U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Quotes

The pursuit of political office in any campaign, most recently U.S. presidential election, 2004, produces a wealth of both positive and negative Campaign Quotes.

Also see:


 * George W. Bush: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004
 * internet activism
 * John Forbes Kerry: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Active Advocacy Groups
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Ad Issues
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Ads
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Issues
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: The Culture War
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Wedge Issues

George W. Bush, a.k.a. "Bushism"

 * "I think it's -- if you're going to make an accusation in the course of a presidential campaign, you ought to back it up with facts." Response to question "Candidate Kerry has suggested he has support of world leaders. Do you think he should -- that should be a factor in the campaign? Was that an appropriate thing for him to say?" during "Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Balkenende of the Netherlands in a Photo Opportunity at the Oval Office." 3/16/04.


 * "'God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about the future can hear,'... the president said during a particularly fatuous promotion of his efforts to give government money to church groups that discriminate in their hiring." 3/7/04.


 * "Recession means that people's incomes, at the employer level, are going down, basically, relative to costs, people are getting laid off." 2/19/04, Washington, D.C..

'''Inappropriate then, enlightening now. . .'''


 * "Who cares what you think?" to Bill Hangley, Jr. at a July 4, 2001, church picnic in Philadelphia.

John Forbes Kerry

 * "Seemingly unaware that his microphone was still on ... during a quiet exchange with several workers at the Hill Mechanical Group in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood," Kerry said about the Republicans: "'These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. It's scary.'" 3/10/04


 * See Josh Marshall's 3/10/04, Talking Points Memo.
 * "Kerry: Comment aimed at 'attack dogs' ... Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry said on Thursday that he was not referring to all Republicans as 'crooked' in an off-the-cuff comment captured on camera -- just his political opponents' 'attack dogs.'" 3/11/04, CNN.


 * "Americans have a clear choice in this election. They can either suffer with more and more job losses that rip the heart out of our economy or they can give George Bush a new job," Kerry said. 3/5/04


 * "I don't know what it is that all these Republicans who didn't serve in Vietnam are fighting a war against those of us who did." 2/22/04

Other Democrats

 * "We would expect nothing less than scorched-earth harassment by the Republicans." -- Harold Ickes, president of the Media Fund


 * "'It's down-in-the-gutter nasty on both sides. We could really see a donnybrook, with all of us rolling around in mud, blood and the beer,'" said Democratic strategist Jim Duffy.


 * "What would be good for the American economy is to outsource this administration." -- John Edwards, who ended his candidacy on March 3, 2004. 2/21/04


 * "For Saxby Chambliss, who got out of going to Vietnam because of a trick knee, to attack John Kerry as weak on the defense of our nation is like a mackerel in the moonlight that both shines and stinks," Max Cleland said. 2/22/04

SourceWatch Resources

 * Bush administration propaganda and disinformation
 * propaganda