President Andrew Shepherd addresses to the Press about Senator Bob Rumson and the Crime Bill

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For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson has suggested that being President of this country was, to a certain extent, about character. And although I've not been willing to engage in his attacks on me, I've been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation being President of this country is entirely about character.

For the record, yes, I am a card carrying member of the ACLU, but the more important question is "Why aren't you, Bob?" Now this is an organization whose sole purpose is to defend the Bill of Rights, so it naturally begs the question, why would a senator, his party's most powerful spokesman and a candidate for President, choose to reject upholding the constitution? Now if you can answer that question, folks, then you're smarter that I am, because I didn't understand it until a few hours ago.

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.  

I've known Bob Rumson for years. And I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well I was wrong. Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it!

We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle age, middle class, middle income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family, and American values and character, and you wave an old photo of the President's girlfriend and you scream about patriotism ... you tell them she's to blame for their lot in life. And you go on television and you call her a whore.

Sydney Ellen Wade has done nothing to you, Bob. She has done nothing but put herself through school, represent the interests of public school teachers, and lobby for the safety of our natural resources. You want a character debate, Bob? You better stick with me, 'cause Sydney Ellen Wade is way out of your league.

I've loved two women in my life. I lost one to cancer. And I lost the other 'cause I was so busy keeping my job, I forgot to do my job. Well, that ends right now.

Tomorrow morning the White House is sending a bill to Congress for its consideration. It's White House Resolution 455, an energy bill requiring a twenty percent reduction of the emission of fossil fuels over the next ten years. It is by far the most aggressive stride ever taken in the fight to reverse the effects of global warming. The other piece of legislation is the crime bill. As of today, it no longer exists. I'm throwing it out. I'm throwing it out and writing a law that makes sense. You cannot address crime prevention without getting rid of assault weapons and hand guns. I consider them a threat to national security, and I will go door to door if I have to, but I'm gonna convince Americans that I'm right, and I'm gonna get the guns.

We've got serious problems, and we need serious people. And if you want to talk about character, Bob, you'd better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I'll show up. This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up.

My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I AM the President.

GLOSSARY:
last couple of months: last two months (los últimos dos meses); to a certain extent: to a certain degree (hasta cierto punto); character: reputation (fama, reputación); without hesitation: without any doubt (sin duda alguna); for the record: the sum of recognized accomplishments (lista de logros alcanzados); ACLU = American Civil Liberties Union; sole: exclusive, being the only one (único); Bill of Rights: a statement of fundamental rights and privileges in the US Constitution (Declaración de Derechos); begs the question: calls for the question (cabe la pregunta); spokesman: representative (vocero); to reject upholding: to refuse to  maintain in unaltered condition (rehusarse a no modificar); folks: people (gente); smarter: brighter, more resourceful (más sagaces); gotta: (informal) got to (tenido que); 'cause: (informal) because (porque); gonna: (informal) going to (va a); put up a fight: start a big problem (iniciar un gran problema); make your blood boil: make you really angry (te hacen hervir la sangre); advocating: arguing in favor of (argumentando); at the top of his lungs: shouting and screaming (a gritos, con toda la fuerza de sus pulmones); shouting at the rain: shouting in vain (vociferando en vano); to blame for: to accuse of (echar la culpa, acusar); gather: get together (juntan, reúnen); middle income voters: electors earning medium salaries (votantes o electores de medianos ingresos); remember with longing: desire (añoran); lot in life: life conditions (situación de vida); whore: prostitute (prostituta); to lobby: to detain in conversation for political or economic favors (presionar para obtener favores); league: association (grupo de asociados); I Iost one to cancer = one of my wives died of cancer; bill: statute (estatuto); fossil fuels: fuels consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in rocks with high carbon and hydrogen content (combustibles); by far: by a considerable margin (con mucho, de lejos); throwing it out: throwing it away (eliminándola); getting rid of: throwing away (eliminando, sacándose de encima); assault weapons: instruments used in fighting or hunting (armas de asalto); threat: menace, danger (amenaza, peligro); you'd better come at me = it should be better if you came to me (sería mejor que vinieses a mí); I'll show up = I'll be there (allí estaré); are up = are finished (se terminaron).