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___________________________________________________________________ 1st Term Bushisms 50. "I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here." —at the President's Economic Forum in Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002 48. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.'' —Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001 47. "We both use Colgate toothpaste." —after a reporter asked what he had in common with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Camp David, Md., Feb. 23, 2001 45. "I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2003 44. "I'm the commander — see, I don't need to explain — I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being president." —as quoted in Bob Woodward's Bush at War 43. "I am here to make an announcement that this Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly out of Ronald Reagan Airport." —Washington, D.C., Oct. 3, 2001 42. "The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorize himself." —Grand Rapids, Mich., Jan. 29, 2003 41. "I saw a poll that said the right track/wrong track in Iraq was better than here in America. It's pretty darn strong. I mean, the people see a better future." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2004 40. "Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties." —discussing the Iraq war with Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson, as quoted by Robertson 38. "Haven't we already given money to rich people? Why are we going to do it again?" —to economic advisers discussing a second round of tax cuts, as quoted by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil, Washington, D.C., Nov. 26, 2002 37.
"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption."
—Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002 34. "This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating." —as quoted by the New York Daily News, April 23, 2002 33. "I got to know Ken Lay when he was head of the — what they call the Governor's Business Council in Texas. He was a supporter of Ann Richards in my run in 1994. And she had named him the head of the Governor's Business Council. And I decided to leave him in place, just for the sake of continuity. And that's when I first got to know Ken and worked with Ken." —attempting to distance himself from his biggest political patron, Enron Chairman Ken Lay, whom he nicknamed "Kenny Boy," Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2002 32. "It is white." —after being asked by a child in Britain what the White House was like, July 19, 2001 |
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31. "I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Hanukkah." —at a White House menorah lighting ceremony, Washington, D.C., Dec. 10, 2001 30. "For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it." —Philadelphia, Penn., May 14, 2001 29. "I don't know why you're talking about Sweden. They're the neutral one. They don't have an army." —during a Dec. 2002 Oval Office meeting with Rep. Tom Lantos, as reported by the New York Times 28. "You forgot Poland." —to Sen. John Kerry during the first presidential debate, after Kerry failed to mention Poland's contributions to the Iraq war coalition, Miami, Fla., Sept. 30, 2004 27. "I'm the master of low expectations." —aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003
26. "I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things." —aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003 |
25. "I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe — I believe what I believe is right." —Rome, Italy, July 22, 2001
24. "We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates." —Washington, D.C. Oct. 4, 2001
23. "People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
22. "I wish you'd have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn't yet….I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one." —President George W. Bush, after being asked to name the biggest mistake he had made, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2004
21. "The really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway." —explaining why high taxes on the rich are a failed strategy, Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004
20. "My plan reduces the national debt, and fast. So fast, in fact, that economists worry that we're going to run out of debt to retire." —radio address, Feb. 24, 2001
19. "You know, when I was one time campaigning in Chicago, a reporter said, 'Would you ever have a deficit?' I said, 'I can't imagine it, but there would be one if we had a war, or a national emergency, or a recession.' Never did I dream we'd get the trifecta." —Houston, Texas, June 14, 2002 (There is no evidence Bush ever made any such statement, despite recounting the trifecta line repeatedly in 2002. A search by the Washington Post revealed that the three caveats were brought up before the 2000 campaign — by Al Gore.)
18. "See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction." —Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003
17. "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —State of the Union Address, Jan. 28, 2003, making a claim that administration officials knew at the time to be false
16. "In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard." —repeating the phrases "hard work," "working hard," "hard choices," and other "hard"-based verbiage 22 times in his first debate with Sen. John Kerry
15. "The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2001
14. "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." —Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002
13. "But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me." —summing up his first year in office, three months after the 9/11 attacks, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2001
12. "I try to go for longer runs, but it's tough around here at the White House on the outdoor track. It's sad that I can't run longer. It's one of the saddest things about the presidency." —interview with "Runners World," Aug. 2002
11. "Can we win? I don't think you can win it." —after being asked whether the war on terror was winnable, "Today" show interview, Aug. 30, 2004
10. "I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace." —Washington, D.C. June 18, 2002
9. "I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn't do my job." —to a group of Amish he met with privately, July 9, 2004
8. "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." —speaking underneath a "Mission Accomplished" banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, May 1, 2003
7. “We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories … And we'll find more weapons as time goes on. But for those who say we haven't found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they're wrong, we found them." —Washington, D.C., May 30, 2003
6.
"Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere!"
—President George W. Bush, joking
about his administration's failure to find WMDs in Iraq as he
narrated a comic slideshow during the Radio & TV Correspondents'
Association dinner, Washington, D.C., March 24, 2004
5.
