All the Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings
Page 77
This note is to simply let you know that I so appreciated your words about our relationship, about our friendship. It was from your heart—I hope you know I feel the same way. The politics between now and two years from now might put pressure on our friendship, but it is my view that it will survive. In any event, I have genuinely enjoyed working with you. Don’t kill yourself by travel or endless rope lines.
All the best,
George
An essay I wrote for the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, which does great work trying to save our beautiful coastline in Maine.
March 8, 2007
I am 83 years old. A few years ago I would have thought of myself as “old” at 83. But I don’t.
What keeps me young is Kennebunkport, Maine. Broader still the Maine Coast itself. It is more than the beauty and heart beat of our little town. It is more than the glories of a bright red sunrise out Cape Porpoise way or of that same sun setting over Mt. Agamemnon. This town, this sea are the essence of my soul. I am at peace here.
I am blessed to live in the house my grandfather built 104 years ago on a neck of land he purchased long before that. My beloved Barbara and I go to sleep in our bedroom literally a stone’s throw from the sea. We can hear the pounding of the ocean waves when the ocean is angry and strong; and we can hear the gentle murmurs of that same sea when all is calm. I can feel all this in the fiber of my soul.
But over the years I may have taken this ocean for granted. The waters are clean and pure, and now I realize I have not done enough to keep it that way.
I see a horrid plastic cup floating in the sea or a dreadful plastic bag drifting towards shore; and I ask myself why do people have so little respect for the pristine nature of our ocean. How could they so dis-honor this sacred coast?
I do not know the answer to that question, but I do know that the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust has Trust in our Town and Trust in our future.
I have had an exciting, full life. With the help of many friends in Kennebunkport and across our land, I climbed the highest political mountain in the world. I knew good times and times of great disappointment; but when my body and soul cried out for calm and relief my thoughts came right back here to Kennebunkport. . . .
And today I thank God for those who love our town and love this ocean, who lead us and preserve our sacred heritage.
My sons and daughter all come home to this special place. So do our grandkids, cousins, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews they all come home to Kennebunkport, Maine for this is our anchor to windward. When the storms of life are threatening it is here that all of us get comfort and strength. When we seek tranquility or say our prayers for peace we come here. It is here we count our many blessings.
From this grateful old man out on Walker’s Point, as I sit in my chair out on our deck watching grandkids playing on the same rocks where I played, and my mother before me, I say let us give thanks for our new leaders, to those who do have “Trust in our Town, Trust in our precious future.”
George Bush
Handwritten note to Mrs. William C. Liedtke, Jr., widow of my dear friend and oil business partner Bill. Claire is her daughter.
April 9, 2007
Dear Bessie,
Five days ago we had supper at Fogo [de Chao]. For me it was very special—no, no not the nine different cuts of meat nor the braised bananas. What was so neat was being there with you and Claire and Bar, of course. So many memories came rushing back, wonderful memories of days gone by. Days with Bill. Midland days. Claire was the catalyst. With her sense of humor and her beauty; and yes, her courage, too, I got to thinking. This is what really counts in life. True friendships that last and don’t need daily nourishment.
My life these days is very easy. I get to sit at life’s head table and people are unfailingly polite and nice to both Bar and me.
But there at Fogo, I saw even more clearly how important real friends are. Your Claire made me feel young and made my life even better.
No protocol, no “he used to be this or that”, no formality; just a friend’s love for daughter and mother.
Love to you dear Bessie and
a hug for Claire—
George
A letter to President Clinton.
January 23, 2008
Dear Bill,
My heart went out to you when I saw you trying to keep your eyes open during an MLK Day sermon.
I could indeed “feel your pain.” I have been there myself, more than once I might add, and it physically hurt as I tried to keep my eyes open. I don’t remember if I ever told you about the prestigious Scowcroft Award, given during my White House days to the person that fell most soundly asleep during a meeting. Points were added for “recovery”:
A standard recovery gambit was to awake from a sound sleep, and start by nodding one’s head in agreement to something just said in the meeting, something you had not heard at all. Writing something on a pad, anything at all, scored points. Good recoveries were awarded lots of points in determining the Scowcroft winner.
I remember when [Dick] Cheney won the award one time. We presented it to him at a nice dinner in the Rose Garden. Modest fellow that he is, he proclaimed himself unworthy, though his solid sleep in the Cabinet meeting had been witnessed by all assembled.
Scowcroft, of course, was hopeless. He could sleep in any meeting at any time of day. Always pleasant when he woke up, he was a leader without peers in both the sleep field and the recovery field.
Such was his leadership that the award was named for him. He never fully appreciated that. Anyway having been a Scowcroft Award recipient myself I send you now my total understanding and my warmest personal regards. As I heard that minister droning on I made a challenge for the trophy myself.
Your friend,
George
E-mail to dear friend and longtime staffer Don Rhodes about the death of our beloved dog Sadie. No one loved our dogs more than Don.
