this is cnn bringeaking new. ♪ >> we begin this morning the breaking news, the 41st president of the united states has died. >> he was 94 years old. he died in houston after months of declining health. his death shortly after his wife, barbara bush passed away this past april. they had been married for 73 years. such a beautiful lub story.

born into privilege he dedicated himself to serving the united states first as the fighter pilot and the cia >> george herbert walker bush was born june 12th, 1924, the son off a fuper u.s. senator, he married barbara pierce, they had six children. two would follow his foot steps into public lie. tbs tks governor george walker bush became the 43rd president, the first since john quincy adams to follow his father into the white house. his second son, jeb bush served two terms as florida governor and unsuccessfully ran for the presidential nomination. after earning a degree the elder

bush made a fortune in the oil business. there his budding interest blossoms. that one fact helped bush become elected to two terms as a congressman but he was defeated in subsequent bids to the senate. >> we view this so seriously we consider it a possible turning point in the history of the y n united nations. president nixon appointed him chairman to the united nations. and sent to china as part of a new initiative in u.s./china relg relations and came home to be a director of the cia. he left that job when jimmy carter became president. bush ran against ronald regan, winning some but eventually withdrawing when it became clear he wouldn't be the nominee.

but regan believed he kds help him and named him as his running mate. he spent a lotf of time on the road. he was regan's heir apparent in 1998. >> i want a kindaler and gentler nation. >> reporter: he also made campaign promise that would with come back to haunt him. >> read my lips no new taxes. >> reporter: his selection of a running mate surprised many. >> my choice for the vice presidency is senator dan quail. >> reporter: but voters supported the ticket as the nation's 43rd president his focus returned to national affairs. resided over the end of the cold war. he ordered u.s. troops to latin america to capture manual

noreaga. >> it rests on the shoulders of the president. stow is the most difficult decision. >> reporter: he would order u.s. troops allied with with dozens of other countries to free kuwait from saddam hussein's leadership. in less than six weeks the iraqis were booted from kuwait and saddam hussein remained in power and held a grudge. a car bombing targeted mr. bush during a visit to kuwait. >> if i have to have security, i have the secret security, the best there is and we'll be careful. >> reporter: the man behind the plot would not be captured for another decade and the second president bush ordered an invasion of iraq. >> ladies and gentlemen, we got

' 'em. >> reporter: he was hammered for breaking his "no new taxes" promises. >> it was a mistake to go along with a democratic tax increase and i admit it. >> reporter: in a three-way battle with ross perot and bill clinton, he lost. he libbed loved long enoughf tos son do what he could not, win two terms of of office. >> in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami. >> reporter: he join would former president bill clintn to raise money for victims of the earthquake and sigh notsunami i. bush's plane was shot down and he had to bailout over the pacific. as an older man he would jump

from planes again to celebrate his 80, 85th, and 90th birthday. >> it sends a message with these guys all around the globe that just because you're an old guy you don't have to sit around drooling in the corner. get out and enjoy life. >> reporter: he received the presidential medal off freedom. >> those that know him, this is a gentleman, inspiring citizens to becoming points of life in service to others. >> reporter: at his beloved wife's barbara's funeral, he posed for a photo with with other surviving presidents. his dignity and resolve shine through. >> i do not fear what is ahead for our problems are large but our heart is larger.

our challenges are great but our will is greater. >> george h.w. bush, the patriarch of the family and this whole family, many people said, dedicated to service. >> for generations and president george w. bush announced a statement. here's part of it. george h.w. bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad or son of or daughter could ask for. "nothing gave my grampy more joy than service to others including to those who make the ultimate sacrifice every day." "my grandfather was the greatest man i ever knew. he fought in world war 2, took part in the texas oil boom and had a distinguished career

including president in the final days of the cold war." >> in houston right now and talking to people to see how the city is honoring the president now. >> victor, christy. we're outside the bush residence, the home he shared with barbara, the home she took her last breath just last april. here in houston we're remind bide the mayor that following their departure this couple could have lived can anywhere but they chose to come back where his political career began as he was chair of the harris coun county republican party. and became beloved themselves here. as the mayor said george h.w. bush became our most esteemed and relatable neighbor. you would see them behind home plate at astros games, texans

