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Toledo, Ohio 10/28/92 [OA 8485]
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
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MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13648
Folder ID Number:
13648-007
Folder Title:
Toledo, Ohio 10/28/92 [OA 8485]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
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G
26
18
5
7
TOLEDO, OHIO:
10/28/92
Siller
ON THE FAMOUS CLINTON-FLOWERS TAPE, CLINTON, IN DISCUSSING A
JOB FOR FLOWERS, ADVISED MISS FLOWERS TO LIE ABOUT THEIR
CONVERSATION. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE,
GIVING FLOWERS THE JOB OVER A MORE QUALIFIED BLACK WOMAN.
(CLINTON DRAWS 75% OF THE BLACK VOTE.) CLINTON, AS A LAWYER,
BY ADVISING HER TO LIE, AT LEAST VIOLATED A LEGAL CODE OF
ETHICS. IS THIS ALSO GROUNDS FOR POSSIBLE DISBARMENT? ISN'T
IT FAIR TO RAISE THIS QUESTION, WHILE STAYING OUT OF THEIR
ALLEGED AFFAIR?
For Mr. Clinton, the 60s were the Wonder Years. He wondered
how he'd get out of the draft.
(WAFFLING AND/OR THE DRAFT)
I'll bet he drives a Dodge.
Why is it taking him so long to come clean? Domino's will
deliver pizza in under a half hour. (At LensCrafters, you
can get glasses made in an hour.)
I want to thank Bruce Willis. If Bruce can overcome the
vicious attacks by terrorists and evildoers in "Diehard" and
"Diehard Two"
then I guess I can handle the media and
Governor Clinton.
(MDPE)
2
Which foreign leader would prefer to see Mr. Clinton
elected
I mean, besides Saddam Hussein?
One of Toledo's favorite sons is Jamie Farr, who played
Corporal Klinger on "M*A*S*H". Governor Clinton must break
into a cold sweat watching "M*A*S*H" re-runs. (I hope Jamie
saved his old dresses. In case there's another war, Mr.
Clinton may want to borrow one.)
(MDRE)
-3-
STRONGSVILLE, OHIO:
10/28/92
Siller
The sports fans in Strongsville and Cleveland are maybe the
most loyal fans in the country. I've travelled through lots
of cities. Wherever I go, I see bands of transplanted ex-
Clevelanders holed up in a home or tavern to cheer on their
Browns. Rather than switch allegiance to their new town's
team, they export their beloved Browns. They become Browns
ambassadors. What is it about the Browns that inspires this
loyalty? They used to be affectionately called the Cardiac
Kids. They aren't glamorous. Nor are they the darlings of
the national press. Tabloids don't show Browns players
dating Hollywood starlets. Nobody asks them to shill for a
sneaker or a soft drink. All they do is suit up on a Sunday
and get the job done. And it seems like every season, just
when they're counted out by the talking heads on the network
sports shows, the Browns come through for their fans and
earn a playoff berth as the wild card team. The Browns are
consistent and steady and reliable. Maturity and seasoning
and grit beat inexperience and hype. This has been a rough
year for me. I've been the victim of unnecessary roughness
by my opponents as well as the media. Plenty of days they
were off-sides, but no flags were thrown, no whistles blown.
I want to be your quarterback, your President, four more
seasons. I think I've earned it. With your help, like the
Browns, I'll get the job done, quietly, steady, no flash.
I'll take America into the end zone.
1 4
Governor Clinton is asking the country to go on a blind
date. But this blind date will ask that it be Dutch Treat.
or worse, he'll tell you he left his wallet home.
Submitting proposals to this Congress reminds me of a Roach
Motel. Good ideas check in, but they never check out.
October 26, 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR STEVE PROVOST
DAN MC GROARTY
CHRISTINA MARTIN
FROM:
MICHELE NIXMN
SUBJECT:
TOLEDO, OHIO
ASIDE: The President made reference today to Clinton-Gore
having as much foreign policy experience as Millie. It was a
good line. Why don't we add at least one line in his talking
points about Clinton's inexperience in foreign policy [it's one
of the big reasons people are afraid to cast their vote for him]
-- perhaps the fact that when asked to recite his foreign policy
credentials, Chickenhead mentioned working with the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee -- but he was just an intern, for
God's sake! "Sorry, Mr. Clinton, but I don't think stapling
papers and taking phone messages qualifies you to be Commander-
in-Chief."
And, also, why not mention that other leaders ARE NERVOUS
about Clinton. CNN had two foreign journalists on last week --
one from Germany, the other Russia -- who said that their
countries would like to see Bush stay. I don't think a lot of
people realize how scared the rest of the world is about Clinton
getting in. An inexperience twit like Clinton getting in office
would affect not only how other countries deal with us in
international crises but will affect the stock markets as well.
