George H. W. Bush famous quotes

The anchor in our world today is freedom, holding us steady in times of change, a symbol of hope to all the world.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Freedom #Our World #Anchors

I don't like dynasty and legacy. But I think there's a period in the U.S. history where Bushes have been in the forefront.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Thinking #Legacy #Dynasty

Freedom and the power to choose should not be the privilege of wealth. They are the birthright of every American.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Liberty #Privilege #Wealth

We don't think of ourselves as a dynasty. I really hope some of my grandkids will be actively involved in politics.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Thinking #Dynasty #Grandkids

But the biggest thing that has happened in the world in my life, in our lives, is this: By the grace of God, America won the Cold War.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #America #Grace

Somebody said, "Well, you're going to write your definitive book about your life, biography." No, I'm not. I haven't done that. I wrote a book of letters which gives an insight into the real me as opposed to the public perceptions of me. But I'm convinced historians will figure out the things we got wrong and hopefully the things we got right.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Real #Book #Writing

A good country song taps into strong undercurrents of family, faith, and patriotism.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Family #Country #Song

I worry about international terror as a method for bringing about political change or sociological change in different countries. And this concerns me because our homeland is not immune from this kind of dastardly attack. And so I worry about that a lot.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Country #Worry #Political

The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something. And then I'd add to that, giving something back. No definition of a successful life can do anything but include serving others.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Dream #Mean #Successful

I don't worry about superpower confrontation. You know, I lived through the Cold War days, and where everybody was worried about a Soviet Union armed to the teeth. I think we're going to get along fine with Russia, and I don't see them as internationally ambitious.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Thinking #Russia

If the people were to ever find out what we have done, we would be chased down the streets and lynched.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Gun #People #Would Be

I think the spirit of America, one American wanting to make another American's life better, or internationally our desire to see countries do better, or people in countries do better, coming from this concept of volunteerism is a very valid and important part of our internal being.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Country #Thinking #America

If the American people knew what we have done, they would string us up from the lamp posts.
-- George H. W. Bush

#People #Lamps #Done

My favorite picture is a picture of American soldiers surrounding a guy in a foxhole, Iraqi soldier, and the American guy says, "We're not going to harm you. We're American soldiers."
-- George H. W. Bush

#Guy #Soldier #Foxholes

I have opinions of my own - strong opinions - but I don't always agree with them.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Strong #Patriotic #Opinion

You got to wrestle with your conscience. You got to listen to people. It doesn't come so easy to me that this is right and that's wrong. It's never that simple.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Simple #People #Easy

But let me tell you, this gender thing is history. You're looking at a guy who sat down with Margaret Thatcher across the table and talked about serious issues.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Issues #Guy #Political

Old fashioned as it may seem to some, it is my duty to serve my country. (And) I didn't seek this job but I want to do it, and I will do my very best.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Country #Jobs #May

We're going to keep trying to strengthen the American family. To make them more like The Waltons and less like The Simpsons.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Trying #Keep Trying

The notion of political correctness has ignited controversy across the land. And although the movement arises from the laudable desire to sweep away the debris of racism and sexism and hatred it replaces old prejudices with new one. It declares certain topics off-limits, certain expressions off-limits, even certain gestures off-limits. What began as a crusade for civility has soured into a cause of conflict and even censorship.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Expression #Land #Racism

People say I'm indecisive, but I don't know about that.
-- George H. W. Bush

#People #Indecisive

No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Atheist #Religion #Citizens

You have to understand that people that are hurting are going to criticize.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Hurt #People #Criticize

One of the good things about the way the Gulf War ended in 1991 is, you'd see the Vietnam veterans marching with the Gulf War veterans.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Vietnam #Way

The thing I miss about Air Force One is they don't lose my luggage.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Air #Missing #Force

The rigidity of those pledges is something I don’t like. The circumstances change and you can’t be wedded to some formula by Grover Norquist. It’s—who the hell is Grover Norquist, anyway?
-- George H. W. Bush

#Hell #Rigidity #Circumstances

I'm conservative, but I'm not a nut about it.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Patriotic #Nuts #Political

We know what works. Freedom Works. We know what's right. Freedom is right.
-- George H. W. Bush

We don't want an America that is closed to the world. What we want is a world that is open to America.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Patriotic #America #World

We are a nation of communities... a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Love #Peace #Stars

