Bush "Fox News Sunday" Interview: I Refused To "Bail Out" GOP (VIDEO)

President Bush told Brit Hume on "FOX News Sunday" that he refused to "bail out my political party" by withdrawing troops "during the darkest days of Iraq."

"During the darkest days of Iraq, people came to me and said, 'You're creating incredible political difficulties for us,'" the current president said as his term draws to a close. "And I said, 'Oh, really? What do you suggest I do?' And some suggested retreat, pull out of Iraq. But I had faith that freedom exists in people's souls and therefore, if given a chance, democracy and Iraqi-style democracy could survive and work," the president said. "I didn't compromise that principle for the sake of trying to, you know, bail out my political party."

Former President George H. W. Bush, also interviewed, praised his son for the decision. "You can make a tough decision and stay with it," adding to Hume, "And he's been tested unlike any other president with 9/11. So he passed the test."

Watch:

Comments

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

The apple doesn't fall far from the bottom of the barrel.

[indypete]

You're on form today!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

After 16,432 comments, finally some beginer's luck. ;-)

[Chopin]

Priceless !

[dolphy]

"But it's very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward looking that we drive people away from a philosophy that is compassionate and decent and I -- my call for our party is to be open-minded about different people's opinions.

The i d i o t doesn't know the meaning of irony.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

According to pops, junior "passed the test."

That mope couldn't even pass a urine test if he studied all night and took Kaplan.

[dbearton]

Bush admitted to Brit Hume that he personally authorized torture. What does that make Bush? And yes, he should keep his mouth shut and not admit to authorizing torture.

[Ranta]

Somehow Bush thinks the Iraq war has been "won". Just like "mission accomplished", who knows where it will really end. Paying off the warlords was a good temporary stop measure but the civil war is waiting for us to leave.

[roshni]

Bush needs to shut the f up.

[dbearton]

Bush admitted to Brit Hume, he authorized torture. Yes, he needs to keep his mouth shut.

[Icantbelieveher]

'You're creating incredible political difficulties for us,'" the current president said as his term draws to a close. "And I said, 'Oh, really? What do you suggest I do?' And some suggested retreat, pull out of Iraq.

Did Bush just admit that the republicans could have cared less what the right thing to do was? Did he just tell all of America that their first thought is always about their party and getting elected? Did he just say that republicans are about politics first?

What happened to country first, republicans?

[Mugzi]

That is precisely the point! That is precisely why they can never be trusted...­country is not in their equation!

[bilmardre]

Except when they manipulate the nitwits in this country to support them by exploiting their jingoist instincts while robbing them blind and sending their children off to die.

[me again]

Stupid is as stupid does......­.

[redsongia]

No, but he did his best to fan the flames in Georgia to help out his party.

[larryburns94]

It must have been extremely difficult to stand up in the face of all those who wanted to retreat- even from his own party and within his own administration. Thank God he didn't back down. I can't imagine what Iraq would look like today if he had.

The naysayers, monday-morning quarterbacks and weak kneed politicians will be lost to subsequent generations when this chapter of history is written. What will be remembered is that Bush, in what seems like almost complete isolation, decided to give a democratic Iraq one more chance- and Iraq took it.

Here's hoping Iraq's upcoming elections are a success!

[AliMB]

I agree... as i have been arguing on this thread, the president's decision to adopt the Surge strategy in 2007, despite its massive unpopularity, even among Republicans, and in face of the Baker-Hamiliton Report (remember James Baker is a close confidant of the Bush family and one of his attornies in the 2000 election dispute), was a politically couragous decision that has conversed the situation in Iraq. This is not to excuse the President's handling of the war 2003-2007 (which was a huge failure), but his "surge" decision took guts and it has proved to be succesful. Remember in early 2007 when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid famously said that the Iraq War "was lost" and that the surge is a failure? The previous sunday Reid went on national television and declared that for his surge strategy Petraeus was a "genius", and that he would be "written about in history books for years to come". Now the most important date this month for the United States may not be Jan. 20, but Jan. 31.

[jinxed]

Just keep telling yourself that as our country sinks deeper and deeper into a recession and quite possibly a depression caused by all the poor decisions made by our "decider-in-chief". His mantra has been to spend more and more money on his war of choice while cutting spending at home for more money to give to the likes of Haliburton, Blackwater and KBR in no-bid contracts!

I certainly hope you enjoy what it purchased for the average American family...e­xactly NOTHING!

[fumes]

fyi alimb, they throw shoes at bush in iraq, where's the love bud?

[BeasleysMom]

This war was not needed. The reasons given by Bush changed nearly on a daily basis. Freedom and Democracy for the Iraqi people was only the most recent and will not endure once we leave the region because the tribal nature of the Iraqi people and the level of education.

Thousands of young American men and women have lost their lives in this disgraceful invasion. The billions of dollars wasted in that country would have served the people of this country much better had it been applied to our infrastructure or educational systems.

To defend Bush's decision to endlessly dump money into the farsical adventure and suggest that Jan. 31 is an important date for Americans is reprehensible, reasons to be understood only by Americans, which as in a previous post, I suggest that you probably are not, Ali.

[dolphy]

How does that koolaid taste?

[DoctorWhoDat]

The Bush family is God's practical joke on the United States.

[blkcat x lady]

LOL...amen

[Chopin]

The Greatest Political Irony of All Time:---

The conventional wisdom of that political party thought --- here's a likable harmless dimwit that they can handle and manipulate for the party to gain power. It turned out that partyboy had ideas of his own to be remembered for his own fanatical dimwit legacy. Partyboy became absolute partypooper that didn't care if he brought his nation to its knees, and brought down the whole house and party around him, just so that history would erect his well earned tombstone that reads: "RIP --- MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"

[BeasleysMom]

"The conventional wisdom of that political party thought --- here's a likable harmless dimwit that they can handle and manipulate for the party to gain power"

For a second I thought you were talking about Sideshow Sarah.

[Chopin]

For a second act followup, that's a chilling scary thought !

[taricaziz]

Soon the scourge will be gone.

[DACC]

will Ms. DACC, aparently you haven't been looking very well... remember what the original post was; that i defended the president for making the right choice vis-a-vis the surge. I never said that it makes Bush a great president, that the decision to invade iraq was correct, or that i don't support the democrats, i was only making an objective analysis and (IMO) giving credit where credit is do. I see your are passionate about the incoming President, but if i could politely suggest something: dont look at everything thru a partisan prism. Some things are right, even if the republicans say it is.

Are you serious This is a blog, a discussion. One doesn't come away with not "haven't been looking very well" unless they are inherently ignorant. As to whether W did acted responsibly doesn't matter anymore. He's out of here in 9 days. You want to run around touting a sign that says "there's an election in i.r.a.q. on 1/31", knock your socks off!!! I am through assisting you in the lessons of recognizing a failure. You want to cling ro something good out of this war??? Have a party!!! Do not attempt to tell me how to "look" at anything, I see no reason to view you as an expert on anything except spinning. Therefore your words are soundly dismissed as foolishness. Now please stop typing to me I will no longer continue this childish rant with you.

[DACC]

as a closing I might add there were many who thought it appropriate to stand behind and defend the actions of A H.i.t.l.e.­r, that didn't make his actions any less egregious or shameful..

[NoSillyName]

Such logic from such a great thinker. lol.