Laura Bush: I Never Felt Bad

CBS News Exclusive: First Lady Says Revealing Her Surgery For Minor Skin Cancer Didn't Occur To Her

(CBS)  First lady Laura Bush suffered no ill effects from the cancerous growth on her leg and that is why it was never revealed to the public, she told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer in an exclusive interview.

"I never felt badly," Mrs. Bush said in an excerpt of the interview (video) shown on CBS News' The Early Show.

Mrs. Bush had a squamous cell carcinoma removed from her right shin in early November, the White House acknowledged Monday night after a bandage on Mrs. Bush's shin was spotted by a reporter attending the White House Hanukkah party. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer.

On Tuesday, reporters hammered White House press secretary Tony Snow with questions on why Mrs. Bush and the White House did not disclose the details of the procedure when it occurred.

"I don't know. She didn't feel obliged and she believes that she has the same medical privacy rights that you and I have," Snow told the reporters. As the questions continued, Snow grew exasperated and told reporters, "She said, 'It's no big deal, we knew it wasn't a big deal at the time.' Apparently, she's wrong about this."

Mrs. Bush told Schieffer that it did not occur to her that she should go public with the ailment.

"I thought it was an insect bite, actually when I first got it, and then it just didn't get well so we had it biopsied before the election and found out it was squamous cell carcinoma, which is not a very serious skin cancer," the first lady said. "Right after the election, I had it removed."

The American Cancer Society estimates that basal and squamous cell carcinoma are responsible for less than 0.1 percent of cancer deaths. Conversely, almost 8,000 Americans will die from melanoma this year.

Four days after the growth was removed, Mrs. Bush accompanied the president on his tour of Asia, including stops in Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia. After the trip, Mrs. Bush came home and "stood for 24 receiving lines at all those parties. I was never sick. I never felt badly. So, it just didn't occur to me."

Another reason Mrs. Bush was not forthcoming about the squamous cell carcinoma was that, unlike the president, she considers herself a private citizen.

"I don't release the results of my regular physicals, like the president does," Mrs. Bush said.

Despite her attempts at secrecy, Mrs. Bush said she is not upset that the minor surgery was made public.

"I'm glad it's out, because I'm glad people will pay attention if they have spots and they don't know what they are," Mrs. Bush said.

The first lady noted her fair complexion and her childhood growing up in West Texas. "I have never really did a lot of sun bathing like some of my friends did because I didn't tan, but, of course, I played outside for my whole childhood and spent the afternoons at the swimming pool and did all those things we all did growing up in Texas, so I was out in the sun a lot," she said.

The American Cancer Society reports that more than 1 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States and says that most, but not all, of these types of skin cancer are highly curable.

Mrs. Bush also spoke to Schieffer about the president's handling of the war in Iraq. In an excerpt shown on Wednesday night's CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, she said President Bush has had a tough year (video) trying to assess the best course of action for the United States in Iraq.

Read the transcript (in PDF format).

[usawatchman]

I wonder if he brought up the subject later
when the cameras were OFF

What the President was going to do about
Women serving in the military
being RAPED by their fellow Soldiers....

Katie Couric's Notebook: Women At War
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2006/12/14/couricandco/entry2265059.shtml
... ..

and I will say it AGAIN...

What is with the PROBLEM with the COMMAND...
that they can't make it CLEAR..
that kind of CONDUCT it is NOT ACCEPTABLE

=====

The Politicians are a bunch of CRIMINALS
The Bureaucrats are a bunch of CRIMINALS
The Courts (Judges) are a bunch of CRIMINALS
and now
The Military are a bunch of CRIMINALS...

DO WE THE PEOPLE
HAVE TOTALLY CLEAN THIS MESS UP

ISN'T THERE ANY HONOR AMONG THEM..?

[frankly6]

LAURA BUSH, THE TRUE FACE OF COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM:

I volunteered in a Katrina hurricane shelter imediately after the disaster hit New Orleans. People had been on rooftops for days without food, water or any help from the federal government. Many faced having to swim out or die on rooftops or in atticks waiting for help. We were feeding these same people as they came in on buses, stil mudy, shellshocked and hungry having just escaped with their lives moments before.

LAURA BUSH decided to make a surprise visit just as we began feeding them lunch. She had the whole thing shut down and all these people had to wait for hours as they secured the building for her photo oportunity. When the building was finaly secure enough, she waltzed in, steped up to the food, and had one of her handlers pick a few people from the hungry crowd to be served. When all the cameras were in place, she put food on a handful of plates amid the flashes. She was there just long enough to get some good photos to put a better face on another Bush debacle.

The people who were there to offer real help just stood there in disgust.

In the face of devastating incompetence and failure, all the Bush administration was really interested in doing was getting good photo-ops.

[randalds]

The Bush family is a cancerous growth on the as*s of America. Sure would be nice to have them all sliced off.

[thgdriver]

frankly6

See, I was right, you posted the same thing at 11:07 AM : Dec 25, 2006

Still having a problem remembering the past I see.

[frankly6]

LAURA BUSH, THE TRUE FACE OF COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM:

I volunteered in a Katrina hurricane shelter imediately after the disaster hit New Orleans. People had been on rooftops for days without food, water or any help from the federal government. Many faced having to swim out or die on rooftops or in atticks waiting for help. We were feeding these same people as they came in on buses, stil mudy, shellshocked and hungry having just escaped with their lives moments before.

LAURA BUSH decided to make a surprise visit just as we began feeding them lunch. She had the whole thing shut down and all these people had to wait for hours as they secured the building for her photo oportunity. When the building was finaly secure enough, she waltzed in, steped up to the food, and had one of her handlers pick a few people from the hungry crowd to be served. When all the cameras were in place, she put food on a handful of plates amid the flashes. She was there just long enough to get some good photos to put a better face on another Bush debacle.

