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Subscribe to RSSPresident Barack Obama welcomed former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush to the White House for the traditional tribute to the president's predecessor.
Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush were back at the White House on Thursday for the unveiling of their official portraits.
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcomed their predecessors to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for an event devoid of partisanship, setting aside the political differences between the two administrations.
“Mr. President, thank you for your warm hospitality. Madam First Lady, thank you so much for inviting our rowdy friends to my hanging," Bush said to laughter before an audience that included his two daughters, a number of former aides and his mother and father, former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.
Bush's laugh line was just one of many lighter moments in a ceremony that might have otherwise had the potential for awkwardness, given the frequency with which Obama often says his successor's policies are to blame for the nation's current woes.
Obama didn't shy away from addressing one of the biggest shared issue of their presidencies: the economic crisis that took hold in 2008.
“Over those two and a half months, in the midst of that crisis, President Bush, his Cabinet, his staff, many of you who are here today went out of your ways -- George, you went out of your way, to make sure that the transition to a new administration was as seamless as possible,” Obama said.
Charles Dharapak / AP
President Barack Obama gestures toward former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush and first lady Michelle Obama, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, May 31, 2012, during a ceremony where the Bush's portraits were unveiled.
And Obama gave Bush his due for their shared role in hunting down Osama bin Laden:
“That's why my first call, once American forces were safely out of harm's way, was to President Bush because protecting our country is neither the work of one person nor the task of one period of time. It's an ongoing obligation that we all share.”
Any of the weightier matters were dispelled, though, by Bush's laugh-out-loud performance. He started off saying how pleased he was that the White House portrait collection now begins and ends with a "George W." (or George Washington).
“When the British burned the White House ... in 1814, Dolly Madison famously saved this portrait of the first George W. Now Michelle, if anything happens, there's your man,” Bush joked. (During her speech, First Lady Michelle Obama promised she’d go straight for his portrait.)
And former President Bush didn’t spare the current president: “I am also pleased, Mr. President, that when you are wandering these halls as you wrestle with tough decisions, you will now be able to gaze at this portrait and ask: What would George do?"
The event was somewhat of a family affair; at least 14 members of the Bush clan were on hand for the official unveiling of the portraits, which were done by artist John Howard Sanden.
Noting everyone assembled, Bush joked upon introducing Laura: “It is my privilege to introduce the greatest first lady ever. Sorry, Mom. Would you agree to a tie?”
Laura Bush didn’t miss a beat, either.
"It was really gracious of you to invite us back to the White House to hang a few family pictures. And I'm sure you know nothing makes a house a home like having portraits of its former occupants staring down at you from the wall,” the former first lady said.
Bush’s portrait, which was completed in 2011, depicted him standing in the Oval Office; Laura Bush’s portrait has her in the Green Room. The former first lady’s portrait was finished early this year. Bush 43’s portrait will hang down a hall from his father’s portrait in the White House, a point that made for a poignant moment. “I am honored to be hanging near a man who gave me the greatest gift possible: unconditional love. And that would be number 41,” he said, to sustained applause.
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Laura Bush - the classiest First Lady of all time (despite whatever you may feel about her husband) - she is the eptiome of a lady (no comparison between the two in this photo to be sure).
I disagree, Blanche. Mrs. Obama is a class act. Laura is hilarious.
Mrs. Obama is all about Michelle -
Both ladies are class acts.
Dolly Madison was the classiest first lady.
It sure was refreshing to see 2 people with class inside the White House after 3 years 4 months and 11 days of Barack and Michelle.
Amen!
stupid comment
class? Classy texan morons
Tweedle dork and laurabot.. simply amazing
And if the nation is lucky, Obama will ask, what would George do and do the exact opposite.
He looks a lot more stupid in real life.....
Have you noticed the class that all the former presidents show with the exception of Carter? There is an unwritten rule that former presidents don't publicly criticize the sitting president. That never stopped Carter even after having been fired 30 years ago. Of course with Obama in office, you won't hear a peep from Carter. After President Romney takes office, you can bet both Carter and Obama will be in the stands booing. No class.
