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

[senorlou]

Hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi, Afghani, and US citizens killed by Bush's idiocy and incompetence (wars, Katrina, 9/11, etc); countless more maimed and traumatized for life. A quarter of a million US citizens lose their jobs in Nov alone, and we're just getting started. I could go on and on endlessly for all the crimes committed by Bush and his cronies. Decent human beings do not do these things. If we're going to slap a label on Bush, let's be more accurate and call him what all those killed by his folly would likely call him, if they were still alive - a monster.

[socialmistfit]

Oh come on now. I think you need to look in the mirror. You are a monster writing that cR@p. If Bush is a monstor for all those reasons, then I guess you must thing FDR and Lincoln were the both demons from hell. I could go on and on about every president. Grow some perspective will ya? Decent human beings show civility and restraint and also show respect for any president regardless if they agree with his policies and performance.

[Lyvia]

I agree with you...

[sammyscout]

Dear socialmistfit

apparently you did not loose a loved one in any of those tragedies that Bush was neck deep in and in power to control to a great extent. Good for you.

Without a doubt Bu5h is a monster of the worst kind. In guise of his daily morning prayers at the WH, he is 5atan himself.

Too many innocent people have lost their lives and livelihood so he and his chums can be richer....

[Leslib]

Oh, you can just stop that headline at "I was unprepared". He was unprepared for the position and I agree...he is one sorry son of a gun. Too bad we had to suffer through him.

[AriadnesThread]

"Poor George, He can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth." --
Ann Richards ( in heaven)

[djgonebad]

"...;I was unprepared for,....THE JOB!!!!!

[sKate]

First, I am not a fan of George Bush. Second, I CAN'T STAND George Bush. But I must say, this headline was taken out of context. I watched the Charlie Gibson interview. Gibson asked Bush what one thing in his presidency was he unprepared for. Bush used the word "unprepared" as a synonym for "unexpected," not as in "I didn't study for the test." While Bush didn't study for the test, that is not what he was said in the ABC interview. Why unfairly slant a comment against him when there is plenty of legit criticism to hurl?

[flossophy]

because HuffPuff readers don't bother to read the article... just the headlines. This news product is simply designed this way.

[poliscibabe]

I just don't know what is worse - Bush admitting he didn't know what the hell he was doing or the Republican party for following him anyway. This one admission is the reason why the Republicans DO NOT DESERVE to be in power for a VERY long time!

[socialmistfit]

How about Democrats offering up John Kerry as the alternative. Now there is a reason to hate!

[rnelsonbrown]

Sorries don't cut it Dub. Go bye bye. Now!

[editgirl]

Repugs are great at calling on the wisdom of Ronald Regan, I suppose none had ever heard of the diary entry Mr. Reagan made about George W. Bush, entry is dated May 17, 1986.

‘A moment I’ve been dreading. George brought his ne’re-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida. The one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I’ll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they’ll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work.’

[icemilkcoffee]

LOL I love it! what a gem!

[dreamcougar]

yep, that says it all... you could see his 'lostlessness' in his face before his election... how on earth could people be so blind as to vote him in twice? Like he said (in his typical unintelligent delivery), "fool me once...uh... fool me twice... uh... well, you can't be fooled again"... well, they were George. Good bye! I know you tried to show your father you were worthy, and I'm sorry.

[Ponderus]

He regrets the failure of intelligence on Iraq? How about the failure of intelligence in his head?

This is a person of no merit.

[geaaronson]

Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Bush is not to blame for the feds coddling Fannie Mae and Mac because the Democrats had installed their ´´WELFARE BENEFITS´´ for decades in the past. Come on, give me a break. The Republicans controlled the US House of Representatives from 1994 through 2008 and the Senate was also Republican for the first six years of the GWB presidency and the Democrats are to blame for federal policy re the two? Ahem.....

[flossophy]

geaaronson, the dems blocked any attempt at reform, regulation or oversight of FM&FM... the congressional record shows this. Heard of this thing called google?

I doubt that even if it was crystal clear to you that the Democrats were responsible for shielding FM&FM from regulation... thus leading to the meltdown... You would still find a way to blame it on Bush. It is this phenomenon that makes healthy societal debate far more difficult.

Shame on the people stirring up all this bush haight, including the HuffPuffers.

