More headlines: George W. Bush on Principles & Values
(Following are older quotations. Click here for main quotations.)
Promises that there will be debates
While he continued to assail Gore for rejecting his offer for a different set of debates - two of them shorter and to more limited television audiences than the commission debates -Bush for the first time gave some suggestion that
there was give to his position. “There will be debates. I am confident there will be debates. As to what they look like and where they are, it will be worked out in due course.”
Source: Alison Mitchell, NY Times
Sep 7, 2000
Gore’s call for debates is about semantics, not sincerity
My opponent said he’d debate me any time, anyplace, anywhere; he went on some of the national TV shows and said, ‘If he’ll just show up I’ll debate him.’ It must all depend on what the definition of any time is. It depends on what the definition of
anywhere is.. I guess it’s the same old tired double talk out of Washington, D.C.--’No controlling legal authority.’ ‘It depends on what the definition of ‘is’ is.’
Source: Edwin Chen, LA Times
Sep 5, 2000
Bush hopes Lieberman will civilize Gore campaign
Bush expressed the hope that Lieberman will “run a positive campaign and that the vice president will use this opportunity to change his tone to that of Sen. Lieberman’s level. This selection
now presents the vice president with an interesting test of whether he will continue attacking positions his running mate shares or whether he will lift up our nation by elevating the tone of his presidential campaign.”
Source: Edwin Chen & Matea Gold, LA Times
Aug 9, 2000
Love and compassion are from God, not government
Earlier today, at a prayer breakfast, Bush said, “Our job as leaders-- Republicans, Democrats, nonaffiliateds-- is to rally that compassion of America, is to call upon the love that
exists not because of government, that exists because of a gracious and loving God.”
Source: AP story in LA Times
Aug 4, 2000
No regrets for spontaneous personality
Asked about how he would have done things in his past differently, both in personal matters and professional matters:“I’m not one of these people that kind of gets stuck in the past. I’m always moving forward.
I think one of the things you’ll find about me is I’m a person who’s fairly spontaneous, and I don’t brood and I don’t get stuck. So I don’t know. I can’t think of anything I’d do differently.”
Source: Nicholas D. Kristof, NY Times
Jul 29, 2000
McCain rings the “iron triangle” like a dinner bell
McCAIN [to Bush]: If you’re going to allow [donors who] give a million dollars to stay in the governor’s mansion, we’ve got a continuing big problem.BUSH: The people staying with me, these are my friends, John. These are my relatives, [yet you]
somehow question my integrity. You talk a lot about the “iron triangle” and you’re ringing it like a dinner bell with all those fund-raisers.
McCAIN: George, if I’m ringing it like the dinner bell, you’ve got both feet in the trough because you’ve
raised five times the amount of money in Washington [that I have].
KEYES: This whole campaign finance reform thing is just another example of the hypocrisy of these politicians. They’ve shoveled the money in their mouth, then profess to be shocked
at the discovery that it’s there. Then they say we should give up our right to give money to support the causes we believe in because they don’t have the integrity to do their job. We shouldn’t give up our rights. They should give up their offices.
Source: GOP debate in Los Angeles
Mar 2, 2000
Endorsements are based on leadership, not insider status
Q: You say that you’re the reformer, you’re the outsider, yet, 38 senators support you, 175 congressmen, and 26 governors. That’s not establishment? A: Well, let’s start with the governors, those who know me best support me. I work with the
governors. They know me well. They know I can lead. They’ve stood up and said we know the man’s record, we know his capacity to bring people together. We know his record of reform in the state of Texas that’s had great results and we want
him to be the leader.
