President says he won't miss public spotlight Bush says he'll return to Texas 'with my head held high'

President George W. Bush is shown speaking Jan. 7, 2009, in the East Room of the White House. President George W. Bush is shown speaking Jan. 7, 2009, in the East Room of the White House. Photo: Ron Sachs, Pool/Getty Images Photo: Ron Sachs, Pool/Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close President says he won't miss public spotlight 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON — A reflective President Bush today acknowledged a number of blunders that have marred his White House years, but he told a small group of Texas reporters that "I have a great sense of accomplishment and am going home with my head held high."

Bush mused fondly about his future life in Dallas, saying he looked forward to walking down supermarket aisles, sitting in a rocking chair with old friends and staying out of the public spotlight.

"I am looking forward to going back to Texas," the former Texas governor said. "I am going to a place where I have a lot of friends, people who will be my friends regardless of politics," he said.

Before leaving office, the president said he is likely to deliver a farewell address to the nation that would include thanks, praise and lessons learned.

Bush says he will miss the creature comforts of the presidency -- the luxury of Air Force One, the convenience of having a helicopter outside your back door and the "fantastic" service at the White House.

"I don't know what it's going to be like to wake up on the 21st of January," he admitted.

Bush said he plans to divide his time between his Crawford ranch and a spacious rambler in North Dallas.

"Laura bought a house," he joked. "I haven't seen it yet. They say it's a beauty."

The soon-to-be-ex-president said he's looking to "find enough to keep this Type A personality from getting restless." Bush said he will write a book with the help of a ghost writer, "give some speeches" and "spend some time on the SMU campus," where his presidential library and freedom institute will be built. He said he told President-elect Barack Obama earlier this week that he'd be "more than willing" to listen if the new commander-in-chief had "some tasks he may want me to take on."

For the time being, those activities will not include partisan politics. Bush pledged to stay out of the looming 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary between Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Bush says, he looks forward to vanishing from the daily headlines.

"The ex-president needs to get off the stage," he insisted. "You've had your time in the klieg light ... The less I'm on TV, the better."

In the 55-minute interview, Bush pointed to accomplishments including a series of tax cuts, two energy bills, the No Child Left Behind education legislation, expansion of Medicare to include a prescription drug benefit, new free trade pacts.

He said he is "pleased with the progress we have made in dismantling al Qaida." But, he acknowledged, "it's been hard to keep the American people convinced that there is still a threat."

Among his failures were comprehensive immigration reform and an overhaul of Social Security. He admitted to several war-related mistakes, including the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner.

"My language at times has been a little rough and over the top," he said. "But the thing about the presidency is you don't have any do-overs."

Among his political setbacks, Bush particularly regrets the failure of immigration legislation, which was killed by the Senate in 2007.

"I'm very disappointed that it didn't pass," he said. "I'm very worried about the message that said, 'Republicans are anti-immigrant.'"

Bush said he favored a comprehensive immigration plan "not for political standing or for Latinos, but because it was best for the country."

He said he should have pushed his immigration proposal right after the 2004 election, while he had some political capital, rather than waiting until after the partisan brawl over Social Security.

He also said he "didn't realize how significant the financial meltdown would be" until a "startling moment" last year when his Treasury Secretary told him that the country could face a crisis "greater than the Great Depression" if he didn't act immediately.

He noted that he had told an audience in Houston last year that "Wall Street got drunk and we got a hangover."

Bush said he "fully understands why people in Texas are saying" that he abandoned conservative free-enterprise principles. But he strongly defends the $700 billion financial industry aid package he sought in September.

"The answer is: if we didn't (act), you're going to suffer more ... I have moved and moved very aggressively. We have abandoned free-market priniciples, and did what we had to do to prevent the financial industry from melting down."

The outgoing president had a bit of advice to congressional Republicans: lay off the new occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

"I think they will be making a mistake if they attack President-elect Obama and call him names," Bush said.

Indeed, the harsh tone of Washington is something the Texan will not miss.

"I did not really anticipate the harshness of the rhetoric here," he said. "It was so different than Texas. In Texas, we treat each other with respect."