Bush a 8216;good guy8217;,says Obama

Obama,who had frequently slammed the 8220;failed policies8221; of the Bush regime on the campaign trail,told CNN yesterday that 8220;I think personally he Bush is a good man who loves his family and loves his country.8221;

He praised Bush8217;s team for helping with a smooth transition and said part of what America is about is being able to have 8220;disagreements politically and yet treat each other civilly.8221;

Obama said he thought Bush made 8220;the best decisions that he could at times under some very difficult circumstances.8221;

8220;That does not detract from my assessment that over the last several years,we have made a series of bad choices and we are now going to be inheriting the consequences of a lot of those bad choices,8221; he said.

In an interview on Fox News on January 12,Bush had said he 8220;liked8221; his successor and praised him as 8220;engaging8221;.

8220;The man8217;s obviously a charismatic person 8230; and the man is able to persuade people that they should trust him. And he8217;s got 8212; he8217;s got something 8212; he8217;s got a lot going for him,8221; he had said.

Bush had also lauded Obama for placing a high priority on his family.