Governor George Bush:
‘The new prime minister
of India is ... uh, no’
Friday, September 14, 2001
Republican presidential candidate Governor George W. Bush of Texas is asked to identify four nations' world leaders during an interview with political correspondent Andy Hiller at NBC's WHDH-TV studio in Boston, Wednesday, November 3, 1999:
Hiller: "Can you name the president of Chechnya?"
Bush: "No, can you?"
Hiller: "Can you name the president of Taiwan?"
Bush: "Yeah, Lee."
Hiller: "Can you name the general who is in charge of Pakistan?"
Bush: "Wait, wait, is this 50 questions?"
Hiller: "No, it's four questions of four leaders of four hot spots."
Bush: "The new Pakistani general, he's just been elected he's, he's, not elected, this guy took over office. He appears he's gonna bring stability to the country and I think that's good news for the subcontinent."
Hiller: "And you can name him?"
Bush: "General. I can name the general."
Hiller: "And it's..."
Bush: "General."
Hiller: "Prime minister of India?"
Bush: "Uh, the new prime minister of India is, uh ... no."
Bush: "Can you name the foreign minister of Mexico?"
Hiller: "No sir, but I would say to that, I'm not running for president."
Bush: "I understand. But the point is, if what you're suggesting is ... What I'm suggesting to you is that if you can't name the foreign minister of Mexico, therefore, you know, you're not capable of what you do. But the truth of the matter is you are, whether you can or not."