is perfect. barbara and i could not have asked for better lives. we are truly happy. and truly at peace. as i looked over the waters of walker's point on that golden september afternoon in may i was reminded of the line simple and true that speak to the real nature of george bush and his love of his wonderful family and precious surroundings, there are wooden chips, there are sailing ships, and there are ships that sail the sea but the best ships are friendships and may they always be.

>> relax, george told me i had only ten minutes. he was very direct about it. it wasn't even funny. i first met my dear friend george bush in 1962, when my father was just elected as united states senate. i came to washington with dad to settle in his new office being vacated by one senator prescott

bush, george's father. then we met again when my parents left washington and sold their home to a brand spanking new congressman from texas, named george herbert walker bush. george, barbara, mom-and-pop did the sale on a handshake. sound familiar? then i came to the senate in 1978, soon after that ronald reagan cornered me and asked me to support him for president. i said i would knowing that my friend george would enter the fray. hearing that i called and i said, george, want to tell you i would love to help but i already committed to ronald reagan. george's response? well, al, i'm sorry about that. i probably should have let you know sooner. actually guy doesn't get many

calls from a friend who says they can't support him. sound familiar? of course it does. in george bush's theme of life, during all the highs and lows, simple credo, what would we do without family and friends. when he became vice president, friendship, enjoyable friendship was refreshed and the four of us had many, many pleasant times together. my life in washington was rather tumultuous. i went from the a socialist to the z. [laughter]. and never came back to the a. [laughter]. one dark period i was feeling awful low. and all my wounds were self-inflicted. all of them. and george called me early one morning, always early, in the

morning. [laughter]. country music playing in the background and he said, ah, i see the media is shooting you pretty full of holes? actually he said it a bit more pungently than that. he said, why don't we go to camp david. you and ann come over and we'll have a weaken together. at that time his popularity rating was 93%. mine was .93. [laughter]. so, off we went. media of course all gathered as we headed to marine one and george said, now, wave to your pal over in the media, al. and they didn't wave back. [laughter]. so next morning is he routing through all the papers in the u.s., he said, ah-ha, here is the one i've been looking for. the a picture of barbara, ann,

george, with his arm and hand on my back. later we're having a sauna. and i said, george, i am not unmindful as to what you are doing. you are propping up your old wounded duck pal. well, you're at the top of your game. you reach out to me while i'm tangled in rich controversy, and taking my limits -- lumps, and he said, yep. there were staff members, al, told me not to do this but i, al, this is a about friendship and loyalty. sound familiar? we had an awful lot of fun too, always a delight to be in the president's box at the kennedy center, off to a play at the national theater of warner with the bushes. and outside of the president's

box one evening there was a massive six-foot vase with an extraordinary glaze. i hope you know the difference between a vase and a vase. 35 bucks. [laughter] now george walked up to it and he said, al, wait, i think that is a troscum. i noticed that he said this blue-grayish glaze from that period. the clay that could only be found during that era. and i said, no, no, george, the the patina gives me perception possibly older, greek origin, with that particular herbal paste before firing. people gathered around mumbling about these expert observers and barbara and ann finally came by and said, get out of here.

[laughter]. both of you. get back in that box. well, we did. well it was impressive for a while. and then of course one night the four of us went to see michael crawford singing the songs of andrew lloyd weber. all four of us were singing as we went back to the white house, ♪ don't cry for me argentina tidbits from "phantom of the opera" and magic of webber. few days later getting hammered by the west for petty bit of trivia. all of sudden he sings out, ♪ don't cry out for me argentina ♪ the president wrote, he was finally losing his marbles. [laughter]. now, these honored guests, right here before us, who have held this noble post, no well of the

slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. he was a class act. from birth to death i held the strong sinews in mind and body. came from strong mothers. we compared our mothers to veiled hammers and of course, certainly most awesome fathers of the history books will and are treating him most fairly while uncovering some other powerful traits his great competitiveness, his raw courage, and his self-discipline. recall the andrews airbase conclave where congressional participants drafted a remarkable bill that dealt with two-year budgeting, entitlement reform, comprehensive and catastrophic health care, social security solvency and

much more but it required a critical ingredient called revenue. translated into the word, taxes. translated into the words read my lips. [laughter]. and the group went to george and said look, we can get this package done but we must have some revenue and he said. i will never forget it. he said, what i've said on that subject sure put as hell of a lot of heat on me. they all said yes, but we can get it done and it will be bipartisan. and george said, okay, go for it. but it will be a real punch in the gut. well, bob dole then, a loyal warrior for george, took it back to the senate, we won a very strong bipartisan voight. and for the house of his own party turned on him.

surely one of the main factors assuring his return to private life. but he often said, when the really tough choices come it's the country, not me. it is not about democrats or republicans. it is about our country that i fought for. he was a man of such great humility, those who travel the high road of humility in washington, d.c., are not bothered by heavy traffic. [laughter]. and, he had a very serious flaw, known by all close to him. he loved a good joke. the richer, the better and he would throw his head back and give that great laugh but he never, ever, could remember a punch line. [laughter]. i mean, never. so the punch line for george

herbert walker bush is this, you would have wanted him on your side. he never lost his sense of humor. humor is a universal solvent against the embrace sieve -- embrace sieve elements of life. that is what. he never hated one. hatred corrodes the container it is carried in. most decent and honorable person i ever met was my friend george bush. one of nature's noblemen. his ephithet, perhaps just a single letter, the letter l, for loyalty. it courses through his blood. loyalty to his country, loyalty to his family. loyalty to his friends. loyalty to the institutions of government and always, always,

always, a friend to his friends. none of us were ready for this day. we mourn his loss, from our own lives and what he was to each of us. that is so personal, so intimate, so down inside. he would have been so much easier to celebrate his life with him here but he is gone irrevocably gone. now we have loosed our grip upon him but we shall always retain his memory in our hearts. god has come now to take him back. we knew one unknown day he would return to his god. now we give him up, we commend him to your loving hands. thank you, for him. god rest his soul.

