State of the Union, Part II: 2002

"Terrorists who once occupied Afghanistan now occupy cells at Guantanamo Bay."

"America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror.  We'll be partners in rebuilding that country. [...] Today women are free, and are part of Afghanistan's new government."

"When I called our troops into action, I did so with complete confidence in their courage and skill.  And tonight, thanks to them, we are winning the war on terror.  The man and women of our Armed Forces have delivered a message now clear to every enemy of the United States:  Even 7,000 miles away, across oceans and continents, on mountaintops and in caves -- you will not escape the justice of this nation."

"I assure you and all who have lost a loved one that our cause is just, and our country will never forget the debt we owe Michael [a CIA officer and Marine who died in Mazur-e-Sharif] and all who gave their lives for freedom."

"What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending there, our war against terror is only beginning.  [...] Thousands of dangerous killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs, set to go off without warning."

"But some governments will be timid in the face of terror.  And make no mistake about it:  If they do not act, America will."

"North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens.

Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom.  Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror.  The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas, and nuclear weapons for over a decade.  This is a regime that has already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens -- leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children.  This is a regime that agreed to international inspections -- then kicked out the inspectors. This is a regime that has something to hide from the civilized world."

"States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world."

"Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun.  This campaign may not be finished on our watch -- yet it must be and it will be waged on our watch."

"Our first priority must always be the security of our nation, and that will be reflected in the budget I send to Congress.  My budget supports three great goals for America:  We will win this war; we'll protect our homeland; and we will revive our economy."

"It costs a lot to fight this war.  We have spent more than a billion dollars a month -- over $30 million a day -- and we must be prepared for future operations.  [...]  We need to replace aging aircraft and make our military more agile [...].  Our men and women in uniform deserve the best weapons, the best equipment, the best training -- and they also deserve another pay raise."

"My budget includes the largest increase in defense spending in two decades -- because while the price of freedom and security is high, it is never too high.  Whatever it costs to defend our country, we will pay."

"My budget nearly doubles funding for a sustained strategy of homeland security, focused on four key areas: bioterrorism, emergency response, airport and border security, and improved intelligence.  We will develop vaccines to fight anthrax and other deadly diseases.  We'll increase funding to help states and communities train and equip our heroic police and firefighters.  We will improve intelligence collection and sharing, expand patrols at our borders, strengthen the security of air travel, and use technology to track the arrivals and departures of visitors to the United States."

"[T]he final great priority of my budget is economic security for the American people.  To achieve these great national objectives -- to win the war, protect the homeland, and revitalize our economy -- our budget will run a deficit that will be small and short-term, so long as Congress restrains spending and acts in a fiscally responsible manner.  We have clear priorities and we must act at home with the same purpose and resolve we have shown overseas:  We'll prevail in the war, and we will defeat this recession."

"Americans who have lost their jobs need our help and I support extending unemployment benefits and direct assistance for health care coverage.  Yet, American workers want more than unemployment checks -- they want a steady paycheck.  When America works, America prospers, so my economic security plan can be summed up in one word:  jobs."

"Good jobs begin with good schools, and here we've made a fine start.  Republicans and Democrats worked together to achieve historic education reform so that no child is left behind."

"There is more to do.  We need to prepare our children to read and succeed in school with improved Head Start and early childhood development programs. We must upgrade our teacher colleges and teacher training and launch a major recruiting drive with a great goal for America:  a quality teacher in every classroom."

"Good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable energy.  This Congress must act to encourage conservation, promote technology, build infrastructure, and it must act to increase energy production at home so America is less dependent on foreign oil."

"Americans know economic security can vanish in an instant without health security.  I ask Congress to join me this year to enact a patients' bill of rights to give uninsured workers credits to help buy health coverage to approve an historic increase in the spending for veterans' health and to give seniors a sound and modern Medicare system that includes coverage for prescription drugs."

"Through stricter accounting standards and tougher disclosure requirements, corporate America must be made more accountable to employees and shareholders and held to the highest standards of conduct."

"Members, you and I will work together in the months ahead on other issues: productive farm policy, a cleaner environment, broader home ownership, especially among minorities, and ways to encourage the good work of charities and faith-based groups."

"I hope you will join me in expressing thanks to one American for the strength and calm and comfort she brings to our nation in crisis, our First Lady, Laura Bush."

"My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime -- to the service of your neighbors and your nation."

"America will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere."

"No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them.  We have no intention of imposing our culture.  But America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law; limits on the power of the state; respect for women; private property; free speech; equal justice; and religious tolerance."

"Deep in the American character, there is honor, and it is stronger than cynicism.  And many have discovered again that even in tragedy -- especially in tragedy -- God is near."

"We choose freedom and the dignity of every life."

"We have known freedom's price.  We have shown freedom's power.  And in this great conflict, my fellow Americans, we will see freedom's victory. Thank you all.  May God bless."