First of all, you gotta know I like oceans. I didn't grow up in the ocean — as a matter of fact — near the ocean — I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing.

As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.

Some people have guessed what's in the report and have concluded that going into Iraq was a mistake. I strongly disagree. I think it's naïve. I think it's a mistake for people to believe that going on the offense against people that want to do harm to the American people makes us less safe. The terrorists fight us in Iraq for a reason. They want to try to stop a young democracy from developing, just like they're trying to fight another young democracy in Afghanistan. And they use it as a recruitment tool, because they understand the stakes. They understand what will happen to them when we defeat them in Iraq.

Governor Perdue of Georgia I thought did a — showed some leadership by saying we've got to — anticipating a problem, here's what we need to do to correct it. There's going to be some — by the way, and here's what we have done and will continue to do.

And so while there's a shortfall because of down refining capacity, we will work with — we have instructed EPA to leave the rules in place, or to suspend the rules that were in place, keep the suspension in place, which would make it easier to increase supply, and continue to get supply of gasoline here. And that's important for our consumers to know.

After all, this is a guy that tried to kill my dad at one time.

It's not a very glamorous war from the sense that the cables and all the air time can cover, but it's happening.

This is an American issue, a uniquely American issue. And it's — as I reminded the members, that — I say uniquely American issue because I truly believe that now that the war has changed, now that we're a battlefield, this man poses a much graver threat than anybody could have possibly imagined. Other countries, of course, bear the same risk.

We got the other guy the other day who thought he was going to be — wanted to be the 20th hijacker. He popped his head up, and now he's in detention. He's no longer a threat to America and our friends and allies. He's no longer around.

We're going to stay in Afghanistan to hunt down the killers — they still lurk around. They occasionally come in, and we'll find them. They kind of bunch up somewhere and they're just — they think they're allusive and they think they're clever, but they've got the mighty United States on them.

We need people up there who understand that if Congress overspends it will serve as an anchor to economic vitality and growth.

So long as we love freedom, they hate us, and they want to hurt us. That's just the facts of life, as we head into the 21st century.

The folks who conducted this act on our country on September 11th made a big mistake. They misunderestimated the fact that we love a neighbor in need. They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander-in-chief, too.

[This is] a war that declares a new declaration, that says if you harbor a terrorist you're just as guilty as the terrorist.

And in order to make sure that we're able to conduct a winning victory, we've got to have the best intelligence we can possibly have. And my report to the nation is we've got the best intelligence we can possibly have.

And I'm here to thank everybody who loves America in this building.

The people who care more about that land are the hard-working farmers and ranchers of your part of the state of Washington, D.C.