7:00 in the even and saturday, december 1st. becoming quite a memorable day. thank you very much for being with us, i'm christi paul. >> i'm victor blackwell. and we're following breaking news. the 41st president of the united states, george herbert walker bush, has died. he was the patriarch of an american family, a dynasty.

his political career spanned four decades. george herbert walker bush was known for his generosity, kindness, but also his competitive spirit. a spirit on display in each political race he entered regardless of political success or failure. his inherent modesty meant showing little emotion, even when the president wanted to see more. behind that stoic front was a deeply spiritual man who was admittedly emotional in private. president george h.w. bush was born into privilege but had a spirit of service. he and his wife, barbara bush, also raised their children with those same valleues. >> cnn's camy hard tongue is in houston -- kaylee hartung is in houston right now. the city honoring the president and getting reaction from people there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. as houston's mayor has said he was one of our most esteemed and relatable neighbors. you can only imagine many houstonians waking up this

morning to the news of george h.w. bush's passing and recognizing they will never again see him at an astros game, supporting the baseball team, or at a texans football game in houston. the mayor saying george and barbara bush was boosters of everything houston. and that will be a hole that will be left in this community. we're also of course hearing from the bush family. jeb bush tweeting this morning, already miss him. of course, there was a statement from george w. bush overnight, very soon after. 41's passing saying jeb, people that, marvin, doro and i are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died. george h.w. bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. the entire bush family is deeply grateful for 41's life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for dad. and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens.

george h.w. bush leaves behind 17 grandchildren. we're hearing from george prescott bush, one of the grandsons tweeting, my grandfather was the greatest man i ever knew. his life spanned the american century. he fought in world war ii, took part in the texas oil boom, served out a distinguished career in public service including serving as president during the final days of the cold war. perspective there from some of the people who knew him best. and in the coming days, we anticipate the bush family gathering here in houston where george and barbara called home since 1993. as houston's mayor said, they could have called anywhere home following their departure from the white house, but they came back to this beloved city where his political career actually began. now, the family has not announced official plans in the coming days, though we anticipate a few events. you could only imagine that

there will be a day or two in washington for this former president to be remembered. as we have seen former presidents before him lie in state in the u.s. capitol, most recently senator john mccain. you have a visual of what that could be like, as well as perhaps a state funeral in washington's national cathedral. and then with barbara bush's funeral so fresh in our memories, just little more than seven months ago -- her life was celebrated at st. martin's episcopal church, just a couple of blocks from the home they shared here. that church was a big part of their lives. but again, we -- we don't know firm details from the family as to how he will be remembered. but we anticipate many days ahead for his life and memory to be celebrated. >> absolutely. kaylee hartung, we will await the details. thank you very much. and when you really think about it, think about the fact that we have lost this president, bush 41's passing

marks almost a josting a injolt jolting era. >> the last serving president since world war ii. he leaves behind a legacy and political dynasty although he didn't like the word. it has changed the american political landscape. cnn's jamie gangel has more. >> reporter: george h.w. bush may have sat in the oval office for just four years, but his legacy of 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 near 40 countries and ending the conflict in a matter of weeks. a playbook for all presidents that followed. >> if you want to know how to a war, take a look at the way

george bush fought the first gulf war. >> reporter: the cold war ended on his watch, without a shot taken or a bomb dropped. >> he didn't gloat because it would not be in his nature to gloat at someone else's misfortune. >> reporter: that same diplomatic restraint also shown when the iron curtain collapsed. >> on the day that the berlin wall came down, we all went over to the oval office to tell president bush that he had to go to berlin. i wanted him to go to berlin. >> reporter: he said -- >> 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 of the cold war. the cold war being over without an excuse to pack up and go home, it was an excuse to build a new world of cooperation. time will prove that he was

right in wanted a 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 signing the americans with disabilities act. critical legislation that revolutionized access for americans including bush himself when he suffered from parkinson's disease in his final years. >> that community i think holds my grandfather up in -- he wasn't their likely hero. up, they have these big liberal -- you know, they have these big liberals for movement. but my grandfather got it done. not just through things like wheelchair access but changing the culture. how people with disability can shine and let their abilities shine and have jobs in places where they might not have jobs. i not that's an awesome legacy.