International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as surely as water wears away a hard stone.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Differences #Water #Presidential

There is a God and He is good, and his love, while free, has a self imposed cost: We must be good to one another.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Kindness #Self #Cost

Real improvement in our schools is not simply a matter of spending more, it is a matter of expecting more.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Real #School #Matter

Time and again in this century, the political map of the world was transformed. And ineach instance a new world order came about through the advent of a new tyrant or the outbreak of a bloody global war, or its end.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Order #Tyrants

Nearly all Americans have ancestors who braved the oceans-liberty-loving risk takers in search of an ideal-the largest voluntary migrations in recorded history. Across the Pacific, across the Atlantic, they came from every point on the compass-many passing beneath the Statue of Liberty-with fear and vision, with sorrow and adventure, fleeing tyranny or terror, seeking haven, and all seeking hope...Immigration is not just a link to America's past; it's also a bridge to America's future.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Ocean #Adventure #Past

Think about every problem, every challenge, we face. The solution to each starts with education.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Thinking #Presidential #Challenges

We are not the sum of our possessions.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Patriotic #Possession

You cannot be President of the United States if you don't have faith. Remember Lincoln, going to his knees in times of trial in the Civil War and all that stuff.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Patriotic #Political

I can tell you this: If I'm ever in a position to call the shots, I'm not going to rush to send somebody else's kids into a war.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Kids #Shots

We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light...We all have something to give.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Light #Illumination #Giving

Every problem that the country faces is being solved in some community by some group or some individual. The question is how to get connected so that the whole nation can solve problems. A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, but as citizens - citizens in the fullest sense; partners in civilization.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Country #Thinking #Civilization

I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Mother #Food #Patriotic

In crucial things, unity. In important things, diversity. In ALL things, generosity.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Generosity #Diversity #Unity

Please don't ask me to do that which I've just said I'm not going to do, because you're burning up time. The meter is running through the sand on you, and I am now filibustering.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Running #Romance #Political

We join Armenians around the world as we remember the terrible massacres suffered in 1915-1923 at the hands of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The United States responded to this crime against humanity by leading diplomatic and private relief efforts.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Hands #Effort #Humanity

I think when you see an aircraft fire, these angry, black puffs of smoke, knowing that one of them could kill you that you - you - you understand the seriousness of the mission. And you understand your own mortality.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Thinking #Fire #Knowing

Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Dream #Humor #Caring

Ozone Man, Ozone. He's crazy, way out, far out, man.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Crazy #Men #Ozone

Now, like, I'm President. It would be pretty hard for some drug guy to come into the White House and start offering it up, you know?...I bet if they did, I hope I would say, 'Hey, get lost. We don't want any of that.'
-- George H. W. Bush

#Offering #White #Guy

Communism didn't fall. It was pushed.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Fall #Communism

Well, I think everybody is frustrated by the finances of the U.N. and the inability to solve problems of war and peace.
-- George H. W. Bush

#War #Thinking #Frustrated

Don't confuse being 'soft' with seeing the other guy's point of view.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Patriotic #Views #Guy

It's a very good question, very direct, and I'm not going to answer it.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Patriotic #Answers #Very Good

Many schools include a service project as part of their curriculum, and many corporations have in-house projects for their employees or give them time off to do volunteer work.
-- George H. W. Bush

#School #Volunteer #Giving

Lincoln said you cannot be President without spending some item on your knees. I have repeated that and a bunch of Atheists got all over me. Wait a minute. Does that mean that you cannot be President if you are an Atheist? I say yea that does mean that.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Atheist #Mean #Waiting

Ageing's alright, better than the alternative, which is not being here.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Alternatives #Ageing #Alright

Old guys can still do fun things.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Fun #Guy #Stills

I stand for anti-bigotry, anti-Semitism, and anti-racism.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Racism #Anti Racism #Anti Semitism

As his vice president for eight years, I learned more from Ronald Reagan than from anyone I encountered in all my years of public life.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Eight #Years #President

I think the 24-hour news cycle has helped exaggerate the differences between the parties. You can always find someone on TV somewhere carping about something. That didn't happen 20 years ago.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Party #Thinking #Years

I will keep America moving forward, always forward, for a better America, for an endless enduring dream and a thousand Points of Light. This is my mission, and I will complete it.
-- George H. W. Bush

#Dream #Moving #Light