In ABC interview, "W" talks regrets but misses points

If there's one thing that we can say about President George W. Bush, it's that he isn't delusional about his eight years in the White House. In an interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson on Monday evening, Bush made a number of admissions, including saying he regretted relying on incorrect information when making the decision to invade Iraq and that he believes some people voted for Barack Obama because of him.

Bush also said he didn't feel like President-elect Obama was intruding on his office by holding almost daily press conferences announcing new economic and advising teams.

It's apparent the lame-duck president doesn't have some final 50-day plan to end his time in office. With the state of the economy, there aren't many other things he can focus on in his waning days, even if his only responsibility to seems to be to approve more billion-dollar bailouts.

Bush said long-term history is ultimately going to be his judge, both on the economy and on his effectiveness as the country's leader. But there seems to be little doubt Bush will go down as one of the least-liked presidents in history. The bright spots on his record are few, while his controversies are many. Even the things he cites as his proudest accomplishments, such as No Child Left Behind, are more in the gray areas of public opinion.

Most chillingly, Bush said he is going to miss the hospitals he visits and the soldiers he meets there, as well as meeting the families of fallen soldiers. On one hand, it reflects a human side of the president, one that is compassionate and proud of the men he sent into war. But, in an interview where he admits the reasons for going into Iraq were wrong and his ultimate goal was some sort of victory, the sentiment is also confounding. Had he been a better leader, there would be far fewer hospital visits and grieving families, something Bush, at least in this interview, didn't recognize.

This interview was one of many planned "exit interviews" for the 43rd as his days wind down, which is something of a departure from former presidents. If they all go like this one did, then we might be treated to a couple more Bushisms we have grown accustomed to over the years. But we hope while he is preparing to leave his post as president, reflecting (and, of course, executive pardoning) are the only significant things Bush does.

Forty-nine days and counting.