"TODAY."
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
I'M AL WITH SHEINELLE AND
STEPHANIE.
OF COURSE, WE ARE ALL, AS A
NATION, REMEMBERING FORMER
PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH, A
MAN WHO REALLY LIVED HIS ENTIRE
LIFE IN SERVICE, FROM THE TIME
THAT, REALLY, HE WAS SHOT DOWN
IN WORLD WAR II AND MAKING HIS
WAY TO WASHINGTON AS A
CONGRESSMAN, THE HEAD OF THE
CIA, VICE PRESIDENT AND
EVENTUALLY PRESIDENT.
TRIBUTES AND MEMORIES POURING IN
IN WASHINGTON, ALL AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
FLAGS FLYING AT HALF-STAFF IN
HIS HONOR.
TODAY, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL
BE FLOWN FROM HOUSTON TO
WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE HE WILL
LIE IN STATE INSIDE THE U.S.
CAPIT
CAPITOL, AFTER TWO DAYS OF
PUBLIC VIEWING.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A FUNERAL
SERVICE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON
WEDNESDAY AT THE NATIONAL
CATHEDRAL.
AND ON WEDNESDAY, THE LATE
PRESIDENT WILL BE LAID TO REST
AT HIS PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN
TEXAS.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE THESE
MEMORIES OF HIM AS A PUBLIC
PERSON AND WE'VE BEEN HEARING
ABOUT HIM AS A PRIVATE PERSON.
>> WE'VE BEEN LEARNING A LOT.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HIM OVER
THE WEEKEND.
>> IT IS SPECIAL.
THIS MORNING, WE HAVE REPORTS
FROM WASHINGTON.
WE HAVE SAVANNAH STANDING BY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START IN THE
PRESIDENT'S ADOPTED STATE OF
TEXAS.
CRAIG MELVIN IS THERE FOR US IN
HOUSTON.
CRAIG, WHAT'S THE MOOD IN
HOUSTON?
>> YOU KNOW, AL, IT'S HOUSTON,
TEXAS.
BUT YOU MIGHT AS WELL CALL IT
BUSH, TEXAS.
THIS IS A CITY THAT DIDN'T JUST
ADOPT THE PRESIDENT BUT A CITY
HE'S CALLED HOME FOR DECADES
NOW.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH BORN AND RAISED
IN NEW ENGLAND.
NO QUESTION, THOUGH, HE WAS A
SON OF THE LONE STAR STATE,
AFTER SERVING IN THE MILITARY,
GRADUATING COLLEGE, HE CAME
HERE.
AND THERE WAS LITTLE DOUBT HE
WOULD RETURN AGAIN, AFTER
LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE.
THIS MORNING, HOUSTON AND THE
WORLD REMEMBERING PRESIDENT
BUSH.
THIS MORNING, A MAN WHOSE ENTIRE
LIFE WAS DEFINED BY SERVICE.
FROM THE THEATER OF WAR, TO THE
HALLS OF CONGRESS, ALL THE WAY
TO THE WHITE HOUSE, IS NOW BEING
HONORED BY THE COUNTRY HE LOVED
SO DEEPLY.
>> HE LIVED A LONG LIFE.
HE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF GREAT
THINGS.
IT'S KIND OF AN END OF AN ERA.
>> Reporter: TRIBUTES POURING IN
FOR FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE
HERBERT WALKER BUSH.
OVERNIGHT, A STAR-STUDDED
STANDING OVATION AT THE KENNEDY
CENTER HONOR CEREMONY.
>> I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO
RECOGNIZE THE PASSING OF A
WONDERFUL MAN, WHO DEDICATED HIS
LIFE TO SERVICE, AND WHO
ATTENDED THIS EVENT MANY TIMES
IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.
>> Reporter: IN HIS SUMMER HOME
IN KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE, HIS
ABSENCE IS PROFOUNDLY FELT.
>> THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND
MRS. BUSH ALWAYS HAD A REALLY
REMARKABLE PRESENCE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: MOURNERS LEAVING
SOCKS AMONG THE FLAGS AND
FLOWERS.
A NOD TO BUSH'S LONG-TIME LOVE
OF THE CRAZY AND COLORFUL
FOOTWEAR.
IN HIS ADOPTED HOMETOWN OF
HOUSTON, A MOMENT OF SILENCE
SUNDAY BEFORE THE TEXANS GAME.
AND MEMORIALS AT HIS STATUE,
OVERLOOKING THE CITY SKYLINE AND
NEAR HIS HOME.
>> IT IS REALLY SAD.
