The Complete Bush Quotes

2002
September 5, 2002 Remarks by the President at Anne Northup for Congress Luncheon, Seelbach Hilton, Louisville, Kentucky
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"See, if you're not a battleground, if you don't have to worry about your people getting attacked because of vast oceans protecting you, then you can think one way."

September 23, 2002, President Calls on Congress to Act, Army National Guard, Aviation Support Facility, Trenton, New Jersey
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"No, it's a different kind of war than our nation has seen in the past. One thing that's different is oceans no longer keep us safe."

October 17, 2002, 2002 Unity Luncheon, Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia
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"It used to be that oceans could protect us. We used to be able to sit back here in America and feel safe and confident, because there's two vast oceans to protect us from potential enemies."

October 27, 2002, Arizona Welcome Dodge Theater, Phoenix, Arizona
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"In order to protect the American people, we must see clearly the threats we face. We can't have any fuzziness anymore, because the oceans aren't there."

November 4, 2002, Iowa Welcome, U.S. Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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"Times have changed. Used to be oceans could protect us, and therefore, we could see a gathering threat and maybe deal with it, or maybe not"

November 4, 2002, Arkansas Welcome, Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, Bentonville, Arkansas
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"In the old days -- the old days not all that long ago, I might add – oceans protected us. It's not all that long ago that we could kind of settle back and say, well, there's a gathering threat over here, but we don't have to worry about it at home because of our geography -- oceans can protect us."

December 12, 2002, President Bush Implements Key Elements of his Faith-Based Initiative, Downtown Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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"We have that obligation, to recognize the world changed for America on September the 11th, 2001. Before that date, it seemed like we could use the oceans to protect us from gathering dangers. We could be confident that nobody could possibly hurt America -- hurt Americans on America soil."

2003
February 9, 2003, Remarks by the President at the 2003, "Congress of Tomorrow" Republican Retreat Reception, The Greenbriar, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
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"Prior to September the 11th, there was apparently no connection between a place like Iraq and terror. Oh, sure, he had run some terrorist networks out of his country, and that was of concern to us. But it was very difficult to link a terrorist network and Saddam Hussein to the American soil. As a matter of fact, it was very difficult to link any attack on the American soil, because prior to September the 11th, we were confident that two oceans could protect us from harm."

February 10, 2003, Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Howard of Australia in Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
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"In our country it used to be that oceans could protect us -- at least we thought so. There was wars on other continents, but we were safe."

February 13, 2003, President Salutes Sailors at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida
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"You see, we learned that oceans no longer protect us; that a threat that gathers on the other side of the Earth can strike our own cities, can kill our own people. That's what we learned."

June 16, 2003, Remarks by the President to the New Jersey Business Community, Wyndham Newark Airport Hotel, Elizabeth, New Jersey
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"We were shocked into recognizing that oceans can no longer protect us from harm, and therefore we have the serious charge to keep."

August 26, 2003, Remarks by the President at Missourians for Kit Bond Dinner, Renaissance Grand Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri
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"You know, this nation was pretty secure for a while, secure that oceans could protect us."

October 9, 2003, Remarks by the President at Ernie Fletcher for Governor Reception, Lexington Center-Heritage Hall, Lexington, Kentucky
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"You see, in the past, oceans protected us, or so we thought. We felt -- thought we were invulnerable to attack. So if we saw a gathering threat overseas, we might decide to deal with it or might not. September the 11th changed that calculation. The enemy can strike anytime, anywhere in America with ruthless fashion. They know no rules, they know no bounds of decency, they kill in the name of great religion."

November 17, 2003, Interview of the President by Trevor Kavanagh of "The Sun" , The Oval Office, November 14, 2003
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"After all, we were a country which was able to sit back in our -- kind of in our geographical posture and pick and choose where a threat might emerge and say, we may have to deal with that or we may not deal with it; we were pretty confident that we were protected ourselves by oceans. That changed."

December 15, 2003, President Bush Holds Press Conference, Press Conference of the President, Room 450, Eisenhower Executive Office Building
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"We can't pick or choose like we used to, could in the past. In the old days, oceans protected us from harm's way, and a President could stand back and say, well, maybe this gathering threat is an issue, maybe it's not."

2004
January 29, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on the Economy, Fidelity Investments, Manchester, New Hampshire
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"There was a day when we thought oceans could protect us from an enemy, that we were okay if there was a threat overseas because oceans served as protection for America."

March 15, 2004, President Discusses Homeownership in Pennsylvania, Main Line YMCA, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
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"We got attacked by a bunch of cold-blooded killers. And the attack hurt. It hurt our psyche because we thought oceans could protect us."