We've already seen evidence of that when the bond markets went
nuts.
TOLEDO
This rally takes place at the Sea Gate Convention Center.
Approximately 5,000 people expected. Time: 9:55 a.m.
Bruce Willis is expected to attend -- probably traveling
with POTUS. Governor Voinovich will introduce both the
President and Bruce onto stage. Bruce will intro POTUS.
The banner behind the President will read "Six Days to
Victory." The idea that "We're on a roll!" is the main
theme that runs through the event.
Inside the convention center and within view of the
President and the audience is a model of the Statue of
Liberty.
Jamie Farr -- Clinger on "M*A*S*H" -- is from Toledo and is
very popular there. Toledo hosts an annual Jamie Farr golf
tourney and often invites Farr to numerous citywide events.
LOCAL ISSUES
Per the Chamber of Commerce President: Toledo needs a pep
talk. Their in a bad financial situation now. The
President should definitely start out with or end with -- or
both -- some lines that reassure Toledo and that recognize
Toledo as important, separate from Cleveland and Columbus.
Basically, they need a self-esteem check.
Ken Brown, who'll be at the event, is running against the
current Congressional representative (9th district), Marcy
Kaptur (D). She voted against a BBA.
Toledo and surrounding Lucas County is heavily Democratic.
Toledo is in the midst of deciding on a very important
referendum -- "Issue 8." Right now, the city has a weak-
mayor system, in which the mayor sits on the city council
but does not have a lot of power. The city manager is
basically the top person. The "strong mayor" referendum
would put the mayor in the top position, as is the case for
most big cities. Additionally, the referendum would give
the mayor a line-item veto to use against council spending
proposals. HOWEVER, the citizens aren't sure they're ready
for a switch just yet. The President could at least
recognize the fact that their city is dealing with
transition, if anything.
Major employers -- primarily auto-related industries --
Jeep, GM and Chrysler.
Per the NW Ohio BQ Director: A week ago, the Toledo Blade
ran a newspaper article called "Job Growth or Job Theft"
(which I have). The article said that Clinton's proud
assertion of job growth comes from Clinton's aggressive
tactics to steal jobs from other states -- namely Ohio,
specifically Toledo. Shortly after election day, the Dana
plant (Dan Corp.'s Spicer Transmission Division on
Enterprise Boulevard) in Toledo will begin shutting down,
with much of its work moving to Arkansas.
The article talks about the tactic of "raiding" -- in
which other states lure jobs from other states.
Included in the article is a quote from an employee who
complains that "He's [Clinton] the governor of the state
that took my job. He didn't create any jobs, he just sucked
them in from other parts of the country. He talks about how
he created all these jobs; but I know where they came from -
- from us."
The problem is that this same employee says he's going
to vote for Clinton -- though not enthusiastically. (There
were a few other quotes from employees along these same
lines -- voting for Clinton, but not excited about it.)
The point is that the issue of Arkansas taking jobs
down to the South -- "with promises of weak unions, low
wages, and lax environmental regulations" [newspaper quote
by writer] -- is a sore spot for Toledo citizens and a weak
spot for Clinton in this town.
The perception in this highly Democratic, unionized
city is that the President's policies are taking jobs to
Mexico and other parts of the world. This is a point the
President should address and also take advantage of slamming
Clinton for taking jobs away from Toledo.
Bottom line: This issue has left this town on the
fringe -- not wanting to vote for either candidate, but
leaning toward Clinton if we don't convince them to do
otherwise.
STATE ISSUES
See previous info from Dayton color memo.
ACKS
So far:
Governor Voinovich
Bruce Willis
Ken Brown, running for 9th district
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press secretary
(Strongsville, Ohio)
For Immediate Release
October 28, 1992
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT TOLEDO WELCOME
Seagate Center
Toledo, Ohio
10:26 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so very much. Let me just
thank Bruce Willis, a man of conviction. I'll tell you a little
story about Bruce. About four months ago, when everyone was
declaring us dead and buried politically, we got a phone call at
the White House. And somebody came to me and said, well, Bruce
Willis is calling. I said, well, how do you know it's Bruce
Willis? And they said, well, it is.
So we called back. And when things were really
rough, down he came. Barbara and I had dinner with him, and he
has been out there, working hard, helping me at every turn, and I
am very, very grateful to him. (Applause.)
Let me tell you something that I think Ohioans know,
but, again, on a very personal basis something I feel very
strongly about. I know you know you've got a great Governor.
