George W. Bush Reminisces About Days as President

Former President George W. Bush left his presidency as one of the more unpopular political figures in recent decades, but he seems content with the idea that he stood firm in his beliefs and that his soul remains intact. It's unlikely that anyone will ever truly know all of the thoughts that drove Bush during his presidency, but none can argue that his presidency was not one of the more momentous of the last hundred years.

Bush spoke to the group, explaining that he really missed speaking with military personnel and their families. He explained that while those meetings were sometimes sad and heart-breaking, that they were also uplifting to him spiritually and that he drew strength from the strength of the families of fallen soldiers. About 8 people protested Bush's speech outside of the facility.

The former president also spoke about 9/11 and how that event shaped the remainder of his presidency. He said that he thought about it almost daily as president and that the event is never far from his mind. He also touched on the housing collapse and noted - accurately - that his administration tried to rein in the practices of the mortgage industry, but Congress shot down the proposals.

Bush spoke fondly of the meals at the White House and on flying on Air Force One. He acknowledged leaving office as an unpopular president, but said that he refused to compromise his soul for the sake of popularity.