Friday, May 01, 2009
Dogs, Dogs, Wonderful Dogs!
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Dogs are obsessed with being happy. --James Thurber
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate. --Sigmund Freud (1856-1924)
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. --Unknown
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. --Robert A. Heinlein, American science fiction writer
If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. --Unknown
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of being partly a dog. --Edward Hoagland, American essayist
He had as much fun in the water as any person I have known. You didn't have to throw a stick in the water to get him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you did throw one in. He would even have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in. -- James Thurber
Buy a pup and your money will buy you love unflinchingly. --Rudyard Kipling (1865-1935), English writer
Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog. --James Thurber
You think dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us. --Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Scottish novelist
That they may have a little peace, even the best dogs are compelled to snarl occasionally. --William Feather
The dog has seldom been successful in pulling man up to its level of sagacity, but man has frequently dragged the dog down to his. --James Thurber
I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. --George Bird Evans, outdoor essayist
I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons. --Will Rogers
If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience. --Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), American president
Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. --Ann Landers
Muggs was always sorry, Mother said, when he bit someone, but we could never understand how she figured this out. He didn't act sorry. --James Thurber
Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about little puppies. --Gene Hill
Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. --Groucho Marx (1890-1977), American entertainer
You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, "Wow! I never would've thought of that!" --Dave Barry
To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs. --Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English novelist
I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves. --August Strindberg (1849-1912), Swedish dramatist
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. --Mark Twain, pen name of Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910), American humorist
Of all the things I miss from veterinary practice, puppy breath is one of my fondest memories. --a former veterinarian
Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. --Unknown
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. --Unknown
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. --Mark Twain
I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. --John Steinbeck (1902-1968), American novelist
The more I see of the depressing stature of people, the more I admire my dogs. --Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), French poet
I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs. --James Thurber
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends --Alexander Pope (1688-1744), English poet
Man is an animal that makes bargains; no other animal does this--no dog exchanges bones with another. --Adam Smith (1723-1790) Scottish politician, economist
The great pleasure of a dog is that you make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, he will make a fool of himself too. --Samuel Butler (1835-1902), English writer
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance--a sharp, vindictive glance. --James Thurber
The pug is living proof that God has a sense of humor. --Margot Kaufman, American writer
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of some weird religious sect. --Rita Rudner, American comedian
Fox terriers are born with about four times as much original sin in them as other dogs. --Jerome K. Jerome
If you are a police dog, where's your badge? (Asked of his German shepherd) --James Thurber
Now that a Portuguese Water Dog puppy named Bo has been welcomed to the White House, dogs are very much in the news. Here are some nuggets of wisdom about these marvelous animals that give so much, ask so little, and are with us for such a cruelly short time:
If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. --Harry S Truman (1884-1972), American president
It did not take Man long--probably not more than a hundred centuries--to discover that all the animals except the dog were impossible around the house. One has but to spend a few days with an aardvark or llama, command a water buffalo to sit up and beg or try to housebreak a moose, to perceive how wisely Man set about his process of elimination and selection. --James Thurber (1894-1961), American humorist and cartoonist
If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. --Harry S Truman (1884-1972), American president
It did not take Man long--probably not more than a hundred centuries--to discover that all the animals except the dog were impossible around the house. One has but to spend a few days with an aardvark or llama, command a water buffalo to sit up and beg or try to housebreak a moose, to perceive how wisely Man set about his process of elimination and selection. --James Thurber (1894-1961), American humorist and cartoonist
The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. --Andy Rooney, American commentator
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our life whole. --Roger Caras (1928-2001), American naturalist and author
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our life whole. --Roger Caras (1928-2001), American naturalist and author
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
--Will Rogers (1879-1935), American humorist
If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons. --James Thurber
--Will Rogers (1879-1935), American humorist
If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons. --James Thurber
He is very imprudent, a dog is. He never makes it his business to inquire whether you are in the right or in the wrong, never bothers as to whether you are going up or down upon life's ladder, never asks whether you are rich or poor, silly or wise, sinner or saint. You are his pal. That is enough for him, and come luck or misfortune, good repute or bad, honor or shame, he is going to stick to you, to comfort you, guard you, and give his life for you if need be--foolish, brainless, soulless dog! --Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927), English novelist
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. --Margery Facklam, children's science author
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. --Margery Facklam, children's science author
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate. --Sigmund Freud (1856-1924)
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. --Unknown
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. --Robert A. Heinlein, American science fiction writer
If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. --Unknown
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of being partly a dog. --Edward Hoagland, American essayist
He had as much fun in the water as any person I have known. You didn't have to throw a stick in the water to get him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you did throw one in. He would even have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in. -- James Thurber
Buy a pup and your money will buy you love unflinchingly. --Rudyard Kipling (1865-1935), English writer
Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog. --James Thurber
You think dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us. --Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Scottish novelist
That they may have a little peace, even the best dogs are compelled to snarl occasionally. --William Feather
The dog has seldom been successful in pulling man up to its level of sagacity, but man has frequently dragged the dog down to his. --James Thurber
I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. --George Bird Evans, outdoor essayist
I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons. --Will Rogers
If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience. --Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), American president
Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. --Ann Landers
Muggs was always sorry, Mother said, when he bit someone, but we could never understand how she figured this out. He didn't act sorry. --James Thurber
Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about little puppies. --Gene Hill
Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. --Groucho Marx (1890-1977), American entertainer
You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, "Wow! I never would've thought of that!" --Dave Barry
To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs. --Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English novelist
I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves. --August Strindberg (1849-1912), Swedish dramatist
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. --Mark Twain, pen name of Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910), American humorist
Of all the things I miss from veterinary practice, puppy breath is one of my fondest memories. --a former veterinarian
Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. --Unknown
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. --Unknown
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. --Mark Twain
I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. --John Steinbeck (1902-1968), American novelist
The more I see of the depressing stature of people, the more I admire my dogs. --Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), French poet
I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs. --James Thurber
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends --Alexander Pope (1688-1744), English poet
Man is an animal that makes bargains; no other animal does this--no dog exchanges bones with another. --Adam Smith (1723-1790) Scottish politician, economist
The great pleasure of a dog is that you make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, he will make a fool of himself too. --Samuel Butler (1835-1902), English writer
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance--a sharp, vindictive glance. --James Thurber
The pug is living proof that God has a sense of humor. --Margot Kaufman, American writer
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of some weird religious sect. --Rita Rudner, American comedian
Fox terriers are born with about four times as much original sin in them as other dogs. --Jerome K. Jerome
If you are a police dog, where's your badge? (Asked of his German shepherd) --James Thurber
When dogs leap onto your bed, it’s because they adore being with you. When cats leap onto your bed, it’s because they adore your bed. --Alisha Everett
God ... sat down for a moment when the dog was finished in order to watch it... and to know that it was good, that nothing was lacking, that it could not have been made better. --Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), Austrian poet
Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend. --Corey Ford (1902-1969), American writer
They never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation. --Jerome K. Jerome
Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace. --Milan Kundera, Czech novelist
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give Fido only two of them. --Phil Pastoret
The dog has got more fun out of Man than Man has got out of the dog, for the clearly demonstrable reason that Man is the more laughable of the two animals. --James Thurber
There is no psychiatrist in the world quite like a puppy licking your face. --Ben Ames Williams (1883-1953), American novelist and journalist
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. --Josh Billings, pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818--85), American humorist
Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. --Franklin P. Jones
If dogs are not there, it is not heaven. --Elisabeth M. Thomas
Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a little bit out of shape, and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well. --Bonnie Wilcox
In his grief over the loss of a dog, a little boy stands for the first time on tiptoe, peering into the rueful morrow of manhood. After this most inconsolable of sorrows there is nothing life can do to him that he will not be able somehow to bear. --James Thurber
God ... sat down for a moment when the dog was finished in order to watch it... and to know that it was good, that nothing was lacking, that it could not have been made better. --Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), Austrian poet
Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend. --Corey Ford (1902-1969), American writer
They never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation. --Jerome K. Jerome
Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace. --Milan Kundera, Czech novelist
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give Fido only two of them. --Phil Pastoret
The dog has got more fun out of Man than Man has got out of the dog, for the clearly demonstrable reason that Man is the more laughable of the two animals. --James Thurber
There is no psychiatrist in the world quite like a puppy licking your face. --Ben Ames Williams (1883-1953), American novelist and journalist
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. --Josh Billings, pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818--85), American humorist
Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. --Franklin P. Jones
If dogs are not there, it is not heaven. --Elisabeth M. Thomas
Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a little bit out of shape, and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well. --Bonnie Wilcox
In his grief over the loss of a dog, a little boy stands for the first time on tiptoe, peering into the rueful morrow of manhood. After this most inconsolable of sorrows there is nothing life can do to him that he will not be able somehow to bear. --James Thurber
Labels: Dogs, Quotable Quotes
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Bushspeak Roundup: The Final 20 Days
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Our etymological love affair with President George W. Bush’s malapropisms has come to an end, at least temporarily until he starts giving interviews at his home in Crawford, Texas, and wherever he may travel.
The time has come to say goodbye to now ex-President Bush. You were always good for a chuckle, if not a hearty laugh, at the way you mangled the English language. Have a happy retirement and do let us hear from you in the months to come when we will surely need a smile to cheer up those around us.
In the meantime, here are five choice examples of Bushspeak, the unique language you invented and polished to near perfection:
“I guess it's OK to call the Secretary of Education here 'buddy.' That means 'friend.'" Philadelphia, Jan. 8, 2009.
"One of the very difficult parts of the decision I made on the financial crisis was to use hardworking people's money to help prevent there to be a crisis." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"In terms of the economy, look, I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"The best way to ensure that there is a sustainable cease-fire is to work with Egypt to stop the smuggling of arms into the Gaza." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"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." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
Our etymological love affair with President George W. Bush’s malapropisms has come to an end, at least temporarily until he starts giving interviews at his home in Crawford, Texas, and wherever he may travel.
The time has come to say goodbye to now ex-President Bush. You were always good for a chuckle, if not a hearty laugh, at the way you mangled the English language. Have a happy retirement and do let us hear from you in the months to come when we will surely need a smile to cheer up those around us.
In the meantime, here are five choice examples of Bushspeak, the unique language you invented and polished to near perfection:
“I guess it's OK to call the Secretary of Education here 'buddy.' That means 'friend.'" Philadelphia, Jan. 8, 2009.
"One of the very difficult parts of the decision I made on the financial crisis was to use hardworking people's money to help prevent there to be a crisis." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"In terms of the economy, look, I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"The best way to ensure that there is a sustainable cease-fire is to work with Egypt to stop the smuggling of arms into the Gaza." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
"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." Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009.
Labels: Bushspeak, George W. Bush, Quotable Quotes
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Top Ten Notable Quotables of 2008
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Each year, Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book Of Quotations, chooses the year’s Top Ten Notable Quotables. The following are his top ten for the year just past, 2008:
1. “I can see Russia from my house!” Comedian Tina Fey, impersonating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live,” broadcast Sept. 13.
2. “All of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.” Palin, responding to a request by CBS anchor Katie Couric to name the newspapers or magazines she reads, broadcast Oct. 1.
3. “We have sort of become a nation of whiners.” Former Sen. Phil Gramm, an economic adviser to Sen. John McCain, quoted in The Washington Times, July 10.
4. “It’s not based on any particular data point, we just wanted to choose a really large number.” A Treasury Department spokeswoman explaining how the $700 billion number was chosen for the initial bailout, quoted on Forbes.com Sept. 23.
5. “The fundamentals of America’s economy are strong.” Sen. John McCain, in an interview with Bloomberg TV, April 17.
6. “Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.” Wording in the Treasury Department’s proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, Sept. 2008.
7. “Maybe 100.” Sen. John McCain, discussing in a town hall meeting in Derry, N.H., how many years U.S. troops could remain in Iraq, Jan. 3.
8. “I’ll see you at the debates, [expletive].” Paris Hilton in a video responding to a McCain television ad, August 2008.
9. “Barack, he’s talking down to black people….I want to cut his balls off.” Rev. Jesse Jackson, overheard over a live microphone before a Fox News interview, July 6.
10. (tie) “Cash for trash.” Paul Krugman discussing the financial bailout, New York Times, Sept. 22.
10. (tie) “There are no atheists in foxholes and there are no libertarians in financial crises.” Paul Krugman, in an interview with Bill Maher on HBO’s “Real Time,” broadcast Sept. 19.
10. (tie) “Anyone who says we’re in a recession, or heading into one-- especially the worst one since the Great Depression--is making up his own private definition of “recession.” Commentator Donald Luskin, in The Washington Post, Sept. 14., the day before Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy
Each year, Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book Of Quotations, chooses the year’s Top Ten Notable Quotables. The following are his top ten for the year just past, 2008:
1. “I can see Russia from my house!” Comedian Tina Fey, impersonating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live,” broadcast Sept. 13.
2. “All of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.” Palin, responding to a request by CBS anchor Katie Couric to name the newspapers or magazines she reads, broadcast Oct. 1.