"If this
were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as
I'm the dictator." —Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000
4. "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002 (Watch video) "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo.,
2. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our ople, and neither do we." —Washington, D.)
1. "My answer is bring them on." —on Iraqi insurgents attacking U.S. forces, Washington, D.C., July 3, 2003
~Compiled by Daniel Kurtzman
Bushisms 2005
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"I mean, there was a serious international effort to say to Saddam Hussein, you're a threat. And the 9/11 attacks extenuated that threat, as far as I-concerned." --George W. Bush, Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005
"I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome." --George W. Bush, defending Vice President Dick Cheney's pre-war assertion that the United States would be welcomed in Iraq as liberators, NBC Nightly News interview, Dec. 12, 2005
"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law." --George W. Bush, Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005
"As a matter of fact, I know relations between our governments is good." --George W. Bush, on U.S.-South Korean relations, Washington D.C., Nov. 8, 2005
"Wow! Brazil is big." --George W. Bush, after being shown a map of Brazil by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 6, 2005
"Bin Laden says his own role is to tell Muslims, quote, 'what is good for them and what is not.'" --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Oct. 6, 2005
"I think it's important to bring somebody from outside the system, the judicial system, somebody that hasn't been on the bench and, therefore, there's not a lot of opinions for people to look at." --George W. Bush, on the nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, Washington, D.C., October 4, 2005
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." --George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005
"If it were to rain a lot, there is concern from the Army Corps of Engineers that the levees might break. And so, therefore, we're cautious about encouraging people to return at this moment of history." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2005
"Listen, I want to thank leaders of the -- in the faith -- faith-based and community-based community for being here." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 6, 2005
"So please give cash money to organizations that are directly involved in helping save lives -- save the life who had been affected by Hurricane Katrina." --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Sept. 6, 2005
"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." --George W. Bush, Poplarville, Miss., Sept. 5, 2005
"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." --George W. Bush, to FEMA director Michael Brown, who resigned 10 days later amid criticism over his job performance, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005 (Listen to audio; read more stupid quotes about Hurricane Katrina)
"We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. First, we're going to save lives and stabilize the situation. And then we're going to help these communities rebuild. The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." (Laughter) --George W. Bush, touring hurricane damage, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005
"My thoughts are, we're going to get somebody who knows what they're talking about when it comes to rebuilding cities." --George W. Bush, on rebuilding New Orleans, Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 2, 2005
"Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 1, 2005
"It's totally wiped out. ... It's devastating, it's got to be doubly devastating on the ground." --George W. Bush, turning to his aides while surveying Hurricane Katrina flood damage from Air Force One , Aug. 31, 2005
"The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it." --George W. Bush, on the probe into how CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity was leaked, Washington D.C., July 18, 2005
"I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend." --George W. Bush, on visiting Denmark, Washington D.C., June 29, 2005
"I was going to say he's a piece of work, but that might not translate too well. Is that all right, if I call you a 'piece of work'?" --George W. Bush to Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2005
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"You see, not only did the attacks help accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war." --George W. Bush, on the Sept. 11 attacks, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005
"And the second way to defeat the terrorists is to spread freedom. You see, the best way to defeat a society that is -- doesn't have hope, a society where people become so angry they're willing to become suiciders, is to spread freedom, is to spread democracy." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005
"It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of -- and the allegations -- by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble -- that means not tell the truth." --George W. Bush, on an Amnesty International report on prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Washington, D.C., May 31, 2005 (Listen to audio)
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." --George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005 (Listen to audio)
"We discussed the way forward in Iraq, discussed the importance of a democracy in the greater Middle East in order to leave behind a peaceful tomorrow." --George W. Bush, Tbilisi, Georgia, May 10, 2005
"I think younger workers -- first of all, younger workers have been promised benefits the government -- promises that have been promised, benefits that we can't keep. That's just the way it is." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2005
"It means your own money would grow better than that which the government can make it grow. And that's important." --George W. Bush, on what private accounts could do for Social Security funds, Falls Church, Va., April 29, 2005
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"It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
"We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives -- like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write." --George W. Bush, on federal education requirements, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
"He understands the need for a timely write of the constitution." --George W. Bush, on Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of Iraq, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
"Well, we've made the decision to defeat the terrorists abroad so we don't have to face them here at home. And when you engage the terrorists abroad, it causes activity and action." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
"But Iraq has -- have got people there that are willing to kill, and they're hard-nosed killers. And we will work with the Iraqis to secure their future." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
"I appreciate my love for Laura." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005
"We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005
"Part of the facts is understanding we have a problem, and part of the facts is what you're going to do about it." --George W. Bush, Kirtland, Ohio, April 15, 2005
"I'm going to spend a lot of time on Social Security. I enjoy it. I enjoy taking on the issue. I guess, it's the Mother in me." --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., April 14, 2005
"We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make -- it would hope -- put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005
"I want to thank you for the importance that you've shown for education and literacy." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2005
"I understand there's a
suspicion that we--we're too security-conscience." --George W.
