ChicagoBusiness.com | George W Bush speaking Nov 19th for consultants of "troubled companies in recovery process" replacing former GE CEO Jack Welch

Nov 6, 2009 - Former president George W. Bush hits town Nov. 19 for a private speaking engagement sponsored by the Turnaround Management Association.

Ironic, given all the criticism he took during his presidency for not turning things around on certain issues -- not that the current president has, either.

Turnaround Management members are consultants who help "troubled companies in the recovery process." (Crain's Chicago Business is also a sponsor of the event.)

The 43rd president is stepping in at the last minute for former GE CEO Jack Welch, who recently was hospitalized with a staph infection.

Chicago organizers are thrilled with the turn of events. Usually, when a speaker drops out, the program suffers, said one participant.

In this case, reservations jumped from 400 to 600 when it was announced Mr. Bush would be at the podium. The event is closed to the public -- and the media.

For W., it's the first of a number of speaking engagements since he left the White House. The former commander in chief is due to release a book next year.

Organizers for the Chicago event won't say how much Mr. Bush is being paid to address the forum. But soon after he left office, the ex-prez said he expected to make a "ridiculous" amount of money.

NY Daily News | Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to debate at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 25, 2010

Richards/Getty

Ex-presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to debate at Madison Square Garden.

Don't expect a Steel Cage Death Match, but it will be a presidential duel for the ages: ex-President George W. Bush versus predecessor Bill Clinton, for one night only.

The two ex-presidents have agreed to face off on the same stage as part of MSG Entertainment's third annual "Minds That Move The World" speakers series at Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan on Feb. 25, 2010......

AP | George W. Bush throws out first pitch in Japan - while protestors were throwing shoes at a cutout picture of him

TOKYO — November 3, 2009 - Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters.

Bush, wearing a Yomiuri warmup jacket, took the mound Tuesday at Tokyo Dome and threw a pitch to Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe that bounced once in the dirt before being caught.

Bush chatted briefly with several players after walking off the field and watched the game in a private box with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Also in the box were Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh and U.S. Ambassador John Roos.

The Giants won the game 7-4 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, Japan's version of the World Series.

Protesters throw shoes to a cutout of former President George W. Bush near Tokyo Dome where Bush is visiting to watch a Japan Series baseball game in Tokyo Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.
(AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)


A demonstrator holds up a placard protesting against former President George W. Bush near Tokyo Dome where Bush is visiting to watch a Japan Series baseball game in Tokyo Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

The Telegraph - Calcutta, India | Former US President George W. Bush shows appetite for humour & food at dinner meeting of INDO-US CEO's Forum

Monday , November 2 , 2009

The former US President was at a dinner meeting of the Indo-US CEOs Forum set up by him and Singh in 2005 to develop a road map for increased partnership and co-operation between the two countries at a business level.

Bush, however, repeated a joke he had made a few hours ago at the Hindustan Times Leadership Initiative in New Delhi.

“He said he recently visited a hardware store in Texas that had once offered him a job as a ‘greeter’ — (the employee) who stands outside to welcome customers,” the corporate honcho said.

Inside the store, a man came up and asked the ex-President whether anyone had ever told him he looked just like George W. Bush. When Bush told him that it happened a lot, the man said: “Gosh, that must make you mad.”

By all accounts Bush, once berated for blaming the rising prosperity of the Indian middle class for the spiralling global food prices, thoroughly enjoyed the Indian cuisine.

“He had two helpings of ras malai and generally ate well,” the CEOs Forum source said.

Not surprising for a man who had told an interviewer he would miss two things about the Presidency: flying in the presidential plane and the food at the White House.

AP | Both Bushes attend Houston Texans NFL game as guests of owner McNair

Former Presidents George H. W. Bush, right, and George W. Bush take the field before the Houston Texans NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 in Houston. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/David J. Phillip

AfriceSource.com - Rasta Livewire | Some “Memorable Quotes” of George W. Bush – A Retrospect

Rasta Livewire (RL). Rasta Livewire is a leading blog on Rastafarian that provides indepth and varying viewpoints from Rastas in Africa and African Diaspora.

