GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH - FMR US PRES DEAD AT 94 (R.I.P.)

GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH - FORMER US PRES DEAD AT 94 (R.I.P.):

BORN - JUNE 12, 1924 (MASSACHUSETTS)
DIED - NOV 30, 2018 (TEXAS)

SERVED AS 43rd VICE-PRES - 1981 to 1989

SERVED AS 41st PRES - 1989 to 1993.


Post Sources: CNN, Wikipedia, Youtube


Congressional leaders announced that an arrival ceremony will be held for Bush on Monday at 5 p.m. ET. The public will then be invited to pay their respects from 7:30 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. Wednesday. The statement said that the Bush family will provide additional details regarding arrangements beyond the ceremony at the Capitol.

Jeb Bush Endorses Mitt Romney! Jeb Is Popular With Latino Voters! Wake Up Democrats!

First former President George H.W. Bush endorsed Mitt Romney, now his son former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has also just Publicly Endorsed Mitt Romney.

Jeb Bush Also Calls For ALL GOP Supporters To Rally Around Romney.

Wake Up Democrats & Independents!

This Endorsement Changes Everything Because The Bush Family Has Plenty Of $$$!

Jeb is popular with Latino Voters & Romney has just won Puerto Rico.

Wake Up Democrats & Independents!

Wake Up & Stop Being Complacent.

This Is No Time To Run Away Scared!

This Is No Time To Start Throwing BLACK & Latino Voters Under The Bush To Save Your Own Skins!

Wake Up & Get Busy!


Jeb Bush Endorses Mitt Romney in GOP Primary



Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney after Romney’s lopsided win in Illinois Tuesday night. The former Florida Governor – a Republican heavyweight – called on members of the party to coalesce behind Romney.

“Congratulations to Governor Mitt Romney on his win last night and to all the candidates for a hard fought, thoughtful debate and primary season,” said Bush in a statement. “Primary elections have been held in thirty-four states, and now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall.

I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party’s nomination.

We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.”

Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush, is a much-respected voice in the party and was considered by some to be a leading contender for the nomination if he had d was courted by some conservatives as an alternative candidate.

But he rejected calls for his candidacy. Romney also won the primary in Bush’s home state of Florida.

His father, former President George H.W. Bush has also endorsed Romney.


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Sources: ABC News, CBS News, CNN, The Hill, The Root, Youtube, Google Maps

2011 Presidential Medal Of Freedom Recipients: George H.W. Bush, Maya Angelou, John Lewis, Bill Russell; Congrats!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Obama Lauds Medal of Freedom Recipients


President Barack Obama recognized a former president, a basketball legend and a civil rights hero Tuesday among the 15 recipients of the Medal of Freedom.

During a ceremony at the White House, Obama said the recipients represent, "the best of who we are and who we aspire to be."

The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, and is presented to people who have made important contributions to U.S. national security, world peace, culture or other significant public or private endeavors.

Among the recipients honored Tuesday were former President George H.W. Bush, former basketball star Bill Russell, businessman Warren Buffett and civil rights activist Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.

Obama praised Bush for his more than 70 years of service to his country, saying his life is a testament to the belief that public service is a noble calling.

"His humility and his decency reflects the very best of the American spirit," Obama said.

The 2010 Medal of Freedom recipients were announced in November.

Other winners include:

— Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

— John H. Adams, co-founder of Natural Resources Defense Council

— Maya Angelou, poet and author

— Jasper Johns, artist

— Gerda Weissmann Klein, Holocaust survivor and author

— Dr. Tom Little (posthumous), optometrist murdered on humanitarian mission in Afghanistan

— Sylvia Mendez, civil rights activist of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent

— Stan Musial, Hall of Fame baseball player

— Bill Russell, professional basketball player and first African American to coach in the NBA

— Jean Kennedy Smith, founder of VSA, a non-profit organization that promotes the artistic talents of people with disabilities

— John J. Sweeney, President Emeritus of the AFL-CIO.


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Sources: MSNBC, The Grio, Google Maps

Barbara Bush vs Sarah Palin: "I Hope She'll Stay In Alaska"

George, Barbara Bush: "Palin Stay Home; We're No Political Dynasty"


Jeb Bush would make a good president, but the former Florida governor has no intention of running for the Oval Office in 2012, according to his father, former President George H.W. Bush.

The elder Bush made the comment in an exclusive interview to be broadcast Monday night on "Larry King Live."

In the hour-long interview, Bush and his wife, Barbara, discussed their lives and their relationship with another son -- former President George W. Bush. While the Bushes spoke with obvious pride of their family and accomplishments, they rejected talk of a Bush political dynasty, even when reminded that they are one of only two father-son presidential families in American history.

Asked if Jeb was thinking about running for president in 2012, his father responded: "I don't think he is. In fact, I know he's not."