>> reporter: another legacy, many will remember bush for this. >> just because you're an old guy, you don't have to sit around drooling in the corner. get out and do something. enjoy life. >> reporter: bush did that, jumping over and over and over again, even for his 90th birthday. >> i think the reason he did it is because he's got a young heart. and that it's the thrill of the jump, and once he did it the first time, became a natural for the next four or five times. >> reporter: while bush 41 disliked the word "dynasty," no question he was thrilled -- >> i george walker bush do solemnly software -- solemnly swear -- >> reporter: when his son became president of the united states. did he give you any advice? >> no, no. he was guarded about giving me advice unless i asked for it.

>> reporter: but for many, bush 41 will long be remembered for what he did after the white house. >> the family legacy isn't about who's president or first lady or governor. the family legacy is the legacy of service. >> reporter: he turned a campaign vision to a post-presidential mission statement. >> i want a kinder and gentler nation, like 1,000 points of light in a broad and peaceful sky. >> reporter: that 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 philosophy that the definition of a successful person is not just about how much money you make or -- or the ws on your -- in your column. it's about helping others. it's about acting on your heart. >> reporter: 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 of freedom. >> his life is a testament that public service is a noble calling. s we honor george herbert walker bush for service to america that spanned nearly 70 years. >> joining us now, cnn presidential historian and former director of the nixon presidential library, tim neftaly. also wrote "george herbert walker bush: this part of the american president series, the 41st president." welcome back. you who threat book, and you -- you wrote this book, and you wrote that he was better prepared for the challenges facing the united states at the end of the cold war than any other. why? >> well, george herbert walker bush had been vice president, he had been the head of the cia, he

had been the u.s. permanent representative to the united nations, and he had represented our country in china. so he had more hands-on foreign policy experience than any previous occupant of the white house with the possible exception of dwight eisenhower because of what he had done in world war ii. so there was no better prepared person for the diplomatic peace of the end of -- ending of the cold war than george herbert walker bush. we were uniquely blessed that this was the man who was in the oval office at the time when you needed to help guide mikhail gorbachev through his soft landing of the soviet empire. >> uh-huh. what do you think is different about politics today because of george h.w. bush? >> well, this is -- this is a day of celebration of a life.

he live d over 94 years. low left his dear wife, they were so close. now he gets to join her. this is a time for celebration. if you talk politics -- >> i don't mean -- >> i'm going to answer because it's stream leextremely importa legacy. he was beaten by his own party. he's not reelected. partly, of course, because of the strength of bill clinton, but it was a three-man race. and it was a three-man race because many people in the republican party were angry at him for not keeping his promise not to raise taxes. he decided that he had to. that reaganomics had led to such a huge deficit that there was no way to close the gap without raising taxes. what he want was a pragmatic conservatism. and there was huge pushback that

led to newt gingrich's rep volt and the contract with america. the contract with america is the basis for the partisanship at least on the right in our country. so what happens to george bush is actually the beginning of the story of the change of the republican party. his legacy is very, very important for understanding in part why we are where we are right now. >> someone earlier today reminded us of the men of the year cover from "time" magazine, the foreign policy george h.w. bush versus the h.w. bush domestically as it relates to the economic challenges, the recession, and so forth. and he took that '92 loss understandably very hard -- >> very, very hard. >> how did that shape him moving forward? >> well, the great thing about this man was he -- he had this internal drive. so he didn't disappear.

