CRAWFORD, Texas, June 1 (UPI) -- Former U.S. President George W. Bush says holding power too long can be "corrosive" and he doesn't long for it.
Bush, during conversations after his third annual Warrior 100K, a three-day mountain bike ride held during the Memorial Day weekend on his ranch in Texas, told the Huffington Post he doesn't miss the immense power he wielded for eight years.
"I don't long for [fame]. Nor do I long for power," the Huffington Post quoted him as saying. "I've come to realize that power can be corrosive if you've had it for too long. It can dim your vision.
"And so I came to the conclusion that, you know, I don't long for fame. And really, gonna shy away from it. Not shy away from it. Avoid it. I'm not very shy. Avoid it."
Bush, 66, said he doesn't want to criticize his successor, President Barack Obama, or the Republican Party. He did say Obama's second-term challenges go with the territory.
"I'm not surprised the president is having a difficult go," Bush said. "It's just amazing how history repeats itself."
Bush cautioned Republican politicians against putting their desire to win votes ahead of solving problems.
"The right reason is it's important to reform a broken system. I'm not sure a right reason is that in so doing we win votes," he said. "I mean when you do the right thing, I think you win votes, as opposed to doing something that's the right thing to win votes. Maybe there's no difference there. It seems like there is to me though."