3. “We have sort of become a nation of whiners.” Former Sen. Phil Gramm, an economic adviser to Sen. John McCain, quoted in The Washington Times, July 10.
4. “It’s not based on any particular data point, we just wanted to choose a really large number.” A Treasury Department spokeswoman explaining how the $700 billion number was chosen for the initial bailout, quoted on Forbes.com Sept. 23.
5. “The fundamentals of America’s economy are strong.” Sen. John McCain, in an interview with Bloomberg TV, April 17.
6. “Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.” Wording in the Treasury Department’s proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, Sept. 2008.
7. “Maybe 100.” Sen. John McCain, discussing in a town hall meeting in Derry, N.H., how many years U.S. troops could remain in Iraq, Jan. 3.
8. “I’ll see you at the debates, [expletive].” Paris Hilton in a video responding to a McCain television ad, August 2008.
9. “Barack, he’s talking down to black people….I want to cut his balls off.” Rev. Jesse Jackson, overheard over a live microphone before a Fox News interview, July 6.
10. (tie) “Cash for trash.” Paul Krugman discussing the financial bailout, New York Times, Sept. 22.
10. (tie) “There are no atheists in foxholes and there are no libertarians in financial crises.” Paul Krugman, in an interview with Bill Maher on HBO’s “Real Time,” broadcast Sept. 19.
10. (tie) “Anyone who says we’re in a recession, or heading into one-- especially the worst one since the Great Depression--is making up his own private definition of “recession.” Commentator Donald Luskin, in The Washington Post, Sept. 14., the day before Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy
Labels: Quotable Quotes
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Bushspeak Update, First Half of 2008
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Apparently recognizing that his second term would soon run out, President George W. Bush made fewer public appearances during the first six months of 2008 and thus made fewer public-speaking gaffes. One might hope that this was a sign that he was listening more and speaking less. He was true to form, however, in the unintelligibility of those of his words expressed in Bushspeak during the first six months of 2008.
THE ECONOMY
"Let's make sure that there is certainty during uncertain times in our economy." Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008.
"We got plenty of money in Washington. What we need is more priority." 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." Said while visiting the Silverado Cable Co., Mesa, Ariz., May 27, 2008.
"We want people owning their home—we want people owning a businesses." Washington, D.C., April 18. 2008.
"Business leaders from many backgrounds, along with current and former senators, congressmans, mayors, diplomats, national security council people, Cabinet members from both parties—I emphasize, from both parties—support this agreement." Jacksonville, Fla., March 18. 2008.
POLITICS
"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." Washington, D.C., May 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." Washington, D.C., March 5, 2008.
"A lot of times in politics you have people look you in the eye and tell you what's not on their mind." Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008.
DISASTERS
"And I, unfortunately, have been to too many disasters as president." Said while discussing flooding in the Midwest, Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008.
DEMOCRACY
"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." London, June 16, 2008.
Apparently recognizing that his second term would soon run out, President George W. Bush made fewer public appearances during the first six months of 2008 and thus made fewer public-speaking gaffes. One might hope that this was a sign that he was listening more and speaking less. He was true to form, however, in the unintelligibility of those of his words expressed in Bushspeak during the first six months of 2008.
THE ECONOMY
"Let's make sure that there is certainty during uncertain times in our economy." Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008.
"We got plenty of money in Washington. What we need is more priority." 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." Said while visiting the Silverado Cable Co., Mesa, Ariz., May 27, 2008.
"We want people owning their home—we want people owning a businesses." Washington, D.C., April 18. 2008.
"Business leaders from many backgrounds, along with current and former senators, congressmans, mayors, diplomats, national security council people, Cabinet members from both parties—I emphasize, from both parties—support this agreement." Jacksonville, Fla., March 18. 2008.
POLITICS
"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." Washington, D.C., May 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." Washington, D.C., March 5, 2008.
"A lot of times in politics you have people look you in the eye and tell you what's not on their mind." Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008.
DISASTERS
"And I, unfortunately, have been to too many disasters as president." Said while discussing flooding in the Midwest, Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008.
DEMOCRACY
"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." London, June 16, 2008.
HISTORY, IMPORTANCE OF "One of the things important about history is to remember the true history." Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
"We've got a lot of relations with countries in our neighborhood." Kranj, Slovenia, June 10, 2008.
"Take the Middle East seriously because that's the center of—that's the place where people get so despondent and despair that they're willing to come and take lives of U.S. citizens." On the advice he would give the next president, Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008.
"How can you possibly have an international agreement that's effective unless countries like China and India are not full participants?" 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?' " Washington, D.C., April 18. 2008.
"Afghanistan is the most daring and ambition [sic] mission in the history of NATO." Bucharest, Romania, April 2, 2008.
"The United States has suffered terrorist attacks on its soil, as have Russia."Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008.
"I thank the diplomatic corps, who is here as well." Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008.
"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." Accra, Ghana, Feb. 20, 2008.
"A clear lesson I learned in the museum was that outside forces that tend to divide people up inside their country are unbelievably counterproductive." Said after touring a genocide memorial, Kigali, Rwanda, Feb. 19, 2008.
"I can press when there needs to be pressed; I can hold hands when there needs to be—hold hands." On what he can contribute to the Middle East peace process, Washington, D.C., Jan. 4, 2008.
IRAQ WAR
"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." Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008.
MILITARY AFFAIRS
"Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and Coastmen—Coast Guardmen, thanks for coming, thanks for wearing the uniform." The Pentagon, March 19, 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." Meeting with U.S. Army Gen. Raymond Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008.
CULINARY PRAISE
"The German asparagus are fabulous." Said at Schloss Meseberg, in Meseberg, Germany, June 11, 2008.
"First, "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. I am reminded of the great talent of the--of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. . . . And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madame President." Said in Washington, D.C., June 24, 2008, to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo about Philippine-born White House Chef Cristeta "Cris" Comerford, a natualized American citizen who studied culinary arts in the Philippines, Austria and the U.S.
A complete collection of all Bushspeak articles can be found at the following links:
- The Prequel: Early Examples of Weird Bushspeak
- The Weird World of Bushspeak, Updated Again
- Three Little Words: George W. Bush's Infatuation with the Sound of His Favorite Phrase
- Bushspeak Update, First Half of 2007
- Bushspeak Update, Second Half of 2007
- Bushspeak Update, First Half of 2008
Labels: Bushspeak, Quotable Quotes
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Bushspeak Update, Second Half of`2007
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Our collection of excruciating examples of President George W. Bush's disastrous encounters with the English language continues to grow. The number is now so large it is no longer convenient to publish them by updating the original collection. Here are some gems of unintentional humor we have accumulated during the second half of 2007:
MILITARY POLICY
"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." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 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." Said about the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007.
"I cannot look a mother and father of a troop in the eye and say, 'I'm sending your kid into combat, but I don't think we can achieve the objective.'" Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007.
POLITICS
"And I will explain the need to reform a confirmation process that is making it more difficult to persuade decent and intelligence people to accept the call to public service." Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2007.
PAKISTAN
"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." Said about President Pervez Musharrafof Pakistan, Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
NEWSPEAK
And so I welcome you here. I'm proud of your accomplishments. And I welcome you all to say a few comments to the TV, if you care to do so." Said to First Minister Rev. Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, of Northern Ireland, at the White House, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2007.
"I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it." Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
MALARIA AID
"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." Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2007.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
"All I can tell you is when the governor calls, I answer his phone." San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
"My hearts are with the Jeffcoats right now, that's what I'm thinking." Said after meeting with California wildfire victims Kendra and Jay Jeffcoat, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
HIGHWAY POLICY
"You know, a trucker, if he's interested in moving through Northwest Arkansas in expedition fashion, will pay a little extra money to be able to do so." Explaining how toll roads can generate revenue for highway maintenance while helping motorists move quickly, Rogers, Ark., Oct., 15, 2007.
DECISION MAKING
"The decisions we make in Washington have a direct impact on the people in our country, obviously." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 2007.
"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.'" Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
CONSUMER ECONOMICS
"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." Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
JUSTICE
"All of us in America want there to be fairness when it comes to justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
EDUCATION
"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured." New York, Sept. 26, 2007.
IRAN
"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." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
JUSTICE
"I feel strongly that there ought to be fair justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
HOUSING SLUMP
"There is no question that there is some unsettling times in the housing market." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
WHERE AM I?
"Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." Correcting himself, he added, "He invited me to the OPEC summit next year." But neither Australia nor the U.S. is a member of OPEC (The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). Said to Brian Howard, then Australian prime minister, while addressing APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, at Sydney, Australia, Sept. 6, 2007
EXPERTISE
"I'm going to try to see if I can remember as much to make it sound like I'm smart on the subject." Answering a question concerning a possible flu pandemic, Cleveland, July 10, 2007.
THE SWIFT PACE OF HISTORY
"More than two decades later, it is hard to imagine the Revolutionary War coming out any other way." Martinsburg, W. Va., July 4, 2007.
Our collection of excruciating examples of President George W. Bush's disastrous encounters with the English language continues to grow. The number is now so large it is no longer convenient to publish them by updating the original collection. Here are some gems of unintentional humor we have accumulated during the second half of 2007:
MILITARY POLICY
"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." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 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." Said about the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007.
"I cannot look a mother and father of a troop in the eye and say, 'I'm sending your kid into combat, but I don't think we can achieve the objective.'" Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007.
POLITICS
"And I will explain the need to reform a confirmation process that is making it more difficult to persuade decent and intelligence people to accept the call to public service." Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2007.
PAKISTAN
"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." Said about President Pervez Musharrafof Pakistan, Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
NEWSPEAK
And so I welcome you here. I'm proud of your accomplishments. And I welcome you all to say a few comments to the TV, if you care to do so." Said to First Minister Rev. Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, of Northern Ireland, at the White House, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2007.
"I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it." Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
MALARIA AID
"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." Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2007.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
"All I can tell you is when the governor calls, I answer his phone." San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
"My hearts are with the Jeffcoats right now, that's what I'm thinking." Said after meeting with California wildfire victims Kendra and Jay Jeffcoat, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
HIGHWAY POLICY
"You know, a trucker, if he's interested in moving through Northwest Arkansas in expedition fashion, will pay a little extra money to be able to do so." Explaining how toll roads can generate revenue for highway maintenance while helping motorists move quickly, Rogers, Ark., Oct., 15, 2007.
DECISION MAKING
"The decisions we make in Washington have a direct impact on the people in our country, obviously." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 2007.
"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.'" Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
CONSUMER ECONOMICS
"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." Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
JUSTICE
"All of us in America want there to be fairness when it comes to justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
EDUCATION
"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured." New York, Sept. 26, 2007.
IRAN
"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." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
JUSTICE
"I feel strongly that there ought to be fair justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
HOUSING SLUMP
"There is no question that there is some unsettling times in the housing market." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
WHERE AM I?
"Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." Correcting himself, he added, "He invited me to the OPEC summit next year." But neither Australia nor the U.S. is a member of OPEC (The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). Said to Brian Howard, then Australian prime minister, while addressing APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, at Sydney, Australia, Sept. 6, 2007
EXPERTISE
"I'm going to try to see if I can remember as much to make it sound like I'm smart on the subject." Answering a question concerning a possible flu pandemic, Cleveland, July 10, 2007.
THE SWIFT PACE OF HISTORY
"More than two decades later, it is hard to imagine the Revolutionary War coming out any other way." Martinsburg, W. Va., July 4, 2007.
A complete collection of all Bushspeak articles can be found at the following links:
Labels: Bushspeak, Quotable Quotes
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Three Little Words: George W. Bush’s Infatuation with the Sound of His Favorite Phrase
QUOTABLE QUOTES
President George W. Bush will be remembered for many traits of character and speaking style. Among the latter will be the soaring orations written by speechwriters and haltingly read piecemeal by him on state occasions. In consort with these are the language-torturing disjointed speech patterns that have earned him the title of President Malaprop. His earnest desire to be liked and to be seen as a great communicator with an innate ability to understand people’s problems is in stark contrast to his shallow penetration into any subject, his stubborn obstinacy and his inflexible unwillingness to concede error.
To cover these failings, he has fixed on certain expressions intended to convince listeners that he is not the incurious and unfeeling dolt many perceive him to be. One of these expressions, “I fully understand,” has become so ingrained in his speech patterns he can be counted on to use it in every public utterance, sometimes as many as three or four times in succession on a single occasion. To underscore for Postscripts readers how casual overuse of this expresion by President George W. Bush has made it into a meaningless stock phrase that can only leave listeners unconvinced of the President's sincerity, we append a small sampling of his careless employment of this now virtually meaningless expression over the past six years.
“And I am most pleased with the support we're receiving here, and I look forward to continuing to describe our efforts to our close friends and allies. And they will see in me a determination to succeed. And I fully understand that some over time may grow weary and may tire. But they'll realize the United States of America under my leadership will not. We must be successful in the war against terror." Press conference with President Kim Dae-Jung of South Korea, Seoul, South Korea, October 19, 2001.
