The Complete Bush Quotes

January 23, 2005, President's Statement on Johnny Carson
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"Laura and I are saddened by the death of Johnny Carson. Born in Iowa and raised in Nebraska, Johnny Carson was a steady and reassuring presence in homes across America for three decades. His wit and insight made Americans laugh and think and had a profound influence on American life and entertainment. He was a patriot who served in the United States Navy during World War II and always remembered his roots in the heartland of America. We send our prayers and condolences to the entire Carson family."

 

January 24, 2005, Remarks by the President in Telephone Message to March for Life Rally
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"I appreciate so very much your work toward building a culture of life--"(applause)

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"We are working to promote a culture of life, to promote compassion for women and their unborn babies."(Applause.)

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"We're making progress in Washington. I've been working with members of the Congress to pass good, solid legislation that protects the vulnerable and promotes the culture of life."

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"I encourage you to take heart from our achievements, because a true culture of life cannot be sustained solely by changing laws."

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"This is the path to the culture of life that we seek for our country."

 

January 26, 2005, President Holds Press Conference, James S. Brady Briefing Room
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"I appreciate the hard work of the United Nations, which is providing good leadership on the ground. And I anticipate a -- a grand moment in Iraqi history."

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"It's a -- it is a grand moment for those who believe in freedom."

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Q Mr. President, in the debate over Dr. Rice's confirmation, Democrats came right out and accused you and the administration of lying in the run-up to the war in Iraq. Republicans, in some cases, conceded that mistakes have been made. Now that the election is over, are you willing to concede that any mistakes were made? And how do you feel about --

THE PRESIDENT: Let me talk about Dr. Rice -- you asked about her confirmation. Dr. Rice is an honorable, fine public servant who needs to be confirmed. She will be a great Secretary of State. And Dr. Rice and I look forward to moving forward. We look forward to working to make sure the Iraqis have got a democracy. We look forward to continuing to make sure Afghanistan is as secure as possible from potential Taliban resurgence. We look forward to spreading freedom around the world. And she is going to make a wonderful Secretary of State.

Q No reaction to the lying? No reaction? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Is that your question? The answer is, no. Next.

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THE PRESIDENT: I am looking forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to advance a plan that will permanently solve Social Security. There is -- I met yesterday with members of the United States Senate, I'm meeting today with members of the House of Representatives to discuss the need to work together to get a -- a solution that will fix the problem. And here's the problem: the -- as dictated by just math, there is -- the system will be in the red in 13 years, and in 2042 the system will be broke. That's because people are living longer, and the number of people paying into the Social Security trust is dwindling. And so, therefore, if you have a child -- how old is your child, Carl?

Q Fourteen years old.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, 14. Well, if she were --

Q He, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: He, excuse me. (Laughter.) I should have done the background check. (Laughter.) She will -- when she gets ready to -- when she's 50, the system will be broke, if my math is correct.

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"And Social Security has been an issue that has made people nervous. I understand that. I mean, it's -- people felt like it was the third rail of American politics. That means if you touch it, you will have -- it will be political death."

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"I fully understand the power of those who want to derail a Social Security agenda by scaring people."

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"Vladimir Putin -- I have discussed with Vladimir Putin some of his decisions. I will continue -- as you might remember in our meeting in Chile. I will continue to do so. I will remind him that if he intends to continue to look West, we in the West believe in Western values."

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"I -- democracy is a progress -- you'll see progress toward a goal. There won't be instant democracy. And I remind people that our own country is a work in progress. We declared all people equal, and yet, all people weren't treated equally for a century. We said, everybody counts, but everybody didn't count."

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Q Mr. President, I'd like to ask you about the Gonzales nomination, and specifically, about an issue that came up during it, your views on torture. You've said repeatedly that you do not sanction it, you would never approve it. But there are some written responses that Judge Gonzales gave to his Senate testimony that have troubled some people, and specifically, his allusion to the fact that cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of some prisoners is not specifically forbidden so long as it's conducted by the CIA and conducted overseas. Is that a loophole that you approve?

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, Al Gonzales reflects our policy, and that is we don't sanction torture. He will be a great Attorney General, and I call upon the Senate to confirm him.

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"Yes, Ken, follow-up. This is a home boy follow-up.

Q I seem to remember a time in Texas on another problem, taxes, where you tried to get out in front and tell people it's not a crisis now, it's going to be a crisis down the line -- you went down in flames on that one. Why --

THE PRESIDENT: Actually, I -- if I might. (Laughter.) I don't think a billion-dollar tax relief that permanently reduced property taxes on senior citizens was "flames,"but since you weren't a senior citizen, perhaps that's your definition of "flames."

Q I never got my billion --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Because you're not a senior citizen yet. Acting like one, however. Go ahead. (Laughter.)

Q What is there about government that makes it hard --

THE PRESIDENT: Faulty memory. (Laughter.)

Q -- to address things in advance, before it's a crisis?

THE PRESIDENT: Do we have a crisis in Texas now on school property taxes?

Q Yes, we do.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

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Q Mr. President, do you think it's a proper use of government funds to pay commentators to promote your policies?

THE PRESIDENT: No.

Q Are you going to order that --

THE PRESIDENT: Therefore, I will not pay you to -- (laughter.)

Q Fair enough. Are you ordering that there be an end to that practice?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am. I expect my Cabinet Secretaries to make sure that that practice doesn't go forward. There needs to be independence. And Mr. Armstrong Williams admitted he made a mistake. And we didn't know about this in the White House, and there needs to be a nice, independent relationship between the White House and the press, the administration and the press. So, no, we shouldn't be going for it.

Yes, sir.

Q Well, Mr. Williams made a mistake --

THE PRESIDENT: Who?

Q Mr. Williams made a mistake. Did the Department of Education make a mistake?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. They did.

Q What will happen to the people that made this decision?

THE PRESIDENT: We've got new leadership going to the Department of Education. But all our Cabinet Secretaries must realize that we will not be paying commentators to advance our agenda. Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet. I'm confident you'll be, over the course of the next four years, willing to give our different policies an objective look -- won't you? Yes, I can see that.

 

January 28, 2005, Remarks by the President and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Swearing-In Ceremony
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"Over the past four years, America has benefited from the wise counsel of Dr. Condoleezza Rice and our family has been enriched by our friendship with this remarkable person. We love her -- I don't know if you're supposed to say that about the Secretary of State." (Laughter.)

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"On Sunday, the Iraqi people will be joining millions in others parts of the world who now decide their future through free votes."

 

January 28, 2005, President Speaks at 2005 "Congress of Tomorrow" Luncheon, The Greenbrier, White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia
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"First, I think we've proven to the country we know how to set an agenda and work together to achieve it. In other words, people -- people ought to view this team we've put together, the relationship between the executive branch and the legislative branch, as people who are -- come to Washington, D.C. to solve problems."

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"I look forward to addressing the nation. I will remind the country we're still at war."

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"I will continue to articulate the faith-based agenda, the compassion agenda, so that people can find hope in our country. I'll remind the people we're a great nation."

 

February 1, 2005 Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, The James S. Brady
Press Briefing Room
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MR. McCLELLAN: The State of the Union is a detailed blueprint for achieving the great goals and ideals the President outlined in his inaugural. And the President looks forward to tomorrow night's address. We'll have a briefing coming up here shortly. So with that, I will jump straight to your questions.

Q He's going to have details of how you get to the great goals of wiping out tyranny in the world?

MR. McCLELLAN: He's going to -- I think you can expect he'll continue to talk about the advance of freedom in the world.


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Q Scott, last night, in an amicus brief filed before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justice Department came down in favor of displaying the Ten Commandments in courthouses and statehouses around the country. The question is, does the President believe in commandment number six, "Thou shalt not kill," as it applies to the U.S. invasion in Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead. Next question. Ken, go ahead.

 

February 2, 2005, State of the Union Address, Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, The United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
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"The road of Providence is uneven and unpredictable -- yet we know where it leads: It leads to freedom."

 

February 3, 2005, President Delivers Remarks at Annual National Prayer Breakfast, Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
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"I want to thank Wintley Phipps for his beautiful music." (Applause.)

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"I thank you for the fine tradition you continue here today, and hope that as a nation, we will never be too proud to commend our cares to Providence and trust in the goodness of His plans."

 

February 3, 2005, President Participates in Social Security Conversation in North Dakota, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota
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"Guess what we spent a lot of time talking about -- with the Senator -- both Senators and the Congressman and the Governor. We spent time talking about beef." (Applause.)

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"I'll tell you what's going to be a great day for a President -- when somebody comes in with the crop report and says that the amount of corn is up, and therefore, were less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

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"This good-hearted country of ours longs for peace."

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"Last night there was a touching moment when the mom and the vote hugged each other. It was a sincere expression of compassion and appreciation by a woman whose dad had been -- whose assassination had been ordered by Saddam Hussein, who now had finally been given a chance to vote."

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"But the problem is, Social Security has changed dramatically since it was created. You see, when it was created, most people's life expectancy was, what, around 60 years old, I guess." [according to the CDC, U.S. life expectancy for those born in 1950 was 68.0 years.]

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"And so the system goes into the red. And it goes into the red -- that means negative, that means losing money -- quite dramatically. In the year 2027, it will be $200 billion in the red -- $200 billion for one year alone. And in 3032 [sic], it's like $300 billion. And in 20 -- I mean, 2032. And in 2042, it's bust."

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"We're talking about younger workers who are coming up have got a lot to worry about because of baby boomers like me -- not those who have already retired, it's the bulge of us who are fixing to retire. That's Texas for going to retire." (Laughter.)

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"There are instruments that are devised or available -- will be available for younger workers when they get ready to retire to invest -- to ensure against a downturn of the market. In other words, it's a different kind of instrument."

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"As much as I -- nothing against Vegas, except we don't want the retirement things all gambled away."

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"Some were saying, oh, don't talk about the issue, it's the third rail of American politics. If you touch it, you know, you become politically electrocuted." (Laughter.)

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"We want our beef going all over the world. There's great beef here in America, and people ought to be eating it -- a lot of them." (Applause.)

 

February 3, 2005, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Strengthening Social Security, Montana ExpoPark, Great Falls, Montana
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"You know, we're flying over on Air Force One, and guess all -- guess what Burns and Rehberg -- all they wanted to talk about was cattle. (Laughter and applause.) Montana beef." (Applause.)

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"What I'm about to tell you will not permanently fix Social Security -- by the way, there's no need just to put a Band-Aid on the deal. If we're going to get after it, let's fix it permanently."

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"I like the idea of you owning something. I love an ownership society."

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"And by the way, this will be phased in. I know they're throwing out all kinds of numbers -- $1 trillion, $2 trillion, $3 trillion. When you get to the federal government, we -- it's no longer millions or billions, it's trillions at the federal government. It's amazing, isn't it?"

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"And thirdly, you're right about your grandkids. See, I like a guy who says, my grandkids are capable of owning and managing something. It's a different mind-set."

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So thanks for coming, Leo. You did a fabulous job. And the hat, listen, I'm telling you --

MR. KELLER: My pleasure.

THE PRESIDENT: Those women look at that hat and that club, and they're going wild. (Applause.)


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MS. KOST: Jade will be the valedictorian of her class --

THE PRESIDENT: There you go. Your mom is humiliating you, but it's good to know. (Applause.) Very good.


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THE PRESIDENT: Okay, any more questions? I'm kind of winding down here because I've got to head on to Nebraska. Yes, ma'am? The red shirt.

Q I have one -- I kind of have one question for you.

THE PRESIDENT: Sure.

Q Can you quote Proverbs 17:17 for me?

THE PRESIDENT: Do what?

Q Can you quote Proverbs 17:17 for me?

THE PRESIDENT: No. (Laughter.) That's an easy one. Can you? Quote it.

Q "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Very good. I thought you were going to ask me if I knew how to get to Livingston. (Laughter.) It's like that guy, said, what color -- he said, to get to Livingston, you've got to go down the highway and you go through the cattle guard, and you -- (laughter) -- turn left, and go through another cattle guard. And a fellow comes back and says, hey, what color uniforms do those cattle guards have on? (Laughter and applause.) That never happens in Montana.

 

February 4, 2005, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Strengthening Social Security, Qwest Center Omaha Arena, Omaha, Nebraska
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"One of the problems we face is the war on terror. The war on terror goes on."

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"I'm going to submit a budget on Monday. They've been -- the people in Congress on both sides of the aisle have said, let's worry about the deficit. I said, okay, we'll worry about it again. My last budget worried about it, this budget will really worry about it."

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"The life expectancy is now 77 years old."

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"So you can see the mathematical problem, right? Greater promises to more people who are living longer, with fewer payers. That's a problem -- particularly when you start doing the math."

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MR. REMPE: I work for Omaha Steaks, so we presented the President with Omaha steaks today. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: They know something about beef in this state, isn't that right?

MR. REMPE: We know a little bit here.

THE PRESIDENT: About beef. That's good thing about Johanns [new Sec. of Agriculture]. He knows something about beef, too.

 

February 4, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in Florida, Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida
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"First of all, it's pretty interesting we're talking about Social Security, isn't it? It used to be called the third rail of American politics -- if you touched it, you would be shocked." (Laughter.)

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"When Social Security was designed, the life expectancy was about 60 years old. In other words, you were expected to live that long. Today, life expectancy is 77 years old. In other words, people are living longer."

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"In 2042, it's bust."

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"So a dollar will be a lot bigger when it comes time to retire than a dollar that had been kept in the trust. That's called the compounding rate of interest."

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"Now, some of you are beginning to glaze over -- I understand. (Laughter.) Think about private property in an account that you can pass on to who you want, that earns a better return than the current system, and you'll end up with more money."

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"Now, there's some rules, and it's important for you to know the rules. One, you can't take your money that you set aside in the personal account and go to the race track." (Applause.)

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"Secondly, you can't pull it all out when it comes time to your -- you can't take it all and then go to the track."

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"Yes, see, it's an interesting thing what he's saying. First of all, he says he's got a 401k. When I was coming up, those were three -- three numbers and one letter in the alphabet. No one knew what it meant -- 401k."

 

February 7, 2005, President Meets with Cabinet, Discusses Budget, The Cabinet Room
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"Today we discussed a lot of issues. I reminded them that the war on terror goes on, but mainly discussed the issue of the budget."

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"Secondly, any meeting is part of a process, because in order to achieve the objective of two states living side-by-side in peace, there needs to be a -- there needs to be a level of trust between all parties -- "all parties" being, obviously, Israel and the Palestinians, but trust with the United States, trust with the United Nations, trust with Europe, trust with the parties who are going to be investing in a Palestinian state, for example. And so what you're watching is a process unfolding, where people are becoming more trustworthy."

 

February 10, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in North Carolina, BTI Center For The Performing Arts, Raleigh, North Carolina
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"I hope you are as enthused as I am about what has happened recently in the course of world events."

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"And so step one of my strategy is to continue saying to the American people, we have got a serious problem. In other words, sometimes they say, is it serious, is it a crisis -- look, whatever you want to call it, just look at the chart and you come up with the conclusions."

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"Now, if you're a worker who earns $35 [sic] a year over your lifetime, and this system were in effect where you could put 4 percent of your payroll taxes in a personal account, and you start at age 20, by the time you retire, your personal account would grow to $250,000. That's compounding rate of interest."

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"Again, this is not a political issue. This is policy at its most pure, I think."

 

February 16, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in New Hampshire, Pan Am Hangar, Pease International Tradeport Airport, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
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"I'm looking forward to reminding the people of Europe that there has been some amazing events in the march of freedom, if you think about it."

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"I hope -- I hope that the hug that took place at the State of the Union spoke to you as much as it spoke to a lot of people I've talked to. It certainly spoke to me. It said that there's a mom who's longing for -- to be able to hug her son, but her son's sacrifice was recognized by the woman who got to vote."

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"And I'm sure there are some, when they heard the State of the Union, if they listened to it, that said, why is he spending so much time on what had been -- used to be called the "third rail of American politics"? That means, if you touched it, you were politically electrocuted."

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"We're developing an investor society."

 

February 17, 2005, President Nominates Negroponte as Director of National Intelligence, Room 450, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
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"It's not a zero-sum attitude in the White House, it is -- people have strong opinions, by the way, around here, which is, I would hope you'd want your President to have people around who have got strong opinions, people who are willing to stand up for what they believe, people who say, here's what I think is right and it may not be what so-and-so thinks is right; then the question is, do I have the capacity to pick the right answer, to be able to make a decision."

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"September the 11th was an interesting phenomenon in terms of our relations."

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"There's also a concern in Europe, I suspect, that the only thing I care about is our national security. And, clearly, since we have been attacked -- I fear there's a terrorist group out there thinking about us again, or would like to -- that national security is at the top of my agenda. That's what you'd expect from the President of the United States. But we also care deeply about hunger and disease. And I look forward to working with the Europeans on hunger and disease."

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"What's interesting -- and surely hasn't crept into your writing or reporting -- but for a while there was a period that people said, it's an impossible mission to have freedom take hold; I mean, what was he doing, how can he possibly think that these people can possibly accept democracy? I don't know if you remember that period of reporting or not. I vaguely do."

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"And what's interesting to me in Iraq is to see the posturing that's going on, kind of the positioning. It's not exactly like the Social Security debate, but it's posturing, it's politics. People are jockeying for position. And I say it's not like the Social Security debate because their, obviously, democracy isn't as advanced as ours."

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"Remember, this all started when they -- we found them enriching uranium in an undeclared fashion."

