After making a pointed reference to Mr Bush, he was asked by Channel 4 broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who was chairing the meeting, to explain his
making a personal attack on the US president when he disliked answering personal questions himself.
He said Mr Bush was a coward who had avoided serving in the Vietnam war only through the influence of his father.
"You have got this super-patriotic hawk who was a coward when his country was actually involved in a war which he politically supported."
The mayor said: "I think George Bush is the most corrupt American president since Harding in the Twenties.
"He is not the legitimate president."
He said he would get as much pleasure from Mr Bush being forced out of office as he had done from the downfall of former Iraq leader Saddam
Hussein.
Asked about Mr Livingstone's comments, White House Press Secretary, Ari Fleischer, said: "First of all, I've never heard of the fellow. Second,
I'm not going to dignify it with a response."
And in a statement, officials from the US embassy in London, said: "Mayor Livingstone's opinions about the United States are a matter of complete
indifference to the American embassy, the American government and the American people."
news.bbc.co.uk...
Ken Livingston was responsible for the London Congestion Charge introduction this year which was widely reported as being of interest to a number of
large cities.It is possible,therefore,that Ari Fleischer answered questions at the time about the Charge and may have mentioned Ken Livingston by
name.A
to any member who can find that reference, if it exists, thereby showing that they have heard of him.