BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: For our viewers, back out to California now, southern California with the vice president. Dick Cheney has just taken the podium there at the Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, California. Here's Dick Cheney.</s>DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When we return to the White House next week, I will tell him about visiting the Marines at Miramar, and I'll reconfirm the famous assessment of General Douglas MacArthur: "There is no finer fighting organization in the world."</s>HEMMER: Vice President Cheney there, first stop of a four-day swing through the state of California, starting in the south there near San Diego, the Miramar Marine Air Station there. We're going to leave that, a bit of a technical difficultly out there in San Diego.</s>HEMMER: Our signal has been fixed. It is much clearer now. Back to the vice president again at Miramar talking with Marines there.</s>CHENEY: Our nation has the strength and the patience required for long struggle. We have faithful friends and allies and we have you, the people of our military. I can assure you on behalf of the president and all Americans, this nation is proud of you, we're grateful for your service and confident of the victories to come. Thank you very much.</s>HEMMER: I guess if timing is everything, we don't have very good timing today. The vice president wrapping things up there again with the Marines there at Miramar. Earlier, you heard the vice president talk about, and quoting his words now, "We did not seek this war, but it found us prepared." The first of a four-day trip throughout the Golden State for the vice president and his wife, Lynne.
Vice President Dick Cheney Addresses U.S. Marines