“Well, I fully understand that some countries will participate with military forces, and others won't feel comfortable doing that. Some countries will be very good about sharing intelligence; other countries may not be so good. Some countries will be much more efficient about cutting off money; other countries may be a little lax about cutting off money. But the point is, is that the coalition is broad and deep and strong and committed.” Remarks made at the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, October 20, 2001.
"I fully understand the consequences of what we're doing. We're changing the world. And the world will be better off and America will be more secure as a result of the actions we're taking.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2004.
“The other thing I want to do is to make sure that everybody can feel the great power of love. Again, I fully understand government's role is limited in love." Said at an “Ask President Bush” event, Niles, Michigan, May 3, 2004.
"I believe the decision to go to war was the right decision, particularly after September the 11th. And in this great country people are entitled to express their concerns, I fully understand that." Aboard Air Force One flying from Crawford, Texas, to a campaign rally at Las Cruces, New Mexico, August 26, 2004.
“I laid out a doctrine, David, that said if you harbor terrorists, you're equally as guilty as the terrorists, and that doctrine was ignored by the Taliban, and we removed the Taliban. And I fully understand some people didn't agree with that decision. But I believe that when the American President speaks, he'd better mean what he says in order to keep the world peaceful. And I believe we have a solemn duty, whether or not people agree with it or not, to protect the American people. And the Taliban and their harboring of al Qaeda represented a direct threat to the American people.” Said to NBC correspondent David Gregory, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“There is a certain attitude in the world, by some, that says that it's a waste of time to try to promote free societies in parts of the world. I've heard that criticism. Remember, I went to London to talk about our vision of spreading freedom throughout the greater Middle East. And I fully understand that that might rankle some, and be viewed by some as folly. I just strongly disagree with those who do not see the wisdom of trying to promote free societies around the world.” Said to NBC correspondent David Gregory at news conference, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“In the Cabinet, there will be some changes. I don't know who they will be. It's inevitable there will be changes. It happens in every administration. To a person, I am proud of the work they have done. And I fully understand we're about to head into the period of intense speculation as to who's going to stay and who's not going to stay, and I assured them that--today I warned them of the speculative period. I said, it's a great Washington sport to be talking about who's going to leave and who their replacements may be, and handicapping, you know, my way of thinking.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“Certain issues come quicker than others in the course of a legislative session, and that depends upon whether or not those issues have been debated. I think of, for example, the legal issue--the legal reform issues, they have been--medical liability reform had been debated and got thwarted a couple of times in one body in particular on Capitol Hill. And so the groundwork has been laid for some legislation that I've been talking about. On an issue like tax reform it's going to--tax simplification, it's going to take a lot of legwork to get something ready for a legislative package. I fully understand that. And Social Security reform will require some additional legwork, although the Moynihan Commission has laid the groundwork for what I think is a very good place to start the debate.” Press conference, Washington, D.C. November 4, 2004.
“And I'm looking over the--I fully understand some people are concerned about whether or not this is affordable. And at the appropriate time, we'll address that aspect of reform.” Discussing Social Security reform at thee first news conference of his second term, Washington, D.C., January 26, 2005.
"I fully understand that as long as I'm the president I will face criticism. It's like part of the job.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005.
"Listen, one of the interesting things about September the 11th that I want you to understand as we have this discussion is that I fully understand that for some, September the 11th was an important moment and a terrible moment--and we appreciate the condolences of the people of the Netherlands--but for us it was a change of attitude. I mean, it changed a lot about how I looked at the world, and a lot of Americans, it changed how they looked at the world. I mean, it was more than just an attack; it was a whole mind-set." Youth Roundtable, Maastricht, The Netherlands, May 8, 2005.
"As a matter of fact, I fully understand that right here in the state of Wisconsin, a lot of people are counting on the Social Security check." Speaking about Social Security for younger workers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 19, 2005.
“What we're talking about today is new programs and plans with prescription drugs becoming available for our seniors. This is as much an education exercise as anything else, because I fully understand, and our government fully understands, many seniors don't want to change. They're not interested in change. And, therefore, what I'm telling you is, is that at least listen to what's available. You don't have to change if you don't want to, but at least be open-minded enough to listen." Meeting with senior citizens at Pueblo El Mirage RV and Golf Resort and Country Club, El Mirage, Arizona, August 29, 2005.
"Look, I fully understand there is--I guess, my reputation is, he sticks to his guns and--it's a very legitimate question, do you ever kind of understand that maybe that you've got to be somewhat flexible?" Press conference, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina, April 6, 2006.
"I fully understand the consequences of making such a decision. I was at church yesterday in Twentynine Palms. In the pew that I was sitting in was a mother and stepfather grieving for a guy who lost his life. And I knew that I would have to deal with this as best as I possibly can." Press conference, Irvine, California, April 24, 2006.
“I fully understand English is the key to unlocking opportunity in America. Part of the greatness of America is that we've been able to help assimilate people into our society, people from all kinds of backgrounds who have come here to seek a better life and become American, because we have the capacity to assimilate.” Press conference at Border Patrol headquarters, Yuma, Arizona, May 18, 2006.
"I fully understand the need for there to be simplicity in the documentation. It needs to be easy for somebody who is known and a person that is--makes a living on the other side of the border. There's--a lot of kids go to college in, like, El Paso, Texas, and they're living in Mexico, so they've got to go back and forth on a regular basis. So I'm familiar with this issue a lot, and I really do emphasize the need for us to be mindful of what a onerous program could mean to good relations, as well as facilitation of trade." Press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, July 6, 2006.
“And then the third area of conflict, the one that gets a lot of attention, as it should, is the sectarian violence taking place in Baghdad. And I fully understand that we've got to help the Iraqis deal with that. So my thinking is--and a lot of our strategy sessions revolve around how best to deal with this problem, and how best to help the Iraqis deal with it. And I've got some more work to do, and I'll come forth at the appropriate time and explain the way forward to the country.” Oval Office interview with Washington Post staff writers, Washington, D.C., December 30, 2006.
“And failure in Iraq, defeat of America, in quotes, will then embolden these extremists. They'll be able to recruit more. They'll be able to find more suiciders. They'll have resources at their availability, like energy if they were able to topple modern governments. In other words, these people have a plan. They have a vision of the world. And they intend to use murder to enact their vision. And I fully understand that. You know, some of my buddies in Texas say, “You know, let them fight it out. What business is it of ours? You got rid of Saddam. Just let them slug it out.” And that's a temptation that I know a lot of people feel. But if we do not succeed in Iraq, we will leave behind a Middle East which will endanger America in the future.” Interview with Scott Pelley of CBS 60 Minutes, Camp David, Maryland, January 14, 2007.
“Well--listen, I fully understand the president has got to convince the American people it's worth it and that we can succeed, and no doubt--and I've spent a lot of time during my presidency talking to the American people and educating the American people about the stakes and what we're trying to get done. And I fully understand, Jim, by the way, that the American people are going to say, okay, show us whether this works. When it's all said and done, what really matters is not my speech or my interview with you, but what happens on the ground. And that's my primary concern in coming up with something different, was that it was working in Baghdad, so therefore we've got to do something different. One option was to leave, one option was to step up--but let me talk about Baker-Hamilton." Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
“No, and no question about that. And that's why I'm having this interview with you. I'm trying to do my very best to explain to people why success is vital. In other words, people have got to understand that if we decide and we grow weary of--and there's a lot of war weariness in this country, and I fully understand that--and we say, okay, well, let's just leave; we can leave in stages, but let's just leave, or let's just pull back and hope that the Iraqis are able to settle their business, the consequences of that decision will be disastrous for the future of this country. And therefore, we got to keep working on ways to succeed, as far as I'm concerned." Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
“I fully understand it's going to be up to the Iraqis to solve their problems. I was hoping to be in a different position. In other words, I had hoped I'd be able to interview with you and say, well, you know, we're not needed as much anymore, but I fully recognize that unless the violence in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, the sectarian violence and the criminality is dealt with, then the political reconciliation necessary to unite the country isn't going to happen. And so I made a tough decision, and that is to reinforce our troops there and put a new commander there in the hopes of breaking the sectarian violence--or helping the Iraqis break it.” Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
"I told the American people I fully understand there are differences of opinion. But one of the things I have discovered is, in Washington, D.C., most people understand the consequences of failure." Press conference at House Republican Conference in Cambridge, Maryland, January 26, 2007.
“I fully understand it's going to be up to the Iraqis to solve their problems. I was hoping to be in a different position. In other words, I had hoped I'd be able to interview with you and say, well, you know, we're not needed as much anymore, but I fully recognize that unless the violence in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, the sectarian violence and the criminality is dealt with, then the political reconciliation necessary to unite the country isn't going to happen. And so I made a tough decision, and that is to reinforce our troops there and put a new commander there in the hopes of breaking the sectarian violence--or helping the Iraqis break it." National Public Radio interview with Juan Williams, Washington, D.C., January 29, 2007.
"I fully understand that if you read your newspaper articles--which I do sometimes--and listen carefully, you'll hear voices in both parties saying they don't like No Child Left Behind: It's too much testing, or, we don't want to be held to account, or whatever they say. The bill is working. It makes a lot of sense." Press conference, Washington, D.C., February 14, 2007.
“And it's a--at any rate, that's why I made the decision I made. Presidents have to weigh different options all the time. Look, I fully understand there are some who are--don't agree with every decision I make. I hope the American people understand I make those decisions because I believe it's going to yield the peace that we all want." Press conference, Washington, D.C., February 14, 2007.
“I committed to stay involved in the rebuilding of--gosh, a United States Senator, excuse me, Senator--and the Congressman, I beg your pardon. I committed to the people of this part of the world and the Gulf Coast that the federal government would fund recovery and stay committed to the recovery. And one of the reasons I have come down is to hear from you. I fully understand that there are frustrations and I want to know the frustrations. And to the extent we can help, we'll help. I told the people that I would work with the Congress to write a $110 billion check--the people of Louisiana and Mississippi, and that check has been written. And now it's incumbent upon us to get the money into people's hands." Said March 1, 2007, at lunch at Lil Dizzy’s Café, New Orleans, Louisiana, after touring portions of the still-devastated Gulf Coast.
Apropos our linguistically awkward President's most recent use of "I fully understand," his favorite empty phrase: George W. Bush likes to call himself "The Decider"--but wonders never cease. Eighteen months after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing period of unkept promises to restore the Gulf Coast region to economic viability, the wonder is that he would dare to show his face in a region still dotted with FEMA trailer colonies and proceed to lay the blame for both the untoward delays and the reconstruction debacle everywhere but upon himself.
President George W. Bush will be remembered for many traits of character and speaking style. Among the latter will be the soaring orations written by speechwriters and haltingly read piecemeal by him on state occasions. In consort with these are the language-torturing disjointed speech patterns that have earned him the title of President Malaprop. His earnest desire to be liked and to be seen as a great communicator with an innate ability to understand people’s problems is in stark contrast to his shallow penetration into any subject, his stubborn obstinacy and his inflexible unwillingness to concede error.
To cover these failings, he has fixed on certain expressions intended to convince listeners that he is not the incurious and unfeeling dolt many perceive him to be. One of these expressions, “I fully understand,” has become so ingrained in his speech patterns he can be counted on to use it in every public utterance, sometimes as many as three or four times in succession on a single occasion. To underscore for Postscripts readers how casual overuse of this expresion by President George W. Bush has made it into a meaningless stock phrase that can only leave listeners unconvinced of the President's sincerity, we append a small sampling of his careless employment of this now virtually meaningless expression over the past six years.
“And I am most pleased with the support we're receiving here, and I look forward to continuing to describe our efforts to our close friends and allies. And they will see in me a determination to succeed. And I fully understand that some over time may grow weary and may tire. But they'll realize the United States of America under my leadership will not. We must be successful in the war against terror." Press conference with President Kim Dae-Jung of South Korea, Seoul, South Korea, October 19, 2001.
“Well, I fully understand that some countries will participate with military forces, and others won't feel comfortable doing that. Some countries will be very good about sharing intelligence; other countries may not be so good. Some countries will be much more efficient about cutting off money; other countries may be a little lax about cutting off money. But the point is, is that the coalition is broad and deep and strong and committed.” Remarks made at the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, October 20, 2001.
"I fully understand the consequences of what we're doing. We're changing the world. And the world will be better off and America will be more secure as a result of the actions we're taking.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2004.
“The other thing I want to do is to make sure that everybody can feel the great power of love. Again, I fully understand government's role is limited in love." Said at an “Ask President Bush” event, Niles, Michigan, May 3, 2004.
"I believe the decision to go to war was the right decision, particularly after September the 11th. And in this great country people are entitled to express their concerns, I fully understand that." Aboard Air Force One flying from Crawford, Texas, to a campaign rally at Las Cruces, New Mexico, August 26, 2004.
