Alexander Mooney
CNN Ticker Producer
Former President George W. Bush made his debut as a motivational speaker Monday night, telling a Fort Worth, Texas crowd it's futile to waste energy chasing popularity.
"It's so simple in life to chase popularity, but popularity is fleeting, it's not real," Bush said at a "Get Motivated!" business seminar, a multi-city event its organizers describe as an "energizing, action-packed, star-studded, fun-filled, spectacular stage show."
The president himself saw wild popularity swings during his eight years in the White House, garnering nearly a 90 percent approval rating in the months following the attacks on September 11, 2001 and exiting office with only the support of 31 percent of Americans, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll.
The former president was greeted enthusiastically by the 11,000 attendees of the event, according to the Fort Worth Telegram, and he spoke casually for about 20 minutes.
| Emily |
October 27th, 2009 1:29 pm ET I think Bush will make a great motivational speaker. He's been the subject of criticism for 8 years in a high profile position and recieved lots of unnecessary name calling, jokes at his expense. Someone who can survive that type of situation and remain positive is a great candidate to motivate others. I would hire him. |
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| A. Smith |
October 27th, 2009 2:26 pm ET Former President Bush Jr. is the most toxic individual in the world. He is internationally recognized as largely lacking the moral and ethical values which the world community generally enjoy and embrace. Why in the world would former military members or military cadets want to hear from a former President who ordered soldiers into battle without any munition resistant armor protected vehicles (MRAP) to protect the troops that Bush Jr. certainly knew would run into IED's? Why in the world would members of police departments want to hear from a former President who allowed and green lighted the Taliban expanding the Opium Poppy fields 300% which flooded America's heartland and grade schools with cheese Heroin at the same time Bush Jr. was slashing rural Police staff and budgets? Why in the world would American citizens want to hear from a former President who is one of the most despised American citizens around the world in modern history? A. Smith |
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| Tim Gibson |
October 27th, 2009 2:37 pm ET That is all fine if you are speaking to motivate people to destroy a company, or a nation. Or to leave foot steps for the next popular leader to walk in your ways, talk in your ways, and be much worse than you were in your ways. And we thought it could not be done, welcome President Obama, the NWO of destruction. |
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| Teresa, OH |
October 27th, 2009 2:59 pm ET Just as I was enjoying thinking of Bush trotting off into the sunset... he rears his ugly head. Re: "Every single day, I was honored to be your president by bringing honor and dignity to the office," he said. Ummm, say what? |
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