Reminiscing with George

Here is the full transcript of the Charlie Gibson interview with Bush (and wife). Whereas Sarah Palin seems even more ridiculous and out of her league in print (a fairly spectacular feat), President Bush sounds more coherent when you read his words in your own voice instead of listening to his smarmy hehe voice. Reading the transcript, he comes across sounding kind of sad and tired--I don't know if that's what he sounded like in person.

A few snippets:

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GIBSON: What were you most unprepared for?

BUSH: Well, I think I was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, "Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack." In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents -- one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen.

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Rachael: OK, I know anticipating the exact specifics of the war on terror would be hard to do, but almost every president has presided over armed conflict ranging from the relatively small to devastingly massive. Is it so hard to expect that our President might have anticipated some sort of conflict situation?

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GIBSON: Was the election in any way a repudiation of the Bush administration?

BUSH: I think it was a repudiation of Republicans. 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. In other words, they made a conscious choice to put him in as President.

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Rachael: His answer is remarkably coherent.

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GIBSON: But both candidates wound up criticizing you a lot.

BUSH: Yes, well, that's what happens when you're the incumbent during a tough economic time, but --

GIBSON: Hurt?

BUSH: No, not really. You know, I've been around politics a long time. Remember, I was the guy in 2000 who campaigned for change. I campaigned for change when I ran for governor of Texas. The only time I really didn't campaign for change is when I was running for reelection.

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Rachael: Well, things certainly did change with you at the helm. Changed right into the crapper.

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GIBSON: If the intelligence had been right, would there have been an Iraq war?

BUSH: Yes, because Saddam Hussein was unwilling to let the inspectors go in to determine whether or not the U.N. resolutions were being upheld. In other words, if he had had weapons of mass destruction, would there have been a war? Absolutely.

GIBSON: No, if you had known he didn't.

BUSH: Oh, I see what you're saying. You know, that's an interesting question. That is a do-over that I can't do. It's hard for me to speculate.

GIBSON: Greatest accomplishment? The one thing you're proudest of?

BUSH: I keep recognizing we're in a war against ideological thugs and keeping America safe.

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Rachael: Charlie! How did you let that one go? "It's hard for me to speculate," and you just move on to the greatest accomplishment? (An accomplishment that really leaves something to be desired.) He should have asked another follow-up.