Palimpsest President - How Obama will write and rewrite his presidency

In his valedictory press conference Monday, George Bush talked about the emotional burden of the presidency, challenged the notion that the job can be isolating, and repeatedly mused about what he'll do in retirement. These observations were remarkable not so much for their insight but for their mere existence. Like his father, Bush has steadfastly (and sometimes defiantly) resisted self-analysis—in private as well as in public. This may be the most fundamental difference between the 43rd and the 44th president: In Barack Obama, America will have a president who not merely allows for self-reflection. He revels in it.

In Bush's final press conference, we saw what may be the last flash of presidential anti-introspection for at least four years. Discussing the emotional weight of the office, which has been known to cause presidents to become self-reflective, Bush quickly dismissed such moments as wallows in self-pity. "I believe this—the phrase 'burdens of the office' is overstated. You know, it's kind of like, why me?" he said, taking on a whiny voice and hunching over. "Oh, the burdens, you know. 'Why did the financial collapse have to happen on my watch?' It's just—it's pathetic, isn't it, self-pity." (Which makes me wonder what Bush thinks of Lincoln, a president he has been reading a lot about lately and one who suffered nearly crippling bouts of depression.)

http://www.slate.com/id/2208434/pagenum/all