Bush Will Miss Airforce One, White House Cooking

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush is relishing the chance to see "the klieg lights shift somewhere else," although he admits he'll miss perks like White House cooking and flying on Air Force One.

"Frankly, I'm not going to miss the limelight all that much," Bush said in an intimate family conversation with his sister, Doro Bush Koch, about how he'll feel when he leaves the White House to make way for Barack Obama on Jan. 20.

"Been a fabulous experience to be president," Bush told Doro in the conversation recorded for the oral-history organization StoryCorps. But he said he'll be ready to go when the time comes.

Bush did acknowledge in the Nov. 12 conversation _ aired Thursday on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" _ that he would miss the trips on the presidential jet and not having to worry about traffic. He and first lady Laura Bush both agreed in the talk that they would miss the chefs at the Executive Mansion, but disagreed about who would be in charge of meals when they move back to Texas in January.

"I'm sure I'm going to lose a lot of weight, because Laura's going to be the cook," Bush deadpanned. The first lady responded, "You're going to be the person grilling, though, I think."

The president also said he would miss spending time with his sister, who lives in the District of Columbia area.

"This is a job which, you know, obviously had a lot of stress to it; it has a lot of pressure," Bush said. "But when you're around your family at all, all that pales."

Since 2003, the nonprofit StoryCorps has helped people record nearly 25,000 interviews at stationary booths in New York and with mobile operations traveling around the country. Participants receive a CD of their 40-minute interview, and all recordings are archived at the Library of Congress.

Comments

[rabiddog6708]

Shrub will miss his plane and his cook. Two things he will miss, which is two more than the things we will miss about him.

[omac112211]

Is it true, GW Bush never attended a funeral of a soldier who died in during his 8 years in office?

[bonofide]

Buh-bye.

[hapiguy]

Eight Years, i have been asking, how, how could this man happen to this Country,,,you could not write a Sitcom this bad...

[BlueZoo]

SOMEBODY voted for this man and did so TWICE and in enough numbers for him to be elected President! That's how he happened to our country! I hope all who thought he was so great now regret their decision but I doubt it.

[hippynanainblingland]

Oh, puleeeze! He was not elected, not even once... though I must admit that the numbers of people who voted for him made it that much easier for the GOP to steal both elections... and THAT'S how this sorry excuse of a man happened to this Country.

[babymonster]

I'm looking forward to his last meal.

[wagthedog1001]

LMAO!!!!

[mystic]

Everything about Bush's eight long year tenure can be symbolised by the picture of G20 world leaders, without official cameras running, all going out of their way to snub him and he responded by snubbing them. Not a glance, not a smile, nothing but contempt and revulsion for the man who destroyed his country, made the world a more dangerous place and rendered a global economic meltdownl. Revulsion and disgust for the man who extolled the most unspeakable torture policies that will exemplify his legacy.

[DTOM]

That story was corrected a while ago. If what you say is true, take a look at the warm meeting he had with all of those pictured before the photo.

[Billie]

Simply put, if he has narcissistic personality disorder (which I think he does because i grew up with a sibling who does so i recognize signs) then his empathy and conscience connections are blocked by childish defense mechanisms. Don't expect anything real from Bush ever. All you will ever get is the false self. His answer to question displays much: a shallow sense of entitlement.

[solarian]

bush we will not miss you one bit. you should being to the hague or have a nice present like a rope necktie but that is fantasy

[SeanGardner]

And I'm sure he'll also miss those 12-15 hour naps.

[Kassandra]

Well, why wouldn't he miss being "the most powerful man in the world"????? that's all it ever was to him and he's made sure the next president WON'T BE "the most powerful man in the world"; that job has moved to India too.

[munki]

Enjoy the retirement...

[IkeChicago]

Right wing radio is say that in years to come America will look on George Bush as a great president, Joe Scarsbooooooooo included. So let evaluate him so far:

1. Came into office with a 200 billion surplus
2. National debt was being paid down and stood at 5 trillion.
3. Leaving office with hugh unemployment.
4. Leaving with a 500 billion plus deficit.
5. Leaving with the National debt at 11.5 trillion.

Yeah why is it that I can't see Bush as one of America's great presidents.

[hortonhearsawho]

You see only truth grasshopper...

[ignorantwillyharper]

It might be, beause he's been a fake all his life.

[DTOM]

6. The United States hasn't seen a terrorist attack since September of 2001.

[northsongs]

7. The worst terrorist attack to ever come on America, came on GWB's watch. After, he ignored warnings from his very own intelligence advisors to take action to avoid it.

[wagthedog1001]

We haven't seen an invasion of turkeys either. Is that Sarah Palin's claim to fame?

[che1111]

Story Corps has collected some amazing stories from real Americans. George W. and Laura do not count among them. Who really cares what George W. Bush will miss, fact is, he can't leave our lives fast enough. I'd like to not be reminded of the last 8 years and all of the damage he has done. While Obama and his kids distribute food to the poor, little rich boy gushes about missing his private jet.

[exmate]

It will be an easy act to follow.

[senorlou]

Cleaning up after him won't be so easy.

[Hillrick]

Maybe why Obama's getting an early start on the job...

[TheRealLuisa]

That sounds right, it looks like Obama is right in there with the rest of them, following Bush and foreign policy. It will be interesting to see what we think of Obama and his concept of "change" in the years to come. Change to what? Another status quo?

[JustADumbFireman]

"Been a fabulous experience to be president," Bush told Doro

For that alone, he ought to get twenty lashes.

[HoraceOvidson]

Heck, they give you 500 lashes in Singapore for littering.