“I laid out a doctrine, David, that said if you harbor terrorists, you're equally as guilty as the terrorists, and that doctrine was ignored by the Taliban, and we removed the Taliban. And I fully understand some people didn't agree with that decision. But I believe that when the American President speaks, he'd better mean what he says in order to keep the world peaceful. And I believe we have a solemn duty, whether or not people agree with it or not, to protect the American people. And the Taliban and their harboring of al Qaeda represented a direct threat to the American people.” Said to NBC correspondent David Gregory, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“There is a certain attitude in the world, by some, that says that it's a waste of time to try to promote free societies in parts of the world. I've heard that criticism. Remember, I went to London to talk about our vision of spreading freedom throughout the greater Middle East. And I fully understand that that might rankle some, and be viewed by some as folly. I just strongly disagree with those who do not see the wisdom of trying to promote free societies around the world.” Said to NBC correspondent David Gregory at news conference, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“In the Cabinet, there will be some changes. I don't know who they will be. It's inevitable there will be changes. It happens in every administration. To a person, I am proud of the work they have done. And I fully understand we're about to head into the period of intense speculation as to who's going to stay and who's not going to stay, and I assured them that--today I warned them of the speculative period. I said, it's a great Washington sport to be talking about who's going to leave and who their replacements may be, and handicapping, you know, my way of thinking.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2004.
“Certain issues come quicker than others in the course of a legislative session, and that depends upon whether or not those issues have been debated. I think of, for example, the legal issue--the legal reform issues, they have been--medical liability reform had been debated and got thwarted a couple of times in one body in particular on Capitol Hill. And so the groundwork has been laid for some legislation that I've been talking about. On an issue like tax reform it's going to--tax simplification, it's going to take a lot of legwork to get something ready for a legislative package. I fully understand that. And Social Security reform will require some additional legwork, although the Moynihan Commission has laid the groundwork for what I think is a very good place to start the debate.” Press conference, Washington, D.C. November 4, 2004.
“And I'm looking over the--I fully understand some people are concerned about whether or not this is affordable. And at the appropriate time, we'll address that aspect of reform.” Discussing Social Security reform at thee first news conference of his second term, Washington, D.C., January 26, 2005.
"I fully understand that as long as I'm the president I will face criticism. It's like part of the job.” Press conference, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005.
"Listen, one of the interesting things about September the 11th that I want you to understand as we have this discussion is that I fully understand that for some, September the 11th was an important moment and a terrible moment--and we appreciate the condolences of the people of the Netherlands--but for us it was a change of attitude. I mean, it changed a lot about how I looked at the world, and a lot of Americans, it changed how they looked at the world. I mean, it was more than just an attack; it was a whole mind-set." Youth Roundtable, Maastricht, The Netherlands, May 8, 2005.
"As a matter of fact, I fully understand that right here in the state of Wisconsin, a lot of people are counting on the Social Security check." Speaking about Social Security for younger workers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 19, 2005.
“What we're talking about today is new programs and plans with prescription drugs becoming available for our seniors. This is as much an education exercise as anything else, because I fully understand, and our government fully understands, many seniors don't want to change. They're not interested in change. And, therefore, what I'm telling you is, is that at least listen to what's available. You don't have to change if you don't want to, but at least be open-minded enough to listen." Meeting with senior citizens at Pueblo El Mirage RV and Golf Resort and Country Club, El Mirage, Arizona, August 29, 2005.
"Look, I fully understand there is--I guess, my reputation is, he sticks to his guns and--it's a very legitimate question, do you ever kind of understand that maybe that you've got to be somewhat flexible?" Press conference, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina, April 6, 2006.
"I fully understand the consequences of making such a decision. I was at church yesterday in Twentynine Palms. In the pew that I was sitting in was a mother and stepfather grieving for a guy who lost his life. And I knew that I would have to deal with this as best as I possibly can." Press conference, Irvine, California, April 24, 2006.
“I fully understand English is the key to unlocking opportunity in America. Part of the greatness of America is that we've been able to help assimilate people into our society, people from all kinds of backgrounds who have come here to seek a better life and become American, because we have the capacity to assimilate.” Press conference at Border Patrol headquarters, Yuma, Arizona, May 18, 2006.
"I fully understand the need for there to be simplicity in the documentation. It needs to be easy for somebody who is known and a person that is--makes a living on the other side of the border. There's--a lot of kids go to college in, like, El Paso, Texas, and they're living in Mexico, so they've got to go back and forth on a regular basis. So I'm familiar with this issue a lot, and I really do emphasize the need for us to be mindful of what a onerous program could mean to good relations, as well as facilitation of trade." Press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, July 6, 2006.
“And then the third area of conflict, the one that gets a lot of attention, as it should, is the sectarian violence taking place in Baghdad. And I fully understand that we've got to help the Iraqis deal with that. So my thinking is--and a lot of our strategy sessions revolve around how best to deal with this problem, and how best to help the Iraqis deal with it. And I've got some more work to do, and I'll come forth at the appropriate time and explain the way forward to the country.” Oval Office interview with Washington Post staff writers, Washington, D.C., December 30, 2006.
“And failure in Iraq, defeat of America, in quotes, will then embolden these extremists. They'll be able to recruit more. They'll be able to find more suiciders. They'll have resources at their availability, like energy if they were able to topple modern governments. In other words, these people have a plan. They have a vision of the world. And they intend to use murder to enact their vision. And I fully understand that. You know, some of my buddies in Texas say, “You know, let them fight it out. What business is it of ours? You got rid of Saddam. Just let them slug it out.” And that's a temptation that I know a lot of people feel. But if we do not succeed in Iraq, we will leave behind a Middle East which will endanger America in the future.” Interview with Scott Pelley of CBS 60 Minutes, Camp David, Maryland, January 14, 2007.
“Well--listen, I fully understand the president has got to convince the American people it's worth it and that we can succeed, and no doubt--and I've spent a lot of time during my presidency talking to the American people and educating the American people about the stakes and what we're trying to get done. And I fully understand, Jim, by the way, that the American people are going to say, okay, show us whether this works. When it's all said and done, what really matters is not my speech or my interview with you, but what happens on the ground. And that's my primary concern in coming up with something different, was that it was working in Baghdad, so therefore we've got to do something different. One option was to leave, one option was to step up--but let me talk about Baker-Hamilton." Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
“No, and no question about that. And that's why I'm having this interview with you. I'm trying to do my very best to explain to people why success is vital. In other words, people have got to understand that if we decide and we grow weary of--and there's a lot of war weariness in this country, and I fully understand that--and we say, okay, well, let's just leave; we can leave in stages, but let's just leave, or let's just pull back and hope that the Iraqis are able to settle their business, the consequences of that decision will be disastrous for the future of this country. And therefore, we got to keep working on ways to succeed, as far as I'm concerned." Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
“I fully understand it's going to be up to the Iraqis to solve their problems. I was hoping to be in a different position. In other words, I had hoped I'd be able to interview with you and say, well, you know, we're not needed as much anymore, but I fully recognize that unless the violence in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, the sectarian violence and the criminality is dealt with, then the political reconciliation necessary to unite the country isn't going to happen. And so I made a tough decision, and that is to reinforce our troops there and put a new commander there in the hopes of breaking the sectarian violence--or helping the Iraqis break it.” Newsmaker interview with Jim Lehrer, Washington, D.C., January 16, 2007.
"I told the American people I fully understand there are differences of opinion. But one of the things I have discovered is, in Washington, D.C., most people understand the consequences of failure." Press conference at House Republican Conference in Cambridge, Maryland, January 26, 2007.
“I fully understand it's going to be up to the Iraqis to solve their problems. I was hoping to be in a different position. In other words, I had hoped I'd be able to interview with you and say, well, you know, we're not needed as much anymore, but I fully recognize that unless the violence in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, the sectarian violence and the criminality is dealt with, then the political reconciliation necessary to unite the country isn't going to happen. And so I made a tough decision, and that is to reinforce our troops there and put a new commander there in the hopes of breaking the sectarian violence--or helping the Iraqis break it." National Public Radio interview with Juan Williams, Washington, D.C., January 29, 2007.
"I fully understand that if you read your newspaper articles--which I do sometimes--and listen carefully, you'll hear voices in both parties saying they don't like No Child Left Behind: It's too much testing, or, we don't want to be held to account, or whatever they say. The bill is working. It makes a lot of sense." Press conference, Washington, D.C., February 14, 2007.
“And it's a--at any rate, that's why I made the decision I made. Presidents have to weigh different options all the time. Look, I fully understand there are some who are--don't agree with every decision I make. I hope the American people understand I make those decisions because I believe it's going to yield the peace that we all want." Press conference, Washington, D.C., February 14, 2007.
“I committed to stay involved in the rebuilding of--gosh, a United States Senator, excuse me, Senator--and the Congressman, I beg your pardon. I committed to the people of this part of the world and the Gulf Coast that the federal government would fund recovery and stay committed to the recovery. And one of the reasons I have come down is to hear from you. I fully understand that there are frustrations and I want to know the frustrations. And to the extent we can help, we'll help. I told the people that I would work with the Congress to write a $110 billion check--the people of Louisiana and Mississippi, and that check has been written. And now it's incumbent upon us to get the money into people's hands." Said March 1, 2007, at lunch at Lil Dizzy’s Café, New Orleans, Louisiana, after touring portions of the still-devastated Gulf Coast.
Apropos our linguistically awkward President's most recent use of "I fully understand," his favorite empty phrase: George W. Bush likes to call himself "The Decider"--but wonders never cease. Eighteen months after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing period of unkept promises to restore the Gulf Coast region to economic viability, the wonder is that he would dare to show his face in a region still dotted with FEMA trailer colonies and proceed to lay the blame for both the untoward delays and the reconstruction debacle everywhere but upon himself.
Labels: "I Fully Understand", George W. Bush, Quotable Quotes
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The Prequel: Early Examples of Weird Bushspeak
QUOTABLE QUOTES
George W. Bush's losing battle with the English language antedated his election to the presidency. The following samples, arranged in chronological order, predate his inauguration on January 21, 2001. These include some of the choicest examples of his ability to mangle English almost beyond recognition. Most date from the 2000 campaign leading up to his bitterly contested election, thanks to the Supreme Court:
"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods." Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000.
"I also have picked a secretary for Housing and Human Development. Mel Martinez from the state of Florida." Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000.
"Let me put it to you this way, I am not a revengeful person." quoted in an interview with Time magazine that appeared in the Dec. 25, 2000, issue.
"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2000.
"The great thing about America is everybody should vote." Austin, Texas, Dec. 8, 2000.
"Dick Cheney and I do not want this nation to be in a recession. We want anybody who can find work to be able to find work." 60 Minutes II, Dec. 5, 2000.
"I knew it might put him in an awkward position that we had a discussion before finality has finally happened in this presidential race." Describing a phone call to Sen. John Breaux, Crawford, Texas, Dec. 2, 2000.
"As far as the legal hassling and wrangling and posturing in Florida, I would suggest you talk to our team in Florida led by Jim Baker." Crawford, Texas, Nov. 30, 2000.
"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law." Austin, Texas, Nov. 22, 2000.
"They misunderestimated me." Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000.
"They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program." St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000.
"Think about that. Two hundred and eighty-five new or expanded programs, $2 trillion more in new spending, and not one new bureaucrat to file out the forms or answer the phones?" Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 1, 2000.
"They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, 'You know something? Whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me, because I stand for doing what's the right thing, and what the right thing is hearing the voices of people who work.'" Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000.
"Anyway, after we go out and work our hearts out, after you go out and help us turn out the vote, after we've convinced the good Americans to vote, and while they're at it, pull that old George W. lever, if I'm the one, when I put my hand on the Bible, when I put my hand on the Bible, that day when they swear us in, when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not--to uphold the laws of the land." Toledo, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2000.
"It's your money. You paid for it." LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000.
"That's a chapter, the last chapter of the 20th, 20th, the 21st century that most of us would rather forget. The last chapter of the 20th century. This is the first chapter of the 21st century. " On the Lewinsky scandal, Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000.
"It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet." Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000.
"I don't want nations feeling like that they can bully ourselves and our allies. I want to have a ballistic defense system so that we can make the world more peaceful, and at the same time I want to reduce our own nuclear capacities to the level commiserate with keeping the peace." Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 23, 2000.
"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." La Crosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000.
"If I'm the president, we're going to have emergency-room care, we're [not] going to have gag orders." / "Drug therapies are replacing a lot of medicines as we used to know it." / "It's one thing about insurance, that's a Washington term."/" I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can have a gun."/ "Mr. Vice President, in all due respect, it is--I'm not sure 80 percent of the people [do not] get the death tax. I know this: 100 percent will [not] get it if I'm the president." / "Quotas are bad for America. It's not the way America is all about." / "If affirmative action means what I just described, what I'm for, then I'm for it." St. Louis, Mo., October 18, 2000.
"I mean, there needs to be a wholesale effort against racial profiling, which is illiterate children." Second presidential debate, Oct. 11, 2000 .
"Our priorities is our faith." / "It's going to require numerous IRA agents." On Gore's tax plan, Greensboro, N.C., Oct. 10, 2000.
