Bush: "Liberating" To Be Out Of Office, Picking Up Dog Poop

ARTESIA, N.M. — It was a humbling moment for the former commander in chief: President George W. Bush was walking former first dog Barney in his new Dallas neighborhood when it stopped in a neighbor's yard for relief.

"And there I was, former president of the United States of America, with a plastic bag on my hand," he told a group of graduating high school students in New Mexico on Thursday. "Life is returning back to normal."

Bush, in one of his few public appearances since leaving office in January, told the students that leaving office lifted a heavy burden.

"I no longer feel that great sense of responsibility that I had when I was in the Oval Office. And frankly, it's a liberating feeling," he told seniors from Artesia High School.

He received a warm welcome in the southeastern New Mexico community, the Roswell Daily Record reported. Bush declined interviews and no video cameras were allowed inside.

The crowd gave him multiple standing ovations and after his speech he was presented with a sculpture of an eagle taking flight from a torch. The sculpture will be dedicated at City Hall on Memorial Day in honor of Bush and America's veterans.

Bush invoked an Iraq veteran's story to motivate the students to continue their educations. He described visiting Army Staff Sgt. Christian Bagge, a soldier from Oregon who lost both legs in combat.

When he visited Bagge at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Bush told him that someday Bagge would get out of his bed and run.

Then, one day, an aide went into Bush's office and said Bagge was waiting on the South Lawn and wanted to go running with the president.

If Bagge could do that, Bush told the students: "You can go to college."

Bush said he hoped President Barack Obama's administration would be successful. He also said he was writing a book about some of the difficult decisions he made while in office.

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Information from: Roswell Daily Record, http://www.roswell-record.com

Comments

[bedfordny]

I wonder if he's swift enough to realize the appropriate metaphor he's given us. I'm guessing no.

[walleymr]

him? swift?

[ladyearth]

As an ordinary man, Bush is personable. As president, well, uh, we are all wearing plastic bags on our hands ... .

[Okieborn]

Bush Is picking up dog poop and this great nation will be cleaning up after him for many years to come !!!
Thanks for nothing !!!!

[harmonikasavingsbonds]

Yeah, well,

Pretty soon you will be responsible for picking up Dick Cheney's poop and owning it as your own. He will blames all his war crimes on YOU.

This will be delicious to watch.

[dillydawg]

Too bad President Obama has to try and clean up the Bush Poop he left him.

[Jabo22]

Finally! Something I agree with Bush on.

It IS liberating that Bush is not in the White House.

Couldn't agree more.

[MissingAmerica]

Amen, and he declared it in his typically uncouth and crude way!

[JustMe133]

Sounds like the only real job he's ever been qualified for!!!! LOL

[OMG1109]

He needs to stay in his "GATED COMMUNITY" or go to prison! I guess if I F**Ked up the country like he did and got away with it, I would feel liberated also.

[sasidechick]

Now Obama is picking up all the piles Bush left him. Good job, Georgie.

Is he sure he didn't have the Secret Service agent pick it up for him? I don't even believe him that he picked it up.

[exoevolution]

Thanks W - Now we are ALL picking up the S**T YOU left all over American & the World!!!!

[albanianmomforobama]

And we, the American people are pickin up his poop...

[Schoolgirl666]

And sadly it is now President Obama's primary function......Picking up dog poop that President Bush left behind.

[MikeSinAZ]

The ONLY time I ever want to hear what George W. Bush has to say is at his trial for war crimes from the Hague!

[learntofly]

What was wrong with people? This man should have never been in the office.