All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

Former president George W. Bush has had little to say publicly about the new president and administration since he exited the White House. On ABC's "Good Morning America" today, former first lady Laura Bush discussed her husband’s decision to lay low.

Echoing an earlier comment from George W. Bush, Laura Bush said her husband feels he "owes President Obama his silence" on issues.

"There's no reason to second-guess any decision [Obama] makes," said Laura Bush.

The former first lady also commended Mr. Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, stating that she "sounds like a winner and a good nominee."

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Former first lady Laura Bush is apparently raring to start fixing up her newly purchased home in Dallas. KTVT in Dallas has footage of the former first lady inspecting the grounds in the north Dallas mansion. No word on former President Bush, who is presumed to be still at the ranch in Crawford.

KTVT has the story, or watch the video below.

Incoming first lady Michelle Obama gave first lady Laura Bush a present during their meeting before today's change in power.

We're told it was a writing pen and a journal book imprinted with today's date - for Mrs. Bush to start her memoirs on this next chapter of her life.

In a Dallas Morning News interview less than two weeks before the end of his presidency, George W. Bush discussed what he expects from life after the White House.

"Being a type-A personality, I'm confident I'll be able to fill my days with activities," the president said.

Mr. Bush's days will reportedly be filled with bike rides, going to his office, a memoir, and perhaps baseball games. He will also be working on the presidential library and Freedom Institute to be built at Southern Methodist University.

"This is not going to be a 'George Bush Is a Wonderful Person Center,' or the 'Center for Republican Party Campaign Tactics,'" Mr. Bush said. "It's going to be a place of debate, thought, writing, lecturing."

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Add Laura Bush to the list of those cashing in on Bush White House book deals. CBS News' Mark Knoller reports that the First Lady has signed a deal with Scribner Publishers for an autobiography set to hit shelves in 2010.

A statement from the Office of the First Lady says the book "will offer an intimate account of Mrs. Bush's life experiences, including eight years in the White House."

It advertises that, "the memoir will reveal the first lady's recollections of both the personal and historic moments that have defined her life."

Best selling author Curtis Sittenfield, recently received critical acclaim for his fictionalized account of Mrs. Bush's life in "American Wife," published by Random House.

Knoller reports that the worldwide English language publication will be handled by Simon & Schuster's international companies and an audio version is expected. Simon & Schuster is a subsidiary of CBS Corporation, this Web site's parent company.

In a move especially apropos today due to gripping cold across much of the country, President and Laura Bush stopped by the Pathways to Housing organization this morning to thank volunteers from the One Warm Coat project.

"Here's a coat for a little girl," the first lady said as she handed the volunteer a small pink coat. "And here's a coat for a big boy."

"Today we are honoring a project called One Warm Coat and it is a nationwide effort to convince our fellow citizens to contribute a used, but not overly used, coat to help a soul who may need to be warm this winter," the president said.





"A couple of reasons why we come," he explained. "It's a great example of how a single citizen and eventually a group of citizens can make a difference, a positive difference. Our communities can be enriched by projects like these."

During a photo op with volunteers that he initiated, Mr. Bush called them "soldiers in the army of compassion."

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You've seen him assaulted with a shoe, but care to see President Bush "hung?" That's a scenario Mr. Bush decided was worthy of a joke this morning in Washington.

"I suspected there would be a good-size crowd once the word got out about my hanging," the president said at the unveiling of his portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. The portrait by Robert Anderson – a classmate of Mr. Bush at Yale – will be hung in the exhibition "America’s Presidents," and is available for viewing starting tomorrow.



CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller writes: "Since the gallery now has portraits dating back to George Washington, he noted the symmetry - from George W. to George W."

Mr. Bush also noted that the artist said he had a lot of trouble with the president's mouth. "And I told him that makes two of us," Mr. Bush said ...

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