The Complete Bush Quotes

February 6, 2001, Remarks by the President at Visit to Tree Top Toys and Books, Tree Top Toys and Books Mclean, Virginia
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Q: Are you possibly thinking of going back -- going to Africa?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm -- one country at a time. (Laughter.) I'm going to Mexico first.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim February 4 through February 10, 2001, as National Burn Awareness Week.

February 9, 2001, Remarks by the President at Nalle Elementary School, Southeast Washington, D.C.
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"One reason I like to highlight reading is, reading is the beginnings of the ability to be a good student."

February 16, 2001, Remarks by President George W. Bush and President, Vicente Fox of Mexico in Joint Press Conference, Rancho San Cristobal San Cristobal, Mexico
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"Our intention is to make sure that the world is as peaceful as possible. And we're going to watch very carefully as to whether or not he develops weapons of mass destruction, and if we catch him doing so we'll take the appropriate action."

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"A cubic foot of gas imported into Mexico is one, obviously, less able to burn in the United States."

February 28, 2001, Remarks by the President at Nebraska Welcome, Omaha Civic Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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"I am proud to be the Commander in Chief. (Applause.) The mission of the United States military will be to train our troops to be prepared to fight and win war, and therefore, prevent war from happening in the first place." (Applause.)

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"I don't want to get rid of the death penalty -- (laughter) -- just the
death tax. (Applause.)"

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"My job is also to remind America how great we are, that we're a blessed nation, a nation indivisible under God, the greatest nation on the face of the earth." (Applause.)

March 1, 2001, Remarks by the President at Welcome Event, Fernbank Museum, Atlanta, Georgia
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But also it's important to have a Commander-in-Chief who will clarify the mission of the military. (Applause.) And the mission in to be well prepared, to fight and win war and therefore prevent war from happening in the first place. (Applause.)

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"So if you find a member that you may have some influence with, or know an email address, or can figure out where to write a letter, and find out somebody isn't listening to you, to do what's right for the country, just drop them a line."

March 1, 2001, Remarks by the President at Leadership Forum, Egleston Children's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
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"This is an interesting place to talk about diagnosing problems, right here in a hospital."

March 1, 2001, Remarks by the President During Tour of Lakewood Elementary School, Lakewood Elementary School, North Little Rock, Arkansas
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"I was raised -- you know where Texas is, of course. Most people in Arkansas know where Texas is, and all the people in Texas know where Arkansas is."

March 2, 2001, Remarks by the President to National Conference of State Legislatures, Presidential Hall, Dwight Eisenhower Office Building
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"We're a results-oriented nation. And there's no better -- no important place to find positive results than in our public schools, and no important place to find negative results, and correct them early than in our public schools."

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"One of the most hopeful statistics I heard was in the great state of California, where there are over 700,000 Latino-owned small businesses in that state. That's a fantastic statistic about the American dream and the American experience and the whole concept of owning something."

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"I'm going to travel the country a lot, which I'm finding to be is important, not only to make the case; but it's important to remember where I came from. And I came from many of the neighborhoods that you all represent, just good, honorable, hard-working people."

March 4, 2001, Remarks by the President at Christening Ceremony for the USS Ronald Reagan, Newport News Ship Building Yard, Newport News, Virginia

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"Today's world is different from the one he faced and changed. We are no longer divided into armed camps, locked in a careful balance of terror."

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"We'll keep the peace by redefining the terms of war."

March 22, 2001, Remarks by the President to the National Newspaper Association 40th Annual Government Affairs Conference, The Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
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"It's in your best interests, by the way, that we have a literate tomorrow. You're irrelevant if people can't read."

March 29, 2001, Remarks by the President at the Radio-Television Correspondents Association 57th Annual Dinner, Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
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"Then there is my most famous statement: 'Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning.' (Laughter.) Let us analyze that sentence for a moment. (Laughter.) If you're a stickler, you probably think the singular verb "is" should have been the plural "are." But if you read it closely, you'll see I'm using the intransitive plural subjunctive tense. (Laughter.) So the word "is" are correct." (Laughter and applause.)

April 5, 2001, Remarks by the President at American Society of Newspaper Editors Annual Convention, The J.W. Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.
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"There's some things that when I discuss in the privacy of the Oval office or national security matters that just should not be in the national arena."

April 16, 2001, Remarks by the President to the United States Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Washington, D.C.
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"It's important for you to follow your government closely.  It's important for you to not let the filter decide what's reality and what's not reality."