March 26, 2004, President Bush Meets with First-Time Homebuyers in NM and AZ, Expo New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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"You can't see what you think is a threat and hope it goes away. You used to could when the oceans protected us, but the lesson of September the 11th is, is when the President sees a threat, we must deal with it before it -- before it comes to fruition through death on our own soils, for example."

March 26, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Homeownership, Phoenix Carpenters Training Center, Phoenix, Arizona
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"We used to think oceans could protect us, where we could kind of sit back and see threats gather and could deal with them if we felt like it, or ignore them if we wanted to, because oceans protected us."

March 30, 2004, Remarks by the President on the Economy, Fox Cities Performing Art Center, Appleton, Wisconsin
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"We weren't thinking about attacks in the scale of which they attacked us. It was a new thought for America. After all, most of us baby boomers grew up thinking that oceans would protect us forever."

March 30, 2004, Remarks by the President to the Wisconsin First Responders The Radisson Hotel, Appleton, Wisconsin
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"The other thing is, is that you've just got to know that anytime you see a threat after September the 11th, you've got to take it seriously. It used to be that oceans would protect us, that we can say, well, there's a threat over here, we can deal with it if we feel like it, but we're protected by oceans."

April 6, 2004, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Job Training and the Economy, South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado, Arkansas
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"And therefore, if you think an ocean can protect you from harm's way, and you see a threat somewhere else, you can decide to deal with it or not, you're pretty well assured that you would be safe here at home."

April 13, 2004, President Addresses the Nation in Prime Time Press Conference Press Conference of the President, The East Room
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"We grew up thinking that oceans could protect us. We learned a horrible lesson on that day that we were no longer immune from threats that might be gathering overseas."

April 13, 2004, President Addresses the Nation in Prime Time Press Conference Press Conference of the President, The East Room
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"After 9/11, the world changed for me, and I think changed for the country. It changed for me because, like many, we assumed oceans would protect us from harm, and that's not the case, it's not the reality of the 21st century. Oceans don't protect us. They don't protect us from killers."

April 19, 2004, President Bush Calls for Renewing the USA PATRIOT Act, Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
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"See, September the 11th changed the equation. It used to be that oceans would protect us, that we saw a threat, we didn't have to worry about it because there was two vast oceans."

April 26, 2004, Remarks by the President at American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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"For years, when we grew up -- at least us baby boomers grew up -- we thought that oceans would protect us from harm's way."

May 3, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at "ask President Bush" Event, Niles Senior High School Niles, Michigan
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"The lesson of September the 11th is oceans no longer protect us, and, therefore, we cannot let threats fully materialize. In other words, we can't see a threat and hope it goes away. We can't see a threat and say, oh, gosh, maybe the person will change their mind and all of a sudden their hatred for America will diminish."

May 3, 2004, Remarks by the President and Mrs. Bush at Bush-Cheney '04 Event Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, Michigan
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"On September the 11th, we realized that oceans wouldn't protect us, and that because of what we believe, there's an enemy that wants to hurt us. That's the reality that we now face."

July 22, 2004, President Bush Discusses Progress in Homeland Security in Illinois, Remarks by the President on Homeland Security, Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy, Glenview, Illinois
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"The events of September the 11th, 2001, demonstrated the threats of a new era. We found that oceans which separated us from other continents no longer separate us from danger."

August 11, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Eclipse Aviation, Albuquerque, New Mexicoes."
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"It's a different kind of war. We cannot hope for the best anymore. In the old days, we could, because we thought oceans would protect us."

August 18, 2004, President's Remarks at Ask President Bush Event, Lakefront Park, Hudson, Wisconsin
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"That's what happened on September the 11th -- we no long have that luxury of thinking our security is afforded by protection from oceans."

August 30, 2004, Remarks by the President at "ask President Bush" Event, Nashua High School North, Nashua, New Hampshire
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"September the 11th changed America. I'm running for four more years because I want to make this country a safer place, change your sweet life. (Applause.) That day taught us that oceans no longer protect us from harm's way, that suddenly and unexpectedly, an enemy can strike us, and, therefore, we've got to do a lot to protect the homeland."

October 11, 2004, President's Remarks at Coors for Senate Luncheon, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Denver, Colorado
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"Remember the old days of prior to September the 11th -- if we saw a threat, we felt safe, because oceans seemed to protect us. That's all changed. It's essential your President understand that."

October 20, 2004, Focus on Rural America with President Bush, J&d Manufacturing, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
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"You know, we used to think oceans could protect us. We'd see a threat overseas and if we didn't deal with it, it could be okay because it wouldn't come home to hurt us."

October 26, 2004, Remarks by the President in "focus on the Economy with President Bush", Richland Center High School, Richland Center, Wisconsin
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"Prior to September the 11th, if we saw a threat, we could deal with it, or not deal with it, because we felt secure. We felt oceans could protect us."