 

February 23, 2005, President Bush and Chancellor Schröder Discuss Partnership, Electoral Palace, Mainz, Germany
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"I fully understand the limitations of German contribution. However the contributions that Gerhard Schröder talked about are not limited, they're important. Whether it be ministry building or training of law enforcement officers, those are vital contributions, and I appreciate -- including debt relief, by the way, is a part of the vital contribution."

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"And we have a great opportunity to work with a great nation like Germany to share research, share intelligence, and not only to make sure that kind of -- I mean, share technologies and to make sure that kind of technology is available for not only our own country, but for developing countries like China and India."

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Q: Mr. President, when your father, 15 years ago, visited Mainz, at the time, he talked about partnership and leadership. Would you give Germany the same role today, a partner to the United States of America?

PRESIDENT BUSH: He fondly remembers the trip. Thank you for remembering that he came, and I will -- I will tell him that the first question I got on German soil had his name in it. (Laughter.)

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"We share the goal of working together to convince the Ayatollahs in Iran to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions. We care deeply about the fact that there's disease on the continent of Africa, a pandemic in the form of HIV/AIDS. And so I would call Germany a partner in peace and a partner in freedom and a partner of doing our duty."

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"Look, first, let me just make this very clear -- the party that has caused these discussions to occur in the first place are the Iranians. And the reason we're having these discussions is because they were caught enriching uranium after they had signed a treaty saying they wouldn't enrich uranium. So there is a -- these discussions are occurring because they have breached a contract with the international community. They're the party that needs to be held to account, not any of us."

 

February 23, 2005, President Bush Speaks with Young Professionals in Germany, Electoral Palace, Mainz, Germany
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 I want to thank you all for coming. This is a good opportunity for me to really listen to what you have to ask and tell me about a lot of things. I'm interested in economy, the entrepreneurial spirit. I'm interested in attitudes about freedom and peace. I'm interested to know, obviously, what you think about or answer questions about policies that I've decided.

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"You know, you can't discriminate. Freedom is not a discriminatory thought, at least in the White House -- in other words, if you say, certain people should be free, but others shouldn't free."

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"And Europe is a classic example of countries which have embraced values based upon democracy, and is peaceful."

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"One of the interesting things about being with a Chancellor, or in Putin's case, a President, is that we share something: We make decisions. And I like to learn from people how they make decisions. They say to me, what's the President like, give me a job description. The job description is, decision-maker."

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"For years, there was this sense that we could tolerate tyranny for the sake of energy. And yet, beneath the surface of that policy lurked this hatred and feeling of oppression and frustration and hopelessness, which lent itself to an ideology of hatred that ended up manifesting their hatred on America."

 

February 24, 2005, President and President Putin Discuss Strong U.S.-Russian Partnership Constitution Hall Bratislava Castle, Bratislava, Slovakia
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"In our meeting earlier I said, 'Vladimir, when we get in here I think people are going to be very interested in this press conference, for some reason, I'm not sure why.' Perhaps it's because you're a leader of a great nation and I'm fortunate to be one, too. But you can see we've drawn quite a crowd here. So I'm looking forward to answering their questions."

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Q: ...It seems to me, that as far as Russia is concerned, everything is clear, more or less. But as far as the U.S. is concerned, we could probably talk at length. I am referring to the great powers that have been assumed by the security services due to which the private lives of citizens are now being monitored by the state. This could be explained away by the consequences of September 11th, but this has nothing to do with democratic values. How could you comment on this? I suggest that you can probably agree -- you can probably shake hands and continue to be friends in future.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I live in a transparent country. I live in a country where decisions made by government are wide open, and people are able to call people to -- me to account, which many out here due on a regular basis. Our laws, and the reasons why we have laws on the books, are perfectly explained to people. Every decision we have made is within the Constitution of the United States. We have a Constitution that we uphold. And if there is a question as to whether or not a law meets that Constitution, we have an independent court system, through which that law is reviewed.

So I'm perfectly comfortable in telling you, our country is one that safeguards human rights and human dignity, and we resolve our disputes in a peaceful way.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: I would like to support my American counterpart. I'm absolutely confident that democracy is not anarchy. It is not a possibility to do anything you want. It is not the possibility for anyone to rob your own people. Democracy is, among other things, and first and foremost, the possibility to democratically make democratic laws and the capability of the state to enforce those laws.

You have cited a curious example -- The Netherlands. The Netherlands is a monarchy, after all. I have no doubts about the democratic nature of that country. That is certainly a democratic nation, but this is very different from the United States and Russia.

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"But we had very frank discussions about a variety of issues. And the operative -- again, the operative statement, the summary statement that I think is important for people to hear in our countries, precisely his opening statement to King's question -- speaking about monarchies. Anyway. Get it? (Laughter.) It's late in the trip. Which is, firm belief in democracy. And I appreciate that."

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Q To follow up on the issue of democratic institutions, President Bush recently stated that the press in Russia is not free. What is this lack of freedom all about? Your aides probably mentioned to you that our media, both electronic and our printed media -- full coverage of the manifestations and protests in our country. Our regional and national media often criticize the government institution. What about you? Why don't you talk a lot about violations of the rights of journalists in the United States, about the fact that some journalists have been fired? Or do you prefer to discuss this in private with your American colleague?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't know what journalists you're referring to. Any of you all still have your jobs? No, I -- look, I think it's important any viable democracy has got a free and active press. Obviously, if you're a member of the Russian press, you feel like the press is free. And that's -- feel that way? Well, that's good. (Laughter.) But I -- I talked to Vladimir about that. And he -- he wanted to know about our press. I said, nice bunch of folks. And he wanted to know about, as you mentioned, the subject of somebody getting fired. People do get fired in American press. They don't get fired by government, however. They get fired by their editors or they get fired by their producers, or they get fired by the owners of a particular outlet or network.

 

February 27, 2005, President's Toast at National Governors Association State Dinner, State Dining Room
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"My six years as governor of Texas have been invaluable to me as I carry out my duties as the presidency [sic]."

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"I believe that the best way to cure many of society's ills is to surround them with love, and faith-based groups exist purely because they want to love somebody, or do love somebody."

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"But I want to thank you for doing your duty and supporting those kids, men and women, who are over in harm's way."

 

March 1, 2005, President Highlights Faith-Based Agenda at Leadership Conference, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.
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"Government -- when I think about government, I think about law and justice, I really don't think about love."

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"I appreciate the leaders in the armies of compassion, one of my favorite phrases -- the armies of compassion. It's a strong word, isn't it?"

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"I like to ask questions. The job of a President is to call people and say, how we doing?"

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"I also asked a question, are we encouraging social entrepreneurship in America? That's one of my favorite words, think about it: social entrepreneurship."

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"What that means is if you're the Methodist church and you sponsor an alcohol treatment center, they can't say only Methodists, only Methodists who drink too much can come to our program. (Laughter.) All drunks are welcome, is what the sign ought to say. (Applause.) Welcome to be saved, so they become sober."

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"The goals that we've set here in our nation, which is a compassion country for everybody, to bring light where there's darkness, to help people who struggle, that goal -- they are large. I mean, these goals are large goals, I mean, really big goals, important goals."

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"I can't think of a better motto for an army, to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself."

 

March 2, 2005, President Congratulates World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, The South Lawn
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"I appreciate the way this team played baseball. You know, it took a lot of guts and it took a lot of hair."(Laughter and applause.)

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"Senator, welcome. Good to see you. Only time I -- I like to see Senator Kerry, except when we're fixing to debate. (Laughter.) If you know what I mean."(Laughter.)

 

March 2, 2005, President Participates in Job Training and Education Conversation, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland
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"So we're here on an education mission, really, to make sure education is relevant."

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"I like the idea of using corn and soybeans to help produce energy. I mean, after all, it would be neat, someday, Governor, if somebody walked in and said, we're growing more crop, and therefore, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."(Applause.)

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And if you add up the math, it's a problem."

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"One of the things we've done in the last couple of years through the Department of Labor was to encourage public-private partnerships. And we'll continue -- going to do that over the next four years. That's -- those are fancy words for saying, look, we're going to help employers and community colleges match up needs -- demands with supply. That's what that means."

***
"There's a -- the term of art these days is productivity and how does the worker become more productive."

***
"A more productive society is one in which a worker makes more money. That's just a fact of life."(Applause.)

 

March 3, 2005, President Thanks DHS Secretary Chertoff at Swearing-In Ceremony, Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, D.C.
***
"We're on a constant hunt for bin Laden. We're keeping the pressure on him, keeping him in hiding."

 

March 3, 2005, President Thanks CIA Employees, Central Intelligence Agency, Langley, Virginia
***
"The guilty party is Iran. They're the ones who are not living up to international accords. They're the people that the whole world is saying, don't develop a weapon. And so we are working with our friends to make sure not only the world hears that, but that the negotiating strategy achieves the objective of pointing out where guilt needs to be, as well as achieving the objective of no nuclear weapon."

***
"And I look forward to talking to Condi about getting an amplification on her visit with our allies overseas. I look forward to not only hear their words, I want to hear about their body language. I want to hear about their enthusiasm for the project. I think I'm going to find it was quite high because the people now understand that if you believe in democracy, why not let the democracy in Lebanon flourish and grow?"

 

March 9, 2005
President Discusses Energy Policy, Franklin County Veterans Memorial
***
"What were some of the true brains of America thinking about when it comes to encourage energy conservation?"

 

March 21, 2005, REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO SENIORS, Morris K. Udall Recreation Center Tucson, Arizona
***
You know, I have this great faith in the capacity of freedom to make the world a better place. So I just want to give you a quick foreign policy report, and tell you that this world of ours is getting better as more people become free."

***
"But because the math has changed, because there's a lot of baby boomers like me are getting ready to retire, and we're living longer, and we're getting bigger benefits than the previous generation, and there are fewer workers, we need to worry about not this generation, but the next generations."

 

On Monday, March 21, 2005, the President signed into law:

S. 686, which provides that the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida shall have jurisdiction to hear, determine, and render judgment on a suit or claim by or on behalf of Theresa Marie Schiavo for the alleged violation of any right of Theresa Marie Schiavo under the Constitution or laws of the United States relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life; provides that any parent of Theresa Marie Schiavo shall have standing to bring a suit under the Act; and establishes other procedures for a suit under the Act.
# # #

 

March 21, 2005, President Participates in Social Security Conversation in Arizona, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, Arizona
***
"It is nice to be back in Tucson. The last time I was here, remember, we we're up dealing with forest fires."

***
"Democrats and Republicans in Congress came together last night to give Terri Schiavo's parents another opportunity to save their daughter's life. (Applause.) This is a complex case with serious issues, but in extraordinary circumstances like this, it is wise to always err on the side of life."(Applause.)

***
"The math has changed. The math has changed this way: Baby boomers like me are getting ready to retire, and there's a lot of us."

***
"The math is such that there's no such thing as a 75-year fix. They may tell you there's a 75-year fix, but there's not."

***
"And I think we need to be thinking about the individual when it comes time to making the Social Security system work better, because if you allow a person to take some of their own money, and it compounds with a rate of interest, it means the nest egg that person is going to have is going to be more closely tied -- more closely resemble that which the government -- the promise the government can't keep."

***
"If you think about the history of America, only a certain group of people have had assets they pass on. That's not the America I know."

***
"It grows -- it compounds. It's called the compounding effect of interest."

 

March 22, 2005, President Participates in Social Security Conversation in New Mexico, Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, New Mexico
***
"For the youngsters here, I want you to understand that you're now living in an historic time. Freedom is changing the world."

***
"It's a joy to get out of the Nation's Capital. I love my job, but I also like to get out amongst the people. I like to get home. I like to remember -- to go back to my roots, where I was from."

***
"In 2018, because the math has changed, more money will be going out than coming in for Social Security."

***
"Unlike the old days, when 16 workers would pay into the system for every beneficiary, it was a manageable issue, the math worked. Math doesn't work now."

 

February 4, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in Florida, Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida
***
Q -- really understand how is it the new plan is going to fix that problem?

THE PRESIDENT: Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, 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. 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 that 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.

Okay, better? I'll keep working on it. (Laughter.)

 

March 23, 2005, President Meets with President Fox and Prime Minister Martin, Bill Daniels Activity Center, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
***
"First, I want to thank the Baylor University family for providing these facilities for us. Your hospitality is awesome."

***
"After we go through this exercise of democracy -- that being answering your questions -- I'm looking forward to hosting them to the ranch for a little lunch and a further discussion."

***
Q Thank you, sir. Can you tell us what actions you support, since the federal courts continue to decline to allow the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube? And have you discussed options, next steps with your brother, the Governor of Florida?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I have not discussed next steps with the brother -- my brother, who is the Governor of Florida.

***
"This is an extraordinary and sad case, and I believe that in a case such as this, the legislative branch, the executive branch ought to err on the side of life, which we have."

***
"It's interesting -- "sharp differences."I guess that's -- "sharp"means kind of, if you think about what that means, that means maybe differences so that we can't have a positive relationship. I view them -- look, we've got differences."

***
"I mean, we had an issue with cows, and that is getting resolved. I'm amazed that we don't have more sharp -- whatever you call them -- disagreements -- because we're doing a lot together."

***
SPECIAL PRIME MINISTER MARTIN QUOTE:
"The defense of North America is not only going to take place in North America. Canada is playing an increasing load [sic] as an example -- role -- in Afghanistan. And that's also part of the defense of North America."

 

March 31, 2005, President Discusses Schiavo, WMD Commission Report, Room 450, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"I urge all those who honor Terri Schiavo to continue to work to build a culture of life, where all Americans are welcomed and valued and protected, especially those who live at the mercy of others. The essence of civilization is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak. In cases where there are serious doubts and questions, the presumption should be in the favor of life."

***
"We face a new and different kind of enemy. The threats today are unprecedented. The lives of our citizens are at stake."

***
"In their report today, the commission points out that America needs to know much more about the weapons programs and intentions of our most dangerous adversaries. They have given us useful and important guidance that will help us transform our intelligence capabilities for the needs of a dangerous new century."

 

March 31, 2005, Statement on Paul Wolfowitz as New President of the World Bank
***
President Bush today congratulates Paul Wolfowitz on being selected as the next President of the World Bank. The President looks forward to working with President-designate Wolfowitz and World Bank member countries to advance the fight against global poverty, promote development, and meet the International Development Goals of the Millennium Declaration. The Mission of the World Bank is of vital importance to our country and the world, as this year's focus on development and accelerating action in Africa by the G-8 and the U.N. highlights.
###

 

April 1, 2005, President and Mrs. Bush Discuss Helping America's Youth Initiative, Paul Public Charter School, Washington, D.C.
***
"That's a program all -- that exists in order to help a child whose parent may be or has been in prison. It's a great program, by the way."

***
"I asked her, I said, well, how did you get involved with the program? She said, the first thing is I prayed and asked for guidance from the Almighty. It's kind of an interesting way to become inspired, isn't it?"

***
"I can't think of a better group of people to rally and inspire, to offset the lure of a gang, than somebody who has heard a universal call to love a neighbor, just like they'd like to be loved themselves."

 

April 5, 2005, President Tours Bureau of Public Debt Bureau of Public Debt, Parkersburg, West Virginia
***
THE PRESIDENT: See, what's interesting is a lot of people believe that the Social Security trust is -- the government takes a person's money, invests it, and then pays it back to them upon retirement. It doesn't work that way.

MS. CHAPMAN: That's right, that's exactly right.

THE PRESIDENT: This is what exists. And it's very important, then, to make sure that in the future that there's real access for retirees.

But I want to thank you all for having me come. I want to thank all the workers here for representing the mighty United States. I'm proud to work with you. I thank you for what you do. And my message here in town is that we have an obligation to take the system that Franklin Roosevelt created and make it work for a younger generation of Americans. I'm looking forward to working with Congress to do that. That's what the American people expect. They expect us to modernize the system.

Anyway, thanks for having us.

MS. CHAPMAN: Well, thank you for coming. We're proud to have you visit us.

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks.

 

April 5, 2005, President Participates in Social Security Conversation in West Virginia, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Parkersburg, West Virginia
***
"And I can understand why people are sometimes confused because there's a lot of propaganda in the mix. In other words, people are saying things that simply aren't true."

 

April 8, 2005, President Speaks to Press Pool, Aboard Air Force One, En route Waco, Texas
***
"And you can have your faith strengthened on -- you can have your faith strengthened when you stand up at a faith-based initiative and see someone standing up and testify to what their love has done to help a child, or how a child's life has been helped."

***
"As might remember, we were confronted with a recession and I felt we needed to reform schools and, at the same time, I had to fight the war on terror; we're continuing to fight the war on terror, the war on terror goes on and that's the important thing for me to continue to remind our fellow citizens. By the way, we will work to defeat the enemy by, you know, making sure our troops are well framed up, prepared, ready to move quickly."

***
"By the way, I think when you discuss religion -- on doubt --there is no doubt in my mind there is a living God. And no doubt in my mind that the Lord, Christ, was sent by the Almighty. No doubt in my mind about that. When I'm talking about doubts, I'm talking about the doubts that an individual struggles with in his or her life. That's important for you to make sure you get that part of the dialogue correct, if you don't mind."

 

April 11, 2005, President and Prime Minister Sharon Discuss Economy, Middle East, Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford, Texas
***
"I'm looking forward to driving you around the ranch - I want you to see my place. I know you love the land."

***
Q ... And, Mr. Prime Minister, did you get the support you were looking for today, or do you sometimes hear contradictory signals from the administration?

PRESIDENT BUSH: If he listens to what I say, he won't hear anything contradictory. I've been very clear about Israel has an obligation under the road map.