One, Romney will NEVER be President.
Two, name one unclassy thing President Obama has done after being elected.
Didn't think you could.....
The Bush/Cheney administrations contribution to the USA;
Squandered U.S. budget surplus,
Banking melt-down,
real estate melt-down,
Abu-Grahib scandal,
Two unfunded wars,
Iraq War - no weapons of mass destruction,
Twin Tower demise,
Pentagon assault,
Failure to capture OBL,
New Orleans debacle,
Illegal wire tapping,
Torture scandal,
‘Mission Accomplished’ speech,
Scooter Libby, CIA scandal (outing a U.S. patriot working for the government),
unpaid Medicare Bill,
The most porous borders in U.S history, and record deaths from illegal border crossers,
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez scandal,
and much, much, more!
The Bush/Cheney administrations are responsible for the United States of America you are so unfamiliar with.
ooops! The IQ in the white house just dropped 50 points today.
We don't know that since only one of them have had their college transcripts made public. Someone is hiding something. Aren't you a bit curious as to the grades Obama had?
yeah road he has a short form..not a long form like he should have.. something is fishy hahaha you dumb azzezz
Apparently, the current President's know something that this board does not, how to at least respect one another for the difficulty that is being President of the United States. Give the Bush/Obama bashing a rest for a day.
The article did not even have anything to do with politics. I agree this does not put some posters on this site in a positive light.
Like a thief returning to the scene of the crime(s).
Sorry, you will pardon me if I do not laugh at W. Bush's jokes. There was truly NOTHING funny about his tenure in office. It was CATASTROPHIC to say the least. How easy it is to forget the moral turpitude of this arrogant, know nothing who fraudulently occupied the office of the presidency.
When someone conducts a war, looks for evidence to support it which was NO evidence based on lies, takes men into battle that lasted ten years, fails to get the perpetrator of the dastardly 9/11 and WORSE let 9/11 happen on his watch when he was PDB warned about it, means I do not want to hang a portrait of him in the White House I want to hang a portrait of him in the Hague tried for war CRIMES.
THOUSANDS of our soldiers unnecessarily dead thrust into a battle they could not win, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent others, destabilizing a region that is a tinderbox already, outing a CIA agent who was entrusted to find nukes and illegally tortured many innocents makes George W. Bush one of the most immoral, egregious and sickening presidents that has ever graced the office. He is LUCKY that Obama who did not seek to prosecute but sought to unite, was president. Anyone else may have nailed his immoral posterior to the wall!
Bush didn't make any of those decisions. He's too stupid. It was those around him telling him what to do who should be hanged.
Gravis: Yeah them too. And Natalie: We could have won the war in Afghanistan had that ADHD idiot not gotten distracted by his desire for avenging the attempt on his daddy! Do not worry. He will go down as an even worse president than Hoover.
No William J. Brock, that honor stays with your peanut farmer.
For 3 years 4 months and 11 days, Barack and Michelle have been nothing more than a stain on the White House.
The good news is that in 7 months 20 days, they will be vacating the premises and heading back to Chicago where Barack can community organize to his heart's content.
Wow did you think all that up yourself? Or just get it from Rush?
close gravis...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq5Y
Good grief. Those people are a shameful embarrassment to America, and represent the REAL stain on our country
yep that's the new republican christian corporation tea party..and they say we are the dumb ones.....they voted the party of no in the house..meaning they have no clue
lady Bush has her hand under Bush arm..just in case he starts talking crazy ..she squeezes his arm that means for him to shut up
Geo W Perp should be put in a cage and tried for crimes against humanity, including the 6000 + US citizens who died as a result of the spurious and immoral war he started in Iraq.
yes they died in vain for oil.only
does that picture go to Bush museum where no one visits
The usual classy President Obama.