that energy didn't dissipate. he -- he found a way to volunteer. he kept being interested in plik politics. he was very interested in his sons' political careers. he passed the torch to the family although he didn't believe it n dynasine -- blustd in dynasty. he passed the torch and didn't disappear. he decided his political career was over. >> all right. tim neftaly, always learn something from you. always appreciate your perspective. thank you very much for being here. >> thank you both. >> absolutely. the white house is offering praise for former president bush. we've got live pictures here from washington. this is the flag atop the white house at half staff as one would expect for the passing of a u.s. president. this is a statement from the president and the first lady. >> yeah, they say, "through his

essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country, president bush inspired generations of his fellow americans to public service. to be, in his words, a thousand points of light illuminating the greatness, hope, and opportunity of america to the world." abby phillip is with us from buenos aires. that's where the president is at the moment attending the g20 summit. what are you hearing there about president bush's passing? what are the conversations being held? >> reporter: good morning. president trump is here in buenos aires on the world stage for meetings with world leaders, but this news coming overnight prompted a statement from the white house. and then this morning, as everyone is waking up here in buenos aires and in washington, president trump issued aid personal tweet saying, with the george h.w. bush led a long, successful, and beautiful life. whenever i was with him, i saw his absolute joy for life and true pride in his family.

his accomplishments were great from beginning to end. he was a truly wonderful man and will be missed by all." that statement coming in addition to what you just read, coming out of the white house last night. and it's interesting because president trump and george h.w. bush did not really have much of a relationship. george h.w. bush was critical of president trump, and president trump, his white house, his aides, responded back in dinkin. what you're seeing is something we don't see often from president trump, taking a moment of graciousness to honor a form republican president. and we saw melania trump issuing her own condolences on twitter saying, it's -- simply, my heart goes out to the entire bush family. melania trump often taking her own course and not just signing on to something coming out of this white house. i think you're seeing a genuine

expression of condolences from the president and the first lady as n as personal a term as you -- in as personal a term as you can get. we'll see president trump later this morning. i expect we'll get more. >> all right, abby phillip in buenos aires. thank you very much. >> thanks. there is other news that we're following this morning, as well. president trump's former attorney michael cohen apparently had been expecting to be protected by the president if he faced any charges. we'll talk about that. and we'll continue with remembrances of president george h.w. bush who has passed away at the age of 94 and his ability to reach across the aisle. apparent from this speech. watch. >> president clinton beat me like a drum back in 1992. [ laughter ] and then we became friends. and some of his friends look at him and say, have you lost it with this crazy guy? and some of mine look at it and say, the same thing, what are you doing with clinton?

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the united states virgin islands.

raise your right hand and repeat after me. i, george herbert walker bush -- >>, george herbert walker bush do solemnly swear -- >> that i will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states. >> that i will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states. >> and will to the best of my ability -- >> and will to the best of my ability -- >> preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the united states. >> preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the united states. >> so help me god.

>> so help me god. >> congratulations. >> thank you. [ cheers ] ♪ >> president bush taking the oath of office there. we're now hearing from leaders across the u.s. and around the world, sending messages of sympathy and support to the bush family. >> and in fact, two former presidents are reacting to bush 41's passing. bill clinton and secretary of state hillary clinton releasing this statement, quote, few americans have been or will ever be able to match president bush's record of service to the united states, and the joy he took every gray day from it. from his work in the war, the congress, the united nations, the cia, he worked to move the post-cold war world for unity, peace and freedom. he never stopped serving. >> what a testament to the

qualities that make this country great. service to other, commitment to leaving behind -- service to others, commitment to leaving behind something better. sacrifice in the name of lifting this country closer to its founding ideals. our thoughts are with the entire bush family and all who were inspired by george and barbara's example. joining us now, cnn historian douglas brinkley. >> thank you for being here. you have written about many presidents. what stands out you to about george h.w. bush? >> the main thing was the time he became president. you played him getting sworn in. but in early 18 -- i mean early 1989, we call 1889 the year of revolution, things were sweeping the country. and bush gave a speech, we call the new breeze inaugural because he was talking about how the world's going to change, and sure enough it did. and tiananmen square, with that lone soldier in china meaning

people there were dissidents for democracy, the fact that you had the berlin wall come down in '89 and what that meant, the wall being the symbol of the cold war, ronald reagan had said gorbachev, tear it down. now it was chiseled away, young people ripping away at it. the breakup of the soviet union and what that meant. all the countries that had been trying to join nato like poland and romania and the czech respect and slovakia. there was this moment in the bush presidency that it seemed like the american democratic ideal was overtaking the globe in a revolutionary fashion. and the capstone of that became when he went in with the gar to liberate kuwait -- gulf war to liberate kuwait and did, and the troops did not extend the war into baghdad but said we had a mission and we're not going to have mission creep.

