Remarks in Houston, Texas

All right, here we go. Thank you very much. Thank you.

CROWD: Bob Dole! Bob Dole!

DOLE: Thank you. Thank you very much. Let me say that we've been on an around-the-clock schedule now for about 75 hours. I may not keep my voice, but I'll keep my word. I'll keep my word.

[applause]

And I'm proud to be with the Bush's who brought integrity to the White House, and we miss it. We miss it. We miss it.

[applause]

We've been in 14 states during this marathon.

And we have three more to go, and we'll end up in Independence, Missouri. You may remember President Truman, they used to ask President Truman to give them hell, Harry. And he said, I'm not giving them hell, I just tell the truth and they think it's hell. And that's what's going to happen.

[applause]

Our message is very simple. First of all, I trust the people. President Clinton doesn't trust the people, he trusts the government.

Secondly, that 15 percent is across-the-board, coupled with a $500-per-child tax credit and a lot of those up here, little $500 credits running all over the place.

[laughter]

And then to stimulate more jobs and more activity in the private sector, we're going to cut the capital gains rate in half, 50 percent.

[applause]

And that is just phase one. Phase two is to have a flatter, fairer, simpler tax and end the IRS as we know it.

[applause]

And as President Bush says, it's really about your children. It's about the future. The future's always about the children and the grandchildren.

It's also, as President Bush said about duty and about honor, about country, about integrity, about honesty. And if you see what's happening in this White House now, you wouldn't believe it.

You couldn't write a novel to say all these things would take place in the Clinton White House. But they have. And every day there's something new.

Today is something new. But I'll tell you one thing, that I will not violate the public trust when I'm president of the United States of America.

[applause]

These are values we learned as children. These are values we try to instill in our children. And I believe they're important.

I have never known such arrogance in the White House, and I've been there a while, as I witness almost on a daily basis with the Clinton White House.

DOLE: They don't — they say — well, we play by the rules. They don't have any rules.

[laughter]

They make up their own rules. They play only by their rules.

And I would say to Republicans or Democrats or independents or members of the Reform Party, if you're concerned about America, you'd better be concerned about what happens tomorrow in the election all across America.

[applause]

And if you're looking for someone...

CROWD: Bob Dole! Bob Dole! Bob Dole!

DOLE: Thank you.

If you want a president who knows something about service and something about sacrifice, I'll be your choice. And I'll be proud to...

[applause]

... be your president.

[applause]

And if you want a president who can work with Congress and work with the governors — Governor Bush and other governors across America — I know how to do that.

And what I want to do is dust off the Tenth Amendment, which is only 28 words in length. It's about the size of my stories in the New York Times on a daily basis, but...

[applause]

And what is says is this: unless the Constitution gives the power to the federal government or denies it to the states, it belongs to the states and to the people.

[applause]

And to the people.

[applause]

And in a Dole-Kemp administration, we will return power to the governors, power to the people.

Our Founding Fathers were concerned about an all-powerful central government that would be so strong and so powerful, it could literally confiscate your property either through taxation or takings or whatever.

We believe it's time to go back to the Bill of Rights, Article X, and give power back to the states and back to the people, as I said.

[applause]

And finally, I would say this — I want you to be proud of your vote.

I remember — I remember how proud I was to vote for Dwight Eisenhower. I've been proud of it then — I've been proud of it ever since. I was proud of it then.

I want you to be proud and your children to be proud, because this is an important election.

When I stood the other day with President Bush and President Ford, I knew what integrity was all about. All you had to do was look at...

[applause]

... President Bush or President Ford.

[applause]

America — America deserves better, and I believe, in all my heart, that you are the pundits and you are the polls. You're going to decide this election.

[applause]

You're going to decide this election.

[applause]

Right here in Texas.

[applause]

So if you'll go to work, we have about 21 hours left before noon tomorrow, when I'll cast my vote in one of the great metropolitan areas of America — Russell, Kansas.

[applause]

And then we'll go back to Washington, D.C. and wait for the victory.

But I'll tell you this, we've had a great campaign. It's going to be up to you. I'm very proud of my daughter Robin who's been with us, and I'm very proud of Elizabeth...

[applause]

... who's been with us.

[applause]

Elizabeth will be a great first lady.

Barbara Bush was a great first lady.

[applause]

So let's give America back to the people, back to the people right here.

[applause]

Let's do what we should do for our children when it comes to crime, when it comes to drugs, and we will do it in a Dole-Kemp administration.

So I ask you — go to work. Give us your vote. Give us your support. Check with your neighbors. If they're us, take them to the polls.

Otherwise, tell them the election's been postponed.

[laughter]

But we are going to win. I appreciate the fact that I know now in advance that Texas will be Dole-Kemp country Tuesday evening.

[applause]

Thank you very much.

Thank you.