HE WAS A GREAT MAN.
WE LOVED HIM.
>> Reporter: THE FORMER
PRESIDENT'S SERVICE DOG, SULLY,
BY HIS SIDE, SLEEPING NEXT TO
HIS FLAG-DRAPD CASKET.
BUSH'S SPOKESMAN POSTING THE
PICTURE WITH THE CAPTION,
"MISSION COMPLETE."
PRESIDENT TRUMP ORDERING AIR
FORCE ONE TO CARRY MR. BUSH BACK
TO WASHINGTON, WHERE HE WILL LIE
IN STATE IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA
LATER TODAY.
IT WILL BE THE START OF FOUR
DAYS OF SOLEMN AND CELEBRATORY
EVENTS, WHO HONORED A HUMBLE
HERO, WHO SLIPPED AWAY
SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS AND
FAMILY.
>> I SAID, TELL GANNY WE SAY HI.
>> Reporter: BUSH, REUNITED WITH
LOVED ONES LOST, BARBARA, HIS
DAUGHTER OF 73 YEARS, AND
DAUGHTER, ROBIN, WHO DIED OF
LEUKEMIA AT AGE 3.
>> WE KNOW HE'S IN A BETTER
PLACE.
WE KNOW HE'S WITH AUNT ROBIN.
HE'S WITH GANNY.
HE'S GOOD.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S FORMER FRIENDS AND
POLITICAL ALLIES, FORMER
SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES BAKER
WAS BY HIS SIDE DURING HIS FINAL
MOMENTS, AS HE SAID HIS LAST
WORDS.
HE SAID TO HIS SON, GEORGE W.
BUSH --
>> HE SAID, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
43 HAD CALLED IN TO TELL HIS
FATHER GOOD-BYE AND HOW MUCH HE
LOVED HIM.
>> Reporter: FORMER COLLEAGUES
REFLECTING ON THE LAST PRESIDENT
OF THE GREATEST GENERATION.
>> I'M ALWAYS ASKED WHICH JOB I
LIKED BEST OF THE ONES I HAD.
AND I CITE THAT PERIOD OF
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR GEORGE
BUSH.
>> EVERYTHING HE DID IN PUBLIC
LIFE WAS DIRECTED TO HELPING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
HE WAS A PATRIOT.
HE DEMONSTRATED THAT IN WAR AND
DEMONSTRATED THAT IN PEACE.
>> Reporter: THE MAN WHO SPOKE
SO ELOQUENTLY AS A THOUSAND
POINTS OF LIGHT, NOW BEING
REMEMBERED AS A SHINING EXAMPLE
FOR ALL AMERICANS.
A PRESIDENT, A PATRIOT, AND A
HUMBLE SERVANT OF OUR NATION.
AIR FORCE ONE WILL BE CALLED
SPECIAL AIR MISSION 41 TODAY AND
WEDNESDAY, AS IT TRANSPORTS THE
FORMER PRESIDENT TO AND FROM
WASHINGTON.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE WILL BE
DELIVERING A FEW REMARKS WHEN
FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH'S CASKET
ARRIVES AT THE CAPITOL THIS
AFTERNOON, AL.
>> CRAIG, IT SEEMS INTERESTING
TO ME THAT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS
FROM NEW ENGLAND, THAT THE
FAMILY WAS SO ASSOCIATED WITH
TEXAS.
AND TEXAS EMBRACED THEM,
OBVIOUSLY.
>> OH, YEAH.
AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH TEXAS,
IT STARTED BACK DURING WORLD WAR
II.
HE TRAINED SOUTH OF HERE, IN
CORPUS CHRISTI.
HE GOT HIS WINGS THERE, THE
YOUNGEST PILOT TO GET HIS WINGS.
AND AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, BACK
IN THE '50s, HE FOLLOWED THE OIL
BOOM.
HE SET UP SHOP HERE IN TEXAS.
HE WAS A MILLIONAIRE BY THE TIME
HE WAS IN HIS EARLY 40s.
THERE WAS A REPORTER WHO ASKED
HIM LAST YEAR, MR. PRESIDENT,
YOU WERE BORN IN MASSACHUSETTS,
DO YOU CONSIDER TEXAS YOUR HOME
NOW?
AND THE PRESIDENT SAID, HE SAID,
I DON'T WANT TO BE UNKIND HERE,
I WANT TO BE GENTLE, BUT THAT'S
A DUMB QUESTION.
HE WAS TEXAS THROUGH AND
THROUGH.
THE AIRPORT BEARS HIS NAME.
