The Complete Bush Quotes

"Listen, I want you all to know every morning I walk into a fabulous office, the Oval Office, and I sit down in my desk, and I read a report, a threat assessment about what the enemy wants to do." --January 31, 2002

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"But I sit at that grand desk in the Oval Office and read a threat assessment, read about the intentions of the enemy." --January 31, 2002

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"Every morning I go into the Oval Office, and what a thrill it is to walk into that grand office. And I sit at the desk that other Presidents have sat at, Roosevelt, Reagan. And I look at the -- I look at a threat assessment." --January 25, 2002

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"Every morning I wake up, walk into the great Oval Office. Well, first I take Barney and Spot outside. (Laughter.) But I go into this fabulous office -- by the way, it is just a -- it's a shrine to our great democracy -- and I read a threat assessment."--January 22, 2002

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"I want you to know it's a huge honor to walk in the Oval Office and sit at a great desk in magnificent surroundings." --February 8, 2002

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"I sit down at the fantastic desk -- it's a desk that the Roosevelts used; it's a desk John Kennedy used; Reagan used; it's a desk I'm honored to use. And the first thing I do is, I look at threats to the United States of America." --February 6, 2002

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"I also want you to know that every morning I walk in to the Oval Office and sit at this magnificent desk that had been used by the Roosevelts and by President Reagan -- by the way, today is his 91st birthday -- (applause) -- and other leaders, and sit down there at the desk and read a threat assessment." --February 6, 2002

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"I sit down at the fantastic desk -- it's a desk that the Roosevelts used; it's a desk John Kennedy used; Reagan used; it's a desk I'm honored to use. And the first thing I do is, I look at threats to the United States of America." --February 6, 2002

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"But I sit at this magnificent desk. It's a desk that was used by President Roosevelt and President Kennedy and President Reagan. And I read threats to the United States of America." --February 6, 2002

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"I walk into the Oval Office every morning, and I sit at this fantastic desk that Teddy Roosevelt sat at, that Franklin Roosevelt sat at, John Kennedy sat at, Ronald Reagan sat at. These are -- (applause) -- imagine what it feels like for a fellow from Midland, Texas. It's an honor. But every morning I read about potential threats to America." --March 21, 2002

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"I sit at the desk where the Roosevelts -- I guess since I'm a President, I can call them the Roosevelt boys -- sat at the desk. John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan. And I think my dad had a different desk." --April 9, 2002
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"You know, Christie Todd talked about Teddy Roosevelt and I -- every morning when I go to the Oval Office I sit at the same desk he used, as well as Franklin Roosevelt, as well as other Presidents." --April 22, 2002

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"But I sit at this fantastic desk called the HMS Resolute desk. It's a desk that Theodore Roosevelt had used and Franklin Roosevelt had used. President Kennedy used it. You might remember the picture of John-John Kennedy looking out from the door at the desk. And I sit there in this beautiful sanctuary of democracy and read a threat assessment. Every morning, I see a compilation of intelligence about what the enemies may or may not do." --April 29, 2002

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"I sit behind a fantastic desk that has been used by Theodore Roosevelt -- former President; I call him Ted. (Laughter.) Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, the great Ronald Reagan." --May 14, 2002

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"First thing there, sit behind a fantastic desk that many of you may have seen. It's a desk used by Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, some of the great names that have preceded me to the Presidency." --May 10, 2002

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"But I walk in there and I sit at this magnificent desk; Ted Stevens has seen it a lot, he's seen other Presidents use this desk as well. It's a desk that was used by Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan -- a lot of Presidents have used it." --May 9, 2002

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"And I sit there at this fantastic desk, called the H.M.S. Resolute. Perhaps you remember the picture of John-John Kennedy putting his head out of the door of that desk with his dad." --May 1, 2002

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"I sit at the desk, by the way, where the Roosevelts sat. Since I'm a President, I can Ted and Franklin. (Laughter.) Kennedy sat. Reagan sat." --June 11, 2002

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"At any rate, I read threat assessments on the country. I sit at this magnificent desk, a desk, by the way, that Theodore Roosevelt used and Franklin Roosevelt used and John Kennedy used and Ronald Reagan used, and I read threat assessments." --June 19, 2002

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"I get to the Oval Office about -- oh, generally about 6:50 a.m. or so. It's not a very long commute. (Laughter.) And I sit at the great desk that other Presidents have used -- Teddy and Frank, and -- I can call them that, since -- (laughter). And Spot the dog comes in with me, and I read a threat assessment." --July 10, 2002

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"I go to the Oval Office every morning -- and by the way, walking into that office is an unbelievable experience. It's unbelievable now that I've been up there for about a year and a half; it will be unbelievable for however long I'm there, I can promise you. It's unbelievable for me and my dog Spot, I might add. They don't let Barney in. It's a new carpet and Barney's a new dog. (Laughter.) But every morning I sit there at the HMS Resolute desk -- Teddy Roosevelt used it, Franklin Roosevelt used it, Kennedy used it, Ronald Reagan used it. I open up the threats to the United States of America. There's an assessment, it's a summary of what we think we know." --July 15, 2002

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THE PRESIDENT: This desk was given to America by Queen Victoria. By the way, I would like to talk about two things here in the Oval Office, two articles, one the desk, and one a bust, that should describe how I value the relationship with our close and unique friend -- which is why I'm so grateful that I've been invited to go. You're about to get the preamble to the discussions.

This desk is called the HMS Resolute Desk. The timber is from the HMS Resolute, which was rescued in the Arctic, and Queen Victoria, out of gratitude for the relationship, made this desk from the timber. It's a beautiful desk. Not every President has used this.

It has some interesting features. Roosevelt put the door on the desk to cover up his infirmities. He didn't want people to know he was in a wheelchair. John-John Kennedy put his head out of the desk, probably the most famous Oval Office photo. His dad was looking out at the South Lawn there. Reagan put the bottom on the desk so his knees wouldn't hit. So it's been an interesting history, I love it.

Q: What are you going to do it?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't know. Good question. I'm just going to treat it like a treasure, which is what it is.

--November 14, 2003


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THE PRESIDENT: Really quickly, this is a desk given to us by Queen Victoria. A famous desk called the HMS Resolute, and it's wood from the Resolute. The door was put on by Roosevelt to cover his infirmities. Out of the door poked John Kennedy's son --

Q: Oh, yes, I remember.

THE PRESIDENT: I chose to use this -- Ronald Reagan put the bottom on to make the desk high so it won't bump your knees. I love the desk. I love its history. It does speak to the great relationship between America and Great Britain, I'm sitting at a desk given to our country by Queen Victoria.

--November 14, 2003