"I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question." In response to a question about whether he wished he could take back any of his answers in the first debate. Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000.
"I would have my secretary of treasury be in touch with the financial centers, not only here but at home." Boston, Oct. 3, 2000.
"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000.
"I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy." Redwood, Calif., Sept. 27, 2000.
"One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected." Los Angeles, Sept. 27, 2000.
"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas." Beaverton, Ore., Sept. 25, 2000.
"Well, that's going to be up to the pundits and the people to make up their mind. I'll tell you what is a president for him, for example, talking about my record in the state of Texas. I mean, he's willing to say anything in order to convince people that I haven't had a good record in Texas." MSNBC, Sept. 20, 2000.
"I am a person who recognizes the fallacy of humans." Oprah, Sept. 19, 2000.
"A tax cut is really one of the anecdotes to coming out of an economic illness." The Edge With Paula Zahn, Sept. 18, 2000.
"The woman who knew that I had dyslexia--I never interviewed her." Orange, Calif., Sept. 15, 2000.
"The best way to relieve families from time is to let them keep some of their own money." / "They have miscalculated me as a leader." Westminster, Calif., Sept. 13, 2000.
"I don't think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs." Orlando, Fla., Sept. 12, 2000.
"This is what I'm good at. I like meeting people, my fellow citizens, I like interfacing with them." Outside Pittsburgh, Sept. 8, 2000.
"That's Washington. That's the place where you find people getting ready to jump out of the foxholes before the first shot is fired." Westland, Mich., Sept. 8, 2000.
"Listen, Al Gore is a very tough opponent. He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes from the pack and wins, if you're going to win. And that's where I'm coming from." Detroit, Sept. 7, 2000.
"We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers." Houston, Texas, Sept. 6, 2000.
"We don't believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans." Scranton, Pa., Sept. 6, 2000.
"I regret that a private comment I made to the vice presidential candidate made it through the public airways." Allentown, Pa., Sept. 5, 2000.
"The point is, this is a way to help inoculate me about what has come and is coming."Said about his anti-Gore ad, in an interview with The New York Times, Sept. 2, 2000.
"As governor of Texas, I have set high standards for our public schools, and I have met those standards" / "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's [un]trustworthiness." CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000.
"I don't know whether I'm going to win or not. I think I am. I do know I'm ready for the job. And, if not, that's just the way it goes." / " This campaign not only hears the voices of the entrepreneurs and the farmers and the entrepreneurs, we hear the voices of those struggling to get ahead." / "We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.'' Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 21, 2000.
"I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together." Bartlett, Tenn., Aug. 18, 2000.
"I think he needs to stand up and say if he thought the president were wrong on policy and issues, he ought to say where." Interview with the Associated Press, Aug. 11, 2000.
"I want you to know that farmers are not going to be secondary thoughts to a Bush administration. They will be in the forethought of our thinking."Salinas, Calif., Aug. 10, 2000.
"You might want to comment on that, Honorable." Said to New Jersey's secretary of state, the Hon. DeForest Soaries Jr., as quoted by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post, July 15, 2000.
"This case has had full analyzation and has been looked at a lot. I understand the emotionality of death penalty cases." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 23, 2000.
"States should have the right to enact reasonable laws and restrictions particularly to end the inhumane practice of ending a life that otherwise could live." Cleveland, June 29, 2000.
"Unfairly but truthfully, our party has been tagged as being against things. Anti-immigrant, for example. And we're not a party of anti-immigrants. Quite the opposite. We're a party that welcomes people." Cleveland, July 1, 2000.
"The fundamental question is, 'Will I be a successful president when it comes to foreign policy?' I will be, but until I'm the president, it's going to be hard for me to verify that I think I'll be more effective." Wayne, Mich., as quoted by Katharine Q. Seelye in The New York Times, June 28, 2000
"The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt of the person thatI've looked at. I do not believe we've put a guilty...I mean innocent person to death in the state of Texas." All Things Considered, NPR, June 16, 2000.
"There's not going to be enough people in the system to take advantage of people like me." On the coming Social Security crisis, Wilton, Conn.; June 9, 2000.
"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read--I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do." On abortion, Hardball, MSNBC; May 31, 2000.
"I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating [me]." U.S. News & World Report, April 3, 2000.
Bush: "First of all, Cinco de Mayo is not the independence day. That's dieciséis de Septiembre, and...."
Matthews: "What's that in English?"
Bush: "Fifteenth of September." (Dieciséis de Septiembre = Sept.16). "Actually, I--this may sound a little West Texan to you, but I like it. When I'm talking about--when I'm talking about myself, and when he's talking about myself, all of us are talking about me." Hardball, MSNBC, May 31, 2000.
"This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of .... You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things. We're certain that even though the 'evil empire' may have passed, evil still remains. We're certain there are people that can't stand what America stands for.... We're certain there are madmen in this world, and there's terror, and there's missiles and I'm certain of this, too: I'm certain to maintain the peace, we better have a military of high morale, and I'm certain that under this administration, morale in the military is dangerously low." Albuquerque, N.M., quoted in the Washington Post, May 31, 2000.
"He has certainly earned a reputation as a fantastic mayor, because the results speak for themselves. I mean, New York's a safer place for him to be." Said about Rudy Giuliani, The Edge With Paula Zahn, May 18, 2000.
"The fact that he relies on facts--says things that are not factual--are going to undermine his campaign." The New York Times, March 4, 2000.
"I think we agree, the past is over." On his meeting with Sen. John McCain, in the Dallas Morning News, May 10, 2000.
"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." Reuters, May 5, 2000.
Gov. Bush: Because the picture on the newspaper. It just seems so un-American to me, the picture of the guy storming the house with a scared little boy there. I talked to my little brother, Jeb-I haven't told this to many people. But he's the governor of--I shouldn't call him my little brother--my brother, Jeb, the great governor of Texas.
Jim Lehrer: Florida.
Gov. Bush: Florida. The state of the Florida. The NewsHour With Jim
Lehrer, April 27, 2000.
"I hope we get to the bottom of the answer. It's what I'm interested to know." On what happened in negotiations between the Justice Department and Elián González's Miami relatives, as quoted by the Associated Press, April 26, 2000.
"Laura and I really don't realize how bright our children is sometimes until we get an objective analysis." CNBC, April 15, 2000.
"You subscribe politics to it. I subscribe freedom to it." Responding to a question about whether he and Al Gore were making the Elián González case a political issue. In Palm Beach, Fla., as quoted by the Associated Press, April 6, 2000.
"I was raised in the West. The west of Texas. It's pretty close to California. In more ways than Washington, D.C., is close to California." In Los Angeles as quoted by the Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2000.
"Reading is the basics for all learning." Announcing his "Reading First" initiative in Reston, Va., March 28, 2000.
"We want our teachers to be trained so they can meet the obligations, their obligations as teachers. We want them to know how to teach the science of reading. In order to make sure there's not this kind of federal--federal cufflink." At Fritsche Middle School, Milwaukee, March 30, 2000.
"I've got a reason for running. I talk about a larger goal, which is to call upon the best of America. It's part of the renewal. It's reformand renewal. Part of the renewal is a set of high standards and to remind people that the greatness of America really does depend on neighbors helping neighbors and children finding mentors. I worry. I'm very worried about, you know, the kid who just wonders whether America is meant for him. I really worry about that. And uh, so, I'm running for a reason. I'm answering this question here and the answer is, you cannot lead America to a positive tomorrow with revenge on one's mind. Revenge is so incredibly negative. And so to answer your question, I'm going to win because people sense my heart, know my sense of optimism and know where I want to lead the country. And I tease people by saying, 'A leader, you can't say, follow me the world is going to be worse.' I'm an optimistic person. I'm an inherently content person. I've got a great sense of where I want to lead and I'm comfortable with why I'm running. And, you know, the call on that speech was, beware. This is going to be a tough campaign." Interview with the Washington Post, March 23, 2000.
"People make suggestions on what to say all the time. I'll give you an example; I don't read what's handed to me. People say, 'Here, here's your speech, or here's an idea for a speech.' They're changed. Trust me." Interview with The New York Times, March 15, 2000.
"It's evolutionary, going from governor to president, and this is a significant step, to be able to vote for yourself on the ballot, and I'll be able to do so next fall, I hope." Interview with the Associated Press, March 8, 2000.
"It is not Reaganesque to support a tax plan that is Clinton in nature.'' Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 2000.
"I don't have to accept their tenants. I was trying to convince those college students to accept my tenants. And I reject any labeling me because I happened to go to the university." Today, Feb. 23, 2000.
"I understand small business growth. I was one." New York Daily News, Feb. 19, 2000.
"The senator has got to understand if he's going to have--he can't have it both ways. He can't take the high horse and then claim the low road." Said to reporters in Florence, S.C., Feb. 17, 2000.
"Really proud of it. A great campaign. And I'm really pleased with the organization and the thousands of South Carolinians that worked on my behalf. And I'm very gracious and humbled." Said to Cokie Roberts, This Week, Feb. 20, 2000.
"I don't want to win? If that were the case why the heck am I on the bus 16 hours a day, shaking thousands of hands, giving hundreds of speeches, getting pillared in the press and cartoons and still staying on message to win?" / "I thought how proud I am to be standing up beside my dad. Never did it occur to me that he would become the gist for cartoonists." Newsweek, Feb. 28, 2000.
"If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign." Hilton Head, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000.
"How do you know if you don't measure if you have a system that simply suckles kids through?" Explaining the need for educational accountability in Beaufort, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000.
"We ought to make the pie higher." South Carolina Republican Debate, Feb. 15, 2000.
"I do not agree with this notion that somehow if I go to try to attract votes and to lead people toward a better tomorrow somehow I get subscribed to some--some doctrine gets subscribed to me." / "I've changed my style somewhat, as you know. I'm less--I pontificate less, although it may be hard to tell it from this show. And I'm more interacting with people." Meet the Press, Feb. 13, 2000.
"I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth to the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth." Nashua, N.H., quoted by Gail Collins in The New York Times, Feb. 1, 2000.
"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case." Pella, Iowa, quoted in the San Antonio Express-News, Jan. 30, 2000.
"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000.
"This is Preservation Month. I appreciate preservation. It's what you do when you run for president. You gotta preserve." Speaking during "Perseverance Month" at Fairgrounds Elementary School in Nashua, N.H., and quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Jan. 28, 2000.
"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000.
"What I am against is quotas. I am against hard quotas, quotas they basically delineate based upon whatever. However they delineate, quotas, I think vulcanize society. So I don't know how that fits into what everybody else is saying, their relative positions, but that's my position.'' Quoted by Molly Ivins, the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 21, 2000.
"When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly who they were," he said. "It was us vs. them, and it was clear who them was. Today, we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there." Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jan 21, 2000.
"The administration I'll bring is a group of men and women who are focused on what's best for America, honest men and women, decent men and women, women who will see service to our country as a great privilege and who will not stain the house." Des Moines Register debate, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2000.
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses." / "We must all hear the universal call to like your neighbor just like you like to be liked yourself." At a South Carolina oyster roast, as quoted in the Financial Times, Jan. 14, 2000.
"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" / "Gov. Bush will not stand for the subsidation of failure." Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000.
"There needs to be debates, like we're going through. There needs to be town-hall meetings. There needs to be travel. This is a huge country." Larry King Live, Dec. 16, 1999.
"I think it's important for those of us in a position of responsibility to be firm in sharing our experiences, to understand that the babies out of wedlock is a very difficult chore for mom and baby alike.... I believe we ought to say there is a different alternative than the culture that is proposed by people like Miss Wolf in society.... And, you know, hopefully, condoms will work, but it hasn't worked." Meet the Press, Nov. 21, 1999.
"It is incredibly presumptive for somebody who has not yet earned his party's nomination to start speculating about vice presidents." Keene, N.H., Oct. 22, 1999, quoted in The New Republic, Nov. 15, 1999.
"The important question is, How many hands have I shaked?" Answering a question about why he hasn't spent more time in New Hampshire, in The New York Times, Oct. 23, 1999.
"I don't remember debates. I don't think we spent a lot of time debating it. Maybe we did, but I don't remember." On discussions of the Vietnam War when he was an undergraduate at Yale, in the Washington Post, July 27, 1999.
"The only thing I know about Slovakia is what I learned first-hand from your foreign minister, who came to Texas." To a Slovak journalist as quoted by Knight Ridder News Service, June 22, 1999. Unfortunately, the meeting Mr. Bush referred to was with Janez Drnovsek, the prime minister of Slovenia.
"If the East Timorians decide to revolt, I'm sure I'll have a statement." Quoted by Maureen Dowd in The New York Times, June 16, 1999.
"Keep good relations with the Grecians." Quoted in The Economist, June 12, 1999.
"Kosovians can move back in." CNN Inside Politics, April 9, 1999.
"It was just inebriating what Midland was all about then." In a 1994 interview, quoted in First Son, by Bill Minutaglio.
