The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

well good evening one last time from madison square garden in new york city i'm jim lehrer and i welcome you to the fourth and final night of our special pbs newshour coverage of the republican national convention will have president bush's closing speech as well as the other major happenings from the podium plus analysis and commentary from mark shields and david brooks and historians michael beschloss richard norton smith i mean a bose among others once again we go first race war is on the convention floor for a quick rundown of the evening ahead ray within the military themes sounded so often the earlier night of the convention will be heard again tonight as admirals and generals retire who support president bush's reelection will take to the stage at one of their number the top us commander in the invasion of iraq tommy franks will address this convention the secretary of housing and urban development mel martinez just awful bruising primary battle in his home state of florida for us senate seat we'll give a convention speech as well as new york governor george pataki all setting the stage for

president bush to accept his party's nomination tonight on a specially constructed stage one of the first orders of business for many of the delegates to figure out where they're sitting since that stage was built a lot of them have been moved around this arena and have to figure out where they belong now jim thank you very much ray syndicated columnist mark shields york times columnist david brooks are here david and get what do you think the president boston tonight what is his mission keep the momentum one of which states are even before george bush the elder was that when he said keep what went to assist as cortisol is that we are the change the presidents to say was that moving forward and i think as i said over and over again and it has to be a domestic policy we know where the president moved on foreign policy the domestics follows his sense of gender and a sense of excitement is really where a lot of the work i do i think that a market elections are about the future and presidential elections and they know the past own voters do president obviously at the gas that was plausible

all terms of the stakes involved odom his retention are enormous but he must pay out the future in a way that gives people a sense of confidence and ok we're going to go now to the podium for the pledge of allegiance and then when we come out of that for the national anthem of karen hughes one of president bush's number one at age nine years the years genocide mary lou retton and kerri wine tennessee as henry money texas is master of ceremonies tomorrow paul mullins dynamic voice in writing ability of murder a cup award for song of the

year in nineteen ninety eight please stand and welcome the coal seam island the leaders in the national anthem yes all

right was it a oh ain't dying as

it is no sizes for news longtime communications advisor now a strategist for the bush cheney campaign is well i think it's i think there's so much news that just came over the wires john kerry issued a statement while ago a new mini review the toughest part of what he said quote for the past week they attacked my patriotism and my fitness to serve as commander in chief would stop you right there because that's just absolutely everyone from the president on down have repeatedly said they will respect senator kerry's service no one in our campaign has ever said anything other than that and to the contrary senator kerry is the one who's had his own surrogates and advisors questioning the president's service in the national guard we have always said and repeatedly said we respect the military service on the political health care because the truth when he says

well they're well here's my answer quote i'm not going to have my commitment to defend this country question by those who refuse to serve when they could have meant by those who have misled the nation well again i think that's very unfortunate because a it's not true and i think the american people have been watching this campaign know that the president has said about the president just said earlier this week that senator kerry had actually serve more heroically that he had because senator kerry had been in combat and president had not it takes a pretty big person to say that that's what the president said it's unfortunate that senator kerry after saying i think it was just a few months ago that that someone services in vietnam or lack of service there are should not be an issue has once again flip flopping is now trying to bring this up i think he was trying to divert attention on the on the eve of the big convention speech that i noticed a wise analyst eva demarco it's about a presidential campaign is that the future that's exactly what the president's going to say tonight he will say a presidential contest is a race for the future and he's going to outline his vision for a transformational president he really and as david

noted he needs to talk about domestic policy and he has a view of domestic policy in a transformational way the same window foreign policy were talking about how you know that he won't discuss the military and fewer patients not very often we'll talk to most of the speech is very forward looking at about what to expect in an english term he begins a speech with domestic policy about half the speeches is domestic policy about half its foreign policy and at the end of each section he will he will offer a contrast because there's a clear contrast there's a big difference in philosophy between george bush's philosophy and senator kerry's philosophy senator kerry believes in big government solutions president bush's he'll outline tonight believes in empowering individuals to make choices he believes government has a role to create the kind of environment where people have the skills and that the conditions in which they can achieve it and what was the process that led to this week you were involved it was a fuel for rt speechwriter michael gerson he is the start of the meeting with the president because we we need to talk with them about what he wants to say what he wants to accomplish in the next four years and then mike gerson our chief speechwriter went away for

a couple of weeks in and drafted and he brings it back in and we all take a look and ingest and discussing and don't like certain parts and unlike certain parts and re work and the president are usually about around that time he's on the phone or watching is calling all of us were on the section or look at that section of this doesn't say what i wanted to say and so then it gradually began to synthesize in and eventually start editing start reducing it tried to cut the length and sharpen it and to make sure it really communicates with the president wants to communicate how long is this process when we started i think that the end of july not in the policy process tar is an ongoing process for president are always developing the policy but that the speech writing process started i would say the third week of july second or third week of july to you when you have the first time you had months and months where you laid out a very beginning this is a serious policy speech an immutable it takes far it looks like it's a victory speech tonight which combines it didn't feel like a civil union speech

and some of the domestic sections because it's not a lot it wants to talk about is the law he still wants to accomplish that the construct of the speech i think this is bigger than the usual list of things he wants to do because what the point he makes is that the way that america lives and works is changing dramatically and in our parents' generation are many of our fathers went to work in one place and stayed in that job for the retired for years the company often offer retirement health care benefits and the mom your children well that's not a fair society as anyone that but that's the way a lot of our systems were set up our tax code our our health care system or pension system for all design for that era in which we no longer live and so he's going to talk about the need to transform the programs for of government to make health care for example more portable so for someone like me to move around from job to job or is in this political gravy world i'd never vested interest in a retirement plan it in a blaze of ever worked out and sound like the workers of the previous generations was one to talk about making government more responsive and and meeting the needs and empowering citizens to have their

own healthcare plan to be able to take it with them to have the skills the ability to wrap their lifetime engage in a lifetime of learning begins than new skills and new training to compete for the higher paying jobs in the future if you actually can ensure security i just want to ask you i mean they say cary obviously is the mystery and the speech last night by cell microbes in every speech had been vetted every word they haven't been approved was a speech that made pat buchanan's nineteen ninety two speech in houston certainly was true ryder that was also attacked offensive because i'm just thinking of the democratic and frankly he

did he enlisted a number of a number of different systems that john kerry defense program turns out the victory cheney had recommended the elimination end so i ask you i mean isn't this really questioning him in this juncture have a point that there are questioning whether in fact he really was committed to spending in a lot of the west a series of his votes and he does have a record he didn't talk much about that record during his convention he didn't go through it we've heard a lot about his service in vietnam we didn't hear much about his twenty years in the united states senate at his convention and i think a voting record it it's it's it's there for people to examine and to look at non theatergoer space he happens to know both of the candidates in this race he got to know president bush when he was the governor of texas he started with john kerry in the united states senate and i think as we saw last night he feels very passionately that's important for that his grandchildren in the future of this country that the president would be really you know use deceptive to say

that the program the dick cheney security fence recommended the elimination of that john kerry voted for john kerry's patriotism judgment will be used against it because he supported the same position that the security fence and again i think you're making a good big leap into saying woody's question what what what the vice president said was that he believed that at the time we need intelligence reform for example what we need someone who has a strong buzzer of intelligence senator kerry there's no question has a consistent record of voting to cut our nation's intelligence agencies that way repeatedly dismissed a number of innovative of the intelligence committee it's an important issue in this election you know what you can hear tonight is not about all that what you're going to hear tonight is he's going to talk about what he wants to accomplish and where he wants to lead the country into the party in a sense because you know what would you say probably a certain coverages to get people to

pass an agenda but is that we're not sitting so well is one of the things that ultimately thousand campaign which is that he was a compassionate conservative and i remember some of the conservatives the parties to say what that means and i would say look this is not that degree shielded let's abolish the department of education or shut down the government conservative in the past this is someone who believes that there is a role for government the government was not to dictate people's lives going to offer people the opportunity to skills good training education they need to take advantage of opportunities before them tonight will say and i think this really sums up his philosophy that were formed over ten years she'll say all of the policies involved not a program that they offer to help people get on a path to greater security to more control over their own lives and i'm going to go just one final thing summer a question john mccain repeated almost never mind that we'd seen earlier that this campaign was shaping up to be one of the most bitter almost on slavery campaigns in recent history you think you think he's ranked five hope that's not the case and i

