Bush exits stage right with no regret

THE words were defiant, but his face contorted with the effort of defending one of the most controversial American presidencies of the modern era.

As George Bush took the last news conference of his eight years in office yesterday, he promised to "get off the stage", but not before he passionately and sometimes angrily responded to questions that covered every significant moment of his tenure as leader of the world's most powerful country.

He came into office as the most popular Republican since Ronald Reagan. He leaves scraping along below the disgraced Richard Nixon in the opinion polls.

Mr Bush refused to say whether the invasion of Iraq, based on the mistaken claim that it harboured chemical and nuclear weapons, had been a mistake, but he acknowledged: "Not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment."

There was an admission that his victory declaration, two months into the war and made on an aircraft carrier under a banner reading "Mission Accomplished", had been an error. Five years, 4,000 US lives and nearly $1 trillion of military spending later, he admitted: "Clearly, putting 'Mission Accomplished' on an aircraft carrier was a mistake."

He said he had no idea when that war might end, adding: "The question is, in the long run, will this (Iraqi] democracy survive, and that's going to be a question for future presidents."

Appearing in front of the White House press corps for possibly the last time, Mr Bush initially appeared relaxed, as he joked with journalists.

Thanking them, he added that, at times, he did not like the stories they wrote about him. "Sometimes you misunderestimated me," he told them, recalling a celebrated "Bushism" from his early years in office.

But there were grimaces and pinched cheeks, raised eyebrows and uneven smiles, as Mr Bush insisted he did not feel unpopular, despite having the lowest domestic approval ratings of any post-war US president. "You know, most people I see, you know, when I'm moving around the country, for example, they're not angry," he said.

"I've been reading, you know, a lot about Abraham Lincoln during my presidency, and there was some pretty harsh discord when it came to the 16th president, just like there's been harsh discord for the 43rd president."

The Iraq war, torture at Abu Ghraib and the Guantanamo Bay prison camp have led to the popularity of the US falling to unprecedented levels around the world, but Mr Bush insisted the country's reputation was sound.

"I strongly disagree with the assessment that our moral standing has been damaged," he said. "People still understand America stands for freedom, that America is a country that provides such great hope."

Mr Bush repeated his belief that his administration had made progress in trying to seal a peace deal between Israel and the West Bank-based Palestinian authority, but he acknowledged that Barack Obama, the president-elect, would face stiff challenges in keeping up the effort to find peace. "Will this ever happen? I think it will," he said. "And I know we've advanced the process."

He also said he hoped the tone in Washington improves during the Obama administration, adding that "the rhetoric got out of control" during his presidency. "I hope that if people disagree with President Obama, they treat him with respect," Mr Bush said.

There was more defiance on the subject of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, which left New Orleans flooded. "Don't tell me the federal response was slow when there were 30,000 people pulled off roofs right after the storm passed," he said.

On the subject of the economy, Mr Bush insisted he had done a good job, despite leaving office with the US facing a deepening recession, record federal deficit and rising unemployment. "I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession," he said. "In the meantime, there were 52 months of uninterrupted job growth."

He said that, while it might have increased his popularity had he accepted the Kyoto treaty on global warming or supported US membership of the International Criminal Court, in each case he was looking for practical ways to protect US interests and Americans' safety.

Mr Bush yesterday described North Korea as "still a problem" and Iran as "still dangerous". In his 2002 state of the union address, he called those countries and Iraq – then under Saddam Hussein – an "axis of evil" that had to be confronted. It came to epitomise what critics called his administration's "cowboy diplomacy".

And he predicted his successor, due to take office next Tuesday, will face the same kind of criticism he did.

Reflecting on his coming retirement, to a new house in Dallas, he said: "I don't see how I can get back home in Texas and look in the mirror and be proud of what I see if I allowed the loud voices, the loud critics, to prevent me from doing what I thought was necessary to protect this country."

He said he intended to stay out of Mr Obama's way, but he would not be sitting on his hands. I can't envision myself in a big straw hat and a Hawaiian shirt sitting on a beach somewhere," he joked, "particularly since I quit drinking."

Mr Bush will deliver a farewell address to the US on Thursday.

What he said

Asked about the damage done to America abroad by his policies, Mr Bush responded: "People still understand America stands for freedom, that America is a country that provides such great hope."

The facts

A recent BBC poll found the United States was viewed favourably by only 28 per cent of respondents in 34 countries,
and Mr Bush has been greeted by protesting crowds on most of his
overseas trips.

What he said

Bush said: "Most people I see – they're not angry. And you say, 'You never meet people who disagree?' It's not true. I've met a lot of people who don't agree with the decisions I make, but they have been civil in their discourse."

The facts

Shortly after 9/11, Mr Bush hit 90 per cent in popularity ratings, making him the most popular post-war president. CNN recently reported a 71 per cent disapproval rating, making him the most unpopular, a point below Richard Nixon.

What he said

Questioned over the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, Mr Bush said: "Don't tell me the federal response was slow when there were 30,000 people pulled off roofs right after the storm passed."

The facts

Federal authorities were blamed for failing to evacuate citizens of New Orleans before the 2005 flooding and mishandling a billion-dollar clean-up operation. Even now, many residents remain in temporary accommodation.

What he said

On the financial crisis: "Look, I inherited a recession, I'm ending on a recession. In the meantime, there were 52 months of uninterrupted job growth. And I defended tax cuts when I campaigned; I helped implement tax cuts when I was president."

The facts

Mr Bush's spending raised the federal deficit to record levels, partly to fund a tax cut that mostly benefited the top 1 per cent of earners, while government regulators failed to spot the coming financial meltdown late last year.

What he said

The 43rd president said that "not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment". The accusation that Saddam Hussein had and was pursuing such weaponry was Bush's main initial justification for going to war.

The facts

The post-war consensus – supported evidentially – is that the Bush administration deliberately ignored intelligence indicating the Iraqi dictator had no such weapons. In this, Tony Blair's government was also complicit.

What he said

Bush said he believed administration had made progress in trying to seal a peace deal between Israel and the West Bankbased
Palestinian Authority. "Will this
ever happen? I think it will," he said. "And
I know we've advanced the process."

The facts

Gaza is on fire and the moderate West Bank-based administration of Abbas is viewed with suspicion by many Palestinians, not just Hamas supporters. Even if Abbas can deliver a peace deal, there is no guarantee it will be adhered to.


IN QUOTES

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office"

"Your eminence, you're looking good"

To Pope Benedict XVI, using the title for Catholic cardinals, rather than "your holiness"

"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office"

"Amigo! Amigo!"

Calling out to Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in Spanish at the G8 Summit

"I can press when there needs to be pressed; I can hold hands when there needs to be … hold hands"

On how he could contribute to the Middle East peace process

"Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?"

"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter"

Parting words to Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy at his final G8 summit, punching the air and grinning widely as the two leaders looked on in shock

"I would say the best moment was when I caught a 7.5lb largemouth bass in my lake"

On his high point in office

"They misunderestimated me"