Former U.S. President George W. Bush said Monday media members should hold those in power accountable.
The 43rd U.S. president appeared on the “Today” show to promote his new book entitled “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors.”
“I consider the media to be indispensable to democracy. We need an independent media to hold people like me to account,” Bush said. “Power can be very addictive, and it can be corrosive, and it’s important for the media to call to account people who abuse, their power whether it be here or elsewhere.”
Bush, 70, said he tried to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the notion of an independent press.
“It’s kind of hard to tell others to have independent, free press when we’re not willing to have one ourself,” Bush said.
Bush said he wasn’t certain if a special prosecutor was necessary to look into whether or not members of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign made illegal contact with Russia in the 2016 U.S. election.
“I think we all need answers,” Bush said. “Whether or not the special prosecutor is the right way to go or not, you’re talking to the wrong guy.”
“Portraits of Courage” pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of the country’s veterans.
“It was really driven by the idea of an instructor of mine Sedrick Huckaby, he said ‘Why don’t you paint the faces of people nobody knows?’” Bush said.
The book brings together 66 full-color portraits and four-panel mural painted by Bush of members of the U.S. military who have served since the Sept. 11 attacks. The book features an in-depth look at the veterans' stories of perseverance after suffering from visible wounds on the battlefield as well as PTSD and other trauma.
"It starts with — and this is why these vets are very important — vets saying, 'I've got a problem,''' Bush said. "There's a lot of denial because there's a stigma. Our message is that it's courageous to talk about it and seek help."
Bush to appear on ‘Today’ for his ‘Portraits of Courage’ book
Always good to see you Mr. President. @TODAYshow @GeorgeWBush__ pic.twitter.com/Op2ngcWqFV
— Melissa Stockwell (@MStockwell01) February 27, 2017
Bush said he’d painted the faces of world leaders before painting the photos of the veterans that appear in the new book.
“The idea of painting vets who had been hurt as a result of my command popped in my mind because I wanted to pay tribute to them, but I also wanted to raise awareness to the issues they’re dealing with, and raise money for it,” Bush said.
Veterans Christopher Self, Melissa Stockwell, Michael Rodriguez and Israel Del Toro appeared with Bush on the “Today” show Monday. The group spoke with anchors Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie.
Bush has previously written two other books: "Decision Points" and "41," which is about his father George H.W. Bush.