But I want you to know that the Voinoviches are close, personal
friends of our to whom we will always be grateful. He is a good
and decent and strong leader for this state, and I'm grateful to
George Voinovich. (Applause.)
I want to salute Wallbridge Mayor Robson and Donna
Owens, the former Mayor of Toledo -- (applause) -- Tom Nowe, the
Republican Party Chairman. And do me a good favor. DO
yourselves a favor. Do the country a favor. Clean Senate and
send Mike DeWine to the United States Senate. (Applause.) And
we don't need any more gridlocked Congress, BO help me clean
House (Applause.) and send Ken Brown to the United States Congress.
I love this sign back here: Six days to victory.
Believe me, we are going to win this election. (Applause.) And
the reason we're going to win is that there is a vast difference
in experience, a vast difference in philosophy, and a vast
difference in character and trust. And believe me, character and
trust matter for President of the United States. (Applause.)
Governor Voinovich kind of put it out there as it is
-- talking about the Arkansas record. One reason I will win the
election is, after 11 months of distorting our record, we begin
to put into focus the Arkansas record. I'll repeat just one or
two parts of it, because it is 50th in the quality of
environmental initiatives in all of Arkansas, 50th in percentage
of adults with college degrees, 50th spending on criminal
justice, 49th per capita of police protection, 48th in percentage
goes. of adults with a high school diploma, and on and on and on it
Governor Clinton bragged about leading the nation in
jobs. They did it for one year. And he was out of the state for
85 percent of the year. And the rest of the time, they were 30
percent behind the national. (Applause.)
MORE
- 2 -
You know, there was a scary moment in one of those
debates. And he said, I want to do for America what I've done to
Arkansas. I said, no way -- please, no. (Applause.)
No, but, you know, if you listen to Governor Clinton
and the Ozone Man, and all they do is talk about -- you know who
I mean -- Mr. Ozone? You know what they do to the auto workers
right here in Toledo? They want CAFE standards. Those are fuel
efficiency standards of 40 miles to 45 miles per gallon. Talk to
the union guys working in the plants here in the oil business.
That will put out almost every Ohio worker out of work if we went
for the extreme on the environment.
I have a strong environmental record, but I'm not
going to let Mr. Ozone dictate to the American worker.
(Applause.)
And one of the reasons things are moving -- and
everybody knows that it's moving nationally -- good news out
there today on these national surveys. One reason it's moving is
that people do not want $150 billion in new taxes and $220
billion in new spending. We cannot get the deficit going up,
we've got to bring it down. And let me tell you how we're going
to do it. (Applause.)
We're going to control the growth of spending, and
then I'm going to get the American people to insist that we get a
balanced budget amendment to force the Congress to do it --
(applause) -- that we get a check-off 80 every person in this
country pay an income tax can check 10 percent on their income
tax, and refer that -- make that go to one thing, and that's one
thing alone: reducing the deficit. And the Congress is going to
have to cut to make that possible. (Applause.)
And then the third thing we're going to do is get
the American people to insist that the President be given what 43
governors have. Give me that line-item veto and let's get that
spending under control. (Applause.) Those three things will
help enormously. And there's one more that I like. Presidents
serve two terms. Let's give the Congress back to the people and
have term limits for the members of the United States Congress.
(Applause.)
I had it figured out one day in one of the speeches.
I think Governor Clinton and the Ozone Man had about 58
references to change. Change, change, change. Raise the taxes
$150 billion, and that's all you'll have left in your pocket is
change, change. We're not going to do that. (Applause.)
And something happened yesterday that's casting fear
into the hearts of these talking heads on television. Fear into
the hearts of the Clinton-Gore team. You know what it was? It
came out that our economy had grown at 2.7 percent for the last
quarter. And it puts the lie to the fact that we are in a deep
recession. And, yes, people are hurting; and, yes, a guy has a
job today and might not know whether he's going to have it
tomorrow. But the answer is, we are not in a recession, we are
growing. If you go to their plan, he'll put us back into a Jimmy
Carter malaise days, with 21 --
AUDIENCE: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: -- hey, wait a minute. I don't want
to ruin this meeting. But you remember what it was when you had
a Democratic President and a liberal -- you had 21.5 percent
interest rates, and you had inflation at 15 percent. And they
did it through the same Clinton siren's call of tax or spend.
Let's keep this. economy growing, let's reduce the federal
deficit, let's control spending, and let's control taxes.
(Applause.)
Two point seven. The economy --
MORE
- 3
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT: You know, let me tell you something.
Let me tell you something good about this country. You hear
plenty of bad from the Clinton-Gore ticket. our economy is
growing. It's growing too weakly, but we're going to lead the
country through increasing jobs that sell the best-made products
in the world. That's U.S.A.-made products. Expand our markets
abroad through exports.