2005: President Bush did not mention America's protective oceans in 2005

2006
January 11, 2006, President Participates in Discussion on the Global
War on Terror, Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville,
Kentucky
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"I also said, after September the 11th, that oceans no longer protected us. You know, when I was growing up, or other baby boomers here were growing up, we felt safe because we had these vast oceans that could protect us from harm's way."

January 23, 2006
President Discusses Global War on Terror at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
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"You know, a lot of us grew up thinking that oceans would protect us; that if there was a threat overseas, it really didn't concern us because we were safe. That's what history had basically told us -- yes, there was an attack on Pearl Harbor, obviously, but it was a kind of hit-and-run and then we pursued the enemy."

January 23, 2006
President Discusses Global War on Terror at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
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"After the enemy attacked us, and after I realized that we were not protected by oceans, I asked people that work for you -- work for me, how best can we use information to protect the American people?"

February 1, 2006
President Discusses 2006 Agenda
Grand Ole Opry House
Nashville, Tennessee
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"When we grew up, oceans protected us, it seemed like. We felt pretty safe and secure from a attack on American soil. We were concerned about a nuclear threat, but nevertheless, we felt secure because we were
isolated from threats it seemed like."

February 9, 2006
President Discusses Progress in War on Terror to National Guard
National Guard Building
Washington, D.C.
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"On September the 11th, 2001, our nation saw that vast oceans and great
distances could no longer keep us safe."

February 17, 2006
President Discusses Global War on Terror Following Briefing at CENTCOM
Port of Tampa, Tampa, Florida
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"You might remember some of those days. Old Mayor Martinez, I know he remembers those days when we felt pretty comfortable here in America. We could see a threat overseas, but oceans made it pretty clear that -- to a lot of folks -- that nothing would happen, you know. September 11th came along and made it clear that we are vulnerable, that the enemy can hit us if they -- if they want to."

February 23, 2006
President's Remarks at Chocola for Congress Reception
Bethel College Indiana
Mishawaka, Indiana
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"See, when I grew up, oceans would protect us. At least that's what we thought. You might remember the '50s and '60s. We'd see a threat overseas, and we were teenage kids and just didn't need to worry about it, did we, because oceans were there to protect us."

March 9, 2006
President's Remarks at Georgia Republican Party's President's Day Dinner
Georgia International Convention Center
College Park, Georgia
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"You see, prior to September the 11th, 2001, a lot of folks assumed that we were safe in America. In other words, we could see a threat somewhere overseas, but we were fine. Oceans protected us, perhaps our might protected us. But that all changed for me on September the 11th, 2001."

March 20, 2006
President Discusses War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
Cleveland, Ohio
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"Foreign policy used to be dictated by the fact we had two oceans protecting us. If we saw a threat, you could deal with it if you needed to, you think -- or not. But we'd be safe."

March 21, 2006
Press Conference of the President
James S. Brady Briefing Room
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"You know, we used to think we were secure because of oceans and previous diplomacy. But we realized on September the 11th, 2001, that killers could destroy innocent life."

March 24, 2006
President's Remarks at Mike Sodrel for Congress and Indiana Victory
2006 Reception
The Murat Centre
Indianapolis, Indiana
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"You see, before September the 11th it was assumed by policymakers and people in office that we were safe, that oceans protected us, that we're in good shape when it came to threats. We could see a threat overseas and we could deal with it if we wanted to, or not."

April 6, 2006
President Bush Discusses Global War on Terror
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina
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"You know, growing up in Midland, Texas, we all felt pretty secure as a kid, mainly because we thought oceans could protect us. Now in my case, we were really far away from oceans, too, but nevertheless, it's -- when you think about it, though, if you're a baby boomer, like me, you think about what it was like growing up, we knew there was a nuclear threat."

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"Oceans could no longer protect us."

May 19, 2006
President Attends Geoff Davis for Congress Reception
Hilton Cincinnati Airport
Florence, Kentucky
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"It used to be we could see a threat and we'd say, wait a minute, we're okay, we've got oceans protecting us -- you know, we're fine, because we're pretty well insulated from those kind of threats."

May 24, 2006
President Attends Pennsylvania Congressional Victory Committee Dinner
The Sheraton Philadelphia City Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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"We grew up thinking oceans could protect us, and we realized that there's an enemy out there that will do incredible harm to the American people."

May 31, 2006
President Attends Maryland Victory 2006 Reception
BWI Airport Marriott
Baltimore, Maryland
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"You see, when we grew up, or some of us grew up, baby boomers grew up, we felt pretty confident that America could be secure from a foreign attack, except maybe by missile. And then that attitude changed dramatically when we realized oceans couldn't protect us. And so when we see a threat, we've got to take them seriously."