I’M ALEX WITT. MY COLLEAGUE RICHARD LUI IS
PICKING UP ON THAT.
>>> THANK YOU, ALEX.
WE’RE HONORING THE LEGACY OF
GEORGE H.W. BUSH.
HIS PASSING COMES SEVERAL MONIES
AFTER THE PACING OF HIS WIFE,
FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH.
HE WAS NOT SHORT ON
ACHIEVEMENTS.
ACHIEVEMENTS. HE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST
AVIATOR TO SERVE IN NAVAL
HISTORY, A CONGRESSMAN,
AMBASSADOR, VICE PRESIDENT ALL
PRIOR TO TAKING TO THE WHITE
HOUSE AND OVAL OFFICE.
HIS PRESIDENCY SAW THE FALL OF
THE BERLIN WALL, THE COLLAPSE OF
SOVIET UNION AND HE FAMOUSLY
LAUNCHED OPERATION DESERT STORM
ALONG WITH COALITION FORCES TO
DRIVE SADDAM HUSSEIN AND THE
IRAQI GOVERNMENT OUT OF KUWAIT.
FLAGS ARE FLYING AT HALF STAFF
OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE AND U.S.
CAPITOL BUILDING.
CAPITOL BUILDING. I WANT TO BRING IN GARRETT HAAKE
WHO IS IN HOUSTON AND TAMMY
LEITNER IS IN THE GEORGE H.W.
BUSH MUSEUM.
BUSH MUSEUM. GARRETT, LET’S START WITH YOU.
THIS IS THE TOWN OF GEORGE H.W.
BUSH.
BUSH. >> THAT’S RIGHT, RICHARD.
THIS HAS BEEN HIS HOMETOWN OFF
AND ON SINCE 1993 WHERE HE
RETURNED AFTER LOSING THE WHITE
HOUSE IN THAT BID AGAINST BILL
CLINTON IN 1992.
THIS WILL BE WHERE HE COMES BACK
TO AFTER THE FIRST PART OF THE
STATE FUNERAL CEREMONIES BEGIN
IN EARNEST THIS WEEK.
WE’RE GETTING DETAILS ABOUT WHAT
THAT WILL ENTAIL.
THE PRESIDENT’S REMAINS WILL
ARRIVE AT THE CAPITOL MONDAY
EVENING.
EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE
INVITED TO SEE THE FORMER
PRESIDENT LIE IN STATE UNTIL
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THAT’S WHEN THE STATE FUNERAL
WILL TAKE PLACE, WEDNESDAY
DURING THE DAY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HE WILL
ATTEND, ALONG WITH FIRST LADY
MELANIA TRUMP.
MELANIA TRUMP. THEN THINGS WILL MOVE BACK DOWN
HERE TO TEXAS FOR A FINAL
FUNERAL MASS AT ST. MARTIN’S
CHURCH HERE, THE FAMILY’S
LONG-TIME CHURCH HERE IN THE
HOUSTON AREA BEFORE THINGS WILL
HEAD OUT TO COLLEGE STATION,
WHERE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
BURIED BESIDE HIS LONG-TIME WIFE
BARBARA BUSH WHO PASSED AWAY
THIS SPRING.
THIS SPRING. >> TAMMY, YOU ARE AT COLLEGE
STATION RIGHT NOW.
YOU’RE AT THE H.W. BUSH LIBRARY.
WHAT WAS THE TONE THERE?
I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH
MANY OF THE FOLKS COMING THROUGH
TODAY.
TODAY. >> Reporter: YES.
PEOPLE ARE SOMBER.
THEY’RE COMING HERE TO REMEMBER
HIM.
HIM. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEANED UP SINCE
EARLY THIS MORNING.
THIS IS SET, THE MUSEUM AND
LIBRARY, ON 90 ACRES.
I’M TOLD THIS IS THE MOST
PHOTOGRAPHED ROOM IN THE ENTIRE
MUSEUM.
MUSEUM. PEOPLE CAN COME AND SIT BEHIND A
REPLICA OF HIS DES.
-- DESK.
-- DESK. THE PHOTOS TAKE YOU THROUGH
DECADES OF HIS LIFE.
IN THE SECOND DRAWER OF HIS
DESK, HE KEPT HIS BASEBALL GLOVE
FROM WHEN HE WAS IN COLLEGE.
IF YOU COME OVER HERE, THIS IS
WHERE HE KEPT THE PHONE TO THE
PENTAGON.
PENTAGON. HE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY
PRESIDENTS, I WAS TOLD, TO USE
WHAT’S CALLED A PARTNER DESK, SO
SOMEONE COULD SIT ON ONE SIDE
WHILE HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
STEVE AND AARON, YOU’VE LIVED
HERE FOR 15 YEARS.