September 10, 2008
Subject: Sadie
Ariel and I took Sadie over to the vet in Kennebunk and Dr. Shively put her to sleep. She has been failing rapidly and had no quality of life at all. I was there when they gave her the first of two shots—the tranquilizing shot. She was very peaceful and the same, gentle, wonderful dog we loved so much.
I was too much of a sissy to stay for the final injection, but Dr. Shively just called to say she went peacefully.
I know you loved the pup and she sure knew that. You were so kind to her so caring, and I will never forget it. I’d love it when you’d come over to our house and she’d hear you coming and start jumping with sheer joy.
She is surely at peace now. The crematorium will do its work and her remains will be returned to us in a box that we ordered at the doctor’s office.
We will need a stone. Could you order that up for us—something simple? If you want me to suggest words for the stone58 I will be glad to do that, but your ideas would be the best.
Sorry to be the bearer of such sad tidings, but I did not want you worrying about it because she went on to dog heaven.
Life goes on, of course, but it won’t be the same without Sadie around here.
Your friend,
GB
One of the great privileges of my life was when the Navy named their newest aircraft carrier the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). George W. commissioned the Bush on January 10, 2009, a few short weeks before he left office. Many generous friends helped make it a special day for the sailors and our friends and family. I wrote this thank you note to our dear friends Hushang and Shahla Ansary of Houston, Texas. Hushang, now an American citizen, served as Iranian ambassador to the United States under the Shah.
January 15, 2009
Dear Hushang and Shahla,
The commissioning of the USS George H.W. Bush CVN-77 this past weekend was an overwhelming day not only for me, but for the entire Bush family. The honor and privilege of being associated with this magnificent aircraft carrier and her crew are still
hard for me to put into words.
Barbara and I are thrilled that you were there to help us celebrate the day. I hope you and all your guests enjoyed being a part of one of the Navy’s greatest traditions. I’m especially glad the two of you could come a day early and join us for the private tour and lunch on Thursday.
Your very, very generous donation touched me more than I can say. In addition to helping make last Saturday a perfect day, you helped make CVN-77 a better ship. I can tell you from first-hand conversations with the sailors that they are very grateful for the computers, books, movies, etc., that your donation helped buy and that will make their many hours away from home a little easier.
Thank you for being such a big part of a very special day in my already wonderful life.
All the best,
GB
Letter to Jim Baker and Bob Mosbacher. Jim was of course my secretary of state and Bob was my secretary of commerce. They are/were two of my oldest friends. Bob died in 2010. I still miss him.
February 5, 2009
Dear Jim and Bob,
As I headed back to the office after our lunch today I had a serious thought. I wanted to share it with you.
All three of us have had power lunches with famous people. As John Connally59 once put it “I have dined with kings and potentates.”
But the lunch we had today was simply a lunch between dear friends. We didn’t have an agenda and none of us were trying to get our photo taken by that intrusive, persistent camera lady, who has become a minor pain in the a—.
All we had was the joy of real friendship and what a treasure and joy it really is. I am a very lucky guy and I know it. And I want to be sure you two know that I feel that way, and that I am grateful to you both—always will be.
We have all sat at “head tables”, but our little table today trumps any head table in the world. When I say my prayers tonight I will give thanks for the friendships we share and honor.
George
E-mail to our children after Barbara underwent open-heart surgery at Methodist Hospital in Houston.
March 4, 2009
Subject: REPORT ON YOUR MOTHER!
Importance: High
Dear George, Jeb, Neil, Marv, and Doro,
The operation went very well. I just saw your mother in the recovery room. She couldn’t speak or anything this early, but all the valves and gauges show that she is doing perfectly. They did put in the pig valve instead of the metal one, so she may be oinking around for a while when she gets home.
I am so relieved and so happy. I will see her at about 3:00 this afternoon, and she will be able to talk and respond. All in all, according to Dr. Lawrie, the operation could not have gone better. He said, “She is one strong woman,” but I didn’t need the operation to let me know that.
Anyway, I love you all; and cross your Mom off the worry list.
Barbara recovered and was able to go with me when I spent the night on the USS George H.W. Bush that spring. Doro, the ship’s sponsor, also came along. I wrote this note to the commanding officer, Captain DeWolfe “Chip” Miller, after we got home.
May 28, 2009
Dear Chip,
There is not one single thing you could have done to make our trip more enjoyable. Having Doro at my side was, of course, very special to this old father but you, your officers, and your sailors all made me feel welcome. I even got up and down those ladders without falling.
What a magnificent ship, and what a great Commanding Officer!
Most sincerely,
George Bush
Written in response to a letter from State Senator Jake Knotts of South Carolina. He was annoyed when I publicly criticized Congressman Joe Wilson for calling President Obama a liar during the State of the Union address.
January 5, 2010
Dear Jake,
Your December 14 letter severely took me to task. I write to thank you for it.
First of all, Joe Wilson is very lucky to have you as a loyal friend.
Everything I know about Joe is positive. I thought his yelling “Liar” at the President during the State of the Union was beneath him, and I think he apologized for that. I did not mean to “stab [him] in the back.” I simply meant to regret the lack of civility and decorum a President is entitled to when he speaks in that hallowed chamber.
