It was a dream interview for Fox and Friends' co-host Brian Kilmeade. He had a sit down with the ex-president in Irving, Texas. Bush 43 is currently hosting a prestigious and competitive golf tournament for wounded warriors (from the wars he started).
They discussed his knee replacement surgery, and then he shared an anecdote: He encouraged Jeb Bush to run in 2016, and Jeb just doesn't like his big brother telling him what to do. But he's considering a run for sure, and brother George thinks he would make a great president. Since we're rewriting history, what would be better for America than another Bush in the White House?
Kilmeade asked the question everyone's dying to know, "What do you miss most, Mr. President."
"...I don't miss Washington...I miss being pampered... I miss saluting the troops."
I was waiting for Kilmeade to say, ...and you never saluted with a coffee cup.
Well, to be more honest, maybe that wouldn't be the most important question. I'd ask, how does it feel to evade the prosecution for war crimes that you and your administration committed? But this is Fox, not journalism.
This rainbow and unicorn interview was headed in no such direction. It was a sunny reminiscence of the good old days, when we invaded a country that did nothing to us, thousands of Americans gave their lives, limbs, hearts and sanity to this costly war. The ramifications of the Pandora's Box we opened are still being felt with the ISIL/Khorasan Group offensive and the ex-Invader in Chief is just having the time of his life. He's so kind, he won't criticize President Obama, because he's been there and knows how hard it is to be in that position.
The world is better off without Saddam, the Taliban (which haven't gone away). But we have a group of ideologues who murder the innocent. (cough, cough, gasp...oooooh the irony) The Iraqis are not ready to do it alone. Kilmeade plays the clip of President Bush's news conference in 2007, requesting the surge that was so essential to our "victory." He speaks of how we couldn't, at that time, stop our presence in Iraq because the consequences are much like what we have today. He said ,"It means we'd allow the terrorists to replace the safe haven in Afghanistan that they lost." Up until 2009, we were doing the right thing.
"How did you know?" Kilmeade asks, with wonder in his eyes. Bush said he knew because of the savagery of 9/11. He praised Condi Rice for all her effort in the region. He admirably admitted that he wouldn't be so presumptuous to second guess the president. He agreed with General Dempsey's original assessment that we needed to leave a residual force of roughly 10-15,000 troops, but of course didn't mention that it was unattainable due to the Status of Forces Agreement he signed in 2008.
He enjoys President Bill Clinton, he's like a member of the Bush family. All ex-presidents call upon their predecessors for guidance. So Brian was curious to know,
Has President Obama ever called you?
Bush replied that he called him after Seal Team Six took out Osama Bin Laden, but he doesn't make a regular habit of it, and that's ok. It doesn't bother him at all.
They brought up the recent Secret Service debacle and discussed the interim replacement, Joe Clancy. Bush said, "I know Clancy very well, he's a good man and I trust his judgment a lot."
He's just enjoying life these days. The Warrior Open is a competitive, heart-warming golf tournament, and he becomes very emotional interacting with the wounded vets. Of course he's concerned with organizations who've been assisting these veterans and he works with many NGOs who are offering support to these men and women whose lives he inexorably changed. I suppose that assuages the guilt, if there is any, and the optics are very favorable.
They discussed their literary works. George W. Bush complimented Brian Kilmeade's writing skills, then he spoke about Decision Points and the soon-to-be-released novel about his own father, whom he admires deeply.
The interview concluded with Kilmeade stating that the ex-president's approval rating keeps climbing and is now at an impressive 53%. Bush said he never cared about polls, and it doesn't make a difference either way. The Fox News host didn't say who was polled, but that it sure reaffirms that the current occupant of the White House can't hold a candle to the 'regular guy, the guy you could have a beer with.' Nope, George W. Bush is not the least bit uppity like the man who refuses to heed the advice of this popular ex-president.
I think a wormhole must have opened up for this conversation to have taken place...Aliens now think that Jeb in 2016 is a great idea. Scene ends with Twilight Zone music to play us out