♪ [singing of "last full measure of devotion ♪ ] ♪ in long and monday norred history of america, there are names that shine like beacons in the night ♪. ♪ the patriots whose vision give us meaning, who kept the lamp of freedom burning bright ♪ ♪ in the long and honored

history of america there are those who paid the last and final price ♪ ♪ who were called upon by chance or desperate circumstance, to make the ultimate sacrifice ♪ ♪ a grateful nation bows its head in sorrow ♪ ♪ and in thanks for guarantying our tomorrow ♪ ♪ the last full measure of

devotion, that's what they gave to the cause ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion, and though they cannot hear our applause ♪ ♪ we honor them forever and keep alive their story, pay tribute to their lives and give them all the glory ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion beyond the call of duty were their deeds ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion and they gave themselves to serve the greater need ♪ ♪ and for those who did survive

and came back home alive they join in praise of comrades who were slain ♪ ♪ and highly resolved, most highly resolved ♪. ♪ that these dead shall not have died in vain ♪ ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion, beyond the call of duty at this were their deeds ♪. ♪ the last full measure of devotion, they gave themselves to serve the greater need ♪ ♪ for those who survive and came

back home alive ♪ ♪ they join in prays of comrades who were slain ♪ ♪ and highly resolved, most highly resolved ♪ ♪ that these dead shall not have died in vain ♪ ♪

>> distinguished guests, including our presidents and first ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries, and friends, jeb, neil, marvin, dara and i and our families thank you all for being here. i once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young as late as possible. [laughter]. at age 85, a favorite pastime of george h.w. bush was firing up his boat, the fidelity, and opening up the three,

300-horsepower engines to fly, joy fully fly, across the atlantic with the secret service boats straining to keep up. at age 90, george h.w. bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of st. ann's by the sea in kenebunkport, maine. the church where his mom was married, where he worshiped often. of the mother said he like the location in case the chute didn't open [laughter] in the '90s he took great delate, when his closest pal, james baker smuggle ad bottle of gray goose vodka into his hospital room. apparently went well with the steak baker had delivered from morton's. to his very last days, dad's

life was instructive. as he aged he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness. and when the good lord finally called, had a meet -- how to meet him with courage and the joy of what promise lies ahead. one reason dad knew how to die young he almost did it, twice. when he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. a few years later he was alone in the pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did. god answered those prayers. it turned out he had other plans for george h.w. bush. for dad's part i think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life. he vowed to live every day to the fullest. dad was always busy. a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love

of life with those around him. he taught us to love the outdoors, he loved watching dogs flush a covey. he loved landing the elusive striper. once confined to a wheelchair he seemed happiest southing in his favorite perch on the back porch of walker's point contemplating the majesty of the atlantic. horizonses he saw were bright and hopeful. he was a genuinely optimistic man and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible. he continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions. he was a patriot. after high school he put college on hold and became a navy fighter pilot as world war ii broke out. like many of his generation he never talked about his service

until his time as a public figure forced his hand. he learned of the attack on jima, the mission completed, the shoot-down. we learned of the death of his crewmates who he thought about throughout his entire life. and we learned of the rescue. and then north audacious decision, he moved his young family from the comforts of the east coast to odessa, texas. he and mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. he was a tolerant man. after all he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, mom and i shared a bathroom in our small duplex. even after he learned their profession, ladies of the night. [laughter] dad could relate to people from all walks of life. he was an empathetic man. he valued character over

pedigree. he was no cynic. he looked for the good in each person and he usually found it. dad taught us public service is noble and necessary. that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. he strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. he recognized as serving others enrich the giver's soul. to us, his was the brightest of a thousand points of light. in victory he shared credit. when he lost he shouldered the blame. he accepted that failure is a part of living a full life. but taught us never to be defined by failure. showed us how setbacks can strengthen. none of his disappointments

could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child. jeb and i were too young to remember the pain and agony he and mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. we only learned later that dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. he was sustained by the love of the almighty, and the real and enduring love of her mom. dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious robin again. he loved to laugh. especially at himself. he could tease and needle, but never out of malice. he placed great value on a good joke. that's why he chose simpson to speak. [laughter]. on email he had a circle of

friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. his grading system for the quality of the joke was classic george bush. the rare 7 and 8s were considered huge winners. most of them off-color. george bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. he nutured and honored many, his many friendships with a generous and giving soul. there exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances. he had an enormous capacity to give of himself. many a person would tell you that dad became a mentor, and a father figure in their life. he listened and he consoled. he was their friend. i think of don rodes, taylor blanton, jim nance, arnold schwarzenegger, and perhaps unlikeliest of all, the man who

defeated him, bill clinton. my siblings and i refer to the guys in this group as, brothers from other mothers. [laughter]. he taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. he played golf at legendary pace. i always wondered why he insisted on speed golf. he was a good golfer. here is my conclusion. he played fast so he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all. he was born with just two settings, full throttle, then sleep. [laughter]. taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, brand father, and great-grandfather. he was firm in his principles and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. he encouraged and comforted but

never steered. we tested his patience. i know i did. [laughter] but he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love. last friday, when i was told he had minutes to live, i called him. the guy answered the phone said he, i think he can hear but he hadn't said anything for most of the day. i said, dad, i love you, you've been a wonderful father. and the last words he would ever say on earth were, i love you too. to us he was close to perfect but not totally perfect. his short game was lousy. [laughter]. he wasn't exactly fred astaire on the dance floor. [laughter]. the man couldn't stomach vegetables. [laughter] especially broccoli.

