Washington: US President George W Bush, who is at the end of his eight year rein as the head of state, would leave the White House "with his head held high," his father and former President George H W Bush said today.

"He ll come home with his head high, having ran a clean operation, having kept this country strong and free after an unprecedented-in-history attack, 9/11,and he ll have a lot to be proud of, and he can start by his mother and father being very proud of him, and we always will be," said Bush Senior.

Appearing on the popular Fox News Sunday talk show, the 41st President of the US, said his son has been unfairly criticised during his eight years of presidency.

Acknowledging that some amount of criticism directly against the President was "deserved," Bush senior however, said blaming him for every problem in the country was unfair.

"Now, there's some things that clearly he deserves criticism for, but I think the idea that everything that's a problem in this country should be put on his shoulders -- I don't think that's fair," he said.

Asked how tough such criticism has been on his son, he said: "I don't know about him, but it's been tough on his father and mother. We re not very good sports about sitting around and hearing him get hammered, I think unfairly."

The former President also said that his son would have no problems in adjusting to the lifestyle as a common US citizen after he is succeeded by Barack Obama on January 20.

"It's very tough -- I think it is -- to actually get under way as a private citizen. But it wasn't that hard for me, and I don't think it will be that hard for him," he said.

"Your whole lifestyle changes, because you re spoiled to death as the President. But I don't think the President has ever felt he was entitled to anything," he said.
Source : PTI