There’s that darn passive-voice phrase again

Vice President George H.W. Bush, on the Iran-Contra scandal, in 1986:

“Clearly, mistakes were made.”

Former President Ronald Reagan, on the Iran-Contra scandal, in 1986:

“Mistakes were made.”

President George W. Bush, on the Abu Ghraib scandal, today:

Bush said it was important for “the people of Iraq to know that everything is not perfect. That mistakes are made.”