Bush Quotes

"What’s all this whining about the environment? They’re always talking about ‘stop the clearcuts.’ I mean do the math people. If we were out of trees then we wouldn’t have any clearcuts to be complaining about now would we?"
- Regarding enviromental concerns

"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas."
- Beaverton, Ore., Sep. 25, 2000

"We don't believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans."
- Scranton, Pa., Sept. 6, 2000

"I'll give you an interesting idea that took place in Maine. They've got Maine lobstermen are now patrolling the coast on a volunteer basis to make sure that somebody in a -- somebody carrying something they don't want to carry in a boat shows up on the coast. I mean, there's all kinds of ways to serve the community."
- Daytona Beach, FL, January 30, 2002.

"But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me."
- Dec. 21, 2001, the year of the terrorist attacks against the U.S.

"And so one of the areas where I think the average Russian will realize that the stereotypes of America have changed is that it's a spirit of cooperation, not one-upmanship, that we now understand one plus one can equal three, as opposed to us and Russia we hope to be zero."
- Crawford, TX, Nov. 15, 2001.

"And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail."
- To labor department employees, Oct. 4, 2001.

"This Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly out of Reagan International Airport."
- at a press conference, Oct. 2, 2001

"There's an old poster out West, as I recall, that said: 'Wanted, dead or alive.'''
- regarding Osama bin Laden, Sept. 17, 2001

"I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt." - in a meeting with Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, September 13, 2001.

"Who cares what you think?"
- to Philadelphia writer Bill Hangley, Jr.(Philly Tonite, Weekly Press) in response to Mr. Hangley's comment to Mr. Bush: "Mr. President, I hope you only serve four years. I'm very disappointed in your work so far." July 4, 2001

"A vampire is a - a - cell deal you can plug in the wall to charge your cell phone."
- At a Colorado Republican fund raising event, August 2001

"I can assure you Mr. Chairman, or I wish would be Mr. Chairman - should be Mr. Chairman, and will be Mr. Chairman after next 2002."
- At an Albuquerque fund raising event for Pete Domenici, August, 2001

''I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe—I believe what I believe is right."
- in Europe, July 22, 2001. See this Bush Senior quote.


Our nation must come together to unite."
- June 4, 2001

"You saw the president yesterday. I thought he was very forward-leaning, as they say in diplomatic nuanced circles."
- in Europe, July 23, 2001


"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease."
- June 14, 2001, Press Conference

"Anyway, I'm so thankful, and so gracious - I'm gracious that my brother Jeb is concerned about the hemisphere as well."
- June 4, 2001

"There's no question that the minute I got elected, the storm clouds on the horizon were getting nearly directly overhead."
- May 11, 2001

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''
- February 21, 2001

"I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for predecessors as well."
- Jan. 29, 2001.

"Redefining the role of the United States from enablers to keep the peace to enablers to keep the peace from peacekeepers is going to be an assignment."
- New York Times, Jan. 14, 2001

"The California crunch really is the result of not enough power-generating plants and then not enough power to power the power of generating plants."
- New York Times, Jan. 14, 2001

"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

"I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified."
- on Linda Chavez, January 2001

The Golden Scary
"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law."
- Austin, Texas, Nov. 22, 2000, Slate

"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

"One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected."
- Los Angeles, Sept. 27, 2000