President George W Bush cited his popularity in India to reject criticism that the United States had lost moral authority during his presidency.Addressing his final press conference at the White House a week before he hands over the presidency to Barack Obama on January 20.
Bush said he might not be popular in his country or parts of Europe or among some of the elite, but feels he is popular in countries like India or African nations.
Responding to remarks from a correspondent that the incoming Administration often said there is a need to restore America's moral standing in the world, Bush said: "I strongly disagree with the assessment that our moral standing has been damaged."
Bush said: "It may be damaged amongst some of the elite. But people still understand America stands for freedom; that America is a country that provides such great hope."
The President said: "You go to Africa. You ask Africans about American's generosity and compassion. Go to India and ask about, you know, their view of America. Go to China and ask."
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after his summit in Washington in September 2009, had told the president that the whole of India loves Bush, a remark that triggered an outcry from the Left parties. A recent survey had revealed that Bush is most popular in India.
"... parts of Europe have said that we shouldn't have gone to war in Iraq without a mandate, but those are few countries," Bush said.
Bush added: "Yes, you can try to be popular. In certain quarters in Europe, you can be popular by blaming every Middle Eastern problem on Israel. Or you can be popular by joining the International Criminal Court. I guess I could have been popular by accepting Kyoto, which I felt was a flawed treaty, and proposed something different and more constructive."
"I disagree with this assessment that, you know, people view America in a dim light. I just don't agree with that," he said. In terms of the decisions that he had made to protect the homeland, Bush said keeping Americans safe had been more important to him that personal popularity.
"What I would worry about is the Constitution of the United States and putting plans in place that makes it easier to find out what the enemy is thinking," he said.