Being interviewed for, perhaps, the last time during his presidency, George W. Bush told CNN he regrets "saying some things I shouldn't have said.'
The 'things' refer to some of the statements Bush made on the war on terrorism and Osama Bin Laden. “Dead or alive” and “bring ‘em on” are two of the phrases he wishes he would never had uttered.
One imagines that his famous “you’re either with us or against us” line is one of the things Bush regrets saying as well.
“My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say,” Bush said.
When talking about the Iraq War, Bush said he regretted speaking in front of a banner that said “Mission Accomplished.”
“They had a sign that said ‘Mission Accomplished.’ It was a sign aimed at the sailors on the ship, but it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn’t think that. But nonetheless, it conveyed the wrong message,” Bush 43 said.
He also said he is looking forward to heading back to Texas. “No doubt I’m heading straight home. I miss Texas; I love Texas; I’ve got a lot of friends in Texas,” Bush said. “I’ll probably get back and take a deep breath.”
Lastly, Bush said he may write a book. “I want people to know what it was like to make some of the decisions I had to make,” he said. “In other words, what was the moment like? And I’ve had one of those presidencies where I’ve had to make some tough calls, and I want people to know the truth about what it was like sitting in the Oval Office.”
Bush may very well be one of the least popular presidents in modern history, but he is also the least understood. Many do not know what drove his decisions. A book would certainly help improve his image a lot.
He has not been the best of presidents, but certainly also not as bad as his main detractors claim.
A book in which Bush describes his side of the story would certainly be helpful for future generations and historians to review Bush’s presidency and to cast judgment on it. Lets not forget that Bush became president wanting to focus solely on domestic issues. In the end, however, he was forced to focus on foreign affairs, which came to define the true nature of his presidency.
There is a complicated story behind that evolution that should be shared with Americans and the world.
Reported by PoliGazette and shared under Creative Commons Copyright.
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