Signs Editorial:

Bush, scripted and unscripted Thursday June 15, 2006 The Guardian A selection of quotes, scripted and unscripted, that issued from the mouth of the "great liberator". Read them, and realise that the domestic and foreign policies of modern day America are clearly not being dictated by a commander in chief who can barely string a coherent sentence together on his own. So who really runs America? Scripted: The success of America has never been proven by cities of gold, but by citizens of character. Men and women who work hard, dream big, love their family, serve their neighbour. Values that turn a piece of earth into a neighbourhood, a community, a chosen nation. (June 1999, when Bush announced his candidacy) Unscripted: 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. (August 2004) Scripted: War has been waged against us by stealth and deceit and murder. This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing. (Mourning service in Washington following September 11 attacks) Unscripted: There are some who feel like the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring 'em on. (July 2003) Scripted: The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time, now depends on us. Our nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. (Joint session of Congress, September 2001) Unscripted: The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany. (May 2006) Scripted: States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. (State of the Union Address, January 2002) Unscripted: I was not pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel. (May 2006) Scripted: I know that some of my decisions have led to terrible loss, and not one of those decisions has been taken lightly. I know this war is controversial, yet being your president requires doing what I believe is right and accepting the consequences. (Oval Office speech, December 2005) Unscripted: I would say the best moment of all [in office] was when I caught a 7.5 pound largemouth bass in my lake. (May 2006) Original

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