Bush Recalls a Spiritual Moment

As he was on his knees just yards from the body of Pope John Paul II during a viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica this week, President Bush recalled Friday, he had been “in touch with a spirit” as he prayed.

Offering a rare, reflective self-portrait as he began the long flight from Rome to his Texas ranch after the funeral, Bush said he was taken by the moment’s spirituality as he knelt at the bier after arriving at the Vatican on Wednesday.

“I felt -- I’m trying to think of the right word -- ‘alone’ isn’t the right word because I was aware of people -- but felt much more in touch with a spirit. I really did. I was very much, felt at peace there, and was prayerful,” he told a small group of reporters who had accompanied him to Rome and then Texas.

“This will be,” he said, “one of the highlights of my presidency, to have been at this great ceremony.”

In a wide-ranging, 47-minute conversation, a transcript of which was made public by the White House, the president talked about his religious faith, his three days in Rome and an upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon.

He had abandoned the dark business suit and somber tie he wore at the Vatican in favor of nylon sweat pants and a warmup jacket. His name was stitched on the left side of the chest, the presidential seal on the right, according to a report from the journalists on board.

“I knew the ceremony today would be majestic,” he said, “but I didn’t realize how moved I would be by the service itself, by the beautiful music.”

Bush said the pontiff would have “a clear legacy of peace, compassion, and a strong legacy of setting a clear moral tone.”

Minutes later, seemingly troubled that he had not expressed the thought just as he wanted, the president, who has laughed at his occasional mangling of the language, amended his comment: “A clear and excellent legacy, if you don’t mind adding the word ‘excellent’.... I wanted to make sure there was a proper adjective to the legacy I thought he left behind. It was more than just ‘clear.’ ”

The president noted the crowds clamoring for a declaration of sainthood for the pope and repeated their Italian chant, “Subito!” meaning “Right away!”

The events led Bush, he said, to reflect on his own religious beliefs.

Asked whether he had ever had doubts about his faith, he said: “I think a walk in faith constantly confronts doubt, as faith becomes more mature. And you constantly confront, you know, questions. My faith is strong.”

As he did in his discussion of the pope’s legacy, he later sought to make certain that he had been understood. “There is no doubt in my mind there is a living God,” he said. “And no doubt in my mind that the Lord Christ was sent by the Almighty. No doubt in my mind about that.

“Got it? Everybody got it correct?” he asked the reporters, then ended with a definitive “All right.”

The president, who held 17 full-dress news conferences at the White House during his first term, rarely speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One. Since his reelection, he has been holding news conferences about once a month. Friday’s session in the airborne presidential conference room suggested he was increasingly at ease fielding journalists’ questions.

The topics jumped from the events at the Vatican to the pope’s legacy, from the Middle East to Bush’s Thursday night dinner with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to fluctuating polls on his performance.

He was asked about the complaints by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) that the judiciary had “run amok.” Bush did not respond directly but expressed support for an independent judiciary.

The president, who is scheduled to meet with Israel’s Sharon at his ranch Monday, reiterated in pointed language his intention to hold Sharon to the “road map” peace plan, which bars additional Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

“What I say publicly, I say privately,” Bush said. “And that is the road map has clear obligations on settlements and that we expect the prime minister to adhere to those road map obligations.”

Bush was accompanied to Rome by his father and former President Clinton as well as the first lady and other officials.

“It’s fun. Oh, it’s great,” he said of the three-day, three-president road trip. “We share war stories, you know, a lot of talking, a lot of interesting experiences about different world leaders that we may all have met.”