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Bush, Clinton reminisce, preach civility

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton told stories and called for political civility during a discussion at a Utah conference.

Participating Monday in a moderated discussion at the Outlook Leadership Conference, an annual business meeting of convenience and petroleum retailing executives at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, the ex-presidents praised each other's accomplishments and behaved more like old friends than political rivals, the (Salt Lake) Deseret News reported.

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After Bush reacted to Clinton's comment that he likes Bush but loves his father, Clinton wisecracked, "Yeah, well, what can I say? He played golf with me."

The ex-presidents both called for civility in Washington and on the campaign trail, the newspaper said.

"It seems like it's a lot less civil now. The blogosphere allows for anonymity. You can say anything you want. It's created a damn toxic environment," Bush said.

Clinton recounted a CNN interview in which he made a positive comment about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and was criticized by bloggers and cable news programs who claimed he "abandoned (his) party" and "undercut" President Obama.

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