Published: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Bush's exit: President lists his mistakes, disappointments
WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush acknowledged some mistakes and disappointments during his presidency at his final news conference Monday with reporters.
Here's his list:
Putting a "Mission Accomplished" banner on an aircraft carrier shortly after Saddam Hussein was toppled from power.
"Obviously, some of my rhetoric has been a mistake."
Going immediately for an overhaul of the Social Security program, rather than seeking immigration reform, in the wake of his re-election to a second term in 2004.
The revelations of abuses at the Abu Ghraib detention camp in Iraq, which he described as a "huge disappointment."
Never turning up weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which he called a "significant disappointment."
Not getting congressional approval for three, bilateral free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
Here's his list:
Putting a "Mission Accomplished" banner on an aircraft carrier shortly after Saddam Hussein was toppled from power.
"Obviously, some of my rhetoric has been a mistake."
Going immediately for an overhaul of the Social Security program, rather than seeking immigration reform, in the wake of his re-election to a second term in 2004.
The revelations of abuses at the Abu Ghraib detention camp in Iraq, which he described as a "huge disappointment."
Never turning up weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which he called a "significant disappointment."
Not getting congressional approval for three, bilateral free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
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