Bush: "I Was Unprepared For War," "I'm Sorry" For The Economic Crisis

President Bush let it all out today during an interview with ABC News' Charlie Gibson. Bush delivered a mea culpa on Iraq, the economic crisis and the 2008 election outcome for Republicans.

Below are three write-ups on different parts of the interview:

From ABC News: Bush on the Iraq War...

Looking back on his eight years in the White House, President George W. Bush said he was "unprepared" for war and pinpointed incorrect intelligence that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction as "biggest regret of all the presidency."

"I think I was unprepared for war," Bush told ABC News' Charlie Gibson in an interview airing today on "World News." "In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack,'" he said. "In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents -- one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen."

From AP: Bush on the economic crisis...

President George W. Bush expressed remorse that the global financial crisis has cost jobs and harmed retirement accounts and said he'll back more government intervention if needed to ease the recession.

"I'm sorry it's happening, of course," Bush said in a wide-ranging interview with ABC's "World News," which was airing Monday. "Obviously I don't like the idea of people losing jobs, or being worried about their 401(k)s. On the other hand, the American people got to know that we will safeguard the system. I mean, we're in. And if we need to be in more, we will."

From CNN: Bush on helping lose the election for McCain...

President Bush told an interviewer that his presidency may have helped Barack Obama win the White House.

"I think it was a repudiation of Republicans," he told Charlie Gibson of ABC News, according to a transcript released by the network Monday. "And I'm sure some people voted for Barack Obama because of me. I think most people voted for Barack Obama because they decided they wanted him to be in their living room for the next four years explaining policy."

Comments

[mcn]

07:50 PM on 12/06/2008

I cast my vote to remove Bush and company from any further compensation.
No Tax Payer retirement.
And most certainly no Presidential Library at our expense.

How about Obama filing suit against Bush for the damages and loses his administration has been responsible for?

[protagonia]

07:36 AM on 12/06/2008

PNAC.

[brandon102]

11:00 AM on 12/05/2008

I can't believe it. He wants sympathy 'cause all those bad people made all those problems, but "he in" if we need him.

We never needed him. The Republicans owe all of us Democrats apologies. Maybe they could be our servants for a week to attone.

Good thing Jeb is already working on his run for the White House. Those Bushes are such keen observers, to know we can't wait for more Bush. By the way, why aren't George and Dick Cheney and Karl Rove and that sharp legal mind of Gonzales all headed directly to prison?

[firesideone]

11:07 AM on 12/05/2008

He wants sympathy.

I want justice.

Both of us will just have to live with disappointment.

[annied]

10:54 AM on 12/05/2008

So ... will GWB be held accountable for anything? Is this "it wasn't my fault" defense another version of "I don't recall"?

[RJII]

10:29 AM on 12/05/2008

the GOP and its supporters should be ashamed.

they rammed this war down our thro ats and screamed that liberas were anti-american and unpatriotic.

Worst, they told us over and over that we didn't support the troops because we knew this war was wrong and Bush is incompetent.

[lunchlady]

02:42 PM on 12/05/2008

ITA. Another travesty carried out on the backs of Patriotism. The GOP has been trying to appropriate Patriotism for years, along with Christianity and Family Values and any other sort of virtue they can think of . Call them on it, over and over and over. They're full of it.

[protagonia]

07:36 AM on 12/06/2008

Devils.

[lloydc123]

09:59 AM on 12/05/2008

The war was about oil (GREENSPAN) and Israel (NEOCONS) and a little of "He tried to kill my daddy."

[billthinx]

09:26 AM on 12/05/2008

Sorry you definitely are, Bush.

[LiberalLillian]

04:44 AM on 12/05/2008

In about 6 weeks we won't have to put up with him anymore. In the meantime, he's good for a few laughs: see "George Bush Bloopers & Quotes" on http://politicalnewsconnection.com/ (it's under "US Government News"). As someone else put it, "sca*ry, yet hilarious".

[chancho24]

12:13 AM on 12/05/2008

Ignored the warnings about a terrorist attack before 9/11.
Lied to the American people about WMD so they could invade Iraq.
Abu Ghraib torture.
Detention center in Guantanamo.
4,000 US troops killed, over 100,000 Iraqis dead.
Katrina fiasco... Economic Meltdown...
All in just 8 years. This must be a new record for heavy duty incompetence.