game. they were boosters for everything houston and undoubtedly hoous ownians who will think back of november 1st and remember they were among the last to see george h.w. bush in public. because it was then we last saw him tweeted in this photo where he says "the 41st president accompanies by his two best friends discharging his civic duty and voting today." voting along side his service dog who had more recently come into his life. this city is about to have a spotlight on it. and mourn the loss of this man themselves. our understanding is that the bush family will be coming here in the coming days and a private smaller service will be held a couple of blocks from here. the church they attended for so many years together, the same

church where barbara's life was celebrated. he will lie in state in the u.s. capitol and a service will be held in washington. he'll be returned here. there will be a larger service in st. martins and by motorcade, he he'll be taken to texas a&m university along side barbara and their daughter, robin, who died so many years ago. this just the beginning off a week-long process of mourn thing loss of our 41st president. >> thank you so much. president donald trump and first lady milania trump expressing their grief. a statement from the white house reads in part through his authenticity, disarming wit and unwavering commitment to faith family and contry president bush inspired generations of his

fellow americans to public service to be in his words a thousand points of light illuminating greatness and opportunity of america. >> we'll talk to one member of his aed ministration next. >> in his own words how he had no regrets. >> i did my job as president. i just didn't expose my inner feelings. i think people liked me. i think epeople were dispoented. i think they wanted change. i think when i said the economy has recovered, look, this guy is out of tup. i have a whole rational of reasons why i didn't get more elected. but maybe if i had been more revealing, it would have helped but it didn't occur to me then. >> no regrets then? >> no regrets about anything.

no regrets about one single thing in my life that i can think of. i mean i rr made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. ' rr made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. v rr made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. e rr made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. rr made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. made mistakes but they don't measure up to regrets now. because only shark's cord-free lineup has duo-clean technology so you can deep clean carpets and give hard floors a polished look. and with two swappable batteries at maximum suction, our shark ion f80 gives you more run time than the dyson v10 absolute. and now shark takes cord-free beyond stick vacuums by introducing a full upright model. shark ion cord-free vacuums available in stick and upright. by introducing a full upright model. ♪ ♪ if it feels like you live in the bathroom with recurring constipation and belly pain, talk to your doctor and say yesss! to linzess. yesss! linzess treats adults with ibs with constipation or chronic constipation.

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i'm sure you have your own memories of watching george herbert walker bush as the nation is mourning his loss. this is a man who's devoted to serving his country. >> being remembered by friends, family, politicians. his father calling his father the man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. let's bring in the former chief of staff for first lady laura bush. you've worked with and for the bush family for some time now. let's just start with your strongest memory. what you're feeling, thinking this morning. >> well wit, i'm watching all t wonderful tributes and recap of his life that you just showed yourself this morning.

and it does bring back a lot of memories and a lot of emotions and i have to say one of the thing that struck me is how lucky i am and my husband, who i met in the white house, if he was working for george hw bush. all of our friends, that we have the prif the privilege and opportunity to learn from the leadership of george h.w. bush and what a great journey and full life he had. and how he shared it with all of us. not just the professional way that he ran white house or led the staff but just the personal integrity and always service and country above self and that, you know will live with all of us for as long as we live. >> you know you just mentioned a word i rr heard a lot in the

last several hours as we've been reading about how people are remembering him. i rr also heard kindness, compassion. is there another word that strikes you? >> this is a guy who always thought about the other guy first. i'll give you one examal. on his inauguration day, if not the most important day of his life and he was very conscious of the fact that ronald regan on his last day was all bundled up in a coat with with a scarf and really not all that cold but mrs. regan was worried about president regan. president george h.w. bush as he's about to go on the platform, sees this and says i can't look like more robust man than ronald regan.

it wouldn't be right and he wants his coat. the problem is his coat is already down in the coat. in the limousine at the foot of the capitol and so his personal aid at the time gave him his coat and that man happens to be my husband now. but can you imagine george h.w. bush about to be sworn in as president after serving eight years so loyally as vice president and still worrying about the other guy? >> you talked about the beginning of his administration but so much of his legacy is after his term in office. and the dignity with which he conducted himself as a post president, both holding a role as a political elder but not oopining on his successors and creating a warm relationship with successors of the democratic party.

