Obama Likes His “Ex”

On Feb. 15, President Obama awarded George Bush Sr. with the Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. Obama’s choice is illustrative of the special nature of their relationship. Since his arrival at the White House, Obama seems to be cultivating a relationship with this former Republican president who is appreciative and supportive of him. Here is the story behind this romance.

“This is a gentleman.” With these words the President praised his predecessor, the patrician and wise man that he meets with from time to time and must consult with on rather tricky issues, such as Egypt. The former head of the CIA knows much about Mubarak’s 30-year reign and his advice is valuable. We learned that the 41st president had called Hosni Mubarak, surely not on his own initiative — that is not done — but rather at the request of the 44th. In his speech at the awards ceremony, the POTUS spoke from the heart and recalled the highlights from Bush’s term in office: the decrease in nuclear arms, ousting Iraq from Kuwait and his help in ending the Cold War. He also referred to Bush’s parachute jump at 85 years of age. And one could detect a certain sense of affection in Obama’s tribute to his predecessor.

In October 2009, dealing with hostility from Republicans (birthers, religion?) who questioned his legitimacy, Obama paid George Bush a visit at the Bush School at A&M University in Texas, and reached out to his former predecessor, who welcomed him along with Robert Gates. Gates embodies bipartisan continuity in his role as Secretary of Defense on Obama’s team, and this symbolic gesture by Obama sealed the positive relationship between the two men. In hosting the current U.S. president from the “enemy” party on his territory, the Bush patriarch put Obama in the continuity of American presidents and conferred legitimacy on him. And for Texas it was a great publicity event

They have had other opportunities to see each other, in addition to get-togethers with other former presidents. On Feb. 1, 2010, the first President Bush visited Obama along with his son Jeb, former governor of Florida. It was shortly before their visit that Jeb renounced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential race. It probably had nothing to do with it, but was instead more of a familial visit.

This year, the Medal of Freedom was awarded to 15 people, including two baseball and basketball legends, humanitarian billionaire Warren Buffett, AFL-CIO trade union giant John Sweeney, civil rights supporter John Lewis, violinist Yo-Yo Ma, Jean Kennedy Smith, John Kennedy’s sister and artist Jasper Johns. In short, the group was composed almost entirely of Democrats; George Bush Sr.’s presence alongside the others therefore signified for Obama something very personal.