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George Bush entered the White House after one of the closest and most contested elections in U.S. history. Since taking office, the two-term president has served during some of the nation's most turbulent times. Take a look at the pivotal images from George Bush's presidency.
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands -- Organizers of an investment conference in the Cayman Islands have been forbidden from disclosing any details about a speech by former President George W. Bush in the offshore financial haven, an event spokesman said Thursday.
The keynote speech by the former president was "totally closed to all journalists," and conference organizers were banned from discussing any aspect of it even in general terms, spokesman Dan Kneipp said.
"We've got a complete blackout on discussing the Bush details," Kneipp told The Associated Press.
In an exclusive interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, the former President George W. Bush spoke frankly about alcohol abuse and his decision to quit drinking.
The restrictions were imposed by the former president's staff, he said. Bush was scheduled to speak Thursday evening at The Ritz-Carlton on Grand Cayman Island.
"It's totally their decision," Kneipp said of the decision to close the event to the media.
According to the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit website, Bush was to "offer his thoughts on eight years in the Oval Office, the challenges facing our nation in the 21st century, the power of freedom, and the role of faith."
Members of the Bush family, including George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, are featured in a video presentation at the Republican National Convention.
Sponsors of the conference include KPMG, a company that provides tax advisory services, and Deutsche Bank. It costs $4,000 to attend and other speakers include billionaire Richard Branson.
Complete World coverage on NBCNews.com
Cayman Islands officials are proud of the British territory's role as an offshore finance center. But members of the U.S. Congress and advocates for changes in tax laws have accused corporations and wealthy individuals of using so-called financial havens to improperly avoid taxes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Bush would be in jail for the rest of his life for crimes against humanity if the White House were not currently occupied by another war criminal who doesn't want to set the precedent of US presidents prosecuted for their actions.
When this war criminal comes out of hiding and shows his face, and then the CORPORATE media don't want you to know...you better believe their is something devious going on! Till he's tried for war crimes you better NOT believe in justice. Seems some are above the law...best forget about equality also!
I love George Bush. He did more to debilitate the US empire than anyone in history.
To all you who keep saying Bush and his no bid contracts. Go back and read a little. Bill Clinton gave the no bid contracts to Haliburton first and Bush just renewed them. If you think any of the rich are paying their fair share then you are not paying attention. If you think any of the (D) or (R) are looking out for anyone but themselves you're delusional. Quit listening to the media, go to the government websites and look at the bills they pass, the budgets they pass and see how much they extort to get bills and budgets passed. Jackasses.
Really. Who is surprised?
If it has to be secret, it has to be shifty. One can only hope that someone got audio of this enclave of shysters.
Creepy! This criminal, who should have stood trial at the Hague long ago, is having a "Secret Meeting" in the Caymans. Sounds like something Hitler and the Nazis did many times. Maybe it's NOT about the tax cheats. Maybe it's a conspiracy to retake his position of "Exterminator in Chief"?
You give Bush too much credit. He can barely form a coherent sentence on his own. He's a puppet for Cheney and the likes.
Bush should be arrested for his WAR CRIMES while out of the United States.
Well at least Cheney's travel options are limited. Many countries have said they would do just that if Cheney reared is head over in their countries.
The elitist protecting the elite in the Cayman's!! This country is headed towards class warfare.
Headed for class warfare?...ask yourself how much twelve years of tax cuts have added to the deficit...something NONE of the elitists in either party speak of! Lets demand EQUAL rights and give the working poor twelve years of those tax breaks,(don't hold your breath)! This country has been engaged in class warfare for all my sixty some years! Bend over and smile!
Romney finally got the coveted George W. Bush endorsement, but it was kept secret.
All the excuses. Does anyone see anything wrong with the fact that our last president doesn't want the details of his trip in the media? People on the right manufacture stuff like this with our current president, but defend it for one of their own. Despicable!!
Funny that W. has an audience for his puppet stories. I can hear him now... "and look, you almost can't see any of the strings!"
This is the 21st century. They don't use strings anymore. It's all done by wifi.
George... the decider! making a speech... you got to be kidding! Probably about how to tank the economy, fighting useless wars, and lying!
w/ his Mission Accomplished Banner waiving
W read to them from his favorite book. A goat story, I believe.
This is unnerving. The greedy get greedier and sneakier. There is no honor among thieves!
Imagine that, they don't want anyone to know what they're doing. A vote for Romney only means more secrecy. If you want to be a turd blossem then by all means sit in the cave on a pile of dung. Personally I'd at least like to know who's trying to stick something up my azz. It's more intimate that way.
Only place he can show his face is the Cayman Islands. Hilarious.
let them eat cake
the ruling class loves the status quo
congress is mad at the laws that allow the money to be hidden in the cayman island banks when they are the ones that passed those laws to begin with
this is probably the only place that bush can speak in public without interpol arresting him. there and his 100k acre farm in paraguay he recently bought
and why is the news cut out? 90% of the media is owned by just 6 of the richest cayman island bank depositors
All of congress isn't mad. You still have much of congress (i don't have to point out who) who fully support this for a certain class of citizen.
Bush lied and thousands of my fellow soldiers died! Romney is a Bush clone who's even a bigger liar. If Romney ever got in be prepared for him o attack Iran to placate Israel. You know Romney and his military contractor friends will make a "killing". And speak of killing,thousands more of our brave soldiers would die for Romneys lies!
HAHAHA Dummy Bush knows he's tainted. Hell Romney and the rest of his party won't even utter his name anymore.
GW Bush in hiding? A presidency so embarrassing that he can only speak without media coverage and behind closed doors! Wow. What could be worse than a place in history like that?
MITT ROMNEY
I guarantee the destruction of Americas Middle Class was being planned in the Cayman Islands. Getting rid of all labor laws,the minimum wage the EPA,FEMA and more were discussed no doubt. The wealthy businessmen want a America of the 1890s to return,and the Robber Barons would return and have total control. Sweat shops and 80 hour work weeks would be the norm,with 8 year old children working 40 hours a week once again!
Either that Tony, or how their gonna use December 21st and Incan prophecy to ruin your day...your life and the world as we know it!
I hear Darth Cheney flew in on a death star! Germany has an arrest warrant for Lord Vader Cheney.
What a surprise. Another Republican cover up. I hope GW enjoyed visiting Romney's secret foreign bank account while he was in the Caymans. It is hard to imagine how much dirt Romney is hiding in those tax returns to take as much political damage as he has to keep them secret. The conflicts of interest, the investments damaging to American businesses, exporting jobs. The stench must be unbelievable.
How come Bush and Cheney weren't campaigning with Romney? Any Rightwingers care to explain?
Even the GOP is ashamed of them now.
Romney loves to ship American money and American jobs offshore,plus he has an aversion to drafts just like Cheney!