Bush Speech In Canada Met With Protests

In First Speech Since Leaving Office, Former President Declines To Criticize Obama

(CBS/AP)  Former President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that he won't criticize Barack Obama because the new U.S. president "deserves my silence," and said he plans to write a book about the 12 toughest decisions he made in office.

Bush declined to critique the Obama administration in his first speech since leaving office in January. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has said that Obama's decisions threatened America's safety.

"I'm not going to spend my time criticizing him. There are plenty of critics in the arena," Bush said. "He deserves my silence."

Bush said he wants Obama to succeed and said it's important that he has that support. Talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has said he hoped Obama would fail.

"I love my country a lot more than I love politics," Bush said. "I think it is essential that he be helped in office."

The president plans to give 10 speeches in Canada, Asia and Europe, of which this is the first, according to an AFP source. The Calgary event was billed as "A Conversation with George W. Bush."

According to the Washington Speaker's Bureau, the former president was offering "his thoughts on eight years in the Oval Office, the challenges facing our nation in the 21st century, the power of freedom, the role of faith, and other pressing issues."

Some guests reportedly paid more than 400 Canadian dollars ($315 U.S.) to attend the luncheon.

More than 200 protesters chanted "war criminal" and flung shoes outside the event, according to a CBS News report. At least two demonstrators were hauled away by police after brief skirmishes.

AFP reports that protesters amassed shoes from across the country to throw at an effigy of Mr. Bush outside the convention center. Colette Lemieux of the Canadian Peace Alliance said, "It doesn't matter that he is no longer president - a bank robber who stops holding up banks can and must still be prosecuted for his crimes."

(Read more in CBSNews.com's Political Hotsheet.)

Media were barred from covering the invitation-only event.

Bush is unpopular in Canada but less so in oil-rich Alberta, the country's most conservative province and one sometimes called the Texas of the north.

"This is my maiden voyage. My first speech since I was the president of the United States and I couldn't think of a better place to give it than Calgary, Canada," Bush said.

The event's organizers declined to say how much Bush was paid to speak at the gathering.

Bush said that he doesn't know what he will do in the long term but that he will write a book that will ask people to consider what they would do if they had to protect the United States as president.

He said it will be fun to write and that "it's going to be (about) the 12 toughest decisions I had to make."

"I'm going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there's an authoritarian voice saying exactly what happened," Bush said.

"I want people to understand what it was like to sit in the Oval Office and have them come in and say we have captured Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, the alleged killer of a guy named Danny Pearl because he was simply Jewish, and we think we have information on further attacks on the United States," Bush said.

Bush didn't specify what the 12 hardest decisions were but said Iraq is better off without Saddam Hussein in power.

Bush was also full of jokes during his appearance. He joked that he would do more speeches to pay for his new house in Dallas.

"I actually paid for a house last fall. I think I'm the only American to have bought a house in the fall of 2008," he quipped.

He also said his mother is doing well. Barbara Bush was released from a Houston hospital Friday, nine days after undergoing heart surgery. "Clearly he can't live without her," Bush said of his father and former President George H.W. Bush.

Bush seemed to enjoy himself even though the event started a half later than expected because of tight security. "I'll sit here all day," Bush said during a question-and-answer session. "I'm flattered people even want to hear me in the first place."

Monday night, Mr. Bush had dinner out in Calgary, eating pasta and fruit salad; according to the Calgary Herald, he was a "jovial and friendly" guest who chatted and posed for pictures.

[CanadianCitizen]

Mr. Bush was welcomed in Calgary, at the Telus Convention Centre by more than 1500 paying guests that greatly enjoyed the gathering. The 200 protesters, former USA deserters along with the so called Liberalized 'Students of higher learning' in no way represent the decent and respectful members of society,in Alberta. Many of the protesters have no concept of what transpired to afford them the privilege of protesting.

[halacious02]

I'm not going to spend my time criticizing him. There are plenty of critics in the arena," Bush said. "He deserves my silence."

HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Mr. Bush - the entire world deserves your silence.

