As George W waves goodbye to the White House, here are some of my favourite Bushisms -

Rarely is the questioned asked: is our children learning?

You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.

I heard somebody say,'Now, where's Mandela?' Well, Mandela's dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas.

She's a West Texas Girl. Just like me.

More and more of our imports come from other countries.

Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat.

Nigeria is an important continent.

I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.

My plan reduces the national debt, and fast. So fast, in fact, that economists worry that we're going to run out of debt to retire.

I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.

Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.

I wish you'd have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it. I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn't yet. I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't. You just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one. (after being asked to name the biggest mistake he had made)

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.

I want to share with you an interesting program, for two reasons. One, it's interesting. And two, my wife thought of it, or has actually been involved with it. She didn't think of it. But she thought of it for this speech.

This thaw took a while to thaw. It's going to take a while to unthaw.

I'm coming as the president of a friend, and I'm coming as a sportsman. (on his trip to the Olympics in China)

They have no disregard for human life. (describing Afghan fighters)

And so, in my State of the ... my State of the Union ... or state ... my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation, I asked Americans to give 4,000 years ... 4,000 hours over the next ... the rest of your life ... of service to America. That's what I asked.

I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that. (discussing Tony Blair)

I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend. (on the prospect of visiting Denmark)

Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people.

They misunderestimated me.

I didn't grow up in the ocean - as a matter of fact near the ocean. I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing.

I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office.