Remarks by the Vice President in a Post-Debate Rally in Cleveland, Ohio

Gray's Armory
Cleveland, Ohio

11:10 P.M. EDT

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I accept. (Applause.) Well, this is a very special night, and we really appreciate all of you being here this evening. These debates are always interesting. You spend a great deal of time thinking about them and getting ready for them. And -- (applause.) But it is a vitally important part of the process.

The important thing, of course, is that four weeks from tonight, we will select the next President of the United States. (Applause.) And it really has been an enormous privilege for me to serve this President. He's done a superb job for all of us. (Applause.)

When I think back over the last four years, the challenges he's met and the problems we've had to deal with -- everything from 9/11, on forward this way -- America is safer and more secure tonight because George Bush was President of the United States. (Applause.)

Now, we all know how close the last election was. We're going to try to do a little better this time. (Applause.) And I'm convinced we will. (Applause.) I know the signs are good here in Ohio, and I'm told they're even good in Massachusetts. (Applause.) There was a news report the other day about a group of people leaving the Democratic convention who stopped and asked a Boston policeman for directions. He said, "Leave here and go vote Republican." (Applause.)

But Ohio is going to be absolutely key to this election. You've got a crucial role to play. It's absolutely essential we get everybody out on November 2nd -- friends, neighbors, everybody else. And given the closeness of the last election, don't ever let anybody tell you that individual effort doesn't matter. Every phone call, every time you ring a doorbell, every dollar that is contributed, every hour of volunteer time is absolutely crucial to making this a success. (Applause.)

Now, I believe this is one of the most important elections in our history because of the choice we're going to make about who the Commander-in-Chief will be for the next four years. And I'm absolutely convinced that when the votes are counted, George W. Bush will be our President. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Not on your life. (Laughter.) By the way, there's one other thing I need to clarify. Lynne has known me since I was 14, but she wouldn't go out with me until I was 17. (Laughter.) I'll bet tonight she's glad she did. (Laughter.) But, again, we want to thank all of you for being here. You're doing a fantastic job in a very, very important state. And --

AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Who said that? (Laughter.) All right! (Laughter.) I got to get out of here, I'm going to get in trouble. Thank you all very much for being here. (Applause.)

END 11:15 P.M. EDT