A day in the life of President Bush (12/5/05): photos

Yesterday evening the President and his wife along with the Vice President and his wife attended a Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts prior to the gala a reception for those honoured at this gala was held at the White House.

The annual children's holiday reception and performance was held in the East Room of the White House today, the President and the first lady attended the performance.

Today the President visited John Deere-Hitachi factory in NC and gave a speech on the economy and Tax Relief he also talked about pensions and social security

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice read a prepared statement to reporters before flying to Europe, she arrived in Germany this evening.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gave a speech on 'The Future of Iraq' at John Hopkins, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington and also met Philippine Secretary of the National Defense Avelino Cruz at the Pentagon

QUOTE OF THE DAY

President Discuses Economy and Tax Relief in North Carolina
John Deere-Hitachi Construction Machinery Corporation
Kernersville, North Carolina

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for having me. Thanks for letting me come by to John Deere-Hitachi. I'm here to talk about our economy. No better place to talk about our economy in a place where people are working hard and where they're productive, where they're making a product people want. The economy of the United States is strong, and I'm here -- how we're going to work together to keep it stronger.

First, I want to thank the workers of this facility for letting me come by to interrupt your work day. (Applause.) I'll try to keep my comments brief, so you can get back to work. (Laughter.) I appreciate the job you're doing. This is a remarkable facility -- a facility of high technology, of good management and great, skilled workers.

I appreciate being back in the state of North Carolina. I was somewhat disappointed to learn that North Carolina is the best place to do business in the United States -- I thought that might have been Texas. (Laughter.)

But there's a lot of work that needs to be done. In the long-term, the most significant deficits will occur as baby boomers retire, and more people receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. There's unfunded liabilities in our Social Security and Medicare systems. That means that there's a lot of baby boomers retiring who have been promised more benefits with fewer people paying into the system. That's what that means. And unless we do something about it, these unfunded liabilities, we're going to put a great burden on our children and our grandchildren.

Reform of Social Security and Medicare is an important issue for the American people. And I've been talking about it, and I'm going to keep talking about it, because I strongly believe the United States Congress has an obligation to do something about it. (Applause.) My attitude is, when you get elected to office in Washington, D.C., you have an obligation to confront problems, not pass them on to future generations and future Congresses. (Applause.)

You know, throughout the last century, we often heard pessimists telling us that our best days are behind us, and that the future belongs to others. Our grandparents heard the pessimists in the 1930s and 1940s say that the future belonged to the central planners. Our parents heard the pessimists again in the 1950s, when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite. Some of us remember hearing the pessimists in the 1970s and 1980s, when we were told that America was tired and could no longer compete with Japan. At that moment, Ronald Reagan's tax cuts were just beginning to kick in, and that set off one of the largest economic expansions in history. One newspaper editorialized about "the stench of failure" during that period of time.

You know, the great thing about our history when you look at it is the American people have always proved the pessimists wrong. At the start of a hopeful new century, the American worker is the most productive worker that human history has ever known. (Applause.) At the start of this new century, we have proven that pro-growth economic policies out of Washington, D.C., do work, and can overcome some mighty obstacles. At the start of the century, we recommit ourselves to the notion that the more free people are, the better off your economy will be. (Applause.)

This great country of ours is a place where people can start out with nothing -- and be able to raise a family, and own a home, or start a business. Through all my travels around the world, I'm always struck by how bright the future of America is. Our job in Washington is to keep that future bright and hopeful by making choices that reward hard work and enterprise. This economy is strong, and the best days are yet to come for the American economy. (Applause.)

I'm honored you let me come by. I'm always glad to come back to North Carolina. And I'm particularly pleased to be with the good, fine folks right here at the Deere-Hitachi plant. May God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless our country. (Applause.)

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

President George W. Bush addresses his remarks on the economy and tax relief to an audience in Kernersville, N.C., following a tour of the John Deere-Hitachi excavator assembly line, Monday, Dec. 5, 2005.

Kennedy Center Honors Gala on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005, in Washington. Artists from around the world were join President Bush and Laura Bush and the Vice President Cheney and Lynne Cheney in an evening ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, honoring performer Tina Turner, 66, actor Robert Redford, 68, crooner Tony Bennett, 79, former ballerina Suzanne Farrell, 60, and actress Julie Harris, 80. Before the event there was a reception at the White House

President George W. Bush (C) and first lady Laura Bush (3rd R) pose with the Kennedy Center honorees, actress Julie Harris, actor Robert Redford, singer Tina Turner, ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell and singer Tony Bennett (L to R), during a reception in the Blue Room at the White House December 4, 2005

President Bush, right, congratulates performer Tina Turner during a reception for the Kennedy Center honorees in the East Room of the White House Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005. Other honorees are, from left, singer Tony Bennett, dancer Suzanne Farrell, actress Julie Harris, actor Robert Redford and singer Tina Turner

President George W. Bush (R) and first lady Laura Bush (2nd R) are applauded by veteran actor Robert Redford (L) and singer Tina Turner as they arrive for the Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington December 4, 2005.

President George W. Bush waves alongside first lady Laura Bush (L), Vice President Dick Cheney (2nd R) and his wife Lynne as they arrive for the Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington December 4, 2005

A question here for all you fashion officialardoes, what other occasion has Lynne Cheney worn this outfit?

President Bush, right, and first lady Laura Bush, second from right, stand with actor Robert Redford, left, and singer Tina Turner, second from left, during the national anthem before the start of the Kennedy Center Honors Gala on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005 in Washington. Members of the 28th annual class of Kennedy Center honorees are being singled out for their contributions to the arts and culture.

President George W. Bush (front row 7th L) and first lady Laura Bush (front row 6th L) gather with other dignitaries for the Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington December 4, 2005.

President George W. Bush (3rd R) and first lady Laura Bush (3rd L) gather with veteran actor Robert Redford (L), singer Tina Turner (2nd L), Vice President Dick Cheney (2nd R) and Lynne Cheney during the Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington December 4, 2005.

First lady Laura Bush introduces President Bush as they take part, Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, in a children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House.

President George W. Bush introduces first lady Laura Bush to speak at the White House's annual children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House in Washington December 5, 2005

President Bush sits with local school children and watches members of the Washington Ballet, not shown, perform Monday, Dec. 5, 2005,

President George W. Bush (L)and first lady Laura Bush (R) gather with children of military families and local school kids during their annual children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House in Washington, December 5, 2005.

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, at right, sit and watch, Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, performers from the American Ballet Theater during a children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House.

Ballet dancers perform at the annual children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House in Washington December 5, 2005.

Ballet dancers perform in front of a Christmas tree and a portrait of former U.S. President George Washington during the annual children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House in Washington December 5, 2005

President Bush, right, talks with members of the American Ballet Theater, Monday, Dec. 5, 2005

President George W. Bush gathers with a Ballerina following the annual children's holiday reception and performance in the East Room of the White House in Washington December 5, 2005.

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