YOU SAID EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT
BUSH DIDN’T LIVE HERE FULL TIME,
HE WAS REALLY A PART OF THE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. HOW WAS THAT?
>> HE WOULD COME INTO TOWN
WHENEVER THERE WAS A MAJOR EVENT
IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT WAS
A SPORTING EVENT.
HE’D BE OUT AT OUTBACK STEAK
HOUSE.
HOUSE. THE KIDS WERE WORKING OUT OF THE
STUDENT RELATION CENTER AND
WORKING OUT ON THE ELLIPTICAL
AND PRESIDENT BUSH WOULD WALK UP
AND WORK OUT RIGHT NEXT TO THEM.
IT’S NOT LIKE A&M WAS A SMALL
SCHOOL IN THE 90s BUT IT’S GROWN
EXPONENTIALLY AND OUR COMMUNITY
IS SO MUCH BETTER AND RICHER
BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT BUSH.
>> WHY DID YOU COME OUT TODAY?
TODAY OF ALL DAYS, IT’S AN
IMPORTANT DAY.
IMPORTANT DAY. WHY DID YOU WANT TO COME OUT
HERE TODAY?
HERE TODAY? >> TODAY IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
FOR ONE OF THE GREATEST MEN TO
WALK THIS EARTH.
I’M JUST HERE TO SHOW MY RESPECT
AND REMEMBER GOOD OL’ ’41.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE IT.
AS GARRETT MENTIONED, PRESIDENT
BUSH WILL BE LAID TO REST HERE.
THERE IS A SPOT ABOUT 200 YARDS
FROM THE LIBRARY WHERE BARBARA
BUSH WAS BURIED SEVEN MONTHS
AGO.
AGO. NORMALLY PEOPLE CAN GO AND PAY
THEIR RESPECTS BUT RIGHT NOW IT
IS CLOSED OFF IN PREPARATION FOR
HIS BURIAL.
HIS BURIAL. >> THE VERY LATEST FOR US THERE
IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS. THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.
WE’RE ALSO LEARNING THIS HOUR
MORE ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH’S
FINAL MOMENTS.
FINAL MOMENTS. A "NEW YORK TIMES" ARTICLES
"WHERE ARE WE GOING, GEORGE
BUSH’S FINAL DAYS," IT GIVES US
INSIGHT INTO HIS STATE OF MIND
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF HIS
CLOSEST FRIENDS.
CLOSEST FRIENDS. THE AUTHOR OF THAT ARTICLE JOINS
US, PETER BAKER.
I KNOW IT’S A VERY BUSY DAY BUT
GIVE US WHAT YOU HEARD ABOUT
THOSE FINAL MOMENTS FOR GEORGE
H.W. BUSH.
H.W. BUSH. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. WELL, PRESIDENT BUSH HAD BEEN
FADING THE LAST FEW DAYS.
HE HADN’T BEEN GETTING OTUT OF
BED AND HADN’T BEEN EATING THAT
MUCH.
MUCH. AND THEN PETER BAKER WENT TO
VISIT HIM AND PRESIDENT BUSH
GAME MORE ALERT AND SAID "WE’RE
ARE WE GOING, BAKE?"
AND BAKER SAID "WE’RE GOING TO
HEAVEN."
HEAVEN." AND PRESIDENT BUSH SAID "THAT’S
WHERE I WANT TO GO."
AND IN A CONVERSATION WITH HIS
SON GEORGE BUSH, HE SAID I LOVE
YOU, DAD, AND PRESIDENT H.W.
BUSH SAID, "I LOVE YOU, TOO."
>> HE’S ALWAYS BEEN AN ATHLETIC
MAN.
MAN. HE WOULD
HE WOULD HE WOULD SHOW UP AT THE HOSPITAL
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, EVEN
AFTER BARBARA BUSH PASSED AWAY
LAST SPRING, HE HAD TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL PRETTY SOON AFTERWARDS,
PEOPLE THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE
THAT MOMENT.
THAT MOMENT. HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER.
AS SECRETARY BAKER TOLD ME, THIS
TIME HE WAS READY.
THIS TIME HE KNEW HE WASN’T
GOING TO -- HE GAVE INSTRUCTIONS
TO HIS MEDICAL TEAM NOT TO BRING
HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN.
HE WANTED TO DIE IN HIS OWN BED.
