Bush nominated at party gala

NEW YORK -- To a standing ovation, President George W. Bush entered Madison Square Garden Thursday night to accept the his party's nomination for the presidency of the United States.\nStanding on the newly reconstructed stage bearing the presidential seal, Bush gazed into the crowd as they peppered the president with cheers and applause. \nThe lull was only for an instant as Bush formally took the invitation of the Republican Party to be its candidate for president.\n"Mr. Chairman, delegates, fellow citizens: I am honored by your support, and I accept your nomination for President of the United States," Bush said.\nAfter the clapping subsided, Bush announced the next two months will be run on a compassionate conservative philosophy, and throughout his speech, Bush laid out his plan for the next year and pronounced himself as a leader.\nBush was introduced by New York Gov. George Pataki. In his 10th year at the helm, Pataki told the group that despite the fact that they hear it every year, this year's election really "is the most important election of our lifetime."\nThe speech began with a look at the president's first term, highlighting what he called the "largest tax relief in a generation." Federal education reform and his bipartisan effort to increase Medicare were also topics of his first term.\nBush said his campaign is based on one "clear and positive plan to build a safer and a more hopeful America."\nAmerica's youth was on the president's mind Thursday night.\nBush said high schools will begin to stress math and science more. In order to combat the increase of college tuition, the president has increased Pell Grants for low- and middle-income families. The president also said he will increase funding to community colleges. \nBut the young students of this country will not be left behind, Bush said. He also spoke to America's youth, saying, "No matter what your circumstances, no matter where you live, your school will be the path to the promise of America."\nAs the baby boomers age and the social security funds decrease, Bush said it is important to toughen the government program.\n"We must strengthen social security by allowing younger workers to save some of their taxes in a personal account, a nest egg you can call your own and government can never take away," he said.\nWith the unemployment rate rising, Bush said he will keep energy domestic, allowing more Americans to enter the work force. \n"To create jobs, we will make our country less dependent on foreign sources of energy," he said. "To create jobs, we will expand trade and level the playing field."\nWith more jobs comes more homeowners.\nBush said a priority for a new term will be "to build an ownership society, because ownership bring security and dignity and independence."\nThe president also pledged to bring Democrats and Republicans together across the aisle to correct the federal tax code, which he called a complicated mess.\nFor those who can't afford medical expenses, Bush said the country needs to pass medical liability reform. \n"We will make sure health decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.," he said. \nBush also said he supports welfare reform, which would strengthen family and "require work."\nBush also touched on the issue of gay marriage in his speech, telling the crowd he supports the protection of marriage against activist judges.\nThe president declared America is safer because of the efforts the U.S. put in to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Iraq during his administration.\nBut Bush admitted Iraq was the toughest decision in diplomacy. \n"Do I forget the lessons of Sept. 11 and take the word of a madman, or do I take action to defend our country?" Bush asked the crowd. "Faced with that choice, I will defend America every time."\nBush told the soldiers overseas that they are "involved in a struggle of historic proportion."\nTelling the crowd that the Middle East will be centered around a democracy, he called suicide bombers in the Middle East hopeless, purposeless and undignified.\n -- Contact senior writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.