[leeman79]

07:31 PM on 12/04/2008

I'm so sorry that that I had to blame IRAQ on the CIA's bad intelligence, and that Bill Clinton caused the economic crisis. This "BOY" has never taken ownership for anything in his life, why should he now.

[dashboard]

06:38 PM on 12/04/2008

The wreckage surrounding this administration could fill volumes. Below is growling list of scandals, failures, and sheer imcompetence.

http://www.netrootsmass.net/hughs-bush-scandals-list/

[firesideone]

11:04 AM on 12/05/2008

Volumes which would stack up nicely on the bookshelves of the George W. Bush Library. Now that would be poetic justice.

[Golfer59]

05:55 PM on 12/04/2008

HEY GEORGIE BOY, YOU WERE UNPREPARED TO BE DOG CATCHER!!! HOW THE HELL WE GOT YOU AS PRESIDENT THE SECOND TIME AROUND BOGGLES THE MIND.

[Blain]

11:23 AM on 12/05/2008

the same uneducated hateful voters that love sarah palin's "message" is how he got elected the second time. but lets go back to how he got elected the first time, that is the real scandal.

[peterg76]

03:13 PM on 12/04/2008

George Bush was unprepared. Full stop.

[AcitizenNJ]

01:37 PM on 12/04/2008

Folks, these issues about how unprepared he was is a smoke screen. As the leader of the free world he was a complete failure in this role. The underlining damage to the country isn't even being discussed. he gutted or corupted just about every department their is. The real criminals are the folks that pulled the strings on this guy. The damage done is going to last for the next 2 maybe 3 presidents in IMHO.

[OldKnute]

05:48 PM on 12/04/2008

Agreed.

Is this not the same man that declared with pride,,, “I am a WAR President.”
That HE (Bush),,, “Was all about Regime Change.”
That if you spoke out about the errors and poor excursuses for this war in Iraq, you were a “Traitor” to America?
For those who said Saddam had no WMDs left after their use against Iran, (Iran/Iraq War) you were a fool?
To others who warned about aq possible insurgency and resistance to occupation, that they were Cowards?

That we would be welcomed as liberators, pay for the war with Iraqi Oil, be out in 6 months, and be champions of freedom and democracy?

NOW, Bush would tell us he was NOT prepared for war????

Funny,,,, Millions around the world said exactly that same thing in April of 2003 by way of worldwide protest.

Well,, not really funny,, but MORE,,, truly a sad thing.

All the best

Knute

[flossophy]

08:40 PM on 12/04/2008

both of you, OldKnute & AcitizenNJ along with all the other people here making hay about the word 'unprepared'... are completely distorting the context... and then adding your 2-3 cents of bush bashing. enough already.

Anyone here with enough intellectual honesty must see through this charade.

Now we can all debate Bush's decisions... but it debases the discussion when one side is calling the man eeevil. It is amazing that the Left gets a pass on fomenting this type of thing among it's young foot-soldiers. This is not venezuela or argentina...

[BarefootSoul83]

12:52 PM on 12/04/2008

I think Bush Jr. did a fine job.....anyone who disagrees....you've got your "change" if you need me I'll be in Canada!

[juzcuz]

02:42 PM on 12/04/2008

bye-bye to the likes of you. Have a nice life now that you and the Repubs have ruined everyone else's.

[jnickj6]

04:33 PM on 12/04/2008

Where have you been for the past 8 years? You definately weren't here in the USA...unless you were fortunate enough to be in the top 5% who is controlling 95% of the wealth...
You HAD to have something to gain from his war crimes and other atrocities.... Oh, I know..YOU are a Haliburton Criminal! I love Charades!

Please do us a favor and pay your fair share of taxes then.... but then again, go ahead and move...I dare you... I am calling your "bluff." I won't tell you to "love it or leave it." You have your opinion--even if it is a blatantly ill conceived notion.

Ha ha ha...fine job, indeed. If it weren't so tragic, it'd be funny.