Bush, Washington D.C., April 14, 2005
"If they
pre-decease or die early, there's an asset base to be able to pass on
to a loved one." --George W. Bush, on Social Security money held
in private accounts, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 30, 2005
[I'm] occasionally reading, I want you to know, in the second term." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005
"In this job you've got a lot on your plate on a regular basis; you don't have much time to sit around and wander, lonely, in the Oval Office, kind of asking different portraits, 'How do you think my standing will be?'" --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005
"In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible -- whatever that means." --George W. Bush, on his time frame for shoring up Social Security, Washington D.C., March 16, 2005
"I like the idea of people running for office. There's a positive effect when you run for office. Maybe some will run for office and say, vote for me, I look forward to blowing up America. I don't know, I don't know if that will be their platform or not. But it's -- I don't think so. I think people who generally run for office say, vote for me, I'm looking forward to fixing your potholes, or making sure you got bread on the table." --George W. Bush, on elections in the Middle East, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005
"I repeat, personal accounts do not permanently fix the solution." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005
"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." --George W. Bush, Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005
"If you're a younger person, you ought to be asking members of Congress and the United States Senate and the president what you intend to do about it. If you see a train wreck coming, you ought to be saying, what are you going to do about it, Mr. Congressman, or Madam Congressman?" --George W. Bush, Detroit, Mich., Feb. 8, 2005
"Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those -- changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be -- or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those -- if that growth is affected, it will help on the red." --George W. Bush, explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005
"You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." --George W. Bush, to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005 (Listen to audio)
"After all, Europe is America's closest ally." --George W. Bush, Mainz, Germany, Feb. 23, 2005
"Because he's hiding." --George W. Bush, responding to a reporter who asked why Osama bin Laden had not been caught, aboard Air Force One, Jan. 14, 2005
"I'm also mindful that man should never try to put words in God's mouth. I mean, we should never ascribe natural disasters or anything else to God. We are in no way, shape, or form should a human being, play God." --George W. Bush, ABC's 20/20, Washington D.C., Jan. 14, 2005
"I want to appreciate those of you who wear our nation's uniform for your sacrifice." --George W. Bush, Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 14, 2005
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"Who could have possibly envisioned an erection -- an election in Iraq at this point in history?" --George W. Bush, at the white House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005
"We need to apply 21st-century information technology to the health care field. We need to have our medical records put on the I.T." --George W. Bush, Collinsville, Ill., Jan. 5, 2005
"I believe we are called to do the hard work to make our communities and quality of life a better place." --George W. Bush, Collinsville, Ill., Jan. 5, 2005
Bushisms 2006
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"It's bad in Iraq. Does that help?" --George W. Bush, after being asked by a reporter whether he's in denial about Iraq, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2006
"And truth of the matter
is, a lot of reports in Washington are never read by anybody. To show
you how important this one is, I read it, and our guest read it."
--George W. Bush, on the Baker-Hamilton Report, appearing with
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7,
2006
"This business about graceful exit just simply has
no realism to it at all." --George W. Bush, on speculation that
U.S. troops could be withdrawn from Iraq, Amman, Jordan, Nov. 30,
2006
"The only way we can win is to leave before the job
is done." --George W. Bush, Greeley, Colo., Nov. 4, 2006 (Watch
video clip)
"Anybody who is in a position to serve
this country ought to understand the consequences of words."
--George W. Bush, interview with Rush Limbaugh, Nov. 1, 2006
"You
know, when I campaigned here in 2000, I said, I want to be a war
President. No President wants to be a war President, but I am one."
--George W. Bush, Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006
Maria
Bartiromo: "I'm curious, have you ever googled anybody? Do you
use Google?"
President Bush: "Occasionally. One of the
things I've used on the Google is to pull up maps. It's very
interesting to see -- I've forgot the name of the program -- but you
get the satellite, and you can -- like, I kinda like to look at the
ranch. It remind me of where I wanna be sometimes." --interview
with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo, Oct. 24, 2006 (Watch
video clip)
"We're never been stay the course,
George." --George W. Bush, attempting to distance himself from
what has been his core
strategy in Iraq for the last three years, interview with ABC's
George Stephanopoulos, Oct. 22, 2006
"This morning my
administration released the budget numbers for fiscal 2006. These
budget numbers are not just estimates; these are the actual results
for the fiscal year that ended February the 30th." --George W.
