over-taxed families and working men and women in California and throughout this country.

We're going to expand the economy to give all the people of America the jobs and equality of opportunity to reach their God-given potential. You can depend upon Bob Dole to do that.

[applause]

And today in California on the eve of this vital election for the future of America, I'm calling on President Clinton to stop lying about Bob Dole's plans for America and our future.

[applause]

Stop it, Mr. President. It's unseemly. This demagoguery is outrageous and disgraceful. It has contributed...

CROWD: No more lies...

KEMP: You're right. This demagoguery, and that's what it is folks, is outrageous, it's disgraceful. It contributes to the growing cynicism in American politics.

We should expect more from the President of the United States than these shameless scare tactics that he himself knows are lies. The American people should expect a leader of honor, integrity, loyalty and truthfulness.

The same — the very same traits we would expect from a friend. Our president must be a person of strength who doesn't shrink from life's difficult decisions; a humble leader to whom credit is unimportant in the quest for the common good; a compassionate person with empathy and hope for the weak and the disadvantaged and those who have been left back and left behind; a leader who will help heal America's racial division and bring us back together.

Our leader must possess a wisdom born of experience that gives us the confidence to trust him with our nation's destiny and our children's future, born and unborn. And who will act...

[applause]

And a leader — a leader who will act on principle not politics. My friends, that man is Bob Dole.

[applause]

President Clinton — President Clinton does not measure up to that high standard. He's gone back on his own word. His loyalty is to his own re-election. Instead of wisdom, he gives us opportunism. He's exploiting the fears of the weak and the disadvantaged for political gain.

KEMP: For this president, credit is everything and responsibility is nothing. There is only one man running for president in 1996 worthy to be president of this great United States of America and the future of our nation in the next millennium. A man of honor, a man of wisdom, a man of vision, who cares more for his country than he does for himself.

He's given his life to his nation in war, Congress and in the example he's given to all us. As president, he will lead us into the new century and the new millennium. My good friend, and he'll be your great friend. On November 5, the people who care about America from California to New York and across this country are going to elect Bob Dole President of the United States of America. My friend Bob Dole.

[applause]

[music]

DOLE: All right. Hey. Thank you very much.

[applause]

Let me introduce two outstanding people who keep track of me and Jack everyday, Elizabeth and Joanne right here.

[applause]

You think we made a good choice with Jack Kemp? I do.

[applause]

And Jack knows and I know that anything worth having, you work hard for, you come from behind sometimes, and he says you don't keep your eye on the scoreboard. We are going to carry California.

[applause]

And to do it we need to carry Orange County big time.

[applause]

And at the same time, we need to re-elect Bob Dornan who's done a great job for America.

[applause]

And I'm sorry that President Clinton's missing this retirement party. But, we'll go ahead and have it without him.

[applause]

There are a lot of differences between Bob Dole and Bill Clinton and one is that I'm getting ready to move into the White House and he's getting ready to move out of the White House.

[applause]

And I said the other day, but I've had to change it some.

DOLE: I said, if I had a dollar for every time he leveled with the American people, I would keep one and give the other one to Elizabeth.

[applause]

But, I can't think of two things. So, I'll keep working on that line.

But in any event, I'm very honored to be here. I'm honored to be with all my colleagues in the Congress and the others here. I'm happy to be here with the mayor of San Diego. We had a great convention in San Diego. Susan thank you very much.

[applause]

I want to thank Chad and Bo and others for being here too. We appreciate their assistance and their help. We had Bo Derrick — was with us the other day and I couldn't get people off the bus. They didn't want to give up their seat.

One of those P.F. Bentley with Time Magazine. He's still on the bus. I don't think he — he stayed on there all weekend. But in any event, I want these four gentlemen to come up here so you can really appreciate America.

I want these four Medal of Honor winners to come up and stand right behind me here for a minute.