[SACVET]

It's amazing how some folks will let all the Bush mistakes be whitewashed by the perpetrator himself. He was an arrogant fatuous man who thought he was somehow entitled to the job of president. This interview did not indicate the slightest degree of meaningful Introspection and humility will always escape this man who the manipulators kept in the "bubble." However the real question is why didn't he perceive and do something about living in the Cheney, et.al. created bubble?He was too comfortable and couldn't be bothered that's why. He was selfishly lazy and consequently didn't initiate measures indicative of true leadership. The rest of the world wondered for eight years how we let his presidency happen.

[CS1373]

Exactly!

[JessWonderin]

Nailed exactly . . . self pity avoidence of reality . . . he's a loser and WE paid the price . . .

[bumpersticker]

The slacker President. .

[dreamcougar]

This is all true. All my friends who live world-wide said to me for years, 'The whole world can see so many things Americans do not. Wake up! " Did anyone read 'A Nation of Sheep"?

[JerryG1]

Bush, at heart a good and decent man, was unprepared for the presidency.
He was asleep at the switch when he was warned about Al Qaeda’s intentions, after which we lost thousands of innocent Americans. As hard as it is, we should forgive him for this. Perhaps no one would have done better with this general warning.
But when he could have been / should have been studying, learning, serving, he led the life of a silver-spoon party guy.
Much harder to forgive is his lack of in-depth knowledge and his watermelon­-in-each-a­rm braggadocio, which led to his, and our, decline.
He also seemed to want to outdo his father – I’m a tough Texas guy. (If you don’t believe it, just watch me walk.) I took care of finishing off Saddam. I got re-elected.
At least George the Elder – who doesn’t act like a tough guy, but is - left his country better off than when he took office.

[rckayla]

JerryG1, I agree with everything you say here except for Bush being at heart a good and decent man. He is an arrogant, spoiled rich boy bully who only cares about himself and his riches. Sorry but to me that is not someone who is at heart a good and decent person (man or woman).

[CS1373]

Why reiterate what we already Know??? (smile)

[grayforester]

Good and decent are two words that don't fit at all with the man you described. He seems unable to resist an impulse to stick his thumb in any available eye. If he were in my extended family I would elope rather than endure his tributes at my wedding.

The secret office tapes of Richard Nixon have made news this week, and his remarks are appalling, but compared to our current President he seems the soul of diplomacy.

[hardybear]

These Nixon tapes are just the memorex gift that keeps
on giving ... in a vaguely depressing sort of way.

[UberReaganite]

Bush's father lost the presidency after winning the most successful war and one sided victory in history. 200 allied casualties and over 400,000 enemy. The Iraqis were literally thrown out of Kuwait. There are 2 reasons Bush 1 failed and why I didnt vote for his reelection. 1. He did not remove Saddam from power. I was always quite certain that we should have gone into Bagdad THEN and no matter how ugly it would be, remove Saddam and his party from power completely. That was a HUGE mistake. The second reason he didnt get my vote and the main reason he LOST a certain win in that election was that the American economy was not doing well at the time and instead of firmly espousing strong ideas for economic develoment that would help ALL americans all he did was yap about "1000 points of light" and other abstract quasi-religious crap.

George Bush the father did a good job as president and even though he lost to Bill Clinton America did very well in the next few years so it was all good. George Bush the father was not very good at economic policy and Clinton was not very good at foreign policy but overall they both did just fine.

Bush the son failed miserably in both of these areas. I didnt vote for him and that is also why he is so unpopular now. America can only do better without Little Bush, how very sad for him.

[rckayla]

Finally! Someone who tells it like it is and states the truth! Thank you UberReaganite (although I myself didn't vote for Ronald Reagan). One thing I disagree with that you say is that Clinton "was not very good at foreign policy"... I think his only problem was that he did not take the terrorists seriously enough. But then neither did George W. Bush until 9/11 happened.

[CS1373]

He lied to the country over and over again. Why didn't he pull out when he found out there was absoluely no reason for the US being there? Because he would have had to admit he was wrong. ....Because Cheney was running the country....because of a million unsounded reasons and lies. He was the President! He's passing the blame-again! He should have been impeached long ago. He has ruined the reputation of this country and has ruined lives! I blame him for the economic crises ,and for the lack of good healthcare in this country for All beacuse having it is our Right ! 'I'm sorry' is too little too late!