[noloyalisti]

Bushoccio also illegally spied and tortured, breaking our treaties and conventions of which we are signatories. This brain dead lizard brain is SO clueless, I think he will eventually walk right into some handcuffs somewhere.

You can't make up white trash of this level, you just have to have enough uneducated religious wackos vote for him.

[hungry1968-15]

Bush got authorization from Congress to us force and a UN resolution, so I think they would have a difficult time prosecuting him.
A lot of people like to say Bush lied but there is no evidence of that, he relied on the intelligence reports, as did the Democrats when they voted to Authorize Use of Force.
Posted by jmca2009 at 8:34 AM : Mar 18, 2009





The UN resolution DID NOT pass!

And the "authorization" from congress, was given based on testimony and "evidence" that the Bush regime KNEW to be false.

[hungry1968-15]

Bush Speech In Canada Met With Protests





"Ha, ha - look at all these people here cheering for me, and celebrating my presence. They love me here! They're even trying to celebrate me by offering their shoes as a form of a "love offering!"

[everlaw01]

I'm for honesty,

Be careful what you ask for. Honesty is a two-edged sword....

[jmca2009]

jmca2009...........this is absolutely ridlicious! If you believe Cheney and the GOP ecochamber...fine! That's not my problem. The facts are not on your side. The intel was based on nothing but lies. The CIA told the WH their case was basically non-existant. There was no yellow cake from Niger; Rumsfield said they knew where "the weapons" were....he lied; let's not forget that pesky Dowing Street memo; and let's not forget Cheney now changing the reason for invading Iraq. He now says it was to bring democracy. That's NOT the case they went to war on. They LIED! and you Bought it! You still buy it, and you'll buy it when they're standing trial for war crimes. It's not my problem you're so inept and guliable. It's not my fault that you're a mindless right-wing nut. There's a conspiracy alright, and it's Bushco engaging in "revisionist" history. We know what happened. Thinking people knew this war was a mistake from the beginning. We were right, and you were dead wrong. Accept it!
Posted by hakori at 8:10 AM : Mar 18, 2009

Here read the CIA statement defending the NIE report
https://www.cia.gov/news-information/press-releases-statements/press-release-archive-2003/pr11282003.html

The intel was provided by many people, countries and different agencies, I don't think they were all in on the Bush conspiracy
If you read the Bush case for deposing Saddam, Quote:
"And that's why two administrations -- mine and President Clinton's -- have stated that regime change in Iraq is the only certain means of removing a great danger to our nation."
http://www.cfr.org/publication/18136/president_bush_outlines_iraqi_threat_october_2002.html

Bush got authorization from Congress to us force and a UN resolution, so I think they would have a difficult time prosecuting him.
A lot of people like to say Bush lied but there is no evidence of that, he relied on the intelligence reports, as did the Democrats when they voted to Authorize Use of Force.

[colt8881]

Well Since GWB is currently UN-Employed

So how much do you need to spend to see GWB in person doing a speech.

I would not pay more then 10 cents.

[walt1944]

The former-Great Emperor Bush II spoke in Canada yesterday. He arrived at his engagement dressed in a suit of armour and surrounded by secret service bodyguards, all meant to protect him from shoe-throwers and/or those who intended to throw something "stinky".

Bush babbled that he did not intend to criticize Obama claiming there were enough critics out there. The truth is that Bush knew the moment he opened his mouth about Obama's performance, the Democrats would be all over Bush and the neocon Fascist Nazi Republicans for the mess they have made over the past 8 years.

The former-Great Emperor also stated he intends on writing a book (how original!) about the 12 most difficult decisions he had to make. It has been learned that some of those decisions are:

1. Making sure he put the same style shoes on the right feet every morning.
2. Determining if he should allow VP Darth Vader Cheney to reveal Valerie Plamne's identity, or simply enter her as a contestant on "American Idol"!
3. Keeping track of all the "signing statements" and executive orders he created.
4. Letting go of Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto "The Great Gonzo" Gonzeles, both of whom were more stupid than he was!
5. Visiting the site of the WTC and not wearing a respirator!
6. Deciding that Osama Bin Laden wasn't important anymore!
7. Wanting to send men to Mars, but allowing the Chinese to get there first!
8. Deciding not to hold many press conferences, so the press wouldn't see how stupid HE WAS!
9. Watching every move and listening to every word American citizens made and said, suspecting them ALL as "enemy combatants"!
10. Allowing torture at Gitmo; he should have just shot everyone!
11. Making press releases in the Rose Garden without some protection should the "Bird of Paradise" pay him another visit!
12. Pumping pallet-fulls of taxpayer money into AIG!!!!