[laughter]. by the way he passed these genetic defects along to us. [laughter]. finally every day of his 73 years of marriage dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. he married his sweetheart. he adored her. he laughed and cried with her. he was dedicated to her totally. in his old age dad enjoyed watching police show reruns. the volume on high. [laughter]. all the while holding mom's hand. after mom died, dad was strong. all he really wanted to do was hold mom's hand again. of course dad taught me another special lesson. showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country. when the history books are written, they will say that george h.w. bush was a great president of the united states.

a diplomat of unmatched skill, a commander-in-chief of formidable accomplishment and the gentleman who executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor. in his inaugural address, the 41st president of the united states said this, "we cannot only hope to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account, we must hope to give them a sense what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, neighborhood and town better than he found it. what do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we're no longer there. that we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us. or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, stayed a moment there to trade a word of friendship. ". dad, we'll remember you for

exactly that and much more. we'll miss you, your decency, sincerity and kind soul will stay with us forever. so through our tears let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and nobleman. the best father a son or daughter could have. and in her grief this smile knowing that dad is hugging robin and holding mom's hand again. [applause]

♪ [playing of o god, our help in ages past" ] ♪

♪ ♪

>> please stand. jesus said, you are the light of the world. a city on a hill cannot be hidden. neither do people, light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. in the same way, let your light shine before men. that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. the gospel of the lord. >> bow your heads in prayer, please. almighty god, of all comfort, console us, of all light strengthen us, of all love inspire us. to love you and to love those you send our way. amen. well, please be seated. it is a tremendous honor to follow these speakers and especially someone who i admire so much, our 43rd president.

sir, your father always welcomed my visits and never made me feel rushed. always said thank you for coming. never made me feel like i was going on too long. your mother -- [laughter] usually said, good sermon, too long. [laughter] i got your email. you're a lot like your mother. [laughter] ladies and gentlemen, children of god, when death comes as it does to us all, life is changed, not ended. and the way we live our lives, the decisions we make, the service we render, matter. they matter to our fellow human beings, to this world that god has given to us, and they matter

to god. few people have understood this as well or lived their lives as accordingly, as president george hurt -- herbert walker bush. you hear what i said, lived it. not earned it, or strifed to achieve it. it was natural to him as breathing is to each of us. president bush was a good man, a decent man, a godly man, full of grace and love and a quality of absolute necessity to enter the kingdom of god, humility. grounded in the desire to serve his god and all god sent his way. how do i know this? because for nearly a dozen years my wife, laura, and our children, and i, we have laughed with him, we have fished with him. president bush brought up riding in fidelity. we had that pleasure as well.

the secret service was behind us. he was at full throttle. i saw many of them reaching for what i thought were protective armor but then i realized as they followed the president they were actually crossing themselves. [laughter] we've been blessed to share meals and tears and moments of silence and prayers in times of great strength. in times of great weakness. never, not once, did i witness anything but care and concern for those around him. the job of a pastor, a priest, i i -- imam, a rabbi, dealing with someone he or she is called to serve, call on them, to look to god, to do the right thing, to serve others, and to love. and president bush made my job

so easy. i lifted from the hebrew scriptures reminded us that god is light and the president reflected that light his whole life through. he once said, i'm a man who sees life in terms of mission, defined and missions completed. we would recall with delight when he reminded america and our citizens of his mission and ours to be points of light with but one aim, to leave our world better than we found it. now i have a political cartoon of the 41st president. i keep it in my desk with caricatured big ears, he is sitting in his desk, he is looking at his watch, and he is saying to himself, communism is dead, the wall is down, apartheid is falling mandela is free. sandinistas are ousted, germany reunited. cold war is over. i returned my calls an heck, it is not even lunchtime.

[laughter]. we sometimes forget all that president bush did for us, in large part because he preferred to shine not upon himself but to shine to others. several years ago, president bush gave me this plaque, and on the back is a note. russ, good friend gave this to me some years ago. it may be of help to you in some ways. it reads simply, preach christ at all times. if necessary, use words. it remains on my desk as a reminder faith means more than words. jesus christ, for george bush, was at the heart of his faith but his was a deep faith a generous faith, a simple faith, in the best sense of the word. he knew and lived jesus' two

greatest commandments, to love god and love your neighbor. the president loved and served not just some but all that god sent his way. he said tolerance is virtue, not a vice. befriended christians of every denomination and jews and buddhists and muslims and sikhs. yes, weighs republican but for him, political parties were but a line in the sand to brush away in times of the greater good of working toward his goal for all of us to be that kinder, gentler nation. the gospel that dean h howard read for us a moment ago, reminds us jesus told his followers to be the light of the world, so the world can turn their heart toward god, toward others. let your light shine before others so they may see your good

works, give glory to your god in heaven. so was president bush. his life was defined by faith and service, worthy of all those made in god's image. in september of 1990 president bush spoke to those gathered outside those doors, for the dedication of this great cathedral and he pointed inside to that magnificent rose window right there from the outside and he spoke these words, from where we now stand, the rose when high above seems black and formless to some, perhaps, but when we enter we see it back lit by the sun. it dazzles in astonishing splendor and reminds us without faith we too are about stained-glass windows in the dark. the president understood, that even in the darkest of nights, things can be transformed, if handed over to the redemtive power of the almighty. no one on that first good friday

expected easter sunday but it came. it came because the light that brought creation into being also brought life from the grave. we call that resurrection. only days ago, i was humbled along with members of the president's staff. his outstanding and loyal medical team, so many friends, sully, who i believe has gotten more press than the president in the last few days. loving members of his family, who called in, who spoke with him throughout the day, and as our 43rd president just said, inspired his last words, words of love. sitting with us, was someone the president liked to call his little brother. james baker and his wife susan.

