Getting a handle on it

President Bush Discusses Economy

"America has the most talented, productive, and entrepreneurial workers in the world and none of them work in the government.

"This country is the best place in the world to invest and do business if you're into gambling, speculation and bankruptcies.

"Consumers around the world continue to seek out American products, as evidenced by record-high exports, our record-high trade deficit gap and our record-high $50 trillion national debt.

"But, I tell you, folks, we have a flexible and resilient system that absorbs multi-trillion dollar mortgage and credit crises, historical bank failures, and makes record setting bailout attempts at corrections -- efforts we can all disagree on, and between you and me, that's just about all we'all talkin' about these days -- and (our system) bounces back like the check we're preparing to write all our foreign investors.

"Now, since my 'watch' is over soon, please excuse me while I go find something to suck on. I wouldn't want my 'This sucker's going to go down' phrase to be without merit... like the United States economy and our global credit rating." - President George W. Bush, September 2008