We are leading the world in exports, and that means
jobs for America. Our economy is doing better than Japan, than
France, than Germany and England. And you hear them talk about
it, Clinton and Gore. The only way they can win is to convince
the American people that we're in a deep recession; and we're
not. And the good news yesterday -- even the talking heads on
those Sunday television shows are going to find a hard time
making bad news out of good news. I'm tired of that.
(Applause.)
You know, we landed out here -- we landed out here,
came in in a helicopter and landed next to a factory out here.
And there was a big sign. And on it, it said: "Annoy the Media,
Reelect Bush." (Applause.) And why is it? Why is it that
everybody, Democrat, Republican, liberal or conservative know
what that sign means?
NOW, I ask your forbearance, and I'll tell you why.
We've got some good people traveling with us in the press. And
because they've felt that sign so strongly, some of them started
hectoring the cameramen or the photographers. These are the good
guys. Leave them alone. They're just doing their job. Take
your frustrations out, as I do, on the guys back East in those
Sunday talk shows who tell you everything that's wrong, whether
they're Republicans or Democrats, because we're going to make
them eat their words November 3rd. (Applause.)
No, all I'm asking is that people make a comparison
on the plans, and I've told you the fundamental differences. But
we've got to keep going forward. I'll tell you a big difference
we have. Governor Clinton talks about getting the government to
invest to create jobs. That's what Europe tried, and that's
where Europe failed. It is not the government that does it, it
is small business that creates the jobs in this country.
(Applause.) They create two-thirds of the jobs.
And how do we help them? we give them a little
relief for taxation. Give them an investment tax allowance.
Give them a capital gains so a new guy will get out there and
start a new business. Give that first-time homebuyer a tax
credit so he or she can buy a home and life the American Dream.
(Applause.)
And then we lighten up on regulation. And one other
thing where I have a big difference with the Governor from
Arkansas, and that is on litigation. We are suing each other too
much and caring for each other too little -- (applause) -- $200
billion a year go to lawyers, $25 billion to $50 billion are
added to your health bills every year because of these crazy
malpractice suits. Little League coaches are scared to coach
because somebody will come up and sue them. And you good
Samaritans are afraid to stop along the highway for -- afraid if
you move the person, then this -- "oh, you did that wrong," and
they'll slap a lawsuit on you. We've got to end and cap these
crazy lawsuits. (Applause.)
Governor Clinton will not do that, because the trial
lawyers are his biggest supporters. And the lead trial lawyer in
Arkansas sent around a letter: Elect our man and then we won't
have anything to worry about about changing the lawsuits.
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- 4 -
We've got to help the American people the
doctors, the medical practitioners -- by reducing the fear of
nutty lawsuits. (Applause.)
And speaking of health care, we've got an enormous
difference on that. Governor Clinton, typical of the way the
liberal Democrats work -- he wants to set up a board to kind of
set the controls and prices. you can't do that. The Bush plan
is good. Provide insurance through vouchers to the poorest of
the poor, pool the insurance, provide tax credit to the next
people -- the most overtaxed end of the tax scale on the working
man and women in this country -- pool the insurance, control
malpractice, streamline the efficiency, and get the cost down
through this pooling, but keep the government from rationing
health care. (Applause.)
My daughter-in-law, Margaret, is a teacher. God
bless the teachers, because they are out there trying to restore
some values to these kids. (Applause.) And we have a good
program in education. We have a good program. It bypasses the
NEA that tells the teachers how to think and supports the
bureaucracy. We have 1,700 communities participating in this
program. And we have a rather old-fashioned idea. We think that
the parents should have the right to choose public, private, or
religious schools and give them a chance to do that.
(Applause)
And we have a positive record. One out of two
college students has financial aid. We've increased the Pell
grants. We ve increased dramatically Head Start spending. We've
got & good educatio program, but it puts our confidence with the
teachers and with the local community, and not with that
educational bureaucracy that's sopping up the money and not
letting it get to the classroom. (Applause.)
I have a big difference with the Governor on crime,
because I have an old Eashioned idea. We ought to have a little
more sympathy for the victims of crime and a little less for the
criminal. (Applause.) Governor Clinton wants to put -- Governor
Clinton quiet you guys (laughter) -- Governor Clinton
wants to put Mario CUOMO on the Supreme Court. HOW do you like
that?
AUDIENCE: Booooooo.