[applause]

Right here. You know sometimes, they make fun of us. They make fun of us and ridicule us for thinking about the past. And I know there are a lot of men and women right out here in this audience, who've been in uniform, served their country.

But, I want to make this a special point. They don't put Medal of Honors in Post Toasties or Wheaties. You earn it the old fashioned way, you risk your life. You're willing to lay down your life for your fellow man. This is courage. This is courage.

[applause]

And Admiral Stockdale can tell you about prison camp and how bad it was day after, month after month, year after year. And every one of these men can tell you a story that would make you proud to be an American.

Aren't you proud to be an American?

[applause]

And I'm very proud that they're standing here with all of us. Not just with me, but standing here with all of us. Standing up for America that they believe in, they risked their life, they saved other lives. Acts of heroism you couldn't even describe. Thank you very much fellows. We appreciate it very much. Lou, Walt thank you. Thank you. Tim.

[applause]

And that is why this election is so important. It's not about me. It's not about Bill Clinton. It's about America. It's about our future. It's about our prestige. It's about respect around the world.

We've lost respect with our friends. Our enemies don't fear us anymore. We've got a lot of catching up to do. We've got a lot of catching up to do.

[applause]

And I don't believe and Jack has just indicated, we can't afford weak leadership.

DOLE: This is the United States of America, the greatest country on the face of the earth. Make no mistake about it.

[applause]

And we're going to keep it that way.

[applause]

And don't watch all these polls. Don't watch the polls. Don't...

[boos]

You are the polls, right here. You're the polls.

[applause]

And don't be swayed by the commentators or anybody else. You know, they're just giving your point of view. You will make the decision right here in California. You will make that decision.

[applause]

The liberals have had their chance and on November 5, America's going to say — goodbye, they're going back home. They're going back home.

[applause]

CROWD: Four new years!

DOLE: Four new years — I like it.

CROWD: Four new years!

DOLE: And this campaign is about telling the truth and the truth is that the federal government is too big and spends too much of your money — your money.

[applause]

And I'll bet there are families represented here where both parents work — one parent to take care of the family's obligation, the other parent, in some cases forced to work just to pay the taxes — 40 percent of what you earn now goes to taxes.

That should not happen in America and Jack and I are going to send it down the other way. We're going to cut taxes for a change.

[applause]

And Bill Clinton will come to California later this week and he'll brag. He'll say you know, I've created 11 million new jobs, he'll say.

Well...

[applause]

DOLE:... I met a guy — a lot of lawyers, yes, I know that, but I met...

[laughter]

I met a guy the other day that got three of them.

You have to work harder and longer just to make ends meet. Wages are stagnant. In fact, wages for women have actually gone down about 2 percent.

A lot of women have had to go back to work. If they want to work, that's fine. But had to go back to work just to pay the bills and just to pay the taxes.

And Jack and I think enough is enough. Let's cut your taxes.

[applause]

Fifteen percent across the board.

And I read a report today that said that 81 percent of the media coverage on our tax cut was negative.

Now, if you're having trouble understanding it — if 81 percent of the media coverage was negative, we've got to talk a little louder and a little longer because this is good for you. It's good for the American people. It's good for your family.

Fifteen percent across the board, $500 per child tax credit, and cut the capital gains rate in half — cut it in half.

[applause]

Cut it in half to create more jobs and more opportunities.

DOLE: And why is this important?

We want the economy to grow. We want to create more jobs in the private sector. This will help up and down the line — up and down the line, and it will work.

The tax revolution started right here in California when Ronald Reagan was elected president of the United States.

[applause]

And we want it to continue.

And one thing I would say and I've said it hundreds of times — you should not have to apologize because the government wants more. They ought to apologize for taking too much in the first place.

It's your money. It's your money.

[applause]

[audio gap]

DOLE: I know Bob Dornan believes this very strongly. He used to talk about it as we [audio gap] around the country.

[audio gap]

DOLE:... instead of the family pinching pennies every day.