talk about the lessons of how to conduct yourself as a post president that the can country learned from george h.w. with bush? >> to put it into perspective for a longer period of time. remember the man elected to the congress from texas. one of only two republicans in the mid'60s that came into congress working across the aisle right from the beginning and he used that -- that was his frame of reference on how to comport himself as a public servient throughout his whole life and through his presidency. when he had as many democratic congressman and senators over for cocktails or movie at the white house, as many democrats as he did republicans. that's how he acted. and in his post presidency life, he developed the closest of bonds with with the one person

who beat him and beat him good. in 1992. and he lost the presidency to bill clinton. and whenb i asked him about tha budding relationship with bill clinton and i said what is at the basis off it? and he says well, look, he likes to talk, i like to listen and i think too i'm the father he never had. >> and he was happy to be that father? >> he was. and i really was struck to every time he visited the white house during the time of his son's presidency and all the staff, the household staff just adored him. and you couldn't help but be moved by the example or just the visual of a former president visiting the current president and they happen to be father and son. the white house had never seen that.

john adams never visited his son, john quincy adams, in the white house. so there's such a history here and the bushes don't like to the use the word dynasty. that's not what i'm presenting here. but it's the imprint on the historical fabric of our nation and the example of service. there's nobody finer than this man. >> anita mcbride, thank you so much, especially at this hour and time for sharing some memories. >> well, it helps me to share it too. >> and our condolences to you as well. because we know -- >> thank you. >> -- a rough time for everybody who knew him and loved him and you're certainly eincluded in that. thank you >> my pleasure. >> take good care. our continuing coverage, of course as we look at the man who

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his health was declining. a little after seven months after barbara's passing, his wife. >> he's remembered as a statesman, and a compassionate family man. friends and family call him a man of the highest character. they also say his leadership taught tuse be kindler and gentler. look here at the flag half staff, an honor paid to george h.w. bush as we imagine flags across the country will go at half staff. the first time for the u.s. president since the deathf of of gerald ford. >> now whether people agree to disagree to politics, most of the folks that work for him, most of them that work would the former president, they valued

his overall dedication to the can country. >> and he leeaved behind not ony a rich political service but a political landscape. >> so help me god. >> reporter: george h.w. bush may have sat in the oval office for just four years. but his legacy will last for generations. in foreign policy. >> this will not stand, this aggression against kuwait. >> reporter: bush's coalition building during desert storm was unprecedented, uniting nearly 40 countries and ending the conflict in a matter of weeks. a play book for all presidents that followed. >> if you want to know how to fight a war, take a look at how president bush fought the first cold war. >> reporter: without shot taken or a bombb dropped.

>> he did not gloat because it would not be his nature to gloat at someone else's misfortune. >> reporter: that same restraint shown when the iron curtain collapsed. on the day that the berlin wall came down, we all went to tell president bush he had to go to berlin. and he said what would i do? dance on the wall? he said this is a german moment. i thought the president of the united states to step back. this is a german moment. >> i think he deserves credit for getting the world off in the right direction at the end oof the cold war. the cold war being over was not an excuse to pack up and go home. it was an excuse to go home and bailed new world of of cooperation. time will prove that he was right in wanting an integrated cooperative world of strong security but lots of freedom,

lots of democracy, lots of interaction between people. >> reporter: on the domestic front, bush is credited for making improvements to the clean air act and sign thing americans with with disabilities act that revolutionized access to millions, including bush himself when he suffered from parkenson's in his final years. >> i think holds my grandfather up. he wasn't their likely hero. they have all these big liberal advocates that advocated for their movement but my grandfather's the guy that got it done, not just through things of like wheelchair access but changing how they can have their abilities shine and have jobs where they wouldn't have and i think that's an awesome legacy. >> many will remember him for this.

>> get out and enjoy life. >> reporter: bush did just that jumping over and over and over again. even for his 90th birthday. >> i think the reason is because he's got young heart and it's the thrill of of the jump. and once he did the first time, became a natural for the nenext or five times. >> reporter: and while he disliked the word dynasty, no question he was thrilled when his oldest son became the 43rd president of the united states. >> he felt a sense of pride and i was grateful that. i was happy that he was happy. >> reporter: did he give you any advice? >> no. and he was guarded about giving me advice unless i asked for it. >> reporter: he will long be remembered for what he did after the white house.