And you mentioned the US senators - they took a look and decided that I ought to be the leader. They’re looking for a fresh voice from outside. They want somebody to provide leadership and that’s why they
supported me. You know, I got defined early on as the insider and I kept telling people my zip code is Austin, Texas. That’s where I made my stake. That’s where I’ve developed my reputation and that’s where those results are coming from.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show
Feb 15, 2000
Pledges to return honor to office of the Presidency
Bush leaned more heavily on morality, focusing on Clinton’s moral failings. “The current president pledged the most ethical administration in American history. As it turned out, he fell 41 presidents short. Bush poked fun at the testimony Clinton gave
to the grand jury investigating his affair with Monica Lewinsky. ”I will return the highest standards of honor to the highest office in the land,“ Bush said. ”This is my pledge. And it does not depend on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.“
Source: New York Times, p.A20
Feb 3, 2000
Conservative values: Tax cuts; school choice; workfare
BAUER [to Bush]: You won’t agree to a pro-life running mate. You won’t agree to put pro-life judges on the court. Your China policy puts trade ahead of national security & human rights. Why should GOP conservatives believe that you will defend
conservative values?BUSH: I fought for and signed the two largest tax cuts in my state’s history. I fought for charter schools and public school choice. I reformed welfare by insisting upon work. I fought for tort reform. I’ve got a record of
accomplishment.
BAUER: Governor, you left off every values issue at stake, the sanctity of life, maintaining marriage as being between a man and a woman, preserving religious liberty so we can hang up the Ten Commandments again.
BUSH: I’m against
same-sex marriage. I signed a parental notification law. Republicans need to elect somebody who has gotten results, tangible results that people can see, that people can put their arms around and say this man’s a leader.
Source: (Cross-ref from Bauer) Republican Debate in Durham, NH
Jan 6, 2000
Focus on human problems, not just economy
Bush said that the Republican Party had put too much emphasis on economic wealth and too little on social problems. “Too often, my party has focused on the national economy, to the exclusion of all else. Of course we want vigor and growth in our economy,
but there are human problems that persist in the shadow of affluence. And the strongest arguments for conservative ideals - for responsibility and accountability and tradition - is that they lead to greater justice, less suffering, more opportunity.”
Source: New York Times, p. A1
Oct 6, 1999
Keys to American prosperity
- We’ll be prosperous if we reduce taxes.
- We’ll be prosperous if we reduce the regulations that strangle enterprise. I will fight for meaningful, real tort reform.
- We’ll be prosperous if we embrace free trade.
- We must be prosperous to keep
the peace.
America must seize this moment. America must lead. Because America’s greatest export to the world is, and always will be, freedom.
Source: Candidacy Announcement speech, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Jun 12, 1999
Compassionate conservatism is the new politics
“I want the elderly here in this audience to hear me loud and clear. They’re going to run TV ads and radio ads and they’re going to say that George W. Bush and his allies are going to take away your checks.. Put that out of your mind. That’s the old
politics. We have the right platform, we’ve got a philosophy that is conservative and a philosophy that is compassionate. Our message is give us a chance to make sure the American dream touches every willing heart.”
Source: cnn.com
Jul 29, 2000
Texas re-election based on “compassionate conservatism”
[On the day of the gubernatorial re-election:] Tonight’s resounding victory says my compassionate conservative philosophy is making Texas a better place. But today’s election says something more.
It says that a leader who is compassionate and conservative can erase the gender gap, open the Republican Party to new faces and new voices, and win without sacrificing our principles.
Source: “A Charge to Keep”, p.224
Dec 9, 1999
Philosophy of governing
I don’t run polls to tell me what to think. I make decisions based on a conservative philosophy that is engrained in my heart. Trust local people to make right choices about their schools and cities. Understand that private property is the backbone of
capitalism. Fight for American interests and American workers in the world. Know the importance of family and the need for personal responsibility. These are principles from which I will not vary.
Source: Candidacy Announcement speech, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Jun 12, 1999
Oil-town upbringing bred ‘compassionate conservatism’
Bush’s campaign describes Midland [Texas, where Bush was raised,] as the incubator of Bush’s egalitarianism, his belief in personal responsibility, and his philosophy of ‘compassionate conservatism.’ Bush says, “the slogan of Midland was, ‘The Sky’s the
Limit.’ That meant for everybody, not just a few.” The experience, he says, deepened his belief in the importance of optimism and the goals of “limited government, open markets, free and fair trade, and tax policy that encourages productivity.”
Source: US News & World Report, pp. 18-19
Jun 7, 1999
Our guiding philosophy: Individual rights & responsibilties
Throughout the ages, individuals, more than armies or nations or politics, have shaped the course of events. Every triumphant achievement, every great decision. in the final analysis came about because of the acts of individuals. Our Constitution rights
are rights which belong to and are exercised by individuals. That idea is the guiding philosophy of our nation. But implicit in those rights is responsibility-to respect the rights of others, to treat our fellow man the way we want to be treated.