***
"This is a process that's going to take a lot of work to get a democracy stood up on Israel's border. "

***
"And so there's skepticism now about the process, because as I said earlier, it's a complicated part of the world with a lot of history. And so I want to focus the world's attention on getting it right in the Gaza, and then all of a sudden, people will start to say, gosh, well, that makes sense."

***
"You asked -- I think one of your two questions were, do I see a civil war in Israel? No, I said that -- and I repeat it again -- the recent atmosphere of a civil war, but I'm fully convinced that I'll make every effort to avoid that, and I'm sure that we will be able to implement the disengagement plan, with all its difficulties, quietly and peacefully. So what I really mentioned was the atmosphere. But I hope it will be quiet and we will manage to do it."

***

Q I asked if, are you disappointed with the President's position regarding expansion of settlements, specifically about the Jewish population center in Ma'aleh Adumim --

PRIME MINISTER SHARON: No, I'm not disappointed. We think both of us are committed to the road map, and the road map says -- and elaborates on this issue.

It's about Ma'aleh Adumim. Ma'aleh Adumim is one of the blocs of Jewish population, and our position is that they should be part of Israel -- I think I mentioned it before -- it will be part of Israel. And of course, we are very much interested that it will be contiguity between Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem, but I think altogether, we are too early because everything happens there really altogether might take many years, and I believe that we will have enough opportunities to come and continue our talks with the United States."

 

April 12, 2005, President Discusses War on Terror, Fort Hood, Texas
***
"Many of you have recently returned from Iraq. (Hoo-ah!) Welcome home -- and thank you for a job well-done. (Hoo-ah!) Others are preparing to head out this fall -- (Hoo-ah!) -- some for a second tour of duty."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"Americans are grateful for your sacrifice and your service -- and so is your Commander-in-Chief."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"They reached the Iraqi capital in 21 days, and that achievement will be studied for generations as the fastest armored advance in military history."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"We protected civilian lives while destroying the Republican Guard's Medina Division, pushing through the Karbala Gap, capturing Saddam International Airport, and, on April 9th, we liberated the Iraqi capital."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"And eight months later, soldiers of the Ivy Division -- (Hoo-ah!) -- brought the real Saddam Hussein to justice."

***
"Blood-stained torture chambers used by terrorists to execute hostages; you found videos of beheadings and brutal terrorist attacks; you found over 600 improvised explosive devices, including an ice cream truck that had been loaded with bomb-making materials for a terrorist attack."

***
"The men and women of the Phantom Corps know why we are in Iraq. As one First Team soldier, Lieutenant Mike Erwin, put it: "If we can start to change the most powerful country in the Middle East, the others will follow, and Americans 20 years down the road won't have to deal with a day like September the 11th, 2001."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"Because of your service, because of your sacrifice, we are defeating them there where they live, so we do not have to face them where we live."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"An Iraqi special tribunal has been established that will try senior leadership, including Saddam Hussein."(Hoo-ah!)

***
"Their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation."(Hoo-ah!)

 

April 13, 2005, President to Welcome Crown Prince Abdallah to Texas
***
President Bush will welcome Crown Prince Abdallah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to his ranch in Crawford, Texas on April 25, 2005. The President looks forward to discussing with Crown Prince Abdallah a wide range of key bilateral and regional issues, including the President's efforts to promote democratic reform, achieve peace in the Middle East, and win the war on terrorism.
# # #

 

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, do hereby proclaim April 24 through April 30, 2005, as Small Business Week. I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that celebrate the achievements of small business owners and their employees and encourage and foster the development of new small businesses.

 

April 14, 2005, Remarks by the President at the American Society of Newspaper Editors Convention, J.W. Marriott Hotel Washington, D.C.
***
"We need to continue spending money on research and development to find ways to make corn economic -- ethanol and biodiesel."

***
"I know we need to continue to explore for natural gas in our own hemisphere in environmentally friendly ways. But Congress needs to get off the dime."

***
"I don't care what your party is or what your political philosophy is, you can't ignore the math. And the math really is this: baby boomers like me are ready to retire in four years. I'll be 62 in four years. That's actually a fairly convenient date for me. (Laughter.) And we're living longer. And people ran for office saying, vote for me, I promise you more benefits. So you've got a lot of people like me getting ready to retire, living longer, and we've been promised greater benefits than the previous generation. And, yet, there are fewer people to pay the bill. And so what ends up happening is, is that a pay-as-you go system goes in the red in a relatively short period of time, and every year it's in the red, it gets worse and worse and worse."

***
"And so I'm going to spend a lot of time on Social Security. I enjoy it. I enjoy taking on the issue. I guess, it's the Mother [sic] in me."

***
"Overseas, there's a lot going on."

***
"There are still people there who'd like to create harm to America."

***
"The danger with the immigration issue is that it can be -- it can lead to nativism and encourage behavior which is really not how Americans should view the world."

***
Q Can you please talk about a little bit about your view of the death penalty and how that fits into your vision of a culture of life?

THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Thanks. I have been supportive of the death penalty, both as governor and President. And the difference between the case of Terry Schiavo and the case of a convicted killer is the difference between guilt and innocence. And I happen to believe that the death penalty, when properly applied, saves lives of others. And so I'm comfortable with my beliefs that there's no contradiction between the two.

***
"I know there is a tension now between making the decision of that which is -- that which can be exposed without jeopardizing the war on terror -- and I understand there's a suspicion that we -- we're too security-conscience [sic]."

***
"And I would hope that those who expose documents are wise about the difference between that which truly would jeopardize national security and that which should be read."

***
"Look, John Cornyn is a good friend, and we look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make -- it would hope -- put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't [sic] see."

***
"Everything is investigated in Washington. And that's just the nature of the way here right now. And so we're losing a lot of history, not just with me, but with other Presidents, as well. And so there's a balance to all this. And I hope it's said -- when it's all said and done that we were fair to the press corps and the American people."

***
"I don't know if -- I probably talked your -- talked you to death. That's call filibustering."(Laughter.)

***
"My view of China is, is that it's a great nation that's growing like mad."

***
"Listen, I've got to hop."

 

April 15, 2005, President Participates in Social Security Roundtable in Ohio, Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, Ohio
***
"Part of the facts is understanding we have a problem, and part of the facts is what you're going to do about it."

 

April 18, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in South Carolina, South Carolina Statehouse, Columbia, South Carolina
***
"See, my strategy is pretty simple: Take the message to the people and define the facts of the problem, and let the people draw their own conclusions."

 

April 22, 2005, President Celebrates Earth Day, McGhee Tyson Air National, Guard Base, Knoxville, Tennessee
***
"We didn't create this Earth, but we have an obligation to protect it."

***
"One of the interesting things about our nation is that since 1970, the air is cleaner and the water is more pure and we're using our land better; and our economy has grown a lot."

 

May 4, 2005, President Discusses Social Security at Latino Coalition Conference, J.W. Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"Before I talk about Social Security, though, I want to remind you the war on terror goes on."

 

May 8, 2005, President Participates in Youth Roundtable in the Netherlands, Selys de Fanson Zaal-Schatkaner Building, Maastricht, The Netherlands
***
"I mean, it [9/11] 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."

***
"A vibrant, growing economy is one which we collect more revenues, and therefore, we're more capable of helping and doing our duty to those who can't help themselves."

***
"And that's the interesting balance of a free society, by the way, is the extent to which the welfare state is prevalent."

 

May 10, 2005, President and President Saakashvili Discuss NATO, Democracy, Parliament Building, Tbilisi, Georgia
***
"That's what I like about the President. He speaks his mind. If he's got something on his mind, he'll tell you. What I find on his mind is very refreshing; he loves democracy and loves freedom, and he loves the people of Georgia."

 

May 11, 2005, President Discusses Foreign Trip with Members of Congress, The Cabinet Room
***
"It's such an inspiring experience to be in countries that are newly-minted democracies that love freedom."

***
"Went to The Netherlands. Her Majesty kindly came and visited, paid a visit with us."

***
"Then I went to Georgia. It was -- standing in front of 150,000 people that love freedom was a fantastic experience."

***
"The lessons of World War II is to honor the sacrifice of those who helped us keep the peace, and to remember that the United States is always the beacon of freedom, and that when we find people living under tyranny we've got to work to free them in order to make the world more peaceful."

 

May 13, 2005, President Welcomes 2004 NCAA Spring and Fall Sports Champions, The East Room
***
"Ed Royce from California is here. He's a Cal State grad -- Cal State, Fullerton grad. And you like baseball."

***
"And the mighty Titans from Cal State, Fullerton had a motto of their own -- the motto was, 'Think How Good It's Gonna Feel.'"

***
"I was telling the women from Stanford that I was just with Condoleezza Rice, former provost of Stanford University. I said, come by and welcome the home girls, come by and tell them, good going for the second visit in four years to the White House. She said she had to meet with a leader from another nation."

 

May 13, 2005, President Discusses Social Security with National Association of Realtors, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"I believe the proper role of government is to encourage ownership, is to promote an ownership society. An ownership -- when you own a home, it brings stability to a neighborhood or security to a family."

***
"Social Security worked fine, but the problem is the math has changed."

"So you're beginning to get to see how the math is changing. More people will be getting checks."

***
"And so I tell people that this math has created a significant problem for the solvency of Social Security. In other words, Social Security really is on the path to bankruptcy -- because of the math, because of what's taking place in the demographics in America."

 

May 17, 2005, Remarks by the President at Republican National Committee Gala, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"I want to thank The Spinners, and I want to thank Ricky Skaggs."

 

May 20, 2005, President Bush Meets with Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis, The Oval Office
***
"President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis of Greece meet with the press in the Oval Office Friday, May 20, 2005. White House photo by Eric Draper America and Greece have got a strategic partnership. That's important. It's important for our respective peoples, and it's important we work together to spread freedom and peace."

***
"I told the Prime Minister I was confident that the government would make sure the Olympics were secure. I was so confident I sent my family. And not only did you keep your word, my parents and my -- some of my relatives had a fabulous time in a spectacular country."

***
"I look forward to visiting with you on a variety of subjects -- the freedom agenda, freedom in the greater Middle East, the Balkans. I look forward to talking to you about how best we can work together to continue to spread liberty."

 

May 20, 2005, President Bush Meets with Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen, The Oval Office
***
"Denmark is a good friend of America. I appreciate your contributions to transatlantic ties."

***
"Fortunately, he's not that good a friend that I would go running with him. (Laughter.) He's one of the best runners in the world, amongst the world leaders. He's a good one."

***
"I'm -- first, I'm very concerned about cloning. I worry about a world in which cloning becomes acceptable."

***
"I'm a strong supporter of adult stem cell research, of course. But I made it very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money to promote science which destroys life in order to save life is -- I'm against that."

***
Q Mr. President, how do you react to the continuing reports about mistreatment of prisoners held by American military around the world, and also the perception abroad that the ones that are paying for it are low-ranking soldiers, but that nobody higher up is taking any responsibility?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I think the world ought to be -- pay attention to the contrast between a society which was run by a brutal tyrant in which there was no transparency and a society in which the whole world watches a government find the facts, lay the facts out for the citizens to see, and that punishment, when appropriate, be delivered.

If I'm not mistaken, I think about over 20 percent of the people thus far that have been held to account as a result of the Abu Ghraib issue have been officers. There have been over, I think, nine investigations, eight or nine investigations by independent investigators that have made the reports very public. I'm comfortable that we're getting to the bottom of the situation and I know we're doing so in a transparent way. Obviously, ours is a country that respects human rights and human dignity, and if those rights and dignity have been denied, we will hold people to account.

***
"There is no future for these haters in a free world. And so they're inspired by the fact that they see democracy emerging in Iraq. That's what causes them to want to kill. They're frightened by the fact -- and inspired the wrong way, by the way -- by the fact that Afghanistan is free."

***
"You know, I don't think a photo inspires murderers. I think they're inspired by an ideology that is so barbaric and backwards that it's hard for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think."

***
"Listen, thank you all for coming.

Q One more?

PRESIDENT BUSH: We don't want to break precedent. Was that you, Mark, who asked that?

Q It was.

PRESIDENT BUSH: No. (Laughter.) You know better than that.

END 10:56 A.M. EDT

 

May 20, 2005, President Attends National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"It's an amazing experience to be the President of a nation where strangers from all religions pray for me and Laura."

 

May 23, 2005, President Welcomes Afghan President Karzai to the White House, The East Room
***
"Increasing numbers of low-level Taliban are getting the message that Afghanistan society is peaceful and optimistic, and I appreciate your efforts to reach out to the low-level members of the Taliban."

***
PRESIDENT BUSH: ...As you know, there are -- there's too much poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. And I made it very clear to the President that this is -- that we have got to work together to eradicate poppy crop. And the President, not only in this meeting but in other meetings, has been very forthcoming about the desire to eradicate poppy. And as a matter of fact, according to a United Nations' report, there is less poppy today than the previous year.

PRESIDENT KARZAI: Exactly.

PRESIDENT BUSH: The President can give you some statistics on that if you're interested. One of the interesting issues, however, besides poppy crop eradication, and frankly, bringing people to justice who are running drugs is to -- is for crop substitution. And the -- President Karzai was talking about how the quality of the pomegranate that used to be grown in Afghanistan, evidently it's quite famous for -- the country is quite famous for growing pomegranates.

PRESIDENT KARZAI: Yes, yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Or honeydew melons. In other words, there are some specialty crops, along with wheat and corn, that can and should be grown in Afghanistan.

 

May 24, 2005, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Strengthening Social Security, Athena Performing Arts Center At Greece Athena Middle and High School, Greece, New York
***
"If you've retired, you don't have anything to worry about -- third time I've said that. (Laughter.) I'll probably say it three more times. 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."(Applause.)

 

May 26, 2005, Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
***
Q There are news reports this morning that parents and children who were guests of the President, when they visited Congress, wore stickers with the wording, "I was an embryo."And my question is, since all of us were once embryos, and all of us were once part sperm and egg, is the President also opposed to contraception, which stops this union and kills both sperm and egg?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made his views known on these issues, and his views known --

Q You know, but what I asked, is he opposed -- he's not opposed to contraception, is he?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, and you've made your views known, as well. The President --

Q No, no, but is he opposed to contraception, Scott? Could you just tell us yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think that this question is --

Q Well, is he? Does he oppose contraception?

MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think the President's views are very clear when it comes to building a culture of life.

Q If they were clear, I wouldn't have asked.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and if you want to ask those questions, that's fine. I'm just not going to dignify them with a response.

 

May 27, 2005, President Discusses War on Terror at Naval Academy Commencement, Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
***
"The lesson of September 11th is clear: new dangers can arrive on our shores without warning. In this era of surprise, we cannot know for certain who might attack us, or where, or when."

***
"These investments will help us keep the peace by redefining war on our terms."

***
"This missile is capable of reaching around corners to strike enemy forces that hide in caves, and bunkers and hardened multi-room complexes. In the coming years, there are going to be some awfully surprised terrorists when the thermobaric hellfire comes knocking. (Applause.)

***
"In this new era of warfare, we can target a regime, not a nation, and that means terrorists and tyrants can no longer feel safe hiding behind innocent life."

 

May 31, 2005, President's Press Conference, The Rose Garden
***
"In other words, what the insurgents fear is democracy, because democracy is the opposite of their vision. Their vision is one where a few make the decision for many, and if you don't toe the line, there's serious consequences."

***
"It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of -- and the allegations -- by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble -- that means not tell the truth. And so it was an absurd report. It just is."

 

June 1, 2005, Remarks by President Bush and South African President Thabo Mbeki in a Photo Opportunity, The Oval Office
***
"We've just had a wide-ranging discussion on very important issues. We spent time talking about our bilateral relations. I would characterize our bilateral relations as strong. We spent time talking about the continent of Africa."

***
"You know, there was an interesting revelation yesterday, Mr. President, about a news story -- a massive news story that took place when I was a pretty young guy. And to those of us who grew up in the late -- got out of college in the late '60s, the Watergate story was a relevant story, and a lot of us have always wondered who Deep Throat might have been. And the mystery was solved yesterday."

***
"Listen, the definition of free and fair [elections in Egypt], there's international standards, of course, but people ought to be allowed to vote without being intimidated; people ought to be allowed to be on TV, and if the government owns the TV, they need to allow the opposition on TV; people ought to be allowed to carry signs and express their displeasure or pleasure; people ought to have every vote count. And those seem like reasonable standards."

 

June 2, 2005, Remarks by the President in a Conversation on Strengthening
Social Security, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
***
"Listen, I understand people are paying higher prices at the gas pump. I know that you're paying that tax -- it's like a tax that goes -- that money, and it's up because we're dependent."

***
"See, my retirement age happens to be in 2008. I reached retirement age in 2008, which is a convenient year for me to retire. (Laughter.) And there's a lot of baby boomers, and we're living longer than the previous generation. So you're beginning to get a sense of the new math."

***
"You hold money and you get a decent rate of return on that money, it tends to compound, it grows, the growth accelerates. That's just how it works. It's called the compounding rate of interest."

 

June 2, 2005, President's Remarks at Talent for Senate Dinner, The Millennium Hotel St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
***
"I went to a refinery in Virginia the other day -- it's an unusual kind of refinery; it's a refinery that refines biodiesel -- and saw a new Cat engine that can burn a hundred percent biodiesel with no exhaust."

***
"There are two ways to stay on the offense. One is through good intelligence and good movement of troops and good work with the allies. And there's another way to stay on the offense against the terrorists, and that's to spread freedom."

