Former President George W. Bush continues to work the media circuit, promoting his 500-page memoir "Decision Points," which hits stores today.
The hourlong interview with NBC's Matt Lauer aired Monday, and Bush will join the network's "Today" show on Wednesday. Fox's Sean Hannity spent time at Bush's Crawford, Texas, for an interview that airs this week.
Oprah's pre-taped interview with Bush airs today. A preview clip shows Bush saying, "You're asking me to wade back into the swamp."
At 8 p.m. ET Sunday, CNN's Candy Crowley will interview the ex-president on "State of the Union."
Overall, there appears to be no topic Bush won't tackle, and he talks extensively about regrets he has regarding the war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina. The Huffington Post gathered some of his quotes from the Hannity interview, including Bush admitting that he sometimes "didn't get my words right." That's all right, he said, because the public never elected "Shakespeare."
Addressing the Iraq war, Bush told Times of London that waterboarding saved British lives.
For actual criticism of the book, the Wall Street Journal offers a run-down. Revered New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani said the memoir makes Bush seem "both oddly passive and strangely cavalier" while the Washington Post's Jonathan Yardley was more pointed, saying the memoir is "competent, readable and flat."
He won't be so busy in prison.
Two things, Mat Lauer was not allowed to ask questions, other than the ones dubya wanted to answer.
Secondly, He has been silent for two years trying to memorize the answers (to his own questions).
Sadly, this country put back in power the very ones responsible for the collapse.
Recall that the public was told that WMD were the main reason we needed to invade Iraq. Bush/Cheney cut off the inspection process before it was completed. There were drawings of mobile WMD facilities, but none were ever photographed. So, the POSSIBILITY that there MIGHT be WMDs got us into a war. Later, after no WMDs were found, Bush/Cheney started uttering that Iraq was better off without Sadaam, knowing that they still needed SOME reason to defend their decision to invade.
Alternatively, had Bush not acted, the public would have flayed him alive if Saddam later obtained, used, or supplied WMDs to terrorist organizations for use against the US. It was a no-win situation, so he decided to err on the side of protecting US interests. You have the luxury of second guessing after-the-fact. President Bush had to make that decision without that luxury. Better to have liberated Iraq from a brutal dictator and provided democracy for their people than to have sat idly by and risked some of the most dangerous weapons in the history of mankind being used against US interests.
We know now that he didn't have them. Nobody could say that definitively at the time, and to argue otherwise is disingenuous, because it flies in the face of intelligence reports from agencies around the globe.
Margie Shoendinger will NOT be mentioned in this "book". Her encounter with the pre-groomed Dubya is a real tear-jerker. Gives me goose-bumps just remembering. And nobody even remembers her or bothered to ask. Oh, that's right. It wasn't on TV. never mind...
You're referring to the nutjob that claimed that Bush assaulted both her and her husband, and said that the FBI drugged & assaulted her and forced her to miscarry Bush's baby?
I don't see why she would be mentioned in Bush's memoirs, unless he did a chapter about some of the ridiculous and unfounded allegations critics have made against him.
Be sure to color within the lines, people. Be kind to one another and share the crayons. Little Georgie used all the black ones. He thought they were licorice and he ate them.
This is what happens when your mother shows you a jar with her miscarried fetus in it. It severely twists your head 'round.
Nothing but a war criminal and a liar.....you sent them to their death – with your every lying breath!
He admits to approving waterboarding, a crime the US has tried as a war crime, and NO major news outlets pick it up. What has happened to this country that a President can get away with war crimes and no one cares? For all you conservatives that are unable to see anything from the other point of view, this goes for Obama, too, and any of Bush's illegal policies that he's kept going.
Hmmm what has happened to the country when there are so many mean and ignorant people who like to bash the fine upstanding folks in our country and support the one who is affilitated with thieves and thugs? Are you blind? Have you watched your news lately?
How original all of the insults are. Yall sound like a bunch of 14 year old boys trolling on some youtube video, how pathetic you all look. He didn't write the book for those who thought poorly of him.However, if you really want to be able to be so critical of him you should first read his book, at least then you would then look slightly educated on the matter and not be a talking head expelling verbal diarrhea from the daily show, make your own conclusions. Also, he left office 2 years ago, and if you still find yourself needing to prove how bad of a president he was, maybe you have some underlying feelings for the man, feeling your trying to suppress, Just admit your love and get it over with.
how oiginal is your comment. you are another idiot republican or tea bagger who likes to hide who they are when they know most are right when it comes to GWB. I'm being nice by using his initials. Just glad he is no longer my president. Both him and militant Cheney should be brought up on charges for betraying americans with their lack of thought. Just go to one of his book tours and pledge you allegiance to him and thank him for all he's done for you.
Henry – Little Georgie hates his Daddy – which is why he had to prove to him what a "man" he is....
So, he sent over 4,000 Americans to their death.
If you don't like hate, may I suggest you stay away from the #1 hate monger of all time – little Dubya.
His hatred is still boiling in the tea baggers.....
WOW....Whatever happened to you, I'm sorry. But its time to let it go....mmmkay.
Anonymous – try sticking to the FOX news crowd -at least you'll have a chance of someone believing your tripe.
We don't need to prove anything about the little boy king – he demonstrates his stupidity, ignorance and hatred every time he opens his little lying mouth. He's a little lying punk. I'll have a party the day he leaves this planet. Hell will be disappointed to get him.
Have any of you ppl who bash Bush going Iraq been to Iraq? If so, then as a combat unit? Yes, its easy to txt your bull, and wine. Boo Hoo. If you hated him, why did you stay in America? Oh thats right, you like your FREEDOM. WHICH PRES. BUSH SENT US TO PROTECT AND FIGHT FOR. THANK YOU PRES BUSH.
Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Your actions and the ideals that compelled you to be a Marine are heroic and should be respected. But I think that the reasons the Bush administration had us go to Iraq were less than noble. Especially in light of the way vets were treated upon their return to the USA due to budget cuts the same administration had made. Again, thank YOU!
Well said. I wonder if Linton Dawson suited up. Don't think so. She just has some overly aggressive feelings for our former Commander in Chief.
Proof that even military vets can get geopolitics wrong from being blinded by partisan political worship of Bush. Iraq had no WMD and its conventional military forces were badly depleted in Gulf War I. Iraq thus posed no more direct threat to US freedom and security than any other country run by a tinpot dictator.
Believe it or not, I want to read this book. I think it can give insight into a delusional mind. I'm only conflicted about having to pay for the thing.
Zimmerman is an absolute idiot and a loser of mass proportions. I just want to slap him!
All the people have amounted to a pinhead, bush at least did something, but maybe not very good or well or maybe he did, please list your university state you were elected Gov, Ownership of 100 million dollar business and I will call you what you called Bush
Bush was far from perfect and that we can all agree on, but he is twice the man Obama will ever be.
No, I don't think that's something we can all agree on.