was able to be -- to be known in history as the commander in chief who won his war, the gulf war. >> we talk a lot about style with the current president, douglas. was there something remarkable, something unique about president bush's style of leadership? his style in the white house? >> he would never get angry in an unjust way. always a lot of humor around. he chronically wrote thank you notes to people. continued that all of his life. i have a file filled with handwritten letters from george herbert walker bush for you. i said something on television or you wrote an article, and he would stay very aware and engaged with people. one evening, a marine dowd at the "new york times" had written some columns about him, some that he liked and didn't like. some about his son he liked and didn't like. but he popped up at the georgetown home one night just to chat with her. this was somebody who may have

been a journalistic enemy but quickly humanized the situation. i think he was a man so comfortable in his own skin due to his father, prescott bush, being a senator, due to the fact that he was married to barbara, the life of his life, due to the fact that when he moved to texas he made a million dollars and became a millionaire on his own by the age of 40 working oil and gas in the permian basin in texas. he had a lot of self-confidence, and that meant you didn't have to belittle people. you tried to build people up. overall he had great empathy and an open heart. we can see that presidents sometimes aren't always that warm hearted, and bush really felt the human condition and anxiety, agony with every day people and tried to help them, and the disabilities act, clean air act being great monuments to his kind of breaking ranks. that should have been democratic

liberal legislation, but he stamped it bush because he was willing to be bipartisan in spirit if it meant helping fellow americans. >> there are these -- this word human and humility. you used human, but everybody keeps using. >> yeah. >> to describe this man. it has been a resonating theme all morning. thank you very much, douglas brinkley. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> absolutely. as we continue to remember george h.w. bush's life, we remember that president was not his only title by any means. he was a proud, devoted family man. >> this one was december of '43. my darling barbara, this should be a very easy letter to write. words should come easily, and it should be easy to telling you how desperately happy i was to see the announcement. our engagement. but somehow i can't possibly say all in a letter i should like to. i love you, precious, with all my heart, and to know that you love me means my life. how often i have thought about the immeasurable joy that will

be ours someday. how lucky our children will be to have a mother like you. and then later in the letter, good night, my beautiful, every time i say beautiful, you about kill me, but you'll have to accept it. i hope i get thursday off. still a chance. all my love.

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want to show you something here. look at this. this is the scene outside the gate to george h.w. bush's home. that man just hung a flag moments ago on his own, paying respects to h.w. bush who is now reunited with his wife and his daughter in heaven. and the people in houston there just now waking up, many of them just waking up to this news because it did happen overnight. but this is how they are reacting first and foremost first thing in the morning. really touching. >> and this man you see, two fwlags here. we may have to rerack this video if we go to long. he said the smaller flag on the ground, he thought it was too small. so he brought a second flag

there, and we know from covering situations like this that this will soon in the next few hours be covered likely with flowers and balloons and notes from people. often find it remarkable the personal notes that people leave here to people they've never met. and just the example of president george h.w. bush and potentially some of the policies and how they have impacted lives. we'll keep an eye on this throughout the morning and get you more as i am certain this tribute will grow outside the home that george h.w. bush and barbara bush shared in houston. the former president's political and his professional achievements, they defined his public persona, but he took no greater pride in something, in a title, than the title of dad. >> cnn's wolf blitzer takes a look with us here at george h.w. bush, the family man.trusted ot

