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Former President George W. Bush gave his first post-indictment interview yesterday to Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes. The interview, conducted at Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch is scheduled to air Sunday evening. 60 Minutes has provided the Times with excerpts of their discussion.

PELLEY: It’s been several months since you left the White House, and although you’ve condemned the war in Iraq, and your own role in leading us to it, you’ve also made clear you have some business you’d like to finish. What do you have planned for the next year?

BUSH: First, Scott, let me tell you where I’m at. I’ve had more time to look at the big picture since I left office. Abu Ghraib was a mistake. Using posturing language like “mission accomplished” and “bring it on” was a mistake. Troop levels may have been a mistake. Getting us in there in the first place was obviously a big mistake. I think history is going to look back and see a lot of ways we could have done things better, no question about it, all the way from day one to day now.
But the reason I bring all this up is mainly that I don’t want people out there blaming the folks in the military for what’s happened in Iraq. If regular American people need a scapegoat, well they can look no further. I’m your scapegoat, right here, made to order. Me.

Of course that doesn’t stop me from picking up firewood! (Laughter.)

PELLEY: Mr. President, what are your plans now, besides being a scapegoat?

BUSH: Well, just because I’m not in that Oval Office, doesn’t mean I can just sit down. I started out with a plan, and my obligation to this country is to fill out that plan, fulfill it.

PELLEY: So you will be…

BUSH: I’m going to pursue Osama Bin Laden.

PELLEY: I’m sorry?

BUSH: I’m going on my own search for Osama bin Laden to bring a killer to justice. I have set up a $500,000 reward, of my own money, for tips. Laura helped me set up a toll-free hot line to field those tips.

Near the beginning of my terms, my nation was attacked by Saudi Arabian terrorists. So I started a hunt for Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan. We got the Taliban, we didn’t get the main man. Then, Iraq.

I’m going to finish the job. It’s not just the good thing to do, it’s the need to do it thing. And that’s what I’m going to do.

PELLEY: Why didn’t you do this during your terms as President?

BUSH: Scott, Osama bin Laden, he’s our enemy. Make no mistake, he’s our enemy, and he’s not down. And we have not really pursued him. I wouldn’t say that I didn’t do anything. But sometimes what you want to do, or think you might do, is not really all there is, and you eventually see that.

We did remove Osama bin Laden’s enemy, Saddam Hussein. I’m proud of our servicemen and women who did that. Maybe I wouldn’t do that today, but that’s what I did back then. And now here I am.

But what’s important is that we made mistakes, and one thing when you make mistakes is you can’t undo them. And now I’m not undoing them, I’m doing the only right thing for right now.

PELLEY: Sir, forgive me, but many people will say that you’re not equipped for this. Your health — this isn’t a one-man job.

BUSH: A lot of people thought I wasn’t equipped to be President either. (Laughs.) But really, once I make up my mind, I need to follow through and give it my best shot.
See this, Scott? This is the same rifle we issue to our Marine marksmen. I’ve been training with this for the past 6 months here on the ranch. I’m ready for this. We can shoot some cans later, if you need any proof. (Laughs.)

PELLEY: Pardon me, sir, but I just find it incredible that you are personally going to hunt Osama bin Laden. I mean, jail…

BUSH: Well, “personally” is an awfully big word here, Scott. A business organization has a lot of members, we have a lot of resources. Over the last eight years, private-sector fighting organizations have developed in a way I am amazed to see.

So obviously I’m not going to do it alone. But I’m going to have the time and also the resources, and the freedom, to do what I want to do, which is finish the search for Osama bin Laden. We will have resources that I never had as president. When you’re commander in chief there are laws,there’s limitations and diplomacy you have to work within. Now I’ll have more freedom, frankly, even in jail.

The presidency isn’t a popularity contest. I had to make tough decisions. But I was the president when this war happened. I want to be the one to bring closure for the American people.
Maybe you can think of it as a second career, or a retirement, but I’m going to have more time on my hands. And what I will do is shoulder this burden, and do this work that has not been done, myself. I will spend whatever time needs to be spent to hunt that killer, I will find him, and I will bring him to justice.