think every time that in the heat of the contest every day i was recently reading a book about lincoln and eating sixty four hours which puts you know pretty pretty pretty the president was making the contrast with a pamphleteer in those days if you walk into a bookstore now you see the modern day when you see all those books with all those titles are criticizing the president i hope that's not the case and i think what the president is saying here tonight is that for the next sixty plus days he wants to leave here and talk about his agenda for american children i tell ya i think again that's an unfortunate attack i hope senators here is now trying to play the victim because again it's not it's not accurate to say that we have been over backwards to say we honor his service i come from a military family honor his service and the president has said the same thing ten years during the summer or right now more on the themes of this convention and when i walk looking back at the many speeches we've heard already this week might provide some insight to what the president will talk about this evening we do that now with

to experience republicans maine senator olympia snowe and former wyoming senator alan simpson so we want summer so all the teams that have been laid out of cash in its strang and the contrast in the record of john kerry as we just heard kerry is the first to harness that tea at tonight's speech the president's message may well i think that the earliest speeches this week really gets at the state and create the themes for the president tonight and now i think president pilson with the specifics of his own future agenda nanking right now i am actually it's important for the president are for his own vision his own legislative agenda for the future people need to know you know what path he intends to take over the next four years and key domestic and international issues senator simpson doesn't mean that he does not have to talk about the things that on twitter talked about rudy giuliani or salmonella that that has all but taking care of millions of blank slate the star of the night so it is it can be to preserve it covered everything but he

will use it and i dont i really dont of martins beach rivera leaked which shock me beyond any way but i would think nobody gets intimate about the drone is on the feeling of the presidency i would think that this would be a good opportunity to kind of cut in our reach as two maybe even i would at least say and maybe i'm a few states that would identify them or slightly different but sam i've done that but it was always done in the best interests of what i felt was for the country that people in the end and that i don't have what you do i think he will talk about security and that he's the guy that can take it through this perilous time that you mentioned john kerry much of all it'll have to believe that you know where i am and dick cheney but that's where this is

but for the hammer throw around the light memorable senator snowe you're a notorious senate moderates and monetary is so much talk this week about the moderation at his convention and presented and how conservatives basically we're now they're not on it all i was this an important thing for the president is we know absolutely no unequivocal answer welcome i signed on to buy the republican party that we now demonstrating i think some political maturity within our friday to embrace diversity because it's there it doesn't begin to pursue policies that reflect diversity that we can be a sustaining governing majority leader i don't think there's any question about the various match approach that led to follow up and discrepancies between out between our rhetoric american politics war that's the question were you the notorious conservative political center a sense of whether that's what's up we now see the president make a turn into talking about the

conservative issues like to say that what all i know is that i've been pro choice ever since restarting i really don't know a lot of people rode around with signs they have an abortion it's just something that someone should have this the marriage of gay marriage i think is not appropriate wyoming don't want to have that they will but i'm not in favor of gay marriage while we watch it without massachusetts dozen military one thing i'm excited but i don't know if i should i just didn't mind this woman jill i mean that latte for me to go to the pro choice than the other night watchman fifty or sixty of us nobody got up and said what they would have for years ago where we got to build again a leftist platform and we're gonna get him yet one any that it was all look closer and culture like what chipped away on a

lark and then eventually we will our position will be there because it's sixty five thirty five percent of all americans believe the lead on that issue given the power of ideas actually get a ladder to become the majority party in nineteen ninety nine seasons of the nineties because it's really very negative on the air in the political center and that's where these elections are questions at that speech how much does the president need to contract without <unk> we heard earlier that i carried with him that night the night somewhere in chameleon that pushback about the effects of this carrie as you know the obvious isn't it is wreckage and explain some of these issues in some of the conflicting position is going to be the one to make that case and i know i think the president frankly i would prefer the president to provide an optimistic view of the future in terms of how you take this country

on economic center says no i agree i think the kerry john kerry's already last night with your flip flop flip flop i don't know third or whatever causes that out with the religious burden on he's saying there are two americas the people showing up to kerry's understanding came out really strong image of a man you know that's way goes into contact sport but don't forget the tackle naturalism attack sleep with a switch and people believe that there's some distortion filter or we'll be watching to see the president last night senator olympia snowe alan simpson thank you very much and that were now an excerpt from a conversation i had with former president george h w bush earlier today i asked him if his sons reelection campaign

reminded him of his own in nineteen ninety two that he's faced with with the attacks that are similar much a democrat for us in economy is lousy they got an arsonist engine effectively but i think they have an r and i think the economy this is clearly further along now than it was in ninety two even though the growth in ninety two was no five percent last quarter but i think i think we're going to more effective communications team and ability to get the message out our present that do you agree with the opponents who say really isn't the economy is going to be the iraq war this going to decide this election well i've always felt that the economy is what determines elections but that was pre nine eleven so i just i guess i have to say i don't know i don't agree with them or not but could i don't know the answer i don't know the bottom line but i think that this

way if the economy that the american people see the economy not is better but there's a strong as it is i think the president a priest a victory but i think that nine eleven made the post nine eleven makes terrorism homeland security and all of these issues of revenue have to contend with and so i think foreign policy war and national security are more important ingredients and they were back when i would try you know mrs roosevelt a lot of people and say just kind of common terminology bush won bush to your bush won in terms of the bush administration to hear some of the bush to and so that was a it's an extension of the same presidency should people see it that way at all and it's a kind of an extension of this out anymore that is an extension of that you know ronald reagan presidency that make each president is individual his own convictions result emphasis his own courage mr jones well a

leadership so i don't think it's an extension and see what people are saying that that implies in a gym extension of apprentices got a master plan of gold i did this another son is doing that now the sense that you know to that with all the characters song in the same job same incredible job and extending your kind of way of doing things you know no i need to his own way and sometimes i'm like do it differently or sometimes i might not but if i were an sat might've done differently or might be some future date i would discuss it i had my chest and now i just get out of the way and b there's a father and sometimes it was not easy but i learned so much an agreement of what the president's daily and has done but it's not as you might think you sometimes it is difficult to get out of oil not say so eerie almost feel irrelevant yoest

president and but i don't do the op ed pieces have been on your show i think's a shortlist for me there was the you know things out in a second to say i don't see i'm a father with some experience something dried up a couple things i had my shot and now it's to support the present and if i had a new loss of their first and ice center right here every gallon old notebook out there would never issued on where they go around as savannah wide open with an ad father said now what you think that i don't want to complicate the life of the greatest or some history now we go to margaret ward and to further assess the parallel presidents as we just heard discussed i'm joined as we have been all week by presidential historian michael beschloss richard norton smith director of the abraham lincoln presidential library and nina

boast a professor of american politics at west point to michael what did you think of the pair also non parallels the elder bush just drew between himself and his sons can play russell george bush the elder he doesn't want not want his son to be sort of avenging him or serve getting glory for the family of the sun i think this is very much influenced by his experience at his father's side didn't advises father on foreign policy he wasn't and i think that number one don't make the mistake that his father made ninety two of alienating many conservatives divide the thousands of the convention and also perhaps you noticed that his father did not do a great job in suggesting the genocide since he'd interrupt a minute the law is the law

margaret margaret or it doesn't receive emails her son was determined not to have to make sure was that the biggest errol morris put his father did not succeed in getting a second term example of the lessons learned what not to do for president bush talked about in things they talk about not having a vision and president bush has come to a job is very focused on establishing the ministrations for president bush just heard tolkien about communicating better about the economy this administration has been very focused on the vision convention the one thing karen hughes just said talking to german mark and david was that the presidential campaign

has a whole race to the future she's sad and she said they're really going to talk about president bush has been a time when the government can be used in a way that is adjusted to the changing nature of people's economic circumstances working women changing jobs and really pretty clear they don't wanna be caught looking out of touch with average americans economic situation was that this incident turbulent itself what a huge metaphor when the president the first president bush went to a supermarket and it had to be overly exactly exactly image nelson will have resonance because this is political that he was disengaged adequate on the economic front so you know you don't have to be an extension of the presidency to be influenced by reagan now one thing that president former president bush just said to jim percentage and this interview is the huge difference is of course that nasa because of milan an isis carries such a much bigger issue in this campaign

for him say that they both wartime presidency right this is a big national security this is military time now on this closing night of the republican national convention though if you are a loser former flag officers or admirals and generals and the armed forces in a moment the x kelly former commandant of the marine corps a close friend of president bush's and her family thirty seven thirty year military career us marine corps was common not the nineteen eighty three to eighty seven and yet kelly serious and i'm telling speak and then tommy franks a movie that well you know another

