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New Book Says Bush Wasn't Very Keen On Sarah Palin

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Sep 15, 2009 10:17 pm US/Pacific

New Book Says Bush Wasn't Very Keen On Sarah Palin

WASHINGTON (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Former President George W. Bush speaks at the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan on May 28, 2009, in Benton Harbor, Mich.
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A new book by a former speechwriter for President Bush says the former chief executive was outright dismissive of Sarah Palin as John McCain's choice for running mate.

Matt Latimer, according to a report in the Huffington Post, will reveal what President Bush thought about a lot of politicians including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Excerpted in the October issue of GQ, the book says when Bush first heard Palin was McCain's pick he dismissively and jokingly said, "I'm trying to remember if I have met her. Is she the governor of Guam?"

According to the HuffPo report, Bush wasn't terribly fond of Obama or Clinton either.

After hearing a particularly scathing speech from Obama about his administration, Bush was reported to have said, "This is a dangerous world...and this cat isn't remotely qualified to handle it. This guy has no clue. I promise you."

He was also dismissive, according to the report, about Hillary Clinton. Bush thought she would get the nomination. But of her criticism about him, the former president reportedly said, "Wait till her fat keister is sitting at the desk." Only Latimer pointed out, Bush used another word for keister.

Of course, it isn't surprising that Bush didn't have good things to say about Obama or Clinton, but where the book is surely to raise eyebrows is how Bush excoriates Palin, seen by some as a future standard bearer for his own party.

Latimer quotes Bush as saying, that he thought McCain's choice was dubious, at best. "This woman is being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for. She hasn't spent one day on the national level. Neither has her family. Let's wait and see how she looks five days out."