Opinion: George Bush, back home, faces the races to replace him

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President George W. Bush -- remember him? -- landed at Andrews Air Force Base tonight after a long flight from Liberia (nine hours) and an even longer five-nation trip around Africa that got kinda overwhelmed back home by the political races to succeed him.

During a conversation aboard Air Force One with traveling reporters, including The Times’ James Gerstenzang, Bush said the foreign leaders he met with showed an intense interest in the unfolding American political story. ‘They were fascinated with the election,’ Bush said.

Asked if he’d be voting in the March 4 primary in his home state of Texas, Bush said yes. And would he be voting in the largely-settled Republican primary among John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul or in the more hotly-contested Democratic race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton?

‘I think I’ll be in the Republican primary this year,’ said the president, which reporters interpreted to mean voting, not running.

-- Andrew Malcolm