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

[sherbug]

I only wish we could tar and feather him and run him out of town. I resent him returning to a life of privilege after the misery he has caused in his country.

[exmate]

We'll miss you too Dubya. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[darthdarcy]

At least he finally figured out, which end of the phone you talk into..

[hortonhearsawho]

No more waking up and just starting wars whenever you want....

[concernvoter]

The only should have been cooking at the White House was a recipe on how to get us out of this mess with the economy.

[ukulelebailey]

How about Con Air One and Big House cooking, George?

[StillAmused]

He'll probably also miss the personal aide who wipes the drool from his chin before press conferences, slaps him to get his attention, hands him the copy and says, "Now, READ THIS!"

[synica]

Give him credit. He almost spoke a complete sentence: "Been a fabulous experience being president". All he needed was for someone to give him the "It has" subject and the rest of the predicate and he would have had it.
Bush should follow John Adams' example and leave DC the night before the inauguration.
Who do we blame? Bush or the fools who voted for him TWICE.

[Chubbster]

Wont he miss being actively responsible for the deaths of dozens of innocent people every day?

[rockyersocksoff]

This just in:

A note was found in Saddam's spider hole. Translation is as follows.

"I'll miss many things about being the Beloved Leader of Iraq. The chefs in my palaces, the adulation of the Iraqi people, the wives.

Leading the Glorious Islamic Nation of Iraq has been an honor, and I leave it better than I found it.

Gonna miss my two fine sons I suppose, but I can make more. They, too, served their country gloriously, and we desired by all women.

Challenges remain, but Allah be prasied, it is a good thing I was leader in these interesting times.

Well, catch ya on the flip side.

Cowboy Saddammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm OUT!"

[Moka11]

There is so much I would love to say face-to-face to our outgoing President. While on Wednesday when our new President elect had his third press conference trying to instill some confidence in the abysmal economy President Bush found it necessary to have one thing on his official calender: pardoning two turkeys.

I suppose it's best that he is pardoning turkeys rather than trying to "help" the mess he has put us all in because everything he touches seems to turn to sh--.

I can barely wait any longer for this despicable man to take his "faux cowboy strut" back to wherever he came from.

[ignorantwillyharper]

He's actually from Connecticut and he's always been, all hat and no cattle.

[leticia32]

He's been called a windshield cowboy, and I doubt they'll spend much,, if any, time at the the ranch. Laura wants to live the good life in "the city", George doesn't care- he is aimless and without purpose. Who will pay him big $$$ to speak? Probably some pathetic GOP group. Don't look to him to follow Clinton and do any charitable work. He should work 24/7 to make a tiny dent in the damage he has done.

[ebanks84]

I truly believe most Americans won't miss you, Bush, and hope you get your come uppance finally. I would still like to see you behind bars for the damage you did to this great country. You deserve no less.

[FarmworkerLawyer]

I never truly bought in to the 'stupid frat boy' stereotype until now. He will miss Air Force One and the cooking? Note to the White House staff: make sure that he has his pull-behind firetruck when he leaves or he will throw a tantrum and hold his breath until he turns blue. On second thought, hide the firetruck.

[FatherWolf]

Every so often in the past 8 years I've thought to myself "Maybe Bush isn't really as moranic [sic] as he appears. Then he lets out another of these small-minded statements and I have to conclude that, yes, he's really is a 'st.upid frat boy'.

During his whole time in the White House, it's always been about how much fun he's having or not having, about how he's the War President or the Decider or how he's this or that. It's been like hearing a little kid talking while they're playing. He won't miss serving the American People; he'll miss the world-class toys. Serious people who are really concentrating on doing things never talk like he does. They talk about the substance of their work, not the perks. Do you ever hear Hank Paulson complaining about how hard his job is?

[66rock]

He has never served the American people. Never.

[truthyguy]

"I'm not going to miss the limelight all that much," Bush said.
Well, guess what Georgie. The American public will be grateful when it does not have to see you and your pigeon neck head jerk or hear your incoherent ramblings. But most of all the public will be grateful that you can do no more damage to this great country.

[1Smartchik]

Bye Bye.... The worst President ever....

[Lotus19]

What a colossal failure. Where's the national apology?