>> it's not about who's president or first lady or governor. the family legacy is the legacy of service. >> reporter: he turned a campaign vision into a post presidential mission statement. >> i want kinder and gentler nation. like a thousand points of light in a broad and pasteful sky. >> that call prompted millions to volunteer and bush and wife barbara did their part too, helping to raise an estimated $1 billion for charity. >> it does fit my dad's flauf philosophy that definition of a successful person are not just the ws in their column, it's about acting on your heart. >> is there a phrase that you think embodies him? >> i would say it is service above self? >> reporter: a legacy that led him to receive the highest civilian award in the united

states. the presidential medal off freedom. >> his life is a testament that public service is a noble call. we honor george herbert walker bush for service that spanned nearly 70 years. >> and he wasn't just a dedicated public servient. he was a dedicated dad, no doubt about it. >> but first listen to what president bush once told cnn about his son, the 43rd president. >> do you think about this too much? >> for him, yeah. >> for you. >> for me, no. i just think about how to get home and get to bed. i don't think about history and i don't keep up with events like i used to and so it's different now. very, very dirant. but history will be kind to george.

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and ask how you get xfinity mobile included with your internet. plus, get $200 back when you when you buy a new smartphone. xfinity mobile. it's simple. easy. awesome. click, call or visit a store today. george h.w. bush held many title said, war hero, cia director. head of of the republican party, congressman, vice president and president. >> i think listening to all of these people you can discern really his greatest pride likely was being called dad. a look at bush 41 and the words of his own children. >> always an honor to be

introduced by president of the united states. especially when he's your dad. >> reporter: it's only happened once before. the country's second president, john adams saw his son john quincy adams. >> dad told me how to be a president and before that, he showed me how to be a man. at 41 it is awesome that you're here today. >> reporter: much in america has changed between the era of the adams and the bush years but not everything. it's still easier for a president to take criticism than see it dished out to members of his family. >> whenever either one of your sons is criticized. >> much more hurtful than when i used to be in the cross fire. not even a close call. >> mother used to call and say you need to call your dad. and i'd say why?

because he just read some editorial and he's upset and he'd say can you believe what he said? and i'd say don't worry, dad, i'm doing fine. >> reporter: we have a revealing behind-the-scene said portrait of life white house. >> it mattered to get these phone call frumz dad. because he was president. he knew what the pressures of the job were like and knew moments can could be very trying and to have him interject humor and/or a love note made a huge difference during my presidency. >> giver us personal glimpses including a family visit that ended the day terrorists hijacked four u.s. airliners. >> they grounded the plane i was on.

the next thing i know i was in a town outside of milwaukee. about eight hours later he called and said where are you, dad. >> reporter: the relationship between bush 41 and 43 includes lessons for all of us. >> he runs for senator of tbs tks twice and loses and runs in a primary against ronald regan and loses and ends up being president and all the time was stale great father. in other words defeat didn't define george bush. there's something greater in life than chalking up political vict rae victories or losses and it taught me and i'm confident it taught jeb you don't need to fear failure. >> reporter: he also watched another son seek the same office. >> my brother and sister are different than me but i'm not going to go out of the way to

say my brother or dad did this wrong. it's just not going to happen. i have a hard time with with that. i lub my family a lot. >> reporter: life, love, loyalty and one family's unique contribution to the history of the united states. >> i want to thank my dad, the most decent man i've ever known. all my life i've been amazed such a gentle soul could be so strong. dad, i am proud to be your son. >> reporter: cnn, washington. >> that's an honor to have your son say i'm proud to be your son. so he talked about the former president as a father, friend but also he was war hero. coming up we take a look at his service in world war ii and the time he almost didn't make it home. now, full-coverage flawless that lasts! super stay foundation from maybelline new york. full-coverage formula.

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world war ii. >> he was rescued. there were three other crew members that did not survive. this was a day the president said he replayed in his mind over and over again. in 2002 cnn went with him back to the site and you're going to see. this is an emotional journey for him. >> i wake up at night and think about it sometimes, but i've done something different? >> reporter: he had spent nearly a lifetime wondering. >> i have a clear picture of my parachute blowing up.

>> reporter: hoping to return to the pacific to the sited site off a combat experience that forever changed his life. >> i'm not haunted by anything other than the fact that i feel a responsibility still for the lives of the two people that were killed. >> the tower that we went after was up on this hill. >> reporter: former president george h.w. bush finally got a chance to go back and answer his questions. >> i wond wither who got out of the plan, why the chute didn't open for the other guy. why am i blessed? why am i still alive? that has plagued me. >> reporter: bush's story of war begins at an elite eastern

boarding school. >> the day pearl harbor was bombed, december 7th, 1941. i was 17 years old. it was a sunday walk by the chapel. somebody came running by and saying pearl harbor had been attacked. >> reporter: on his 18th birthday he enlisted in the united states navy. >> i knew fact certain that i wanted to serve. duty, honor, country. i hate telling you this because i don't want to sound like i'm different. i'm not. >> reporter: september 2nd, 1944, the day that would with end up define thing war for george h.w. bush.

