To those of you who received honours, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you, too, can be president of the United States.

George W. Bush delivered this line in a commencement address, using self-deprecating humor about academic performance to connect with graduates and to broaden the definition of “success” beyond grades and formal honors. The remark plays on Bush’s public reputation as an unexceptional student and turns it into an encouraging message for those leaving school without top distinctions. In the ceremonial setting of graduation—where achievement is publicly ranked and rewarded—Bush’s quip reframes the moment as one of possibility, suggesting that future leadership and accomplishment are not reserved only for valedictorians or award-winners.

The quip underscores a populist, anti-elitist theme: merit as measured by school honors is not the only route to achievement. By congratulating award recipients while explicitly addressing “C students,” Bush widens the circle of recognition and reframes success as contingent on persistence, character, and opportunity rather than purely academic rank. The line’s humor depends on irony—Bush’s own presidency is offered as evidence—yet it also carries a serious subtext about the unpredictability of life paths and the limits of credentialism. In a commencement setting, it serves to temper competitive hierarchies with encouragement and optimism.