--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And then, of course, Bush won reelection…" description: "\"And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with Iraq. So where ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/seymour-hersh-9648_accountability_and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-w_546813.jpg" --- # And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything… ![“And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with Iraq. So where are we? Bush certainly sees himself as having been given an endorsement. He was asked about accountability in an interview, about why Rumsfeld…” quote by Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/seymour-hersh-9648_accountability_and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-w_546813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/seymour-hersh-9648_accountability_and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-w_546813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/seymour-hersh-9648_accountability_and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-w_546813.jpg) > “And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with Iraq. So where are we? Bush certainly sees himself as having been given an endorsement. He was asked about accountability in an interview, about why Rumsfeld, Rice, and Wolfowitz have been promoted, these people who led us into the debacle in Iraq. Bush said there was accountability - it was the election. So there we are.” [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bush frames electoral victory as the sole accountability for the Iraq war, deflecting personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Election is presented as the only answer. Key Takeaway Hold leaders accountable beyond votes. Themes politics accountability war leadership Mood skeptical investigative Type journalistic historical When to use this quote - elections - policy reviews - public hearings - media analysis Key Concepts responsibility public trust military strategy Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure accountability after elections? - Can public opinion replace formal oversight? A Different Perspective Relying on elections ignores ongoing consequences and moral duty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Complaints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaints/) [Debacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debacles/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reelection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reelection/) ## Related quotes > [President George W. Bush won reelection in 2004 largely because he was seen as comfortable in his own skin, while rival John Kerry was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/president-george-w-bush-won-reelection-in-2004-largely-because-he-was/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [“If you are going to hide yourself and you will not stand against the work of the bad people, you have given them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-are-going-to-hide-yourself-and-you-will-not-stand-against-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I've said this before, but accountability is key. And at the end of the day, my job is to make the kick, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-ve-said-this-before-but-accountability-is-key-and-at-the-end-of-the/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [In the last 100 years, three presidents suffered big defeats in Congress in their first term and then won reelection: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/in-the-last-100-years-three-presidents-suffered-big-defeats-in/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [Obama quickly became an effective advocate for the view that government is a critical part of the solution to society's problems. So effective that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/obama-quickly-became-an-effective-advocate-for-the-view-that/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [I believe that George Bush won the election through the vote of the people and the way our republic is set up. All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/i-believe-that-george-bush-won-the-election-through-the-vote-of-the/) [Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/) > [I fully appreciate the fact that George W. Bush won 49% of my district.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/i-fully-appreciate-the-fact-that-george-w-bush-won-49-of-my-district/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [I think my exact comment was that if Bush won it would be a good time to leave the United States. I'm not necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-think-my-exact-comment-was-that-if-bush-won-it-would-be-a-good-time/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Well, I'm against Bush. I'm definitely not pro-Bush. I think he's a maniac and a mad man, and I think he needs to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-miret/well-i-m-against-bush-i-m-definitely-not-pro-bush-i-think-he-s-a/) [Roger Miret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-miret/) > [The Republicans have, with some pride - George W. Bush won the White House by promising to restore dignity to the Oval Office. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-republicans-have-with-some-pride-george-w-bush-won-the-white/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Because the left, George Bush won two elections, 2000 and 2004. So 2008, we didn't see. It was obviously there. We saw effervescence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/because-the-left-george-bush-won-two-elections-2000-and-2004-so-2008/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [For decades the G.O.P. has won elections by appealing to social and racial divisions, only to turn after each victory to deregulation and tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/for-decades-the-g-o-p-has-won-elections-by-appealing-to-social-and/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [In the '90s, I think that Bill Clinton would have won in Puerto Rico. I think in the 2000s, George Bush would have won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-rossello/in-the-90s-i-think-that-bill-clinton-would-have-won-in-puerto-rico-i/) [Ricardo Rossello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-rossello/) > [Just look at who won the third debate between Bush and Gore. I knew Bush won, because people liked him more. People just didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/just-look-at-who-won-the-third-debate-between-bush-and-gore-i-knew/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Bush won the largest popular vote in history with a 3.5 million margin. Indeed, simply by getting a majority of the country to vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/bush-won-the-largest-popular-vote-in-history-with-a-3-5-million/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) ## More by Seymour Hersh > [I can't fudge what I write. But I can certainly fudge what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-can-t-fudge-what-i-write-but-i-can-certainly-fudge-what-i-say/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it for ideological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut-our/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [At a meeting in her office in the late summer of 2002, months before the war in Iraq, prisoner abuse at Guantanamo is discussed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/at-a-meeting-in-her-office-in-the-late-summer-of-2002-months-before/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Using words to make other people less big made me feel bigger, though the psychological dimension to that... well, I don't want to explore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/using-words-to-make-other-people-less-big-made-me-feel-bigger-though/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I didn't know I was gonna be a writer when I started out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-didn-t-know-i-was-gonna-be-a-writer-when-i-started-out/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [We'd be better off if the whole purpose of the adventure in Iraq was, say, to protect Israel or to protect the flow of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/we-d-be-better-off-if-the-whole-purpose-of-the-adventure-in-iraq-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The idea of photographing an Arab man naked and having him simulate homosexual activity, and having an American GI woman in the photographs, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-idea-of-photographing-an-arab-man-naked-and-having-him-simulate/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [There's been a lot of talk about how bad the reporting was, particularly with the George W. Bush Administration after 9/11. The general assumption,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/there-s-been-a-lot-of-talk-about-how-bad-the-reporting-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Grab whom you must. Do what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/grab-whom-you-must-do-what-you-want/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If George W. Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-george-w-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't think I've ever met a public official that didn't think he was doing the right thing. I can't think of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-met-a-public-official-that-didn-t-think-he/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [How can you have a security guarantee? The Europeans can give their security guarantees to Iran all they want in return for their stopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/how-can-you-have-a-security-guarantee-the-europeans-can-give-their/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't know Condoleezza Rice personally. I'm sure she's a nice lady, and I'm sure she plays the piano well. But she was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-condoleezza-rice-personally-i-m-sure-she-s-a-nice-lady/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The day after 9/11, we should have gone to Russia. We did the one thing that George Kennan warned us never to do -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-day-after-9-11-we-should-have-gone-to-russia-we-did-the-one-thing/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I happen to write a lot of stories that make Kissinger look bad. I'd rather that the stories weren't true, but they all happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-happen-to-write-a-lot-of-stories-that-make-kissinger-look-bad-i-d/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) [Explore all 71 Seymour Hersh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) Edward Greenspon > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) Philip Alston > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) Bill Bullard > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) Michael Soussan [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with Iraq. 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