Bush admits some regrets.

President Bush, looking back on his eight years in the White House, acknowledged Tuesday he regretted making some statements during his two terms in office and wished he had not spoken in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner a month after U.S. troops in Iraq were deployed.

"I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN's Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president.

"Like 'dead or alive' and 'bring 'em on.' My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say," Bush said, referring to his comments aimed at terrorists during the early years of the war on terror.

Before he met with the President-elect Obama this week, Bush said he called former President Bill Clinton to recall a similar meeting the two had after he was elected in 2000.

"I said 'Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president and I remember how gracious you were to me,'" Bush said. "'I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me.'"

But as the president prepares to hand over the reins of power to Obama, Bush said he takes much pride from his time in office.

"I am proud to be the commander in chief of people who are so selfless and so courageous that they would volunteer to serve our country in a tie of war," he said. "I'm proud when I see people feed the hungry. I'm proud when I'm in Africa and see volunteers helping those citizens dying of HIV/AIDS."

He also spoke about his meeting on Monday with Obama at the White House.

"One of things President-elect Obama was interested in -- after we had our policy discussions -- was his little girls. How would they like the White House?" Bush said. "It was interesting to watch him go upstairs, and he wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep."

Bush said that when he returns to Texas on January 20, his daily pace will go from "100 mph to near zero overnight," and that he "may write a book."

"I want people to know what it was like to make some of the decisions I had to make," he said. "In other words, what was the moment like? And I've had one of those presidencies where I've had to make some tough calls, and I want people to know the truth about what it was like sitting in the Oval Office."

"I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency," he said. "But I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sweet, but it seems to me he's trying to salvage his name in history, and it's just simply too late for that. I'd like to be able to say something nice and gracious about Bush's words, but after 8 years... they sound too hollow.

This bit made me sort of sick to my stomach.

"I'm proud when I'm in Africa and see volunteers helping those citizens dying of HIV/AIDS."

His policies contributed to the spread of HIV.

that too ?...wow !... ...say it ain't so Joe...

even though he did more than any other President before him

absolutely !!...

Lyn...for you viewing pleasure..

http://www.theipinionsjournal.com/index.php/2005/06/president-bush-has-actually-done-more-for-africa-than-any-other-american-president-including-clinton/

Did more to... ruin the economy? Did more to... make every other country hate us? Did more to... kill thousands of US citizens and Iraqi civilians...?

Did more...? Yup. Lots more.

wow, snarrrrrl!!!

we were talking about AIDS in Africa and the fact that he more than tripled American funding for the victims

There will always be folks to help knock others down and there will always be folks who know through empathy what someone like a US President has to deal with. I didn't vote for Obama, but you will NOT see me swiping and sniping at every little thing he's GOING TO DO UNSATISFACTORILY. Tsk, tsk. We all do the best we can with what we've got. Scr*w all this president bashing!!!

nicely done my fellow McCain supporter...I think ?...lol...

Good to know, though sadly that doesn't really make up for it in the eyes of many. Especially seeing as how his policies made it worse in the first place. Fixing what you messed up isn't a reason to celebrate -- it's what should be expected of every mature, responsible adult. Especially the leader of our country.

I never bashed a president until now... IMHO Bush deserves it. Every president has struggles, has to make difficult decisions, has a LOT of pressure. Bush was no different than any president before him in that. The way he handled it, however, was very unsatisfactory.

As I said before, I'd love to be able to be gracious towards Bush's "closing" words, and believe me I know how to be gracious, but it's dust in the wind now. It's too late. It just is.