Ambrose's Antidote: ABILITY

ABILITY, n. The natural equipment to accomplish some small part of the meaner ambitions distinguishing able men from dead ones. In the last analysis ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity. Perhaps, however, this impressive quality is rightly appraised; it is no easy task to be solemn.

daily dose of w

Then I went for a run with the other dog and just walked. And I started thinking about a lot of things. I was able to --- I can't remember what it was. Oh, the inaugural speech, started thinking through that.

GWB
22 Jan 2001
From an interview with U.S. News & World Report.

Ambrose's Antidote: ABDOMEN

ABDOMEN, n. The temple of the god Stomach, in whose worship, with sacrificial rights, all true men engage. From women this ancient faith commands but a stammering assent. They sometimes minister at the altar in a half-hearted and ineffective way, but true reverence for the one deity that men really adore they know not. If woman had a free hand in the world's marketing the race would become graminivorous.

daily dose of w

If anybody harbors a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they fund a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they house terrorists, they're terrorists. I mean, I can't make it any more clearly to other nations around the world.

GWB
26 Nov 2001
Answering questions from the press at the White House. Source: BBC World News and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (PBS).

Ambrose's Antidote: ABDICATION

ABDICATION, n. An act whereby a sovereign attests his sense of the
high temperature of the throne.

Poor Isabella's Dead, whose abdication
Set all tongues wagging in the Spanish nation.
For that performance 'twere unfair to scold her:
She wisely left a throne too hot to hold her.
To History she'll be no royal riddle --
Merely a plain parched pea that jumped the griddle.

G.J.

daily dose of w

Uh, I support winning.

GWB
7 Apr 1999
Spoken on CNN's Inside Politics. Referring to America's involvement in Kosovo.

Ambrose's Antidote: ABATIS

ABATIS, n. Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside.

We've had a proliferation of abatises in front of our Federal Buildings after the initiation of the War On Terror. People ask "WOT happened?", but that's the answer in many cases. - Ed.

daily dose of w

Ann and I will carry out this equivocal message to the world. Markets must be open.

GWB
2 Mar 2001
From the President's speech delivered during the swearing-in ceremony for Ann Veneman, the new Secretary of Agriculture.

Or not.

Ambrose's Antidote: ABASEMENT

ABASEMENT, n. A decent and customary mental attitude in the presence of wealth of power. Peculiarly appropriate in an employee when addressing an employer.

Lamosity

If you're still making it here for the dose, I thank you. A blog has got to have fresh content and frequent updates if it's going to keep anyone's interest. To this end, I'm going to half-ass it, and supplement the dose with a dose of someone who seemed to have the opposite of whatever it is that sullies W's brain, Ambrose Bierce. Just to get some extra post padding, I'm going to defer to a following post...

daily dose of w

I do not believe we've put a guilty -- I mean innocent -- person to death in the state of Texas.

GWB
16 Jun 2000
From National Public Radio's "All Things Considered".

What was it that Jesus said? Let the first person kill 'em all and let Me or My Old Man sort 'em out, or something like that?

daily dose of w

This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses.

GWB
14 Jan 2000
Quoted in the Financial Times.

J Random Post

I'm cleaning house. No, really. Not metaphorically -- just cleaning house.

daily dose of w

Put the off button on.

GWB
14 Feb 2000
Advice to parents who have concerns about violence on television.