And my position is, it is important for people to be free

Snippets from yet more Bush interviews, with Univision and with Colombian tv.

“I think the worse thing that’s happened for the Cuban people on the island is the fact that they’re not free. And my position is, it is important for people to be free”.

About three Americans being held by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: “My message is to the FARC, and that is to give up these hostages. You’re making it clear to the world the kind of people you are when you take innocent life and hold them hostage. And it’s very sad for the families here in America.” There’s that word again.

Speaking of it being important for people to be free, what about a pardon for Scooter? Well first, and again, he is – say it with me – saddened for Scooter: “I personally am sad. I’m sad for Mr. Libby and his family. There was a sense of sadness to hear the verdict read for me.” But he also said he’s going to pardon Scooter. Well, not precisely, because after all precision is not a trait associated with Chimpy’s use of the English language, but I think the word “until” is the giveaway here: “And so I’m pretty much going to stay out of it until the course -- the case has finally run its final -- the course it’s going to take.”

He’s pleased as punch that he’ll be met by protests wherever he goes: “I am proud to be going to a part of the world where people can demonstrate, where people can express their minds. It happens quite frequently when I travel around the world.”

He thinks it’s absolutely wonderful that governments he despise have recently been elected in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua etc: “first of all, I like the fact that the countries in our neighborhood are free and people get to decide who the governments -- who is in the government. I like that. I think it’s great. I would be worried if there are policies which ruin economies.” “To the extent that people feel like they can nationalize companies I think is a mistake.”

And what does he think about all those things Hugo Chavez says about him? “I’ve been in politics a long time; there’s a lot of name-calling in politics. I’ve always found the best thing to do is to do what you think is right and move beyond the name-calling.”