[applause]

And for those who work all their lives, the kids work, the husband works, the wife works, you finally get a business or maybe you have a little farm, save some money, somebody passes on, you have to sell off half the property to pay the estate tax — we think that's wrong.

We think you ought to keep that business, and we're going to start providing estate tax relief.

[applause]

Now the best thing that could happen to California would be the election of Bob Dole and Jack Kemp.

Bob Dole and Jack Kemp.

[applause]

[audio gap]

DOLE:... the second phase of our tax plan is to make the system flatter, and fairer, and simpler and to end the IRS as we know it.

[applause]

Now, let's take a look at what President Clinton has done for California. I know he comes out here. He likes California.

[laughter]

[boos]

He passed the largest tax increase in history.

And you know how much of that [audio gap] you get to pay in California — $37 billion right on your backs right out here in California — $37 billion.

[boos]

He raised the income tax. He raised the gas tax — said it only affected the rich. Seventy percent of the taxes were paid by small businessmen and small businesswomen and senior citizens.

Let me say a word — I don't see any seniors here.

[applause]

But if one shows up, I want you to pass this on.

He talks about Medi — well, Mediscare, we call it. He talks about Medicare, and what Bob Dole will do to Medicare and what I would do to student loans.

DOLE: Keep in mind, not a single Republican voted to raise taxes on Social Security benefits. It was his proposal. And he said in his original proposal, if you're a senior citizen at $25,000 of income, you were rich. You were rich. And they ought to tax [audio gap] percent of your benefits [audio gap]. He was wrong. And we will repeal [audio gap].

[applause]

Even the dead were not overlooked in his tax increase. He made estate taxes retroactive. Believe it or not. Believe it or not, you can't even rest in peace any more with this outfit around. He needs to [audio gap]. And to make it very difficult on a lot of families. So we're going to change that. Now they're talking about — there's a new tax called — they love taxes. You know I tell the story about when I was speaking on the Senate floor one day and I was having a little fun. I said, now gentlemen, let me tax your memories. And Ted Kennedy jumped and said, "Why haven't we thought of that before?"

[laughter]

You know, they love taxes. They love taxes. [audio gap] it's your money. So now they've got a new toy. It's called the Babbitt tax. You know, Secretary Babbitt part of the Cabinet? He's got going to hawk your binoculars [audio gap]. Now President Clinton said, well that's not in my plan. Well I thought Babbitt was part of the administration. He's in the cabinet. He speaks with great authority. So my view is don't take any chances. Stick with Bob Dole and Jack Kemp and you're not going to get a tax increase. You're going to get a tax cut.

[applause]

And don't forget that he opposed 187 and I supported it. It's costing the state of California.

[applause]

In fact, he refused to approve an immigration bill and insisted on the removal of a provision prohibiting illegal aliens from earning Social Security benefits. We've got enough trouble with Social Security without having benefits being paid to those who are illegal in this country. If they're legally in this country, all right.

[applause]

And Clinton refused to reimburse the state by $457 million, I think, for incarcerating illegal aliens. Kay Hutchison, Senator Hutchison and myself finally got that done, but right now, as you know, Clinton's holding about $1 billion, much of which would go to California.

There are a lot of things he's done. Illegal immigration costs the state of California $3 billion a year. You pay it. You pay it.

[boos]

Now we're all very compassionate. We're a very compassionate party and we feel sorry for people. But if we don't draw the line somewhere, we're going to be denying benefits to people who are legally in America, poor people and others who are here and are here legally. We cannot take every body in the world in the United States of America, Mr. President.

[applause]

And Mayor Golding was telling me on the way down, there's a big story in the L.A. Times about all these — the rush to naturalize all these...

[audio gap]

[audio gap]

[applause]

[audio gap]

DOLE:...board which President Clinton opposes. It's a balanced budget by the year 2002. It's regulatory reform that cost's the average California family about $7000 a year. It's litigation reform so you're not sued every time you turn around by some trial lawyer.