marine tonight in when you put a microphone the marines and you may be in trouble with fellow merchants during my marine corp career i've served with nine presidents i'm harry truman the president george herbert walker bush and i know our commander and i know a commander in chief when i see one it's been kummer is all clear purpose and the courage to make difficult decisions and then be my stand by them in the same way that the throngs in the field was told their objectives my colleagues and i ain't here tonight and i ready to admit but not all are

democrats or republicans but we all our workers it's been as then the defense of our country and each of us on this black hole along with countless others including more than two hundred and fifty retired admirals and generals whose names you see on the screen behind the stand united uniting the firm conviction that the best way to defend america today is to stand by our resolute commander empty and realign joint w o and now iowa the winner goes a recent

addition to walk through a highly decorated and widely respected retired general united states army a former commander of the us central command the mainland all forces to victory in afghanistan and iraq general tommy franks thanks to her nineteen sixty seven member of the pakistani army to go to vietnam served as captain came back and finished third his education to children who's been awarded three billboards three runs service in vietnam or an oklahoma grew up in midland texas versus in advance the president grew up and this is there any better robert e lee high school in an

insane he's a very tall man fb is both i'm not a republican not a democrat but i believe in democracy and i believe in america and for almost four decades as a soldier an independent now there are those who would say you would say very independent but here i stand tonight endorsing george w bush to be the next president of

america as a land of choice and a great wartime president franklin roosevelt once a democracy cannot succeed unless those who expressed their choice or repaired wisely the pity they join american patriots on

the stage man who know as our troopers moms and that's and husbands and wives know that freedom is never fully laden have never fully laden and our man has stepped forward to lead america's sons and daughters they let themselves mostly they remain loyal to their country and loyal to their troops and i join them in saluting our commander in chief it's been an important story the attacks of september eleven brought a new enemy our shores an enemy on like we've never faced before

our nation safer today because we have hardened our defenses we have also taken the fight to the turks and we still have work to do the global war on terrorism will be a long fight but like no mistake about it we are going to fight the terrorists the question is do we fight them over there or do we fight them the prize it's

a lot last week certainly carried him to a different state bustier and a hole that the terrace filled attack us again well my wife debbie and i are simply not willing to that the future the poll that whole while so terribly important is not a strategy and the years ahead america will be called upon to demonstrate character and so essentially once a character as like a parade and reputation

the tree is the real fine while citizens and friends i've been with this president and cha an uncertain times and george w bush is the real playing referee year of forty years 40 years of time of our decisions and top forces are looked into this man's eyes and i have seen as character i think her exact same consistency the courage to stand up the terrorists and the consistency necessary to be now stanley

removal easy terrorists who have been killing americans for years and the battle for iraqi we removed a brutal regime with than about hatred of our country with a history for torturing its own people and a history for using weapons of mass destruction against its neighbors and against its own citizens we removed that richie whitt well documented ties to terrorists like we all cried a murderer are blue it's our colleague terrorism will not stand terrorism against our country started long before nine eleven terrorists have been killing americans for more than two decades and this president has chosen to make a

stand it's been used in a new way more than fifty million men women and children have been liberated from tyranny and these countries are no longer safe harbor is for those who would launch the next attack against america we see smiles and little girls in afghanistan who can now go to school we see in the faces of the new iraqi army a statement to protect their new freedoms we see it was all places of emerging leaders of both iraqi and afghanistan as they build those new nations and so in both afghanistan and iraq we will say for a elections in afghanistan and iraq

terrorism and tyranny are being replaced by freedom oh opportunity i for one am proud that my country the united states of america has given fifty million people the pen and in this fight alone president bush has built the largest coalition in the history of the world nations united together against terrorism some have ridiculed the contributions made by these allies but i can tell you that every contribution from every nation is important and ladies and gentlemen i would ask you to join me in saying thanks to polish and partners for being there when america and the world

their fans the decision is safer than the decision to go toward the decision to put our sons and daughters into harm's why when george w bush asked americans men and women did the war he gave them every resource our nation possessed this man before sending us into battle personally asked each of my military commanders if they had everything they needed this is a man who made sure that everything possible was done to protect our troops from the weapons of mass destruction we all expected that the enemy all

he's a commander in the city as he is courageous president bush has increased basic cable men and women in uniform by more than twenty percent military housing for their families he has provided strong support for those families to sacrifice so much i respect that and while we celebrate these american fighting men and women when they're in the news i guess the question is still remembers the veterans when the parades are over and the cheery statesman remembers the veterans' families president george w bush has provided support for these heroes in fact he's secured a larger increase in veterans finding in four years than the previous administration good in a us president

remembers our veterans and is keeping america's promise to those who have sacrificed so much for us all george w bush remembers the sacrifices are the greatest generation and those who bravely served in korea in vietnam to say well ron paul has remained loyal to those who serve it has remained loyal to those is store and window for that he has my respect citizens in france lost art of the night by reminding you that america must make a choice of the time is coming i choose george w bush

because he is a leader we can depend on to make the tough decisions a leader within the pentagon to my own right decisions to george w bush because his vision to take the fight to the terrorists is the best way to protect our country talks to george w bush because he stands for the american fighting man and woman and because he remembers our veterans we know that the next two hundred years of american history will depend on the decisions our nation makes today i see george w bush because

i believe his leadership will help ensure a better future for my grandchildren and catherine and samuel thomas matlock like you all may god bless you all our country and our commander general tommy franks than in the us and coalition forces in afghanistan an iraqi journalist coming out to see us shortly you reappear with martin david and me and a few moments in the meantime one of the first to get some reaction to the general's race nor ears on the convention floor right jim i'm with one of the many men tommy franks commanded in iraq florida state representative and iraq war veteran gary baker and at the last minute and guys were in the same room for both in uniform and he was a seal so right before the war started you were telling me earlier that you feel an endorsement from a recently retired

general like tommy franks it's pretty effective one will instead of war we have a lot of appeal has got the message is a veteran sisulu veterans and the political during the last three days we've heard a lot of discussion about military matters and about the president's role as commander in chief is that the most important job vs mean the fact is we're more terrorists and so we need a strong commander nasrallah made bold moves against terrorism right now we can see that what terrorism is due in russia and then the people of america say that they know that we need a president that will be decisive that will be built that will move strongly there's no more qualified than george w bush thanks a lot carrie baker that's eugene thank you very much ray a park and david the end is kind of the battles of the generals and the apples is not been lost and mia the democrats had their group of the flight observation of course of jurors deliver

chances does it matter how i was mad as a reflection of the concern in both campaigns that the position of commander in chief is central to this to get this selection in two thousand and four has it hasn't been really fit any election our way back and i think it's fair to say probably twenty years and in nineteen eighty two so you're immature president george herbert walker bush lost to bill clinton large part because bill clinton communicated remarkable is that he understood the economic pain and dislocation people going through and that this sense of anxiety about the future in the present what it had nothing to do with the energy even though president bush and a distinguished record his youngest naval combat pilot want to know that those are those windows who is that they were terrorist attacks around the world remade them and the manager rakish

mentioned and i think all the terrorist acts in israel and in russia remind people of the omnipresence of terrorism in this case la france at least is able to talk about seeing george bush in pressure situations thoughtful work president bachelet funny friends and ears because there have been hate each other that they would have at a odd couple relationship and if there are other people the pentagon and tommy franks really like that but he did that and is poker's discussions since he left the service has spoken very warm with the present with psychosis of a solemn serving with a seal and i would talk to him in a few moments about all that meanwhile is go to our numbers came up smith and color and a terence mann terry baggage and that's andy kohut president of the pew research center and the president's going to make his acceptance speech or very shortly as he does as he prepares for now stands the presidential race as well as we've said so much for so many times this race is about even but actually the polls taken before this convention are even more even than the polls that were taken in july

i looked at five polls including ours and verify that even three of those polls and carey weeks in advance of the democratic convention which has a little bit of a tailwind going for and his approval ratings are now approaching the fifty percent mark in a lot of surveys that happened in the forties back in may and june and he can see all of these surveys a little more favorable a response to bush a little less favorable or i would say significantly less favorable response to carry our on leadership they're ground that kerry made at the democratic convention is mostly dissipated according to the annenberg survey in that scene has an optimist optimistic in on his thin and able to be a strong leader that's mostly gone from the abc washington post poll completed on sunday shows president bush making gains relative to senator kerry and on many

