Bartlett: "Mission Accomplished" Banner Was My Fault

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Republicans

(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

At his news conference yesterday, President Bush said the decision to put a "Mission Accomplished" banner on the aircraft carrier where he gave a speech following the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a "mistake."

It was not his mistake, however, according to CBS News political analyst Dan Bartlett, a former senior advisor to Mr. Bush. Asked this morning by Harry Smith, co-anchor of CBS' The Early Show, who was responsible for the banner – Smith pointed out that both the Navy and former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan have taken the blame in the past – Bartlett said that it was actually his call.

"Quite frankly, yours truly was the guy who actually signed off" on posting the banner, Bartlett said, after people on the aircraft carrier approached the White House with the idea. "I regret it to this day, because it did send the wrong message."

Bartlett said the fact that the president didn't "throw us under the bus" for the choice, despite the fact that he didn't have anything to do with the banner, illustrates "why he endears so much loyalty from people like myself and others who had worked for him."

Republican strategist Ed Rollins, however, noted that the banner wasn't the only regrettable image from that speech – Mr. Bush "flew in on a jet, he had a pilot's outfit on," Rollins noted. He said the president had been "overly confident" during his two terms.

Even at yesterday's uncharacteristically reflective press conference – which Bartlett said showcased the real Mr. Bush – Rollins said, "there was no humility there."

Watch the segment below:

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by dredly January 14, 2009 1:10 PM EST: Thank goodness some of this will stop soon. We should give George a good send off (ignore his last speech - the IGNORE GEORGE boycott - http://www.ignoregeorge.com ).
The questions will never end about all of what has happened over the last eight years but at least the Bush folks won''t have the presidency to wreak havoc from.; Reply to this comment


by dredly January 14, 2009 1:09 PM EST: Thank goodness some of this will stop soon. We should give George a good send off (ignore his last speech - the IGNORE GEORGE boycott - http://www.ignoregeorge.com ).
The questions will never end about all of what has happened over the last eight years but at least the Bush folks won''t have the presidency to wreak havoc from.; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 January 14, 2009 2:52 AM EST: He should have also sought input from others with a different viewpoint. Whatever way you cut it, the Iraq war was his single worse mistake.

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Posted by ramos937 at 03:07 PM : Jan 13,
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He was given different advice, from his dad, from Colin Powell, but he chose not to listen.; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 January 14, 2009 2:50 AM EST: Gosh, Bush is just such a swell guy. I guess we should just overlook the damage he has done to our country, our constitution, our reputation, the deficit he has created, and the mess he has left us in. Yeah, he is just a peach.; Reply to this comment


by clamperken January 14, 2009 1:00 AM EST: In 8 long years not one of Bushs'' inner circle of high powered cronies,including himself has taken personal responsibility for any of the major mistakes of his failed administration. Why start now? Fortunately the vast majority of Americans can see right thru this blame the subortinates game. The buck stops at the top.; Reply to this comment


by edwinbell January 13, 2009 8:56 PM EST: I remember that the President, or his people, blamed the Navy. I''m shocked that the President lied to us.; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 January 13, 2009 7:19 PM EST: Whatever way you cut it, the Iraq war was his single worse mistake.
Posted by ramos937 at 03:07 PM : Jan 13, 2009

I disagree, Messing with and changing the Bill of Rights and the USofA constitution was his biggest and most costly (to us) mistake of his life.; Reply to this comment


by ramos937 January 13, 2009 6:07 PM EST: Bush''s biggest mistake of his presidency was relying on one set of advisors for input prior to invading Iraq. These neocoms included Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolf....., Hadley, etc. These were extreme right wing hard liners. He should have also sought input from others with a different viewpoint. Whatever way you cut it, the Iraq war was his single worse mistake.; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 January 13, 2009 5:44 PM EST: This is how the shrubs legacy will be (re)written, through recollections of former staffers in chat rooms for the next four years; Reply to this comment


by mainedoggie January 13, 2009 5:15 PM EST: "Over Confident" ?

That''s a nice way of saying:

Arrogant AzzzHole with ZERO accountability for anything. This thug has a scapegoat for everything!

The thug is responsible for the banner, the buck stops at Bush. Spin it any way you like CBS.

The one thing I will miss about the thug:

His fake Texas "twang" and his "ranch" down in Crawford.; Reply to this comment