The people who were there to offer real help just stood there in disgust.

In the face of devastating incompetence and failure, all the Bush administration was really interested in doing was getting good photo-ops.

[thgdriver]

"Nagin and Blanco had ordered a press conference at 9.30 AM to order the evacuation of New Orleans".

Come on mcdazz don't try to rewrite what did "not" happen on the local level. It's one thing to order something, quite another when you only run for high ground yourself, then try to cover your AS# like Nagin and Blanco did.

Nagin did not mobilize the police ,fire, or recue on a local level, while Blanco sat on her fat AS@ in Baton Rouge. Plenty of blame to go round!!

[thgdriver]

frankly6 sez;

"I volunteered in a Katrina hurricane shelter imediately after the disaster hit New Orleans".

You could not help but "brag' about your efforts to help after Katrina, I got news for you, we all did. We just don't go around "bragging" about what we did. We did it, we moved on, you should too.

[thgdriver]

frankly6

Just a reminder, because folks like you can't remember what you posted in the past in your rush to find only "fault".

When President Bush just flew over in Air Force One you bitc#ed and complained that he did not land.

When he explaned that he did not want to impeade rescue efforts because of security nessasery for him if he did land, all you could find was "fault".

Now you can only find "fault" when his wife shows up.

Just "shut" the HEL$ up!!!

[frankly6]

LAURA BUSH, THE TRUE FACE OF COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM:

I volunteered in a Katrina hurricane shelter imediately after the disaster hit New Orleans. People had been on rooftops for days without food, water or any help from the federal government. Many faced having to swim out or die on rooftops or in atticks waiting for help. We were feeding these same people as they came in on buses, stil mudy, shellshocked and hungry having just escaped with their lives moments before.

LAURA BUSH decided to make a surprise visit just as we began feeding them lunch. She had the whole thing shut down and all these people had to wait for hours as they secured the building for her photo oportunity. When the building was finaly secure enough, she waltzed in, steped up to the food, and had one of her handlers pick a few people from the hungry crowd to be served. When all the cameras were in place, she put food on a handful of plates amid the flashes. She was there just long enough to get some good photos to put a better face on another Bush debacle.

The people who were there to offer real help just stood there in disgust.

In the face of devastating incompetence and failure, all the Bush administration was really interested in doing was getting good photo-ops.

[grumpas]

I feel sorry for the woman! It can't be easy being married to the world's biggest idiot! No wonder she has that dazed zombie like look on her face! Every day it must be a challenge to her mental capacities just listening to Georgie ramble on incoherently!

perception5:

You may wish to pull your Republican head from your a*s.

Nagin and Blanco had ordered a press conference at 9.30 AM to order the evacuation of New Orleans.

A few minutes before the press conference began, Bush called Blanco to order the evacuation - after the decision to evacuate had been made.

"She said President Bush has had a tough year trying to assess the best course of action for the United States in Iraq."

Perhaps if he removed his head from his a*s for long enough, maybe he'd have a plan.

So, Laura Bush has had a cancerous growth removed.

If only America could get it's cancerous growth removed.

Impeach Bush.

[salty1954]

A Stepford wife if there ever was one.

Why aren't her children serving the country?

The whole Bu$h tribe are a blight on our land.

[randalds]

I still insist...she's a pod person. No doubt about it.

[rharrin1]

THANK YOU frankly6 keep up the good work.
Hard job trying to straighten out these right wing bible thumpers.

[frankly6]

LAURA BUSH, THE TRUE FACE OF COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM:

I volunteered in a Katrina hurricane shelter imediately after the disaster hit New Orleans. People had been on rooftops for days without food, water or any help from the federal government. Many faced having to swim out or die on rooftops or in atticks waiting for help. We were feeding these same people as they came in on buses, stil mudy, shellshocked and hungry having just escaped with their lives moments before.

LAURA BUSH decided to make a surprise visit just as we began feeding them lunch. She had the whole thing shut down and all these people had to wait for hours as they secured the building for her photo oportunity. When the building was finaly secure enough, she waltzed in, steped up to the food, and had one of her handlers pick a few people from the hungry crowd to be served. When all the cameras were in place, she put food on a handful of plates amid the flashes. She was there just long enough to get some good photos to put a better face on another Bush debacle.

The people who were there to offer real help just stood there in disgust.

In the face of devastating incompetence and failure, all the Bush administration was really interested in doing was getting good photo-ops.

[frankly6]

perception5

You are so hopelessly clueless. Now your trying to rewrite history pulling stories straight from your backside. Bush didn't order the city evacuated, the mayor did. Bush may have ordered a pizza but that was about it. He was on vacation as usual.

You look more like a moron every time you open your mouth.

You weren't there. I was. You have no idea what happened and you are obviously too lazy to learn the facts. Everyone has an opinion but most people here take the time to make sure that theirs is an informed one. Again, you are a serious moron.

[agnim]

"It is a wonder that these people/barbarians can even sleep at night knowing all the suffering that they have caused.

Posted by bobacorn at 03:36 PM : Dec 21, 2006"

Bob, more acorns like you need to become great American oaks, and fast. LOL

[agnim]

"frankly6, you need to stop making excuses for Naygan......... bottom line is that 1,000 Americans lost their life because Naygan failed to get them out of harms way.

Posted by perception5 at 11:46 AM : Dec 21, 2006"

Maybe Mayor Naygan should have transported New Orleanians out on his back with resources from his pocket? LOL

BUSH, DUMB THOUGH HE MAY BE, WAS ALREADY ALERT ENOUGH TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING INCOMPETENT OVER THIS FEDERAL CASE AND NATIONAL TRAGEDY IN NEW ORLEANS!

So you are looking stupid