President Bush says the United States is still in danger, but he vows that Americans will never be hostages to fear. Mr. Bush says the government is doing everything possible to protect the nation from further terrorist attacks.
The president said terrorists want to cripple America by wounding its spirit. He added they will fail. "Our nation is still in danger," he stressed. "But the government is doing everything in our power to protect our citizenry. We need each other more than ever. And we are responding as quickly and as forcefully as we can."
He spoke just hours after health authorities confirmed a fourth case of anthrax exposure in the United States, this one in New York. The president tried to calm a jittery public. "We have got teams on the ground," he said. "The CDC - the Centers for Disease Control - and the FBI, working closely with local agencies to respond quickly."
Mr. Bush urged Americans to go about their daily lives. He said if they give in to fear, the terrorists win. "We cannot let the terrorists lock our country down. We can't let terrorists - a few evil doers - hold us hostage."
The president spoke at a White House ceremony honoring Hispanic Americans. He said a nation that takes pride in its ethnic, racial and religious diversity, is now more unified than ever.