Kanye West Responds to George W. Bush

We're used to Kanye West responding to his critics, but when it came to the remarks made by former President George W. Bush, the Chicago rapper was less angry and more understanding. Bush held nothing back, calling West's critique of his job in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 'disgusting' with an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, but West was seemingly unmoved by the strong words.

Calling into Houston radio station 97.9 The Box, West revealed that after the trying year, he now realizes that he and Bush have a lot in common. "I definitely can understand the way he feels. To be accused of being a racist in any way because the same thing happened to me," he told radio personality Devi Dev. "With both situations it was a lack of compassion that America saw. With him it was a lack of compassion with him not taking the time to rush down to New Orleans, with me it was a lack of compassion of cutting someone off in their moment."

Despite showing empathy, West never apologized to Bush for proclaiming that the former president's slow response to Hurricane Katrina was racially charged,during a 2005 Red Cross telethon, "I think we're all quick to pull a race card in America, and now I'm more open. I went through the same thing that he went [through] and now I really more connect with him on a humanitarian level because that next morning when he felt that, I felt that too."

In the light of his own mini-scandal at last year's MTV VMAs, that found him vilified in the public eye and attacked by everyone from fans to celebrities, the 33-year-old wants the focus to be on his music and not his rants. "I think I changed a lot. I'm more compassionate, I'm more sensitive to people's emotions. Just understanding that it's not about me, it's not about just what my opinion is all the time especially when it someone else's show."

West's shot at musical redemption is quickly approaching as his fifth album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' is due in stores Nov. 22.

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