George W. Bush's losing battle with the English language antedated his election to the presidency. The following samples, arranged in chronological order, predate his inauguration on January 21, 2001. These include some of the choicest examples of his ability to mangle English almost beyond recognition. Most date from the 2000 campaign leading up to his bitterly contested election, thanks to the Supreme Court:
"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods." Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000.
"I also have picked a secretary for Housing and Human Development. Mel Martinez from the state of Florida." Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000.
"Let me put it to you this way, I am not a revengeful person." quoted in an interview with Time magazine that appeared in the Dec. 25, 2000, issue.
"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2000.
"The great thing about America is everybody should vote." Austin, Texas, Dec. 8, 2000.
"Dick Cheney and I do not want this nation to be in a recession. We want anybody who can find work to be able to find work." 60 Minutes II, Dec. 5, 2000.
"I knew it might put him in an awkward position that we had a discussion before finality has finally happened in this presidential race." Describing a phone call to Sen. John Breaux, Crawford, Texas, Dec. 2, 2000.
"As far as the legal hassling and wrangling and posturing in Florida, I would suggest you talk to our team in Florida led by Jim Baker." Crawford, Texas, Nov. 30, 2000.
"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law." Austin, Texas, Nov. 22, 2000.
"They misunderestimated me." Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000.
"They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program." St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000.
"Think about that. Two hundred and eighty-five new or expanded programs, $2 trillion more in new spending, and not one new bureaucrat to file out the forms or answer the phones?" Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 1, 2000.
"They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, 'You know something? Whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me, because I stand for doing what's the right thing, and what the right thing is hearing the voices of people who work.'" Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000.
"Anyway, after we go out and work our hearts out, after you go out and help us turn out the vote, after we've convinced the good Americans to vote, and while they're at it, pull that old George W. lever, if I'm the one, when I put my hand on the Bible, when I put my hand on the Bible, that day when they swear us in, when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not--to uphold the laws of the land." Toledo, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2000.
"It's your money. You paid for it." LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000.
"That's a chapter, the last chapter of the 20th, 20th, the 21st century that most of us would rather forget. The last chapter of the 20th century. This is the first chapter of the 21st century. " On the Lewinsky scandal, Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000.
"It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet." Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000.
"I don't want nations feeling like that they can bully ourselves and our allies. I want to have a ballistic defense system so that we can make the world more peaceful, and at the same time I want to reduce our own nuclear capacities to the level commiserate with keeping the peace." Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 23, 2000.
"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." La Crosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000.
"If I'm the president, we're going to have emergency-room care, we're [not] going to have gag orders." / "Drug therapies are replacing a lot of medicines as we used to know it." / "It's one thing about insurance, that's a Washington term."/" I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can have a gun."/ "Mr. Vice President, in all due respect, it is--I'm not sure 80 percent of the people [do not] get the death tax. I know this: 100 percent will [not] get it if I'm the president." / "Quotas are bad for America. It's not the way America is all about." / "If affirmative action means what I just described, what I'm for, then I'm for it." St. Louis, Mo., October 18, 2000.
"I mean, there needs to be a wholesale effort against racial profiling, which is illiterate children." Second presidential debate, Oct. 11, 2000 .
"Our priorities is our faith." / "It's going to require numerous IRA agents." On Gore's tax plan, Greensboro, N.C., Oct. 10, 2000.
"I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question." In response to a question about whether he wished he could take back any of his answers in the first debate. Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000.
"I would have my secretary of treasury be in touch with the financial centers, not only here but at home." Boston, Oct. 3, 2000.
"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000.
"I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy." Redwood, Calif., Sept. 27, 2000.
"One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected." Los Angeles, Sept. 27, 2000.
"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas." Beaverton, Ore., Sept. 25, 2000.
"Well, that's going to be up to the pundits and the people to make up their mind. I'll tell you what is a president for him, for example, talking about my record in the state of Texas. I mean, he's willing to say anything in order to convince people that I haven't had a good record in Texas." MSNBC, Sept. 20, 2000.
"I am a person who recognizes the fallacy of humans." Oprah, Sept. 19, 2000.
"A tax cut is really one of the anecdotes to coming out of an economic illness." The Edge With Paula Zahn, Sept. 18, 2000.
"The woman who knew that I had dyslexia--I never interviewed her." Orange, Calif., Sept. 15, 2000.
"The best way to relieve families from time is to let them keep some of their own money." / "They have miscalculated me as a leader." Westminster, Calif., Sept. 13, 2000.
"I don't think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs." Orlando, Fla., Sept. 12, 2000.
"This is what I'm good at. I like meeting people, my fellow citizens, I like interfacing with them." Outside Pittsburgh, Sept. 8, 2000.
"That's Washington. That's the place where you find people getting ready to jump out of the foxholes before the first shot is fired." Westland, Mich., Sept. 8, 2000.
"Listen, Al Gore is a very tough opponent. He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes from the pack and wins, if you're going to win. And that's where I'm coming from." Detroit, Sept. 7, 2000.
"We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers." Houston, Texas, Sept. 6, 2000.
"We don't believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans." Scranton, Pa., Sept. 6, 2000.
"I regret that a private comment I made to the vice presidential candidate made it through the public airways." Allentown, Pa., Sept. 5, 2000.
"The point is, this is a way to help inoculate me about what has come and is coming."Said about his anti-Gore ad, in an interview with The New York Times, Sept. 2, 2000.
"As governor of Texas, I have set high standards for our public schools, and I have met those standards" / "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's [un]trustworthiness." CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000.
"I don't know whether I'm going to win or not. I think I am. I do know I'm ready for the job. And, if not, that's just the way it goes." / " This campaign not only hears the voices of the entrepreneurs and the farmers and the entrepreneurs, we hear the voices of those struggling to get ahead." / "We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.'' Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 21, 2000.
"I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together." Bartlett, Tenn., Aug. 18, 2000.
"I think he needs to stand up and say if he thought the president were wrong on policy and issues, he ought to say where." Interview with the Associated Press, Aug. 11, 2000.
"I want you to know that farmers are not going to be secondary thoughts to a Bush administration. They will be in the forethought of our thinking."Salinas, Calif., Aug. 10, 2000.
"You might want to comment on that, Honorable." Said to New Jersey's secretary of state, the Hon. DeForest Soaries Jr., as quoted by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post, July 15, 2000.
"This case has had full analyzation and has been looked at a lot. I understand the emotionality of death penalty cases." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 23, 2000.
"States should have the right to enact reasonable laws and restrictions particularly to end the inhumane practice of ending a life that otherwise could live." Cleveland, June 29, 2000.
"Unfairly but truthfully, our party has been tagged as being against things. Anti-immigrant, for example. And we're not a party of anti-immigrants. Quite the opposite. We're a party that welcomes people." Cleveland, July 1, 2000.
"The fundamental question is, 'Will I be a successful president when it comes to foreign policy?' I will be, but until I'm the president, it's going to be hard for me to verify that I think I'll be more effective." Wayne, Mich., as quoted by Katharine Q. Seelye in The New York Times, June 28, 2000
"The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt of the person thatI've looked at. I do not believe we've put a guilty...I mean innocent person to death in the state of Texas." All Things Considered, NPR, June 16, 2000.
"There's not going to be enough people in the system to take advantage of people like me." On the coming Social Security crisis, Wilton, Conn.; June 9, 2000.
"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read--I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do." On abortion, Hardball, MSNBC; May 31, 2000.
"I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating [me]." U.S. News & World Report, April 3, 2000.
Bush: "First of all, Cinco de Mayo is not the independence day. That's dieciséis de Septiembre, and...."
Matthews: "What's that in English?"
Bush: "Fifteenth of September." (Dieciséis de Septiembre = Sept.16). "Actually, I--this may sound a little West Texan to you, but I like it. When I'm talking about--when I'm talking about myself, and when he's talking about myself, all of us are talking about me." Hardball, MSNBC, May 31, 2000.
"This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of .... You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things. We're certain that even though the 'evil empire' may have passed, evil still remains. We're certain there are people that can't stand what America stands for.... We're certain there are madmen in this world, and there's terror, and there's missiles and I'm certain of this, too: I'm certain to maintain the peace, we better have a military of high morale, and I'm certain that under this administration, morale in the military is dangerously low." Albuquerque, N.M., quoted in the Washington Post, May 31, 2000.
"He has certainly earned a reputation as a fantastic mayor, because the results speak for themselves. I mean, New York's a safer place for him to be." Said about Rudy Giuliani, The Edge With Paula Zahn, May 18, 2000.
"The fact that he relies on facts--says things that are not factual--are going to undermine his campaign." The New York Times, March 4, 2000.
"I think we agree, the past is over." On his meeting with Sen. John McCain, in the Dallas Morning News, May 10, 2000.
"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." Reuters, May 5, 2000.
Gov. Bush: Because the picture on the newspaper. It just seems so un-American to me, the picture of the guy storming the house with a scared little boy there. I talked to my little brother, Jeb-I haven't told this to many people. But he's the governor of--I shouldn't call him my little brother--my brother, Jeb, the great governor of Texas.
Jim Lehrer: Florida.
Gov. Bush: Florida. The state of the Florida. The NewsHour With Jim
Lehrer, April 27, 2000.
"I hope we get to the bottom of the answer. It's what I'm interested to know." On what happened in negotiations between the Justice Department and Elián González's Miami relatives, as quoted by the Associated Press, April 26, 2000.
"Laura and I really don't realize how bright our children is sometimes until we get an objective analysis." CNBC, April 15, 2000.
"You subscribe politics to it. I subscribe freedom to it." Responding to a question about whether he and Al Gore were making the Elián González case a political issue. In Palm Beach, Fla., as quoted by the Associated Press, April 6, 2000.
"I was raised in the West. The west of Texas. It's pretty close to California. In more ways than Washington, D.C., is close to California." In Los Angeles as quoted by the Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2000.
"Reading is the basics for all learning." Announcing his "Reading First" initiative in Reston, Va., March 28, 2000.
"We want our teachers to be trained so they can meet the obligations, their obligations as teachers. We want them to know how to teach the science of reading. In order to make sure there's not this kind of federal--federal cufflink." At Fritsche Middle School, Milwaukee, March 30, 2000.
"I've got a reason for running. I talk about a larger goal, which is to call upon the best of America. It's part of the renewal. It's reformand renewal. Part of the renewal is a set of high standards and to remind people that the greatness of America really does depend on neighbors helping neighbors and children finding mentors. I worry. I'm very worried about, you know, the kid who just wonders whether America is meant for him. I really worry about that. And uh, so, I'm running for a reason. I'm answering this question here and the answer is, you cannot lead America to a positive tomorrow with revenge on one's mind. Revenge is so incredibly negative. And so to answer your question, I'm going to win because people sense my heart, know my sense of optimism and know where I want to lead the country. And I tease people by saying, 'A leader, you can't say, follow me the world is going to be worse.' I'm an optimistic person. I'm an inherently content person. I've got a great sense of where I want to lead and I'm comfortable with why I'm running. And, you know, the call on that speech was, beware. This is going to be a tough campaign." Interview with the Washington Post, March 23, 2000.
"People make suggestions on what to say all the time. I'll give you an example; I don't read what's handed to me. People say, 'Here, here's your speech, or here's an idea for a speech.' They're changed. Trust me." Interview with The New York Times, March 15, 2000.
"It's evolutionary, going from governor to president, and this is a significant step, to be able to vote for yourself on the ballot, and I'll be able to do so next fall, I hope." Interview with the Associated Press, March 8, 2000.
"It is not Reaganesque to support a tax plan that is Clinton in nature.'' Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 2000.
"I don't have to accept their tenants. I was trying to convince those college students to accept my tenants. And I reject any labeling me because I happened to go to the university." Today, Feb. 23, 2000.
"I understand small business growth. I was one." New York Daily News, Feb. 19, 2000.
"The senator has got to understand if he's going to have--he can't have it both ways. He can't take the high horse and then claim the low road." Said to reporters in Florence, S.C., Feb. 17, 2000.
"Really proud of it. A great campaign. And I'm really pleased with the organization and the thousands of South Carolinians that worked on my behalf. And I'm very gracious and humbled." Said to Cokie Roberts, This Week, Feb. 20, 2000.
"I don't want to win? If that were the case why the heck am I on the bus 16 hours a day, shaking thousands of hands, giving hundreds of speeches, getting pillared in the press and cartoons and still staying on message to win?" / "I thought how proud I am to be standing up beside my dad. Never did it occur to me that he would become the gist for cartoonists." Newsweek, Feb. 28, 2000.
"If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign." Hilton Head, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000.
"How do you know if you don't measure if you have a system that simply suckles kids through?" Explaining the need for educational accountability in Beaufort, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000.
"We ought to make the pie higher." South Carolina Republican Debate, Feb. 15, 2000.
"I do not agree with this notion that somehow if I go to try to attract votes and to lead people toward a better tomorrow somehow I get subscribed to some--some doctrine gets subscribed to me." / "I've changed my style somewhat, as you know. I'm less--I pontificate less, although it may be hard to tell it from this show. And I'm more interacting with people." Meet the Press, Feb. 13, 2000.