as i said there have been wonderful hugs and kind words throughout the day, kisses throughout the day. toward the end secretary baker and i were sitting on a sofa a few steps away, he whispered to me, you know that main changed my life? a bit later secretary baker was at the foot of the president's bed and toward the end jim baker rubbed and stroked the president's feet, perhaps half an hour. the president smiled at the comfort of his dear friend. here i witnessed, a world leader who was serving a servant, who had been our world's leader and what came to mind, was jesus. on the last night before his own crucifixion having said everything there was to say, he

wrapped a towel around his waist, he washed his disciples feet. jesus said, i set an example for you. do what i have done. serve one another. by this the world will know you're my disciples, if you serve and love one another. at the end we all knelt. we all placed our hands on the president. we said our prayers together. and then we were silent. for a full long measure, as this man, who changed all of our lives, who changed our nation, who changed our world, let -- this lyft for the next t was a beautiful end, it was a beautiful beginning. for a moment, but a moment only,

that dear point of light we know as george herbert walker bush dimmed, but it now shines brighter than it ever before has. and now this godly man, this servant, this child of god, is in the loving arms of barbara and robin and the welcoming arms of our lord who embraced him with his divine love. some have said in the last few days this is an end of an era but it does not have to be. perhaps it is an invitation to fill the hole that has been left behind. the president so loved his church, he loved the episcopal church. he so loved our great nation, he so loved you, his friends. he so loved every member of his family. but he was so ready to go to

heaven, and heaven was so ready to receive him, because, he loved, he lived those two great commandments. if you want to honor him, if you call yourself a daughter or a son of god, then love god, love your neighbor, there is no greater mission on planet earth. my hunch is, heaven, as perfect as it must be, just got a bit kinder, and gentler. leaving behind that hole for you and me to fill, how? preach christ, at all times, if necessary, use words. so, mr. president, mission complete.

well-done good and faithful servant. welcome to your eternal home. where ceiling and visibility are unlimited. and life goes on forever. amen . ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ cause our hearts in focus keep your love to keep us strong ♪

♪ ♪ though at times i let you go in the father's hands we go, and nighttime falls we are friends ♪ ♪ ♪ and we rejoice the your love and gives you the strength

you've shown. ♪ ♪ cause our hearts it always, keeping love that keeps us strong ♪ ♪ ♪ because the welcome will not end, though it is time to let you go in the father's hands we know, nighttime is not too long to live as friends ♪

♪ ♪ the welcome will not end, though it is hard to let you go in the father's we know that our night time gone, we'll live as friends ♪ ♪ when nighttime is gone, to live as friends ♪ ♪

>> in the assurance of eternal life given at baptism, let us proclaim our faith and say, i believe in god, the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, i believe in jesus christ, his only son our lord, he was conceived by the power of the holy spirit and born of the virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, and died was buried, he descended to the dead. on the third day he rose again. he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father. he will come again to judge the living and the dead. i believe in the holy spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the

forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body and the life every lasting, amen. ♪ ♪ ♪ o, father, which art in heaven ♪

♪ hallowed be thigh name. ♪ thy kingdom come, thy will be done ♪ ♪ on earth as it is in heaven ♪

♪ give us this dale our daily bread, forgive us our trespass as we forgive others ♪ ♪ ♪ then lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil ♪ ♪ for thine is the kingdom, and the glory, forever. connell: amen ♪

♪ >> for our brother george, let us pray to our lord jesus christ, who said, i am resurrection and i am life. george, you consoled martha and mary in their distress, draw near to us who mourn for george, and dry the tears of those who weep.

>> hear us lord. >> you wept at the grave of lazarus, your friend, comfort us in our sorrow. >> hear us, lord. >> you raised the dead to life, give to our brother eternal life. >> hear us, lord. >> you promised paradise to the thief who repented. bring our brother to the joys of heaven. >> hear us, o lord. >> our brother was washed in baptism and annointed with the holy spirit. give him fellowship with all your saints. >> hear us, lord. >> comfort in our soros, in the death of our brother. let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. >> hear us, lord. >> father we pray to you for

george and for all those who we love but see no longer. grant to them eternal rest. let light perpetual shine upon them. may his soul, the souls of all "the departed" through the mers god, rest in peace. amane. ♪ ♪

♪ [ playing "for those in peril on the sea"

♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪

>> give rest, oh, christ, to your servant with your saints. >> you only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind, and we are mortal, formed of the earth and to earth shall we return. for so did you ordain when you created me, saying you are dust, and to dust you shall return. all of us go down to the dust,

yet even at the grave, we make our song, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. in your hands, oh, merciful savior, we commend our servant, george. we humbly submit a sheep of your own fold, a sinner of your own redeeming. receive george into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace and into the glorious company of the saints in light. amen. now may the god of peace who brought again from the dead our

lord jesus christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, the blessing of god almighty, the father, the son and the holy spirit be on you and remain with you in this world in which we live, this day and forevermore. amen. >> let us go forth in the name of christ. thanks be to god. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪

