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bushisms: The president's accidental wit and wisdom.

The Complete BushismsUpdated frequently.

By Jacob Weisberg
Updated Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at 5:31 PM ET

"But oftentimes I'm asked: Why? Why do you care what happens outside of America?"—Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 14:20.

"And they have no disregard for human life."—Describing the brutality of Afghan fighters, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 25:47.

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 12:50.

"I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand —but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, 'low gas.' "—Washington D.C., July 15, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 14:57.

"The economy is growing, productivity is high, trade is up, people are working. It's not as good as we'd like, but—and to the extent that we find weakness, we'll move."—Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 7:55.

"Should the Iranian regime—do they have the sovereign right to have civilian nuclear power? So, like, if I were you, that's what I'd ask me. And the answer is, yes, they do."—Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., July 2, 2008

"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people."—Charlottesville, Va., July 4, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 7:10.

"We've got a lot of relations with countries in our neighborhood."—Kranj, Slovenia, June 10, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 12:56.

"One of the things important about history is to remember the true history."—Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008

"The German asparagus are fabulous."—Meseberg, Germany, June 11, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 4:53.

"There is some who say that perhaps freedom is not universal. Maybe it's only Western people that can self-govern. Maybe it's only, you know, white-guy Methodists who are capable of self-government. I reject that notion."—London, June 16, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 27:58.

"And I, unfortunately, have been to too many disasters as president."—discussing flooding in the Midwest, Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 4:05.

"There's no question this is a major human disaster that requires a strong response from the Chinese government, which is what they're providing, but it also responds a compassionate response from nations to whom—that have got the blessings, good blessings of life, and that's us."—Discussing relief efforts after a Chinese earthquake, Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 0:37.

"Let's make sure that there is certainty during uncertain times in our economy."—Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 2:28.

"We got plenty of money in Washington. What we need is more priority."—Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 5:04.

"And so the fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place."—visiting the Silverado Cable Co., Mesa, Ariz., May 27, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 0:57.

"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

"Take the Middle East seriously because that's the center of—that's the place where people get so despondent and despair that they're willing to come and take lives of U.S. citizens."—on advice he would give the next president, Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

"We want people owning their home—we want people owning a businesses."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 21:49.

"How can you possibly have an international agreement that's effective unless countries like China and India are not full participants?"—Camp David, April 19, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 6:48.

"Oftentimes people ask me, 'Why is it that you're so focused on helping the hungry and diseased in strange parts of the world?' "—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 12:21.

"Afghanistan is the most daring and ambition mission in the history of NATO."—Bucharest, Romania, April 2, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 10:04.

"A lot of times in politics you have people look you in the eye and tell you what's not on their mind."—Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 18:50.

"The United States has suffered terrorist attacks on its soil, as have Russia."—Sochi, Russia, April 6, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 13:33.

"I thank the diplomatic corps, who is here as well."—Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

Click here to see Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 2:58.

"Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency, it is the right decision now, and it will be the right decision ever."—Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

"Business leaders from many backgrounds, along with current and former senators, congressmans, mayors, diplomats, national security council people, Cabinet members from both parties—I emphasize, from both parties—support this agreement."—Jacksonville, Fla., March 18, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 18:21.

"Let me start off by saying that in 2000 I said, 'Vote for me. I'm an agent of change.' In 2004, I said, 'I'm not interested in change—I want to continue as president.' Every candidate has got to say 'change.' That's what the American people expect." —Washington, D.C., March 5, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 3:25.

"Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and Coastmen—Coast Guardmen, thanks for coming, thanks for wearing the uniform."—the Pentagon, March 19, 2008

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 2:04.

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 6:22.

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 9:22.

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 56:45.

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 22:47.

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 11:21.

Click here to see a video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 50:16.

Click here to see a video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 50:17

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 19:07.
"We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." —Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 19:30.

"Now, there are some who would like to rewrite history—revisionist historians is what I like to call them."—Elizabeth, N.J., June 16, 2003

"I am determined to keep the process on the road to peace."—Washington, D.C., June 10, 2003 (Thanks to Tanny Bear.)

"The true strength of America happens when a neighbor loves a neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves."—Elizabeth, N.J., June 16, 2003

"We ended the rule of one of history's worst tyrants, and in so doing, we not only freed the American people, we made our own people more secure."—Crawford, Texas, May 3, 2003 (Thanks to Tony Marciniec.)

"This is a nation that loves our freedom, loves our country."—Washington, D.C, May 17, 2002

"The public education system in America is one of the most important foundations of our democracy. After all, it is where children from all over America learn to be responsible citizens, and learn to have the skills necessary to take advantage of our fantastic opportunistic society."—Santa Clara, Calif., May 1, 2002

"After all, a week ago, there were—Yasser Arafat was boarded up in his building in Ramallah, a building full of, evidently, German peace protestors and all kinds of people. They're now out. He's now free to show leadership, to lead the world."—Washington, D.C., May 2, 2002 (Thanks to M. Bateman.)

"This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating."—as quoted by the New York Daily News, April 23, 2002

"I want to thank the dozens of welfare to work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2002 (Thanks to George Dupper.)

"And so, in my State of the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000 hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I asked—4,000 hours." —Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002

"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber."—Washington, D.C., April 10, 2002



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Jacob Weisberg is editor-in-chief of the Slate Group and author of The Bush Tragedy.
Photograph by Rick Wilking/Reuters.
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