[rckayla]

Another American playing the "blame game" (sigh)... The voters are to blame for not being better educated and informed about their presidential candidates before pulling that lever on Election Day. Yes Bush lied to this country over and over again but why reiterate what all Americans now know??? Blaming the President and/or the government for our poor decision in selecting a President and Commander-in-Chief is tiresome. We, the people, have the power to tell these elected-officials what we will and will not stand for anymore and we blew it by re-electing Bush in 2004. But we redeemed ourselves this year...Go President Obama!

[CS1373]

I agree with what you say, I voice my opinions to my elected officials; local and otherwise. I'm just reacting to what he said about being 'sorry'. I did not vote for Bush in 2000 or 2004. I d not want to hear what he has to say anymore. I want to move forward. My President is Obama - he had my vote long before Nov. 4.

[hardybear]

Blame can be quite energizing. :)

[UberReaganite]

When America was attacked on 9/11 Bush was President and he was completely Unprepared.
When New Orleans needed support in their hour of need the Bush administration Failed miserably.
When America responded to 9/11 Bush went after....Hussein and the real culprit Bin Laden is still free.
When America needed fiscal responsibility and real conservative leadership Bush wasted Trillions of taxpayer dollars but his administration did absolutely nothing to encourage responsible corporate practice or government administration -nothing. He spent like a giddy liberal.
When other nations like Sudan, Nigeria, North Korea etc who truly suffered under real "Ruthless Dictators" cried for help George Bush did nothing at all.

So please you faithful Republicans. Please feel free to list some FACTS about what George Bush actually accomplished in EIGHT years other than leading our nation and the entire world into the worst economic crisis in decades. Go ahead, list some facts. what did George Bush do that is worthy of historical recognition, worth of praise?

Dont change the subject with your ranting about Clinton and liberals, lets talk about YOUR LEADER. What did he do other than what I listed above....

Well?

[rckayla]

Hate to say this, because I did NOT vote for Bush in 2000 nor in 2004, but he has kept the United States SAFE since 9/11 happened. I do agree with you on the other points you stated here about the horrible mistakes George W. Bush made as our President, but why reiterate the obvious??? We must remember that he had no experience as a Governor (of Texas) to deal with terrorism. And this is why the American voter must become better informed about their presidential candidates before they vote on election day.

[grayforester]

I don't think what W has done to our military qualifies as keeping us safe. There haven't been any high profile attacks here from Islamic terrorists, because the one on September Eleven is still working. They wanted to destroy our economy. I think the terrorists won.

[flossophy]

UberReaganite... here you go, point by point:

Anyone would've been unprepared for 9/11. especially Gore.
Katrina, sure easy to blame Bush... But the local & state government's ineptitude was colossal.
Bin Laden... ok he failed to get mr. Big.
Agreed, he spent like a drunken socialist sailor... but he could only do so because he CUT TAXES which INCREASED FEDERAL REVENUE. We've had almost 8 years of sustained growth.
You can't lay every oppressed peoples' problem at the foot of GWB. What about the rest of the developed world stepping up and taking some responsibility for fixing things. The UN could be more effective, but it isn't. Go find out why.

I'm not a republican, so I won't defend Bush. But I will point out that it was NOT his policies that led to this economic crisis. Uber, it was bad gov't legislation in the 90's (CRA) which forced banks to start lending to poor folks - AND - no oversight or regulation of Fannie & Freddie as they bought up alot of those high risk mortgages, bundling them into securities (knowing that the government / taxpayer would bail them out). Bush sounded the alarm several times, but any effort to reform FM&FM was blocked by the Democrats every time. Once the housing bubble burst - we find ourselves here.

Bush's biggest failure was not being able to REGULATE Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac (Democrat controlled for decades)... in an effort to try to avert this catastrophe.

[DueTruthinesss]

Ummm, I'm still waiting to hear what the good things he did for this country were. All you listed were excuses. What ever happened to the idea that in the Oval Office, "the buck stopped there"?

[JessWonderin]

flossie -
please cut the BS and state WHAT did Bush do that made America a BETTER country?


chirp, chirp, chirp . . . . .

[wendynyc]

He did not represent the people that voted for him - or the ones that did not.

The only people he took care of were his rich Republican donor buddies. They sure looked like they had cleaned out this country.

Now with the stock market and this bailout - I am not so sure how rich they really got!

Greed never wins in the end!

[CS1373]

I concur! And Cheney was the head of the pack!