IF WE DETERMINE AN APP VIOLATES OUR POLICIES WE WILL TAKE
ACTION.
>> Announcer: THIS IS AN NBC
NEWS SPECIAL REPORT.
HERES LESTER HOLT. >> GOOD EVENING.T.
>> GOOD EVENING. WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH
SOME SAD NEWS TO REPORT THE
DEATH JUST ANNOUNCED OF FORMER FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH.FORMER
FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH. SHE WAS THE WIFE OF GEORGE H.W.
BUSH, THE 41st PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES AND THE MOTHER OF
GEORGE W. BUSH, THE 43rd
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. MS.
MS. MRS. BUSH WAS 92 YEARS OLD.
SHE HAD BEEN IN FAILING HEALTH
AND IN THE HOSPITAL RECENTLY
SUFFERING FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE
PULMONARY DISEASE.
PULMONARY DISEASE.
IN DECISION TO FORMER PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH, SHE WAS THE MRT
GOVERNOR JEB BUSH AND FOUR OTHER CHILDREN.JEB BUSH AND FOUR OTHER
CHILDREN.
WE HAVE A LOOK AT MRS. BUSH FROM
NBC PETER ALEXANDER. >> Reporter: BARBARA BUSH, THE
FORMER FIRST LADY WAS ALWAYS
KNOWN TO BE CANDID AND CARING
WITH HER WHITE HAIR AND
SIGNATURE PEARLS, MRS. BUSH WAS
OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS THE NATIONS
FAMOUS GRANDMOTHER.
FAMOUS GRANDMOTHER.
SHE WAS THE NATIONAL TREASURE, THE TREASURE FOR SHORT.EASURE,
THE TREASURE FOR SHORT. >> IVE BEEN THE LUCKIEST WOMAN
IN THE WORLD TRUTHFULLY, AND I
KNOW IT.
KNOW IT.
>> Reporter: IT WAS HER HUSBAND
WHO SAW HER AS MATTER OF FACT AND DIRECT, LOVINGLY CALLING HER
MS. FRANK.
MS. FRANK. >> SHE EARNED AND WON THE
RESPECT OF A LOT OF AMERICAN
PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY SAW HER AT
WHAT SHE IS.
DOWN-TO-EARTH, LOVING MOTHER,
AND SETTING AN EXAMPLE.
NO BULL ABOUT IT.
>> Reporter: BUT MRS. BUSH SAW
HERSELF MORE IN THE RULE OF
FAMILY ENFORCER, SOMETHING HER
GRANDDAUGHTER JENNA BUSH HAGER
TEASED HER ABOUT.
>> WHY DO YOU THINK WE CALL YOU
THE ENFORCER?
THE ENFORCER? >> BECAUSE I ENFORCE.
IF YOU DO SOMETHING BAD, I POINT
IT OUT.
IT OUT.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD QUITE A BITE.porter: SHE HAD QUITE A
BITE.
>> I SAT NEXT TO HER ONCE.
THOUGHT SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK SHES VERY HAPPY IN
ALASKA AND I HOPE SHELL STAY
THERE.
>> Reporter: ON THE TODAY SHOW
MONTHS BEFORE HER SON JEB ANNOUNCED A PRESIDENTIAL RUN
MRS. BUSH SAID SHE DIDNT MISS
ONE THING ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE
AND DIDNT WANT ANOTHER REASON
TO GO BACK.
>> THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE QUALIFIED AND WEVE HADT
THERE QUALIFIED AND WEVE HAD ENOUGH BUSHES.
ENOUGH BUSHES. >> Reporter: SHE ALREADY HAD A
PLACE IN HISTORY.
THE ONLY WOMAN SINCE ABIGAIL
ADAMS TO MARRY ONE PRESIDENT AND
GIVE BIRTH TO ANOTHER.
>> THEY SAY HES GOT HIS DADDYS
EYES BUT HIS MOTHERS MOUTH
WHICH MEANS IM ABOUT TO TALK A
LOT.
