Bush Going For Broke With Troop Surge

By: Daniel Schorn

Watch the Segment »

Web Extras

Lifeguards look over the water as strong rip currents created dangerous swimming conditions and prompted Carolina Beach, N.C. Ocean Rescue to close the beach to swimming and not allow people in past their knees on Saturday, May 26, 2012. (AP Photo/The Star-News,Matt Born ) (Matt Born)

Much of his presidency unfolds at the retreat named for President Eisenhower's grandson. By our count, this was Bush's 365th day at Camp David, one year out of his six years in office so far, living and working at the camp first set up by FDR.

60 Minutes wondered why he seems so determined to go his own way when most of the nation doesn't back his plan.

"I'm not gonna change my principles. I'm not gonna, you know, I'm not gonna try to be popular and change my principles to do so," Bush explains.

"You're not very popular in the country right now, to be frank," Pelley remarks.

"I'm afraid you're right," Bush acknowledges.

Asked if that gets to him, the president says, "Not really."

"You know that there's a perception in some quarters of the country that you're stubborn," Pelley says.

"Oh, yeah. Well," Bush replies.

Asked if agrees with that, the president asks, "Do I agree that I'm stubborn or do I agree that people think I'm stubborn?"

"People think you do. What do you think?" Pelley asks.

"I think I'm a flexible, open-minded person. I really do. I really do. Take this policy. I spent a lot of time listening to a lot of people because, Scott, I fully understand the decisions I make could affect the life of some kid who wears the uniform. Or could affect the life of some child growing up in America 20 years from now," Bush says.

"You know, a lot of people have asked me to ask you whether all of this is just crushing. It has to be. You read the polls, you know what people are saying, the war has not gone the way you had hoped it would, and they wonder whether it's just crushing on your spirit," Pelley asks.

"Quite the contrary. My spirits are strong, and I'm blessed to be the president," Bush says. "I really am not the kind of guy that sits here and says, 'Oh, gosh, I'm worried about my legacy.' I'm more worried about making the right decisions to protect the United States of America. See, we're in a war. People wanna come and attack you and attack our country. I understand criticism. But I've got a pretty thick hide."

60 Minutes had some questions that might test that presidential hide.

"You know better than I do that many Americans feel that your administration has not been straight with the country, has not been honest. To those people you say what?" Pelley asks.

"On what issue?" the president replies. "Like the weapons of mass destruction?"

"No weapons of mass destruction," Pelley says.

"Yeah," Bush says.

"No credible connection between 9/11 and Iraq," Pelley says.

"Yeah," the president replies.

"The Office of Management and Budget said this war would cost somewhere between $50 billion and $60 billion and now we're over 400," Pelley says.

"I gotcha. I gotcha. I gotcha," Bush replies.

"The perception, Sir, more than any one of those points, is that the administration has not been straight with…," Pelley says.

"Well, I strongly disagree with that, of course," Bush says. "So I strongly reject that this administration hasn't been straight with the American people. The minute we found out they didn't have weapons of mass destruction, I was the first to say so."

"You seem to be saying that you may have been wrong but you weren't dishonest," Pelley remarks.

"Oh, absolutely. Everybody was wrong on weapons of mass destruction and there was an intelligence failure that we're trying to address. But I was as surprised as anybody he didn't have them," Bush tells Pelley.

977 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 977 Comments


by martialslaw January 18, 2007 2:27 AM EST: President Bush does not care about our soldiers. If he did we would be getting out of Iraq, just like Great Britain is.; Reply to this comment


by jblemel January 17, 2007 12:34 PM EST: Thank you Mr. Pelley for the complete and thorough interview that you did with Mr. Bush. Your questions were relevant, and they were the questions that the American public wanted and needed answers to. In addition, your passion was evident. You are clearly a master at your craft. Thanks again for the interview, and one last thing. Did Mr. Bush curse you out when the cameras and microphones were indeed turned off? I am sure that he did not want another mic incident.

Only in America could a C student become president. Let me clarify, if you are African-American and a C student, you cannot become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But, if you are White, you can become president.

Go Obama! Keep hope alive!!!!!

Blessings,
Janice Bishop LeMelle; Reply to this comment


by badgersouth1 January 17, 2007 2:58 AM EST: I was born in 1943. All three of my mother's brothers, my uncles, served in WWII. One of was killed in the Battle of the Bulge and is buried in Belgium. WWII was a necessary and just war.

I opposed the Viet Nam War from the get go because I knew it was totally unnecessary and unwinable -- as the French well knew from prior experience.

I opposed the Iraq War from the get go because I knew it was totally unnecessary and unwinable -- as the British well knew from prior experience.

If you favor waging war then you *** well better have a plan to pay for it. Don't put the burden on future generations because you are afraid to ask the current generation to pay the price.

It's totally insane and irresponsible to wage war and at the same time reduce taxes. No President in our history has ever done that before the Bush-Cheney Regime came along.; Reply to this comment


by martialslaw January 16, 2007 11:08 PM EST: Here's a look at what politicians advocating more troops really think of veterans they disable:

http://www.brlsi.org/proceed04/P162.jpg; Reply to this comment


by ajm5kgm January 16, 2007 8:42 PM EST: becky_wwjd
You sound like an very stupid person. It is a shame that you home school your children and you don't know how to spell. You also keep them stupid by not letting them interact with the world except to watch "our great president"; Reply to this comment


by j-whitman January 16, 2007 7:00 PM EST: Bush fortot about our Troops in Afaganistan - More Troops Needed

The prospect of a troop increase in Afghanistan, at the same time Bush is ordering 21,500 more troops into Iraq, raises new questions about the military's ability to sustain its war-fighting on two major fronts. There now are about 24,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, which Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, the senior American commander here, said is the highest since the war began in October 2001.; Reply to this comment


by j-whitman January 16, 2007 6:27 PM EST: Bush wants Iraq to appoligize ??? -- Someone get a net, quick.; Reply to this comment


by cat22listo January 16, 2007 6:20 PM EST: Note to Scott Pelley and all mainstream media:

"PELLEY: The Democrat leadership says, "We wanna support the troops who are on the ground. We just wanna redline the extra 20,000.""

Hey Scott. And the rest of you so-called liberal MSM journo butt-heads listen up too: It's a sign of disrespect to call the Democratic party, its leadership and members the 'Democrat Leadership', the 'Democrat Party' etc. It's the 'DemocratIC leadership' and 'the DemocratIC Party to you, pal. That's a perjorative used by the Republicans. It's as bad as calling Republicans 'Repugs'.

The Democratic Party is now the majority in Congress, won fair and square by election. Show some respect. Do not be intimidated by an Administration representing a shrinking minority in all respects, from representation in Congress to failed policy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fox News no longer calls the shots, no matter how loud they complain.

"PELLEY: Do you believe as commander-in-chief you have the authority to put the troops in there no matter what the Congress wants to do?

BUSH: In this situation, I do, yeah. Now, I fully understand they could try to stop me from doing it. But I made my decision, and we're going forward."

Now if that doesn't sound like Bush thumbing his nose at the constitution and the American people and provoking a constitutional crisis, I don't know what would. Solid grounds for impeachment, if you ask me.; Reply to this comment


by j-whitman January 16, 2007 6:13 PM EST: b48151,,,,, Our troops deserve real working plans,, Not lies,,, Or do you think they do ??; Reply to this comment


by j-whitman January 16, 2007 6:06 PM EST: b481,,,, No, You don't get it -- Lying isn't a good American or patriotic vitrue.; Reply to this comment