I know little about Senator Jim DeMint, but I gather you are not his biggest fan. When I was President, we got plenty of criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike; and I think our son endured far more than his share of criticism.
But to lay all my cards on the table, I do question Joe Wilson’s civility in yelling out “Liar” during the State of the Union address. Having said that, I do hope Joe, whose voting record I do admire, continues to serve South Carolina as long as he wants to.
You closed with very kind words of support for me and for George, and for that I am very grateful. Have a great New Year, and thank you again for your frank letter.
Sincerely,
George Bush
Handwritten letter to President Barack Obama.
November 16, 2010
Dear Mr. President,
To say I was touched by your call today is a classic understatement.
I am so honored by your offer to bestow on me that “Presidential Medal of Freedom”. So many thanks.
I am not doing any travel these days, but I will be there for this one.
Gratefully and sincerely,
George Bush
I would like to end with this e-mail to our grandson Jebby, upon the birth of his daughter, our first great-grandchild, Georgia Helena Walker Bush. The beginning of a new generation.
August 18, 2011
Dear Georgia,
I haven’t seen you yet and I love you already—more than tongue can tell. You are one very lucky little girl. You have two wonderful parents who will always be with you and love you. You have grandparents who feel the same way. And you have two really old guys, great grand parents, Barbara Bush and me, who worship the ground you will be walking on and who will be for you, at your side, for as long as we live.
So have a wonderful happy life, dear Georgia.
Gampy
TIMELINE
June 12, 1924 Born in Milton, Massachusetts, to Prescott and Dorothy Walker Bush; family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, six months later.
June 1942 Graduates from Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts.
June 12, 1942 Enlists in the United States Navy on eighteenth birthday.
June 9, 1943 Receives gold wings, becoming youngest naval aviator.
Sept. 2, 1944 While flying combat missions off the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto, shot down near the island of Chichi Jima; rescued a few hours later by the submarine USS Finback.
Jan. 6, 1945 Marries Barbara Pierce in Rye, New York.
Sept. 18, 1945 Released from active duty.
July 6, 1946 Son George Walker Bush born in New Haven, Connecticut.
June 1948 Graduates Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University with bachelor’s degree in economics.
June 1948 Moves to Odessa, Texas, to take job as equipment clerk for Dresser Industries/IDECO.
1948–1951 As part of training program, holds variety of jobs for IDECO, including oil-field supply salesman and factory worker, moving from Odessa to California in 1949, then back to Midland, Texas, in 1950.
Dec. 20, 1949 Daughter Pauline Robinson Bush (Robin) born in Compton, California.
1951–1953 Cofounder, with John Overby, of Bush-Overby Oil Development Company in Midland.
Feb. 11, 1953 Son John Ellis Bush (Jeb) born in Midland.
Oct. 12, 1953 Robin dies of leukemia.
1953–1959 Cofounder, with Hugh and Bill Liedtke, of Zapata Petroleum in Midland.
Jan. 22, 1955 Son Neil Mallon Bush born in Midland.
Oct. 22, 1956 Son Marvin Pierce Bush born in Midland.
August 1959 Moves to Houston, Texas, to run spin-off company, Zapata Offshore, a pioneering offshore drilli
ng contractor.
Aug. 18, 1959 Daughter Dorothy Ellis Bush (Doro) born in Houston.
February 1963 Elected chairman of Harris County Republican Party.
Nov. 3, 1964 Loses Texas Senate race to Democratic incumbent Ralph Yarborough.
Nov. 5, 1966 Elected congressman from Texas’s Seventh District; serves on House Ways and Means Committee.
Nov. 3, 1970 Loses Texas Senate race to Lloyd Bentsen.
February 1971 Sworn in as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
January 1973 Becomes chairman of the Republican National Committee.
October 1974 Moves to Beijing as chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China.
January 1976 Sworn in as director of Central Intelligence.
January 1977 Returns to private life in Houston.
May 1, 1979 Announces candidacy for President of the United States.
July 16, 1980 Becomes the running mate of former California governor Ronald Reagan.
Nov. 4, 1980 Elected Vice President of the United States, Reagan/Bush defeating Carter/Mondale.
March 30, 1981 Attempted assassination of President Reagan, who was seriously wounded.
October 1983 Visits Beirut after terrorist bombing of Marine barracks kills 241.
April 1984 Presents U.S. proposal for chemical convention at disarmament conference in Geneva.
Nov. 6, 1984 Reelected Vice President of the United States, Reagan/Bush defeating Mondale/Ferraro.
March 1985 Meets Mikhail Gorbachev for the first time while attending in Moscow the funeral of his predecessor, Konstantin Chernenko.
Nov. 8, 1988 Elected forty-first President of the United States, Bush/Quayle defeating Dukakis/Bentsen.
Feb. 9, 1989 Addresses joint session of Congress outlining administration’s goals.
May 28, 1989 Attends NATO summit in Brussels.