Wesley K. Clark
Remarks On No Child Left Behind
Lebanon, TN
February 5, 2004

As prepared for delivery

Thank you for that kind introduction. And thank you, Rob, for being here.

Rob Hosier and I were on the swim team together, and now he teaches high school.

It's wonderful to be here this morning in Lebanon. You know, I went to high school here for a year when I was growing up, and being here brings back a lot of good memories.

Yesterday, we spent the day traveling around the state of Tennessee. We started the morning with pancakes at a diner in Memphis, and ended the day talking to college students in Knoxville at Tennessee State. And everywhere I went, one thing was clear: the American people don't want another four years of George W. Bush.

And they don't want another four years of politics as usual.

The American people don't want another Washington insider, who never plays it straight. They don't want a follower who makes decisions by sticking his thumb in the wind.

They want a real leader, not another conventional politician. They want someone who will stand up for them, not look out for themselves.

The bottom line: they want a higher standard of leadership. They want a leader who will stand up to President Bush and stand up for America's families. Someone who will stand up for the 8 million Americans out of work. Someone who will stand up to runaway deficits. Someone who will stand up for the 44 million Americans without health care.

That's why I'm running for president. I'm part of the solution, not part of the problem. I'm not just another insider. I spent my life in the military, acting and doing - not in the halls of Congress talking and debating.

I am not a career politician. I decided to run for the presidency because I was concerned about the direction of our country. I felt that George W. Bush and the politicians in Washington had not stood up for the interests of the American people - but for the special interests and their own political interests.

I am the underdog in this race. But I've been lucky to receive the support of ordinary people across America. And I'll tell you what: I will call it like I see it and let the chips fall where they may. I will never forget where I come from and who I am fighting for.

I'm not a politician. I want to change how Washington, DC works.

One of my opponents, Senator John Kerry, recently said that we need someone with Washington experience in the White House - as if only insiders understand how things work in Washington.

Maybe the Senator is right. Maybe I don't agree with the ways of Washington insiders. I believe the White House still belongs to the American people -- not to special interest groups and slick deal cutters in smoke-filled rooms.

I don't believe Washington politicians should say one thing and then do another. This is politics as usual - and not the type of leadership we need to stand up to George W. Bush and the Republicans in Congress

Senator John Kerry and Senator John Edwards are good men, and I've enjoyed getting to know them. Their hearts are in the right place. But they are Washington, DC insiders.

They've spent months on the campaign trail criticizing George W. Bush and his reckless policies, when, in the 107th Congress, both men voted with the President almost 70 percent of the time.

Now, I'm no politician, but that doesn't seem to add up.

I don't believe you can have it both ways. I don't think you can stand with Bush one day and than against him once you decide to run for president.

You can't support someone when it's convenient and then distance yourself when it's to your benefit. That's exactly the kind of Washington politics as usual that we need to change.

This morning, I want to talk about one example of that hypocrisy. One example of how my opponents supported the President's agenda when it was the popular thing to do, but have now reversed their position because they're running for office. That's the No Child Left Behind Act.

The No Child Left Behind Act has been just that - an act. It's nothing but an unfunded mandate that sets standards for our schools, but doesn't provide the funding they need to meet them. Instead, it traps our schools in an endless cycle of testing and punishment, and our children pay the price. Listening to Rob makes that point even clearer.

Just look at what's happening right here in Tennessee.

Next year, this state is going to receive $114 million less than it needs to meet the standards in No Child Left Behind. As a result, more than 120,000 children won't have smaller classes. More than 15,000 won't have pre-school. More than 15,000 teachers won't be certified. And altogether, nearly half the schools in this state could face sanctions for failing to meet the Act. The No Child Left Behind Act has done nothing but leave America's children behind.

Yet, two years ago, both Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards voted for the legislation. In fact, after he voted for it, John Kerry said the bill was "welcome news to reformers." Edwards hailed the legislation, claiming it "maintains states' commitment to high achievement for all students."

Two years later, Kerry has conveniently changed his tune. Now, his campaign is criticizing President Bush for failing on education and for signing the No Child Left Behind Act, saying, "George Bush has undermined public education and left millions of children behind."

Following suit, John Edwards said of the bill he had voted for, "We're going to stop the damage being done by No Child Left Behind every day in our public schools."

"Stop the damage"? "Undermined public education"? Those are pretty strong statements coming from two Senators who voted for the President's legislation.

When I'm President, I will bring real leadership back to Washington. A higher standard of leadership. One that always put the nation's interests above the special interests. One that holds its leaders accountable, and champions open, honest government. Leadership that will always put the future of our children first.

As President, we'll put our children at the top of the list, not at the bottom where they've been stuck under George W. Bush. Our children's education is simply too important. That's why we're going to fully fund No Child Left Behind. But first, we're going to fix it, so that it helps, not hurts our public schools.

We'll do that by tearing up the current testing rules. And we'll replace them with a new accountability system that's focused on helping children learn, not punishing them - a system that measures our schools and our children by more than just test results. Finally, we'll make real investments in hiring, training and retaining our teachers. Because teachers like Rob are the most important leaders in America, and it's high time we started treating them that way.

So that's what I'll do as President. No games. No politics. No double talk.

Because I believe leaders should say what they're going to do, and then stick by it. And that's exactly what I'll do.

Thank you, and I'll be glad to take your questions.