(Newser) – George W. Bush opened up about his legacy and some of his regrets in his first one-on-one TV interview since leaving the White House. Bush, speaking to NBC's Matt Lauer, defended his decision to invade Iraq but admitted that declaring combat operations over in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner was a big mistake. Bush said he's been keeping a pretty low profile since leaving office out of respect for his successor and a wish not to get back into "the swamp."

Bush also discussed the boozy hijinks of his younger days, how he turned pro-life after his mom showed him a miscarried fetus, and how one of the worst moments of his presidency involved Kanye West."I hope I'm judged a success. But I'm gonna be dead, Matt, when they finally figure it out,” he said. “And I'm comfortable knowing that I gave it my all, that I love America and I know it was an honor to serve.”