Bush also allowed that some of his "rhetoric was a mistake" - an allusion to tough talk about hunting down al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Bin Laden remains at large, and severe and continuing violence erupted in Iraq following his address on the aircraft carrier.
The abuse of American-held prisoners at the Abu Ghraib military prison in Iraq remained one of his disappointments, he said at the news conference, as did the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the then-stated premise for the ouster of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
In the televised address, by contrast, Bush offered little sense of a confessional accounting to a public that largely has lost confidence in the president. His public approval ratings have hovered below 30 percent in his closing months in office.
"Even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon ahead," Bush said with his trademark optimism. "I have confidence in the promise of America because I know the character of our people. This is a nation that inspires immigrants to risk everything for the dream of freedom. This is a nation where citizens show calm in times of danger and compassion in the face of suffering."
Acknowledging the popularity of his slated successor, the retiring president offered his own encouragement for Obama, who will be the first African-American to take the oath of office as president.
"Standing on the steps of the Capitol will be a man whose story reflects the enduring promise of our land," Bush said. "This is a moment of hope and pride for our whole nation. And I join all Americans in offering best wishes to President-elect Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls."
As for himself, Bush said: "It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your president. There have been good days and tough days. But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country and uplifted by the goodness of our people."
Bush will travel today to Camp David for his final weekend at the mountain retreat in Western Maryland.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
