WESTERN PETROLEUM MARKETERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION
MGM GRAND HOTEL, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, FEBRUARY 27, 2002

I asked Terry what to speak about and he said to speak about 30 minutes, then take some questions and get out of here.

The backbone of our country is small business. What makes our country really tick are the people who take risks, hire people, and make businesses run.

I wish more people in the United States Congress would have had at least some experience in working a few days and meeting payroll.

The energy industry continues to play a vitally fundamental role in fueling growth here in the U.S. and around the world.

I would like to see ANWAR opened. It can be done in a way to protect the environment.

It's the same arguments that were used many years ago from people who didn't want to open Prudhoe Bay.

Of course, we want to preserve, of course we want to conserve, of course we want to protect the environment, of course we want alternative fuels. But for those who say windmills can do it — they just can't do it.

I'm not here to give you advice about how to run your business. Why would you want advice from a former CEO of a company that has lost money for 32 of the last 33 years?

I think tools for recovery are there. We have historically low interest rates, inventories are pretty low now, and confidence is coming back. I think we can see robust GNP growth by the end of the year.

I wasn't good enough. I wasn't good enough — as Ronald Reagan — to cut through the political rhetoric.

We handed President Clinton an economy that was robust and growing.

The Clinton campaign worked me over saying 'It's the economy, stupid.' I wanted to say, 'No kidding, Sherlock.'

If I had won the '92 election, our second son wouldn't be governor of Florida. And if I had won, we wouldn't have this President of the United States. In losing, I'm the happiest father in the world.

I am 77 years old. I want to live long enough to see this hemisphere, our hemisphere protected by peaceful borders. I want to see a free market, free and fair trade, and a totally democratic hemisphere. I honestly believe this will happen. I honestly believe Cuba, the last holdout of Marxism, will give way to the free economy. I honestly believe this will happen and I believe it will happen in my lifetime.

What's it like to have your son as President of the United States of America? Exactly like family. We feel proud to be able to serve. We feel honored. You mothers and dads know the feeling, when your kid hits a triple in Little League or your daughter comes home with all 'A's. It's exactly the same feeling.

I try to treat our son with respect. It's another story with Barbara Bush. She doesn't exactly cut the President much slack.

The President is occupied, of course, by problems no President has faced since FDR in World War II. It's much greater than anything I faced because it was at home. They hit at home.

He is buoyed by his faith and strengthened by his family.

One of the things were are blessed with is the fact our kids and grandkids know someone loves them and comes and will be there if times get rough.

There is no definition of a successful life that does not include service to others.

I love Ronald Reagan. I loved serving with him. I learned so much serving with him. I learned a lot about dealing with people.

Our biggest challenge is a solid victory over terrorism.

An active interest in politics is very important, especially for small business. Support the association and support political officials who have ideas you agree with.

We are blessed to have Canada as a neighbor. We should never take for granted peaceful borders. We have differences in trade but we have common interests, too.