April 18, 2001, Remarks by the President at Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut
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"But let me remind you that 4 percent growth in discretionary spending is greater than the rate of inflation. It's more money on an increase than a lot of people's paychecks have gone up by.  It's a pretty good chunk of money.  It's real dollars."

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"It's too hard to education this person; we'll just move him through."

April 24, 2001, Remarks by the President to Environmental Youth Award Winners, The State Dining Room
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"If you live off the land, the people who care more about that than the people who live off the land -- the reason I bring that up is because I want -- a good policy understands the proper role of the federal government."

April 25, 2001, Remarks by the President in New Orleans, Louisiana Welcome, Zephyr Field, New Orleans, Louisiana
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"Hopefully, the days of trying to scare people, days of trying to frighte people are behind us." (Applause.)

June 13, 2001, Press Availability with President Bush and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
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"The new threats are threats based upon uncertainty. The threats that somebody who hates freedom or hates America or hates our allies or hates Europe will try to blow us up."

June 26, 2001, Remarks by the President and Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon in Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
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"And progress is being made. I am here to tell the Prime Minister, I know there's a level of frustration, but there is progress being made. And for that progress, we are grateful. The Prime Minister has shown a lot of patience in the midst of a lot of -- in the midst of casualty. But progress is being made."

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"If I didn't think progress is being made, I would not be sending the Secretary of State to the Middle East. We believe we have a further opportunity to advance the peace process. This is an important statement of the progress that's being made."

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"Both parties will understand when the level of violence has gotten down to the point where there can be some progress."

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"We condemn violence. We condemn death. We also believe progress is being made."

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"We're friends, and I believe that what's important from this perspective is not to let the progress that's been made so far to break apart."

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"As he just said, five Israeli lives lost is equivalent of 250 -- five is too many. But nevertheless, progress is being made. And it's essential that we continue the process and continue the progress that's being made."

"You know, it's -- either you're an optimist in life, or not."

June 28, 2001, Remarks by the President at the President's Dinner D.C. Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
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"The threat to Russia, or the threat to the United States, or the threat to freedom-loving people will come as a result of a leader of a rogue nation having weapons of mass destruction. And therefore, to keep the peace we must think differently."

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"For those of you who have built a Habitat For Humanity home, you know the great pride you have when you nail a bunch a nails and not hit your finger." (Laughter.)

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"And so one of the most important initiatives that we're are discussing in the halls of the United States Congress is an initiative which will gather the true strength of America -- a faith-based initiative that says there are people in America who suffer; they suffer from want and need; they suffer from love and compassion."

June 28, 2001, Remarks by the President to Department of Energy Employees, Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.
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"And so the fundamental question is, are we able to make the technologies with the consumer devices?"

July 2, 2001, President Bush Visits Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C.
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Q: What does the 4th mean to you, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's an unimaginable honor to be the President during the 4th of July of this country. It means what these words say, for starters. The great inalienable rights of our country. We're blessed with such values in America. And I -- it's -- I'm a proud man to be the nation based upon such wonderful values. I can't tell you what it's like to be in Europe, for example, to be talking about the greatness of America.

July 9, 2001, Remarks by the President to Participants of America's Promise, The Rose Garden
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"This is an example of the greatness of our country, where people ask the question, what can I do to help, and then not wait for some government activity to take place, but do it anyway in spite of government."

July 10, 2001, Remarks by the President At INS Naturalization Ceremony Ellis Island, New York, New York
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"This is one of the things that makes our country so unique. With a single oath, all at once you become as fully American as the most direct descendant of a founding father."

July 18, 2001, Remarks by the President in Roundtable Interview with Foreign Press The Old Family Dining Room
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"And so we had to have the capacity to shoot somebody's missile down if they threatened us. It's a defense, as opposed to relying on peace -- but with offensive weapons, why don't we think about developing defensive systems."

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"You know, during the course of the campaign, I made it clear that I thought that our military should be used to fight and win war. That's what I thought the military was for. And that I was concerned about peacekeeping missions, and that we've got to be very clear about -- to our friends and allies about how we use our troops for nation-building exercises, which I have rebuffed as a -- basically rebuffed as a kind of a strategy for the military."

July 19, 2001, Press Conference by President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, Halton House, Raf Halton, Halton, England
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"We want to reduce greenhouse gases. Ours is a large economy, generating -- we used to generate more wealth than we are today, and as a result, we do contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. And so we're concerned about it."

