***
“Because this dependence harms us economically through high and volatile prices at the gas pump; dependence creates pollution and contributes to greenhouse gas admissions [sic].”

***
“If the Congress can’t get the job done — in other words, those jet fumes will start to be moving out pretty soon here, later on this week — if they can’t get the job done, then I’ve got a suggestion for them: just pass a one-year continuing resolution.”

***
“Here’s my attitude on housing: one, the government should never bail out lenders; two, some people bought a house that they shouldn’t have been in the market; three, there are speculators who thought they could get — buy nice, one of these reset mortgages and flip it, make some money — I’m sure none of them are in the chamber, but nevertheless — (laughter) — that’s what happened.”

***
“Well, this day and age you’re going to use — mortgages have been bundled, so the savings and loan doesn’t own the mortgage anymore, or the bank doesn’t loan [sic] the mortgage anymore, the local lending institute doesn’t loan [sic] the mortgage anymore: it’s owned by some international group, perhaps, or it’s been bundled into an asset. And so there’s hardly anybody to negotiate with. And so some lenders [sic] aren’t sure where to turn.”

***
“Part of the problem in health care is that there is no consumerism — I shouldn’t say “no consumerism,” obviously there is some consumerism.”

***
“I don’t know how many of you ever go to your doctor and say, what are you charging, you know, compared to your neighbor. I suspect you do that when it comes an automobile, but you don’t when it comes to purchasing health care. I never have, frankly. I don’t remember asking my buddies in Midland, who are my doctors, how much are you charging relative to the person down the street.”

***
“We’re in the lead when it comes to the Freedom Agenda.”

***
“And so one of the proposals I put forth to the Congress was, as we shut down bases, through the BRAC process, why don’t we provide land on those old bases for refineries to encourage the expansion of refineries here in the United States. And it’s just — anyway, it’s — there are some who — I don’t know why they wouldn’t be for something as commonsensical as that.”

***
“So we’ve got the technologies capable of finding oil and gas reserves and hardly leaving a scratch on the environment up there. But it’s become a cause celebre with a lot of the special interests in Washington, D.C.”

***
“Automobile — I just told you that we’re going to become more efficient with our automobile — we’re raising our fuel efficiency standards. In other words, cars and new technology and electricity are going to change how often people go to the pump.”

***
“My question is, I have three children in the school system here, and I’m very concerned about their well-being, living in this country — and you’ve done a wonderful job of protecting our nation. But I’m concerned about the nations like Iraq, who now have nuclear weapons –

THE PRESIDENT: Iran.

Q Iran and Iraq both.

THE PRESIDENT: Not Iraq. (Laughter.)

***
“The ability to weaponize that material — in other words, to make it into something that explodes — that part of the program is what the intelligence people thought was ongoing at one time and suspended.”

***
“So you can envision if you can start using wood chips — you got you some wood around here, and all of a sudden it becomes a viable source of input into an ethanol plant.”

***
“But it’s making pretty good market penetration in the Midwest. It’s an interesting — we have to look at, and I believe the reason why is because — since corn is now the main source of ethanol, that’s where you’re going to get your corn.”

***
Q Hi, Mr. President, I’m Kate (inaudible), and I wanted to extend my holiday wishes to you and your family from all of our family.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you. I’m fired up about the holidays.

***
Q Oh, don’t stop [taking questions] now.

THE PRESIDENT: I had a — well, I’ve got freezing Cabinet members out here. (Laughter.) They’re whispering; you can’t hear their whispers. (Laughter.) I can just feel their vibe saying, I’m envious, they’re all wearing these expensive coats, and here we are. (Laughter.)

I hope you enjoyed the holiday bash as much as I did. I noticed some of the silverware is missing. (Laughter.) We’ll be taking a full inventory. (Laughter.) Happy holidays.

END 10:38 A.M. EST

***
“You might remember, a while ago, that methamphetamine seemed to be a — just running so rampant that people were worried that we could never get a handle on it.”

***
“It’s really important for professional sports associations to continue to crack down on drug abuse by athletes. And it’s important that more people in Hollywood stand up and send a right message to our children.”

***
“To help us celebrate the heritage and spirit, we have an incredible talent: ‘Cachao.’”

***
“I know you’ll join me in thanking Cachao for coming. Guess when the first he was here — 1948 he played for President Harry Truman. (Applause.) Welcome back.” (Applause.)

  * 1-888-995-H-O-P-E

***
“Why would you take time to analyze new information? One, you want to make sure it’s not disinformation. You want to make sure the piece of intelligence you have is real. And secondly, they want to make sure they understand the intelligence they gathered: If they think it’s real, then what does it mean?”

***
“I really am going to — look, we got — it’s hard to believe, like a month away from the Iowa caucuses, and it’s going to get intense. And elections are intense. They are intense experiences, and they’re intense on both sides.”

***
Q Do you miss it?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I’m going to miss the campaigning. I like campaigning. If somebody ever says they don’t like campaigning, they’re not telling you — either that, or they’re a lousy candidate. I mean, it’s fun. (Laughter.) I enjoy it. I enjoy the crowds, I enjoy the noise, I enjoy giving that message, I enjoy the competition. And, yes, I’m going to miss it.

***
Q Thank you, Mr. President. I may want to apologize in advance because –

THE PRESIDENT: Please do.

Q — I can’t help but read your body language this morning, Mr. President. You seem somehow dispirited, somewhat dispirited.

THE PRESIDENT: I think you need to apologize for advance — (laughter.) This is like — all of a sudden, it’s like Psychology 101, you know? (Laughter.)

***
“In other words, part of making sure people are not inconvenienced is there to be — get transmission of sound, real-time information.

November 20, 2007
President Bush Pardons “May and Flower” in National Thanksgiving Turkey Ceremony
Rose Garden
***
“They asked Americans to give thanks for a nation that Benjamin Franklin famously compared to a rising sun. Over the years, Americans have found much to be thankful for. We still see our country the way Franklin did — or, as the poet Carl Sandburg put it: ‘In the crimson light of a rising sun fresh from the hand of God.’”

CHANCELLOR MERKEL: Obviously, for me, as a person who originally came from Hamburg –

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes.

CHANCELLOR MERKEL: — it’s even more important.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Hamburger.

Thank you.

Chancellor Merkel: Thank you.

END 12:16 P.M. CST