- Bush prefers what he calls “affirmative access,” though he does not seem to know what it is. Here’s how he described it during the debate: “I think the contracting business in government can help, not with quotas, but help meet a goal of ownership of small businesses, for example. The contracts need to be smaller, the agencies need to be, you know, need to recruit and to work hard to find people to bid on the state contracts. I think we can do that in a way that represents what America’s all about, which is equal opportunity and opportunity for people to realize their potential.” Asked for a clarification by moderator Jim Lehrer, Bush responded, “You heard what I was for. Vice President keeps saying I’m against things. You heard what I was for and that’s what I support.”
There you go.