George Bush Tells Oprah How Racism Hurt His Feelings

Yesterday, the former President appeared on Oprah to discuss his memoir Decision Points. He went into detail about he could’ve done a better job in handling the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and how it “irritated” him to be called a racist.

Interestingly, Bush came off much more likable in this interview than in the eight years that he was president, in my opinion. It sort of proves that President Obama’s use of pop culture TV appearances—like on The View and The Daily Show—has been a wise choice on his part because it makes the President much more accessible (and relatable) to the general public. Additionally, it was interesting (if not totally convincing) to hear Bush personally explain the reasoning behind some of his decisions. For instance, he was criticized for merely looking out the window of Air Force One—rather than landing—to assess the damage that Katrina had done to Louisiana. He said this was because of the protocol involved in landing that aircraft, and how it would’ve taken away some of the resources that were needed on the ground. Also, he admits that he didn’t act swiftly enough in sending in reinforcements and aid, but that a lot of that had to do with the limitations under which the federal, state, and local government are bound to by law. Here, he explains how he needed the governor’s permission before he could take action.