HIS LIBRARY, OF COURSE, JUST
SOUTH OF HERE IN COLLEGE
STATION.
HE LOVED TEXAS AND TEXAS LOVED
HIM BACK.
>> WOW.
CRAIG MELVIN, THANKS SO MUCH.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOWN
THERE THROUGH THE DURATION OF
THIS.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR GIVING US
THAT REPORT.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> SO GOOD.
>> IT'S INTERESTING.
YOU MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE
SHOW, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
THINGS HE DID, IN HIS PUBLIC
LIFE, PROFESSIONALLY.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THIS ON SATURDAY, THE
BALANCE OF HIS FAMILY LIFE AND
THE WAY HE WAS ABLE TO BALANCE
ALL OF IT.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL
FRIENDS WITH JENNA HERE, YOU
REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF HOW HE
WAS ABLE TO BALANCE IT ALL.
AND THEN, THROUGHOUT ALL OF IT,
JUST THE HUMILITY.
>> EXACTLY.
>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY LIFE
WELL LIVED, BUT TRULY, A LIFE
WELL LIVED.
>> JUST TALKING ABOUT TEXAS FOR
A MOMENT, I'M STRUCK WITH HOW HE
AND BARBARA WERE WITH THE STATE.
HE'S GOING TO BE BURIED AT TEXAS
A&M.
THE FAMILY DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG
CONNECTION WITH THAT UNIVERSITY.
BUT HE AND BARBARA DID AND THEY
DEVELOPED A LOVE FOR THAT PLACE.
AND IT SHOWS THE ENERGY AND
GOODWILL THAT HE AND HIS WIFE
HAD FOR TEXAS.
>> SO MUCH OF HIS LIFE SPENT IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE WE HEAD
AGAIN.
SAVANNAH IS THERE FOR US.
SAVANNAH, IT REALLY IS SUCH A
STRIKING -- WHEN SOMEBODY SAID,
HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE
MOST SUCCESSFUL ONE-TERM
PRESIDENT.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT WAS
STRIKING BECAUSE HE LOOMS SO
MUCH LARGER.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE
THAN ONE TERM.
>> WELL, BECAUSE HE PRESIDED
OVER INCREDIBLY CONSEQUENTIAL
TIMES, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
FOREIGN POLICY OR ULTIMATELY THE
ECONOMY.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GIVE HIM
CREDIT FOR THE FACT THAT THE
COLD WAR CAME TO AN END WITHOUT
A SINGLE SHOT BEING FIRED.
AND MANY PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN
THE LAST FEW DAYS, HAVE CREDITED
HIM WITH THAT.
MANY PEOPLE ARE OFFERING THEIR
REMEMBRANCES OF FORMER PRESIDENT
BUSH, BUT NONE HAVE PERSPECTIVE
LIKE THE ONES YOU'RE ABOUT TO
HEAR FROM.
FOR MONTHS OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, MANY FORMER PRESIDENTS,
INCLUDING HIS OWN SON, GEORGE
W., SAT DOWN WITH "60 MINUTES"
ABOUT THE LATE PRESIDENT AND THE
IMPACT HE HAD ON THE U.S. AND
THE WORLD.
>> FIRST OF ALL, BEING THE CHILD
OF A PRESIDENT IS UNPLEASANT.
YOU WATCH SOMEBODY GET LAMPOONED
OR MADE FUN OF, IT HURTS.
BY THE TIME I BECAME PRESIDENT,
IT DIDN'T HURT NEARLY AS MUCH,
IT TURNS OUT.
I THINK HE'S GOING TO GO DOWN AS
THE GREATEST ONE-TERM PRESIDENT
EVER.
>> WHAT PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE
FULLY, EVEN WITHIN HIS OWN
PARTY, IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH HE
HAD TO LAND THE PLANE WHEN THE
BERLIN WALL COMES DOWN.
YOU HAVE CHAOS, POTENTIALLY IN
THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND
RUSSIA.
UNCERTAINTY IN EUROPE.
ALL THOSE THINGS COULD HAVE GONE
HAYWIRE AT ANY POINT.
THE CAUTION, AND THE LACK OF
SPIKING THE FOOTBALL, THAT THEY
SHOWED, WAS AN ENORMOUS
ACHIEVEMENT.
>> IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE GREAT
JOYS OF MY LIFE, MY FRIENDSHIP
OF HIM.
DON'T LET THE CRITICS DISCOURAGE
YOU OR PUSH YOU OFF COURSE.
YOU WILL BE OUR PRESIDENT WHEN
YOU READ THIS NOTE.
