I want to make sure everybody who has a job wants a job
–George Bush, during his first Presidential campaign
This is a great day for France!
–Richard Nixon, while attending Charles De Gaulles funeral
Now, like, Im 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 dont want any of that.
–George Bush, talking about drug abuse to a group of students
For seven and a half years Ive worked alongside President Reagan.
Weve had triumphs. Made some mistakes. Weve had some sex … uh… setbacks.
–George Bush
I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy. But that could change.
–Dan Quayle
Hawaii has always been a very pivotal role in the Pacific. It is in
the Pacific. It is a part of the United States that is an island that is right here.
–Dan Quayle during a visit to Hawaii in 1989
What a waste it is to lose ones mind–or not to have a mind. How true that is.
–Dan Quayle addressing the United Negro College Fund
I am honored today to begin my first term as the Governor of Baltimore-that is Maryland.–William Donald Schaefer, first inaugural address
The caribou love it. They rub against it and they have babies. There are more caribou in Alaska than you can shake a stick at.
–George Bush, on the Alaska pipeline
I hope I stand for anti-bigotry, anti-Semitism, anti-racism. This is what drives me.
–George Bush
If I listened to Michael Dukakis long enough I would be convinced that were in an economic downturn and people are homeless and going without food and medical attention and that weve got to do something about the unemployed.
–Ronald Reagan
My fellow Americans, Ive signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.
–Ronald Reagan, about to go on the air for a radio broadcast, unaware that the microphone was already on
Mars is essentially in the same orbit. Mars is somewhat the same distance from the sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe.
–Dan Quayle
Now we are trying to get unemployment to go up and I think were going to succeed.
–Ronald Reagan
AND GREAT MOMENTS IN POLITICAL DEBATES: Walter Mondale: George Bush doesnt have the manhood to apologize. Bush: Well, on the manhood thing, Ill put mine up against his any time.
FOREIGN GOOFS
Bite the wax tadpole.
— Coca-Cola as originally translated into Chinese
Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.
— ad slogan Pepsi Comes Alive as originally translated into Chinese
I am a jelly doughnut
–English translation of John F. Kennedy speaking at the Berlin Wall
We pray for MacArthurs erection.
–sign erected by Japanese citizens in Tokyo, when MacArthur was considering a run for President
You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
–from a guest directory at a Japanese hotel, 1991
It takes a virile man to make a chicken pregnant.
–Perdue chicken ad, as mistranslated abroad
MISCELLANEOUS
Im not against the blacks and a lot of the good blacks will attest to that.–Evan Mecham, then governor of Arizona
Nixon has been sitting in the White House while George McGovern has been exposing himself to the people of the United States.–Frank Licht, then governor of Rhode Island, campaigning for McGovern in 1972
Retraction: The Greek Special is a huge 18 inch pizza and not a huge 18 inch penis, as described in an ad. Blondies Pizza would like to apologize for any confusion Fridays ad may have caused.
–correction printed in The Daily Californian
Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! Its rolling all the way back to second base! This is terrible thing for the Padres!
–Jerry Coleman, Padres radio announcer
I want you to take your balls in your hand and bounce them on the floor and then throw them as high as you can. Now, have you all got your balls in your hands?
–announcer of childrens radio show Life With Mother to her audience