"I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth to the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth." Nashua, N.H., quoted by Gail Collins in The New York Times, Feb. 1, 2000.
"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case." Pella, Iowa, quoted in the San Antonio Express-News, Jan. 30, 2000.
"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000.
"This is Preservation Month. I appreciate preservation. It's what you do when you run for president. You gotta preserve." Speaking during "Perseverance Month" at Fairgrounds Elementary School in Nashua, N.H., and quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Jan. 28, 2000.
"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000.
"What I am against is quotas. I am against hard quotas, quotas they basically delineate based upon whatever. However they delineate, quotas, I think vulcanize society. So I don't know how that fits into what everybody else is saying, their relative positions, but that's my position.'' Quoted by Molly Ivins, the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 21, 2000.
"When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly who they were," he said. "It was us vs. them, and it was clear who them was. Today, we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there." Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jan 21, 2000.
"The administration I'll bring is a group of men and women who are focused on what's best for America, honest men and women, decent men and women, women who will see service to our country as a great privilege and who will not stain the house." Des Moines Register debate, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2000.
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses." / "We must all hear the universal call to like your neighbor just like you like to be liked yourself." At a South Carolina oyster roast, as quoted in the Financial Times, Jan. 14, 2000.
"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" / "Gov. Bush will not stand for the subsidation of failure." Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000.
"There needs to be debates, like we're going through. There needs to be town-hall meetings. There needs to be travel. This is a huge country." Larry King Live, Dec. 16, 1999.
"I think it's important for those of us in a position of responsibility to be firm in sharing our experiences, to understand that the babies out of wedlock is a very difficult chore for mom and baby alike.... I believe we ought to say there is a different alternative than the culture that is proposed by people like Miss Wolf in society.... And, you know, hopefully, condoms will work, but it hasn't worked." Meet the Press, Nov. 21, 1999.
"It is incredibly presumptive for somebody who has not yet earned his party's nomination to start speculating about vice presidents." Keene, N.H., Oct. 22, 1999, quoted in The New Republic, Nov. 15, 1999.
"The important question is, How many hands have I shaked?" Answering a question about why he hasn't spent more time in New Hampshire, in The New York Times, Oct. 23, 1999.
"I don't remember debates. I don't think we spent a lot of time debating it. Maybe we did, but I don't remember." On discussions of the Vietnam War when he was an undergraduate at Yale, in the Washington Post, July 27, 1999.
"The only thing I know about Slovakia is what I learned first-hand from your foreign minister, who came to Texas." To a Slovak journalist as quoted by Knight Ridder News Service, June 22, 1999. Unfortunately, the meeting Mr. Bush referred to was with Janez Drnovsek, the prime minister of Slovenia.
"If the East Timorians decide to revolt, I'm sure I'll have a statement." Quoted by Maureen Dowd in The New York Times, June 16, 1999.
"Keep good relations with the Grecians." Quoted in The Economist, June 12, 1999.
"Kosovians can move back in." CNN Inside Politics, April 9, 1999.
"It was just inebriating what Midland was all about then." In a 1994 interview, quoted in First Son, by Bill Minutaglio.
Labels: George W. Bush, Quotable Quotes
Sunday, February 18, 2007
The Weird World of Bushspeak
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Although it should be better known, the name Johnson O'Connor isn't a household word. O'Connor, "the father of aptitude testing," made a monumental discovery in the 1930s. His Human Engineering Laboratory at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., tested hundreds of thousands of individuals. The results showed that a powerful vocabulary is directly linked to success in the worlds of business, academia or politics.
One interesting sidelight from O'Connor's findings was that success came equally to the self-taught and to the formally schooled. In short, it is one's vocabulary that is important, not how it was acquired. O'Connor concluded that "words are the tools of thought." Statistically, the larger the vocabulary of an individual, the higher that person's scores will be on tests (SAT, GRE, ACT, IQ, etc.) and the higher will be that person's income and stature in society.
George W. Bush attended prestigious Phillips Academy, at Andover, Mass., Yale University and the Harvard School of Business, and later became Governor of Texas and was twice elected President of the United States. The latter represents a pinnacle of success few have achieved. Yet, his widely recorded vocabulary failings would not have predicted this.
Johnson O'Connor died in 1973 at the age of 72. Had he lived, it is interesting to speculate what he would have made of George W. Bush's assaults on the English language, his mindless mangling of vocabulary, flagrant abuse of grammar and syntax, and sometimes hilarious malapropisms during the six years he has been in office, some of which are recorded here:
NORTH KOREA
"One has a stronger hand when there's more people playing your same cards." Said about holding six-party talks with North Korea, Washington, D.C., Oct. 11, 2006.
IRAN
"If the Iranians were to have a nuclear weapon, they could proliferate." Washington, March 21, 2006.
"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." Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005.
"Secondly, the tactics of our--as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's--ever since the late 70s, we have no contacts with them, and we've totally sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions--you can't--we're out of sanctions." Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004.
IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR
"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." Speaking with reporters on facing the challenges of war, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2006.
"You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror." Interview with CBS News, Washington D.C., Sept. 6, 2006.
"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." 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." Washington, March 22, 2006.
"After the bombing, most Iraqis saw what the perpetuators of this attack were trying to do." Washington, March 13, 2006, referring to the February bombing of the al-Askari shrine in Samarra.
"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." In defense of a plan to allow a company from the United Arab Emirates to manage ports in the United States, said aboard Air Force One, Feb. 21, 2006.
"He was a state sponsor of terror. In other words, the government had declared, 'You are a state sponsor of terror.'" Said about Saddam Hussein, Manhattan, Kans., Jan. 23, 2006.
"If you found somebody that had information about an attack on America, you'd want to know as best as we can to find out what the facts are." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome." Speaking about Iraqi attitudes toward American occupying forces, Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
“Bin Laden says his own role is to tell Muslims quote, ‘what is good for them and what is not.’” Washington, Oct. 6, 2005,
"You see, not only did the attackers accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war." Washington, June 8, 2005.
"Well, we 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. Washington, April 28, 2005.
"It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way. Washington, 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 Iraqis to secure their future." Washington, April 28, 2005.
"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein." Washington, May 25, 2004.
"It's a time of sorrow and sadness when you lose a loss of life." Washington, Dec. 21, 2004.
"Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat." Washington, Sept. 17, 2004.
"That's why I went to the Congress last September and proposed fundamental--supplemental funding, which is money for armor and body parts and ammunition and fuel." Erie, Pa., Sept. 4, 2004.
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." Washington, Aug. 5, 2004.
"I want to remind you all that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that they're well paid, well-trained, well-equipped." Washington, Dec. 15, 2003.
"The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the--the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice." Washington, Oct. 27, 2003.
"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.
"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.
"When Iraq is liberated, you [Saddam Hussein] will be treated, tried and persecuted as a war criminal." Washington, Jan. 22, 2003.
"I was proud the other day when both Republicans and Democrats stood with me in the Rose Garden to announce their support for a clear statement of purpose: you disarm, or we will." Washington, Oct. 5, 2002.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
"You're one of the outstanding leaders in a very important part of the world. I want to thank you for strategizing our discussions." Meeting with the prime minister of Malaysia, New York, Sept. 18, 2006.
"One thing is clear, is relations between America and Russia are good, and they're important that they be good." Visiting 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." Speaking about Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan, Washington, June 29, 2006.
"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted." Washington, June 27, 2006.
"The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany." Washington, May 5, 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." Irvine, Calif., April 24, 2006.
"I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend." Commenting on the possibility of a visit by him to Denmark, Washington, June 29, 2005.
"I was going to say that he's 'a piece of work,' but that might not translate well. Is it all right if I call you 'a piece of work'?" Said to the prime minister of Luxembourg, Washington, June 20, 2005.
"As a matter of fact, I know relations between our government is good." On the relationship between the U.S. and South Korea, Washington, Nov. 8, 2003.
"I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances." Washington, May 29, 2003.
"I've got good relations with President Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah and the King of Jordan--Gulf Coast countries." Washington, May 29, 2003.
"You saw the president [Russian President Vladimir Putin] yesterday. I thought he was very forward-leaning, as they say in diplomatic nuanced circles." Rome, Italy, July 23, 2001.
"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease." Gothenburg, Sweden, June 14, 2001.
"Anyway, I'm so thankful, and so gracious--I'm gracious that my brother Jeb is concerned about the hemisphere as well." Miami, June 4, 2001.
"Ann and I will carry out this equivocal message to the world: 'Markets must be open.'" At swearing in of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Washington, March 2, 2001.
THE WHITE HOUSE
"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." / "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." / "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?" Said while showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office, Washington, May 5, 2006.
"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?'" Washington, March 16, 2005.
"See, one of the interesting things in the Oval Office--I love to bring people into the Oval Office--right around the corner from here--and say, 'This is where I office. but I want you to know the office is always bigger than the person." Washington, Jan. 29, 2004.
BASEBALL
"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." Washington, Feb. 13, 2006.
"Let me be clear about this: Steroids ought to be banned from baseball." Washington, Oct. 4, 2005.
PRIVATIZING SOCIAL SECURITY
"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." Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005.
"We've got people working all their life at hard work, contributing by payroll taxes into a Social Security system." Washington, May 13, 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." Washington, May 4, 2005.
"It means your own money would grow better than that which the government can make it grow. And that's very important." Falls Church, Va., April 29, 2005.
"If they predecease or die early, there's an asset base to be able to pass on to a loved one." Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 30, 2005.
"In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible--whatever that means." Washington, March 16, 2005.
"If you're a young 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?'" Detroit, Feb. 8, 2005.
"Because the--all of which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate [sic], 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." Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005.
"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 it 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." Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005.
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
"We're spending money on clean coal technology. Do you realize we've got 250 million years of coal?" [The number is closer to 250 years.] Washington, June 8, 2005.
"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption." Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002.
HURRICANE KATRINA
"It's a heck of a place to visit." Said about New Orleans, New Orleans, La., Jan. 12. 2006.
"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." Speaking with reporters on the anniversary of Huricane Katrina, Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 28, 2006.
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do the job." Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005.
"Listen, I want to thank leaders of the--in the faith-based and community-based community for being here." Washington, Sept. 6, 2005.
"So please give cash money to organizations that are directly involved in saving lives--save the life who has been affected by Hurricane Katrina." Washington, September 5, 2005.
"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." Poplarville, Miss., September 5, 2005.
"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." Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005.
"And Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." Said to FEMA director Michael Brown, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005. Ten days later, Mr. Brown was pressed to resign.
HEALTH CARE
"Because of your work, children who once wanted to die are now preparing to live." Speaking at the White House summit on malaria, Dec. 14, 2006. "
And so I'm for medical liability at the federal level." Washington, March 10, 2006.
"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country." Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004.
"We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House--make no mistake about it." Washington, Feb. 7, 2001.
VETERANS
"Today I heard from some opinions that matter a lot to me, and these are the opinions of those who wear the uniform." Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2006.
"You took an oath to defend our flag and our freedom. And you kept that oath underseas and under fire." Said to war veterans, Jan. 10, 2006.
"As you can see, I have an injury myself--not here in the hospital, but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a little scratch." Addressing wounded veterans, Amputee Care Center, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 1, 2006.
THE ECONOMY
"And the question is, are we going to be facile enough to change with--will we be nimble enough; will we be able to deal with the circumstances on the ground? And the answer is, yes, we will." Washington, July 25, 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?" Washington, June 14, 2006.
"I tell people, let's don't fear the future, let's shape it." Omaha, Neb., June 7, 2006.
"I aim to be a competitive nation." San Jose, Calif., April 21, 2006.
"We got the best work force in America--in the world." Washington, Dec. 2, 2005.
"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002.
LITERACY AND EDUCATION
"The goals of this country is to enhance prosperity and peace." Said at the White House Conference on Global Literacy, New York, Sept. 6, 2006.
"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." Washington, April 28, 2005.
"I want to thank you for the importance you've shown for education and literacy." Washington, April 13, 2005.
"The illiteracy level of our children are appalling." Washington, Jan. 23, 2004.
"The public education system in America is one of the most important foundations of our democracy. After all, this is where children from all over America learn to be responsible citizens, and learn to have the skills necessary to take advantage of our fantastic opportunistic society." Santa Clara, Calif., May 1, 2002.
"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test." Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001.
"Rarely is the question asked: 'Is our children learning?'" Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000.
ILLEGAL ALIENS
"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law." Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005.
PRESS FREEDOM
"We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make it--it would hope--put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see." Washington, April 14, 2005.
". . . as you know, these are open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to say." Press conference, Washington, Oct. 28, 2003.
READING HABITS
"I mean, I read the newspaper. I mean, I can tell you what the headlines are. I must confess if I think the story is like, not a fair appraisal, I'll move on. But I know what the story is about." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"It's a myth to think I don't know what's going on. It's a myth to think that I'm not aware that there's opinions that don't agree with mine, because I'm fully aware of that." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"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, Sept. 21, 2003.