♪ ♪ ♪

>> present. [ ruffles and flourishes ] [ hail to the chief playing ]

[ holy god we praise thy name playing ] ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[ church bells ringing ]

[ church bells ringing ] >> the united states remembers its 41st president. we have all been watching the funeral of president george h.w.

bush from the national cathedral in washington, a funeral ceremony that lasted over two hours. eulogies each unique, delivered by jon meacham, historian who wrote the definitive biography of president bush, the former prime minister of canada, brian mulrooney spoke of his old friend as well as the former senator from wyoming, alan simpson. finally, the most emotional moment in a day and a week full of emotions was saved for the eulogy delivered by the former president of the united states, george w. bush, speaking about a former president who was also his father. president bush said of the or president bush, he was the best father, a son or daughter could have, then spoke with tears in his eyes at the end of his remarks about how his dad now would be, in his words, hugging robin and holding mom's hand again. referencing both his mother, barbara, the former first lady who had died earlier this year and his sister, robin, who died years and years ago as a

3-year-old of leukemia. live pictures still from the national cathedral in washington as we welcome you back live on the fox business network. i'm connell mcshane filling in for neil cavuto. we will continue to watch as the dignitaries, former presidents and other leaders who are gathered inside the cathedral make their way out. i'm happy to be joined by todd buchholz, who served for a time as an adviser to president bush 41. boy, what a day. what was your observation of what we have all watched over the last two and a half hours or so? >> well, this was a special man. this was a man with incredible coura courage. look, he loved his country, he adored his family, he did what he thought was right. what else can you ask of a man? he reminds me -- my father was a little bit younger than george

bush, but my father at age 17 enlisted in the navy to fight the japanese in the pacific, and when i learned about that, i thought wow, my father did something special but it turned out that's what that generation did. george bush did it, bob dole did it, alvin buchholz, my father, did it. it was part of what tom brokaw called the greatest generation. there was something about devotion and about giving, and i don't know that i've seen a more emotional moment or a photograph that captured so much of american history than the photograph of bob dole standing up to salute his former colleague, his former rival, his fellow soldier. so it's been an extraordinary week. there's been all sorts of good things about american history and american character. connell: the moment with senator

dole at the capitol yesterday, as he remembered president bush, was remarkable, i think. if you didn't have or feel any emotion as you watched that, i mean, you're probably not capable of it. same goes for that eulogy i think that was delivered by president bush 43, talking about his father. i was thinking throughout as he was speaking, i don't know how he's holding himself together, then at the end, you know, the tears did flow, but that was something else as he weaved in and out, personal stories and also the remembrances of a president which, you know, speaks to how unique this family was. it's only been two father/son combinations that have served as president. of course, none of us remember the adams combination but we do remember this one. it's something we have never seen in our lifetime and the odds are probably never will again, a father or son

eulogizing his father, both having served as president. that was something else. what did you think of it? >> of course it's extraordinary, and it's exceptional, as you say, connell. but what is even more exceptional is they could do it and be good people. that is, sure, i can imagine some time in the future one conniving president followed by another conniving son. that's much the story of world history in other countries, but these are good and decent people. now, there are those who could argue vociferously against what george herbert walker bush did in the oval office, decisions george w. bush made, but no one disputes that these are people who love their country and it says something about the american people that we and in the case of texans, we elected individuals who could show

decency and be decent people down deep. we're not a country that's fallen for charlatans. at least it seems that's the case. connell: i was watching president bush 43 today, the words that were memorable, of course, but also kind of the mannerisms and the actions, the double tap on the casket as he walked down after delivering that eulogy. i don't know if you have seen this, but it's all over the internet now. it appeared as if when president bush arrived for the funeral of his father and was walking down the aisle, he saw president trump and president obama were sitting at the end of the aisle, he reached over even today and as he did, good-naturedly at senator mccain's funeral, looked like he passed michelle obama, who he has become friendly with, a piece of candy or something and there was a smile between all of them. it was kind of a funny,

light-hearted moment. >> of course, it's become almost legendary, the close bonds that were forged between bill clinton and both george herbert walker bush and george w. bush himself. george w. bush today referred to brothers from another mother. so that's something about the family. i have to tell you, the first time, i met george w. bush when i was serving in the white house for his father, but the first time i had a serious conversation with him was when he was going to be thinking of running for president and i was asked to come to the governor's mansion in austin to give a briefing on some economic issues, and i walked into his office and you know, he stood up, said hello, and the first thing he did was stand up and ask me how i took my coffee, and then he made the coffee himself. and i thought you know, this is george herbert walker bush's son. this is not someone who puts on

airs and someone who is used to commanding people around. when george herbert walker bush was vice president, he kept his own schedule. i think the first time he ever actively used a scheduler and secretary was when he got elected president, because he could no longer handle all those sorts of things. i'll tell you, connell, if that were back in the era of, you know, outlook and other electronic devices, he probably would have still done it on his own. connell: probably. it's funny, i guess, maybe it's not a great commentary about politics or washington that people who are just good people are kind of remembered that way, as being almost unique. one of the lines to that point, the lines of the day so to speak delivered by the former senator from wyoming, a very, very funny guy, for those who have met or interviewed him over the years, said those who travel the high road of humility in washington are not bothered by heavy traffic. >> that was a great line. that was a great line. connell: thanks so much for calling in today. we appreciate it. talk to you again soon.

