George Bush Describes Worst Drunken Moment

Valerie Warrington
11/4/2010

The former President says, "I hope somebody reads [my memoir "Decision Points"] and says, 'If Bush can quit, I can quit.'"

U.S. President George W. Bush makes his way to the podium to deliver remarks on the Columbian free trade agreement in Washington on April 7, 2008. Bush said Congress needs to get legislation to his desk in a timely manner. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) Photo via Newscom

George Bush tells Matt Lauer in an interview what his worst drunken moment was, which will air on Monday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. ET.

"So I'm drunk at the dinner table at Mother and Dad's house in Maine," the former President said. "And my brothers and sister are there, Laura's there. And I'm sitting next to a beautiful woman, friend of Mother and Dad's. And I said to her out loud, 'What is sex like after 50?'"

Bush describes the scene as "total silence" and says he felt "serious daggers" from his mother and wife. Though he later called the woman to apologize, it was she who had the last laugh. On the President's 50th birthday, when he was governor of Texas, the woman sent him a letter saying, "Dear Governor, Well, what's the answer?"

Bush tells Lauer that he was an alcoholic.

"I wasn't a knee-walkin' drunk," the former president said. "I could easily have a beer or two, or a martini, before dinner, bourbons, B&Bs. I was a drinker."

Bush added that alcohol "became a love and, therefore, began to compete for my love with my wife and my daughters."

Eventually, on his 40th birthday in 1986, Bush quit drinking cold turkey and hasn't had a drink since.

He was on Matt Lauer to promote his memoir, "Decision Points". Bush says of the memoir, "I hope somebody reads this book and says, 'If Bush can quit, I can quit.'"