Bush, on the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, Washington, D.C.,
Oct. 11, 2006 (Watch
video clip)
"One has a stronger hand when there's
more people playing your same cards." --George W. Bush, on
holding six-party talks with North Korea, Washington, D.C., Oct. 11,
2006
"I will not withdraw, even if Laura and Barney are
the only ones supporting me." --George W. Bush, talking to key
Republicans about Iraq, as quoted by Bob
Woodward
"I like to tell people when the final
history is written on Iraq, it will look like just a comma because
there is -- my point is, there's a strong will for democracy."
--George W. Bush, interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Sept. 24, 2006
(Watch
video clip)
"You're one of the outstanding leaders in
a very important part of the world. I want to thank you for
strategizing our discussions." --George W. Bush, meeting with
the prime minister of Malaysia, New York, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2006
"The
Patriot Act has increased the flow of information within our
government and it has helped break up terrorist cells in the United
States of America. And the United States Congress was right to renew
the terrorist act -- the Patriot Act." --George W. Bush,
Washington, D.C. , Sept. 7, 2006
"You know, one of the
hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror."
--George W. Bush, interview with CBS News' Katie Couric, Sept. 6,
2006
"I said I was looking for a book to read, Laura said
you ought to try Camus. I also read three Shakespeares. ... I've got
a eck-a-lec-tic reading list." --George W. Bush, interview with
NBC's Brian Williams, New Orleans, La., Aug. 29, 2006 (Watch
video clip)
"And I suspect that what you'll see,
Toby, is there will be a momentum, momentum will be gathered. Houses
will begat jobs, jobs will begat houses." --George W. Bush,
talking to reporters along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast,
Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 28, 2006
"I would guess, I would
surmise that some of the more spectacular bombings are done by al
Qaeda suiciders." --George W. Bush, on violence in Iraq,
Washington, D.C., Aug. 21, 2006
"The United States of
America is engaged in a war against an extremist group of folks."
--George W. Bush, McLean, Va., Aug. 15, 2006
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"One thing is clear, is relations between America and Russia are good, and they're important that they be good." --George W. Bush, Strelna, Russia, July 15, 2006
"I've reminded the prime minister-the American people, Mr. Prime Minister, over the past months that it was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship." George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2006
"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 27, 2006
"I think -- tide turning -- see, as I remember -- I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of -- it's easy to see a tide turn -- did I say those words?" --George W. Bush, asked if the tide was turning in Iraq, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006
President Bush: "Peter. Are
you going to ask that question with shades on?"
Peter
Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times: "I can take them off."
Bush:
"I'm interested in the shade look, seriously."
Wallsten:
"All right, I'll keep it, then."
Bush: "For the
viewers, there's no sun."
Wallsten: "I guess it depends
on your perspective."
Bush: "Touche.
--an exchange
with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten, to whom Bush later
apologized, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006 (Watch
video clip)
"I tell people, let's don't fear the
future, let's shape it." --George W. Bush, Omaha, Neb., June 7,
2006
"Trying to stop suiciders -- which we're doing a
pretty good job of on occasion -- is difficult to do. And what the
Iraqis are going to have to eventually do is convince those who are
conducting suiciders who are not inspired by Al Qaeda, for example,
to realize there's a peaceful tomorrow." --George W. Bush,
Washington, D.C., May 24, 2006
"I would say the best
moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound largemouth bass in my
lake." --George W. Bush, on his best
moment in office, interview with the German newspaper Bild
am Sonntag, May
7, 2006
"If people want to get to know me better, they've
got to know my parents and the values my parents instilled in me, and
the fact that I was raised in West Texas, in the middle of the
desert, a long way away from anywhere, hardly. There's a certain set
of values you learn in that experience." --George W. Bush,
Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006
"You never know what your
history is going to be like until long after you're gone."
--George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006
"The
point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And
one such goal is a democracy in Germany." --George W. Bush,
D.C., May 5, 2006
"That's George Washington, the first
president, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read
three -- three or four books about him last year. Isn't that
interesting?" --George W. Bush, while showing German newspaper
reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office, Washington, D.C., May 5,
2006
"Finally, the desk, where we'll have our picture
taken in front of -- is nine other Presidents used it. This was given
to us by Queen Victoria in the 1870s, I think it was. President
Roosevelt put the door in so people would not know he was in a
wheelchair. John Kennedy put his head out the door." --George W.
Bush, showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office,
Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006
"That's called, A
Charge To Keep,
based upon a religious hymn. The hymn talks about serving God. The
president's job is never to promote a religion." --George W.
Bush, showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office,
Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006
"I was not pleased that
Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel."
--George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2006
"I can
look you in the eye and tell you I feel I've tried to solve the
problem diplomatically to the max, and would have committed troops
both in Afghanistan and Iraq knowing what I know today."