***
"We liberated Afghanistan for our own sake. "

***
"My barber was raised in Afghanistan. And she came over here to -- there was a revolution or civil war, or whatever you want to call it, and she decided to stay in America; raised her three kids here, and used her great talents and enthusiasm for her country to raise money to build two schools. Think about that. Think about that. What kind of a country is it where you got a barber to the President working hard, using her influence and her contacts and her friends to raise money -- quite a bit of money, by the way -- to build schools in a faraway country -- spectacular country that encourages compassion not only at home, but abroad. Afghanistan is changing for the better. And is does, the world will be more peaceful."

 

June 7, 2005, President Welcomes British Prime Minister Blair to the White House
***
"The East Room "I remember when I first talked to Condi when I was trying to convince her to become the National Security Advisor, she said, are you going to pay attention to the continent of Africa? I said, you bet."

***
"Now, in terms of whether or not the formula that you commented upon are the right way to analyze the United States commitment to her, I don't think it is. I mean, I don't think -- there's a lot of things that aren't counted in our desire to spread compassion."

***
"Second question -- do I believe in my gut we can eradicate poverty? I do believe we can eradicate poverty. And, by the way, Bono has come to see me. I admire him.

***
"I don't know if you're aware of this, but we lead the world when it comes to dollars spent, millions of dollars spent on research about climate change. We want to know more about it. It's easier to solve a problem when you know a lot about it. "

***
"I don't see how you can be -- diversify away from hydrocarbons unless you use clean nuke."

***
"I kind of, in jest, like to travel our country, saying, wouldn't it be wonderful if someday the President sat down and looked at the crop report, and said, man, we've got a lot of soybeans; it means we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

***
"See, there's a lot of things we're doing in America, and I believe that not only can we solve greenhouse gas, I believe we will."

 

June 8, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security in Washington, D.C., Capitol Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"You see, not only did the attacks help accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war. It's a different kind of war. It's a war that has taken the country a while to adjust to, because we're not facing nation states, we're facing terrorist organizations that know no border, terrorist organizations that know no conduct the way civilized nations know it when it comes to fighting war."

 

June 9, 2005, President Discusses Patriot Act, Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy, Columbus, Ohio
***
"It's a different kind of war than a war our nation was used to."

 

June 10, 2005, President Visits National Counterterrorism Center , National Counterterrorism Center, McLean, Virginia
***
"You know, it's a different kind of war. It's a war that seems like there's maybe no action taking place, that maybe the enemy is not active."

***
"I know it makes sense for the American people that if it's okay to use a certain tool to track a drug lord, we ought to be able to use that same tool to track a terrorist."

 

June 14, 2005, President Attends 2005 President's Dinner, Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C."Our party is the party of economic growth, and our party is the party of spending restraint."

***
"I've laid out some plans that would nearly fix all of the Social Security problem."

 

June 14, 2005, President Discusses Strengthening Social Security with FFA, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
***
"We're living in historic times. These are amazing times. And I hope you're as excited about them as I am. I wish I could tell you this wasn't the truth -- the case, but the case is, we're still fighting the war against terrorists. It's a different kind of war. But it's a necessary war, because our most solemn duty is to protect the homeland."(Applause.)

***
"My administration supports trade initiatives that level the playing field, and one such initiative is the Central American Dominican Republican Free Trade Agreement, which is coming before the United States Senate and the House of Representatives."

***
"I think Mr. Pozen has got a good idea, and here's what it says. It says that the Social Security checks for the highest 1 President of Americans will remain the same in today's dollars as the checks received by beneficiaries today."

 

June 15, 2005, President Thanks Guests of the Congressional Picnic at the White House South Lawn
***
"Laura and I want to thank WETA and all tonight's performers -- Tom Wopat, and Shirley Jones, Harolyn Blackwell, and Cartier Williams. You put on such a fantastic performance, and we're grateful."(Applause.)

 

June 20, 2005, President Hosts United States - European Union Summit, The East Room ***
"Adam, I think about Iraq every day -- every single day -- because I understand we have troops in harm's way, and I understand how dangerous it is there. And the reason it's dangerous is because there's these cold-blooded killers that will kill Americans or kill innocent Iraqis in order to try to drive us out of Iraq."

 

June 21, 2005, President Addresses Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Via Satellite
***
"You're bringing hope to the continent of Africa, and I thank you for that. In Uganda, Southern Baptists have emphasized abstinence and helped as that country reduced the percentage of people infected with HIV by more than two thirds in less than a decade and a half."

 

June 21, 2005, President Congratulates CEA Chairman Ben Bernanke, Room 450, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"I want to thank the staff of the Council of Economic Advisers who have joined us today. You're fixing to work for a good man."

 

June 22, 2005, President Discusses Energy Policy, Economic Security, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Lusby, Maryland
***
"See, even though the numbers are still good, there are still worries out there in the country."

***
"I went to a soy bean refinery the other day in Virginia where they're making diesel fuel from soy beans. With the right, you know, proper use of your dollars to encourage research, it's very conceivable that source of energy will become economic."

***
"Can you imagine walking -- walking down the road here in the farmlands of Maryland, you see a guy growing soy beans, you say, thanks, buddy, for making us less dependent on foreign sources of oil."

***
"I don't know if you remember I laid out I thought -- I know an interesting initiative: it said, why don't we explore how we use hydrogen power -- hydrogen to power our cars, to help us diversify away from dependency upon hydro carbons."

***
"I think it will be cool if your young son is able to take a driver's test in a hydrogen-powered automobile that has got zero emissions, and at the same time will make us less dependent on hydrocarbons which we have to import from foreign countries."

***
"It's one thing to have a legal system where people can -- you know have got a legitimate claim can go take care of it, it's the junk lawsuits that run up the cost of doing business; junk lawsuits that make it a -- America less competitive."

***
"I don't know if you realize this, but now 80 percent of the goods from Central America come into our country duty-free. Yet, we're not treated the same way down there. Now, that doesn't make sense to me. It seems like to me that it would make sense if we say, okay, your goods are already coming in here, treat us the same way. Just level the playing field."

***
"We've got to create more demand within the health care place."

***
"The No Child Left Behind Act we passed is challenging what I've called the soft bigotry of low expectations. That means you have your expectations so low you just move the children through the system without measuring whether or not they can read and write. In other words, if you don't think certain children can read and write, the easy path is just move them through."

***
"Things are going fine right now. But my job is to keep looking down the road."

 

June 28, 2005, President Addresses Nation, Discusses Iraq, War on Terror, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
***
"Some wonder whether Iraq is a central front in the war on terror. Among the terrorists, there is no debate."

***
"The terrorists know that the outcome will leave them emboldened, or defeated. So they are waging a campaign of murder and destruction. And there is no limit to the innocent lives they are willing to take."

***
"We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who exploded car bombs along a busy shopping street in Baghdad, including one outside a mosque. We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who sent a suicide bomber to a teaching hospital in Mosul. We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who behead civilian hostages and broadcast their atrocities for the world to see."

 

June 29, 2005, Interview of the President by Danish Broadcasting Corporation, The Map Room
***
Q Now, you have, as President, been dealing seriously and intensively with Europe for the last four-and-a-half years. And if I may ask you a little unconventional question: What do you think is the most annoying aspect of the way that we Europeans look at the world?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, that's a very tough question because if I answer it, obviously I admit there's something annoying about Europeans, which I don't want to admit, I don't want to say that.

***
Q Can I just, if I may, your personal -- do you think abortion should be illegal?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I've always believed that there -- we ought to -- abortion ought to be illegal with the exception of rape, incest, or life of the mother. But, look, I'm a realist, as well. I mean, this is an issue that has polarized the American political society. And in order to get good policy in place that protects the life of a child, we're going to have to change hearts. And it's -- so I've been promoting what I call a culture of life, at every aspect of the debate remind people that life is precious. And -- but I can see why people take an interest in the debates here. It's -- it's -- I happen to believe a society based upon respect for life is an important society -- is a whole society, I guess is a better way to put it.

***
Q When I told my 11-year-old daughter the other day that I was going to interview you, she asked me what does a President really do. And I told her, maybe a little simplistically, that he rules the world. (Laughter.) And she then asked me, what does a man with so much power think about before he falls asleep?

THE PRESIDENT: That's great.

Q So if I may be a little personal here, Mr. President --

THE PRESIDENT: Sure.

Q -- I would like to convey her question to you, and what do you think about when you have time alone?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, fascinating question. Sometimes the 11-year-olds ask better questions than us -- than we adults. First, if I -- if she asked me what do I do, I would -- I would say, I make a lot of decisions. It's a decision-making job, which means I better listen to good people. And I think when the people take a look at my government, they'll say, gosh, that old George W. is surrounding himself with some great people. And I have. And I give them a chance to tell me what's on their mind. I listen carefully, and then I make up my mind, and they say, yes, sir, Mr. President.

You've got to tell your daughter that, one, I sleep well at night. I subscribe that -- this may be controversial for some -- I subscribe it to the fact that I've got peace of mind. And I attribute that to my faith, and to this amazing fact about America: Millions of people -- no matter what their political affiliation may be or their background -- pray for me and Laura. And for that, I am incredibly grateful.

I'm an exerciser. I love to exercise. Your Prime Minister has challenged me to many a run and bike ride. I'm -- I can only -- I can't run with him because my knees hurt. And I probably won't be able to bike with him because he's a great athlete, but nevertheless, I exercise a lot. And that helps take the stress off.

I read a lot. And so when I -- tell your daughter, right before I go to bed, after I do my homework, I'm an avid reader. I like to read history. I just finished a book about George Washington. And so I get my mind off my work, and get my -- I get -- if I've got troubles, I get my -- get the troubles off my mind by reading a lot. And then I -- I'm kind of getting to be an old guy so I fall asleep about 9:30 p.m., much to the chagrin of Laura Bush. Up at 5:15 a.m., I get to work about 6:45 a.m.

***
"But I really am looking forward to having a good discussion, talking about our common interests, talking about a way forward to help promote democracy and peace. And I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."

 

June 29, 2005, Interview of the President by the Times of London, The Oval Office, June 29, 2005
***
THE PRESIDENT: Looking forward to the G8. First of all, I enjoy the experience of working with leaders. You can imagine my respect for Tony Blair; I'm fond of Tony Blair, I like being around him. It's an enjoyable experience. I like to be with all the leaders. I find it to be a heady experience and it energizes me.
***
"There will be discussions other than the well known topics. Hopefully, discuss Palestinian peace -- or the Middle Eastern peace and a Palestinian state. Hopefully, we'll talk the freedom agenda; I think we will. I know we're going to talk about Africa and I look forward to talking about Africa. We've got a great record in Africa, and the reason we've got a great record in Africa is that I believe in the admonition, "To whom much has been given, much is required."And I can't wait to share ideas about what we can do going forward."

***
"The hybrid automobiles, mainly manufactured by the Japanese, or only manufactured by the Japanese, at least in our country, are now taking off."

***
Q Are you creating -- are you at risk of creating the kind of -- more of the problems that actually led directly to 9/11?

THE PRESIDENT: No, quite the contrary. We're going to -- this is where you win the war on terror, is you go to the battlefield and you take them on. And that's what they've done. They've said, look, let's go fight, this is the place.

***
"I viewed it -- view September the 11th as an attack as a result of a larger war that changed how I view the world, as did -- and how many other Americans view the world. It was one of these moments in history that changed outlook."

***
"Yes, haggis. I was briefed on haggis. (Laughter.) No. Generally, on your birthday you -- my mother used to say, what do you want to eat? And I don't ever remember saying, 'Haggis, mom.'"(Laughter.)

"But I'm looking forward to going back to Scotland. I've got fond memories of Scotland. There's a fellow named James Gammell, who was a well-known Scottish investment banker from Ivory and Sime. And he had a lot of friends in Texas, and one of whom was my dad."

***
"Jamie is the older son who was my age, and then Billy was a person that I then reconnected with. He was an oil and gas guy -- became an oil and gas guy. And he used to come out to Midland, Texas, and we did some deals together. I take it -- he's taken his little entity and built it into a big entity. He's a very successful entrepreneur."

 

June 29, 2005, Interview of the President by ITV, United Kingdom, The Library
***
Q Do you accept that climate change is manmade, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: To a certain extent it is, obviously. I mean, if fossil fuels create greenhouse gases, we're burning fossil fuel, as is a lot of other countries.

June 30, 2005, Interview of the President by Foreign Print Journalists, The Roosevelt Room
***
"I'm looking forward to going to Denmark. The Prime Minister is a friend. He's a good man, he's got a good, strong backbone; when he says he's going to do something, he means it."

***
"Secondly, though, you've got to look at Africa as more than just aid. Aid is one aspect of participating on the continent in a compassionate way. Trade is a vital part of lifting people out of poverty. The other thing is, you know, there's all kinds of ways to calculate generosity"

***
"My point was about September the 11th is that America was attacked and now we're at war in a global war on terror. That's the connection with September the 11th."

***
"The speech, I think you'll see, was that the attack indicated we're at war, and Iraq is part of that war -- otherwise why would people be pouring into the country trying to defeat us? Why? Because they fear democracy. They fear the competing ideology that is a hopeful ideology."

***
Q By the time we get back to the office there will probably be a statement from some group praising your proposal, but saying once again, why didn't the President go through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria? Why do a separate program?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, we are supporting the Global Fund. But like our AIDS initiative, we also feel it is an effective way to achieve results. See, you just asked a process question -- you're assuming somebody is going to -- let's focus on the process. What I want the world to do is focus on how best to get the job done, how best to achieve the objective.

And so our strategy has been two-fold: one, support the Global Fund; but on the other hand, target specific countries. And if you noticed I said in there, this will -- we're taking the lead. We want people to follow. We want people in other countries to follow, we want people to follow. And the United States government is going to take the lead, the Gates Foundation is taking the lead, and I call upon other governments, other foundations, to do the same. So our strategy is one of results, how best to achieve the objective.

***
Q Guantanamo is still a very hot topic for many Europeans. After three years, there are still prisoners there who haven't had their case heard. And the U.N. now are talking about investigating secret U.S. prisons and detainee facilities. Is that a thing -- in the investigation, the U.S. would cooperate with? And don't you have fears that this is going to harm the U.S. image a lot if this situation goes on for years?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think -- I think if the truth is not told, it's a problem. But let's talk about the truth, in terms of Guantanamo. First of all, there's inspections 24 hours a day, seven days a week available for the International Red Cross. There's been a lot of press contingents down to take a look at the situation firsthand, and a lot of congressional folks going down. In other words, a lot of people -- there's a transparent situation there.

I think we probably had about 800 or so people detained there, and remember, Klaus, I made a decision as to what to do with people swept off of a battlefield who didn't wear uniforms. I mean, this is a different kind of war. I made the decision they would be treated humanely, just like the Geneva Accords insist, and they have been.

Of the 800 detained, some 200 or so have been sent back to their countries. In other words, we screened and analyzed and took a look at whether they would be a threat again. I'm in a dilemma -- at one point during this process, because people were let back out on the -- sent back to a country and they ended up killing an American -- what do I tell the loved one? In other words, these people were fighting, they were fighters, they were on the battlefield.

Secondly, I agree with you. We need to make sure there is a way forward. And that's why I set up military commissions. But the military -- and by the way, in a military commission, people would have lawyers, they would have -- there would be procedures, court procedures. Unfortunately -- or fortunately, I shouldn't -- let me take that back -- what has happened has been that our court system is analyzing, making a judicial decision as to whether or not the military -- these people should be tried in a military commission or in a civilian court, and we're awaiting a verdict on that. And once that happens, then there will be a way forward.

 

July 7, 2005, President and Prime Minister Blair Discuss Africa, Trade, Climate Change, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland
***
"So you made a wise move, Mr. Prime Minister, to have invited India and China to this conference, where we will discuss our economic growth potential, coupled with the need to be wise stewards of the environment."

***
"I said that based upon scientific evidence, the goal of the United States is to reduce, neutralize -- neutralize and then reduce emissions of greenhouse gases over time."

"The targets I've set are based upon efficiency standards that we would reduce greenhouse gases by 18 percent, relative to our economic growth."

***
"Q Were you wearing a helmet?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Absolutely.

Q Did you crash into his bike?

PRESIDENT BUSH: No, no, he was standing. I hit slick pavement. I was -- we were flying coming in. And, by the way, when you ride hard on a mountain bike, sometimes you fall. Otherwise -- otherwise, you're not riding hard.

 

July 7, 2005, President Offers Condolences to People of London, Will Not Yield to Terrorists, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland
***
"On the one hand, we have people here who are working to alleviate poverty, to help rid the world of the pandemic of AIDS, working on ways to have a clean environment. And on the other hand, you've got people killing innocent people. And the contrast couldn't be clearer between the intentions and the hearts of those of us who care deeply about human rights and human liberty, and those who kill -- those who have got such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks. The war on terror goes on."

 

July 12, 2005, President Congratulates 2004 and 2005 NCAA Sports Champions
***
"I know you know this, but there's a lot of boys and girls who watch -- watch you all to determine what it means to be a champ. You probably don't realize it, but when you're in the field of play, there's a lot of kids wondering what it takes."

 

July 12, 2005, President, Prime Minister of Singapore Discuss Strong
Bilateral Relations, The Oval Office
***
"We've just had a very interesting and comprehensive discussion about our bilateral relations, which are strong. But Singapore is -- is a country that has an interesting position in the Far East.

***
"And, finally, the Prime Minister and I share a clear vision about the world in which we live when it comes to terror -- these terrorists that
kill on a moment's notice. They don't care who you are. They want to shake our will. They want to -- they want to drive America from the world."

