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Jan. 3, 2009

Bush Remembered For Not-So-Smooth Talk

A Look Back At Some Of The President's Misunderestimated Remarks

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    President Bush will be remembered for many things, some of which he may want to forget. But, along the way, Bush has poked fun at others too.

  • A misunderestimated president? George W. Bush will be remembered, in part, for his occasional difficulty speaking and the often-hilarious mangled phrases that he used.

    A misunderestimated president? George W. Bush will be remembered, in part, for his occasional difficulty speaking and the often-hilarious mangled phrases that he used.  (AP)

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(AP)  President George W. Bush will leave behind a legacy of Bushisms, the label stamped on the commander in chief's original speaking style. Some of the president's more notable malaprops and mangled statements:

  • "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." - September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.

  • "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" - January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.

  • "They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." - Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks.

  • "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." - Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.

  • "It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." - April 10, 2002, at the White House, as Bush urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.

  • "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." - April 18, 2002, at the White House.

  • "There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." - Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.

  • "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." - Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.

  • "Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." - Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

  • "Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." - April 20, 2005, in Washington.

  • "We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job." - Sept. 20, 2005, in Gulfport, Miss.

  • "I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." - Sept. 5, 2005, when Bush met with residents of Poplarville, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

    Quote

    Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?

    President George W. Bush, during a January, 2000campaign event in South Carolina
  • "It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." - June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

  • "Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." - Dec. 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

  • "These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." - June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

  • "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." - September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.

  • "Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." - April 16, 2008, at a ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.

  • "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." - May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.

  • "And they have no disregard for human life." - July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.

  • "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." - June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.

  • "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." - July 4, 2008 in Virginia.

  • "The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer - prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." - Sept. 3, 2008, at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, La., after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.

  • "This thaw - took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.

    © MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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    Add a Comment See all 323 Comments
    by duffyn January 7, 2009 12:35 AM EST
    Right, they all misspeak. And some people, entirely miss the point - like AlanW1077. Not surprised you would be defending bush - who most have set some record for publicly misspeaking! Enuf on this, I''m trying to forget the last stupid 8 years.
    Reply to this comment
    by alanw1077 January 6, 2009 11:07 PM EST
    Right.<br />And Obama never misspeaks.<br />Neither did Clinton or Carter or Johnson.<br />Only GOP presidents misspeak.<br />Right.<br />
    Reply to this comment
    by duffyn January 6, 2009 10:51 PM EST
    I always will be p**sed at major media cuz during the ''04 election they repeated endlessly a couple of &quot;embarassing&quot; comments or actions by John Kerry (which were taken out of context or false). Why were they not endlessly trumpeting these rediculous stupid (his iq is beaming thru here) things that bush said???? Folks, major media screwed you bad in the ''04 election!!!! Rather than pick Dem or repugs I think they suck up to whomever is in power - watch.
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:56 PM EST
    ...now; just where do you think the lil'' Shrub got it from?
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:54 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />Somebody--somebody asked me, what''s it take to win? I said to them, I can''t remember, what does it take to win the Super Bowl? Or maybe Steinbrenner,my friend George, will tell us what it takes for the Yanks to win--one run. <br />But I went over to the Strawberry Festival this morning, and ate a piece of shortcake over there--able to enjoy it right away, and once I completed it, it didn''t have to be approved by Congress--I just went ahead and ate it-- <br />and that leads me into what I want to talk to you about today...&quot;<br />-March 4, at a fund-raising lunch in Tampa, Florida<br /><br />
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:52 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />&quot;You''re burning up time. The meter is running through the sand on you and I am now fillibustering.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;I see this glass not half-empty, but half-full and more.&quot;<br />
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:50 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />And let me say in conclusion, thanks for the kids. I learned an awful lot about bathtub toys-- about how to work the telephone. One guy knows- several of them know their own phone numbers- preparation to go to the dentist. A lot of things I''d forgotten. So it''s been a good day.&quot; <br />- January 21, at aHead Start center in Catonsville, Maryland<br />
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:48 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />&quot;I don''t want to just sit here blaming Congress. I mean, we''re all in this together.&quot; --President Bush, 11/20/91 to news anchor Bill Stuart of KCNC-TV, Denver.<br />&quot;I think the Congress should be blamed.&quot; --several minutes later, to Warner Saunders of WMAQ-TV, Chicago.<br /><br />
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:46 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />&quot;No you''re not going to see me stay put... I am not going to forsake my responsibilities. You may not see me put as much- I mean, un-put as much&quot;<br />--11/8/91<br />
    Reply to this comment
    by piercetheval January 6, 2009 9:44 PM EST
    ...and let''s not forget what George Bush Sr. said:<br /><br />&quot;And so I do understand New Hampshire because I have this wonderfully warm feeling that New Hampshire feels exactly the way we do on these questions of family values and faith. Somebody said to me, we prayed for you over there. That was not just because I threw up on the Prime Minister of Japan, either. Where was he when I needed him? I said, let me tell you something. And I say this - I don''t know whether any ministers from the episcopal church are here - I hope so. But I said to him this: You''re on to something here. You cannot be President of the United States if you don''t have faith. It''s been great. I''ll go back to Washington all fired up for tomorrow and tackle the President or the Prime Minister of this or the Governor of that coming in. But I''ll have this heartbeat...&quot;<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
    Reply to this comment
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