Washington Reporter
Former president George W. Bush received a standing ovation from a crowd of 11,000 at a motivational conference in Texas, the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Tuesday. The day-long "Get Motivated" event was the first of two that Bush
will headline this year, and found the former president speaking in relaxed tones about his belief that he made the right decisions as president.
"Every single day I was honored to be your president by bringing honor and dignity to the office," Bush said Monday afternoon. Addressing his unpopularity at the end of his term, he added, "It's so simple in life to chase popularity, but popularity is fleeting. It's not real."
The event also featured former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who praised Bush's stint in office. "We are safer than we were before 9/11 because of President Bush," he said to applause. In his speech, Bush joined Powell in defending Republican positions on free-market economics and aggressive national defense.