Bush a Winner as Motivational Speaker

George W. Bush headlines Texas 'mega show' with $19 tickets

(NEWSER) - It sure ain't the G8: George W. Bush, nine months retired, is headlining a motivational speaking "mega show" in Fort Worth next week, which promises "more inspirational firepower than a stick of dynamite!" As the event's screaming website reveals, the former president is appearing alongside Colin Powell and Rudy Giuliani, as well as the "legendary" quarterback Terry Bradshaw and an alleged "top sales expert." Cost to see the former commander in chief: $19, helpfully glossed as "not per person, but per office." More»

Powell says former VP goes 'too far' in pitching his memoir

(NEWSER) - Colin Powell fired back at Dick Cheney and his revealing memoir yesterday, calling the former veep's revelations "cheap shots that he's taking at me and other members of the administration who served to the best of our ability for President Bush," reports Politico . In particular, Powell rebutted claims that he publicly badmouthed the war in Iraq and was forced out of George W. Bush's administration in 2004. "The president knows that I told him what I thought about every issue of the day," said the former secretary of state. More»

Former VP discusses his conflicts with Condoleezza, Powell, Tenet

(NEWSER) - And the revelations from Dick Cheney's new memoir just keep coming: yesterday, news of a secret resignation letter. Today, the New York Times , which obtained a copy of In My Time , reports that Cheney pushed Bush to bomb what the US believed to be a nuclear reactor site in Syria in 2007. But others in the White House, wary of a repeat of the Iraq/WMD scenario, balked, and Bush opted to take the diplomatic route. "I again made the case for US military action against the reactor,” Cheney wrote. "But I was a lone voice. After I finished, the president asked, ‘Does anyone here agree with the vice president?’ Not a single hand went up around the room.” More»

He didn't intend to harm former First Couple, officials say

(NEWSER) - Secret Service agents have busted a man for driving his muscle car erratically onto the lawn of former president George W. Bush. He and wife Laura were home at the time but were never in any danger, officials said. The driver made no threats against the Bushes and apparently did not intend to harm them, reports MSNBC . The Bushes live on a gated public street in the Preston Hills section of Dallas and have constant Secret Service protection. The former First Couple "appreciates the work of the Secret Service and Dallas Police Department in responding to the incident," said a Bush spokesman. More»

Ex-president's new gig elicits generates mockery, some populist cred

(NEWSER) - George W. Bush's upcoming gig as a motivational speaker in Fort Worth has wags weighing in:

• Jason Zengerle, New Republic: A bit "undignified," for sure, but remember that Bill Clinton and others make buckets of cash from speaking gigs. "At least Bush's buckraking is sort of populist. If you want to see him speak, you don't need to work at Goldman. In fact, you—and your entire office, for that matter—can go see him for just $19."