I WISH YOU WELL.
I WISH YOUR FAMILY WELL.
YOUR SUCCESS IS NOW OUR
COUNTRY'S SUCCESS.
I'M ROOTING HARD FOR YOU.
GOOD LUCK.
THIS LETTER IS A STATEMENT OF
WHO HE IS.
THAT'S WHY HE'S A WORLD-CLASS
HUMAN BEING, IN MY BOOK.
>> HE WAS A GOOD REMINDER THAT,
AS FIERCELY AS WE MAY FIGHT ON
POLICY AND ON ISSUES, THAT
ULTIMATELY WE'RE AMERICANS
FIRST.
>> THE MISSION WAS NOT GEORGE
H.W. BUSH.
THE MISSION WAS, HOW DO WE SERVE
THE UNITED STATES?
IF PEOPLE ANALYZE NOT ONLY HIS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT HIS
CHARACTER, THEY'LL SAY, JOB WELL
DONE GEORGE H.W. BUSH.
AND THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON, WE
WILL ALL BE REFLECTING ON THE
JOB DONE BY FORMER PRESIDENT
BUSH THERE.
OF COURSE, HE WILL BE LAID TO
LIE IN STATE HERE BEHIND ME AT
THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA LATER TODAY
AND ALL OF TOMORROW.
AND THEN, ON WEDNESDAY, THAT
SERVICE, THE NATIONAL PUBLIC
SERVICE, AT THE NATIONAL
CATHEDRAL.
GUYS?
>> SAVANNAH, WE DON'T OFTEN SEE
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS COMING
TOGETHER, UNIFIED IN PURPOSE
OVER ANYTHING.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DO
THAT THIS WEEK AS THEY HONOR
PRESIDENT BUSH.
WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE LIKE?
>> WELL, I THINK, IN SOME WAYS,
THESE KINDS OF MOMENTS REALLY
SHOW THE BEST OF OUR COUNTRY,
WHERE WE ARE UNITED AND HONORING
SOMEONE WHO PASSED AND SOMEONE
WHO SERVED.
AND IN SO MANY WAYS, PRESIDENT
BUSH IS FROM ANOTHER ERA.
HE WAS OUR LAST WORLD WAR II
PRESIDENT.
HE OBVIOUSLY WAS BROUGHT UP AND
TAUGHT TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN
MUCH IS EXPECTED.
HE WAS BORN OF PRIVILEGE, A
SENATOR'S SON, WHO ULTIMATELY
BECAME ELECTED TO CONGRESS AND
HAD PRETTY MUCH EVERY BIG JOB
YOU CAN HAVE IN WASHINGTON.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF RESPECT
FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, RESPECT
FOR THE WAY HE PRESIDED OVER
THIS COUNTRY, FOR FOUR
CONSEQUENTIAL YEARS.
AND MOST OF ALL, THERE'S A REAL
AFFECTION AND LONGING FOR HIS
HUMILITY AND HIS DECENCY AND HIS
MODESTY.
AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THOSE QUALITIES.
>> IT SEEMED LIKE THE LETTER HE
LEFT BILL CLINTON WAS THE
BEGINNING OF A TRADITION THAT HE
WAS KNOWN FOR HIS LETTERS.
AND THE IDEA HE WOULD LEAVE THAT
REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES.
>> WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
CONSIDER THE TIME.
AS MUCH AS WE ALL ARE
ABSOLUTELY, RIGHTLY WAXING
ELOQUENT ABOUT WHAT A WONDERFUL,
KIND AND GENEROUS MAN HE WAS, HE
ALSO WAS A COMPETITOR.
AND EVERYTHING FROM SPORTS AND
CERTAINLY TO POLITICS.
AND THAT ELECTION, IN 1992, WAS
SO HARD-FOUGHT AND IT WAS SO
DISAPPOINTING TO HIM TO NOT BE
RE-ELE
RE-ELECTED.
AND FOR HIM TO WRITE THAT LETTER
IN THE VERY MOMENT OF HIS GRIEF,
THAT WAS SO MAGNANIMOUS AND SO
GENEROUS IN SAYING, YOU'RE OUR
PRESIDENT NOW AND I'M ROOTING
HARD FOR YOU.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY PEOPLE HAVE SO MUCH
RESPECT FOR HIM AND WHY HE WILL
BE LAID TO REST AND REMEMBERED
SO LOVINGLY THIS WEEK.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH GRACE.
THANK YOU, SAVANNAH.
>> ALL RIGHT.