tom buchholz. looking at the motorcade leaving the cathedral as the body will be taken to joint base andrews, flying back later in the day to texas. there will be more sr monceremo from that state tomorrow. we are given a chance to remember the legacy of this president. greg, what are you thinking about today? >> thinking of some of the things bush did on the economic front that we didn't really appreciate at the time, he of course raised taxes which didn't endear him to the republican party, but it kind of set the deficit on a downward path which eventually reached a surplus later in that decade. he put in place rules that made it much harder to run up the deficit. he actually negotiated the north american free trade agreement. he wasn't around to see it ratified but that was a watershed agreement. it was the first free trade agreement between a rich country and a poor country. that was really a big deal at

the time. finally, even though we forget now, one of the reasons his term ended with a weak economy was because he was making so much efforts to clean up the banking system which had been weakened from a lot of bad lending in the 1980s. i sit here from 25 years later, all those things actually continue to have some kind of reverberations on the economy today. nafta in retrospect was very successful as a trade agreement but wasn't so successful politically. here we are a quarter of a century later, still a lot of resentment about that. as for deficit reduction, that really was kind of the end of an era when bipartisanship was the order of the day, when it came to the deficit. we haven't seen it since. connell: a couple points, first on nafta, the former canadian prime minister brought that up today, and it was a quick reference, but one of the things that i picked up is that after he referenced nafta, he, in an apparent nod to president trump, who was in the first row and i

guess show of civility and maybe class, said it has been improved and modernized by future administrations or something to that effect. but it is interesting, because we are literally still having that debate or revisiting that debate in a different way today. it's in the news every single day. >> yeah, it's interesting that he made those remarks. mulrooney was the prime minister of canada when the free trade agreement between canada and the united states was negotiated. reagan was president at the time. americans didn't really give it a second thought because canada was kind of a wealthy country, very similar to the u.s. doing the deal with mexico was a much bigger leap. as you recall, ross perot, that was a bigger factor in making him run as a candidate in '92, the giant sucking sound. even though he lost, it probably wounded bush and may have contributed to his loss to clinton and really, the wounds, the political wounds about that fight, they are still with us. it was striking that in 2016, we

are talking more than 20 years after that agreement went into effect, it still has potency in a lot of midwest states. i realize he said the agreement had been modernized but what trump has done is essentially taken away these principles of free trade and replaced them with managed trade on things like steel and autos. even though we didn't rip up the agreement all together, it's hard to escape the conclusion that the free trade dial after moving towards more liberalized trade for 30 years, is moving in the other direction. connell: one final point on economics. you mentioned the bipartisan agreement on deficit reduction, which you know, over time politically, may have led to the downfall of president bush or prevented him from, you know, attaining a second term or i guess return to the private life. the idea there or the legacy

there, i guess is maybe a better way of putting it, is that kind of led, and simpson referred to this in his remarks today, to a real split in the republican party. he was in the senate at the time, talked about the house of representatives as he put it going against his own party in those days. >> yeah. i mean, if you think about it, at the time, it didn't seem like a big deal. it was a bipartisan agreement to raise taxes, cut spending and move the deficit downward. when bush was president, bipartisan deals were still fairly commonplace. reagan actually had quite a few bipartisan deals of his own that involved raising taxes. it's forgotten now, but reagan did actually agree to some tax increases. we didn't know it at the time, but that was a watershed moment. the agreement was very successful economically, as i said, sort of put in place the rules and the principles that achieved budget surpluses later that decade, but politically, no, i think it had cast a long shadow. connell: it really has. really is remarkable, a look

back at it today. the camera shot has shifted to joint base andrews, and the jet, special mission 41, that will carry the body of the former president back to texas, is ready and waiting for the motorcade to arrive. let's go back to the funeral service and some of the remarks made by george w. bush about his father. here it is. >> we're going to miss you, your decency, sincerity and kind soul will stay with us forever. so through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and 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. connell: wow. that was it earlier today at the national cathedral in washington.

before i let you go, maybe a final word on that, and thanks for joining us with the economic reflections. that was emotional. >> sure was. connell: it really was. now we watch the motorcade. greg, talk to you again soon. thanks so much for coming on. >> thank you, connell. connell: all right. the streets of washington now in view as the motorcade carrying the bush family behind the hearse that has the body of president george h.w. bush, following a national celebration, really, of a life of a great american and a president of the united states has concluded at the national cathedral. charlie gasparino joins us now in the studio. what did you think? >> it was moving, it was -- i mean, what struck me about this, and you know, aside from -- this was a very good president in so many ways, but he was the catalyst for trumpism and the

populism we see right now. connell: kind of what greg was talking about. >> i remember i was a young reporter at the time covering h.w. bush and i remember, you know, what was going on in the republican and democratic party, and what was going on with ross perot. i knew people that were supporting ross perot. ken rangone was a huge supporter of ross perot, a guy that was a long-time republican but he broke off. why is that? and part of it was the stylistic, the mannerisms of george w. bush and what he stood for. connell: h. w. yeah. >> h. w. new world order. a kinder, gentler america. globalism in many ways. free trade, nafta. all those things were -- perot represented the sort of reaction, the republican base reaction to all those issues that the republican base didn't care about what was going on