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"I think people will find out that I'm plenty capable of conducting foreign policy for the United States in a way that reflects positively on my nation."

July 26, 2001, Remarks by the President and Virginia Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Earley in Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
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"I appreciate so very much the supplemental that got passed. I signed it in Kosovo. It was a supplemental that came out clean. And I thank the leadership in the Senate, particularly Senator Byrd, as well as those in the House -- Congressman Young -- for moving a clean supplemental."

July 27, 2001, Remarks by the President to Future Farmers of America Presidential Hall, Eisenhower Executive Office Building
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"It's important for our nation to build -- to grow foodstuffs, to feed our people. Can you imagine a country that was unable to grow enough food to feed the people? It would be a nation that would be subject to international pressure. It would be a nation at risk."

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"I used to say, during the debate, to try to make it clear to people where I was coming from -- maybe it's the West Texan in me -- I said, we want to be feeding the Chinese. We want our American farmers to be growing the products that the Chinese use to eat. And that's what, to me, trade means."

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"And I'm heading back to the heartland. I'm going back to Crawford, Texas, where Laura and I have got some property. A fellow runs some cows on our country. I love to go walking out there, seeing the cows."

August 8, 2001, Remarks by the President, (In Front of Gowan Family Home in Waco, Texas)
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Q: Some of these folks say you're -- when you're in Texas. You're taking too long of a vacation.

THE PRESIDENT: They don't understand the definition of work, then. I'm getting a lot done. Secondly, you don't have to be in Washington to work. It's amazing what can happen with telephones and faxes.

Q What are you doing the rest of the day?

THE PRESIDENT: Karen Hughes is coming over. We're working on some things. And --

Q Any in particular?

THE PRESIDENT: She'll be over here, we'll work on a few things that matter.

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"I don't make my decisions based upon the temperature, I make my decisions based upon where I can get my job done and the fact that I'd like to be back in Texas. And I'm never going to leave Texas. This is where I like to go. Some people like to go to the East Coast, some people like to go to the West Coast -- I like to come to Texas."

August 13, 2001, Remarks by the President to the Pool, The President's Ranch, Crawford, Texas
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"I'm the kind of person that when I make up my mind, I'm not going to change it."

August 13, 2001, Remarks by the President at Signing of Agriculture Supplemental Bill, The Bush Ranch, Crawford, Texas
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"I think one of the things, as well, that I really appreciate about the Crawford area is the fact that there is a concept of neighborliness. People say, well -- I go downtown and I have a nice burger the other day with some people, and they say -- they walk up and say, I'm your neighbor."

August 16, 2001, Remarks by the President at "People for Pete" Dinner in Honor of Senator Pete Domenici Sheraton Old Town Hotel, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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"The true threats facing the United States are threats from terrorist nations, nations that they call rogue nations, nations that are developing weapons of mass destruction that may be pointed at us, may be pointed at our friends, the Israelis, or other allies we have, to hold us hostage, conduct international blackmail."

August 25, 2001, President Gives Tour of Crawford Ranch, Remarks by the President During Tour of the President's Ranch, Prarie Chapel Ranch Crawford, Texas
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"I love the nature."

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"You know, Barney -- terriers are bred to go into holes and pull out varment."

September 10, 2001, President Visits Elementary School in Jacksonville - Urges Quick Passage of Education Plan, Justina Road Elementary School
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"You see, this country of ours needs to start asking the question, what do you know."

September 15, 2001, Camp David, Thurmont, Maryland
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"And we will do whatever it takes to smoke them out and get them running, and we'll get them."

September 17, 2001, Remarks by the President to Employees at the Pentagon
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"And they like to hit, and then they like to hide out. But we're going to smoke them out."

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Q: Do you want bin Laden dead?
THE PRESIDENT: I want justice. There's an old poster out west, as I recall, that said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

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Q: Do you see this being long-term? You were saying it's long-term, do you see an end, at all?

THE PRESIDENT: I think that this is a long-term battle, war. There will be battles. But this is long-term.

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Q: Are you saying you want him dead or alive, sir? Can I interpret --

THE PRESIDENT: I just remember, all I'm doing is remembering when I was a kid I remember that they used to put out there in the old west, a wanted poster. It said: "Wanted, Dead or Alive."

September 19, 2001, Remarks by President Bush and President Megawati of Indonesia, The Oval Office
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"Clearly, one of our focuses is to get people out of their caves, smoke them out, get them moving and get them -- is about as plainly as I can put it."

