Bush lament: Could've been more 'artful'

by Mark Silva

President Bush, his job-approval hovering around 25 percent in most polls, has spoken out before about what he regrets most during his presidency -- those defiant words about hunting down the terrorists "dead or alive,'' for instance.

Now, near the end of his terms, with a successor in lne, he is repeating that lament, yet waxing nostalgiac about the good deeds -- most notably his aid for Africa.

Of his meeting this week with President-elect Barack Obama, Bush said in an interview today with CNN aboard the USS Intrepid in New York: "To the extent he asked my advice, and he may want to ask it again, and the best way to make sure he feels comfortable asking it again is for me not to tell you in the first place what I advised him.

"So, we had a very private conversation,'' Bush said. "It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch a person who is getting ready to assume the office of the president. This will be a fantastic experience for he and his family....

''My choice didn't win,'' Bush said in his first media interview since Election Day. "I was for John McCain. I felt he battled hard. But I meant what I said after the election, that the election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country. ''

On that question of regrets, the retiring president told CNN's Heidi Collins: "You know, I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said.... Like, dead or alive, bring them on. .. And, by the way, my wife reminded me that, 'Hey, as president of the United States, you better be careful of what you say.' I was trying to convey a message. I probably could have conveyed it more artfully.''

See the rest of the talk here, courtesy of CNN:

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And now we're getting more information about that historic meeting yesterday in the Oval Office. The president and the president-elect meeting. I want to go to Heidi Collins. She's in New York. She had an exclusive interview with the president of the United States.

Heidi, in the last hour we heard some moving words, what he had to say about the troops. I know you were with him aboard the USS Intrepid, this museum, and it is Veterans Day. But you also had a chance to speak with him about the president-elect in these historic times. Tell our viewers what he said.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Well he actually said a whole lot, Wolf.

It was a really interesting interview, and as you mentioned the first interview since the election and in fact the first interview since he did meet with President-elect Obama. Even though he was there to honor the troops today and came in, landed on the deck of the Intrepid in Marine One for Veterans Day, we did talk about a lot of different topics. And I had a chance here now to ask him about a little bit about what kind of advice he gave Barack Obama when they met at the White House yesterday.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the extent he asked my advice, and he may want to ask it again, and the best way to make sure he feels comfortable asking it again is for me not to tell you in the first place what I advised him. So, we had a very private conversation. It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch a person who is getting ready to assume the office of the president. This will be a fantastic experience for he and his family.

He didn't need my advice about supporting the military. He knows he must do that. And we had a good conversation. I was very pleased. And I remember the conversation I had with my predecessor, Bill Clinton. As a matter of fact, I called him yesterday. And, you know, I said, Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president, and I remember how gracious you were to me and I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me.

COLLINS: And in fact, you said, he didn't have to do this.

BUSH: That's right.

It was interesting yesterday. One impression I can share with you is that one of the things that President-elect Obama is really interested in, after we had our policy discussions, was his little girls, how would they like the White House. And it was interesting to watch him go upstairs. He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. And clearly this guy is going to bring a great sense of family to the White House. And I hope Laura and I did the same thing.

But I believe he will. And I know his girls are on his mind and he wants to make sure that first and foremost he's a good dad. And I think it's going to be an important part of his presidency.

COLLINS: This is your first interview since the election.

BUSH: Yes, it is. It is.

COLLINS: So you know I'm going to ask you, how did you think that turned out? What was your impression?

BUSH: Well, my -- my choice didn't win. I was for John McCain. I felt he battled hard. But I meant what I said after the election, that the election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country.

There are a lot of people in America who did not believe they would ever see this day. And it is good for our country, that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future.

And so President-elect Obama has a great opportunity. And I really do wish him all the best. I mean, I am just as American as he is American. And it is good for our country that the president succeeds.

And so the transition that we're working with him on is a genuine effort to help him be able to deal with the pressures and the complicated issues of the presidency.

COLLINS: I imagine that you probably have a moment in your presidency that you are most proud of, and a moment that I'm sure you most regret.

BUSH: You know, I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said.

COLLINS: Like?

BUSH: Like, dead or alive, bring them on.

And, by the way, my wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States you better be careful of what you say. I was trying to convey a message. I probably could have conveyed it more artfully.

Being on this ship reminds me of when I went to the USS Abraham Lincoln and they had a sign that said "Mission Accomplished." I regret that that sign was there. It was a sign aimed at the sailors on that ship.

However, it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn't think that. But nevertheless it conveyed the wrong message. So there are things I've regretted.

There are -- I've had a lot of reasons to be, you know, proud, I guess is the right word. I'm proud every time I stand in front of the United States Military. I am proud to be the commander-in-chief of people who are so selfless and so courageous that they would volunteer to serve our country in a time of war. I'm proud when I see people feed the hungry. I'm proud when I'm in Africa and see volunteers helping citizens dying of HIV/AIDS. I'm proud to know there are young kids raising money to buy mosquito nets to help us defeat malaria on the continent of Africa.

I cannot tell you what an inspiring experience it's been to be the president of this country because we're a nation full of generous, courageous, decent people.

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