Bush's opening remarks
By Andrew Davidson, Kas Roussy and Mark Gollom of CBC News, from the George Bush-Bill Clinton debate of U.S./Canadian issues in Toronto:
"Welcome to the Bill and George show," Georeg W. Bush told the crowd in Toronto, earning laughs right off the bat.
Bush took the stage to warm applause, looking tanned in a navy blue suit and aqua tie. He earned a standing ovation from some in the crowd, but the number of people on their feet didn't match Clinton's reception. Still, if success in the opening remarks is judged by the level of laughter from the crowd, Bush came out ahead with his stories of life after the presidency.
Bush followed up with some thoughts about life after the presidency, saying that it's "hard to go from 100 miles per hour to zero," but that retirement is "not all that bad," and that he is enjoying spending time in Texas out of the spotlight.
He added that Clinton has been spending so much time with George Bush senior that he (Bush Jr.) now considers Clinton like a brother, a quip that generated more laughs.
Turning to more serious issues, Bush said he wants to build a policy centre at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and that he wants to continue pushing what he referred to as the "freedom agenda."
He said he also wants to write a book, and speculated about how the news would be received by the public: "Write a book? The guy can't even read a book! ... I hope to prove them wrong," he said to laughter from the audience.
Bush added that peace should be foremost on the international agenda. "It's in the interests of free nations to advance freedom to promote peace … Freedom is transformative, freedom brings hope and freedom brings peace," he said, receving a round of applause from the crowd.
"I have a great sense of optimism for the future."
About the Authors
- Rosemary Barton started her television career reporting from Quebec City where she covered the ins and outs of Quebec politics. She moved to the CBC Parliamentary Bureau in 2007. She also stood on the side of road awaiting U.S. President Barack Obama's motorcade for hours in the cold. When she finally spotted him, all of Canada heard her shriek, "I saw him!"
- Alison Crawford worked in Fredericton, Calgary and Winnipeg before returning to her hometown to work in the CBC parliamentary bureau. Her beats include the RCMP, justice, public safety and the Liberals. Alison credits her investigative skills as well as a national etiquette column and coverage of a ferret Christmas party, with having prepared her for covering national politics.
- Andrew Davidson is a producer for the CBC politics page in Toronto. He joined CBCNews.ca's national desk in 2006 and was the lead news writer for the website's 2008 federal election coverage.
- Chris Hall is the National Affairs Editor for CBC News. He's been a member of the CBC Parliamentary Bureau since 1998. That adds up to 11 budgets, four elections, three prime ministers and too many confidence votes to count. Chris started his career in print before moving to the CBC in 1992. Since then, he's worked in Toronto, Halifax and St. John's, as well as Ottawa.
- Leslie MacKinnon Leslie's been working in news and current affairs since newsrooms used teletype, televison was shot on film and radio tape was edited with a razor blade. She saw through The Journal's long run on CBC-TV, and since then has worked in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa in the CBC's various permutations. Right now, she's a TV news reporter in the political bureau, and likes certain parts of Ottawa - the canal, the Hill - a lot.
- Janyce McGregor has been a television producer in the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau since 2001. She started her career working for Studio 2 on TVOntario. In 2005 her then-doctoral student husband persuaded her to follow him to the U.K., where she worked for BBC World Service Radio in London. Janyce is originally a farm girl from southwestern Ontario. Her most important job title is "Norah's Mom."
- Chris Rands has been a member of the Parliamentary bureau since 2001. He started at Toronto's AM Radio giant CFRB before moving to CBC's National Radio News in 1996. Chris has worked in Toronto, Moncton, Sudbury, Regina, Washington and St John's. Every time Chris walks up to the Peace Tower, he wants to throw his hat in the air like Mary Tyler Moore.
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