George W Bush said:

“In terms of the economy — look, I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession” — Washington, January 12, 2009

“I’ll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office” — Washington, May 12, 2008

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we” — Washington, August 5, 2004

“The CIA laid out several scenarios and said life could be lousy, life could be OK, life could be better, and they were just guessing as to what the conditions might be like” — New York, September 21, 2004

“I’m the master of low expectations” — On Air Force One, June 4, 2003

“There’s no cave deep enough for America, or dark enough to hide” — Oklahoma, August 29, 2002

“I know the human being and fish can co-exist peacefully” — Michigan, September 29, 2000

“Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream” — Wisconsin, October 18, 2000

EdmontonSun.com | George W. Bush visits Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - appearance at the Shaw Conference Centre Oct. 20th

RELATED:

Monday, former President George W. Bush will be the "special guest speaker" at the "Get Motivated! Business Seminar" in Fort Worth, Texas, according to the event's Web site on October 26, 2009 8am-4:45pm.

Early Morning Preparations For George W. Bush - Security begins to get ready for president's speech in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted October 21, 2009 - 7:12am

Security will be tight around T-C-U Place Wednesday with George W. Bush in town. By 6:30 a.m, barricades had been set up around the sidewalk of T-C-U place. A group of dark-clad workers transported security gear from a van to inside the building.

For the most part, the former President's brief appearance will not impact traffic. A group of protesters will march downtown starting at 10:45 a.m. Alyson Edwards with Saskatoon Police says vehicles may be stopped at intersections for a short time by the public safety unit, to allow the protesters to safely pass.

Police will escort the demonstrators from the Farmers Market on 19th Street, east to 2nd Avenue, and north to 23rd Street. They will then gather on a closed-off section of Pacific Avenue. Auditorium Avenue will also be closed.

Doors open at T-C-U place at 10:15. Audience members can expect to have to pass through security checks. Bush is to take the podium at noon.

Bush was in Edmonton Tuesday evening.

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India-Server.com | Former US President George W Bush To Address Leadership Summit in New Delhi from Oct 30-Oct 31 invited by Hindustan Times

Last Updated: 2009-10-20T11:51:37+05:30 - The former President of the United States, George W. Bush will be visiting India for delivering lecture at a leadership summit, slated to be held from Oct 30 till Oct 31 in New Delhi. This will be his visit to India after steering the civilian nuclear agreement between the two nations in the final stages of his Presidency.

Bush will be meeting the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his 7 Race Course Road residence, a reliable source said. The two leaders had developed a personal fondness for each other.

Bush has been invited by Hindustan Times, India's leading newspaper chain that organises an annual conclave that brings together leaders from different fields to the capital.

Manmohan Singh will also be addressing the leadership summit.

Bush had come to India on an official trip in March 2006, a visit he said he greatly cherished.

AFP | Iraqi shoe-thrower launches aid foundation

Muntazer al-Zaidi

GENEVA — 10-19-09 - An Iraqi journalist who was jailed for throwing his shoes at US President George W. Bush on Monday launched a foundation to help Iraqi widows and ...

GlobalResearch.ca | Barring George W. Bush from Canada: Time for the Law to Step in:

Former Presidents Clinton and Bush - The second joint appearance on Feb 4 at TD Ameritrade conference to discuss future of financial services industry

TD Ameritrade announced today that former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will appear together at the TD Ameritrade Institutional 2010 National Conference in Orlando, FL next year.

The conference, which will take place from February 3-6, will bring together investment advisers and other industry professionals to discuss the future of the financial services industry.

Bush and Clinton will appear for the hour-long keynote discussion on February 4, moderated by TD Ameritrade Institutional President Tom Bradley. Bradley said of the appearance: "We are thrilled to be able to bring such distinguished leaders to our national conference and offer advisers a balanced discussion on global issues impacting their business and their clients." This year is expected to attract the largest-ever crowd to the 14-year old conference, which drew more than 1,000 investment advisers last year.