overseas. didn't think the trade deals would do us any good because factories were closing. you know, new world order, forget about it. kinder, gentler, they were mad. that was the beginning of trumpism right there. connell: it ushered in -- >> and trade. and trade. well, it was obviously an evolutionary thing. began with newt gingrich, went to george w. bush, who was much more populist than his father, then you had what you have today. so in many ways, if you want to see the seeds of why we have trump, the base reaction of the republican party, why it supports what donald trump represents, it can be found in how the base reacted negatively to h.w. bush and his economic policy. connell: kind of an interesting shift within the parties that has led us to the modern day democratic and republican party, and who represents the coast versus the middle of the country and the manufacturing base, you talked about, versus the so-called elites on the east and

west coasts. bill clinton, who followed george h.w. bush and was said today, later became after a contentious campaign in 1992, very very close to the former president. >> his policies were very close. connell: that's my point. both internationalists and that era of -- >> smaller government, less -- and free trade. so you can clearly say that bill clinton maybe on social issues, he was much -- he was more to the left than -- connell: but on economic issues they were in line. >> and on many social issues probably as well, if you take abortion out of the equation. listen, george w. -- george h.w. nominated clarence thomas, i believe, but also suter. connell: those were the two. absolutely. >> today, trade is the big thing. right now the markets are closed. the bond markets are open. what's going on in the bond markets right now? well, the yield curve is

flattening. why is the yield curve flattening? people are worried about the future of economics and worried about the future, a trade war hurting the economy, thus they buy treasury bonds as a safe haven. that is what i think people have to realize, when you think about h.w. bush. he believed, whether you like it or not and you're in a factory town, that long term, free trade does work. more jobs were created and this is going to be a problem. connell: i'm going to continue, stay here, i'm going to continue this economic discussion of legacy and everything else that we have been having but i also want to get to the emotion of the day, because we are joined by bill bennett on the phone right now, the former national drug control policy director under president bush 41, former education secretary, among many other titles as well. you were inside the cathedral today, sir. could you tell us about it? >> yes, sir. yes, sir, connell, i was. it was a beautiful service. it was worthy of the president, the remarks and tributes were great. senator simpson, former prime

minister of canada, and jon meacham, well-known author and most of all, his son george w. bush, who held it together until the very end as he spoke the last words of his father, saying i love you and hearing i love you back. of course, the cathedral, the music was gorgeous. a life well remembered. connell: i was watching president bush eulogizing his father, i was glad i wasn't on the air then and didn't have to speak, more or less him speaking about his own father and as you said, he did get through it up until the end. what was it like inside the cathedral as he was wrapping up his remarks? >> reverent quiet. i think everybody was just taking in the measure of the man. the tributes were very good, i thought. you watched, but i thought they really caught him. i was struck by how often the

image of the young aviator at age 20 being shot down in the pacific came up three times, i think, in three different sets of remarks, and how at the end it was almost there for george herbert walker bush, close to the end of his life, but then he's spared by an american submarine, navy submarine, and goes on to become president. it was a kind of service which made you stop and think about life and its possibilities. but there was also a lot of humor. i must say the knockout moment to me was hearing about james baker, the president and at his deathbed rubbing the feet of his president and the minister talked about jesus washing the feet of the disciples. the camera went to baker, and he

was crying. connell: yes. >> it was -- it's not how we associate jim baker, you know, the dealer, the tough trader, the back room guy, but it's the kind of ceremony that transcended small things. it was a big ceremony. connell: he lost it almost immediately, the reverend dr. levenson from houston, who spent the president's final moments appear hat his bedside. charlie and i were talking as many people have over this week about the president's legacy but today is kind of bigger picture. we remember the person. what do you most remember? >> i will most remember, they say every anthropologist loves his own tribe. my tribe was the drug policy and the country was really in deep water there. deep water today, too. but this was the most successful president in history on this

issue. he went wherever i asked him to go and drug use went down over 50% during his tenure. actually went down. you can push back and get ahold of this thing. he never quite understood it viscerally because it was so far from him, the kind of man he was, he would never be affected by something like that but he always sought to understand it. when we traveled, it was just a series of questions he had but boy, he put his shoulder to the wheel, backed me up in all the things i was trying to do, and the country moved, so i will be forever grateful to him for that. also, just the time i spent with him. it was mentioned today about having a bottle of grey goose in his hospital room. he had a bottle on air force one. i remember he called me up for a couple martinis. he said the drug czar can have a drink, can't he? i said it's legal. connell: a man after my own

heart. thank you very much, bill bennett. thank you very much. >> you bet. connell: bill bennett. live pictures from joint base andrews now as we will watch the departure ceremony, the former president's body to be carried from the washington area back to texas, and there will be more ceremonies tomorrow in texas. charlie gasparino is here with me in the studio, and ed rollins joins the conversation as well. you have been on the reagan/bush campaign as its chairman. pick up from where we were speaking. one at a time, charlie. just what you're thinking about today. >> this was an extraordinary man who obviously left office not under the best of circumstances from his perspective. we have liked a second term but he was never bitter about it. his sons, who did follow in his footsteps, which is not easy, said what i think is the most

telling thing. he was a great and a noble man. i think that's a great description. i was on the opposite side of him on the tax bill, opposite side of a few other things. i worked with house republicans. i think the bottom line, as a young man he inspired heroism. as an adult he inspired public service. as president, he inspired a nation to be better and i think live every moment to the fullest was sort of his credo and he did. he had a wonderful life and as you say, you see young men coming back from the war, thank you for your service. that was my feeling. job well done. >> i thought he was a really great president but there was a reaction to him at the time. i remember it, and i remember you being part of the perot campaign. >> yeah. >> it was an interesting coalition. i remember asking bill buckley about it one time. ran into a bookstore, said what do you make of this, ed rollins. he said something's happening

here. there's a populism in this country, this is bill buckley back in '94, '93, '94, where he said -- excuse me, '92, where he said president bush doesn't get it and there's something happening viscerally in the country in the republican party, and broadly, and i think back, the guy was a great guy. it's hard to say this on the day of his funeral, but that type of republicanism that was more globalist, that was more theoretical, it was a revulsion against that. connell: still feeling it. >> i think that was one of his problems. bill clinton came in and said i feel your pain. i hated that, i was like this guy's full of you-know-what. but what he was saying, the guy in there right now doesn't understand you. >> what he understood and did great things on was foreign affairs. what he did is he finished, he accomplished what reagan started.

