Aside from a few Secret Service
agents and a big American flag hanging
near the front curb, there is little that
sets this house apart from the others
on the cul-de-sac where the former
president and first lady live—except
maybe the beautifully landscaped putting green that George, who loves golf,
built on the empty lot he owns next
door. “Laura turned it into Versailles,”
he says. “I turned it into Augusta.”
In his book, President Bush explains why and how he made some of
the most momentous—and at times
controversial—decisions in his life, including his decisions to marry Laura,
to stop drinking, to run for president,
to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,
and to step in and prop up U.S. banks
in 2008 to avert a global financial crisis. Of his political decisions, right or
wrong, he writes, “On every one, I did
what I believed was in the best interests of our country.”
Since leaving office, President Bush,
64, has virtually disappeared from
public view, refusing to criticize his
successor or weigh in on political
events, including the rise of the Tea
Party movement. So I was curious
about what he’s been thinking and
how he’s feeling after two years of
reflection. His passion for his ranch
in Crawford, Texas, as well as for the
Texas Rangers (the baseball team he
once co-owned) and the Republican
party are a given. Our conversation
therefore turned to the other six big
R’s that define his postpresidential
life: reinvention (a word he doesn’t
use), risk taking (credit his Texas up-
bringing), his controversial reputation
(“There’s nothing you can do about
it”), regrets (he admits to a few), rela-
tionships (he feels “blessed”), and re-
tirement (an “old-fashioned” term).
REINVENTION
At 40 you gave up drinking. By 50 you
were governor of Texas. At 55 you
were president. What do you do for
an encore? How do you go from 100
mph to 10 mph?
(Laughs.) First of all, I’m just experiencing what it means to go from 100
mph to 10. I was able to adjust initially
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by plunging right into the book and the
Bush Presidential Center at Southern
Methodist University. And it turns out
that there is a good way to make a living
by giving speeches. So I’m in a transition period from presidency to active
citizenry. I want to go 100 mph again—
well, maybe not 100. Maybe 80. I want
to live out principles that became a part
of my life in my 40s, 50s, and 60s. One
principle is the universality of freedom.
I’m a freedom lover. And I feel a sense
of obligation to our troops and their
families because of the decisions that I
made. So I’m involved with veterans.
The reason I ask is that today there’s
perceived to be a lot of obstructionism, a lot of extremism, in the Republican party. Is there any role that
you’ll play in bringing the party and
the country together?
I think by not participating in the current political debate, hopefully I’m
sending a signal that will help set a
tone. In other words, I think that not
criticizing my successor is a statement
unto itself, in terms of trying to create
an environment where people are able
to have a meaningful discussion or
debate without trash talk.
Jimmy Carter does Habitat for
Humanity. Bill Clinton has worked
on global AIDS. Do you have any big
plans like that?
Yeah, I do. Promoting freedom around
the world, particularly with women
in the Middle East. Working on global
disease. Working on account-
ability in public schools. And
advocating for a free market-
place and an economic environ-
ment in which businesses can
innovate and create jobs.
Now, the problem is, there was plenty of trash talk during my presidency.
A lot. (Laughs.) And I did not engage
in it. But a lot of the reason why the
debate is acrimonious is because of the
24/7 news cycles, blogs, and people
being able to just throw something out
What do you think of the word
“reinvention”?
It’s a word that doesn’t fit into my
vocabulary. Reinvention means
you’re kind of re-creating some-
body. Well, I’m the same person, in
terms of values. My priorities—my
faith, my family, my friends, the
values of personal responsibility
and universality of freedom, and
“to whom much is given, much is
required”—haven’t changed.
Are you comfortable moving into the
role of elder statesman?
I’m comfortable moving into the role
of elder person. “Statesman” presumes
I’m out there giving opinions all the
time about things, and no, I’m not
interested in opining on a lot of sub-
jects. I really think it’s important for
presidents to exit the stage gracefully.
“Statesman” gives the impression that
every time a major issue comes up, I’ll
be popping off. And that’s not what’s
going to happen.
there in order to get attention. And I’m
not going be out there doing the same
thing, trying to trash my successor or
call attention to myself. I hope that’s a
positive contribution to the dialogue.
RISK TAKING
You’ve won just about everything
you’ve set out to get in life. What are
your secrets for winning? How much
is family? luck? persistence?
I think it’s a combination of all of the
above. First of all, I was very fortunate
to have had a mother and father who
loved me in spite of my failings. And in
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