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Bush promotes book, reflects on the press

NEW YORK — Former President George W. Bush says he didn’t intend to criticize President Donald Trump when he said recently that a free press is essential to democracy

Speaking by telephone Tuesday with The AP, Bush said he was simply responding to a reporter’s question about the role of journalism. Trump has referred to the press as the “enemy of the people,” but Bush said that it’s important to hold those in power “to account,” adding that power can be “very corrupting” and that it was dangerous to “fall in love” with power or fame or money. “I understood people were trying to do their job,” he said. “There were moments when I (was) irritated and wanted to tell so-and-so that they missed a story. But I don’t look back and say, ‘This was a terrible part of my presidency.'”

Bush, 70, is promoting his new book, “Portraits of Courage,” a volume of his paintings of military veterans.

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