--George W. Bush, Irvine, Calif., April 24, 2006
"I aim
to be a competitive nation." --George W. Bush, San Jose, Calif.,
April 21, 2006
"I'm the
decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don
Rumsfeld to remain as the Secretary of Defense." --George W.
Bush, Washington, D.C. April 18, 2006 (Listen
to audio clip; Watch
video clip)
"I strongly believe what we're doing is
the right thing. If I didn't believe it -- I'm going to repeat what I
said before -- I'd pull the troops out, nor if I believed we could
win, I would pull the troops out." --George W. Bush, Charlotte,
N.C., April 6, 2006
"No question that the enemy has tried
to spread sectarian violence. They use violence as a tool to do
that." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 22, 2006
"If
the Iranians were to have a nuclear weapon they could proliferate."
--George W. Bush, Washington D.C., March 21, 2006
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"And so I'm for medical liability at the federal level." --George W. Bush, on medical liability reform, Washington, D.C., March 10, 2006
"I believe that a prosperous, democratic Pakistan will be a steadfast partner for America, a peaceful neighbor for India, and a force for freedom and moderation in the Arab world." --George W. Bush, mistakenly identifying Pakistan as an Arab country, Islamabad, Pakistan, March 3, 2006
"People don't need to worry about security. This deal wouldn't go forward if we were concerned about the security for the United States of America." --George W. Bush, on the deal to hand over U.S. port security to a company operated by the United Arab Emirates, Washington, D.C., Feb. 23, 2006
"And I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company." --George W. Bush, defending a plan to allow a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates to manage ports in the United States, aboard Air Force One, Feb. 21, 2006
"I think it's really important for this great state of baseball to reach out to people of all walks of life to make sure that the sport is inclusive. The best way to do it is to convince little kids how to--the beauty of playing baseball." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2006
"I like my buddies from west Texas. I liked them when I was young, I liked them then I was middle-age, I liked them before I was president, and I like them during president, and I like them after president." --George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1, 2006
"He was a state sponsor of terror. In other words, the government had declared, you are a state sponsor of terror." --George W. Bush, on Saddam Hussein, Manhattan, Kan., Jan. 23, 2006
"I'll be glad to
talk about ranching, but I haven't seen the movie. I've heard about
it. I hope you go -- you know -- I hope you go back to the ranch and
the farm is what I'm about to say." --George W. Bush, after
being asked whether he's seen Brokeback
Mountain,
Manhattan, Kan., Jan. 23, 2006
"It's a heck
of a place to bring your family." --George W. Bush, on New
Orleans, New Orleans, La., Jan. 12, 2006
"You took an
oath to defend our flag and our freedom, and you kept that oath
underseas and under fire." --George W. Bush, addressing war
veterans, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2006
"As you can
possibly see, I have an injury myself -- not here at the hospital,
but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a
little scratch. As a matter of fact, the Colonel asked if I needed
first aid when she first saw me. I was able to avoid any major
surgical operations here, but thanks for your compassion, Colonel."
--George W. Bush, after visiting with wounded veterans from the
Amputee Care Center of Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio,
Texas, Jan. 1, 2006
Bushisms 2007
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"The decisions we make in
Washington have a direct impact on the people in our country,
obviously." --George W. Bush, New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13,
2007
"If you've got somebody in harm's way, you want the
president being -- making advice, not -- be given advice by the
military, and not making decisions based upon the latest Gallup poll
or focus group." --George W. Bush, New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13,
2007
"I don't particularly like
it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I
say it." --George W. Bush, Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007
"In
other words, he was given an option: Are you with us or are you not
with us? And he made a clear decision to be with us, and he's acted
on that advice." --George W. Bush, on President Pervez
Musharraf, Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007
"We're going to -- we'll be
sending a person on the ground there pretty soon to help implement
the malaria initiative, and that initiative will mean spreading nets
and insecticides throughout the country so that we can see a
reduction in death of young children that -- a death that we can
cure." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2007
"All
I can tell you is when the governor calls, I answer his phone."
--George W. Bush, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007
"My
hearts are with the Jeffcoats right now, that's what I'm thinking."
