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President Bush (web|news|bio) sat down with Politico's chief political correspondent Mike Allen for the first-ever on-camera interview exclusively for an online audience.

The interview comes on a day when the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll indicates that two-thirds of the American people disapprove of the job the President is doing, and 8 in 10 Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Mike Allen: "The President was clearly aware of these bad polls, but he said he was resisting doing what was popular or he said, "cool" about global warming or other issues...using principles are forever, is the way he put it."

Gordon Peterson: "The President says he was not misled about Iraq (web|news) and weapons of mass destruction, but rather that his intelligence agencies analyzed the situation and came up with the wrong conclusion. He says if the United States were to pull out of Iraq next year as Democrats have suggested, it would be a terrible mistake."

President Bush in interview: "Doomesday scenario of course is that extremists throughout the Middle East would be emboldened, which would eventually lead to another attack on the United States. The biggest issue we face --it's bigger than Iraq--it's this ideological struggle against cold-blooded killers who will kill people to achieve their political objectives."

Gordon Peterson: "Mike asked the President if the fact that he hadn't played golf in recent years was related to Iraq."

President Bush in interview: "Yes, it really is. I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the Commander-in-Chief playing golf. I feel i owe it to the families to be as--to be in solidarity as best as I can with them, and I think playing golf just sends the wrong signal."

Gordon Peterson: "Mike says despite the stress of the past seven years, the President still seems pretty upbeat."

Mike Allen: "The President's physically aged in seven years, but still seems to have the sprite in his step and enjoys the job, which makes me realize he must not read the papers or watch TV much-he says he only watches sports."

To read the interview transcript: CLICK HERE. 

To watch the entire interview: CLICK HERE.

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