Source: Powell Lecture Series, Texas A&M Univ.
Apr 6, 1998
De-emphasize economics; focus on compassion
Government can’t solve all our problems. Economic growth can’t solve all our problems. In fact, we’re now putting too much hope in economics, just as we once put too much hope in government. Reducing problems to economics is simply materialism. The real
answer is found in the hearts of decent, caring people who have heard the call to love their neighbors as they would like to be loved themselves. We must rally the armies of compassion that are in every community.
Source: Powell Lecture Series, Texas A&M Univ.
Apr 6, 1998
Good advisers better than knowing everything
Bush has frequently curled his lip at the mention of Ivy League types who tote mental suitcases jammed with facts and figures, readily conceded his limited appetite for long policy briefings or memos, and deflected questions about gaps in his experience
with a sunny pledge to assemble and rely on the keenest, most scrupulous advisers he can find. He did it again on Friday. In response to a question from a Saudi Arabian journalist about international affairs, Bush did not claim to be well read on the
subject or well along the road to erudition (although, in fact, he has slogged through thick tomes on Russia and the Balkans in recent months). Instead, Bush suggested that raw knowledge was overrated.
“I don’t think you can expect any president to
know all things about all subjects,” he said, adding that one of the roles of a leader was “to surround himself with excellent folks” and “to be able to listen and to be able to delegate.”
Source: Frank Bruni, New York Times
Jun 3, 2000
Most critical: trust his judgement; not the status quo
What’s critical to my election is a lot of things:- that people trust my judgment.
- that people hear the call for reform.
- that people know that I can renew what I call the spirit of America.
- that people are comfortable with the types of
people that I’ll bring into my administration.
- whether people are happy or not with the status quo.
I readily concede that if people want four more years of Clinton-Gore, I’ve got a tough road. I do. I know what my position is. I’m the
Source: Press interview in Austin, TX
Mar 15, 2000
Children looking at White House should feel proud
Everywhere I go in America -- everywhere I’ve gone on this fantastic journey so far -- people walk up to me with pictures of their children and say, ‘Governor, I want my child to look at the White House and to be proud of what he or she sees.’
I believe it’s important for Americans to have confidence in their leadership. I think it’s really important for moms and dads to be able to point to the White House and say, ‘That person has brought honor and dignity to the office.’
Source: NH TV ad, “Pictures”
Nov 21, 1999
Pres. should uphold honor & dignity; act independently
Bush promises [in every speech] that if he is elected president, “I will not use my office as a mirror for public opinion.” He talks about replacing the ethic of “if it feels good, do it” with “the responsibility era.” Bush says that if elected, “I will
swear to not only uphold the laws of the land, I will swear to uphold the honor and the dignity of the office to which I have been elected.” “Those are principles that were a part of my soul prior to running and are a part of my soul now,” Bush said.
Source: Frank Bruni, NyTimes.com
Nov 1, 1999
“Bully Pulpit” should spur societal change
Bush said he would use the White House as a bully pulpit to raise educational standards and spur innovation, cut taxes to ensure economic growth and “certainly hope” to reform Social Security and Medicare without cutting benefits.
Source: Dan Balz, The Washington Post
Apr 25, 1999
Bush cultivates a religious language acceptable to most
“Demanding love” and “severe mercy” are the terms Bush used in his signature speech defining compassionate conservatism last July. It’s a strict theology expressed in the language of love, and it is Bush’s way of speaking to the political center. His
facility with the idiom gave him a useful passport into the world of politically active evangelicals. At the same time, its emphasis on personal sincerity gave him a way to duck divisive issues. The aim is to be a Christian that anyone can relate to.
Source: Hanna Rosin, Washington Post
Jul 24, 2000
Bush came through for Religious right in Texas
Chuck Anderson, executive director of Texas Christian Coalition, which represents about 200,000 people, said Mr. Bush delivered on the organization’s three most important concerns
during the 1999 legislative session: a parental notification law for minors seeking abortions; passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and tax cuts.