***
"We've got a legislative body called the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. They do the legislation. And the courts will then interpret the Constitution as to whether or not the laws are constitutional or not."

***
Q Have you heard from your wife about her desire for you to name a woman?

PRESIDENT BUSH: My wife? Listen, I talked to her yesterday. She's in Africa on a mission of goodwill. She's talking about women's education and HIV/AIDS. Listen, I get her advice all the time. I didn't realize she'd put this advice in the press. That's -- (laughter.) She did? Well, good. I'm definitely considering -- we're definitely considering people from all walks of life, and I can't wait to hear her advice in person when she gets back. (Laughter.)

***
"This is a relationship based upon mutual trust, shared values, but it's also a relationship that recognizes that we have an active role to play, both countries have an active role to play, in laying the foundations for peace in the region of the world that -- in the Far East. And it's an important region."

***
"One of the points that the Prime Minister has made to me, and he keeps reminding me that our involvement in the Far East is very important. And we will stay involved in a constructive way. And this agreement is a constructive agreement. It's a constructive way to stay involved. Thank you all for coming."

 

July 13, 2005, President Meets with Cabinet, Discusses Economy, Energy, Trade, The Cabinet Room
***
"The OMB is going to announce that the 2005 deficit is $94 billion less than previously expected. In other words, revenues are coming in greater than anticipated."

***
Q In your search for a replacement for the Supreme Court, when do you anticipate beginning to interview potential candidates, and do -- would you consider candidates that come from outside the court, people that don't have experience as judges?

THE PRESIDENT: I -- we had a very good meeting yesterday. The Vice President and I met with leaders of the Senate, four members of the United States Senate, and we talked about a lot of subjects. One of the subjects was that very subject: would I be willing to consider people who had never been a judge. The answer is, you bet. We're considering all kinds of people -- judges, non-judges. You know, Laura gave me some good advice yesterday, which is to consider women, which of course I'm doing. (Laughter.)

***
"Of course, I fully recognize it's my responsibility to come up with a nominee, and I intend to do so in a -- you know, in a period of time that will give me time to fully analyze the different candidates and speak to them."

 

July 14, 2005, President Discusses Education, Entrepreneurship & Home Ownership at Indiana Black Expo, RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
***
"They tell me Quinn Buckner is here -- somewhere out there. There he is. I appreciate you coming. I'm old enough to remember -- (laughter) -- the good old days in Indiana."(Laughter.)

***
"See, I refuse to accept this belief that certain people can't learn. I called it the soft bigotry of low expectations. Think about that phrase: It says if you lower the standards, you get lousy results."

***
"The more people who own something in America means this country is better off."

 

July 15, 2005, President Discusses CAFTA-DR, Jobs in North Carolina, Gaston College, Dallas, North Carolina
***
"It's great to be back in North Carolina. It's always good -- (applause.) It's always good to get outside the Beltway and into NASCAR country."(Laughter.)

***
"We're doing our duty to not only protect our country, but to put the conditions in place that will protect generations from -- come."

***
"I thought it was really interesting that the terrorists chose to attack in London, England, at the same time that the United States and other nations were trying to figure out how to help alleve [sic] HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa, or how to help people that are starving to death, or how to help make sure young girls get educated around the world."

***
"We can't grow or manufacture many goods here in the United States and ship our good to their countries duty-free. That doesn't make any sense to me. That's what I would call a -- not a level playing field."

***
"Garment factories in Central America buy yarn and fabric. That's how they operate. They buy the yarn and -- I just saw some yarn and fabric made. You do a fine job, by the way. And they buy that yarn and fabric."

 

July 18, 2005, President, Prime Minister of India Discuss Freedom and Democracy, The East Room
***
"I want to know all the facts. The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it."

***
Q Have you narrowed down the list and met with finalists? Will you now share the list with Senate leaders to avoid a confirmation battle, as Democrats have proposed?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you for telling me where I am in the process. I appreciate that. We've consulted with the Senate. We will continue to consult with the Senate. I, of course, am the person that picks the nominee, and they get to decide whether or not the nominee gets confirmed. That's the way it has worked in the past. That's the way it's going to work in this administration.

And of course I'm reviewing a different candidate. I'm reviewing their curriculum vitae, as well as their findings. I will sit down with some and talk to them face-to-face, those who I have not known already. You know, we've got some people that -- perhaps in contention that I've already spent time with, that I know; in other words, I'm familiar with some of the people that are being speculated about in the press. And so I don't need to interview those. But of course I'm going to take a very thorough approach.

 

July 19, 2005, President Welcomes Prime Minister of Australia to the White House, The East Room
***
"Why would you tell the enemy how long you're going to stay somewhere? Why would you -- it just doesn't -- we're at war, and during a war, you do the best you can to win the war, and one way to embolden an enemy is to give them an artificial timetable. I'm sure probably -- timetables need to be asked -- I get asked about timetables all the time here."

***
"We're fighting an ideology, and the way you defeat an ideology that is so backward, so evil and so hated they kill innocent men and women regardless of religion, is to spread freedom."

 

July 20, 2005, President Encourages Renewal of Patriot Act Provisions, Port of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
***
"It's also an honor to be here at the Port of Baltimore. It's an impressive place to chopper over. There is a lot of action here in Baltimore."

***
"And I appreciate my friend, Mike Chertoff, for agreeing to come, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He has got a mighty task, to make sure that old ways are abandoned for new ways; that we work closely together; that the kind of giant bureaucracy that has been created out of other bureaucracies functions smoothly."

***
"And so, therefore, the best way to protect the homeland is to go on the offense, is to find these people in foreign lands and bring them to justice before they come here to hurt us."

***
"We're developing innovative programs to defend this country against a biological, chemical, or nuclear attack. In other words, one of the biggest dangers we face is if a biological, chemical, or nuclear device gets in the hands of terrorists. Listen, they will use them."

***
"Remember, this is a war. This isn't a -- maybe a law enforcement adventure. We're at war with these people."

***
"Since September the 11th, we've provided more than $350 million to help state and local authorities improve security on mass transits. I'm sure you can figure out why I'm trying to explain what we've done about mass transit. That's what the enemy hit the other day on one of our strong allies. They used their mass transit system to try to shake our will."

***
"You're employing advanced screening devices, such as new radiation detectors and x-ray equipment that can penetrate steel containers. That's what I saw. I mean, you can look inside the truck, you don't even have to get in it. That's called technology."

***
"The budget boosts support for cutting-edge cargo screening technologies. I mean, we're really good at technology and we might as well be using that technology to protect the American people."

***
"This is a new kind of war. We're dealing with people who hide in the shadows of our cities. They kind of lay low and then they show up with deadly devices."

 

July 22, 2005, President Participates in Conversation on Senior Security, Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
***
"Yesterday in the Oval Office I had an extraordinary experience. A young man from Ghana, who was born lame, was basically adopted by a faith-based program here in America, and he got a prosthesis. He's now a bicycler and a triathlete. He set an example for others in his country that just because you're lame doesn't mean you're a second-class citizen."

****
"All you got to do is think about the Taliban in Afghanistan, where if you spoke your mind, you were whipped in the public square, and young girls weren't given an education. That's what they think."

***
"We've got all kinds of -- 1-800-Medicare. That's not that hard to figure out how to call that -- 1-800-Medicare, or Medicare.gov on the Internet."

***
"And what we're interested in is getting a decent rate of return on your money, because over time it grows and it compounds. It's called the compounding rate of interest."

 

July 31, 2005, President Addresses 2005 National Boy Scout Jamboree, Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia
***
"As President, I have the privilege to work with Scouts every day. When I come to the Oval Office in the morning, the first person I see is a Scout -- my Chief of Staff, Andy Card, from the state of Massachusetts. (Applause.) Down the hall is Vice President Dick Cheney, a Boy Scout from Casper, Wyoming. (Applause.) And across the river at the Pentagon sits an Eagle Scout from Illinois who Americans count on to "be prepared"-- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld."(Applause.)

 

August 2, 2005, President Signs CAFTA-DR, The East Room
***
"I'm pleased that Congress has taken a step to eliminate the barriers to America's goods and crops to 44 million customers."

 

August 3, 2005, President Discusses Second Term Accomplishments and Priorities, Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas
***
"The thing I found about ALEC members is they're always willing to challenge the status quo, to espouse what I call a compassionate conservative philosophy; a philosophy that says government if necessary, but not necessarily government."

***
"Laura sends her best. She is the -- (applause.) She's down there in Crawford, and she is -- I got to tell you, I country -- she's a great First Lady, is what she is, and a great wife. (Applause.)

***
"More people work today than ever before in our nation's history."(Applause.)

***
"See, it's a different kind of war. In the old days you'd have armies that were funded by states."

***
"The Patriot Act, in essence, gave our terror fighters the same tools that our government has given our drug fighters."

***
"Do you know that one of my best friends in the international community is the Prime Minister of Japan? Isn't that interesting? The Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Koizumi, and I work together on North Korea and Iraq, and Afghanistan. He's an ally. He's a good buddy."

 

August 4, 2005, President, President Uribe of Colombia Discuss Terrorism and Security, Bush Ranch, Crawford, Texas
***
"First of all, I had the honor of speaking to the -- the folks of -- that are on that mission. And it was a great experience to be talking to bold explorers."

***
"As I have told the American people, one, that people like Zawahiri have an ideology that is dark, dim, backwards; they don't trust -- they don't appreciate women; if you don't agree to their narrow view of a religion you'll be whipped in the public square. That's their view, and they have tactics to help spread that view. In other words, they've got goals."

***
"And part of their goal is to drive us out of the broader Middle East, precisely what Zawahiri said. In other words, he's threatening."

***
PRESIDENT BUSH: You le compendia. Vamos a comer. (Laughter.) I told him I understood him. We're going to go eat. Thank you very much. Appreciate you. Gracias.

Q What's on the menu? What's on the menu?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Carne.

Q Carne.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Necesito preguntar a mi esposa. I've been thinking about business; she's been thinking about the food.

END 12:15 P.M. CDT

 

August 8, 2005, President Signs Energy Policy Act, Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico
***
"More Americans are working today than ever before in our nation's history."

***
"It's an economic bill, but, as Pete mentioned, it's also a national security bill. For more than a decade, America has gone without a national energy policy. It's hard to believe, isn't it?"

***
"Energy conservation is more than a private virtue; it's a public virtue."

***
"Using ethanol and biodiesel will leave our air cleaner. And every time we use a home-grown fuel, particularly these, we're going to be helping our farmers, and at the same time, be less dependent on foreign sources of energy."(Applause.)

***
"I used to like to kid, but I really wasn't kidding when I said, some day a President is going to pick up the crop report -- (laughter) -- and they're going to say we're growing a lot of corn, and -- or soybeans -- and the first thing that's going to pop in the President's mind is, we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. "

***
"The bill corrects the provision of the law that made electric reliability standards optional instead of mandatory. Most of you probably consider it mandatory that the lights come on when you flip a switch. (Laughter.) Now the utility companies will have to consider it mandatory, as well."(Laughter.)

 

August 11, 2005, President Meets with Defense and Foreign Policy Teams, Bush Ranch, Crawford, Texas
***
"The recent violence in Iraq is a grim reminder of the brutal enemies we face in the war on terror. And we are a nation at war. The war arrived on our shores on September the 11th, 2001. And since that day, the terrorists have continued to kill. They have killed in Madrid and Istanbul and Jakarta and Casablanca and Riyadh and Bali and London and elsewhere, and they are determined to do more harm. And they kill indiscriminately. In other words, they don't care who they kill."

***
"We're also fighting the murderous ideology, the hateful ideology of the terrorists, and we're doing so by spreading freedom. See, our ideology is hopeful and optimistic and uplifting."

***
"It's the spread of liberty that is laying the foundation of peace, and is very important for our citizens -- no matter what side of the political aisle you're on -- to understand that the mission is a vital mission and it's one that will be -- that we obviously couldn't complete if -- if we -- if we didn't fulfill our goals, which was to help the Iraqis."

***
"Now, there's not that many that can stand alone yet, but there are a lot more that are -- have gone from raw -- you know, that raw recruit stage, to plenty capable. In some cases, some units need no United States or coalition force help; in some cases, they need minimal help."

 

August 23, 2005, President Discusses Iraqi Constitution with Press Pool, Tamarack Resort, Donnelly, Idaho
***
"The Iraqi people are working hard to reach a consensus on their constitution. It's an amazing process to work. First of all, the fact that they're even writing a constitution is vastly different from living under the iron hand of a dictator."

***
"We just cannot tolerate the status quo. We're at war. And so this is a hopeful moment."

 

August 24, 2005, President Addresses Military Families, Discusses War on Terror, Idaho Center, Nampa, Idaho
***
"This is a different kind of war. Today's enemies do not mass armies on borders, or navies on high seas. They blend in with the civilian population. They emerge to strike, and then they retreat back into the shadows."

***
"See, producing a constitution is a difficult process. It involves a lot of debate and compromise. We know that from our own history. Our Constitutional Convention was the home to political rivalries and regional disagreements."

***
"Idaho people have a pretty good view of the role of the federal government. (Laughter and applause.) Like, limit it."(Applause.)

 

August 24, 2005, President Addresses Military Families, Discusses War on Terror , Idaho Center, Nampa, Idaho
***
"This is a different kind of war. Today's enemies do not mass armies on borders, or navies on high seas."

***
"One of the most important battlefronts in this war on terror is Iraq. Terrorists have converged on Iraq. See, they're coming into Iraq because they fear the march of freedom."

 

August 29, 2005, President Discusses Medicare, New Prescription Drug Benefits, James L. Brulte Senior Center, Rancho Cucamonga, California
***
"David Dreier (R-CA) cares a lot about a lot of issues. One of the issues that he's been talking to me a lot about is to make sure the federal government does its job in enforcing our borders to keep illegal folks out of our country."(Applause.)

***
"Recently, the Iraqis came together and wrote a constitution. It's not easy to write a constitution. Look at our own history. I was reminded that several of the delegates to our own Constitutional Convention stormed out and wouldn't sign the document."

***
"It's a document where people came together to say, let's do what's right for a fledgling democracy. It's a document that stands in stark contrast to the days when the people's lives were run by a tyrant."

***
"I want to thank you all for giving me and Laura a chance to come back to Rancho Cucamonga. It's a beautiful place you got here."

 

September 1, 2005, President Asks Bush and Clinton to Assist in Hurricane Relief Efforts, The Oval Office
***
"We're working to help these pipelines get up and running. Pipelines carry refined product. And so we're working with the majors -- major oil companies to get the -- with Colonial Pipeline so they can carry the products of the major oil companies, the refined products."

***
"I was so proud of the efforts that President Clinton and President Bush did to help the victims of the tsunami relief."

 

September 2, 2005, President Tours Biloxi, Mississippi Hurricane Damaged Neighborhoods, Biloxi, Mississippi
***
"We're -- the EPA suspended rules so that we could use -- which attracted -- suspended rules for types of gasoline which attracted fuel from overseas. That's good."

 

September 2, 2005
President Arrives in Alabama, Briefed on Hurricane Katrina
Mobile Regional Airport
Mobile, Alabama
***
"Again, I want to thank you all for -- and, Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA Director is working 24 -- (applause) -- they're working 24 hours a day."

***
"The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. 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."(Laughter.)

 

September 2, 2005
President Tours Biloxi, Mississippi Hurricane Damaged Neighborhoods
***
The levees broke on Tuesday in New Orleans. On Wednesday, we -- and Thursday we started evacuating people.

 

September 2, 2005
President Remarks on Hurricane Recovery Efforts
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Kenner, Louisiana
***
I know that some of the folks in the outlying parishes here in Louisiana are wondering whether or not people are paying attention to them. We are. St. Charles, St. Bernard, Plaquemine Parish, I understand the devastation that you've gone through as well. So does the Governor --

GOVERNOR BLANCO: St. Tammany.

THE PRESIDENT: St. Tammany.

 

September 7, 2005, President Honors Memory of Chief Justice William, Rehnquist, St Matthew's Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
***
"It is rare that -- it is a rare man who can hold a prominent position in Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years and leave behind only good feelings and admiration. That's what William Rehnquist did."

 

September 7, 2005, Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
***
Q Does the President agree with his mother that the homeless taken from New Orleans to Houston are much better off now because they were underprivileged in New Orleans?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think she was making a personal observation on some of the comments that people were making that she was running into. I'm not sure that that's exactly what she said, but --

Q I have it right here if you need it.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- what we're focused on -- what we're focused on is helping these people who are in need.

Q Does he agree with his mother?

MR. McCLELLAN: And I think that the observation is based on someone who -- or some people that were talking to her, that were in need of a lot of assistance, people that have gone through a lot of trauma and been through a very difficult and trying time. And all of a sudden, they are now getting great help in the state of Texas from some of the shelters.

Q "It's scary that they're all coming to Texas."

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I think you can look at her comments.

Q That is what she said, though.

 

September 9, 2005, President Honors Ambassador Karen Hughes at Swearing-In Ceremony, United States Department of State, Washington, D.C.
***
"We're in a war on terror. We are still at war. And to succeed in this war, we must effectively explain our policies and fundamental values to people around the world."

***
"Karen Hughes has been one of my closest and most trusted advisors for more than a decade. She understands the miracle of America."

***
"As Prime Minister Blair said after the London attacks, we must not fight just the terrorists' methods, but also their views; not just their barbaric acts, but also their barbaric ideas."

