Dean hammered Bush on both economic and national security issues in his San Francisco speech, saying that "if you can't get two things right as president of the United States, then you have not served your country well."
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Let the record show:
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June 17, 2003
Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney 2004 Reception
The Washington Hilton Hotel
Washington, D.C.
....You know, in the last two and a half years, our great nation has faced some great challenges. And we have acted decisively to confront them.
I came to this office to solve problems, not to pass them on to other Presidents and other generations. I came to seize opportunities, and not let them slip away. We are meeting the tests of our time. Terrorists declared war on the United States and war is what they got.
We have captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network. And the rest of them know we're on their trail. In Afghanistan, in Iraq, we gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those regimes chose defiance and those regimes are no more. Fifty million people in those two countries once lived under tyranny, and now they live in freedom.
Two-and-a-half years ago, our military was not receiving the resources as needed, and morale was beginning to suffer. We increased the defense budget to prepare for threats of a new era. And today, no one in the world can question the skill, and strength, and spirit of the United States military.
Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession. Then the attacks on our country, scandals in corporate America, and war affected people's confidence. And that hurt our economy. But we acted. We passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account. We got the economy going again because we worked with the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief, not once, but twice.
This administration stood on principled ground. We understand that when Americans have more take-home pay to spend or invest, the economy grows, and people are more likely to find a job. We're returning more money to American families to help pay their bills. We're reducing taxes on dividends and capital gains to encourage investment. We're giving small businesses incentives to expand and to hire new people.
With all these actions, we have laid the foundation for greater prosperity -- and, more importantly, more jobs all across America so our fellow citizens have a chance to live the American Dream.
Two-and-a-half years ago there was a lot of talk about education reform, but not much action. So I called for, and Congress passed, the No Child Left Behind legislation, with a solid bipartisan majority, delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation.
We're bringing high standards and accountability to every public school in America. Every child can learn the basics of reading and math, and every school must teach those basics. This administration is challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. The days of excuse-making are over. We now expect results in every classroom, so not one single child in America will be left behind.
We have reorganized the government and created a Department of Homeland Security to safeguard the borders and ports of America and to protect our people. We passed trade promotion authority to open new markets for America's farmers and ranchers and manufacturers. We passed a budget agreement that is helping to maintain spending discipline in Washington, D.C.
On issue after issue we acted on principle. We kept our word. And we made progress for the American people.
And I want to thank the United States Congress for joining in these achievements. We will continue to work together to change the tone in Washington, D.C. by showing goodwill and by focusing on results.
One of the reasons this administration has been successful is because I have surrounded myself with really fine men and women who serve the people of America. They're task-oriented people. They know their job is to get results on behalf of the people.
There is no finer member of my administration then our Vice President, Dick Cheney. He's a great friend, a great advisor, a steady hand. He is the finest Vice President our nation has ever had -- (applause) -- even though mother may not agree. (Laughter.)
The Vice President and the members of the Cabinet and all who work in this administration have formed a great team of true public servants who put the interests of the American people first. In two-and-a-half years, we've come far, yet our work is only beginning. We have great goals worthy of this great nation.
First, America is committed to expanding the realm of freedom and peace, for our own security, and for the benefit of the world. And, second, in our own country, we must work for a society of prosperity and compassion, so that every citizen has a chance to work and succeed and realize the promise of America.
Across this world it has never been more clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the actions of America. This nation is freedom's home and freedom's defender. We welcome this charge of history and we will keep this charge of history.
The war on terror continues. The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither are we. The country will not rest, we will not tire and we will not stop until the danger to the free world is removed. Yet, our national interest involves more than eliminating aggressive threats to our safety. Our greatest security comes from the advance of human liberty, because free nations do not support terror. Free nations do not attack their neighbors. Free nations do not threaten the world with weapons of mass destruction.
As Americans, we believe that freedom is the deepest need and hope of every human heart. And we believe that freedom is the right of every person. And we believe that freedom is the future of every nation.
I also understand that unprecedented influence brings tremendous responsibilities. We have duties in the world, and when we see disease, and starvation, and hopeless poverty, we will not turn away. On the continent of Africa, America is now committed to bringing the healing power of medicine to millions of men and women and children now suffering with AIDS. We will lead the world in this great work of rescue.
We face challenges at home, and our actions prove that we are equal to those challenges. We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by strengthening and modernizing Medicare, so they have more choices and better access to prescription drugs.