issues including iraq and even the economy is this movement as i guess you call in the polling try this movement within the otherwise deadlock a situation or even situation is uncertain it's so on the margins it's like so if you look at all the polls you really do see attendance but despite the fact that bush is doing better relative to carry is still not doing well in terms of the evaluations the public gives him credit for the economy and for rock and these are two continuing problems for the president but the senator kerry's been unable to make any ground effect has lost ground to say is that movements such as it is is that bush or kerry weakness i think it's mostly cherry weakness all of that we've made has been for abortion may be simpler strength there as well you know i think that senator kerry is a momentum was stopped but because the coverage conversation was shifted

to sweat terrorism alerts right after his ticket after his convention and you know we've also had a steady state of bad news in the law there's no there's not good move from a lot of things haven't gotten worse that propels it to the top of the podcast to go to the front page so i think all of those things conspired to take things away from kerry we hear a great deal about swing vote in in the polls who are the swing voters how many of them are there and how the two kinds of people that forced about twenty percent of our survey to gallup survey five percent of them are pure and the side another fifteen percent are people who give us answers what we call up and say it changed their mind they say yes you have to take them into account not just a number and i think the most significant thing about these people is that they're moderates alike committed voters who are less often moderates alike both bush and kerry and very few people like

both visionary and democrats across the board the future christian conservatives are white evangelicals and catholics by a large for this is what this race is all about that these people the tradition of the swing vote here is an heiress you are swing voters in years past what twenty percent that's probably more than twenty million people if they decide even though it's a close race that we could have some significant margin so it might not be yeah thank you terry and david brooks much reaction to these numbers over so you do sense the momentum shifted so the democrats they're much less confident of winning the majority of republicans are much more confident

though they almost needs to be there's a psychological factor in their lives especially among women across the population of the service of our people are anxious about terrorism and they want a president who will be really aggressive and they're also afraid of president we really reckless going after them so they walk to things they want russia that recklessness and so that's a sort of a psychological balance which i think is causing a lot of anxiety don't know where to go don't know what to do and i think that's why the cocktail that makes computer us between these two men and also the international affairs the leads to a bit of instability that's as impressive as a citywide strength wisdom and i really think that's george bush so it's about strength in the west and i think that's to his vision that i think that the key point that any babies on wednesday will come back to that first one to go back to the podium by michael williams

we're michael mike williams a member of the texas where information which is in texas regulates public utilities in addition to the railroad and he's a longtime friend of president bush it's destroyed rich with an african american man on the other side of the tracks and of insects is a harvard graduate building just to hear this is ana speaking about differences between me and a man named george w bush it was evident to me that george saw america as a land of opportunity but more than that he felt a personal stake in creating opportunity not

just herself but for everyone who was willing to work against the arts to help somebody realized the promise of this great country somebody who do not going forward is at twenty years ago nobody had ever had at the american electorate office but when i decided to run george w bush didn't just agree to vote for when you're going to be my campaign manager these movements of a former president to play madison we got started that mostly they also they lose weight and his visit about where you wanted me to you know the commission in texas in nineteen ninety eight american elected

officials in texas state government perhaps they today president was has one of the most diverse cabinets and american history i'm here to tell you first thing that is committed to inclusion goes back to a time when nobody was watching it goes by when we drove around mid eighties oldsmobile baby sleeps in a bat standard with toys with winds that goes back to the time when he did everything he toward the best for my wedding reception that goes back to a time when we rolled up my shirt sleeves that i have arms and put up walls of a hole or persons and to a time when she's on sunflower seeds and visit with thoughts of the ballpark not that

america has been a land of opportunity for me because george bush believe in the old quarter of a century ago it's big and how is the first african american oldest airline executive office in the state of texas and is currently the highest ranking african american in the texas joining us now is retired army general tommy franks to just address this convention in a while like saucers very clearly you said you you chose this was a time for chores unusual even a joystick to me the rest of the bush and john kerry did you change your choice be interpreted as he looked at both of m and

m and decided that john kerry wasn't up to the job or a negative about any are more positive event case i think i think it's that sort of this discussion of dots that we've head concerning intelligence and all the tv they interact what i did was i started working with issued by dots on this piece of paper and determined the issues that i thought were important to me and my family and all that and they use them as metrics and i measured that the performance of a chance against them and at the end of the day i decided that the right thing for me to do based on my beliefs was to be a vocal in support of the first week and an illness a firestorm here in vietnam to face the first about what he did in vietnam on one as a part of the discussion of pakistan and i was in the vietnam era in the late nineteen

sixties and i have an appreciation of my life and the people associated with them i will say that i have confidence in those guys were people who were saying what they're saying and have written so i have confidence in them and i was there to see and judge all of that myself but the thought that appeared online piece of paper that i paid attention to was the year was nineteen seventy one and end beyond the end of the i do i do have the reaction to that i believe that the business the business of loyalty to troops and associates and all of that is a very high i have very high calling uncensored there's no those are calling than that then you know wanted to mention we talked about their loyalty to niger and i agree with that as a military guy and i looked around and i thought about i thought about loyalty and i and i saw some us senators testimony

is i think a lot of people are saying and i don't like my role is not to convey on the performance i just made the decision for my soul and st george w bush in that and then a cauldron of history over the last two years i isolate judgments about where i thought the loyalty thing that day and that was the that was a matter for one thing as somebody who i said it used to vietnam and annie came back better education is evolving you had all your history and you can hear the reason to read it did john kerry the guy who volunteered to go into combat sketch and the e mail and that only the menu endorse today did not that all the vice president a factor sometimes i'm interested in

was was no issue for the previous eight years that it has become an issue now and it's not an issue with whitney someone asked me what you're going to be billy military service this is like a prerequisite to be you know to hold this kind of as i thought about that for me immediately i said well i don't think so but then i thought about it for a week or ten days or two weeks and then i decided i gave the right answer i don't think it's a difference that i respect the fact that sen john kerry's served his country in the military and want to be a mom and that's why i think that but i don't think i have it in that argument because i respect him and he when he went to vietnam but by the same token i don't know have less respect for a man i've been served as the commander in chief of all american forces during a terribly important period in american history and so you saw don't react in a negative or have been at you know i support

bush because i say positive things and from knowing in the first verse and haven't watched him go through that rather than doing this in flight in the voting booth you know we're just going to support what i would've done i decided that the campaign had absolutely i think perhaps it shocked the campaign because as i said in my remarks are somewhat jokingly and so no i was never really i was not approachable western or anything you may recall from our base and write them are young and working with me about my role and wilkinson is associated with this list once and so when i decided maybe i would have to say something that i've said

they'd skipper they say just what this oil is going to get some sun number and i wanted a man with one side of the argument that say this happened on the other side here note know this happened i think people were waiting on both sides of that equation and so rather than sort of picking i've decided to not get into the hyperbole that particular case i certainly don't have a view about anything other than a degree of respect for them and you were there with this after serving and you're yourself is it in fact an element of my father as he was coming on

monday it's disappointing and i'm a comic and will pass them out and my dad looked at me and said i don't really think that that's not so on the one hand there are many of us who received awards and the self deprecation is a sense i don't know i don't like that big a deal and i think a lot of americans would do that so i don't i don't like han ong on either side of the things we were all there together and like i said today what i hear about in this election season is looking at my friends and looking at men and women who return from vietnam and talent on something we should have told him as a country a long time ago and i mean you know the semper fi thing i looked at him and saying welcome home because so many americans didn't get that will come

home when i came back from vietnam well look at senator john kerry until john kerry well paul thanks for having served our country and then if i wanna pick a bone with him to use the west texas parlance out it's all relative to do what to what we've seen since he left the military or since he came back from vietnam and that's where they get it you considered an aggravated as for a warrior who has served to come back and to object to a war that ended up with vietnam as the communist nation and fifty eight and let me say that the comments that that do not head to the situation of the people who are continuing to show i do not receive i did not react well what i saw but now senator who when he came back he did not react well to that goes on the

one hand one i think if senator kerry credit you believe any of the great country it's a right that the senator had one when one crosses over the line and begins to describe in detail and an icon that people for whom he was responsible as a leader of men in uniform with whom he worked then that's the piece that i react badly so i actually see the positive and the negatives of all other and what and what i think is most americans are are actually able to sort this for themselves and look at things that have happened later during the life of senator john kerry and not the kumquat is fixated on this period as we saw in this election year next thirty years

you just heard that this convention is extracted from the events of the past year we talked about the need to really become the warlords were not relevant of that one of things that will need some of our efforts in iraq have been put on hold during this political season and this is when a solution another citizen centers or you know you're an independent entity and i think what what happens in the case of the caribbean and that actually is where we are historically speaking in the sweep of its land as they are really really tough place in the center for a lot of terror sponsored activity in a country that once is how should we deal with them will during this year you mentioned the decision was taken to

