President Bush spoke at the Republican National Convention in New York on September 2, 2004, after accepting the nomination. ” ‘I will never relent in defending America–whatever it takes,’ he said. He defended his decision to invade Iraq by recalling that [Democratic presidential nominee John] Kerry supported it too, and he linked it to the attack on the city playing host to the convention. ‘Do I forget the lessons of September the 11th and take the word of a madman?’ he asked, referring to Saddam Hussein. ‘Or do I take action to defend our country? Faced with that choice, I will defend America every time.’ ”
– Peter Baker, Days of Fire, Page 341