Credit: Saul Loeb AFP/Getty Images.
by Mark Silva
Maria Bartiromo, one of the hosts of this week's debate of the Republican candidates for president in Dearborn, wanted to know what President Bush thought of the debate.
"Didn't watch,'' Bush told her. "I didn't watch.''
In an interview with the president today on CNBC's Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo, the president spoke of the mortgage foreclosure crisis, the budget deficit, his veto of health care for children and his future plans. But he was mum about the campaign to replace him underway.
What did he think of Fred Thompson joining in this latest of the GOP debates?
"Didn't watch,'' Bush said, "and you know, people are going to try to get me to comment on the primaries and I'm not going to do it. I will tell you I believe that whomever we nominate will win the general election. Our candidates are going to be talking about being tough on these terrorists and keeping taxes low, and that's a winning message.''
Any advice for them?
"I just tell people what's in their heart, you know,'' he said.
On the question of what Bartiromo called "the meltdown in housing:''
"Oh, first of all, there's a lot of people who can afford the houses that they live in and they're going to be fine,'' the president said. "There's no question there are particularly some people on the margin that are going to have to--that are defaulted on their loans, and that troubles me.
"It troubles me because I want people to be able to stay in their homes. And the solution, it seems like to me, is not more government or more regulation, but to help people refinance their homes, is to--I have some transparent policies as well as counseling polices that find people, identified people and encouraged them to go to refinance their homes, and to encourage the lenders to be, you know, refinancers.
"What happened, it seems like to me in the housing, again, I'm not an expert, but there was a lot of incentive for people to, you know, buy homes. And so we had a huge supply of homes.
"And until the supply and demand gets back in balance, you're going to see some softness,'' Bush said. "But so far, the softness is regional. There's not a nationwide phenomenon, there are parts of our country that are doing just fine in their real estate markets.''
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Comments
"Our candidates are going to be talking about being tough on these terrorists and keeping taxes low, and that's a winning message.''
THESE terrorists...geez, who exactly are THESE terrorist? Keep the little people afraid, throw them a crumb so they won't notice that we're selling the country to our corporate friends and China.
Posted by: DD | October 11, 2007 5:19 PM
""I just tell people what's in their heart, you know,'' he said."
He can tell me what's in MY heart?
What an absolute moron.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 11, 2007 5:26 PM
I can't believe our president, you know, first of all, is sucha, we say in texas, you know, an idiot.
Posted by: Kramer | October 11, 2007 5:27 PM
Republican debate? what a bunch of losers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKtuXmorlSY
The only one with any common sense is Ron Paul, the rest of the Neonut slugs want to start WW3 in the name of "fighting" terrorism (which is not a country by the way, it's a TACTIC).
Posted by: John E | October 11, 2007 5:28 PM
"Bush: 'Didn't watch' the Republicans debate."
What a surprise, he didn't watch Katrina either!
Posted by: Anonymous Bosh | October 11, 2007 5:49 PM
"Didn't watch,'' Bush told her. "I didn't watch.''
Spongebob must have been on.
Posted by: Bill H. | October 11, 2007 6:03 PM
Maria Bartiroma.....YES!
Posted by: John E | October 11, 2007 6:09 PM
Of course he didn't watch, he may have heard something that was anti-Bush, and Lord knows he couldn't stand that...
And it may have been educational, uh, oops, that really blew it I guess...
http://TexasFred.net/
Posted by: TexasFred | October 11, 2007 6:09 PM
"BUSH SPEAKS" USES UNDERTONE TO VOICE SOFTNESS IN THE WHITE HOUSE REGION"
He doesn't have to watch his GOP FRONT STOMPERS to hear what is wrong with America. HE IS WHAT IS WRONG FOR AMERICA AND HE KNOWS IT.
He can just playback Dan Rather choking while watching his father answer the phone on Fox Live in 2000 when Brother Jeb said, don't worry Daddy we Got This!
He doesn't have to watch the GOP Stomp when he can watch and old Dick Cheney Energy Meeting that the American People are not priviledge too. We are not that special.
He doesn't have to watch gay men who have something against gay men come out of bathroom stalls saying THANK YOU, NO THANK YOU.
THOSE GUYS COME TO DINNER.
He doesn't have to watch his GOP Stompers talk about IRAN IRAN like its a movie being made.
NO HE LAUGHED ABOUT THE MITCH MCCONNEL MEMO REGARDING THE 14 YEAR OLD LITTLE BOY WHO WAS ABLE TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE UNDER THE SCHIP.
GD EIGHTH GRADE TRAITOR! i said no healthcare for you!
The GOP Presidential Debate is a Crack Fest at best. Nothing but hot air from old men who are stuck on stupid.
Posted by: Roger Morris | October 11, 2007 6:13 PM
Incurious George pukes up another gem.
Everything word this fool utters ends up in a joke book.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 11, 2007 6:42 PM
correction;
Incurious George pukes up another gem.
Every word this fool utters ends up in a joke book.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 11, 2007 6:43 PM
"The GOP Presidential Debate is a Crack Fest at best. Nothing but hot air from old men who are stuck on stupid.
Posted by: Roger Morris | October 11, 2007 6:13 PM"
Roger,
Actually, re. the Republics, I would call it a sausage fest.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 11, 2007 7:14 PM
"I just tell people what's in their heart, you know,'' he said.
Wait! WHAT? First he'd better call me and say hey. Otherwise, he's getting dumber everyday. As if that's possible. (Spare me the analogy excuses wingers, he's S T U P I D.)
Posted by: RNCBS | October 11, 2007 7:44 PM
h"Didn't watch,'' Bush told her. "I didn't watch.''
Give the Chimp some credit here folks... Nobody else watched either.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | October 11, 2007 7:59 PM
""I just tell people what's in their heart, you know,'' he said.
And this from the fool that claims to have looked into the soul of Vlad Putin and saw a good man.
Geezz.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 11, 2007 8:57 PM
He has as much interest in actual events as a toadstool on a rotting log.
I do like that I need to put a W into my field to get this posted.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 11, 2007 11:24 PM
And Bushie didn't watch the debate because none of the candidates were willing to utter his name? If it had been a Bush ass kissing fest I'm sure he would have been glued to the set. Or, most likely, he didn't watch his own beloved party's debate because he doesn't give a damn once he slithers out the back door, trashing the last Constitutional amendment left, stuffing his pockets with every last corporate dollar that will fit, and Cheney holding him by the hand.
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | October 12, 2007 4:24 AM
Bush goes to bed at nine every night. After a glass of warm milk and a cookie.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | October 12, 2007 7:39 AM
Bush said "I didn't watch", what I think is that he couldn't watch. I don't think he's allowed to stay up that late on a school night.
Posted by: Rory M | October 12, 2007 10:47 AM
"Bush goes to bed at nine every night. After a glass of warm milk and a cookie.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | October 12, 2007 7:39 AM"
And he brings his blanky, binky and teddy bear with him too.
Posted by: BC | October 12, 2007 4:44 PM
Too busy planning his next vacation I guess.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 12, 2007 7:05 PM
He's not talking about the primaries because his personal endorsement of any candidate would be a curse. None of them want it.
His comment about candidates who will fight the terrorists and keep taxes low? He likes them all except that Ron Paul guy.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 13, 2007 4:17 AM