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WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The following are
>remarks
>>by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA) as prepared for
>>delivery at the 2004 Republican National Convention:
>>
>> Thank you.
>> What a greeting! This is like winning an Oscar! ... As if
>I
>>would know!
>>
>>Speaking of acting, one of my movies was called "True Lies."
>>It's what the Democrats should have called their convention.
>>
>>My fellow Americans, this is an amazing moment for me. To
>>think that a once-scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to
>>become Governor of California and stand in Madison Square
>>Garden to speak on behalf of the President of the United
>>States that is an immigrant's dream. It is the American
>>dream.
>>
>>I was born in Europe ... and I've traveled all over the
>world.
>> I can tell you that there is no place, no country, more
>>compassionate -- more generous -- more accepting -- and more
>>welcoming than the United States of America.
>>
>>As long as I live, I will never forget that day 21 years ago
>>-- when I raised my hand and took the oath of citizenship.
>>
>>Do you know how proud I was? I was so proud that I walked
>>around with an American flag around my shoulders all day
>>long.
>>
>>Tonight, I want to talk about why I'm even more proud to be
>an
>>American -- why I'm proud to be a Republican -- and why I
>>believe this country is in good hands.
>>
>>When I was a boy, the Soviets occupied part of Austria. I
>saw
>>their tanks in the streets. I saw communism with my own
>eyes.
>>I remember the fear we had when we had to cross into the
>>Soviet sector. Growing up, we were told, "Don't look the
>>soldiers in the eye. Look straight ahead." It was a
>common
>>belief that Soviet soldiers could take a man out of his own
>>car and ship him off to the Soviet Union as slave labor.
>>
>>My family didn't have a car -- but one day we were in my
>>uncle's car. It was near dark as we came to a Soviet
>>checkpoint. I was a little boy, I wasn't an action hero
>back
>>then, and I remember how scared I was that the soldiers
>would
>>pull my father or my uncle out of the car, and I'd never see
>>him again. My family and so many others lived in fear of the
>>Soviet boot. Today, the world no longer fears the Soviet
>>Union -- and it is because of the United States of America!
>>
>>As a kid I saw the socialist country that Austria became
>after
>>the Soviets left. I love Austria and I love the Austrian
>>people -- but I always knew America was the place for me.
>In
>>school, when the teacher would talk about America, I would
>>daydream about coming here. I would sit for hours watching
>>American movies -- transfixed by my heroes like John Wayne.
>>Everything about America seemed so big to me -- so open, so
>>possible.
>>
>>I finally arrived here in 1968.I had empty pockets, but I
>was
>>full of dreams. The presidential campaign was in full swing.
>
>>I remember watching the Nixon and Humphrey presidential race
>>on TV. A friend who spoke German and English, translated
>for
>>me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like
>>socialism - which is what I had just left. But then I
>heard
>>Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting
>>government off your back, lowering taxes, and strengthening
>>the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a
>>breath of fresh air.
>>
>>I said to my friend, "What party is he?" My friend said,
>>"He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican!"
>And
>>I've been a Republican ever since! And trust me, in my
>wife's
>>family, that's no small achievement! I'm proud to belong to
>>the party of Abraham Lincoln, the party of Teddy Roosevelt,
>>the party of Ronald Reagan - and the party of George W.
>Bush.
>>
>>To my fellow immigrants listening tonight, I want you to
>know
>>how welcome you are in this party. We Republicans admire
>your
>>ambition. We encourage your dreams. We believe in your
>future.
>> One thing I learned about America is that if you work hard
>>and play by the rules, this country is truly open to you.
>You
>>can achieve anything.
>>
>>Everything I have -- my career -- my success -- my family --
>I
>>owe to America. In this country, it doesn't make any
>>difference where you were born. It doesn't make any
>difference
>>who your parents were. It doesn't make any difference if,
>>like me, you couldn't even speak English until you were in
>>your twenties.
>>
>>America gave me opportunities, and my immigrant dreams came
>>true. I want other people to get the same chances I did,
>the
>>same opportunities. And I believe they can. That's why I
>>believe in this country, that's why I believe in this party
>--
>>and that's why I believe in this President.
>>
>>Now, many of you out there tonight are "Republican" like me
>>in your hearts and in your beliefs. Maybe you're from
>>Guatemala. Maybe you're from the Philippines. Maybe Europe
>or
>>the Ivory Coast. Maybe you live in Ohio - Pennsylvania - or
>>New Mexico. And maybe - just maybe - you don't agree with
>>this party on every single issue. I say to you tonight I
>>believe that's not only okay -- that's what's great about
>this
>>country. Here we can respectfully disagree and still be
>>patriotic -- still be American -- and still be good
>>Republicans.
>>
>>My fellow immigrants, my fellow Americans how do you know if
>>you are a Republican? I'll tell you how.
>>
>>If you believe that government should be accountable to the
>>people, not the people to the government...then you are a
>>Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as
>an
>>individual, not as a member of an interest group... then you
>>are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to
>>spend your money better than the government does... then you
>>are a Republican! If you believe our educational system
>should
>>be held accountable for the progress of our children ...
>then
>>you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not
>the
>>United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world
>...
>>then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen
>...if
>>you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate
>>terrorism ... then you are a Republican!
