WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he is "sad" about the conviction of former vice presidential Chief of Staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby on charges of lying and impeding a CIA leak investigation, but he said the decision must be respected.

"This was a lengthy trial on a serious matter and a jury of his peers convicted him and we've got to respect that conviction," the president said in an interview with CNN en Espanol correspondent Juan Carlos Lopez.

But the president wouldn't respond directly when asked if the conviction breaks his promise to bring honor back to the White House.

"This is an ongoing legal matter ... at this time it's inappropriate for me or the administration to be issuing comments on this serious matter," Bush said.

The president and other members of his administration had vowed that anyone found to be involved in leaking the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson would no longer work in the White House.

Libby resigned in October of 2005 after he was indicted in connection with the matter. The president said that personally, he was sad about the conviction.

"I was sad for a man who had worked in my administration and particularly sad for his family," Bush said.