HAIL OBAMA!!!

[jmca2009]

Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley receives two memos and a phone call from CIA Director George Tenet warning him to delete references to Niger yellowcake uranium in Bush?s October 7 address.Posted by ShooShoeBush at 7:49 AM : Mar 18, 2009

I don't want to repeat the same theme here, but so? many investigative leads turn up dry. why would you want to tout evidence in a speech when it was already disproven.
Tha sort of cotradicts the claim that Bush knew the facts and then lied about them.

[jmca2009]

Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley receives two memos and a phone call from CIA Director George Tenet warning him to delete references to Niger yellowcake uranium in Bush?s October 7 address.
Posted by ShooShoeBush at 7:49 AM : Mar 18, 2009

I don't want to repeat the same theme here, but so? many investigative leads turn up dry, why would you want to tout some evidence in a speech that was dis-proven.
That sort of contradicts the claim that Bush knew the facts and then lied about it.

[iam4honesty]

How is this news? 200 protesters? More than 200 parents attend my daughters' basketball games. Leave it to the liberal media to highlight something insignificant for political reasons.
Posted by Obama_the_Clown


What you are saying is that because there weren't thousands of citizens in the streets instead of hundreds demanding the criminal be brought to justice... that means he is innocent. Just wait till the scum tries to go to Europe. He will probably need a brigade of marines to protect his sorry arse on that trip.

[jmca2009]

The Downing Street Memo Meeting (7 months prior to the war)

Minutes detail how the British government did not believe Iraq was a greater threat than other nations; how intelligence was "fixed" to sell the case for war to the American public; and how the Bush Administration?s public assurances of "war as a last resort" were at odds with their privately stated intentions.

The Downing Street Memos don't really spell out Bush committed any crime, your claim is he had already made up his mind and needed to sell it to the American public.
Let's say that was true, so what? Saddam had already proven himself a threat and a pain in the a** for the previous 12 years, so Bush decided to finish what his Father did not.
Again that does not mean he falsified evidence, the intelligence reports were in existence before he took office. The democrats had access to all that data when Clinton was president, if they did not read the reports and then voted for the Use of Force - shame on them.

And then some 39 countries joined Bush in invading Iraq.
You paint a picture of an omnipotent individual capable of pulling off a massive conspiracy.
You can't be talking about this incoherent boob - Bush... are you.

[CanadianFromTheNorth]

Yes.... Alberta is the only Province in Canada (Texas of the North) that would actually have the audacity to pay to listen to Bush speak?!? What is wrong with this picture?!?

Now Obama..... we'd have the various Provinces fighting each other to have him speak.

[flsunjnky]

"I'm flattered people even want to hear me in the first place."

What else is new?

[everlaw01]

Let me correct my spelling errors.

That's, "DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK CANADA!"

Now, I feel better.

[everlaw01]

First off....did you notice the little dig in the story about Rush....what a reporter....he, she or it have drank the Liberal cool aid....but what else do you except from the liberal media...

Finally 200 protesters VS. 3000 American dead, two buildings destoried, 1 damaged and 4 planes brought down by idiots....DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK CANDA...

[KazooD]

Since he ran an authoritarian administration it is only fitting that he write an authoritarian book.

[nirak2-2009]

Why anyone would pay for his speech we all have heard a thousand times is beyond me.
Only in Alberta would he be invited and that by about 25% of the people.

[jclark7613]

I'm no fan of Bush but he was still are President and he deserves respect. He was born on July 6 and is a Cancer. People that are born under the Cancer sign believe they are always right and will stand behind there beliefs to the end.