"But would he be a good president? Absolutely," Bush continued. "And don't just take that from a father's prejudice view. I mean, he's a good man, he performed as governor, he's well-spoken, he's not an extremist, he's not a wild guy that attributes bad motives to those that disagree with him, and he's good. And people that know him and hear him say the same thing. I think the bottom line is, he just doesn't want to try, doesn't want to do it."

Both Bushes mentioned former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as a possible Republican contender for a likely race against incumbent President Barack Obama two years from now.

"He's a reasonable guy," George Bush said of Romney. "He's a Conservative fellow, that's good. But no, I think he'd be a good president, a very good president."

Barbara Bush also mentioned Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour as a possible GOP contender, and made clear that she doesn't favor former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in the running.

"I sat next to her once. Thought she was beautiful," Barbara Bush said of Palin. "And she's very happy in Alaska, and I hope she'll stay there."

Both Bushes agreed that a woman president is a certainty for the United States, with George Bush saying: "That's what they call a 'gimme' in golf, I think. It's going to happen. I don't know who, or when, but I would say fairly soon."

The former president seemed uncertain when asked about the conservative Tea Party movement, which has taken the Republican establishment by storm.

"I don't know what it really is," Bush said. "Some of the ideas make a lot of sense. But ... I noticed in the paper today they were talking about what the Tea Party would do to get the Republicans in Congress to do something. Well, these people have all been elected whether they're Tea Partiers or not. So I'm confused by it, frankly."

But, he quickly added, "I think it's all right."

The former first couple also talked about George W. Bush's new book, "Decision Points," which details some of the crucial moments of his eight years as president.

"I loved the book," Barbara Bush said. "I thought it was very frank. He's not trying to write a biography, he's trying to tell how it is in the White House."

Her husband agreed that it was "good" and "from the heart."

"I think he's done a good job selling the darn thing, he's been out there all over the place," the former president said.

History will be kind to his son "because he's a man of principle, did what he said he was going to do, kept our country safe in the first time we were really attacked" on September 11, 2001, Bush said.

In particular, he praised one of his son's most controversial decisions -- to invade Iraq in 2003 to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

"Saddam Hussein is no longer around, and that in itself makes it the right thing," Bush said. "Now, do you worry about the large loss? Of course, you do. But I think he made a courageous decision, proper decision, and we forget that Congress and many people in the press wanted to bring down Saddam Hussein, and George stepped up to the plate and did something about it."

At the same time, the former president acknowledged that the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, a main reason for the invasion, "was a great disappointment" to his son.

"But that doesn't mean that the mission itself isn't worthwhile," Bush said.

The Bushes also discussed rarely mentioned events in their lives -- the loss of a daughter to leukemia as well as a later miscarriage -- which are included in George W. Bush's new book.

"He wanted to point out -- barely a child -- but he wanted to point out how close we were," Barbara Bush said of her son, who asked her permission to include the miscarriage story in his book. "And I must say, he was the cutest guy you ever saw. Just 14, no socks on, drove me to the hospital like a grown-up man and paced the hall and some woman said, 'Don't worry, your wife will be fine.' "

While the Bushes have undergone some physical problems in recent years -- Barbara Bush revealed in the interview she has recovered from heart troubles and a perforated ulcer, while George Bush said he has leg problems -- the former president made clear that he intends to skydive once more on his 90th birthday in 2014.

"It's all set," he said. "We go with the Golden Knights and they've committed to it."


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Sources: CNN, Google Maps

Barbara Bush 84, Hospitalized In Houston

Barbara Bush Hospitalized In Houston


Former first lady Barbara Bush was hospitalized in Houston for tests after not feeling well for several weeks, NBC News reported Saturday night.

Former President George H.W. Bush took Mrs. Bush to Methodist Hospital on Saturday morning for routine testing, said Jean Becker, spokeswoman for the former president in Houston.

Sources told NBC that the problem was not believed to be related to her heart or the aortic valve operation that she underwent in March 2009.

Doctors hoped to let her go home Sunday or Monday, Becker said.

Mrs. Bush underwent surgery a year ago to have her aortic valve replaced by a valve from a pig. That surgery was performed because she was suffering from a severe narrowing of the main valve.

Mrs. Bush underwent surgery in November 2008 for a perforated ulcer. When she lived at the White House, she disclosed she was suffering from an overactive thyroid ailment known as Graves' disease. The disease causes teary eyes and double vision, according to her doctors.


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Sources: MSNBC, ET Online, Google Maps

Presidents Obama & Bush Team Up For Call To Community Service

Pres. Obama, elder Bush team up on call to service

Today President Barack Obama, who has called on Americans to perform more community service, joined former President George H.W. Bush in urging citizens to volunteer.

Bush on Friday was to host a forum on volunteering at Texas A&M University, to be attended by Obama, who initiated a "United We Serve" call to service in June that culminated in a national day of service on the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The forum is affiliated with the Points of Light Institute, an organization that honors people and groups who participate in community service. Bush created the Daily Point of Light Award in 1989 to honor volunteers. The forum will be held at the A&M campus at College Station, Texas, where Bush's presidential library is located. It was expected to draw students, faculty and Points of Light award winners. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a former president of the university, was planning to attend as well.

