Since I saw quite a few friends there I certainly welcome any corrections or discrpencies with their experience. I tried to remain as objective as possible.
I would estimate 50-75 or so noisy protesters were exercising their right to free speech outside the Shaw Conference Centre carrying unwelcoming placards & signs, ranging from calling Bush a war criminal to pictures depicting him as Hitler. A few protestors shouted insults to people entering the venue
The lineup went on for quite sometime. The crowd had a definite white collar orientation. When Bush came on stage it was pretty hard for me to believe that he got a standing ovation.
Bush comes across as a warm, likeable guy. One can certainly understand how people are captivated by his charm. He told some funny anecdotes. It was interesting hearing his humorous stories about inside the Whitehouse & adjusting to life afterwards, having to pick up ‘Barney’s’ business. Also when Bush referred to Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a small ‘monopoly piece’ of a man who ‘did not intimidate him at all’ it was quite a funny moment. I was quite impressed with Bush’s eloquent support of Barak Obama, it certainly made him appear as a gentleman. Bush evenseemed to well up when recalling British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s unwavering loyalty towards him regardless of the consequences to Blair.
When Bush was interrupted, 4 times I believe, by loud protesters within the audience and he never missed a beat. The first interruption came almost immediately as he began to speak & the subsequent interruptions ranged from a man behind us who shouted ‘how can you applaud torture?’ As Bush explained his justification of the Republican’s ‘enhanced interrogation’ policy. To the last interruption when the protester began shouting that ‘Israelis are murderers’. To tell you the truth I was expecting more protest to come from within the auditorium.
Regardless of your ideology there were some issues with some of Bush’s statements. Some were factually incorrect. Bush claimed that the Red Cross was in Guantanamo yet it is public record that US officials had a policy of denying access to the Red Cross
Bush stated that the Americans are invited in Iraq which is not quite the way that situation has been reported.
In both his 911 & Iraq versions of the information he claimed to have received seems to be contradictory from what has been reported, particularly in Iraq where many observers told him that there were no weapons of mass destruction, but Bush claimed otherwise
Bush reiterated his justification of wanting to depose non-democratic, anti-US dictators yet made no mention of American sponsored dictators who routinely undermine women’s human rights (namely Saudi Arabia, where most of the 911 hijackers also allegedly came from.)
Also the Republicans should recognize that it was Bush who openly admits that he began the bailout, & claimed that although it was ideologically distasteful to him it had to be done
Kelly Hrudey asked him canned although not all softball questions after Bush’s speech was completed. I would have liked Hrudey to ask tougher questions. For instance I would have like to have heard Bush’s view on how the US assisted Hussein in attaining control of Iraq, & funding Taliban thus putting them into power. It was difficult to hear his interview at times with Hrudey due to some technical issues.
It was certainly an interesting view into the life of one of the most controversial world leaders of our time.
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