>>
>>There is another way you can tell you're a Republican. You
>>have faith in free enterprise, faith in the resourcefulness
>of
>>the American people ...and faith in the U.S. economy. To
>>those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I
>say:
>>Don't be economic girlie men!
>>
>>The U.S. economy remains the envy of the world. We have the
>>highest economic growth of any of the world's major
>>industrialized nations. Don't you remember the pessimism of
>>twenty years ago - when the critics said Japan and Germany
>>were overtaking the U.S.? Ridiculous!
>>
>>Now they say India and China are overtaking us. Don't you
>>believe it! We may hit a few BUMPS -- but America always
>>moves ahead! That's what Americans do!
>>
>>We move prosperity ahead. We move freedom ahead. We move
>>people ahead. Under President Bush, and Vice President
>Cheney,
>>America's economy is moving ahead in spite of a recession
>they
>>inherited and in spite of the attack on our homeland.
>>
>>Now, the other party says there are two Americas. Don't
>>believe that either. I've visited our troops in Iraq,
>Kuwait,
>>Bosnia, Germany, and all over the world. I've visited our
>>troops in California, where they train before they go
>>overseas. And I've visited our military hospitals. And I
>>can tell you this: Our young men and women in uniform do not
>>believe there are two Americas!
>>
>>They believe we are one America - and they are fighting for
>>it! We are one America -- and President Bush is defending
>it
>>with all his heart and soul!
>>
>>That's what I admire most about the President. He's a man of
>>perseverance. He's a man of inner strength. He is a leader
>>who doesn't flinch, doesn't waiver, does not back down. My
>>fellow Americans, make no mistake about it - terrorism is
>more
>>insidious than communism, because it yearns to destroy not
>>just the individual but the entire international order.
>>
>>The President didn't go into Iraq because the polls told him
>>it was popular. As a matter of fact, the polls said just
>the
>>opposite. But leadership isn't about polls. It's about
>>making decisions you think are right and then standing
>behind
>>those decisions. That's why America is safer with George W.
>>Bush as President.
>>
>>He knows you don't reason with terrorists. You defeat them.
>
>>He knows you can't reason with people blinded by hate.
>They
>>hate the power of the individual. They hate the progress of
>>women. They hate the religious freedom of others. They
>>hate the liberating breeze of democracy. But, ladies and
>>gentlemen, their hate is no match for America's decency.
>>
>>We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to
>>teach village children.
>>
>>We're the America that sends out missionaries and doctors to
>>raise up the poor and the sick. We're the America that
>gives
>>more than any other country, to fight aids in Africa and the
>>developing world. And we're the America that fights not for
>>imperialism but for human rights and democracy.
>>
>>You know, When the Germans brought down the Berlin Wall --
>>America's determination helped wield the sledgehammers.
>When
>>that lone, young Chinese man stood in front of those tanks
>in
>>Tiananmen Square -- America's hopes stood with him. And
>when
>>Nelson Mandela smiled in election victory after all those
>>years in prison America celebrated, too.
>>
>>We are still the lamp lighting the world -- especially for
>>those who struggle. No matter in what labor camp they slave
>--
>>no matter in what injustice they're trapped -- they hear our
>>call ... they see our light ... and they feel the pull of
>our
>>freedom. They come here -- as I did -- because they
>believe.
>>They believe in US.
>>
>>They come because their hearts say to them, as mine did, "If
>>only I can get to America." Someone once wrote -- "There
>are
>>those who say that freedom is nothing but a dream." They
>are
>>right. It's the American dream.
>>
>>No matter the nationality, no matter the religion, no matter
>>the ethnic background, America brings out the best in people.
>
>> And as Governor of the great state of California -- I see
>the
>>best in Americans every day ... our police, our firefighters
>>-- our nurses, doctors and teachers -- our parents.
>>
>>And what about the extraordinary men and women who have
>>volunteered to fight -- for the United States of America! I
>>have such great respect for them and their heroic families.
>>
>>Let me tell you about the sacrifice and commitment I've seen
>>firsthand. In one of the military hospitals I visited, I met
>a
>>young guy who was in bad shape. He'd lost a leg -- had a
>hole
>>in his stomach ... his shoulder had been shot through.
>>
>>I could tell there was no way he could ever return to combat.
>
>> But when I asked him, "When do you think you'll get out of
>>the hospital?" He said, "Sir, in three weeks." And do
>you
>>know what he said to me then? He said he was going to get
>a
>>new leg ... and get some therapy ... and then he was going
>>back to Iraq to serve alongside his buddies! He grinned at
>>me and said, "Arnold ... I'll be back!"
>>
>>Ladies and gentlemen, America is back! -- back from the
>attack
>>on our homeland- back from the attack on our economy -- back
>>from the attack on our way of life. We're back because of
>>the perseverance, character and leadership of the 43rd
>>President of the United States -- George W. Bush.
>>
>>My fellow Americans ... I want you to know that I believe
>with
>>all my heart that America remains "the great idea" that
>>inspires the world. It's a privilege to be born here.
>It's
>>an honor to become a citizen here. It's a gift to raise
>your
>>family here -- to vote here -- and to live here.
>>
>>Our president George W. Bush has worked hard to protect and
>>preserve the American dream for all of us. That's why I
>say
>>... send - him - back to Washington for four more years!
>>
>> Thank you, America -- and God bless you all!
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