George W. Bush Speaks to Wal-Mart Associates

Former President George W. Bush told self-deprecating jokes, defended decisions he made while in the White House, and encouraged Wal-Mart Stores Inc. associates to buy his new book during a meeting at the retailer’s home office November 22.

About 850 associates gathered in the company’s auditorium located in its main building to hear Bush talk. He also answered questions from CEO Mike Duke.

“I want to thank Wal-Mart for selling ‘Decision Points,'” Bush said.

The book isn’t intended to be a historical text. 

“I don’t believe there’s anything like short-term history that’s accurate,” Bush said.

Instead, he hopes it will help future historians frame the mindset of the era, if they choose to look at it.

Duke asked the former president what he counted as his greatest achievement during his tenure.

“Preventing attack,” Bush said, referring to the post 9/11 climate.

He defended the use of waterboarding as a “legal” means to collect information from suspected terrorists.

Of the things he wishes he had done differently, Bush said the photo of him looking over New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina had done damage, “was really dumb,” and the “Mission Accomplished” sign was a tactical mistake.

Reflections on these are further illuminated in the book, he said.

Bush said making the decision to bail out Wall Street in 2008 was difficult because he believes in a free market system. He counts it as one of the only times he violated his own principles, but said it was necessary.