I think Bush meant that we have to be mentally one step ahead of the enemy at all times. We have to contemplate and consider all the ways in which they may try to attack and harm us and develop effective countermeasures against such posable threats.
I don't see this as a "bushism."
Moving along now...
Doesn't matter what Bush meant. What he said was, "We never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and people."
Just looking at that sentence, and taking it out of context, would you immediately say, "Oh, of course, they are trying to think of ways terrorists could harm us so that they can defend"? Or would you say, "The person here is trying to come up with ways to harm our country and probably has malicious intent".
If this isn't clear enough to you, imagine a US Terrorist saying, "We never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and people." Sounds a little bit different now I bet.
You're right. It doesn't matter what he says, or what he means.
The people who don't like him will continue to not like him and use his quotes against him.
The people who like him will continue to like him and use his quotes in favor of him.
Pretty much that's it. It is obvious what he meant in the speech, as I'm sure he wasn't trying to announce intentions to the US that he is trying to cause harm. It is a rather funny and ambiguous statement, but it's nothing special.
he's a bad speaker. he is so nervous when he speaks that he has to step into a "safe place" in his head where he doesn't know what he's really saying.
Moonburn33,
this syndrome has a name. It's called ; "being too dumb to remember his speach". Unfortuneately there's no cure for it.
meh
WASHINGTON - President Bush offered up a new entry for his catalog of "Bushisms" on Thursday, declaring that his administration will "never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people."
Bush misspoke as he delivered a speech at the signing ceremony for a $417 billion defense spending bill.
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we," Bush said. "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
No one in Bush's audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5613296/