The Decider misses drawing inspiration from his encounters with U.S. military personnel, Stretch...

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Bush misses seeing G.I.'s, White House food

By JAMES PRICHARD – 3 hours ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iH-mAXE01v_WNHuwioxPAcdaXIuwD98FRVOO0



Former President George W. Bush waves to the assembled crowd during a reception for high school seniors receiving the 2009 Chase Foundation Scholarship Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Artesia High School in Artesia, New Mexico. (AP Photo/Roswell Daily Record Mark Wilson)

BENTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Flying on Air Force One, eating meals prepared by the White House kitchen staff and drawing inspiration from his encounters with U.S. military personnel were among things former President George W. Bush missed since leaving office, he said Thursday.

The often-tearful meetings he had with relatives of fallen soldiers were "in some ways... very hard and in some ways, it was very uplifting," the Texas Republican said in a speech to The Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan at Lake Michigan College.

About eight people protested Bush's appearance outside the venue, carrying signs that called him a murderer and a traitor. The speech Thursday was one of the first made by the former president since leaving office in January.

Bush, the nation's 43rd president, spoke to 2,500 people about "the fog of war" that followed the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the economic downturn and his return to life as a regular citizen.

"It was a roller coaster of emotions, it really was," Bush said of the terror attacks. "I think about it now at times but I definitely thought about it every day as president."

[Geoff R. Casavant]

1. I wonder why he doesn't visit more.

There are injured vets all over the country, and I expect many of them would love a visit from him, even if he is "only" a private citizen now. I'd bet he could visit a dozen wounded vets just within 20 miles of his Dallas digs.

[monmouth]

2. I will say he looks much healthier and a little thinner than last year.

The relief of being out of DC has served him well.