>> PETER, AS HAS BEEN SAID,
THESE WERE CLOSE FRIENDS, BEST
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS. IT GOES IN YOUR PIECE WHEN YOU
DESCRIBE WHAT SECRETARY BAKER,
THAT HE WAS MASSAGING THE FORMER
PRESIDENT’S HANDS AND FEET.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. HE’S A CLOSE FRIEND,
EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP IN
POLITICS, YOU DON’T SEE A
PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF STATE
THE WAY THEY WERE.
THEY WERE PARTNERS ON THE TENNIS
COURTS AT THE HOUSTON COUNTRY
CLUB WAY BACK WHEN THEY WERE
YOUNG MEN.
YOUNG MEN. IN FACT, THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN
POLITICS PREDATES SECRETARY
BAKER EVER BECOMING INVOLVED.
JIM BAKER’S FIRST WIFE PASSED
AWAY WHEN HE WAS 40 AND GEORGE
BUSH’S GOOD FRIEND ENTICED HIM
TO COME INTO POLITICS AS A WAY
OF DEALING WITH HIS GRIEF.
THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER
THE NEXT TWO DECADES ASCENDING
TO THE HEIGHTS OF AMERICAN POW
ERP ANDPOWER
ERP ANDPOWER AND RUNNING THE WORLD AND IT WAS
A CRITICAL MOMENT AT THE END OF
THE COLD WAR AND THE WAR IN
IRAQ.
IRAQ. >> AS YOU SAID IN THE FINAL
LINES IN YOUR ARTICLE, YOU SAID
"THERE WAS NO PROLONGED PERIOD
OF LABORED BREATHING.
AT 10:10 P.M., THE FORMER
PRESIDENT WAS GONE.
IF THOSE THINGS COULD BE SWEET,
SECRETARY BAKER SAYS IT WAS
SWEET."
SWEET." PETER BAKER, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
OVER THERE AT THE "NEW YORK
TIMES."
TIMES." ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU
FILL US IN, ESPECIALLY IN
MOMENTS LIKE THIS.
THANK YOU, PETER.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. >> FOR MORE NOW, I’D LIKE TO
TURN TO ANDY CARD AND FORMER
CHIEF OF STAFF UNDER GEORGE W.
BUSH AND MICHAEL BESCHLOSS.
YOU WORKED WITH HIM.
IT’S NOT BEEN EASY TIMES FOR
YOU.
YOU. YOU WATCHED HIM STRUGGLE AT
TIMES.
TIMES. YESTERDAY AT 10 P.M., WHAT WAS
THE MOMENT.
THE MOMENT. >> IT WAS AND I DIDN’T KNOW THAT
UNTIL I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND
LOOKED AT MY PHONE AND KNEW THAT
SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
I FELT A GREAT SADNESS WASH OVER
ME.
ME. I KNEW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY, SOME OF WHOM WERE
FORTUNATE AS I WAS, SECRETARY
CARD CERTAINLY WAS, TO GET TO
KNOW HIM ON AN INTIMATE LEVEL.
AND MRKAMERICA LOST A TRUE HERO.
OBVIOUSLY WE LOST A FORMER
PRESIDENT BUT WE ALSO LOST
POSSIBLY THE MOST DECENT MAN TO
EVER ASSUME THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENCY AND CERTAINLY ONE OF
THE BEST HUMAN BEINGS I’VE EVER
HAD THE PRIVILEGE GETTING TO
KNOW.
KNOW. >> Reporter: WHAT’S YOUR
PERSPECTIVE NOW THAT WE ARE
THINKING -- THERE’S MANY NOTES
TO BE LOOKED AT, THE LAST WORLD
WAR II PRESIDENT.
>> WELL, GEORGE H.W. BUSH
DEFINED THE NOBLE PUBLIC SERVANT
AND HE WAS A MAN OF GREAT
CHARACTER AND A TRUE CITIZEN,
NOT JUST OF THE UNITED STATES
BUT A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD.
I FOUND HIM TO BE A PHENOMENAL
ROLE MODEL.
ROLE MODEL. HIS LIFE IS A LIFE THAT WE
SHOULD ALL ASPIRE TO LIVE.
I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WEALTH
OR THE SUCCESS OR THE POLITICAL
SUCCESS.
SUCCESS. I’M TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CARED
FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
HE IS ABOUT AS LOVING A PERSON
AS I’VE EVER MET.
HE DIDN’T EVEN REMEMBER HIS
ENEMIES WERE HIS ENEMIES.
HE WOULD MAKE FRIENDS OTUT OF
FORMER ENEMIES.
FORMER ENEMIES. PEOPLE HAD TO REMIND YOU,
THEY’RE YOUR ENEMY.