THE PRESIDENT: And I want to back up -- and I
instead want to back up those police officers that lay their
lives on the line for you and for me and for our neighborhoods
every day of their lives. (Applause.) Let's pass the Bush plan
the tough anti crime, pro-law enforcement, and let's help --
pass that legislation and let's help our communities. It just
isn t right for- a mother afraid to send her kid down to the
corner store for fear of some criminal in the neighborhood. We
have got to win the fight on drugs. We've got to win the fight
on neighborhood crime We ve got to back our police officers
with strong legislation, and we've got to restore the family
values that teach these children right from wrong. (Applause.)
You know, I see all these signs about trust. And
let the tell you, I do have a big difference with Governor
Clinton. It was expressed by him. It was expressed by him in
one of the debates where he said -- he put it this way: He said
it ign the character of the President, he said, it is the
character of the presidency. And my view is this: When you're
in that White House and when you are the President of the United
States the character of the President shapes and is interlocked
with (Applange the character of the presidency: you can't separate them.
And my argument with him is you cannot be on all
sides of every issue You cannot flip flop. you cannot turn the
White House Into the Waffl House (Applause:) He'll go to the
MORE
I
unions in Arkansas he is for it. In one point he's for term limits
here in Toledo and say he's against right to work, and yet and
then ne says "oh, no" -- when he gets into the hands of the
congressmen that he wants to work with, he says, "Oh, no. I am
against it." He is on the North American Free Trade Agreement --
heard it in the debate. He said, well -- first he had some
you reservations, then he is for it, then he goes to the labor union
leaders -- not the rank and file. He finds out he's against it.
Then he's for it. And then at the debate you heard him -- "well,
I am for it, but --" He does -- you can't have a lot of buts in
the White House, believe me. (Applause.)
But the biggest difference -- (applause) -- the
biggest difference -- I think the clearest difference in this
race will be the responsibility a President has as Commander-in-
Chief of the armed forces. The biggest difference I had with him
was on the war. I had to organize an international coalition, I
had to bring along a reluctant Democratic Congress. I had to
make a very tough decision.
And I mentioned this the other night. Barbara and I
sat up there at Camp David on a Sunday before we knew the war was
going to start -- we'd given the orders to Colin Powell, who
passed them on to Norm Schwartzkopf. And, believe me, it isn't
-- it isn't any fun to have a decision like that on your hands,
because you have to send someone else's son or someone else's
daughter maybe to die for their country. But I did what I felt
was right. I made the proper decision. we kicked this saddam
Hussein out of Kuwait. (Applause.) We restored the leadership
-- (applause.) We restored the U.S. position as the only
credible, trusted leader in the whole world.
And where was Bill? Let me tell you. He said --
here's what he said at the time of the war -- he said, I was with
-- I've got to paraphrase and try to be. accurate on it. I wrote
it down, but I don't think -- here it is. "I agreed with the
minority, but I guess I would have voted with the majority."
What kind of decisive commander-in-chief would that be?
AUDIENCE: BOOOO --
THE PRESIDENT: Somebody asked me about some of the
unions being -- protesting here. Let me appeal to those union
members and say this. Let me say this. I know of your
patriotism. I know of your love for country. I know that many
of you served in the armed forces. And, yes, I do have a
difference with some -- maybe with some here today. But I found
it appalling that when our country was at war in Vietnam and
Americans were held hostage and prisoner, that Bill Clinton said,
I went to England to organize demonstrations against the United
States. I don't believe that is right. Protest in front of the
White House, but when you're abroad stand up for the United
States. (Applause.)
It does make a difference. And character and trust
matter. And I have tried to uphold the public trust in the White
House. And let me say this. I've had a wonderful person at my
side, but you see, I think -- and I know Margaret agrees -- we
wouldn't dare disagree. I think we've got. the best First Lady we
possibly could have in Barbara Bush. (Applause.)
And you know, we have been privileged, we have been
very privileged to serve this country, and have tried to uphold
the public trust. And people know this -- we're lucky. We've
got 12 grandkids, we've got five kids all happily married now,
and we've got a lot going for us in terms of family. Got a lot
going for us in terms of faith. We've got a lot going for us in
terms of friends.
And people say, well, why do you -- you know, this
hasn't been a particularly pleasant year. You know, you've taken
your fair share of shots from the media and from the Clinton-
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outfit. Why do you need this? You've got a lot of things
Gore going for you. Let me tell you why. Bruce touched on part of
it. we have changed the world. The kids today go to bed at
night without the same fear of nuclear war.
But the job is unfinished. We've got to lift these
kids up through better education. We've got to tell them that
America is not in decline, that we are on the move. I want to
finish the job. I ask for your support. I ask for your trust.
We are going to win this election. And may God bless the United
States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
10:48 A.M. EST