Bush: I Didn't Compromise My Soul To Be Popular

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush knows he's unpopular. But here's what matters, he says: "I didn't compromise my soul to be a popular guy." In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News Channel, Bush also praised the national security team assembled by President-elect Barack Obama, offered hope to U.S. automakers seeking government assistance and said the people of Illinois will have to sort out allegations that Gov. Rod Blagojevich sought kickbacks in choosing a successor for Obama's Senate seat.

Bush said presidents fail when they make decisions based on opinion polls.

"Look, everybody likes to be popular," said Bush.

"What do you expect? We've got a major economic problem and I'm the president during the major economic problem. I mean, do people approve of the economy? No. I don't approve of the economy. ... I've been a wartime president. I've dealt with two economic recessions now. I've had, hell, a lot of serious challenges. What matters to me is I didn't compromise my soul to be a popular guy."

An Associated Press-GFK poll last week showed just 28 percent of the public approving of the job Bush is doing, about where he has been all fall. Among Republicans, 54 percent approve, a low figure from members of a president's own political party.

Bush said he didn't think he would be viewed as the 21st century's Herbert Hoover, who was president during the Great Depression. He said he worked to keep the economy from collapsing.

"I'm a free market guy," Bush said. "But I'm not going to let this economy crater in order to preserve the free market system. So we made a lot of very strong moves and it's been painful for a lot of people, particularly because, you know, this _ the excesses of the past have caused a lot of folks to hurt when it comes to, like, their 401(k)'s or, you know, their jobs."

He said his administration is continuing to look at options for helping the Big Three automakers and that it needs to get done "relatively soon." He said a "disorganized bankruptcy" of one or more of the automakers could cause great harm to the economy "beyond that which we're now witnessing."

"That concerns me," he said. "And the other point is that I _ I'm not interested in _ in really putting good money after bad."

On other subjects:

_ Bush called Obama's national security team "solid," especially praising his own Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who will continue in the post in Obama's administration.

"I think the incoming administration's going to have to fully analyze the risks and the tools and _ come to their own conclusion," he said. "But one thing's for certain. I'm confident that President-elect Obama knows that one of his most solemn duties is to protect the American people."

_ Bush avoided discussing Blagojevich.

"They're going to have to sort it through in Illinois," Bush said. "Obviously anytime anybody allegedly betrays the public trust there's got to be great concern because, you know, democracy really is, you know, really rests on the trust of the people. It's a system of people and by people and for people. And, therefore, the public trust is important."

Comments

[boing007]

True, you're far worse than him.

[motoGpifupleez]

As George Costanza once said "It's not a lie if YOU believe it". Keep the faith "W", it's only the facts that are out to get you.

[CRA1]

He did not compromise his sole because he does not have one!

[Jeff1958]

He has two soles but no soul.

[motoGpifupleez]

And 2 more....IN­COMING!

[DASChicago]

He keep's talking about a "Soul", looking into someone's eye's to see their soul, now he's trying to reinvent his history, still searching.­.. for something that's innate in most of us-real souls.
Hello!!!!! your empty suit was never born with one, OK. Begin by checking all of the reasons why the American People and the rest of the world don't mean a dam* thang to you!

[research]

Bush is just like Hoover:

Hoover rescued the banks, not the real economy,

[hildutus]

Bush is no Herbert Hoover, as Nixon was not a crook.

[FranklinS]

WAR CRIMINAL-period

[Agent420]

Let's all chip in, if we can come up with enough money after he is through with us, to buy him a one way ticket to the World Court where they can hang him. I know it is asking for your kids to go without a meal, but could we dig real deep and buy a ticket for the Puppet Master too?

[jdenham]

I think Herbert Hoover was much better President. Hoover only left us in a Depression. George Bush has done far worst. His Presidency has left us with 2 wars, 10000 Americans dead ( 9/11, Katrina, Iraq), we have lost world trust and respect, and are headed into a World Depression that we caused. But the man is to stupid to realize he was in charge and blames everyone else. Dear God. George Bush take some responsibility for your failed Presidency. Please just shut up we do not want to hear anything from you unless it is an apology. Go away please.

[Forester]

A "speech" given at the US Army War College.
Not much chance of criticism there, and sure to get TV coverage and applause on cue.
But most importantly, getting those boots untied takes way too long.

[NoblesseOblige]

Counting the days until January 20th, 2009. It can't come soon enough.

[Ourrias]

Why can't Bush just "shut up?" As concerns all his blathering rationalization in the past two weeks about his legacy, all a reaonable observer can say is: "Me thinks the lady doth protest ...!"

Present and future historians have, and will have, absolutely no problem in judging George W. Bush THE worst president this country has ever had.

It's a no-brainer. You know, just like Bush ... no brain!

[BlueOnBlue]

Shut up. Stop talking. Go away!

[slj316]

Wouldn't GWB need a soul first?

[AZ AF VET]

I can't see how anyone could ever be surprised that the economy is in the toilet. If you get the same guy in a position of power over and over again and watch him fail over and over again, we would have to be insane if we thought he would be any other outcome but failure

He knows he's a failure but he lives in a state of denial and has for a long time.

[Buddy McCue]

"But I'm not going to let this economy crater..."

The use of the word "crater" as a verb caught my attention. I remember McCain using it that way when he suspended his campaign to fly to Washington. He said that the economy was "cratering­." I thought it was weird then.

[apogee2perogee]

It is an oilfield turn of phrase meant to evoke a well that has a 'blowout', ignites and leaves nothing but a crater. In the oil industry, it is slang for a complete and total failure...­...the worst of possible outcomes.

[Buddy McCue]

Thanks. I learned something.