--George W. Bush, after meeting with California wildfire victims
Kendra and Jay Jeffcoat, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007
"I fully understand those who say you can't win this thing militarily. That's exactly what the United States military says, that you can't win this military." --George W. Bush, on the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007
"My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions." --George W. Bush, The Decider, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007 (Watch video clip)
"I got a lot of Ph.D.-types and smart people around me who come into the Oval Office and say, 'Mr. President, here's what's on my mind.' And I listen carefully to their advice. But having gathered the device, I decide, you know, I say, 'This is what we're going to do.'" --George W. Bush, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007
"You know, when you give a man more money in his pocket -- in this case, a woman more money in her pocket to expand a business, it -- they build new buildings. And when somebody builds a new building somebody has got to come and build the building. And when the building expanded it prevented additional opportunities for people to work." --George W. Bush, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007
"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured." --George W. Bush, on the No Child Left Behind Act, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2007 (Watch video clip)
"We're also talking to different finance ministers about how we can send a message to the Iranian government that the free world is not going to tolerate the development of know-how in how to build a weapon, or at least gain the ability to make a weapon." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007
"All of us in America want there to be fairness when it comes to justice." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007
"I heard somebody say, 'Where's (Nelson) Mandela?' Well, Mandela's dead. Because Saddam killed all the Mandelas." --George W. Bush, on the former South African president, who is still very much alive, Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007
"Mr. Prime Minister, thank
you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for
the OPEC summit." --George W. Bush, addressing Australian Prime
Minister John Howard at the APEC Summit, Sept. 7, 207
"As
John Howard accurately noted when he went to thank the Austrian
troops there last year..." --George W. Bush, referring to
Australian troops as "Austrian troops," APEC Business
Summit, Sept. 7, 2007
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"I've got God's shoulder to cry on. And I cry a lot. I do a lot of crying in this job. I'll bet I've shed more tears than you can count, as president." --George W. Bush, as quoted by author Robert Draper in Dead Certain
"The same folks that are bombing innocent people in Iraq were the ones who attacked us in America on September the 11th." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007
"I'm going to try to see if I can remember as much to make it sound like I'm smart on the subject." --George W. Bush, answering a question about a possible flu pandemic, Cleveland, July 10, 2007
"You know, I guess I'm like any other political figure: Everybody wants to be loved." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007
"More than two decades later, it is hard to imagine the Revolutionary War coming out any other way." --George W. Bush, Martinsburg, W. Va., July 4, 2007
"I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that." --George W. Bush, on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as quoted by the Sun newspaper, June 27, 2007
"Amnesty means that you've got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that." --George W. Bush, on the immigration reform bill, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2007
"This process has been drug out a long time, which says to me it's political." --George W. Bush, discussing the controversy surrounding Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, Sofia, Bulgaria, June 11, 2007
"These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." --George W. Bush, Sofia, Bulgaria, June 11, 2007
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"There's a lot of blowhards in the political process, you know, a lot of hot-air artists, people who have got something fancy to say." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 17, 2007
"My relationship with this good man is where I've been focused, and that's where my concentration is. And I don't regret any other aspect of it. And so I -- we filled a lot of space together." --George W. Bush, on British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington, D.C., May 17, 2007
"What I'm telling you is there's too many junk lawsuits suing too many doctors." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 10, 2007
"You helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17 -- 1976." --George W. Bush, to Queen Elizabeth, Washington, D.C., May 7, 2007 (Watch video clip)
"I'm honored to be here with the eternal general of the United States, mi amigo Alberto Gonzales." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2007 (Watch video clip)
"Information is moving --
you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it's also moving
through the blogosphere and through the Internets." --George W.
Bush, Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007
"The question is, who
ought to make that decision? The Congress or the commanders? And as
you know, my position is clear -- I'm a commander guy." --George
W. Bush, who apparently is no longer "The
Decider," Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007 (Watch
video clip)
"Wisdom and strength, and my family, is
what I'd like for you to pray for." --George W. Bush,
Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007
"Either we'll succeed, or
we won't succeed. And the definition of success as I described is
sectarian violence down. Success is not no violence." --George
W. Bush, on Iraq, Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007
"And so,
what Gen. Petraeus is saying, some early signs, still dangerous, but
give me -- give my chance a plan to work." --George W. Bush, in
an interview with Charlie Rose, April 24, 2007
"There are jobs Americans aren't doing. ... If you've got a chicken factory, a chicken-plucking factory, or whatever you call them, you know what I'm talking about." --George W. Bush. Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"There are some
similarities, of course (between Iraq and Vietnam). Death is
terrible." --George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19,
2007
"I've been in politics long enough to know that
polls just go poof at times." --George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio,
April 19, 2007
"My job is a job to make decisions. I'm a decision -- if the job description were, what do you do -- it's decision maker." --George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"Politics comes and goes, but your principles don't. And everybody wants to be loved -- not everybody. ... You never heard anybody say, 'I want to be despised, I'm running for office.'" --George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"I said to her, make sure the rug says 'optimistic person comes to work.'" --George W. Bush, on his instructions to First Lady Laura Bush in choosing a rug for the Oval Office, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"One of my concerns is that
the health care not be as good as it can possibly be." --George
W. Bush, on military benefits, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19,
2007
"Forms of government matter, in my opinion. It
matters how -- the nature of the government in which people live."