NEW WORDS, NEW MEANINGS
"I was not pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel." Washington, May 4, 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." Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006.
"I mean there was a serious international effort to say to Saddam, 'You're a threat.' And the 9/11 attacks extenuated that threat, as far as I--concerned." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"And so, in my State of the--my State of the Union--or state--my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation--I asked Americans to give 4,000 years--4,000 hours over the next--the rest of your life--of service to America. That's what I asked--4,000 hours." Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002.
"I'm the master of low expectations." Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003.
"There was no malfeance [sic], no attempt to hide anything." Washington, July 8, 2002.
"I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter [sic] themselves." Washington, April 18, 2002.
"Our nation must come together to unite." Tampa, Fla., June 4, 2001.
"For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three nonfatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. And we're going to do something about it." Philadelphia, May 14, 2001.
"It's very important for folks to understand that when there's more trade, there's more commerce." Quebec, Canada, April 21, 2001.
"I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for predecessors as well." Washington, Jan. 29, 2001.
SUPREME COURT
"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." On the nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, Washington, October 4, 2005.
FOOT IN MOUTH DISEASE
"No doubt in my mind, with your help, Dave Lamberti will be the next United States congressman." Speaking at a campaign rally for Jeff Lamberti, Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 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." Referring to the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. [There is no Feb, 30, of course.] Washington, Oct. 11, 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: Touché.
Exchange with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten. Bush later apologized to him, Washington, June 14, 2006.
ALL ABOUT ME
"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." Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006.
"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone." Washington, May 5, 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." Washington, May 5, 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." Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1, 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." Explaining that he hasn't yet seen the film "Brokeback Mountain," Manhattan, Kan., Jan. 23, 2006.
One interesting sidelight from O'Connor's findings was that success came equally to the self-taught and to the formally schooled. In short, it is one's vocabulary that is important, not how it was acquired. O'Connor concluded that "words are the tools of thought." Statistically, the larger the vocabulary of an individual, the higher that person's scores will be on tests (SAT, GRE, ACT, IQ, etc.) and the higher will be that person's income and stature in society.
George W. Bush attended prestigious Phillips Academy, at Andover, Mass., Yale University and the Harvard School of Business, and later became Governor of Texas and was twice elected President of the United States. The latter represents a pinnacle of success few have achieved. Yet, his widely recorded vocabulary failings would not have predicted this.
Johnson O'Connor died in 1973 at the age of 72. Had he lived, it is interesting to speculate what he would have made of George W. Bush's assaults on the English language, his mindless mangling of vocabulary, flagrant abuse of grammar and syntax, and sometimes hilarious malapropisms during the six years he has been in office, some of which are recorded here:
NORTH KOREA
"One has a stronger hand when there's more people playing your same cards." Said about holding six-party talks with North Korea, Washington, D.C., Oct. 11, 2006.
IRAN
"If the Iranians were to have a nuclear weapon, they could proliferate." Washington, March 21, 2006.
"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." Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005.
"Secondly, the tactics of our--as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's--ever since the late 70s, we have no contacts with them, and we've totally sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions--you can't--we're out of sanctions." Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004.
IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR
"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." Speaking with reporters on facing the challenges of war, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2006.
"You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror." Interview with CBS News, Washington D.C., Sept. 6, 2006.
"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." 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." Washington, March 22, 2006.
"After the bombing, most Iraqis saw what the perpetuators of this attack were trying to do." Washington, March 13, 2006, referring to the February bombing of the al-Askari shrine in Samarra.
"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." In defense of a plan to allow a company from the United Arab Emirates to manage ports in the United States, said aboard Air Force One, Feb. 21, 2006.
"He was a state sponsor of terror. In other words, the government had declared, 'You are a state sponsor of terror.'" Said about Saddam Hussein, Manhattan, Kans., Jan. 23, 2006.
"If you found somebody that had information about an attack on America, you'd want to know as best as we can to find out what the facts are." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome." Speaking about Iraqi attitudes toward American occupying forces, Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
“Bin Laden says his own role is to tell Muslims quote, ‘what is good for them and what is not.’” Washington, Oct. 6, 2005,
"You see, not only did the attackers accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war." Washington, June 8, 2005.
"Well, we 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. Washington, April 28, 2005.
"It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way. Washington, 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 Iraqis to secure their future." Washington, April 28, 2005.
"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein." Washington, May 25, 2004.
"It's a time of sorrow and sadness when you lose a loss of life." Washington, Dec. 21, 2004.
"Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat." Washington, Sept. 17, 2004.
"That's why I went to the Congress last September and proposed fundamental--supplemental funding, which is money for armor and body parts and ammunition and fuel." Erie, Pa., Sept. 4, 2004.
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." Washington, Aug. 5, 2004.
"I want to remind you all that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that they're well paid, well-trained, well-equipped." Washington, Dec. 15, 2003.
"The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the--the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice." Washington, Oct. 27, 2003.
"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.
"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.
"When Iraq is liberated, you [Saddam Hussein] will be treated, tried and persecuted as a war criminal." Washington, Jan. 22, 2003.
"I was proud the other day when both Republicans and Democrats stood with me in the Rose Garden to announce their support for a clear statement of purpose: you disarm, or we will." Washington, Oct. 5, 2002.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
"You're one of the outstanding leaders in a very important part of the world. I want to thank you for strategizing our discussions." Meeting with the prime minister of Malaysia, New York, Sept. 18, 2006.
"One thing is clear, is relations between America and Russia are good, and they're important that they be good." Visiting 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." Speaking about Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan, Washington, June 29, 2006.
"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted." Washington, June 27, 2006.
"The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany." Washington, May 5, 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." Irvine, Calif., April 24, 2006.
"I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend." Commenting on the possibility of a visit by him to Denmark, Washington, June 29, 2005.
"I was going to say that he's 'a piece of work,' but that might not translate well. Is it all right if I call you 'a piece of work'?" Said to the prime minister of Luxembourg, Washington, June 20, 2005.
"As a matter of fact, I know relations between our government is good." On the relationship between the U.S. and South Korea, Washington, Nov. 8, 2003.
"I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances." Washington, May 29, 2003.
"I've got good relations with President Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah and the King of Jordan--Gulf Coast countries." Washington, May 29, 2003.
"You saw the president [Russian President Vladimir Putin] yesterday. I thought he was very forward-leaning, as they say in diplomatic nuanced circles." Rome, Italy, July 23, 2001.
"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease." Gothenburg, Sweden, June 14, 2001.
"Anyway, I'm so thankful, and so gracious--I'm gracious that my brother Jeb is concerned about the hemisphere as well." Miami, June 4, 2001.
"Ann and I will carry out this equivocal message to the world: 'Markets must be open.'" At swearing in of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Washington, March 2, 2001.
THE WHITE HOUSE
"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." / "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." / "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?" Said while showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office, Washington, May 5, 2006.
"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?'" Washington, March 16, 2005.
"See, one of the interesting things in the Oval Office--I love to bring people into the Oval Office--right around the corner from here--and say, 'This is where I office. but I want you to know the office is always bigger than the person." Washington, Jan. 29, 2004.
BASEBALL
"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." Washington, Feb. 13, 2006.
"Let me be clear about this: Steroids ought to be banned from baseball." Washington, Oct. 4, 2005.
PRIVATIZING SOCIAL SECURITY
"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." Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005.
"We've got people working all their life at hard work, contributing by payroll taxes into a Social Security system." Washington, May 13, 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." Washington, May 4, 2005.
"It means your own money would grow better than that which the government can make it grow. And that's very important." Falls Church, Va., April 29, 2005.
"If they predecease or die early, there's an asset base to be able to pass on to a loved one." Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 30, 2005.
"In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible--whatever that means." Washington, March 16, 2005.
"If you're a young 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?'" Detroit, Feb. 8, 2005.
"Because the--all of which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate [sic], 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." Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005.
"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 it 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." Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005.
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
"We're spending money on clean coal technology. Do you realize we've got 250 million years of coal?" [The number is closer to 250 years.] Washington, June 8, 2005.
"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption." Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002.
HURRICANE KATRINA
"It's a heck of a place to visit." Said about New Orleans, New Orleans, La., Jan. 12. 2006.
"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." Speaking with reporters on the anniversary of Huricane Katrina, Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 28, 2006.
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do the job." Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005.
"Listen, I want to thank leaders of the--in the faith-based and community-based community for being here." Washington, Sept. 6, 2005.
"So please give cash money to organizations that are directly involved in saving lives--save the life who has been affected by Hurricane Katrina." Washington, September 5, 2005.
"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." Poplarville, Miss., September 5, 2005.
"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." Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005.
"And Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." Said to FEMA director Michael Brown, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005. Ten days later, Mr. Brown was pressed to resign.
HEALTH CARE
"Because of your work, children who once wanted to die are now preparing to live." Speaking at the White House summit on malaria, Dec. 14, 2006. "
And so I'm for medical liability at the federal level." Washington, March 10, 2006.
"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country." Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004.
"We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House--make no mistake about it." Washington, Feb. 7, 2001.
VETERANS
"Today I heard from some opinions that matter a lot to me, and these are the opinions of those who wear the uniform." Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2006.
"You took an oath to defend our flag and our freedom. And you kept that oath underseas and under fire." Said to war veterans, Jan. 10, 2006.
"As you can see, I have an injury myself--not here in the hospital, but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a little scratch." Addressing wounded veterans, Amputee Care Center, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 1, 2006.
THE ECONOMY
"And the question is, are we going to be facile enough to change with--will we be nimble enough; will we be able to deal with the circumstances on the ground? And the answer is, yes, we will." Washington, July 25, 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?" Washington, June 14, 2006.
"I tell people, let's don't fear the future, let's shape it." Omaha, Neb., June 7, 2006.
"I aim to be a competitive nation." San Jose, Calif., April 21, 2006.
"We got the best work force in America--in the world." Washington, Dec. 2, 2005.
"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002.
LITERACY AND EDUCATION
"The goals of this country is to enhance prosperity and peace." Said at the White House Conference on Global Literacy, New York, Sept. 6, 2006.
"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." Washington, April 28, 2005.
"I want to thank you for the importance you've shown for education and literacy." Washington, April 13, 2005.
"The illiteracy level of our children are appalling." Washington, Jan. 23, 2004.
"The public education system in America is one of the most important foundations of our democracy. After all, this is where children from all over America learn to be responsible citizens, and learn to have the skills necessary to take advantage of our fantastic opportunistic society." Santa Clara, Calif., May 1, 2002.
"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test." Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001.
"Rarely is the question asked: 'Is our children learning?'" Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000.
ILLEGAL ALIENS
"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law." Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005.
PRESS FREEDOM
"We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make it--it would hope--put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see." Washington, April 14, 2005.
". . . as you know, these are open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to say." Press conference, Washington, Oct. 28, 2003.
READING HABITS
"I mean, I read the newspaper. I mean, I can tell you what the headlines are. I must confess if I think the story is like, not a fair appraisal, I'll move on. But I know what the story is about." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"It's a myth to think I don't know what's going on. It's a myth to think that I'm not aware that there's opinions that don't agree with mine, because I'm fully aware of that." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"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, Sept. 21, 2003.
NEW WORDS, NEW MEANINGS
"I was not pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel." Washington, May 4, 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." Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006.
"I mean there was a serious international effort to say to Saddam, 'You're a threat.' And the 9/11 attacks extenuated that threat, as far as I--concerned." Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 2005.
"And so, in my State of the--my State of the Union--or state--my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation--I asked Americans to give 4,000 years--4,000 hours over the next--the rest of your life--of service to America. That's what I asked--4,000 hours." Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002.
"I'm the master of low expectations." Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003.
"There was no malfeance [sic], no attempt to hide anything." Washington, July 8, 2002.
"I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter [sic] themselves." Washington, April 18, 2002.
"Our nation must come together to unite." Tampa, Fla., June 4, 2001.
"For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three nonfatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. And we're going to do something about it." Philadelphia, May 14, 2001.
"It's very important for folks to understand that when there's more trade, there's more commerce." Quebec, Canada, April 21, 2001.
"I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for predecessors as well." Washington, Jan. 29, 2001.
SUPREME COURT
"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." On the nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, Washington, October 4, 2005.
FOOT IN MOUTH DISEASE
"No doubt in my mind, with your help, Dave Lamberti will be the next United States congressman." Speaking at a campaign rally for Jeff Lamberti, Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 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." Referring to the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. [There is no Feb, 30, of course.] Washington, Oct. 11, 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: Touché.
Exchange with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten. Bush later apologized to him, Washington, June 14, 2006.
ALL ABOUT ME
"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." Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006.
"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone." Washington, May 5, 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." Washington, May 5, 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." Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1, 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." Explaining that he hasn't yet seen the film "Brokeback Mountain," Manhattan, Kan., Jan. 23, 2006.
Labels: George W. Bush, Quotable Quotes
