Collection of Bushisms

“I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can’t answer your question.” Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000

“I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.” Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

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

“More and more of our imports are coming from overseas.” NPR’s Morning Edition 26.9.2000

“Well, I think if you say you’re going to do something and don’t do it, that’s trustworthiness.” CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000

“We cannot let terriers and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.” Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 21, 2000

“If most of the [tax] breaks go to wealthy people it’s because most of the people who pay taxes are wealthy.”

“I understand small business growth. I was one” New York Daily News, Feb. 19, 2000

“The mission must be to fight and win war and therefore to prevent war from happening in the first place.”

“I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth to the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth.” Nashua, N.H., as quoted by Gail Collins in the New York Times, Feb. 1, 2000

“The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case.” Pella, Iowa, as quoted by the San Antonio Express-News, Jan. 30, 2000

“I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.” Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000

“What I am against is quotas. I am against hard quotas, quotas they basically delineate based upon whatever. However they delineate, quotas, I think vulcanize society. So I don’t know how that fits into what everybody else is saying, their relative positions, but that’s my position.” Quoted by Molly Ivins, the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 21, 2000

“Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?” Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

“This campaign not only hears the voices of the entrepreneurs and the farmers and the entrepreneurs, we hear the voices of those struggling to get head” Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 21, 2000

George W. Bush’s new Web site, www.georgewbush.com, states that the No. 3 priority of the campaign is “Putting Education First.” 19.7.2000. Al Kamen, Washington Post

“The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt of the person that I’ve looked at. I do not believe we’ve put a guilty … I mean innocent person to death in the state of Texas.” All Things Considered, NPR, June 16, 2000

Republican Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico shares a verbal exchange that took place between him and George W. Bush. “At one of these governors’ conferences, George [W. Bush] turns to me and says: ‘What are they talking about?’ I said: ‘I don’t know.’ He said: ‘You don’t know anything, do you?’ And I said: ‘Not one thing.’ Bush said: ‘Neither do I.’ And we kind of high-fived.” Quoted in the Los Angeles Times, 5/31/00

“It’s clearly a budget. It’s got a lot of numbers in it.” Reuters, May 5, 2000

“If you’re sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign.” Hilton Head, South Carolina, Feb. 16, 2000

“They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it’s some kind of federal program.” St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000

“I don’t think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs.” Orlando, Fla., Sept. 12, 2000

“They misunderestimated me.” Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

“It’s important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It’s not only life of babies, but it’s life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet.” Presidential Debate Oct 11, 2000

“I don’t hire or fire somebody based upon their sexual orientation. As a matter of fact, I would like to take the issue a little further. I don’t really think it’s any of my - you know, any of my concerns what - how you conduct your sex life” Westland, Mich Sept. 8, 2000

“I’m a proud man to be the nation based upon such wonderful values.” On Gore’s tax plan, Greensboro, N.C Oct. 10, 2000

Q: “Do you think he has the honesty and integrity to be the president?” Bush: “That’s what I’d like to know and that’s what America would like to know. Q: What do you think? Bush: Well, I don’t have all the facts at my hand. That’s why I’m calling for them.” U.S. News & World Report Apr 3, 2000

“When I ran against Governer I got nearly 50 Percent of the womens vote and I think I’m gonna do well with women when its all said and done.” NPR Oct 9, 2000

“I think once a decision has been made, it’s been made unless it’s proven to be unsafe to women. ” Presidential Debate Oct 3, 2000

“The administration I’ll bring is a group of men and women who are focused on what’s best for America, honest men and women, decent men and women, women who will see service to our country as a great privilege and who will not stain the house.” Des Moines Register Jan. 15, 2000