--George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"My attitude is, if they're
still writing about (number) one, 43 doesn't need to worry about it."
--George W. Bush, on his legacy, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"A
good marriage is really good after serving together in Washington,
D.C." --George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"The
best thing about my family is my wife. She is a great first lady. I
know that sounds not very objective, but that's how I feel. And she's
also patient. Putting up with me requires a lot of patience."
--George W. Bush, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007
"Iraq
is a very important part of securing the homeland, and it's a very
important part of helping change the Middle East into a part of the
world that will not serve as a threat to the civilized world, to
people like -- or to the developed world, to people like -- in the
United States." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 3,
2007
"Suiciders are willing to kill innocent life in
order to send the projection that this is an impossible mission."
--George W. Busy, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007
"And
my concern, David, is several." --George W. Bush, to NBC's David
Gregory, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007
"The solution to
Iraq -- an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend
itself -- is more than a military mission. Precisely the reason why I
sent more troops into Baghdad." --George W. Bush, Washington,
D.C., April 3, 2007
"That's why we are inconveniencing
air traffickers, to make sure nobody is carrying weapons on
airplanes." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007
"They're innocent, they
were doing nothing, and they were summarily plucked out of water."
--George W. Bush, on British sailors who were detained by Iran while
on patrol in the Persian Gulf, Camp David, March 31, 2007
"Some
call this civil war; others call it emergency -- I call it pure
evil." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 28, 2007
"I'm
a strong proponent of the restoration of the wetlands, for a lot of
reasons. There's a practical reason, though, when it comes to
hurricanes: The stronger the wetlands, the more likely the damage of
the hurricane." --George W. Bush, New Orleans, March 1,
2007
"And there is distrust in Washington. I am
surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this
town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to
elevate it." --George W. Bush, interview on National Public
Radio, Jan. 29, 2007
"I think that the vice
president is a person reflecting a half-glass-full mentality."
--George W. Bush, interview on National Public Radio, Jan. 29,
2007
"And one thing we want during this war on terror is
for people to feel like their life's moving on, that they're able to
make a living and send their kids to college and put more money on
the table." --George W. Bush, interview on the NewsHour
with Jim Lehrer,
Jan. 16, 2007
"The best way to defeat the totalitarian of
hate is with an ideology of hope -- an ideology of hate -- excuse me
--with an ideology of hope." --George W. Bush, Fort Benning,
Ga., Jan. 11, 2007
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"I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And I wish him all the very best." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009
"In terms of the economy, look, I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009
"I guess it's OK to call the secretary of education here 'buddy.' That means friend." --George W. Bush, Philadelphia, Jan. 8, 2009
"So I analyzed that and decided I didn't want to be the president during a depression greater than the Great Depression, or the beginning of a depression greater than the Great Depression." --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Dec. 18, 2008
"People say, well, do you
ever hear any other voices other than, like, a few people? Of course
I do." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2008
"I've
abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."
--George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2008
"You know, I'm the President during this period of time, but I think when the history of this period is written, people will realize a lot of the decisions that were made on Wall Street took place over a decade or so, before I arrived in President, during I arrived in President." --George W. Bush, ABC News interview, Dec. 1, 2008
"I've been in the Bible
every day since I've been the president." --George W. Bush,
Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2008
"He was a great father
before politics, a great father during politics and a great father
after politics." --George W. Bush, on his father, George H.W.
Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2008
"Yesterday, you made note of my -- the lack of my talent when it came to dancing. But nevertheless, I want you to know I danced with joy. And no question Liberia has gone through very difficult times." --George W. Bush, speaking with the president of Liberia, Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2008
"I want to share with you an interesting program -- for two reasons, one, it's interesting, and two, my wife thought of it -- or has actually been involved with it; she didn't think of it. But she thought of it for this speech." --George W. Bush, discussing a company that improves access to clean water in Africa, Washington D.C., Oct. 21, 2008
"This thaw -- took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." --George W. Bush, on liquidity in the markets, Alexandria, La., Oct. 20, 2008
"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008
"Anyone engaging in illegal financial transactions will be caught and persecuted." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2008
"We're fixing to go down to Galveston and obviously are going to see a devastated part of this fantastic state." --George W. Bush, Houston, Sept. 16, 2008
"The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer -- prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them." --George W. Bush, Baton Rouge, La., Sept. 3, 2008
"First of all, I don't see America having problems." --George W. Bush, interview with Bob Costas at the 2008 Olympics, Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008
"I'm coming as the president of a friend, and I'm coming as a sportsman." --George W. Bush, on his trip to the Olympics in China, Washington, D.C., July 30, 2008
"There's no question about it. Wall Street got drunk -- that's one of the reasons I asked you to turn off the TV cameras -- it got drunk and now it's got a hangover. The question is how long will it sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments." --George W. Bush, speaking at a private fundraiser, Houston, Texas, July 18, 2008 (Watch video clip)
"I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand -- but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, 'low gas.'" --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., July 15, 2008
"And they have no disregard for human life." --George W. Bush, on the brutality of Afghan fighters, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008
"The economy is growing, productivity is high, trade is up, people are working. It's not as good as we'd like, but -- and to the extent that we find weakness, we'll move." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008
"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." --George W. Bush, in parting words to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at his final G-8 Summit, punching the air and grinning widely as the two leaders looked on in shock, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008
"Amigo! Amigo!" --George W. Bush, calling out to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Spanish at the G-8 Summit, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008
"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." --George W. Bush, Charlottesville, Va., July 4, 2008
"Should the Iranian regime-do they have the sovereign right to have civilian nuclear power? So, like, if I were you, that's what I'd ask me. And the answer is, yes, they do." --George W. Bush, talking to reporters in Washington, D.C., July 2, 2008
"But oftentimes I'm asked: Why? Why do you care what happens outside of America?" --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 26,2008
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"I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House." --George W. Bush, referring to White House chef Cristeta Comerford while meeting with Filipino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Washington, D.C., June 24, 2008 (Watch video clip)
"And I, unfortunately, have been to too many disasters as president." --George W. Bush, discussing flooding in the Midwest, Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008
"There is some who say that perhaps freedom is not universal. Maybe it's only Western people that can self-govern. Maybe it's only, you know, white-guy Methodists who are capable of self-government. I reject that notion." --George W. Bush, London, June 16, 2008
"Your eminence, you're looking good." --George W. Bush to Pope Benedict XVI, using the title for Catholic cardinals, rather than addressing him as "your holiness," Rome, June 13, 2008
"The German asparagus are fabulous." --George W. Bush, Meseberg, Germany, June 11, 2008
"We've got a lot of relations with countries in our neighborhood." --George W. Bush, Kranj, Slovenia, June 10, 2008
"One of the things important about history is to remember the true history." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008
"There's no question this is a major human disaster that requires a strong response from the Chinese government, which is what they're providing, but it also responds a compassionate response from nations to whom -- that have got the blessings, good blessings of life, and that's us." --George W. Bush, on relief efforts after a Chinese earthquake, Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008
"Let's make sure that there
is certainty during uncertain times in our economy." -- George
W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008
"We got plenty of
money in Washington. What we need is more priority." --George W.
Bush, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008
"And so the fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." --George W. Bush, Mesa, Arizona, May 27, 2008
"I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 13, 2008
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"How can you possibly have an international agreement that's effective unless countries like China and India are not full participants?" --George W. Bush, Camp David, April 19, 2008
"Oftentimes people ask me, 'Why is it that you're so focused on helping the hungry and diseased in strange parts of the world?'" --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008
"We want people owning their home -- we want people owning a businesses." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008
"So long as I'm the president, my measure of success is victory -- and success." --George W. Bush, on Iraq, Washington, D.C., April 17, 2008
"Thank you, your Holiness. Awesome speech." --George W. Bush, to Pope Benedict, Washington, D.C., April 15, 2008 (Watch video clip)
"A lot of times in politics you have people look you in the eye and tell you what's not on their mind." --George W. Bush, Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008
"Afghanistan is the most daring and ambition mission in the history of NATO." --George W. Bush, Bucharest, Romania, April 2, 2008
"Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and Coastmen -- Coast Guardmen, thanks for coming, thanks for wearing the uniform." --George W. Bush, at the Pentagon, March 19, 2008
"I thank the diplomatic corps, who is here as well." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008
"Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency, it is the right decision now, and it will be the right decision ever." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008
"Let me start off by saying that in 2000 I said, 'Vote for me. I'm an agent of change.' In 2004, I said, 'I'm not interested in change --I want to continue as president.' Every candidate has got to say 'change.' That's what the American people expect." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 5, 2008
"And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq." --George W. Bush, to Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008
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"I'm oftentimes asked, What difference does it make to America if people are dying of malaria in a place like Ghana? It means a lot. It means a lot morally, it means a lot from a -- it's in our national interest." --George W. Bush, Accra, Ghana, Feb. 20, 2008
"There is no doubt in my mind when history was written, the final page will say: Victory was achieved by the United States of America for the good of the world." --George W. Bush, addressing U.S. troops at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, Jan. 12, 2008
"I can press when there needs to be pressed; I can hold hands when there needs to be -- hold hands." --George W. Bush, on how he can contribute to the Middle East peace process, Washington, D.C., Jan. 4, 2008