***
"Listen, our enemies use lies. They use lies to recruit and train and indoctrinate."

***
"I've got to tell you, it's impressive to be with Condi, when you're with the Russian officials, to hear her speak the Russian language."

 

September 9, 2005, President Remembers 9/11 Heroes at Medal of Valor Award Ceremony, The South Lawn
***
"We're hunting down the terrorists in mountains in Afghanistan, in tribal regions of Pakistan, in the deserts of Iraq, and on islands of Southeast Asia, and the Horn of Africa."

 

September 9, 2005, Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
***
Q Scott, why has the President chosen not to give a major, perhaps prime-time address to the people concerning the hurricane?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President has addressed the nation and he will continue to address the nation in his remarks. And right now, we're continuing to focus on the most important area, which is the immediate needs of the people on the ground. But you will continue to hear from the President, the American people will continue to hear from the President, and there are a number of different formats in which they will hear from him.

 

September 12, 2005, Remarks by the President and Lieutenant General Russell Honore to the Travel Pool, North Claiborne and Cleveland Streets New Orleans, Louisiana
***
"My attitude is this: The people of New Orleans can design the vision; the people of New Orleans can lay out what New Orleans ought to look like in the future; and the federal government will help."

***
"And we just came through an area that had had substantial water in it, and the dewatering is an indication that the city is moving forward."

***
"And so I -- as we're beginning to get through this recovery phase, and the rescue phase, and the transitional phase -- recovery phase -- we're beginning to think through the -- how to reconstitute this really important state, as well as along the Mississippi coast, as well."

***
Q Sir, what do you make of some of the comments that have been made by quite a number of people that there was a racial component to some of the people that were left behind and left without help?

THE PRESIDENT: My attitude is this: The storm didn't discriminate, and neither will the recovery effort. When those Coast Guard choppers, many of whom were first on the scene, were pulling people off roofs, they didn't check the color of a person's skin. They wanted to save lives.

***
"And my attitude is, is that we need to learn everything we possibly can; we need to make sure that this country is knitted up as well as it can be, in order to deal with significant problems and disasters."

***
"There's an election [in Iraq] -- the ratification of the constitution -- election will be coming up, and, of course, there will be elections this -- later on this year."

***
Q Do you think that your management style of sort of relying on the advice that you got in this particular scenario let you down? And do you think that plays at all --

THE PRESIDENT: Look, there will be plenty of time to play the blame game. That's what you're trying to do.

***
Q Did they misinform you when you said that no one anticipated the breach of the levees?

THE PRESIDENT: No, what I was referring to is this. When that storm came by, a lot of people said we dodged a bullet. When that storm came through at first, people said, whew. There was a sense of relaxation, and that's what I was referring to. And I, myself, thought we had dodged a bullet. You know why? Because I was listening to people, probably over the airways, say, the bullet has been dodged. And that was what I was referring to.

***
Q Mr. President, where were you when you realized the severity of the storm?

THE PRESIDENT: I was -- I knew that a big storm was coming on Monday, so I spoke to the country on Monday* morning about it. I said, there's a big storm coming.

   *Sunday

 

September 16, 2005, President Welcomes Russian President Putin to the White
House, The East Room
***
"And we understand we have a duty to protect our citizens, and to work together and to do everything we can to stop the killing. That's why we hold office."

***
"I don't want to prejudge the commission's -- what do they call it, the bipartisan commission that is set up in Congress. I don't want to prejudge their findings. But I do think they ought to seriously consider the fact that there are -- a storm, for example, of a certain category, which will require an overwhelming response by government that can only be provided by, say, the United States military through NORTHCOM, because of its ability to muster logistical -- logistics and supplies so quickly. And that's what I want Congress to consider. And I think it's very important that Congress consider this."

***
"Yesterday in New Orleans, for example, the Mayor was so thrilled that a portion of New Orleans, the French Quarter, for example, has got lights and sewers -- you can't drink the water, but the sewer system works. In other words, he's beginning to see some life. And it just reminded me that as we can get the infrastructure up and running as quickly as possible, get the debris cleared, get the infrastructure up and running, then life will begin."

***
"They want democracy: 8.5 million Iraqis went to the polls, see, and they've got a constitution that's been written. It wasn't written under bayonet or under the barrel of a gun -- it was written by people from different factions of the society that have come together."

 

September 19, 2005, President Meets with Homeland Security Council, Cabinet Room
***
"If it were to rain a lot, there is concern from the Army Corps of Engineers that the levees might break. And so, therefore, we're cautious about encouraging people to return at this moment of history."

 

September 20, 2005, President's Remarks to the Travel Pool in Louisiana, Folgers Coffee Plant, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
***
"The other thing, I've just come from a briefing about Hurricane Rita -- or Storm Rita, now a category two hurricane -- and we were watching very closely, of course, its track."

 

September 20, 2005, President's Remarks at Governor's Commission Briefing in Mississippi, Gulfport, Mississippi
***
"Every time I come back here I see progress. You know, sometimes when you're so close to the situation it's hard to really see noticeable change. But this part of the country is changing. And it's -- you're moving forward. I don't know if you know that or not, but flying in or driving in, there's something different from the first time I was here."

***
"The can-do spirit is, you know, seeing progress being made."

***
"You can't rebuild a part of the world without your infrastructure in place, and we know that.

***
"I think it's really smart and really important to bring capable people together to delegate tasks, to think anew, obviously to utilize that which worked in the past to your advantage, but be willing to think anew, because you've got a fantastic opportunity."

***
"Let me put it another way: We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you."

 

September 21, 2005, President's Remarks at Republican Jewish Coalition 20th Anniversary, Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, Washington, D.C.
***
"If you want to grow something, you shouldn't tax it. If you want to encourage small business growth, we ought to incent it to grow in that part of the world."(Applause.)

***
"Rabbi Stanton Zamek of the Temple Beth Shalom Synagogue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, helped an African American couple displaced by the storm track down their daughter in Maryland. When Rabbi Zamek called the daughter, he told her, "We have your parents."She screamed out, "Thank you, Jesus!"(Laughter.) He didn't have the heart to tell her she was thanking the wrong rabbi."(Laughter and applause.)

***
"You see, we look at the destruction caused by Katrina, and our hearts break. They're the kind of people who look at Katrina and wish they had caused it."

***
"They got a powerful weapon -- these car bombs that end up on our TV screens. They got the capacity to affect our conscience because we value every life."

***
"You know, the attacks of September the 11th really causes us to be more determined than ever to defend our way of life. And it also gave us an opportunity to advance the cause of freedom that were previously unthinkable. And out of the horror of Katrina is going to come a rebirth for parts of our country that -- that will mean people down there will be able to live with greater hope and prosperity -- the hope of prosperity -- than ever before."

 

September 22, 2005, President Discusses War on Terror and Hurricane Preparation, The Pentagon
***
"Our forces will focus on hunting down high-value targets like the terrorist, Zarqawi."

***
"Now, look, they've been successful on attacks. They were successful here. They've been successful in London and Madrid. In other words, they have had attacks."

***
"See, democracy trumps their view of the world. Democracy trumps Taliban-type regimes, because it's free."

***
"We will work for democracy in Iraq, we'll hunt them down, we will train Iraqi forces so they can deal with those who are disgruntled with the march to democracy."

***
"Bianca. Nobody named Bianca? Well, sorry Bianca's not here. I'll be glad to answer her question.

Q I'll follow up.

THE PRESIDENT: No, that's fine. (Laughter.) Thank you though, appreciate it. Just trying to spread around the joy of asking a question.

***
Q Mr. President, could we talk more about --

THE PRESIDENT: Are you Bianca?

Q No, I'm not. Anita -- Fox News.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay.

Q Just a quick question --

THE PRESIDENT: Okay. I was looking for Bianca. I'm sorry.

 

September 23, 2005, President Briefed on Hurricane Rita Preparations at FEMA, FEMA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
***
"I'm going down to San Antonio to see the pre-positioned assets, understand the relationship -- or that the federal government's role is to support state and local governments. I want to watch that happen."

***
Q Sir, what good can you do going down to the hurricane zone? Might you get in the way, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: One thing I won't do is get in the way.

Q But I mean, how -- what good can you actually do? I mean, isn't there a risk of you and your entourage getting in the way?

THE PRESIDENT: No, there will be no risk of me getting in the way, I promise you. We're going to make sure that we're not in the way of the operations. What I am going to do is observe the relationship between the state and local government, particularly out in Colorado Springs. That's what I want to see.

See, NORTHCOM is the main entity that interfaces, that uses federal assets, federal troops to interface with local and state government. I want to watch that relationship. It's an important relationship, and I need to understand how it works better.

Q But critics might say this is overcompensation for the response to Katrina.

THE PRESIDENT: We will make sure that my entourage does not get in the way of people doing their job, which will be search and rescue immediately. And rest assured, I understand that we must not and will not interfere with the important work that will be going forward.

Thank you.

END 12:34 P.M. EDT

 

September 24, 2005, President Updates Press Pool on Hurricane Developments, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado
***
"We've got teams on the ground, beginning to analyze the situation and prepare the necessary response to stabilize the situation, and, more importantly, stabilize there, as well."

 

September 26, 2005, President Discusses Hurricane Effects on Energy Supply, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.
***
"A lot of our production comes from the Gulf, and when you have a Hurricane Katrina followed by a Hurricane Rita, it's natural, unfortunately, that it's going to affect supply. There's about 1.56 million barrels of oil that is shut in. And before Rita, just to put that in perspective, that was approximately 880,000 barrels a day that were shut in due to Katrina. So that when you really look on a map you have, if you follow the path of Katrina and the path of Rita, it pretty much covers a lot of production in the Gulf of Mexico."

***
"I've instructed the Secretary of Energy to be mindful once again about the effects of the SPRO, and how it can help settle price. He did a fine job after Katrina, and we're paying close attention to the markets as we speak."

***
"The Plantation Pipeline, which is an East Coast pipeline, is at 100 percent capacity. That's one of the real success stories of this storm. In other words, it didn't go down at all."

***
"Governor Perdue of Georgia I thought did a -- showed some leadership by saying we've got to -- anticipating a problem, here's what we need to do to correct it."

***
"And so while there's a shortfall because of down refining capacity, we will work with -- we have instructed EPA to leave the rules in place, or to suspend the rules that were in place, keep the suspension in place, which would make it easier to increase supply, and continue to get supply of gasoline here. And that's important for our consumers to know."

***
"We will continue to waiver that -- to allow broader use of diesel fuel. Because we understand there's been a disruption in supply and we want to make sure that we do everything we can to help with the supply disruption."

***
"The Homeland Security waived the Jones Act on restrictions on fuel transportation. We're allowing foreign flag ships to temporarily transport fuel from one U.S. port to another."

***
"We can curtail nonessential travel. If it makes sense for the citizen out there to curtail nonessential travel, it darn sure makes sense for federal employees."

***
"The storms have shown how fragile the balance is between supply and demand in America."

***
"It is clear that when you're dependent upon natural gas and/or hydrocarbons to fuel your economy and that supply gets disrupted, we need alternative sources of energy. And that's why I believe so strongly in nuclear power."

***
Q Thank you, Mr. President. I want to ask you about a different result of these storms, and that is the racial divide that's been exposed in this country. Blacks and whites feel very differently about what happened. We all recognize that the response to Rita was much better than the response to Katrina, but there are some strong feelings in the black community that that difference had a racial component to it, that the white, you know, rural residents got taken care of better than the black urban residents did. How do you respond to that?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think about Houston, my old hometown of Houston, which is an incredibly diverse city. And we had what looked like a category five hurricane headed right for Houston, and the federal, state and local officials worked together to warn the citizens of the impending storm. The message wasn't sent to one group of people; it was sent to the entire city. I mean, Texas is a diverse state. The rural part of Texas you're talking about has got a significant African American component to it. But I can assure you that the response efforts, and now the recovery efforts, are aimed at -- aimed at saving everybody. And the response was directed toward everybody.

I think that what a lot of Americans saw was a -- some poverty that they had never imagined before. And we need to address that, whether it be rural or urban. And I have done that as the President. I have said that education systems that simply shuffle children through are -- can be discriminatory in nature. And, therefore, we've got to have high standards and high expectations and focus money on Title I children to teach -- so that they -- so that children can learn to read. And we're beginning to make progress.

I have said that ownership is a way to counter poverty and being stuck in impoverished situations, and so homeownership is up. And business ownership is up amongst minorities. I have said that the faith-based programs are more likely able to address some of the hopelessness of people, and therefore have empowered faith-based programs to interface with people. We've promoted mentoring programs for children whose parents might be in prison, as a way to help provide hope for people.

But this is an issue that this country must continue to address. Poverty is an issue that's an important issue. And poverty exists in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it exists in rural Texas, and it needs to be addressed in a significant way.

***
"I am for increasing supply, because I understand when the more supply there is of a product, that will take pressure off of price."

***
"The issue of new source review, for example, is one that we've reviewed and said that, for the sake of, in this case, the expeditious expansion -- and wise and careful expansion -- of refining capacity, we ought to look at those rules and regulations. And yet we're back in court."

***
Q Some have called for the continued idea of the reconstruction czar. Has your administration reconsidered having someone in charge, a federal person of the --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, "reconsidered"means we've ruled it out. I never have; I'm considering. "Reconsidered"means at some point in time I decided not to have that.

***
"If I were to go down to New Orleans today -- I'm not -- if I were, I'd be talking to the Mayor, I'd be interested in the vision -- but I'd be more interested in how we're going to get that water out of the 9th ward. And so I'm now interested -- the next step of the recovery is how to get temporary housing in place to get workers back so that jobs can get cranked up again."

***
"In terms of Texas, when it comes to where my thought process is now, I'm interested in getting electricity to people, and gasoline to people. But the vision element of reconstruction is just beginning, and there may be a need for an interface with a particular person to help make sure that the vision becomes reality. It's a long answer to a short question.

Thank you all, appreciate it."

END 11:20 A.M. EDT

 

September 27, 2005, President's Remarks to Press Pool in Beaumont, Texas, Southeast Texas Regional Airport, Beaumont, Texas
***
"We fully understand that it's hard to maintain order if you don't have fuel for your cars and first responders."

 

September 28, 2005, President Meets with Generals Abizaid and Casey, Discusses War on Terror, The Rose Garden
***
"Good morning. I just had a good meeting with Generals Abizaid and Casey. We discussed the war on terror in which this country is engaged."

***
"We discussed our strategy for victory in Iraq, as well. After all, Iraq is a key battlefront in this war on terror."

***
"We are hunting down high value targets like Azzam and Zarqawi."

***
"We're constantly adapting our tactics to the changing tactics of the terrorists."

***
"We're on the offense. We have a plan to win."

***
"The terrorists have a history of escalating their attacks before Iraq's major political milestones."

***
"They can't stand elections. The thought of people voting is an anathema to them. You see, democracy and freedom are the exact opposite of what's in their mind, in their vision."

***
"As members of Congress speak with Generals Abizaid and Casey, I'm confident they'll see what I see -- our leaders, these two Generals are men of vision and determination, and it is their leadership that is helping bring victory in the war on terror."

 

October 4, 2005, President Holds Press Conference, The Rose Garden
***
"I'm interested in people that will be strict constructionists, so we -- and I've told that to the American people ever since I started running for office. I said, vote for me, this is the kind of judges I'll put on the bench. And there should be no doubt in anybody's mind what I believe a judge -- the philosophy of a judge."

***
"Right now there are over 80 army battalions fighting alongside coalition troops. Over 30 Iraqi -- I say, army battalions -- Iraqi army battalions. There are over 30 Iraqi battalions in the lead. And that is substantial progress from the way the world was a year ago."

***
"Remember a Rose Garden press conference a while back -- I think it was a Rose Garden press conference -- where you might have asked me this very type of questions."

***
"She is plenty bright. She -- as I mentioned earlier, she was a pioneer in Texas. She just didn't kind of opine about things, she actually led."

***
"People are quick to opine. The thing I appreciate is that she's gotten a good reception on the United States Senate. People can opine all they want, but the final opinion is on the floor of the United States Senate."

 

October 6, 2005, President Honors Buckley at 50th Anniversary of National Review Magazine, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Room 450
***
"Many of the more important changes of the 20th century happened because the National Review stood strong, and that's a fact -- that's a fact of history."

 

October 9, 2005, President Expresses Condolences to Pakistan, Offers Assistance After Earthquake, The Oval Office
***
"To that end, we've already started to send cash money and other equipment and goods that is going to be needed to help the people in Pakistan. Moving eight choppers over; the Chargé told me that one of the biggest concerns for the government of Pakistan is not enough airlift capacity to get to some of these rural areas where people are suffering. So we're moving choppers."

 

October 11, 2005, President and Mrs. Bush Visit Elementary School in Mississippi, Delisle Elementary School, Pass Christian, Mississippi
***
"Listen, first I want to thank the Superintendent. We're delighted to see that the schools of Pass Christian are Blue Ribbon schools. They have been Blue Ribbon schools before and they'll be Blue Ribbon schools in the future.

***
"I want to thank the principals and teachers for understanding the quality of education -- the quality of the education in a community helps define the nature of the community. And one of the things that's interesting is the high school principal told Laura and me that the -- and Madam Secretary -- that the high school was deemed to be a Blue Ribbon high school after Katrina hit. And yet a lot of the students don't know that yet. And so when the high school comes back next Monday, the first thing the principal is going to tell them is that the school that they go to, even though the building is different -- the buildings are different -- is a Blue Ribbon high school.

And the Superintendent says, Blue Ribbon high school last year, this year, and next year. And I appreciate your spirit. Thanks for letting us come by."