Cornerstone of Presidency

As a candidate, Obama promised to make a call to public service a cornerstone of his presidency.

On the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday this year, on Jan. 19, the day before Obama's inauguration, the president-elect, Hollywood stars and thousands of other Americans volunteered across the country.

In April, Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which tripled the size of the AmeriCorps community service program.

And in late June, when Obama kicked off the call to service program, he and his family worked with other volunteers at Fort McNair in Washington and helped load 15,000 backpacks with books, healthy snacks and toys for children with parents in the armed forces.



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Laura Bush Defends Pres. Obama's School Speech...George H. W. Bush's 1991 Ed. Speech

Huffington Post, CNN----

Laura Bush Praises Obama, Defends Back-To-School Speech

(Former First Lady Laura Bush talks CNN's Zain Verjee. She defends Pres. Obama's School Speech.)



Former first lady Laura Bush on Monday expressed support for President Barack Obama's decision to speak to the nation's school children, saying it is "really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States."

In an interview with CNN, Mrs. Bush, a former school teacher, said, "There's a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children" to stay in school. And she said parents and others also need to send that message.

Obama's planned remarks Tuesday to be broadcast by C-SPAN to many schools across the country has drawn protests from conservatives and some parents who said the president is trying to indoctrinate the nation's children. Some parents have said they plan to keep their children home from school because of the Obama speech.

"That's their right," Mrs. Bush said. "That certainly is the right of parents to choose what they want their children to hear in school."

"I also think it's also really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States," she said.

Obama in his speech will urge students to stay in school.

"What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country," Obama will tell the students, according to a transcript released Monday by the White House. "What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future."

Mrs. Bush also decried the extreme political partisanship in the nation.

"We're polarized. ... A lot of people on the right, a lot of people on the left. We've seen that for the last eight years. ... We're still seeing it," she said.

Mrs. Bush praised Obama's performance under difficult circumstances. "He's tackled a lot to start with and that's made it difficult," she said.

She said her husband has refused to criticized Obama because he believes the new president "deserves the respect and no second guessing on the part of a former president."

Still, she said Vice President Dick Cheney, who has been sharply critical of Obama, "has every right to speak out. ... It's certainly Vice President Cheney's right to say whatever he wants to say."

Mrs. Bush was interviewed in Paris, where she was helping promote global literacy as part of a United Nations meeting.



Republican President spoke to Students ... in 1991

The President of the United States speaks to students across the country.

One political party supports the idea, saying it will encourage students to succeed.

The other political party criticizes the speech, saying it is a political ploy.

That sounds a lot like the situation unfolding before President Obama's speech this afternoon to U.S. students -- except the other case was in 1991.

That time, it was a Republican president, George H.W. Bush.

And in 1986, President Reagan conducted a question-and-answer session with students -- an event that was nationally televised and included Reagan discussing political matters such as national defense funding and taxes.

Some Democrats responded furiously to Bush's speech 18 years ago to U.S. students, even launching Congressional hearings into the matter. Democrats asked the General Accounting Office to look into the expenditure of federal money on the speech -- but the GAO cleared the Bush administration, saying it had done nothing wrong.

A check of the Observer's archives shows no response by lawmakers and the public to Reagan's comments with students more than 20 years ago. Apparently, that was a gentler time in politics.

On Oct. 2, 1991, President Bush spoke to students at Alice Deal Junior High School in the northwest part of the District of Columbia.

The president's comments sounded a lot like those contained in an advance copy of Obama's speech.

"When it comes to your own education, what I'm saying is take control," Bush said in 1991. "Don't say school is boring and blame it on your teachers. Make your teachers work hard. Tell them you want a first class education.

"If you don't work hard, who gets hurt? If you cheat, who pays the price? If you cut corners, if you hunt for the easy A, who comes up short?"

Bush spoke shortly after noon that day, and his address to students aroused both opposition and support.

The opposition came from some Democrats.

The party that has supported Obama's speech today was critical of the idea in 1991.

"The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president," House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said at the time. "It should be helping us to produce smarter students."

His argument -- that the speech is a waste of valuable time -- is being used by some Republicans and conservatives who oppose Obama's address today.

Other Democrats criticized the speech as "arrogance of power," according to press reports at the time.

Of course, Republicans supported Bush's address to students.

"Why is it political for the president of the United States to discuss education?" Georgia Congressman Newt Gingrich asked. "It was done at a nonpolitical site and was beamed to a nonpolitical audience."

Interestingly, Gingrich appeared Sunday on "Fox News Sunday" and supported Obama's speech -- provided the president stays away from political comments.



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Sources: CNN, Huffington Post, Charlotte Observer, Wikipedia, Google Maps