Source: Jim Yardley, NY Times
Apr 16, 2000
Regrets not criticizing Bob Jones U.’s racial divisiveness
A few weeks ago I visited Bob Jones University. Some have taken-and mistaken-this visit as a sign that I approve of the anti-Catholic and racially divisive views associated with that school. Such opinions are personally offensive to me, and I want to
erase any doubts about my views and values. On reflection, I should have been more clear in disassociating myself from anti-Catholic sentiments and racial prejudice. It was a missed opportunity, causing needless offense, which I deeply regret.
Source: Letter to Cardinal O’Connor of New York
Feb 25, 2000
Government should not block faith-based programs
It seemed to me that a government that truly wants to help people should welcome the active involvement of people of faith, not throw up roadblocks or stifle their efforts with
bureaucratic red tape.. I assembled a task force to recommend ways that churches and synagogues and mosques and other faith-based or private institutions could
work with government to help people in need without violating the important principle of separation of church and state, compromising the religious nature of their
mission, or being shackled by government intrusion. I believe in the power of faith to change lives.
Source: “A Charge to Keep”, p.213-215
Dec 9, 1999
A fan of Bork despite not slouching toward Gomorrah
“Too often,” Gov. Bush declared on Oct. 5, “on social issues, my party has painted an image of America slouching toward Gomorrah.” Judge Robert H. Bork’s book, Slouching Toward Gomorrah, depicts a “corrupted” America resmbling the biblical city
of sin. Bork is the right’s hero-martyr who [in 1987] was kept from a Supreme Court seat that would have led to overturning Roe v. Wade. Bush has written a “private” letter of apology to Bork, which he said describes himself as “a fan” of the judge.
Source: Robert Novack, Creators Syndicate
Oct 14, 1999
No Gomorrah in America; no disdain of government
Too often, my party has focused on the national economy, to the exclusion of all else, speaking a sterile language of rates and numbers, CBO and GNP. Too often, on social issues, my party has painted an image of America slouching toward Gomorrah. Too
often, my party has confused the need for limited government with disdain for government itself.
Source: New York Times, p. A14
Oct 6, 1999
Church-based charity assures nobody is left behind
“I want the American dream to touch every willing heart,” Bush declared to a mostly black congregation at a Baptist church. “As we head into the 21st century, we don’t want anybody to be left out, and nobody should be left behind.
It’s a huge challenge to this country’s good heart.”“The great promise of America exists in churches like this,” Bush said. “Government can hand out money. But what it cannot do is put hope in our hearts and a sense of purpose in our lives.”
Source: New York Times, p. A18
Oct 5, 1999
A “call to conscience” for personal responsibility
Bush issued today what he said was ‘a call to conscience.’ [Bush seeks to] “usher in an era of personal responsibility, an era in which every person understands that they are responsible for the decisions they make in life,” Bush said. “Today Americans
are rich in possessions. We also must be rich in our ideals,” he said. “There must be a purpose to our prosperity.” Bush added that Americans are relearning that public interest depends on pride and that standards and commitments produce integrity.
Source: Katherine Vogt, Associated Press
Sep 6, 1999
Support faith which nurtures our values.
When people turned away from God [we] lost touch with the bedrock values of our faith -- not the values of one denomination or religion over another, but values which have stood the test of time. I am not suggesting that the state begin delving into the
affairs of the church. I am suggesting that we recognize and nurture institutions that traditionally -- and more effectively -- have provided help to the poor and needy, and have nurtured our values: charities, churches, synagogues and neighborhoods.
Source: “Renewal of Spirit” Conf.,Schreiner College
Apr 10, 1996
Only faith and God can overcome social ills.
To fundamentally change our culture we need a spiritual renewal. Government can hand out money,but it cannot put hope in our hearts or a sense of purpose in our lives..Only faith can do that. In the final analysis, there is no overcoming anything without
faith-be it drugs or alcohol or poverty.. We must turn back to God and look to Him for help. Our country was founded on the Judeo-Christian ethic. The central nature of our faith was summed up simply and eloquently in four words: one nation, under God.
Source: “Renewal of Spirit” Conf.,Schreiner College
Apr 10, 1996