Thank you all. Bye-bye.

END 10:56 A.M. EDT

 

October 13, 2005, President Addresses U.S. Troops in Iraq in Video Teleconference
***
"And we're facing an enemy that is ruthless and cold-blooded, an enemy that actually has a philosophy, and the philosophy is so opposite of ours, it is the exact opposite of what America stands for."

***
"I'm going to assure you of this, that so long as I'm the President, we're never going to back down, we're never going to give in, we'll never accept anything less than total victory."

***
"By the way, you're in Tikrit, as I understand it, as well. It's kind of an interesting place to be. It's Saddam's old stomping grounds."

***
"It's pretty interesting. That's a pretty interesting concept for the people of Tikirt, when you really think about the fact that that was Saddam Hussein's hometown. They didn't get to vote too often when he was the leader there."

***
"There's no question that we need to stay on the offense, and we need to stay on the offense with well-trained Iraqi forces, side-by-side the finest military ever -- ever to exist, and that's the United States military."

 

October 17, 2005, President Hosts Iftaar Dinner, The East Room
***
"I have asked young Americans to study the language and customs of the broader Middle East. And for the first time in our nation's history, we have added a Koran to the White House Library." (Applause.)

 

October 17, 2005, President Meets with Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov , The Oval Office
***
SPECIAL TO BUSHQUOTES: A QUOTE FROM PRESIDENT PURVANOV: "I appreciate the opportunity to raise some concrete, specific issues and put on the table Bulgaria's ambitions, particularly to get its military modernized and to be involved in some energy products in the Balkans."

***
"The idea that people are willing to try to work out their political differences through a process, a peaceful process, stands in stark contrast to the al Qaeda types and the terrorists and the killers that are trying to drive the process through violence."

***
"There's nothing more wholesome than a young democracy [Bulgaria], not only setting an example for others, but taking a lead in explaining to citizens that the best way to resolve differences is through a political process that is peaceful."

 

October 18, 2005, President Meets with European Commission President José Barroso, The Oval Office
***
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thanks, José. Appreciate you.

 

October 18, 2005, President Signs Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2006, The East Room
***
"To stop illegal immigrants from coming into the country, we've increased manpower, we've upgraded technology, and we've improved the physical barriers along our border. In other words, we've worked together to implement the strategy."

***
"We've taken steps to complete a 14-mile fence running along the San Diego border with Mexico."

***
"It's one thing to catch them, it's the next thing to get them back home."

***
"Our Border Patrol and Immigration Enforcement officers are really doing good work. Yet today we capture many more illegal immigrants than we can send home, especially non-Mexicans."

***
"What I'm saying is Congress did good work in helping us build a smarter system, so we can say to the American people, we're doing our job of securing our border."

***
"One part of the solution is a program called "interior repatriation," where we fly or bus Mexican illegal immigrants all the way back to their hometowns. See, many of these folks are coming from the interior of Mexico. And so the farther away from the border we send them, the more difficult it will be for them to turn around and cross right back into America. By returning Mexicans to their homes, far away from desert crossings, we're helping to save lives."

 

October 19, 2005, President and Secretary Spellings Discuss Nation's Report Card, The Oval Office
***
"Secretary Spellings has just delivered what's called the Nation's Report Card, which is a sample of over 300,000 students from -- in every state, as to whether or not they've got the capacity to read and write and add and subtract in the fourth and eighth grade."

*** "It shows that a system that measures and focuses on every child is a system that can help us, and achieve a goal that we really want in America, and that is every child learning to read and no child -- and add and subtract, and no child being left behind."

 

October 20, 2005, President Welcomes Palestinian President Abbas to the White House, The Rose Garden
***
"I picked Harriet for a lot of reasons. One reason was because she had never been a judge"

***
"Secondly, the questionnaire that she filled out is an important questionnaire, and obviously they will address the questions that the senators have in the questionnaire -- or as a result of the answers to the questions in the questionnaire."

 

October 24, 2005, Interview of the President by Al Arabiya, The Library
***
"A military is always the last choice of a President."

***
"They don't have a philosophy. People don't say, gosh, I want to follow them because there's such a better tomorrow."

***
"Secondly, I talk to Jim Wolfensohn a lot. Now, there's a practical man. And the greenhouse is a good example of practical application of U.S. desire to help get the economy going."

 

October 25, 2005, President Addresses Joint Armed Forces Officers' Wives' Luncheon, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
***
"I've got an important talk to you -- I want to tell you some things."

***
"You deserve extra compensation when your loved ones put themselves in harmed [sic] way, so we've increased imminent danger pay by 50 percent, and we have more than doubled family separation pay." (Applause.)

***
"Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism."

***
"No acts of ours involves the rage of killers."

***
"Like the ideology of communism, Islamic radicalism is elitist, led by a self-appointed vanguard that presumes to speak for the Muslim masses."

 

October 26, 2005, President Outlines Economic Growth Agenda, J.W. Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.
***
"I encourage Congress to push the envelope when it comes to cutting spending. See, believe it or not, up here in Washington, there's a lot of programs that simply don't deliver results. (Laughter.) And if it doesn't deliver results, we ought to get rid of them."

***
"I hope one day the President is sitting in the Oval Office and somebody walks in and says, hey, the crops are strong this year; it means we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

***
"I mean, think about a land where a person can come here from anywhere, or grow up in a -- in a neighborhood, maybe, where there's no hope, and they have a dream of starting their own business and creating wealth and raising a family and owning a home."

 

October 28, 2005, President Discusses War on Terror, Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, Virginia
***
"I appreciate Lieutenant General Michel Maisonneuve*. She's in the Canadian Air Force. She's NATO Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Chief of Staff."

  *Correction: Lieutenant-General J.O. Michel Maisonneuve is the Chief of Staff of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation HQ. He is based in Norfolk, Virginia.

***
"It is great to be here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Applause.) You had a lot of history in this part of the world."

***
"I know there's a lot of folks here in our military who live here, and I know there's a lot of veterans live here."

***
PRESIDENT BUSH: In the past few months, we have seen a new terror offensive with attacks on London, and Sharm el-Sheikh, and a deadly bombing in Bali once again.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mr. President, war is terror.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

***
"Innocent men, women, and children have died simply because they boarded the wrong train, or worked in the wrong building. They have died because they checked into the wrong hotel. Yet while the killers choose their victims indiscriminately, their attacks serve a clear and focused ideology -- a set of beliefs and goals that are evil, but not insane. Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; and still others, Islamo-fascism."

***
"We know the vision of the radicals because they have openly stated it -- in videos, in audiotapes and letters and declarations and websites."

***
"Earlier this month, the world learned of a letter written by al Qaeda's number two leader, a man named Zawahiri. He wrote this letter to his chief deputy in Iraq -- the terrorist Zarqawi. In it, Zawahiri points to the Vietnam War as a model for al Qaeda. Zawahiri writes, 'The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam -- and how they ran and left their agents -- is noteworthy.'"

***
"Instead of attending far-away training camps, recruits can now access online training libraries to learn how to build a roadside bomb or fire a rocket-propelled grenade -- and this further spreads the threat of violence, even within peaceful democratic societies."

***
"Like the ideology of communism, Islamic radicalism is elitist -- led by a self-appointed vanguard that presumes to speak for the Muslim masses."

***
"Because of this steady progress, the enemy is wounded, but the enemy is still capable of global operations."

***
"Evil men who want to use horrendous weapons against us are working in deadly earnest to gain them."

 

October 31, 2005, President Weclomes Italian Prime Minister to the White House, The Oval Office
***
"In the past, we worked closely together to help the Libyan leader understand that we're living in a different world, a world in which we've got to work together for peace."

 

November 1, 2005, Roundtable Interview of the President with Foreign Print Media, The Roosevelt Room
***
"I'm going to Panama because I want to see the Canal, and thank the government and the Panamanian people for being such good stewards of the Canal, of being smart on security matters, recognizing the importance of the Canal for trade, and for doing a fine job. And I want to see the Canal firsthand, which I've never seen."

***
"I will come and say to the people, the leadership, and whoever is listening down there, that our markets are open, so long as you open your markets. In other words, let's have open markets."

 

November 4, 2005, President Bush Meets with President Kirchner of Argentina, Hermitage Hotel, Mar del Plata, Argentina
***
"The American people are grateful for the contributions Argentines have made to our country. I mean, we've got all kinds of people in America -- Ginobili -- I don't know if you've heard of Manu Ginobili -- (laughter). He made a vital contribution to the basketball team from the state in which I live."

***
"I was pleased that the President was talking about a very ambitious education program, in terms of increasing expenditures, the percentage of GDP by, I think he said 2010, to be a significant increase. And that's wise. That's called leadership."

 

November 4, 2005, President's Remarks to the Travel Pool at Summit of the Americas in Argentina, Sheraton Hote, Mar del Plata, Argentina
***
"We're laying what I have called the foundation for peace, because democratic nations don't war; democratic nations will be allies with each other in fighting off an ideology that is dark and grim in its vision, and is willing to use murder as its tool."

***
"I think this may be -- I think we've got -- this is maybe the fourth or fifth consecutive semi-press conference -- press conference or semi-press conference that I've been asked about polls."

***
"I mean, it should be apparent to the members of Congress that when the Katrina hit there was massive disruptions of our own capacity to make gasoline, which put us in a precarious position for the consumers -- which would affect the economy, by the way."

***
"Of course I've reminded others, we went through difficult experiences in the past. And we had a Constitution that said everybody is free, but they weren't."

 

November 5, 2005, President to Welcome Yemeni President Saleh to the White House
***
"The President will welcome President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Republic of Yemen to the White House on November 10. The two leaders will discuss a range of bilateral issues, including the President's Freedom Agenda and cooperation on the war on terrorism."

 

November 6, 2005, President Participates in Roundtable with Young Leaders in Brazil, United States Embassy, Brasilia, Brazil
***
"As an example, war broke out in Europe in the early 1900s, as well as the mid-1900s. And yet we've had no war in Europe since. "

***
"One of the stories I like to share with people -- it's an interesting story, and I think an illustration of what I'm trying to do -- is that Japan was the sworn enemy of the United States in the late 1940s. My dad was a soldier, Navy pilot, and fighting the Japanese. Today -- I'm going to Japan in two weeks. I will be sitting down with one of the best friends that I have in the international arena, Koizumi. That's interesting, isn't it?"

 

November 7, 2005, President's Remarks at a Virginia Victory Rally, Dominion Hangar, Richmond, Virginia
***
"The thing I like about this fellow is he grew up in Virginia, and he grew up on a small farm. (Applause.) That means he's a down-to-earth person. He doesn't have a lot of fancy airs."

***
"He's on the right side of the issues, too. (Applause.) See, it's one thing to have good character; it's a different thing to have somebody who is on the right side of the issues." (Applause.)

***
"See, he understands the difference between your money and what others call the government's money. It's not the government's money, it's the people's money. It's the hard-working people's money." (Applause.)

***
"Virginia is the home to a lot of military folks. (Applause.) Jerry Kilgore understands we're at war with an enemy that hates what we stand for."

***
"He has a respect for life and will work hard to build a culture of life here in Virginia." (Applause.)

***
"He stands on that solid ground of deep moral conviction and solid Virginia principles." (Applause.)

***
"See, if I could vote, you already got my vote."

 

November 7, 2005, President Bush Meets with President Torrijos of Panama, Casa Amarilla, Panama City, Panama
***
"I look forward to going to the Panama Canal. I am most impressed by the management of the Canal. Those who are responsible for the Panama Canal have done an excellent job, and this is beneficial to the world."

***
"I'm also looking forward to seeing some of the Panamanian baseball stars. People around here know how to play baseball, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of your stars, Mr. President."

***
"Mr. President, I'm fully aware that 25,000 of our citizens live in your beautiful country. I can see why: It is a beautiful country."

***
"It's in our nation's interest that this Canal be modernized. And so I -- we didn't discuss the financing mechanisms, but I'm confident that however the widening is -- the modernization is financed, that the government and the -- those authorities over the Canal recognize that it is to be used by everybody, that the Canal is international, that there ought to be equal access."

***
"At the FTAA, 29 countries -- I mean, at the summit on the FTAA, 29 countries said, let's make sure NATO 2006 we continue discussing a way forward for the FTAA -- 29 of the 34 countries."

***
"We are finding terrorists and bringing them to justice. We are gathering information about where the terrorists may be hiding. We are trying to disrupt their plots and plans. Anything we do to that effort, to that end, in this effort, any activity we conduct, is within the law. We do not torture."

 

November 8, 2005, Roundtable Interview of the President with Foreign Print Media, The Roosevelt Room
***
"I go to [Asia to] represent people who believe that we ought to be working together, like I believe, at the WTO, the Doha Round, to advance the round, to see if we can't -- I spent time doing that my recent trip in Latin America; I will continue that message of working toward a successful Doha Round."

***
"People really don't want to do business in a country if they think their products is going to be -- if the patents will be copied."

 

November 8, 2005, Interview of the President by Phoenix Television, The Map Room
***
"And so I would tell the people of China you live in a great, massive country that's growing well, and that we want to have good relations with you."

 

November 8, 2005, Interview of the President by Eagle Television, The Map Room
***
"I grew up in the west of the United States where there's -- where we like wide open spaces. And when you think about Mongolia, you think about a big country with a lot of space. But what's interesting about Mongolia is it's more than geography now, as far as I'm concerned. It's a people that have worked hard to become free, a democracy. We kind of consider ourselves -- and we like the slogan, "the third neighbor"of Mongolia."

***
"And so one way you leave behind a foundation that others can't undo is to give people -- help people develop a form of government that just can't be unwound unless something catastrophic were to take place inside the country."

***
"Well, I'm not going to give you a preview of the speech, because then people may not watch it if they get a preview, see. On the other hand, I will say on your TV screens, there should be no corruption in government, that one of the foundations of any government is the ability for the people to trust the government, itself."

***
"But, no, listen, you'll find Americans are very compassionate people that love freedom. And they want to help people be free. And by the way, your form of government is democracy, but it ought to reflect your traditions and your great history. And I know it is."

 

November 8, 2005, Interview of the President by NHK Television, Japan, The Map Room
***
"I'm more than willing to eat U.S. beef, and do -- eat a lot of it."

 

November 11, 2005, President Commemorates Veterans Day, Discusses War on Terror, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
***
"Throughout history, tyrants and would-be tyrants have always claimed that murder is justified to serve their grand vision -- and they end up alienating decent people across the globe."

 

November 16, 2005, President Discusses Freedom and Democracy in Kyoto, Japan, Kyoto Kaikan
***
"We also talked about beef. And the Prime Minister and his government has taken a study on the issue, and has confirmed that U.S. beef would be safe."

***
"And I -- the better we coordinate [our aid], the more likely it is we'll be able to work together to solve the problems we all want."

***
"The economic GDP grew at 4.5 percent annual rate in the first half of 2005. And I congratulate you on that, Mr. Prime Minister. That's good news. It's good news for the Japanese people; it's also good news for your trading partners. It's hard to trade with somebody who's broke. It's easier to trade with somebody whose economy is growing."

***
"The only reason we won't succeed is if we lose our nerve, and the terrorists are able to drive us out of Iraq by killing innocent lives."

***
"If you really think about this part of the world at the beginning of World War II, there was two democracies in the entire Pacific region -- Australia and New Zealand. And today there's a variety of democracies, and this is a peaceful part of the world."

***
"Kyoto served as the capital of Japan for more than a thousand years -- and it is still the cultural heart of this great nation. It's a proud city where ancient teahouses and temples keep this country's traditions alive -- and scientists from its universities win Nobel Prizes."

***
"As you embraced democracy, you adapted it to your own needs and your own circumstances. So Japanese democracy is different from American democracy. You have a prime minister -- not a president."

 

November 17, 2005, President and President Roh Discuss Strong U.S.-Korean Alliance, Hotel Hyundai, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea
***
"This is serious business making -- winning this war."

***
"Listen, I -- patriotic as heck to disagree with the President. It doesn't bother me. What bothers me is when people are irresponsibly using their positions and playing politics. That's exactly what is taking place in America."

 

November 19, 2005, President Addresses Troops at Osan Air Base in Osan, Korea, Osan Air Base Osan, Republic of Korea
***
"Laura and I are so honored to be here. We thought we'd stop by and feel the thunder and the fury of the Mustangs." (Applause.)

***
"I visited Osan before and I notice you've got an impressive runway here -- a lot of room for any pilot, so as Air Force One was approaching, I told our pilot, no excuses, you better spike it at Osan. (Laughter.) And he did. This air base and runway were armed earned by the determination and the grit of the United States military, and a brave coalition of the willing."

***
"We know the vision of the radicals because they openly state it in videos and audio tapes and letters and declarations and websites."

***
"Throughout history, tyrants and would-be tyrants have always claimed that murder is justified to serve their grand vision, and they end up alienating decent people across the globe."

 

November 20, 2005, President's Remarks to the Travel Pool in China, St. Regis Hotel, Beijing, People's Republic of China
***
"We expect our people to be treated fairly here in this important country. And so I had a chance to talk about a variety of subjects -- intellectual property rights and the currency, access to our markets for U.S. beef."

***
"Finally, I had a bike ride. I'd like to clarify my comments. Compared to Crawford, this trail is a great bike trail and really difficult. It is clear that I couldn't make the Chinese Olympic cycling team. But I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun to ride with those six young Chinese athletes. And I hope they enjoyed it, as well. It was a good experience."

