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Two months before the presidential election slated to be held on November 2, US President George W. Bush said in New York Thursday night that he accepted the Republican nomination for president to run for a second term.
"I am honored by your support, and I accept your nomination for President of the United States," the incumbent president said in a keynote speech delivered to a crowd at the last day of the four-day convention, which opened Monday.
Bush also promised in the second term to build a "safer world and more hopeful America" for the US people, adding that "a presidential election is a contest for the future."
In contrast to the keynote speakers who, over the past three days, devoted their remarks mainly to the national security and attacks on the Democratic opponent, Bush gave large part of his speech to the issues such as education, Medicare and economy.
He said in the next four years if he was reelected, he would create more jobs for the Americans. "To create more jobs in America, America must be the best place in the world to do business," he said.
Under his plan, he also said his administration "will encourage investment and expansion by restraining general spending, reducing regulation, and making tax relief permanent" so as to create more jobs.
Bush said the United States will create "American opportunity zones", where the Americans will offer tax relief and other incentives to attract new business.
He promised to improve health care and strengthen social security by allowing younger workers to save some of their taxes in a personal account.
However, Bush's remarks did not mention any economic performances of his administration over the past three plus years.
On the war against terrorism, a major topic dominating the convention as well as the campaign, Bush said that "this election will also determine how America responds to the continuing danger of terrorism."
He said "the murderous regimes of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban are history," because of US action to defend the country. By exalting his achievements in winning the war on terror, Bush said the United States "must, and we will, confront threats to America before it is too late."
Bush also lashed out at his Democratic opponent, Senator John Kerry, on such issues as Medicare and education reforms, and war on Iraq.
He said that Kerry opposed Medicare reform and health savings accounts, and after supporting the education reforms, "he now wants to dilute them."
He also attacked Kerry for not supporting the US$87 billion bill he put forward for the Iraqi and Afghanistani war and reconstruction. "I proposed, and the Congress overwhelmingly passed, US$87 billion in funding needed by our troops doing battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. My opponent and his running mate voted against this money for bullets, and fuel, and vehicles, and body armor," Bush added.
(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2004)
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