WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President George W. Bush has no interest in becoming the next commissioner of Major League Baseball, telling the Washington Post he looks forward to escaping the global spotlight.
Bush, a former owner of the Texas Rangers baseball club once linked to the top spot in the American pastime, spoke Wednesday about sports topics with the newspaper as he prepares to leave office next month for incoming Barack Obama.
"I'm looking forward to getting off the stage," Bush told the Post. "I have done my duty to my country. I have given it my all. It's now President-elect Obama's time. I have had enough of the spotlight."
Bush, 62, listed attending the Beijing Olympics last August and this month's edition of the annual Army-Navy collegiate American football game as two of the greatest joys of his presidency.
One of the most emotional moments of his eight years in office came when he threw out the first pitch at a World Series game in Yankee Stadium in November of 2001 - less than two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
"The emotion of the crowd and the unity of the moment reminded me, upon reflection, that sports can cause people to momentarily forget their problems and join together to cheer for their favorite team," Bush told the Post. "It helps you face difficulties."
In his 2004 State of the Union address, Bush called upon professional sports players and leagues to stop steroids.
Since then, athletics star Marion Jones and Tour de France winner Floyd Landis have been among the star athletes stung by steroid scandals. Bush said he thought more could have been done to end steroids in sports.
"I'm sure so. But it's easy to second-guess," Bush said. "The question is - is more being done now? It seems like they are making great strides. Are they going to invent detection devices to take care of the next round of exotics?"
Bush says he enjoys cycling to keep fit, calling the group of people he rides with "Pelaton One".
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