George W Bush: I'm Through With Politics, Don't Want To Campaign Or Fundraise

WASHINGTON -- In an interview set to air this Sunday, former President George W. Bush said he was done with politics and that he is uninterested in campaigning or raising money for political candidates.

The 43rd president, who has been sparing in his public appearances since leaving the White House, took questions from C-Span this past Monday at a Southern Methodist University forum. Asked whether he was "through with politics," Bush replied: "Yeah."

I don't want to go out and campaign for candidates. I don't want to be viewed as a perpetual money-raiser. I don't want to be on these talk shows giving my opinion, second-guessing the current president. I think it's bad for the country, frankly, to have a former president criticize his successor. It's tough enough to president as it is without a former president undermining the current president. Plus, I don't want to do that. In other words, in spite of the fact that I'm now on TV, I don't want to be on TV ... I tell people that one of the interesting sacrifices, I don't think you sacrifice to run for president, but to the extent you do is you lose your anonymity. I like the idea of trying to regain anonymity to a certain extent. And being out of the press, at least in this stage of the post-presidency is something that makes me very comfortable and its somewhat liberating, frankly.

Next to his help with Haiti's reconstruction efforts, Bush's detachment from political life has been the defining feature of his post-presidency. In that regard -- like many others -- he is different than his predecessor, Bill Clinton, who remained an active presence in government, albeit in advocacy for his wife or in the field of global philanthropy.

Still, it's easy to wonder whether Republicans would actually want Bush fundraising or campaigning on their behalf. During the 2008 presidential race, Bush's shadow caused Sen. John McCain's campaign plenty of discomfort and gave satirists a trove of material.

The former president's image has gradually improved since then. But lawmakers in his own party still criticize his time in office, using the debt compiled during that tenure as a contrast to emphasize their own fiscal conservatism.

Comments

[Kevin Krooss]

10:16 AM on 02/03/2011

No surprise here. He was pretty much through with governing the day after he was elected.

[kamact]

10:38 PM on 02/01/2011

The less youbare heard and seen the better,...otherwise I would argue that you and Dick should be thrown in jail,...Oh, and water boarded

[LittleMittens]

09:37 PM on 02/01/2011

What a great big kick in the junk to all those conservatwits that made his time in office possible...not that I mind the kick, I'm glad to have him gone and to never see him again, unless it's on trial for war crimes...

[funserious]

05:20 PM on 02/01/2011

Hey everyone.....go to "dubyaspeak.com" for a gazillion laffs.

[funserious]

05:09 PM on 02/01/2011

....as well you should be..........perhaps an indictment will keep you busy, Mr. Dubya.

[sugarmoes]

04:58 PM on 02/01/2011

dubby dub had his fun wreaking havoc in the sandbox and now that none of the other kids worship him and they all refuse to say he's the most popular kid in school even though his mom and dad gave him free candy to pass around, well... he's gonna go sulk for awhile. forever. in prison, hopefully.

[sus2222]

03:36 PM on 02/01/2011

Boosha Sucka...

[jakiamik]

03:31 PM on 02/01/2011

let's see, why wouldn't bush avoid politics now? he's already used the government to commit criminal acts that brought even more handsome riches to him, his family and friends. he has advanced the neocon agenda of creating a two class state, he had a previous friend of his family and contributor to his family's wealth assassinated by our military in an illegal war. he transferred what was a national financial surplus into windfall profits for companies owned by campaign contributors and family friends. he has broken down constitutional rights like privacy and free speech. and he did all of this after losing the popular election and being appointed to the president's chair by through the politicizing the united states supreme court.

what else could we possibly be subjected to if this sorry excuse for humanity continued to infect politics with his vile agenda?

[D Carfto]

03:26 PM on 02/01/2011

Wait .. he once said that, after his presidency he would "top up the ol coffers," by going out on the speakers circuit. He would earn six-figure fees for talking to industry gatherings and such, just like Bill Clinton and Colin Powell. Surely his people are inundated with offers, right?

[Dave Beall]

03:22 PM on 02/01/2011

Bush belongs in prison for the 911 false flag crime, along with the master planer Cheney.
Bush wants to stay away from the public so he won't end up in prison for life.

[sugarmoes]

04:58 PM on 02/01/2011

fan #1.

[WhatsWrongInDC]

02:18 PM on 02/01/2011

Too lazy or did the republican party make him an offer he couldn't refuse? Just watching his appearance alongside Bill Clinton for donations to Haiti is enough to get me to change the tv channel. He's still unbearable to see or hear.

[funserious]

05:11 PM on 02/01/2011

X1,000,000.

[debipfauth]

09:20 AM on 02/01/2011

Thank goodness! Bet he will still do public appearances for $$.

[wmary82]

08:20 AM on 02/01/2011

You also need to be done with alcohol and crack

[Hugh G Reckshin]

06:13 AM on 02/01/2011

If he had continued to remain in the public spotlight, then you people would be saying "go away!". Can't make people happy.

Thanks for deleting my account, HP. There's plenty more where that came from.

[KingKrub]

03:55 PM on 02/01/2011

A-swipe... you a-swipe...

[Lulo]

03:49 AM on 02/01/2011

And a sign of relief can be heard coming form every RNC rep between Honolulu to Bangor.