The conference will mark the second time former Presidents Clinton and Bush will appear together at an event, the first being a Toronto forum back in May. That event, which drew 6,000 attendees, was surprisingly amiable, with President Bush even referring to Clinton as his "brother." Bush also joked about ticket prices for the event, which ranged from $200-$2,500, saying "President Clinton and I used to believe in free speech, so thanks very much for coming."

yonhapnews.co.kr | Former US President George W Bush - Asia to take center stage in future global economy

By Tony Chang

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Asia will emerge as a "powerful" growth engine for the future world economy as its center shifts from the Atlantic to the Pacific, former U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday.

"Thanks to wise economic policies, South Korea has posted two consecutive quarters of positive growth. China's growth remains strong. Singapore and Vietnam posted strong economic growth in their recent quarterly report," Bush said in his keynote speech at the World Knowledge Forum.

"The Asian economies are going to be powerful engines of growth for the future. The U.S. and Europe are taking steps to get out of the economic difficulties that we're in and we hope they work," he said.

A recent report from the International Monetary Fund suggested that emerging Asian countries, in comparison to industrialized nations, will stage a swift recovery from the worst global downturn in more than a decade.

The IMF predicted that South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) will grow 4.5 percent in 2014, the third-highest among 33 major advanced countries reviewed by the Washington-based lending organization.

The former president underscored that the center of the global economic stage has shifted "from the Atlantic to the Pacific."

"That's one reason why the decision to broaden the (consulting) group from the G-8 to the G-20 was an easy decision."

"It made imminent sense to make sure that China, South Korea, Indonesia and Australia were at the table when the world leaders came to discuss how best to resolve the economic crisis that we are in," Bush said.

On the North Korean nuclear issue, the former president said the six-party talks are "the best way" to bring peace on the Korean Peninsula, calling for involved parties to be united despite likely efforts by the North to undermine the multilateral framework.

"The president of North Korea will no doubt test the system, no doubt try to find weaknesses," said Bush, whose eight years in the White House were marked by on-and-off negotiations with Pyongyang to end the communist regime's nuclear development with other members of the six-party talks -- South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.

Bush was referring to Kim Jong-il, who is actually not the president of North Korea but assumes the country's top post as chairman of the National Defense Commission.

"I'm confident that the issue can be resolved peacefully, when China, Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States speak in one voice, to say that there is a better way forward," Bush said.

North Korea is boycotting the six-party negotiations in protest of U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests earlier this year, although Kim recently expressed his willingness to return to dialogue on the condition that expected bilateral talks with the U.S. produce results.

RELATED:

Bush urges unity to pressure NKorea on nukes

(AFP) – 1 hour ago

SEOUL — Former US president George W. Bush Wednesday urged nations negotiating with North Korea to stay united to pressure the communist state into abandoning its nuclear ambitions.

Bush told a Seoul forum that Pyongyang is undoubtedly testing the six-nation negotiating process and the other members must not give in.

"I believe that the best way to bring peace to the Korean peninsula is multilateral diplomacy through the six-party talks," Bush said in a keynote speech to the World Knowledge Forum.

"The president of North Korea will, no doubt, test the system, and, no doubt, try to find weaknesses," he said, referring to leader Kim Jong-Il who is not in fact president.

"I'm confident the issue can be resolved peacefully when China, (South) Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States speak with one voice to say that there is a better way forward."

Early in his term Bush took a hardline stance with the North and famously labelled it part of an "axis of evil" in 2002.

But the following year he agreed to the creation of the six-party forum, designed to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programmes in exchange for economic aid and major security and diplomatic benefits.

The latest six-party talks last December ended in stalemate and the North quit the forum in April. But Bush reiterated his faith in it as the best approach.

North Korea said last week it was willing to return to the six-party process, but only if it can first make progress in separate bilateral talks with the United States.