give directions and to surround and assist the iraqis in solving this essentially iraqi problem a lot of people they asked me don't you think it would be better to just just put the americans and their religious clean this thing up a lot of people ask that and i thought a lot about that is they would be on the other hand if we believe that eventually the iraqis are going to have to solve iraq's problems then why not build a model now that show's in a tough circumstance how the iraqis will go about solving that problem while we continue to help them build their capabilities so i think the models ok then i got on the jet the issue was sautter will measure hasn't been placed on hold that things sort of looked like device that became tighter and tighter and tighter around the holy insurance there and once again i had friends i mean these are

not the reporters and just friends that said or will general don't you think we will just be an arrogant with that and and i've always said this this is not america is not a third world country we actually do have a set of values and standards and and the americans had never gone into foreign countries and into holy sites in this fourth amendment so things like abu ghraib not withstanding i mean we have people in the military can make mistakes but in this take a case the americans stand in from the shadows and haven't the iranians to solve that problem for themselves these are tough times in writing and it's gonna be another two three four years before this thing actually comes down the vessel in the valley that they're thank you only have to go with the lyric i'm sure break now we'll be back with our live coverage of the two thousand four republican national convention and just a lot

there's bees neikirk the peak to peak to peak as both are equal

we can when you remove the height of the state's reasons of privacy or talk show ring of lines between you know what you miss the most of the board the news of the day good at a non gym where are on the newshour tonight the newshour with jim lehrer week nights only on pbs this is at a time when the choice is

asking the questions and this is between you south we are back with the republicans in new york city tonight is to restore the region's big nineties begin shortly but first and we're going to go on a bohemian a moment the year mel martinez speak on tuesday he became the republican nominee to the united states senate he had served as president bush's secretary of housing and urban development until december but quickly ya workin mr chu's day richard moore told the hill that our audience what you said during the break about what i said to general franks and in this narrative the trial a

military guy and i've seen some of the stadiums i was enamored of them have been end of the month as you have to have a military person real potential and possibility for political career of political leadership on different skills that they'll need these unusual at the queens to a that made intelligence acampora likeability is it's a kind of thing that good advertising agencies spent billions of dollars trying to create campaign in washington to support president bush would be the main jobs for it i'd be very surprised if he had a he was an audience with that don rumsfeld the secretary of defense and then he took them on for years a pretty open internet that they will but that's what made them so much so

just what dangers or no martinez speak you could say that sure that a bill with all republican congressman who had been his challenger his opponent in the republican primary in florida decided to stay have one bill mccollum would not be speaking tonight the almighty has a speaking because he is the son of cuban expatriates who fled fidel castro is the republican nominee for senate in florida and florida cuban americans maybe something as a former bush white house very much wanted him to know that i am an area as a region and your years mel martinez republican nominee he does not use a

martinez and tonight i stand before you as the dust a lovely american grain living proof of the great as our nation and the kindness of the american people before hear my story at all one fist and my thoughts and prayers and my fellow floridians were once again facing the threat of a hurricane remember to reach out to friends who may be in the law for those who may need assistance or forty years ago my parents at the us a young child atlanta ruled by a communist dictator and now just forty eight hours ago i became the nominee for the united states senate from the great state of florida as an only in america only in america can a fifteen year old boy ryan oh on our

shores alone will not speak in the language with a suitcase and the hope for a brighter future and rise to serve in the cabinet of the president of the united states than only in america and that same young boy do they stand one step away from making history as the first cuban american to serve in the united states senate in nineteen sixty two my parents made a political decision to send me out of a communist land where brutal betray your controls' every facet of our lives a land where all saw the government the people as they left for church practice interfaith where the education system became a source for teaching evolution

a naive respect for a brutal dictator knowing i have no future they're my mother and father sent me to this great nation this nation that stands as a beacon of freedom and opportunity this nation that is ronald reagan's shining city on a hill at my mother and father did not know when they would ever see me again but with a thing i don't think in a country that's really stands as a symbol of hope to people around the world my family provided me with a life in the free and secure land tonight i stand before you eternally grateful for this great nation the american raymond oh i am

the possibility of that rain for others i am here tonight to urge my fellow americans to join me and protecting our freedom our core values and this free land i am here to as re elect president george w bush as he's a good friend he's a good friend and a man who values freedom with all that smart he's a steadfast later was protecting the land we love and the freedom we cherish president bush and i believe in the promise of america the promise that regardless where you come from what language is the color of your skin or your economic circumstances if you share the frame of freedom and opportunity and pursue it with hard work respect an abiding faith in god that all things are possible

i believe in george bush i believe in the north was this idea of compassionate conservatism and the first time i heard him talk about it i said i'm passionate conservatism is the story of my life and it is the story of so many other people working moms trying to make ends meet that working two jobs to give their children a better life immigrants like me saw america as a land of opportunity throughout my journey i have come to know first and the compassion of america and a genuine goodness of americans i was deeply honored to serve in the bridge in the cabinet of president with a big heart and deep affection for all americans not only does president bush i believe in the american dream but his policies are helping people across our country to realize their own american grain as president bush's secretary of housing

we work together to implement a homeownership initiative that has seemed real results today the homeownership rate in the united states visit of all time i am and more minority families owned their own homes than ever before i was honored to carry the president's message of hope and inclusion for hispanic communities in our country and throughout the hemisphere the president has this review it was terrible because of the president's steadfast commitment to democracy we now have the first comprehensive view of policy in over forty years here in the four years that i lived in florida before our family was reunited award

part time jobs i was able to put myself through school and start my family and you know in america tonight their families working hard to save for their first home their first car or just to put food on the table president bush and the republican party believe in a government that spends less and taxes less of the families to keep more of their hard earned money that is a fundamental difference between the parties and between the two men running for president president bush wants to cut taxes and john kerry wants to raise taxes and our seniors deserve to live the american grain with dignity and financial security as a person with three mothers like to have lost her mom's and my own mother all three were murdered at an extremely thankful to president bush for his leadership and providing affordable drugs for seniors four years our seniors have been promised prescription drugs

benefit under the medicare and those promises fill empty now resonant voice what seniors are finally getting help with the cost of their prescription drugs education is the key to unlocking the american grain for immigrants like me and for children trapped in a cycle of poverty the only way out is a quality education the promise of america will only be at this provision almost every american has the opportunity to receive a first class education the american dream demands on our children these are the four decades education in america while in mediocrity stagnated but bureaucracies account of dollars but not results that along came a president wanted to make sure that

all children could go as far as our hard work would take them george w bush believes that likes to these schools you get a report card table easing get into has more choices of other killers education families of high school diplomas should mean their graduates actually have the scales to compete in the twenty first century if you believe that american schools are leaving too many children behind and that every job and i must learn than your joy for president george w bush those spanish language one resident they get an opportunity that as soon as they get only nothing at the place they have been muffled war booty as it has been made that momentous when human ego wheeler men old weaknesses or even

pro bono as michael worry that the bottom of the vatican not just those little tomato season a little said the nsa isn't that the legislature's political statement by america is ronald reagan's it's shining city on a hill i saw this big and as a young boy from behind the wall of communism i felt the warmth for the genuine would nuzzle is people like so many immigrants i came to repay a day of gratitude to america by passionately defending and safeguarding the american dream for this and future generations that is why i support our great president george w bush mel martinez republican candidate for united states senate

this republican convention has been marked by protests and demonstrations throughout these past four days and nights and we get an update on that story now from kwame home six blocks from madison square garden this morning a group of veterans protest of the iraq war and they'll hold a candlelight vigil during president bush's speech tonight opposition to the war was the theme of the week's largest protest on march on sunday lasting nearly six hour police shut down thirty blocks in midtown manhattan estimates of the crowd ranged from one hundred thousand to have a million every day since tens of thousands have gathered at sites around manhattan's some attacking the president's economic policies the bush administration has done wrong direction others championing causes abortion rights to aids prevention or a few activists breach the tight security at the convention hall yesterday

some disrupted a youth conference another interrupted vice president cheney's speech cheney and the company once ran were the targets and one demonstration outside the hall the protests largely have been peaceful in all nearly two thousand arrests have been made that figure is almost triple the detentions during the bloody riots that marks the nineteen sixty eight democratic convention in chicago and far exceeds the six arrests in boston in july a security cordon that have nearly all the protestors blocks away from the convention more police have tried to get inside designated large arrangements to impose them and arrested some even before they attempted to block traffic or otherwise cause a disruption as we began soon walked in silence not blocking the sidewalk the police rushed in and took the first three hundred people at the beginning of the recession and he legally a rusted bed