***
"I talked about the Dalai Lama. I thought it would be wise for the Chinese government to invite the Dalai Lama so he can tell them exactly what he told me in the White House the other day, that he has no desire for an independent Tibet. I talked about the Catholic Church, the need for this government to invite leaders from the Vatican to come and discuss religious freedoms in China. So we discussed a lot of areas of concern about the condition of the dissidents and people who want to express themselves."

***
"In terms of the currency, this government made a decision last July to reform their currency. It was a structural reform, and I applaud that. I also reminded the leaders that we've seen some movement, but not much, in the currency valuation."

***
"This is a -- China is a big presence in Asia. And it's very vital for the United States to have a relationship where I can sit down and say, look, the trade -- the trade policy must take into consideration your currency, must take into consideration our desire to sell you beef, must take into consideration intellectual property rights. And I can do that in such a way that he doesn't say, I'm tired of listening to you. It's a -- it's an important relationship."

 

November 21, 2005, President Discusses Freedom and Democracy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Conference Hall, Government House, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
***
"Many of you can still recall the exhilaration of voting freely for the first time after decades of tyranny. You know the satisfaction of seeing leaders you chose take office -- and of seeing them leave office if you decide to replace them."

 

For Immediate Release, Office of the First Lady, November 23, 2005
Thanksgiving Menu at Prairie Chapel Ranch

• Herbed Stuffed Roasted Free Range Turkey
• Fresh Milled Cornbread Dressing
• Pan Gravy
• Chipotle Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus and Red Peppers
• Green Beans Supreme
• Fruit Ambrosia
• Fresh Yeast Rolls
• Orange Cranberry Relish
• Texas Pecan Pie
• Pumpkin Pie

# # #

 

November 22, 2005, President Pardons "Marshmallow and Yam" in Annual Turkey Ceremony, Presidential Hall, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"In the past years, the turkeys I spared went on to lead lives of leisure at Frying Pan Park in the state of Virginia. This year is going to be a little different. Marshmallow and Yam were a little skeptical about going to a place called "Frying Pan Park." I don't blame them. So I'm proud to announce that Marshmallow and Yam will serve as honorary grand marshals at Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And they'll go on to spend the rest of their natural lives at Disneyland."

***
"When the communities along the Gulf Coast were devastated by Hurricane Katrina, Americans came together to provide help for their neighbors in need. It was a remarkable outpouring of compassion and generosity."

 

November 28, 2005, Remarks by the President at Jon Kyl for Senate
Dinner, Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona
***
"You want somebody who doesn't fumble around and kind of preen for the
cameras, but somebody who is effective."

***
"Look, I don't know how many U.S. senators there are that like NASCAR.
(Laughter.) I view that as a pretty good sign, to have a United States
senator who follows NASCAR. It means he's down to earth. He doesn't walk
around Washington with a lot of airs like some of them do."

***
"We're going to succeed in Iraq because we've got a plan that will help
the Iraqis not only develop a democracy, but a security force."

***
"You know, I just recently came off a trip to the Far East. By the way,
representing the United States of America around the world is one of the
great experiences of the presidency. And it struck me that I was in a
region of the world where there -- where wars had started."

***
"Who would have thought 50 years ago, or 60 years ago, a President of
the United States could have stood here in Phoenix, Arizona, and said he sat
down at the table with the Prime Minister of Japan talking about the
peace. Nobody would have thought that way then."

 

Office of the Press Secretary, November 29, 2005, Remarks by the
President to the Travel Pool
***
"This is an urban environment. Right over here is Juarez. And people are
able to easily come into the border - into Texas, in this part of - in
part of the border."

***
"Their stated objective is to use the one tool they've got - which is
suicide bombers, beheadings and killings of innocent people - to drive
us out of Iraq and the Middle East because they want to have safe haven,
they want to spread their totalitarian ideology."

***
"On our briefing as we came up and down the - came down the border
here, I was told about a recent apprehension made by our border patrol agents of
people trying to smuggle drugs in. And it's night, you know. And this
happened to be in a more rural area, and the chopper had to leave to go
refuel. And so we've got people risking their lives out there to stop
the trafficking of drugs into our country, and that's dangerous. And so it's
dangerous here."

***
Q Is there going to be investigating the allegations that there are
U.S.-run terrorist detention centers abroad? Don't the American people
deserve an accounting of why these places exist and what's being done
there?

THE PRESIDENT: The United States of America does not torture. And that's
important for people around the world to understand.

***
"People ought to be given a tamper-proof work card, come here and do
jobs Americans won't do, and then after a set period of time, go home."

 

November 29, 2005, President's Remarks at Musgrave for Congress
Luncheon, Comfort Inn Downtown, Denver, Colorado
***
"Democracies make the world more peaceful. Someday an American
President is going to look back at this period of history and say, thank goodness the
United States of America kept faith in the capacity of democracy to
change the world, and be dealing with duly democratic-elected leaders in the
Middle East, helping to lay that foundation of peace for generations to come."

***
"Finally, I feel strongly that in order to have a good and secure
border, we got to differentiate between those who are here to work
and those who are here to bring criminal -- to provide -- to do criminal
activities. Listen, we got people coming into this country to do the
jobs Americans
won't do."

***
"Marilyn is a strong supporter of developing a culture of life. And
she's a strong supporter of the sanctity of marriage -- (applause) -- who
supported a constitutional amendment to make sure that activist judges
do not redefine traditional marriage."

 

November 30, 2005, President's Remarks at Steele for Senate Reception,
North Club Area Lounge, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
***
"He's served -- you know, one of the things people look at when they're
looking at people running for office, do they know anything about the
economy."

***
"Michael will come to Washington, D.C. -- and he's coming, by the way
-- (applause) -- with a nation that is at war. I wish I could report to
you that we're not at war, but we are."

***
"The enemy has declared that Iraq is the central front in the war on
terror, and we got to take them for their word."

***
"In two-and-a-half years they've gone from brutal dictator, enemy of
America, was on a state sponsored list for terror, at the very minimum
had the capability of developing weapons of mass destruction if the
world looked the other way; a dictator who had been sent in front of
the United Nations 15 or 16 different times with resolutions -- the
whole world recognized the evil nature of this person."

***
"And people say, why is that important? Well, free societies yield the
peace. History has proven that democracies are peaceful -- yield the
peaceful countries."

***
"These terrorists have no philosophy; they got no ideology that says
the world will be better."

***
"I mean, we are such a compassionate, decent nation, it is an honor to
stand up in other parts of the world and say -- talk to people about
the values we believe in."

 

November 30, 2005, President Outlines Strategy for Victory in Iraq,
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
***
"It's good to be back at the Naval Academy. I'm pleased to provide a
convenient excuse for you to miss class."(Applause.)

***
"Iraqis know their people, they know their language, and they know
their culture -- and they know who the terrorists are."

 

December 4, 2005, President Welcomes Kennedy Center Honorees to the
White House, The State Floor
***
"In his capacity to grow and to excel as an artist, Robert Redford has
shown very few limitations. In 1980, he decided to try working behind
the camera. The result was "Ordinary People,"and it won him the Oscar
for best actor [sic]."

***
"Tina Turner's life began in Tennessee in a town called Nutbush.
(Laughter.) I've never been there, but -- (laughter) -- I've passed a
few sign wavers who apparently want me to know about it."(Laughter.)

***
"Tony Bennett once said, "What I try to do is give a performance and
have everybody say, 'God, I love that song.'"

 

December 5, 2005, President and Mrs. Bush Host Children's Holiday
Reception, State Floor
***
"I particularly want to welcome those of you here who have got a mom or
dad serving our country in the United States military. (Applause.) I
know it's hard when they're away; this has got to be a difficult time
for you. But we really want you to know that they're doing important
work. They're not only protecting the country, but they're helping
other boys and girls live in freedom like we do here in the United
States, and that's important."

 

December 5, 2005, President Discuses Economy and Tax Relief in North
Carolina, John Deere-Hitachi Construction, Machinery Corporation,
Kernersville, North Carolina
***
"I mean, one of these days, hopefully, the President sits down, opens
up the crop report and says, my, we've got a lot of corn, it means
we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

***
"In 1837, an Illinois blacksmith named John Deere fashioned a steel
plow that let pioneer farmers cut through prairie soil. Today, the
company that this guy started ships products -- ships combines made in
Illinois to Russia. Interesting, isn't it?"

***
"You've got an advantage right here in Kernersville. You've got an
interesting joint venture with Hitachi."

***
"You know, the great thing about our history when you look at it is the
American people have always proved the pessimists wrong.

 

December 14, 2005, President Commends House for Reauthorizing the
Patriot Act (excerpt from a signed document)
***
It includes important provisions to strengthen Federal efforts to
combat the dangerous proliferation of methamphetamine, which has
affected communities across the Nation.

 

December 15, 2005, President Meets with McCain & Warner, Discusses
Position on Interrogation, The Oval Office
***
"I also appreciate the strong support that you've given -- both of you
have given in the war on terror. The central front of that war is Iraq.
Part of our strategy is to train Iraqis so they can join our forces and
fight off the terrorists and, eventually, have the Iraqis be able to
stand on their own. The other part is the democratic process that will
help marginalize the Saddamists and the rejectionists."

***
"I was so honored to welcome some young Iraqi Fulbright Scholars here
that were able to vote, and to see the joy -- and to hear the joy they
expressed and to see the joy on their faces after having just voted in
a -- for a permanent government and a new constitution was just a
fantastic experience."

 

December 15, 2005, President Visits with Iraqi Out-Of-Country Voters,
The Oval Office
***
"I've just had the really enjoyable experience of visiting with some
Iraqi citizens who voted in the elections today. And you might notice,
they've got their -- got the little ink-stained fingers there."

***
"We take it for granted in America because we tend to -- we vote quite
often in this country."

***
"Millions of people voted. And I haven't seen all the tabulations of
the vote, but we're certain that the turnout was significant and that
the violence was down."

***
"We're doing the right thing. And we've got partners in peace with the
Iraqi citizens. This is a crucial part of the war on terror, as is the
Patriot Act. The Patriot Act was passed four years ago. It gave our law
enforcement the tools necessary to help protect the -- America, the
same tools that law enforcement uses, for example, against drug
dealers."

 

December 16, 2005, President Calls on U.S. Senate to End Filibuster of
the Patriot Act (excerpt from a signed document)
***
The Senators who are filibustering the Patriot Act must stop their
delaying tactics so that we are not without this critical law for even
a single moment.

 

December 16, 2005, President Meets with Ambassador to the United
Nations from Iraq, The Oval Office
***
"I'm so pleased to hear the stories from his Al Anbar Province, where
his grandfather was -- lived. And he was telling me about the stories
from the village where he was from, about how there's no phone service
because the terrorists blew up the capacity for people to make phone
calls, but they forgot to shut off the Internet, and people were then
describing for this good man what it was like to participate in the
democratic process."

 

December 19, 2005, Press Conference of the President, The East Room
***
"Let me give you an example about my concerns about letting the enemy know what may or may not be happening. In the late 1990s, our government was following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone. And then the fact that we were following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone made it into the press as the result of a leak. And guess what happened? Saddam -- Osama bin Laden changed his behavior. He began to change how he communicated."

***
"Constitutions tend to bind societies."

***
"I know with all the TV stations and stuff in America, two-and-a-half years seems like an eternity."

***
"And the point I'm trying to make to the American people in this, as you said, candid dialogue -- I hope I've been candid all along; but in the candid dialogue -- is to say, we're constantly changing our tactics to meet the changing tactics of an enemy."

***
"First, I want to make clear to the people listening that this program is limited in nature to those that are known al Qaeda ties and/or affiliates. That's important. So it's a program that's limited, and you brought up something that I want to stress, and that is, is that these calls are not intercepted within the country. They are from outside the country to in the country, or vice versa. So in other words, this is not a -- if you're calling from Houston to L.A., that call is not monitored."

***
"And the amazing thing about -- in Iraq, as a part of a broader strategy, to help what I call "lay the foundation of peace,"democracies don't war; democracies are peaceful countries."

***
"I believe when people get the taste for freedom or see a neighbor with a taste for freedom, they will demand the same thing, because I believe in the universality of freedom."

***
"It's still going to be hard, because we're getting rid of decades of bitterness. If you're a -- you know, you find these secret prisons where people have been tortured, that's unacceptable."

***
"One of the reasons why I proposed working with the Russians, the Russian idea of allowing Iran to have a civilian nuclear power plant industry without enriched material -- in other words, the enriched materials -- without enriching material, the enriching material would come from Russia, in this case, and be picked up by the Russians, was to prevent them from having the capacity to develop a nuclear weapon.

***
"You see, I hope by now you've discovered something about me, that when I say we're not going to have artificial timetables of withdrawal, and/or try to get me out on a limb on what the troop levels will look like -- the answer to your question on troop levels is, it's conditions-based."

***
"The Iraqis are making a great -- showing great courage to setting up a democracy. And a democracy in Iraq -- I know I've said this, and I'm going to keep saying it because I want the American people to understand -- a democracy in Iraq is vital in the long run to defeating terrorism. And the reason why is, is because democracy is hopeful and optimistic."

***
"We've got young men and women over their sacrificing. And all of a sudden, because of politics or some focus group or some poll, they stand up and say, we're out of there. I can't think of anything more dispiriting to a kid risking his or her life than to see decisions made based upon politics."

***
"I mentioned in my radio address -- my live TV radio address -- that there was two killers in San Diego making phone calls prior to the September the 11th attacks. Had this program been in place then, it is more likely we would have been able to catch them. But they're making phone calls from the United States, overseas, talking about -- who knows what they're talking about, but they ended up killing -- being a part of the team that killed 3,000 Americans. And so -- I forgot what got me on the subject, but nevertheless I'm going to -- we're doing the right thing."

***
"One of the most hurtful things I can hear is, Bush doesn't care about African Americans, for example. First of all, it's not true. And, secondly, I believe that -- obviously I've got to do a better job of communicating, I guess, to certain folks, because my job is to say to people, we're all equally American, and the American opportunity applies to you just as much as somebody else."

***
"I want people to be able to say, this is my asset. Heretofore, kind of asset accumulation may have been only a part of -- a single -- a part of -- a segmented part of our strategy. We want assets being passed from one generation to the next. I take pride in this statistic, that more African Americans own a home or more minorities own a home now than ever before in our nation's history, not just African Americans; that's positive."

***
"No, I'm not going to talk about that, because it would help give the enemy notification and/or, perhaps, signal to them methods and uses and sources. And we're not going to do that, which is -- it's really important for people to understand that the protection of sources and the protections of methods and how we use information to understand the nature of the enemy is secret. And the reason it's secret is because if it's not secret, the enemy knows about it, and if the enemy knows about it, adjusts."

***
"It is inexcusable to say to the American people, we're going to be tough on terror, but take away the very tools necessary to help fight these people. And by the way, the tools exist still to fight medical fraud, in some cases, or other -- drug dealers. But with the expiration of the Patriot Act, it prevents us from using them to fight the terrorists. Now, that is just unbelievable."

***
"So I'm just going to keep doing my job. Maybe you can keep focusing on all these focus groups and polls, and all that business."

 

December 20, 2005, President Attends Swearing-In of Millennium Challenge CEO, The State Department
***
"I appreciate Ambassador Negroponte being here today -- thank you,
John. He's doing a fine job as the Director of National Intelligence.
In order to defeat the enemy, we have got to have the best intelligence
possible. Thanks for your leadership."

***
"Poor countries that prove a commitment to these sound policies are
eligible to apply for an MCC compact. That's an interesting word,
"compact."It means we're working together.

***
"We consider each proposal through a rigorous process -- sometimes too
slow and too rigorous -- and then award compacts to countries with wise
proposals that include a way to measure results."

 

December 21, 2005, President Urges Senate to Reauthorize Patriot Act
and Pass Defense Bill, The South Lawn
***
"The Patriot Act is scheduled to expire at the end of this year. The
terrorist threat is not going to expire at the end of this year. The
House has voted to reauthorize the Patriot Act, and they left town,
because they thought their -- because their business is finished."

***
"The Senate Democratic Leader recently boasted about killing the
Patriot Act. This obstruction is inexcusable. The senators obstructing
the Patriot Act need to understand that the expiration of this vital
law will endanger America and will leave us in a weaker position in the
fight against brutal killers."

 

December 21, 2005, President Signs H.R. 4440, the Gulf Opportunity Zone
Act of 2005, Room 350, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
***
"I want to thank Trent Lott, from Mississippi, for being here. Trent
Lott invited me one time to his home, right there on the Gulf Coast of
Mississippi. It no longer exists. He knows firsthand what it means to
live through one of these devastating storms -- and I appreciate you,
Senator, for being here."

***
"I want to thank Max Baucus -- he's not from the Gulf Coast area of
America, he's from Montana, but he cares."

***
"We've got a lot of people that want to work, and yet they may not all
be electricians or plumbers. And so one of the real challenges and
opportunities we have is to match willing worker with jobs which will
actually exist. And that's what we're talking about and strategizing
about."

 

December 21, 2005, President and Mrs. Bush Thank Military Medical
Caregivers, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
***
"So first we want to thank you all for helping do a really important
job. And that is to be able to say to our country, at any time anybody
gets hurt anywhere, they're going to get the best medical care
possible."

***
"You know, I like to tell people about how -- 'amazed' isn't the right
word -- but how stark this story I'm about to tell you is to me, what
an amazing contrast it is about Japan."

***
"To sit down with a dad -- which we're going to do here over Christmas
-- who fought the Japanese, and his son is helping to keep the peace
with the Japanese, something had to have happened."

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