ELLINGTON
ELLINGTON FIELD WITHIN THE HOUR.
HOUR.
HOUR. WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU LIVE ON
THE KHOU 11 NEWS.
>>> PRESIDENT TRUMP PROCLAIMING
TODAY A NATIONAL DAY OF
MOURNING.
MOURNING.
MOURNING. SO THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY CAN
TAKE TIME TO REMEMBER PRESIDENT
BUSH.
BUSH.
BUSH. >>
BUSH. >> THE BUSH FAMILY WAS
SURROUNDED BY OUR NATION'S
LEADERS, FAST AND PRESENT AND
FORMER DIGNITARIES AT THE
NATIONAL CATHEDRAL.
NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. >>> LEN CANNON IS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. OUTSIDE THE
NATIONAL CATHEDRAL.
NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL OCCASION
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. THERE WERE POINTS OF LEVITY AND
LAUGHTER.
LAUGHTER.
LAUGHTER. >> Reporter: YEAH, THERE
CERTAINLY WAS.
CERTAINLY WAS. WE WATCHED HISTORY UNFOLD IN
THE NATION'S CAPITAL TODAY.
WE ALL WONDERED WHAT WOULD BE
SAID ABOUT A MAN WHO
ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN HIS 94
YEARS?
YEARS?
YEARS? IT
YEARS? IT TURNS OUT VERY LITTLE WAS
SAID ABOUT GEORGE H. W. BUSH
THE POLITICIAN, IT WAS SO MUCH
MORE
MORE
MORE ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF THE MAN.
♪AS
♪AS CHILDREN SANG, PRESIDENTS WATCHES AND A FAMILY REFLECTED
ON THE LIFE OF OUR 41st
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. A LIFE OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS.
HIS LONG TIME FRIEND FORMER
SENATOR ALLEN SIMPSON SAID BUSH
41 PROCESSED A TRAIT THAT WAS
RARE IN WASHINGTON.
>> THOSE WHO TRAVEL THE HIGH
ROAD OF HUMILITY IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. ARE NOT BOTHERED BY HEAVY
TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC. >> Reporter: HE WAS REMEMBERED
AS HUMBLE AND HUMOROUS, WHO
ALWAYS LOVED GOOD JOKE, EVEN IF
IT WAS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE.
>> AS DANA CARVEY SAID THE KEY
TO A BUSH 41 IMPERSONATION IS
MR.
MR.
MR. ROGERS TRYING TO BE JOHN WAYNE.
.
.
. >>
. >> Reporter: THE HISTORIAN AND
BIOGRAPHER TALKED ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT'S BRUSH WITH DEATH AS
A YOUNG LIEUTENANT FLYING OVER
THE PACIFIC IN WORLD WAR II.
THE LAST TO BAIL FROM HIS PLANE
AND WONDERING WHY HE WAS THE
ONLY ONE TO SURVIVE.
>> THE GEORGE HERBERT WALKER
BUSH WHO SURVIVE HAD THE FIERY
FALL INTO THE WATERS OF A
PACIFIC THREE QUARTERS OF A
CENTURY AGO MADE OUR LIVES AND
THE LIVES OF NATION'S FREER,
BETTER, WARMER AND NOBLER.
THAT WAS HIS MISSION.
THAT WAS HIS HEART BEAT.
AND IF WE LISTEN CLOSELY
ENOUGH, WE CAN HEAR THAT HEART
BEAT EVEN NOW, FOR IT IS THE
HEART BEAT OF A LION.
A LION
A LION
A LION WHO NOT ONLY LEAD US
BUT WHO LOVED US.
THAT'S WHY HIM.
THAT'S WHY HE WAS SPARED.
.
.
. >>
. >> Reporter: AND THE SON WHO
ALSO BECAME A PRESIDENT
REMEMBERED HIS DAD AS NOT QUITE
PERFECT.
PERFECT.
PERFECT. >> HIS SHORT GAME WAS LOUSY.
HE WASN'T EXACTLY FRED ASTAIRE
ON THE DANCE FLOOR.
THE MAN COULDN'T STOMACH
VEGETABLES.
VEGETABLES. ESPECIALLY BROCCOLI.
ESPECIALLY BROCCOLI. AND BY THE WAY, HE PASSED THESE
GENETIC DEFECTS ALONG TO US.
>> Reporter: GEORGE W. CALLED
HIS DAD THE BRIGHTEST OF A
THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT AND
SHARED HIS VERY LAST
CONVERSATION WITH HIS FATHER
BEFORE HE PASSED.
>> WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU.
YOUR DECENCY, SINCERITY AND
KIND SOUL WILL STAY WITH US
FOREVER.
FOREVER.
FOREVER. SO THROUGH OUR TEARS LET US
KNOW THE BLESSINGS OF KNOWING
AND
AND
AND LOVING YOU.
LOVING YOU. A GREAT AND NOBLE MAN.
THE BEST FATHER A SON OR
DAUGHTER COULD HAVE.
AND IN OUR GRIEF, LET US SMILE
KNOWING THAT DAD IS HUGGING
ROBIN AND HOLDING MOM'S HAND
AGAIN.
>>
>> Reporter: AND THAT UNDOUBTEDLY WAS THE MOST
POWERFUL AND MOST EMOTIONAL
PART OF THIS MORNING'S
CEREMONY.
CEREMONY.
CEREMONY. NOW, WE AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF
THE PLANE IN HOUSTON.
AS YOU MENTIONED, PEOPLE ARE
LINING UP AT SECOND BAPTIST TO
PAY THEIR RESPECTS AT ST.
MARTIN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
>> THERE IS ALSO A LONG LINE.
LEN