demonstrators i've been associated with non permitted militias and other on local activities clearly there was an intent to have and still have major disruption and major demonstrations today that's ongoing those arrested are sent to a temporary holding area on a pier on the hudson river protesters have complained about conditions there authorities have not allowed reporters inside like this afternoon in new york state judge ordered the release of nearly five hundred protesters he indicated the city was taking too long to process them so more history now and i'm margaret warner and once again i'm joined by our trio of historians michael beschloss richard norton smith and mean about was you know we talk so much tonight about the president's upcoming speech but i thought we might talk briefly about that or were so many people speak of these conventions

how often mean it does want them unexpectedly shine to the degree that it didn't want to someone of political career or makes him into a national figure there are some notable stories than i think of the speech that shines one that comes to mind is mario cuomo in nineteen eighty four twenty years spoke of reagan's shining city on a hill and mario cuomo in his speech to the democratic convention actually gave to politico the tail to his writings where he gave a critique of reagan's city ourselves that speech was seen by many as a launching a potential presidential bid for quote albeit one that never happen because if he never pursued it never did and then just on the flipside a negative one of them would be dealt with bill clinton in nineteen eighty eight where he gave a speech that was so lost later said it was the longest hour or long long sour in a speech he had everyone knew his finest hour how well as some of the ones in the past

well you know the ones that really to sort of make it are the ones we're really seems that there's going to be a political future sometimes a president or future and i think barber jordan maybe didn't have presidential future but davis you know the address in nineteen seventy six right in this hole democratic convention that nominated jimmy carter hadn't raised her to a level of super stardom that i've shown almost all the rest the convention also this fall or its predecessor nineteen forty four years ago a man approaches who had been given up for good politically franklin delano roosevelt made his way slowly for the podium to nominate al smith who read up a happy warrior course was fdr was a happy warrior in the rest of this is that while reagan gave well i guess you could say sheriff joe what's acceptance speech he was one

of that night crabs reagan's nineteen eighty presidential campaign was launched and you know when you would nominate for a disaster you for the figure because it's so the nats expectations are pressing in damage the candidacy well you're talking about bill clinton i think that really is the gold standard of disasters because this was seen as someone who was a very likely future presidential candidate and maybe the future presidential nominee and he was saying to a lot he was able to quite quickly in a fashion that foreshadows everything we saw later on to bring himself back from the dead the white house is the very next morning to the south and now what does francis let's now under the master's of those forecasts cool among the speakers at this convention do you think if any gave a memorable speech that somehow launched something

that the governor should say this is very impressive not just for the energy which we talked about a few nights ago with enthusiasm just enthusiasm for politics the happy warrior ethic with other i'd probably need to go back to jim crow that picture yes indeed the nights major venues riding pneumonia or the murders but it on the podium is now going to launch taking delegates and friends i've been governor of the

state for ten years or a challenge or a challenge and try and tonight is a great new york no i'm going i'm going to be free because tonight we hear from president george the pain we've spoken of september a lot of our heroes and of those we lost but there's a part of the story that has never fully been told i'd like to tell after september eleventh our tourism industry was hit home you know what the people of oregon did a thousand thousand people from oregon changing the argumentative thousand hotel

rooms so our workers and the sports and waiters to cheat where is the pain we're getting call working through the night so i won't rush one thousand five hundred votes to help keep them warm i would delegation will usually step pennsylvania where it used to be they'd saved almost

nine hundred dollars after september eleventh the boy's throats to propose to a firehouse that just lost a man they gave their disney world money for the relief out the pain now i could tell a story like this about every single state in the country but there was of course another state it woke up one morning and walk suddenly the streets were full of sirens of fire in the sky you know what they did the people of this thing that charge into the towers they stayed online like soldiers to get one and that in the days and nights that follow the tough men and women of our great city

painful they quieted the fire and darkness out of three they got into trucks and went to ground zero the construction workers and my own workers are police officers and firefighters and the people of our cities threaten the bar each night waving flags and calling out publishes the trucks hurtle by and the men and women and those trucks waving back as if to say hey no problem this great state rolled up sleeves took person straight in the face and spat into it ladies and gentlemen i did you know you are it's been the problem and

that terrible day the nation became a neighbor all americans became new yorkers so what i wanted to do for a long time was to say thank you in front of our country and with our children watch thank you america from the very bottom of new york state the pen every four years people say this is the most important election of our lifetime this time it's true we have a choice between two very different men differing views different districts i know them both we were college to give the president a year behind senator kerry you're a john kerry said it the live really i was so the concern

at our democratic debate back then but the senator has asked for a full and frank discussion well let's start now the pie bush's record of achievement senator kerry's that way they'll be able to see the difference which is that president bush has a record of the pope george w bush raised his life in that took the oath of office from the first he showed us something we hadn't seen in a while when he said he was going to do something he meant and then he did

in the hurt of the recession and then came september eleventh but george bush said he would turn around the economy and creating jobs he said he'd do it and he is eric is a crusade to cut taxes on the middle glass and he's the tax burden on all americans he said he'd do it and he had a recently help small businesses protect social security and expand homeownership he said he'd do it and he said and apply tougher standards for schools in opera singers at the prescription drug coverage they need he said he'd do it and and george

bush said he'd fight to allow the power of faith to help our young and help our trouble he said he'd do it sky there's much more but you get the point george w bush says when he means he means what he says you can't trust him the poem he was for the war and that he was against the war us for it but you wouldn't find that you find a lesson for us for the picture that until it was against oriental see at penn state until it was for i forget the problem just you know this is again this is a candidate who will his own

name to find out where his fans who saw their convention a few weeks ago they had a slow holt is on the way with other flip flopping and zigzag in the real slogan should be it is a way to pay you know this law were going to win one more thing it's been nice this baby i thank god it on september eleventh we had a

press or didn't bring his hands and wonder what america had done wrong to deserve this i think that we get a president who understands that americans attack not for what we have done wrong but for what we do the people that sounds like something that any president to how i was never so you know this osama bin laden declared war in america and they came the attacks the first world trade center the emphasis the uss cole hundreds thousands of how i wish the administration at that time in those years at times how they do

on september eleventh paid attack again but this time they made a terrible mistake there's one thing they didn't bank they didn't bank and georgia it's been the point thanks to george bush raised our spirits the train to new york and stood on that smoking he looked at our heroes and said i can hear you and soon the whole world will hear you he determined that the united states would find and remove terrorists whoever they are and wherever they are and if you harbor them there will be hell to pay ah

the united states fought and won the war al qaeda camps report runs the taliban oppose george was protected our country and he protects its the point unlike this president bush went around the us have asked for peace went to you went time and again as saddam to step aside but saddam not been so president bush moved american troops are citizen soldiers and the coalition of the willing and soon addicted would use poison gas on his own people was downed power in the

years some people have called this an abusive how i call it progress the police but there was no reason to liberate a rack they asked about weapons of mass destruction on september eleventh in eu we learned that in the hands of a monster a box cutter is a weapon of mass destruction and saddam hussein was a monster a walking talking weapon of mass destruction is good for the world that he is gone the police austria said that in the future would be

met with a swift and certain response well respectfully sir that's not good enough we've already been attacked time and again and president bush understands we can't just wait for the next attack we have to go after them in their training can spin out in places the prison but when it has to do well the firefighters and cops and ran into those burning towers and died on september eleventh didn't want to go to war they were heroes of the war they didn't even know existed american citizens

the pay is based the state's entire faith has handed power generation a regular threat to forgive and fortune has given us a leader who will defend that for this is no ordinary time and george w bush is no ordinary leader the

pain we've got a lot of feeling deep down that we don't always show it but let me ask what is the selection of that if it isn't about our love of freedom oh love for all we are and can be for that all the liberty bell from philadelphia the constitution hall for that i am a son with the whole world's people came to share in our free and love too for that statue new york's great grand harbour that noble statue that greeted them all seen by every branch to be telling because it's going to be better we had to close that distance but we'll hear in a few weeks the

payment systems waiting waiting trains that symbol of hope that statute ladies and yet on this nine am in this fight there's another little side that torture freedom is one of those men god and they somehow lead to the fore in times of challenge and he is lighting the way to better times a safer land and whole he is my friend he is our president president governor george pataki of the arts today he is considered host at this convention obvious reasons he's the man who serves with over two thousand former senator fred thompson former senator from tennessee are now plays arthur branch the

