Bush's great ambition: wealthy boredom

· President tells of regrets in office and retirement plans
· Dead Certain author given rare vision of private life

Ed Pilkington in New York
Monday September 3, 2007
The Guardian

Jimmy Carter has dedicated his life after the White House to conflict resolution around the world. Presidents George Bush the elder and Bill Clinton have campaigned together on behalf of communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. So how does President George Bush junior imagine spending his retirement years?

"I can just envision getting in the car, getting bored, going down to the ranch," he says. He also has big plans for making money. "I'll give some speeches, to replenish the ol' coffers," says Mr Bush, who is already estimated to be worth $20m. "I don't know what my dad gets - it's more than 50-75 , and "Clinton's making a lot of money".

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During the course of six one-hour interviews, Mr Bush, feet up on his desk, munching on low-fat hotdogs, tells Draper of the loneliness of the US commander-in-chief. "Self-pity is the worst thing that can happen to a presidency. This is a job where you can have a lot of self-pity," Mr Bush says.

When it all gets too much for the president, his wife Laura storms to the rescue. "She reminds me that I decided to do this," he tells Draper.

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The book's title, Dead Certain, is ominously ambiguous, given the 3,728 US personnel - and by some estimates more than 70,000 civilians - who have died in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. For those around the world who are already perplexed by Mr Bush's strategy in Iraq, his comments to Draper will not be reassuring.

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What an idiot.