AllPolitics - George Bush's Speech

Text of former President George Bush's speech before the Republican National Convention

Monday, August 12, 1996

Thanks so much for that warm welcome and Governor, thank you for that wonderful introduction.

This reception makes me feel not only very welcome, but very grateful -- grateful to you whose support led to my holding the highest office in this land.

And if you will excuse a little parental pride, I am very proud of the governor of Texas, and I am equally proud of a certain Florida delegate who waged an honorable campaign and was almost elected governor of Florida, Jeb Bush.

Strong families and sound values are the backbone of America -- and they are the heart and soul of the Republican Party. Families are also where leadership begins -- leadership based on trust, values and character.

You know, as president, I worked to uphold the dignity and the honor of the presidency. I tried, as did my superb staff, to treat both the White House and the presidency itself with respect. It breaks my heart, it breaks my heart when the White House is demeaned, the presidency diminished.

Bob Dole, as president, will treat the White House with respect, his staff will be beyond even the appearance of impropriety; and, in the process, he will increase respect for the United States of America all across the world.

Thanks to my friend, thanks to my friend, and partner Ronald Reagan, and to the able team of mature and tested experts who supported me in defense and foreign policy matters, the world is a far safer place today.

While I was in the office we saw the Cold War end, the Soviet Union implode, the Berlin Wall come down. We saw Eastern Europe and the Baltic States go free.

And we saw a re-unified Germany, a Latin America on the democratic move; and when Saddam Hussein attempted to take over another country by brutal aggression, we saw the United States of America lead an historic international coalition to kick him out of Kuwait.

And because of the heroism of our military, and the skill of our commanders, because we were unwilling to listen to the doom sayers and the apologists for aggression, because we fought and won, we saw the Middle East peace process get under way at Madrid; and even more, we saw respect for the United States abroad soar to new heights. Here at home even the most persistent cynics could neither deny nor diminish the feeling of patriotism that across swept this land.

In all of these triumphs, every single one of them, Senator Bob Dole stood at my side, never cutting and running when the going got tough. His support and leadership were vitally important.

Some would tell us now that there are no more enemies, so we should turn selfishly inward. Not so. International terror, nuclear proliferation, and even some future aggressor like Saddam Hussein will provide challenges to our next president.

Consistent, strong U.S. leadership is vitally important to world peace.

Leadership around the world means keeping one's word. It means policy by conviction. It means never blaming others, or ducking and dodging, or putting our troops under United Nations command.

Leadership means standing against the voices of isolation and protectionism. It means being able to make a tough decision even when the pollsters and handlers say "No."

Bob Dole, himself bloodied in combat, tested by fire on the battlefield and in the world of politics, has proved his service to country. He knows we need a strong defense, and a strong economy.

He will be a commander-in-chief whom our own military respects, whom our allies will look up to, and whom any future adversary will fear.

There is no substitute for personal sacrifice, for courage, for honorable service to our country and Bob Dole has served his state, his nation and the Congress with honor -- always with honor. And for him "Duty, Honor, Country" mean something noble. He will be a president we can look up to. He will do us proud.

Finally, my friends, I must now confess that I have been going through an identity crisis. It is not easy being married to the most popular woman in the United States of America -- a woman who unquestionably upheld the honor of the White House.

She did it with class, she did it with class and style, caring and love. And with her commitment to literacy and to so many other good causes, her love of America's good people shone through every single day. She sure did her part to make ours a "kinder and gentler" nation -- a great first lady who shares all of my enthusiasm for Bob Dole and for Jack Kemp too, my wife of 51 years, Barbara Bush.

By The Associated Press

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