conservative district attorney in all our television and senator thompson is going to interview somebody and then bring on president bush governor pataki is considering the long list of people who may may go after two thousand eight republican presidential nomination where would you put him on a list of the night market it and i think it's off the impossible don't think about a candidate who's pro choice pro gay rights could be a serious challenger richard daley is that rudy giuliani has as well but then rudy giuliani has a certain iconic status because it is leadership in september

eleventh said that that governor pataki at a defining job that never came so i think they see as richard norton smith is a smaller slice of the republican party but we do it we've been picking up among republicans about your job was what was a very well written speech and a very well for the age you were you not surprisingly senator john kerry's of rebellion an intervention to the president missing that was it sir

i was just forty eight hours thirty six or seven years ago you said in that very scene at this republican party is a pro life pro life or is it why would they nominate somebody who's this week that this party candidates rudy giuliani nineteen ninety three because it wasn't right and may regret it and the fact is the right of the center of a rival republican party has no staff basically multiple for supporting sam brownback trade center of another that these are not your tupelo alt approach with richard norton smith are you follow the history of the republican party very closely what he went where would you come down on this about your a pro choice candidate i'm pro choice republicans chances of getting the nomination a sort of first off it a lot better than last year's nominations are now remember back in nineteen sixty four nelson rockefeller had it with a forest and that is a rich and he makes it

out ok we have a campaign like no proper never recovered what they could be because a point the doctrine of necessity and doesn't dress itself ultimately upon politician probably more than anyone else and then if you you know if you look at that you do listen to the other folks in this convention when they're out anywhere near that in the podium it in the first place we present that richard thank you now now fred thompson says the former senator from tennessee now arthur branch the president of the united states to move the story and you never know

jesus or something what's yours we'll ask oh certainly oh my

god the month and they said are you ok mr president i want to leave and he said where are you going to i said i was told to get all know this statement to make a half week many jewish crowd rose to just about everybody dreams about george w bush and he was always trying to convert everyone and they didn't always come back saying well arlene howard was a

person and this is our jewell the president to want to make sure what george howard was and was never forget suzy the united states persons jordan was to the field the nation it would do well first lady you don't want to meet with soldiers and ward fifty seven sergeant

mike knopf of the louisiana national guard who lost his right leg but not in review before president told him when you're better we were waiting in the white house he said play reading as a surprise announced that some regular read three letters will there first the snoozing

we want to use a famous for as the president said this is who you know he was wearing a different reasons for doing that since tunisia's most consumers really is

an grandson of the second son of people forget only began in nineteen ninety five like a texas case

in the position of the person speaking in the state and laying flowers at the beginning and then the missing since the reason for making these incident and fourteen fourteen minutes

in german and we now my guests are my tears work and i accept your nomination when i said those words for years ago none of this could've envisioned what these years would bring in are this great city we saw tragedy arrive on a quiet morning we celebrate your is growing

danger we learned of the passengers on a doomed plane who died with a courage that frightened and they're killers the poignancy rise to this day and we have seen the market in uniform storming mountain stronghold and charging through sandstorms and liberating libya with tax dollar that would make the man of normandy at ces two thousand one americans have been given hills to climb and found the strength to climb than now because we have made not hard journey we can see the valley

below now because we have faced challenges with resolve we have historical old within our reach and greatness and our future we will build a safer world and a more hopeful america and nothing will hold us back the case being in the war the pay to play and i'm honored to have in their lives

the plan would lower the parents right the problem here he can the

pay to play ok here's another great american listen and goodwill and bassist you're invisible barrier hearts and will always defined her board the purpose of the date based on the records we appeal the convictions and the

vision that guides the story a presidential election is the contest for the future than i don't tell you worse than what i believe and where i will lead this country and the next for you to play and every school so we can ask the most important federal education reform in history because we added children are making sustained progress in reading unmanned america's schools are getting better and nothing will hold us back as i believe we have a moral responsibility to honor america's seniors so i brought republicans

and democrats together to strengthen medicare now seniors are getting immediate help buying medicine soon every scene you will be able to get prescription drug coverage and nothing will hold us back the party energy of america's workers on honduras farmers and ranchers so we and least that energy with the largest tax relief and a generation the proposal is growing again warhol is that

matter how believe the most solemn duty of the american president is to protect the american people on their total uncertainty or weakness in this decade this will not happen it's been here davila says american

conservative philosophy that will improve their lives run their lives the pope and there's live with your help we will win this election the pieces of her jewelry

mr vasily growing region further anymore our nation's founding commitment to steal our deepest commitment in our world in here of how we would stand the frontiers of freedom it's big workers of our personal relationship really have a one to one scale one career often one company provided health care and attention and most of those workers were men today workers change jobs increased many times during their lives and in one of the most dramatic shift our society has seen two thirds of all moms also working outside the home

can be a time of great opportunity for all americans earn a better living and support her family and had a rewarding career and government must take your so many of our most fundamental systems the tax code health care breach pension plans worker training were created for the world of yesterday not tomorrow we will transform the system so that all citizens are quick prepare to make your own choices and pursue your own parents ryan higgins with providing the security and opportunity of a growing economy we now compete in a global market that provides a new buyers for goods

but new competition for workers great more jobs in america america must be the best place in the world to do business the play an expansion by restraining spending reducing regulation and making the tax relief are mixed it's been created high

opera to expand trade and level playing field to sell american goods and services will opera and we must protect small business owners and workers from the explosion of frivolous lawsuits that threatened it's been which is a complicated mess sadly there are more than six billion hours of paperwork and headache every

year the american people deserve and our economic future demands a simpler fairer pro growth system anna a bipartisan ever for me sobriety as bill were take advantage of the expanding economy define better and higher paying jobs in this climate change many workers want to go back to school to order for our higher level skills so we'll double the number of people served our principal job training program and increase funding for

community colleges the pay scales america can compete with anyone anywhere in the world at this time of change an opportunity in some communities is more distant than another's stamina workers and poor communities and those that have lost manufacturing textile another jobs we will create american opportunity zones in these areas we will provide tax relief and other incentives to attract new business and improve housing and job training to bring hope and work throughout all of america it's been the

country of many many workers and small business owners who have told me that they're worried they cannot afford healthcare more than half the uninsured are small business employees and their families in a new term we must allow small farms to join together to purchase insurance at the discounts available to become as we will offer a tax credit clippers small businesses and their employees to set up health savings accounts at the low income americans to purchase them these accounts give workers the security

of insurance against major illness the opportunity to save tax free for routine health expenses and the freedom of knowing you can take your account with you whenever you change jobs as we will but low income americans with better access to healthcare and a new term i will ensure every poor county in america as a community or world health center the pope i've met too many good doctors especially obedient lions were being forced out of practice because of the high cost of lawsuits to make

healthcare more affordable and accessible we must ask medical liability reform at an anomaly do to improve health care in america we will make sure that health decisions are made by doctors and not by bureaucrats in washington dc that at this time the state government must take the side of working families and a new germany would change change outdated labor laws last

time and flex time our laws should never stand in the way of a more family friendly work police beat because honestly have to bring security and dignity and independence that's your policies homeownership in america as an old timer the pen seven million more affordable homes in the next ten years so more american families will be an open the door say welcome to my home it's been or people on their health care

plans and have the competence of owning a piece of their return we'll always keep that promise of security for workers with a huge baby boom generation approaching retirement many of our children and grandchildren understandably worried whether social security will be there when they need it we must try to social security by allowing younger workers to say some other taxes and a personal bristle account a nest eighty people your proposal is we say not just a government program but attack a path to greater opportunity more

freedom and more control over your own life the biltmore hotel where we must help our children to reach as far as her vision and character and take them and every occasion i say every shop no matter what your circumstances no matter where you live your school will be the promise of america as we are transforming our schools by raising standards and focusing on results we're insisting on accountability empowering parents and teachers and making sure that local people are in charge of their schools as

bad as we are and we were riding at record levels days ago and ninety percent or and this year ninety percent of the students that state tests in reading and math the prison we focus on what we can do at this point we focus on what we can do and we do whatever it takes to get across the finish line this principle is challenging the soft bigotry of low at stake