LOT.
>> Reporter: BORN BARBARA PEESHR SHE GREW UP IN NEW YORK.A PEESHR
SHE GREW UP IN NEW YORK. WITHIN WEEKS OF PEARL HARBOR
WHEN BARBARA WAS JUST 16 YEARS
OLD, SHE MET GEORGE BUSH, ONE
YEAR HER SENIOR AT A CHRISTMAS
DANCE IN CONNECTICUT.
THEY WERE SECRETLY NENGAGED AND
THREE YEARS LATER MARRIED WHEN
HE WAS HOME ON LEAVE ADMITTING
HE MARRIED THE FIRST PERSON SHE
HAD EVER KISSED.
>> STILL STAYING WITH YOUR STORY.LL STAYING WITH YOUR
STORY.
>> Reporter: AFTER THE WAR THEY
HEADED FOR TEXAS RAISING SIX CHILDREN.R TEXAS RAISING SIX
CHILDREN.
BARBARA BUSH WAS VERY MUCH IN
CHARGE AT HOME, BUT SHE WAS CHANGED FOREVER WHEN HERWAS
CHANGED FOREVER WHEN HER 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ROBIN DIED
OF LEUKEMIA.
OF LEUKEMIA. >> AFTER SHE DIED IT WAS A
TERRIBLE TIME IN OUR LIFE.
AND GEORGE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND
ME AND DID NOT LET ME STEP AWAY.
>> Reporter: CANCER BECAME A
FAMILY CAUSE.
FAMILY CAUSE. THROUGHOUT HER POLITICAL SERVICE
BARBARA BUSH PLAYED A CRITICAL
ROLE ON CAUSES RANGING FROM AIDS
TO ILLITERACY.
TO ILLITERACY. >> YOUVE GOT TWO CHOICES.
YOU CAN LIKE WHAT YOU DO OR
DISLIKE WHAT YOU DO.
OOI
OOI IVE CHOSE TONE LIKE WHAT I DO.
>> Reporter: THE BUSHES WERE DOG
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. BARBARA BROUGHT THEIR SPANIEL TO
THE WHITE HOUSE.
AND WHEN SHE DREW CRITICISM FROM
FEMINISTS WHO FOUND HER MESSAGE
OF TRADITIONAL FAMILY SERVICE
TOO OLD FASHIONED, SHE RESPONDED
OFFERING THIS ADVICE.
>> AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE, YOU
WILL NEVER REGRET NOT HAVING
PASSED ONE MORE TEST, WINNING
ONE MORE VERDICT, OR NOT CLOSING ONE MORE DEAL.CT, OR NOT CLOSING
ONE MORE DEAL. YOU WILL REGRET TIME NOT SPENT
WITH A HUSBAND, A CHILD, A
FRIEND, OR A PARENT.
>> Reporter: BARBARA BUSH, A
WOMAN OF STRONG OPINIONS,
ULTIMATELY LEFT POLITICS TO HER
HUSBAND AND SONS.
SHES REMEMBERED FOR HER
MATERNAL PERSONA, YANKEE
FRUGALITY AND PROTECTOR OF THE
BUSH FAMILY NAME.
>> AND WE HAVE RECEIVED A
STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF
FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W.
BUSH.
BUSH.
IT READS A FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
RELENTLESS PROPONENT OF FAMILY
LIT,
LIT,
BARBARA BUSH PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 92.SH PASSED AWAY AT THE
AGE OF 92. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND
OF 73 YEARS, FIVE CHILDREN AND
THEIR SPOUSES, 17 GRANDCHILDREN,
SEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, AND
HER BROTHER SCOTT PIERCE.
SHE WAS PROCEEDED IN DEATH BY HER SECOND CHILD PAULINETH BY
HER SECOND CHILD PAULINE ROBINSON, ROBIN BUSH AND HER
SIBLINGS.