and inspired their loyalty. above all, he found joy in his family and his faith. those are the words of an admiring son, george w. bush, writing about his father. george h.w. bush grew up in connecticut. his father was a backer and eventually a u.s. senator. in 1945, he married barbara pierce, daughter of the publisher of "mccall's" magazine. more than anyone, she was his companion and sustainer light in peace and in war. >> he would complete 58 combat missions. these were tough days. but he had something that kept him going, and if you look closely at the photographs of the planes he flew, you will find what kept him going in the name he had painted under his cockpit, barbara. >> reporter: a daughter, robin, died of leukemia at age 3. four sons, george w., jeb, neil, and marvin, and one daughter,

doro, were adults by the time he became president. over time, gatherings at the family compound in maine became larger and more raucous. >> what is it like, doro, since you can't agree on everything, when inside the family you disagree with the president or a governor? >> we -- there isn't a lot of that. tomb, when i spend the weekend with my brother or my father, we sort of talk about fishing or laughing. and it's not like that. but i think people voice their opinions. >> reporter: although they lived public lives, the bushes guarded their family's privacy and resented outsiders' attempts to pry in or to play up stories of rivalry between the father and son presidents. >> we know who we are, we know how we get along. there's no rivalry. no kind of trying to live up to something or -- or bring the boy up or -- i mean, it's crazy. we're a close, loving family,

larry. and these speculative stories just drove me crazy. >> how about you? >> well, they are nutty. there was people saying we wanted jeb to be president. not george. that's -- who writes things? two books were written about me by someone who never spoke to me ever. so i mean, i think you overlook those. they're just not true. >> you got angrier than your husband, didn't you? >> always. >> reporter: shortly before the start of the 1991 gulf war, president bush summed up his feelings about his family in a letter to his children. >> had a little plaque made, it says "cavu," c-a-v-u, the kind of weather we wanted when we were to fly off our carrier in the pacific. we had little instrumentation and wanted cavu, ceiling and visibility unlimited. because of the five of you whose hugs i can still feel, whose own lives have made me so proud, i can confidently tell my guardian

angel that my life is cavu and it will be that way until i die all because of you. >> reporter: wolf blitzer, cnn, washington. okay, here's something -- i don't know if you've seen this yet this morning. i know you remember this "usa today" cartoon, came out when barbara bush died in april. let's show that if we could, please. i mean, it's just -- it just hits you right there, the former first lady getting to the gates of heaven, greeted by her daughter, robin, who, of course, died from leukemia at age 3. well, what a followup they have for us this morning. >> yeah. and this new illustration, george h.w. bush, look at this. he's arrived in heaven after his final flight, flying this tbm avenger, the same plane he flew during world war ii, and robin and his wife, barbara, are there with a simple greeting, "we waited for you." that's got to make you feel something this morning. >> i can't even -- i can't even.

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new details are up folding in the russia investigation -- are unfolding in the russia investigation. according to discussions with federal prosecutors, president trump's former personal attorney michael cohen thought that he'd be protected if he faced charges related to paying adult film actress stormy daniels. >> cohen believed the president would pardon him in exchange for staying on message and support of the president. after the fbi searched, raided cohen's office and his home, he noticed things changed. and acted to protect himself and his family. cnn's senior international correspondent fred pleitgen is in moscow. what more are you learning? good morning to you, fred. >> reporter: yeah. yeah, hi. we're hearing that he's working together with the courts, working, of course, with investigators, as well. and as far as the sentencing memo is concerned, to a new york court where michael cohen is asking for time served for some of the transgressions that he's

admitting to. he says that he kept then-candidate donald trump abreast of his efforts to try and get a building project here in moscow for a trump tower in moscow going as late as june, 2016. he said that there was a lot of information that was coming through. he also said that he had a substantive conversation with what he says was the assistant to a senior russian official in 2016, as well, trying to forward that project. now we know that the senior russian official is being talked about is dmitry peskov, spokesman for vancouver vancouve-- for vladimir putin. peskov told us as he was on the plane traveling to the g20 summit that he had received an e-mail from cohen's office and an assistant had gotten back to cohen. the russians saying they turned the offer down and said, look, the russian presidentality administration is not in the -- presidential administration is not in the real estate business. however, it seems that more is coming together with michael cohen working together with the authorities. victor? >> all right. fred pleitgen. we appreciate it very much.

