Bush Expresses Regrets in CNN Interview: Transcript (11-11-08)

The outgoing President talks about his regrets in interview with CNN. Read the complete Transcript. Excerpt below:

President Bush: Being the commander in chief is as high an honor as you can possibly imagine and I have given it my all to support our military and to support our veterans. What does that mean? It means going to Congress and saying let's make sure our military families have good housing, health care, educational benefits. It means helping to work with the Congress to get money for our veterans, but it really means saying to our troops, "I will make decisions based on what is best for our country, not what is best for me politically." I don't want your troops thinking that the decisions I have made were about politics or about my standing. The decisions were made how to secure this country, how to protect ourselves from the long run. And that was important for those troops to know that their commander in chief not only supported them but stood with them in their mission

CNN: As you stand with them in their mission there are two months left of your presidency. How will that feel to leave office in the middle of two wars? Video Watch Bush discuss his regrets »

Bush: I'm trying to figure it out because there's a lot going on. We've got an economic situation, the campaign just ended, we still have troops in harm's way. I'll be meeting with families of the fallen today. This job will end on January 20 and so this is a better question answered on the 21st. I'm not sure what to tell you because I know I'm going to go from 100 mph to near zero overnight. I'm not sure what to expect. I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency. I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions.

CNN: What will you tell -- and maybe you talked about this yesterday with President-elect Obama -- about taking care of America's veterans and active servicemen and women?

Bush: To the extent that 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 on what I advised him. We had a very private conversation. It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch someone that is getting ready to assume the office of the president. It 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. We had a good conversation. I was very pleased. Remember the conversation I had with my predecessor Bill Clinton, as a matter of fact called him yesterday and said, Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president and I remember how gracious you were to me. I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me. It was interesting yesterday. One of the things President-elect Obama was interested in, after we had our policy discussions, was his little girls, how would they like the White House. It was interesting to watch him go upstairs. He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. Clearly this guy is going to bring a 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 is a good dad. And I think that's going to be an important part of his presidency.

McCain on Jay Leno: Transcript, Video (11-11-08)

John McCain appeared on the 'Tonight Show' yesterday. Read the complete transcript (excerpt below).
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Excerpt:

Jay Leno: It's been a week since the election. How are you doing?

Senator John McCain: Well, I've been sleeping like a baby. (Laughter.) Sleep two hours, wake up and cry. Sleep two hours, wake up and cry. (Laughter.)

Jay Leno: Well, how --

Senator John McCain: I gotta tell you one quick story about Arizona. As you know, the great state of Arizona I've had the honor to represent. And we have a problem in Arizona. It's really kind of a sad thing, because Barry Goldwater from Arizona ran for President of the United States. Morris Udolf (sp.) from Arizona ran for President of the United States. Bruce Babbitt from Arizona ran for President of the 1 United States. I, twice. Arizona may be the only state in America where mothers don't tell their children that some day they can grow up and be President of the United States. (Laughter.) I mean, that's a sad story.

Jay Leno: How about your wife Cindy? How is she taking it? Because sometimes --

Senator John McCain: Yeah, it's tough. It's tougher always on the family members. But she's doing fine. She's doing very fine. Thanks for having her and Meghan on the show. Appreciate it.

Jay Leno: They were great guests.

Senator John McCain: Thank you. And I'm glad to be back for my 14th time. I'm happy to be on.

Jay Leno: The day after the election, it was so weird. I turn on the TV, and I see you coming out of your house or apartment. You get in your car, and you drive somewhere by yourself.

Senator John McCain: Yeah. To get a cup of coffee, yeah. I didn't have a single accident.

Jay Leno: I mean --

Senator John McCain: Maybe one.

Jay Leno: What was that like to suddenly be surrounded -- "He's coming down the hall. Remove" -- and then suddenly -- I mean --

Senator John McCain: Well, secret service people, despite the idiot you talked about tonight, they're wonderful people. They're brave. They serve the country. They're just really the best of America. But it is a bit confining, you know. So I'm able to -- 2

Jay Leno: So what did you do that first day? Where were you driving when you --

Senator John McCain: Went down to get a cup of coffee. Cindy and I went down to get a cup of coffee and -- not the newspaper. I knew what it was going to say. (Laughter.)

Jay Leno: And you went up to the mountains too?

Senator John McCain: Yeah, went up to our place near Sedona and had a very nice time.

Jay Leno: Now, which house is that? Number 12?

Senator John McCain: You know what? That's -- let's see. 27.

Jay Leno: 27.

Senator John McCain: But we're -- you know, look, it's a great honor. It's a great privilege. It's an incredible thing that I was able to do. And I saluted, as you know, and admire and respect the winner, Senator -- President elect Barack Obama.

Jay Leno: Actually, to me, that was, I thought, a nice moment when you were talking somewhere. In the campaign when I saw ugly things going back and forth and a woman said, "Well, Barack Obama, he's an Arab or a terrorist," and you stopped and you said, "No, he's a good man and he's a family man."

Senator John McCain: Yeah, a good and decent person.

Jay Leno: And I like that. I thought that was quite impressive.

Senator John McCain: Well, you've got to have a respectful campaign. And that doesn't mean it isn't tough. I mean, campaigns are tough, and they should be because you're seeking the most important position 3 in the world. But there's a difference between being tough and being personal or angry. And look, America right now -- I don't have to tell you -- I don't have to tell anybody out here, especially those members of the military -- that we're in two wars. We've got housing problems. We've got economic crisis. We've got all these problems. Now it's time for America to join together and support the man who was just elected President.