SIBLINGS.
THE OFFICIAL FUNERAL SCHEDULE
WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS AS
IS PRACTICAL READS THE END OF
THAT STATEMENT AGAIN FROM THE OFFICE OF GEORGE H.W. BUSH.HE
OFFICE OF GEORGE H.W. BUSH. I WANT TO BRING IN ANDREA
MITCHELL.
MITCHELL.
ANDREA SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS ACTUALLY IN HOUSTON AFTER WEYS
ACTUALLY IN HOUSTON AFTER WE RECEIVED WORD OF MRS. BUSHS
FAILING HEALTH.
FAILING HEALTH.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HER
FINAL DAYS?
>> Reporter: IN HER FINAL DAYS
SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND
FRIENDS, PEOPLE READING TO HER
AND ALSO TALKED ABOUT HAVING READ TO HER HER OWN MEMOIR.G
READ TO HER HER OWN MEMOIR. SUSAN BAKER, THE WIFE OF FORMER
SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE GREAT
BUSH FAMILY JAMES BAKER, SHE WAS
READING TO HER FOR ABOUT FIVE
HOURS ON SATURDAY.
SADLY, HER HUSBAND HOLDING HER
HAND AND BY HER SIDE FOR THESE
DAYS DID LEAVE ON SATURDAY JUST
FOR A BRIEF 24 HOUR TRIP TO
CONNECTICUT WHERE HE WAS
ATTENDING FUNERAL SERVICES FOR
HIS OWN BROTHER.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF SADNESS IN
THIS FAMILY.
THIS FAMILY. HE DIED RECENTLY, BUT THE FACT
IS THIS LADY WAS SO
EXTRAORDINARY.
EXTRAORDINARY.
SHE HAD AMAZING POLITICAL SKILLS, BUT SHE ALSO HAD SUCH A
DEVOTION TO HER FAMILY.
LOYALTY WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR TO HER, SO IF YOU CROSSED
HER, IF YOU WERE UNKIND TO ANY
OF HER CHILDREN, THATS WHEN YOU
SAW THE FURY OF THE ENFORCER AS
JENNA AND THE OTHERS
AFFECTIONATELY CALLED HER.
SHE WAS GAMMY TO THEM, BUT SHE
WAS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST
EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN IN POLITICS.
ONLY THE SECOND WOMAN SINCE
ABIGAIL ADAMS TO HAVE BEEN THE
WIFE OF ONE PRESIDENT AND THE
MOTHER OF ANOTHER.
I WAS THERE AT WELLESLEY AND IT
WAS CONTROVERSIAL ON THAT DAY IN
1990 WHEN SHE SPOKE TO THE
WELLESLEY GRADUATING CLASS.
BECAUSE SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE ROLE
OF WOMEN IN A TRADITION SENSE,
BUT ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF DEVOTION TO
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
SO SHE WAS TRYING TO BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE BETWEEN GENERATIONS ANDAT
DIVIDE BETWEEN GENERATIONS AND FRANKLY DID IT BRILLIANTLY.
AND FOR THAT SHE WILL BE
REMEMBERED BY GENERATIONS OF
WOMEN.
WOMEN.
IN HOUSTON JUST YESTERDAY A YOUNGER WOMAN, ONE OF MYY A
YOUNGER WOMAN, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, WAS SAYING THAT SHE
REMEMBERED THAT WELLESLEY SPEECH
AS IMPORTANTLY AS I DID.
>> ANDREA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
THOUGHTS AND NOTES OF THE LAST
FEW DAYS COVERING MRS. BUSH IN
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON.
AGAIN, BARBARA BUSH DEAD AT 92.
THERE WILL BE MORE COVERAGE OF
COURSE ON YOUR LOCAL NEWS.
SOME OF YOU WILL BE SEEING ME IN
THE WEST ON "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS"
HERE SHORTLY.
WELL HAVE MORE ON ALL THAT.