Obama/Biden 2012
scott are you talking about the homo Rich republican log cabin homo club ..why yes scott he is
please tell me when you have one
do you belong to the secret republican rich republican homo club...you do know they are for real right but hey you can pretend they don't that's OK
Scott- are you really from Southern California? Not Oklahoma or Kansas?
ScottinSoCal.. You first bigot
"Can you leave the comments up to those who are capable of putting a rational thought together please?"
hahahaha..he had a tea brain fart .give him some credit
I think it was great to have the Bush's at the WH, remind people of his 8 years no one in the GOP wants to talk about or be reminded of!
But on a lighter note, Mrs Bush was a great 1st lady, and President Bush had his moments of being a great President, like bringing the country together after 9-11, and saying we shouldn't blame all Muslims for what terrorist's did, and reminding us that Muslim Americans died in those towers also! What happened to that sentiment? OH YEAH Faux noise!
Great photo ops, and traditions!
Miss seeing that man behind the podium with the presidential seal. A president who actually knew what the hell he was doing and stuck to his guns, even if it made him unpopular.
yep they need to put his picture in front of the white house for reminders of Congress of not what to do
What a joke
I have a stomach ache... These people are to be honored? The one who said that the United States Constitution is a f#%@!g.... piece of paper?"
hahahahaha
My father-in-law died with Alzheimer's. W has the same look in his eyes and has since the end of his first term. Main reason why they don't let him out much is that he is well on his way to ending the same way Reagan did. I never cared for W, but don't wish that end on anyone. Have always lusted after Laura though, would be perfect if she was a redhead.
Laura? I'd take Sarah over her any day.
Sarah's OK, better legs. Would be good to help pack a moose out.
she would just have to keep her mouth shut tho
Gravis, you mean Sarah the tramp, c'mon aim higher. At least go for a $100.00 a nite tramp they only open their mouth when told to.
I would but I only have a twenty
Viewing this ceremony was a refreshing pause from political contention, and an endearing American moment. I'm thankful that it is available for all to see.
Can't wait till they hang Obama.
(I'm talking about his picture of course!)
aww that so nice of you..thanks tea nut.sorry i had a tea nut brain fart
Your kind (hillbillies) were hanging men like Obama through much of the 20th century. Time to hang up your white sheet.
Greg, Hillbillies are lot smarter than this T/bagger, they know when to keep their mouths shut. Anybody got the phone number for the Secret Service.
Oh for God's sake lighten up you guys. Bush was making the same joke about himself. I'm not a damned Tea Party member either. I've been flying the Gadsen flag since way before the Tea Party formed.... not that it's really a party. Very disorganized and I couldn't even tell you who their supposed leader is. Take a history lesson. It's one of the most patriotic flags out there in my mind. I'm not a damned racist either. You're all a bunch of hyper-sensitive liberal nut jobs. For the record, I don't care much for Bush or Obama. They both have one thing in common though: A bunch of zombie minded sheeple followers like yourselves that get their panties in a wad if someone dares badmouth their fearless leader. Grow a pair you bunch of pansies.
Alfred E. Neuman returns for his "what me worry?" portrait.
Reading the bulk of these comments emphasizes all that is wrong with politics these days. Mr Bush and Mr Obama showed mutual class today as members of the same very exclusive club, POTUS. It would be better for the US if the rest of us could take a page from that and put the partisanship aside more frequently. Not holding my breath but class and courtesy have their uses as well.
Amen. StPt! This article actually made me smile. It's a shame that the partisan dunderheads have to get on and spew the same old tired nasty remarks. I usually vote Democratic and consider myself a progressive thinker, but I've been known to vote for the occasional Republican (mostly at the state level), when I can see that the Repub is honestly trying to look out for everyone's best interests. This article spoke to the more positive side of politics. When two very powerful men from opposing parties can get together and behave in a jovial and civil way, I felt that perhaps there was hope of ignoring the vast partisan divide for at least day. Then I started reading all the negative remarks from both sides today . . .
Pity.