AND HE SAID THAT WAS THEN, NOW
IS THIS.
IS THIS. WITNESS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
PRESIDENT BUSH AND PRESENT.
PRESENT KIND OF CONSIDERED
HIMSELF AS A SON OF GEORGE BUSH.
AND GEORGE BUSH CONSIDERED HIM A
SON, TOO.
SON, TOO. AND IT WAS JUST A REMARKABLE
EXPERIENCE TO WITNESS HIM SO
MANY TIMES FIND LOVE AND SHARE
IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL
COULD BENEFIT AS A RESULT OF IT.
SO ON SO MANY LEVELS.
I THINK THE GREATEST LEGACY THAT
HE LEFT WAS ACTUALLY THE LEGACY
OF THE STUDENTS AT THE BUSH
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. HE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT CREATING
THAT SCHOOL.
THAT SCHOOL. HE DIDN’T WANT IT TO BE JUST A
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD COME
AND GIVE SPEECHES.
HE WANTED IT TO BE A SCHOOL
WHERE STUDENTS CAME TO BE
TRAINED TO ENTER PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND GRADUATES ARE DOING THAT.
AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO, I
THINK, EMULATE THE LIFE THAT
GEORGE H.W. BUSH LIVED AS THEY
SERVE.
SERVE. AND THAT IS A WONDERFUL LEGACY
AND THAT’S WHY THE BUSH SCHOOL
WAS SO IMPORTANT TO THE
PRESIDENT AND HE WAS SO
COMMITTED TO ITS SUCCESS.
I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE PART OF
THAT EFFORT ON SO MANY DIFFERENT
FRONT.
FRONT. IT JUST
IT JUST IT’S JUST A JOY TO SEE THE
STUDENTS OF THE BUSH SCHOOL
LIVING THEIR LIVES THE WAY
GEORGE BUSH LIVED HIS.
TOO FEW PEOPLE TODAY WANT TO
JUMP INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH DID AND HE MADE
IT A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE HE
DID.
DID. >> FOR HALF A CENTURY.
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, YOU’VE
CHRONICLED ALL OF OUR
PRESIDENTS.
PRESIDENTS. WHERE DOES HE FIT IN AND WHAT
WILL HE MEAN GOING FORWARD?
AND AS ANDY WAS TELLING US, LOOK
AT THE STUDENTS MOVING FORWARD
THAT WILL WANT TO SERVE.
>> WELL, I THINK ONE THING, YOU
KNOW, IT TOUCHES EXACTLY ON WHAT
ANDY SAID IS THAT THIS WAS A MAN
WHO HAD ALMOST EVERY VIRTUE THAT
YOU’D WANT TO SEE IN YOUR OWN
CHILDREN, AND ONE OF THEM WE SO
RARELY SEE NOWADAYS IS MODESTLY.
THIS WAS AN AMAZINGLY MODEST
MAN.
MAN. IF YOU MET HIM, HE WOULD BE
LOOKING TO SET YOU AT EASE, NOT
TRYING TO IMPRESS YOU WITH HIS
MAGNIFICENCE.
MAGNIFICENCE. AND IN HISTORY, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES YOU WANT A CERTAIN
PRESIDENT TO DO A CERTAIN THING
AT A CERTAIN MOMENT IN HISTORY.
IF WE’RE REWINDING THE TEAM FROM
THE PERIOD FROM 1989 TO 199 3,3,
YOU’D WANT A PRESIDENT CAPABLE
OF WINDING UP THE COLD WAR ON
THE BERNIE SANDERS
THE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE.
THAT’S WHAT GEORGE BUSH DID
BETTER THAN ANYONE AT THAT I’M.
>> HE WAS THE RIGHT PERSON AT
THE RIGHT TIME.
BEING A COLD WAR KID MYSELF AND
HAVING TO LIVE THROUGH ALL OF
THAT.
THAT. >> FOR CERTAIN.
YOU LOOK AT THE DECISIONS HE
MADE THAT WERE CONTROVERSIAL AT
THE TIME, MOST NOTABLY THE
PRESSURE THAT WAS ON HIM TO
DANCE ON THE WALL WHEN IT FELL
BETWEEN EAST AND WEST BERLIN.
HE RESISTED THAT URGE.
HE KNEW IT COULD BE A
PROVOCATION TO THE SOVIETS WHO
WERE SLOWLY BECOMING THE
RUSSIANS.
RUSSIANS. IN BEHINDHINDSIGHT, EVERYONE SAI
WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
HE DID DO THE RIGHT THING AND
THE WORLD AND AMERICA ARE BETTER
OFF FOR IT.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.