And I don't object to trial lawyers. When I fell off that platform in Chico, California, on the way down I got a call on my cell phone from a trial lawyer saying, "Bob, I think we got a case here." So, whatever...

[laughter]

We need to send power back to the states and back to the people. That's what we need to do.

[applause]

It's called the 10th Amendment to the Constitution. Here it is. It's 28 words long, been around a couple of hundred years. Jack and I didn't dream it up after the convention. It's been around. Our Founding Fathers were so concerned about an all powerful central government taking control of our lives, confiscating our property, whatever, that they put — this is Article 10, the Bill of Rights. It says: Unless the Constitution gives the power to the federal government or denies it to the states, that it belongs to the states and to the people.

[applause]

And that's what Jack and I will do in our administration — more and more back to the states, back to the people, closer to the people, closer to the people. And I'll tell you one other thing, you send me the partial birth abortion bill and I'll sign it. I will not veto it.

[applause]

We can have different views. We can have different views on the issue of abortion — pro-choice, pro-life. But Dr. Koop was very pro-choice, said this procedure is never necessary. It's, in fact, unnecessary. And if you could ever see the procedure, you would never support it. President Clinton, of course like its double-talk, he said well I would sign it if they'd do this, this and this. I offered the amendment myself to protect the life of the mother. It passed 99 to zero in the United States Senate. So we knew what we were doing. But he said, oh well I'm going to veto this.

Keep in mind what he says. Keep in mind what he does. And keep in mind one other thing.

DOLE: As I said it — well...

[laughter]

He will be eligible for the tax cut if he leaves his forwarding address when he leaves the White House in January. Keep that in mind.

[applause]

But we — I want to leave one final plea here because we can win. We're going to win if you just do a couple of things.

First, you think about it. You saw these four Medal of Honor winners standing here. It makes you proud. It makes you proud to be an American, right?

CROWD: Yes.

DOLE: I want you to be just as proud when you cast your vote on November 5 and a year from now and 10 years from now and 20 years from now, just as I was proud to have cast my first vote for Ike Eisenhower.

I was proud of it then and I'm proud of it today.

Think about it.

[applause]

And think about America and think about our future. Think about America. Think about our future. When you go home tonight and you see your children or grandchildren or your friends, your neighbors, your grandparents, whoever — think about America.

Which way do we want to go?

How far left do we want to go? Remember the big health care takeover by the federal government that he wants you to forget about? Right.

Seventeen new taxes, 50 new bureaucracies, price controls, you couldn't choose your own doctor. Remember that?

And I would say to the seniors — now that I've found a couple here — under our plan, Medicare grows 7 percent a year. It was Mrs. Clinton that said there ought to be zero growth in Medicare when she appeared before a congressional committee.

We are going to save Medicare — as Jack said — just as we did social security in 1983 in a bipartisan, non-partisan commission.

Take it out of politics. Take it out of politics. And save the system for America's seniors.

[applause]

So again let me emphasize the importance of this part of California.

Tom, you've done a great job here today. You always do a great job. And we want to make certain...

[applause]

And I'd be willing to settle now for 68 percent of the vote in Orange County — or 70 — make it 70.

UNKNOWN: Seventy percent.

DOLE: Seventy percent — seventy percent.

[laughter]

This will be the real Orange Bowl if that happens. This it is.

[applause]

And if you will make — help us make it happen. Jack's going to be here a couple of days. We're coming back next weekend. Don't let anybody ever tell you we didn't fight for California. We're fighting for every vote in this great state...

[applause]

... all over California.

[applause]

I'm ever back in Arkansas, I'm not — when Clinton was running for re-election for governor, he was 22 points ahead. He lost. He lost.

[applause]

It's going to happen. It's going to happen. There are going to be a lot of surprised pundits wake up on the 6th of November.

[applause]

So if you will stand with us on November, we will stand with you the next eight years, 16 years, however long we're going to be around there.

Thank you very much and God bless America.

[applause]