thank you. >> thank you. cnn legal analyst and robert mueller's former specialist at the department, michael zelden joins us. welcome to atlanta. >> yeah. good to have you here in person. >> i didn't bring the rain. i want you to know that. >> okay, somebody did. >> somebody did. wasn't me. >> let's start here about the reporting that michael cohen expected president trump to pardon him. i mean, at first it's remarkable to say that cohen would commit the crime of misleading congress, lying to congress, and then wait for the charges and expect the president would take care of him. but the president's rhetoric early on suggested that he would look after his guy. what do you think about this reporting that cohen expected a pardon? >> well, it's hard to know what was in michael cohen's mind. and -- the basis for his belief that the president would protect him, perhaps out of their relationship all those years together, he thought if i'm going to take a bullet for him, he's going to help me, doesn't seem that that's the president's m.o. but we don't know yet from a

legal standpoint whether that was cohen's hopes and wishes and desires, or whether there was something that was really communicating to him like stay on message and you'll get this. if it was the latter, that's very problematic. we is ywe -- we saw that in the manfort case. he was charged in the secondary indictment of trying to influence the testimony of a witness, mueller charged him with the witness tampering charge. so if this is the case here that somebody made a promise, that's going to be a criminal count against them. >> how -- i have to ask you, how reliable is michael cohen? is his testimony right now? i mean, do you have to couple it with some tangible evidence to take it for what it is? >> it needs to be corroborated. there's no way in the world it seems to me that a prosecutor would build a case solely around michael cohen's testimony. he's just been all over the place on too many cases to be

alone and credible. it has to be corroborated and has to be corroborated probably in writings or telephone calls or something that's unimpeachable as opposed to perhaps another witness who has a motive to lie to protect themselves. >> okay. all right, michael zelden, g ggot -- good to have you in atlanta. and we know that chuck schumer, leader in the senate, and incoming house speaker nancy pelosi, will be with the president on tuesday. so we will see what comes out of that. that just coming in. >> uh-huh. all right. we are of course following the breaking news this morning, if you are just waking up with us, we have to tell you about the death of former president george h.w. bush. we're taking a look at this man who said being president, pretty fun. >> uh-huh.

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♪ so glad to have you here this morning. we are remembering the 41st pds, george h.w. bush. he thsaid the challenges were difficult and said being president was fun. >> i'd love it if any of them d did, absolutely and i don't feel they should feel their grandparents would love to see that happen. i think they should makeup their own mind after making a record in life as helping others or making some money or something like that but of course i'd like it. >> president george h.w. bush

encountered his fair share of crisis. >> when sedomhussein refused to lever kuwait. he authorized can desert storm and shield. it forced him to break a campaign promise to raise taxes. 1990. >> let me ask you something about the naper of your presidency. about a year ago you said you hadn't really been tested. in fact those of us that trabled thousands of miles with you seemed to think you had a lot of fun being president, if you will with, seemed to be enjoying it. is it different than what you e expect snd. >> i'm still enthusiastic. but i would have to conceive there have been some tough

problems out there and i'm related to getting the budget deficit under control. clearly the slowness of this economy presents not only the president but the american people with a problem and i thought panama presented me with a tough decision and i think the middle east presents me with those decisions and i don't feel embattled and i don't feel beat on and i feel very fortunate to be president at this fascinating time. we got to sit here and talk about the problem. you're that ininterests in all the banks that were not robbed today. got to talk about the crisis thshs problem. it's a fascinating changes for the good that have taken place. look at democracy on the move in our hemisphere, in eastern europe. an exciting time to be alive and

president of the united states. i don't let myself get so dragged down by the problems that i love sight of the big picture and i think if you said i've been tested by fire, i'd say it's pretty hot out there and yeah, i'm being tested. (burke) parking splat. and we covered it. talk to farmers. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪

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