September 25, 2001, Remarks to Employees at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Headquarters
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"We're going to find them. And if they're hiding, we're going to smoke them out."

September 25, 2001, President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan in Photo Opportunity, The Colonnade
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"The mission is to rout terrorists, to find them and bring them to justice. Or, as I explained to the Prime Minister in Western terms, to smoke them out of their caves, to get them running so we can get them."

September 28, 2001
Remarks by President Bush and His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan in a Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
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"Well, one of the things we will do is enforce the doctrine, part of the doctrine that says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as a terrorist."

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"Well, first, we will not be discussing any of the -- our military plans. It is very important for the American people to know that any public discussion of military or intelligence matters could jeopardize any mission that we may be thinking about."

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"That's why I have explained to the American people that the new war on terror is going to be a different war. It will be fought on a variety of fronts. It will be fought on a financial front; it will require the best of intelligence and the sharing of intelligence. There may or may not be a conventional component to it."

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"I said loud and clear, sometimes people will be able to see what we do on the television screens. Other times the American people won't be able to see what we're doing. But make no mistake about it; we're in hot pursuit. We're going to enforce the doctrine."

October 24, 2001
President Discusses Stronger Economy and Homeland Defense
Dixie Printing Company
Glen Burnie, Maryland
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"I set out a doctrine to America that said the following: Not only will we hold terrorists accountable for their activities, we will also hold those accountable, those nations accountable that harbor them, that hide them, that try to feed them. And that's exactly what we're doing in Afghanistan."

October 26, 2001, Remarks by the President to Business, Trade and Agriculture Leaders, The East Room
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"And with that patience, and with that determination, we will eventually smoke them out of their holes, and get them, and bring them to justice. And that's exactly what the world demands."

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"We're a blessed nation because we can grow our own food and, therefore, we're secure. A nation that can feed its people is a nation more secure. Now, if you're secure when you feed the nation, it seems like one of the things we ought to try to be more secure about..." --G.W. Bush

October 30, 2001
President Launches "Lessons of Liberty"
Remarks by the President In Announcement Of Lessons of Liberty Initiative
Thomas Wootton High School
Rockville, Maryland
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"I also want to make it clear that the doctrine I laid out to the United States Congress is a doctrine this nation will enforce. It says clearly that if you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, if you provide sanctuary to a terrorist, if you fund a terrorist, you are just as guilty as the terrorist that inflicted the harm on the American people." (Applause.)

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"We're a nation of patriots. The attacks of September 11th, and the attacks that have followed, were designed to break our spirit. But instead, they've created a new spirit in America. We have a renewed spirit of patriotism. We see it in the countless flags that are flying everywhere in America. We hear it in familiar phrases that move us more deeply than ever before. We all know that this is one nation, under God. And we pray that God will bless America, the land that we all love, regardless of our race, regardless of our religion, regardless of where we live.

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"We have a renewed appreciation of the character of America. We are a generous people, a thoughtful people who hurt, and share the sadness when people lose their life or when people are hurt. We've helped each other in every way we know, in donations, in acts of kindness, in public memorials, in private prayer. We have shown in difficult times that we're not just a world power, that we're a good and kind and courageous people.

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"As we pursue the enemy in Afghanistan, we feed the innocents."

November 29, 2001
President Says U.S. Attorneys on Front Line in War
Remarks by the President to U.S. Attorneys Conference
Presidential Hall
Dwight David Eisenhower Office Building
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"And as we speak, we're enforcing the doctrine that makes it plain that not only do we seek the terrorists, but we also hold governments that harbor them and feed them and house them and hide them accountable for their behavior, as well."

December 10, 2001, President's Remarks at White House Lighting of Menorah, The White House
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Q    Sir, on this occasion of peace and celebration, can you tell us how you were struck by this bin Laden videotape?
THE PRESIDENT:  It just reminded me of what a murderer he is and how right and just our cause is.
I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Hanukkah, or the joy of Christmas, or celebrating peace and hope.  This man wants to destroy any semblance of civilization for his own power and his own good.  He's so evil that he's willing to send young men to commit suicide while he hides in caves.

December 28, 2001, President, General Franks Discuss War Effort, The Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford, Texas
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"I was pleased to I'm pleased to note that President Musharraf has announced the arrest of 50 extreme terrorists -- extremists or terrorists.

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Q: What about the tree you planted yesterday?

THE PRESIDENT: Tree plant, very good.