he was a neighbory pilot, getting ready to fly. >> we were told what our mission would be. the mission was to attack a radio station on the island. >> reporter: on a spectacularly sunny day on june, 2002, president bush returned to the place where he almost lost his life. a remote island 700 miles off the coast of japan. >> now, how do we thank all these people? >> very nice. thank you. >> today is a sleepy, natural

paradise with fewer than 2,000 residents. but it's also home to countless relics of world war ii. this is all that remains of the main radio installation on the island. it was the key target of bush's bomber squadron. bu started with with the radio tower in his sites. >> the minute we started, angry puffs of antiaircraft fire and they were all over the place. and then i felt that ewoo were hit and i felt the plane go forward like this and i tried to stay on my target, release the bombs and pull out here. so i have the satisfaction of knowing that i completed my mission.

>> reporter: his mission was complete but bush and his plane were in serious trouble. >> we came downau these mountains. i can could tell i was hit. cockpit was beginning to fill up with with smoke. so we headed out here and became apparent to me that the plane i felt was going to explode because i could see fire along where the wings were. >> reporter: bush decided to abandoned his plane but armor prevented him from speaking directly with his two crew members. >> i told our two guys to get out. whether or not they heard it, i heard no response. i pulled the rip cord too early and what happened was i hit my head on the tail of the

horizontal stabilizer of the plane. but it didn't take long before i was in the water. >> reporter: with still no sign off delaney nor white, he strugged to stay away from shore. >> i knew i had to get out of there, stay away from the land and i was expending a lot of inaernl. but help the i was crying. i got to confess. i was scared. i was 20 years old and i thought about my family. and i thought about survival. >> bush was actually in more trouble than he knew. squadron was watching him from the air. >> we saw him in the water and saw the japanese boats coming out from land to pick him up.

they had guns on him. >> that experience was contect for the presidency. one of the toughest jobs as president when he talked about here, sending americans into war. >> this one is september 3rd, our fleet we had gone through a lot of the pacific campaign. before the fifth fleet went down under halsey >> we were behind that war for a time, weren't we? >> yeah. i said mccain commanded it. he had part of it i think. anyway this was the day after i was shot down september 3rd. and i was picked up by submarines. dear mother and dad this will be the first letter in a long while. i wish i could tell you i'm well and happy.

physically i'm okay but i'm troubled inside and with good cause. then we go on. i the fact remains we got hit. the cockpit filled with smoke. i told them to get their parachutes. i didn't hear them. i headed the plane out to sea and put on the throttle so as we could get away from the land as much as possible. explaining what happened. there was no sign of del or ted anywhere around. i'm afraid i was pretty much of a sissy about it because i sat in my life raft and sobbed for a while. it bothers me so very much. and when i bailed out i felt they must have gone and yet now i feel so terribly responsible for their fate. oh, so much right now.

>> they died. >> both died. one of them did get out. the japanese reported it and thank god. the parachute stream -- >> one would imagine the hardest thing of all -- maybe as hard as being in war issing to war. >> the toughest decision a president makes. maybe it's because i am been conditioned by war but there was nothing as foreign when you send your son or dotner to combat. it happened to me twice. panama and desert storm. but i felt it. i felt this -- >> what a perspective he had. >> our last world war ii president.

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pardon him for staying on message but after the fbi raided his office and home, he noticed things changed and acted to protect himself and his family. fredric, what are you learning this morning? >> reporter: good morning to you. michael cohen is cooperating with investigators and the courts as well. he's getting more detail about the moscow project, the company that trump wanted to build as late as 2016 and he was saying he kept president trump informed until at least june 2016 and trying to set up then candidate donald trump, i should say, to go to moscow to get the project through. he also said he had recalled a substantial converseatiation wi the assistant of the senior russian official.

this is the spokesperson for vladimir putin. he got in touch with us on the way to the g 20 summit and said >> fred pleitgen, we appreciate it so much. thank you. this morning the nation and the world are remembering former president george herbert walker bush, the 41st president of the united states. good morning, i'm victor blackwell. >> i'm christi paul. the former president died overnight. he was 94 years old and in houston. this of course after months of declining health. george herbert walker bush dedicated his life to serving first as a navy pilot, then as a congressman, a diplomat, as