it's been and the country it's burning in this time

mostly jobs are filled by people with at least two years of college and only about one for students gets there and our high schools will find early intervention programs to help students at risk we will place a new focus on math and science as we make progress we will require a rigorous exam before graduation by raising performance in our high schools and expanding pell grants for low and middle income families we will help more americans start your career with a college diploma the plumber and in a jar we will eat an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for the government's health

insurance programs we will not allow a lack of attention or information to stand between these children and the health care they need the painting the waitresses in the area but it's easy to remember yours and here you are dramatic sen kerry opposed medicare reform and health

savings accounts after supporting my education reforms now was that loom he opposes legal and medical liability reform you quote reducing the marriage penalty was doubling the job right it was lowering income taxes are all paid him now to be fair are some things my opponent's goal that is more than two trillion dollars in federal spending so far and thats a lot even for a senator for mass it's been that way he has run out the warmth of increasing taxes and that's the kind of the promise of a politician usually eats

at his taxes taxes than expanding government rather than expanding opportunity or the politics of the past a teacher than that fb meeting in progress our society rests on a foundation of

responsibility and character and family commitments because family or her sources of stability and dignity i support welfare reform this strengthens family and requires more we must immediately it's been here our

government must never discriminated against them as the union of a man a woman deserves an honored place in our society i supported protection of marriage against activists at will continue to appoint federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and historical interpretation of the law up on a

recently announced that he's the conservative candidate of conservative values must have come as a surprise to a lot of his supporters are how are some problems with his plane if you say importance olmert is down in hollywood i'm afraid you're not the candidate of conservative values as an artist a defensive merger with the enzyme you're not the candidate calling the reagan presidency eight years of moral darkness then you may be a lot of things really values is not

one of them the police are the continuing danger of terrorism and you know where i stand it's b i stood where americans died in the ruins of the twin towers workers and hardware store shouting to me whatever it takes the army said he would not let me down since that day i wake up every morning thinking about how to

better protect our country i will never relented in defending america the people here because the lives of our citizens of our state our strategy is we've tripled homeland security and china have made first responders because we're determined to protect our homeland

or transforming our military and reforming his dry cleaning our intelligence services we're staying on the offensive striking terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at home oh and we're working to advance liberty and the broader middle east because they will bring a future of hope and the ease real one and we will the police four years ago afghanistan with

terrorist groups of saudi arabia was fertile ground for terrorists one reason libyans eagerly pursuing nuclear weapons arrive again brad land's man the pain her sneakers leaders in saudi arabia is making waves libya is dismantling its weapons programs

freedom and more than three quarters of the magnitsky members and associates have been detained or killed a peak the pain and america and the world are safe the peak this is injustice when it's not a sacred regression supporter we knew his long history of pursuing even using weapons of mass destruction

and we know the september eleventh trip where's our country to think differently we must and we will confront threats to america before it's too late it's been day yeah the fourteen people are running they saw the threat and voted to authorize the use of

force we went to the united nations security council which passed a unanimous resolution demanding the dictator disarm or face serious consequences leaders in the middle east are simply complying after more than a decade of diplomacy we gave saddam hussein and others chance a final chance to meet his responsibilities to the civilized world you refused and i face the kind of decision that comes only to the oval office a decision no president would ask for what must be prepared to make you i forgot the lessons of september eleventh and take the word of a mad man oh i take action to defend our country safely bad choice huh huh as

because we had to defend our country the murderous regimes of saddam hussein and the taliban are history more than fifty million people have been liberated and democracy is coming to the broader middle east in afghanistan i've done everything they can to intimidate people yet more than ten million citizens have registered to vote in the october presidential election a resounding endorsement for tomorrow the plan now has a strong prime minister a national council and national

elections are scheduled for january our nation is standing with the people of afghanistan and iraq because when america america must keep its word it's b we are serving a violinist or class that will make our country safer free societies in the middle east will be hopeful societies which no longer feed resentments and predict violence for export three governments in the middle east will fight terrorists instead of harboring them and that helps keep the peace yes we are we will help new leaders to train their

armies and move toward elections and get on the path of stability and democracy as quickly as possible and then our troops will return home with the honor they have earned it's been when army specialist road home we are transforming it wants a sick society into a hopeful place the various terrorist enemies we're facing iraqi continued are really aiming at you back in the united states this is a test of will for our country we sort of years are doing great scoring victories in confronting the evil terrorists

that young man is really our men and women in uniform are doing a superb job it's been and to their families you're long been a struggle of historic proportion because of your service and sacrifice we're defeating the terrorists where they live and plan you're making america safer because of you women in afghanistan are no longer shot in a sports stadium because of you the people are actually no longer fear being executed and left in mass graves because the view of the world has more jobs

and will be more peaceful we owe you we will give you all the resources all the tools and all the support you need for victory it's big at different approaches are proposing the congress overwhelmingly passed eighty seven billion dollars in funding needed arts groups doing battle in afghanistan and racks my opponent and his running mate vote against this money from bullets and fuel in vehicles and body armor

when asked to explain his vote the senator said i actually did vote for the eighty seven billion dollars before i voted against it it is then when pressed he said it was a complicated matter there's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in a saucer know the historic importance of our work the forty nations stand beside us and afghanistan and some thirty interact at deeply appreciate the courage and wise counsel of leaders like prime minister howard president

was nestle prime minister berlusconi and of course prime minister tony blair fbi in the midst of war he is called american allies quote a coalition of the corps and the bride that would be nations like great britain poland italy japan the netherlands denmark el salvador australia and others through the respect of all americans not just warn of a politician as i

respect every soldier from every country who serve the scientists and the hard work of history of america's grateful and america will not forget the people we agree balog oh seven iraqi men came to see me in the oval office they had x is branded into their foreheads and the right hands have been cut off by saddam hussein's secret police the sadistic punishments for imaginary crimes during our emotional visit one of the iraqi men use his new prosthetic hand to slowly read out in

arabic a prayer for god to bless america the prize it remains the hope would be addressed and the greatest force for good on this earth the poll is more important job or work the terrorists know they know that a vibrant successful democracy at the heart of the middle east will discredit their radical ideology of hate they know that men and women were hoping for grace and dignity on their bodies and cure the innocent the players are fighting or running a beauty

there's freedom as their greatest fear and they should be afraid because freedom is on the march and i believe that any transformational power of liberty the wisest use of american strength is to advance freedom as the citizens of afghanistan iraq seize the moment they're examples and a message of all throughout a vital region palestinians will hear the message that democracy and reform or within their reach and so is faced with our good friend israel it's been that their data quality and justice is coming young man will

hear the messages that national progress and dignity are found in liberty not tyranny and terror reformers and political prisoners and exiles will hear the message that their dream of freedom cannot be denied forever and his freedom advances hard by heart and nation by nation america will be more secure and the world more peaceful the parodies johnny's gonna work before in nineteen forty six eighteen months after the fall of berlin allied forces journalist in the new york times wrote this germany is a land in an acute stage of economic political and more crisis

european capitals are frightened every military headquarters one nice alarmed officials doing their utmost to deal with the consequences of the occupation policy but they admit has failed and quote maybe this a person still around fortunately we had a resolute who with the american people persevered knowing that a new democracy at the center of europe would lead to stability and peace and because that generation of americans held firm in the cause of liberty we live in a better and safer world today at the progress we had our friends and allies in the broader middle east

will not come easily or all it wants it americans of all people should never be surprised by the power of liberty to transform lives and nations at our servers a perilous journeys inspired columnist rebellion ended the sin of slavery and said our nation against charities of the twentieth century we were honored today the rise of democracy in germany and japan nicaragua central europe and the baltics and that noble story goes on i believe that a market is called to lead the cause of freedom in a new century i believe that millions in the middle east sweden and siler for their liberty i believe that given the chance they will embrace the most honorable form of government ever devised by man i believe all these things because freedom is not america's

gifted the world it is the almighty god's gift to every a man and woman to pay this moment that will be remembered generations will know we kept our faith and kept our word generations will know if we seize this moment and use it to build a future of safety and peace the freedom of many and the future security of our nation not depend on us and tonight my fellow americans i ask you to stand with me it's

been that way for years even when we don't agree at least you know abilene where i stand you may have noticed people sometimes have to grab my english or so years the paint me as well walking us as the little ones before

they are we know where your ladyship there's been a president sees it whatever shortcomings you have people are going to notice them and whatever story set in an even at these four years have brought moments i could not foresee and will not forget that it covered americans who lost most of september eleventh people it showed me a picture or told me a story so that i would know how much was taken from them and i've learned firsthand the ordering americans in the battle is the hardest decision and even when it is right and