How George HW Bush and Barack Obama formed an unlikely bond: Democrat was one of the last people to see his predecessor before his death
- George HW Bush and Barack Obama became firm friends before George’s death
- Obama spent time with Bush three days before Bush’s death, it has emerged
- In a debate at a local university later that night, Obama paid tribute to his friend
Despite standing on opposite sides of the political lines, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama became close friends forming an unlikely bond before his predecessor’s death.
Former president Obama met with Bush at his home in Houston on Tuesday afternoon, three days before the 41st presidents death.
Obama then went on to conduct a statesman’s discussion at a Rice University gala with Bush’s former chief of staff and Secretary of State James Baker.
Despite standing on opposite sides of the political lines, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama became close friends forming an unlikely bond before his predecessor’s death
Former president Obama met with Bush at his home in Houston on Tuesday afternoon, three days before the 41st presidents death (President George H. W. Bush and President Barack Obama attend an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington)
Obama then went on to conduct a statesman’s discussion at a Rice University gala with Bush’s former chief of staff and Secretary of State James Baker
During the discussion, Obama lauded the former president for his diplomacy
America has lost a patriot and humble servant in George Herbert Walker Bush. While our hearts are heavy today, they are also filled with gratitude. Our thoughts are with the entire Bush family tonight – and all who were inspired by George and Barbara’s example
During the discussion, Obama lauded the former president for his diplomacy.
‘When it comes to foreign policy, the work that President George H.W. Bush did with Jim (James) at his side was as important and as deft and as effective a set of foreign policy initiatives as we saw in recent years, and deserve enormous credit for navigating the end of the Cold War in a way that could have gone sideways, all kinds of ways,’ Obama said.
Obama said a challenge of working in the White House is not always getting credit ‘when nothing happens.’
‘And nothing happening is good,’ Obama added.
The Bush and Obama relationship has been hinted at in the past when a touching clip of George W Bush and Michelle Obama sharing a piece of candy during Senator John McCain’s memorial service.