and changed the world dramatically. it was extraordinary. but at the same time, went through a recession and the country basically was like -- it was 80% approval rating. he got hurt on taxes and he blamed me, it wasn't, newt gingrich was basically the leader of it but it was the beginning of the trump movement today. it no longer is his party. still his country, still george bush's country, but no longer his party. i think that's -- connell: talks about what we have gone through and are still experiencing today. ed rollins and charlie gasparino are here as we look at pictures from joint base andrews. a quick break. you're headed down the highway when the guy in front slams on his brakes out of nowhere. you do, too, but not in time. hey, no big deal. you've got a good record

and liberty mutual won't hold a grudge by raising your rates over one mistake. you hear that, karen? liberty mutual doesn't hold grudges. how mature of them! for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise their rates because of their first accident. liberty mutual insurance. liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ that's it. i'm calling kohler about their walk-in bath.n. my name is ken, how may i help you? hi, i'm calling about kohler's walk-in bath. excellen[ pop ] happy to help. huh? hold one moment please... [ finger snaps ] hmm. the kohler walk-in bath features an extra wide opening and a low step-in at three inches. which is 25 to 60% lower than some leading competitors. the bath fills and drains quickly, while the heated seat soothes your back, neck and shoulders. kohler is an expert in bathing, so you can count on a deep soaking experience. are you seeing this? the kohler's walk-in bath comes with fully adjustable hydrotherapy jets and our exclusive bubblemassage.

everything is installed in as little as a day by a kohler-certified installer. and it's made by kohler, america's leading plumbing brand. we need this bath. yes. yes you do. a kohler walk-in bath provides independence with peace of mind. call to save $500 off bath walls with your walk in bath or visit kohlerwalkinbath.com for more info.

connell: our coverage continues on the fox business network as the nation remembers president george h.w. bush. live pictures from joint base andrews as the hearse carrying the former president's body is set to arrive. the president's body will be carried back to texas momentarily. we all watched the funeral services at the national cathedral in washington over the last few hours. we have other news of the day that charles payne will cover at the top of the hour on the economic front. meantime, i'm connell mcshane filling in for neil cavuto. charlie gasparino and ed rollins are still here.

we are joined by david asman, the host of "bulls & bears." since you are just joining us, your thoughts and reflections today? >> it's hard to fill in after charlie and ed here, but i think charlie made a terrific point about the whole history of populism that we are living now. economic populism really did begin, the revolution against the kind of establishment trade deals and everything that george h.w. bush exemplified. that kind of counteraction against that trend began during the first bush presidency, bush 41. in fact, the history hasn't been completed, of course. we are still right in it, greg pointed to the fact we are still right in the mix of that long revolution. >> i want to take issue with something he said about the tax increases. i know ed will speak to this as well, how the bush tax increase plugged the deficit. we can sit here and argue this, you know, chicken and the egg factor but let's be clear.

it probably didn't. we ran deficits after that. bill clinton was essentially bailed out by the tech bubble, therefore we had -- >> and growth. >> right. >> we had trillions of dollars over a long period. >> you can lay that at george h.w.'s feet. >> you were there. >> bottom line is every time we make a deal with the democrats, they always promise extending cuts if we make the tax increases. we make the tax increases, never get the spending cuts. that's exactly what happened there. the promises that were made by the . >> why did george herbert walker bush, he was a great man, knew democrats renege on promises of their -- >> darman, his omb director never wanted to make the tax pledge. jimmy baker never -- >> james baker to me.

>> there was a split in republican party over supply-side econmics. reagan -- >> george herr -- herbert walker bush called it voodoo economics. >> i talked to art laffer. he had personal stories. >> when his son became president he never gave in. he learned from what he and his father believed was mistake. never gave in democrats push to raise taxes again after he cut taxes significantly. some people of course would probably say, well that added to the deficit. i don't think so. i think the benefits of the tax cuts during george w. bush era's were beneficial to the economy even though we went into recession. >> we had a financial crisis which had nothing to do with that. >> exactly. >> point out where george w. bush didn't learn from his father. his father wasn't about, hw was

not about nation-building, he would have invaded iraq, killed saddam hussein, and turned the place upside down. he could have destroyed the entire iraqi army but didn't do that. connell: we were talking about the strength of president bush 41. >> that is what his interest was. he had known all the players in the u.n. i told the story earlier today, last ronald reagan with conversation conversation with ronald reagan, what would have you done? approved this? ed, i didn't have the patience to do all the foreign policies and bush is wonderful. he can go talk to 30 -- i probably would have bombed them off the carrier and called maggie thatcher, did loom -- humor russly, maggie, guess what i did today? >> main thing was the cold war. i was talking to peggy noonan,

i've known her a long time, used to work with her at "wall street journal" she is very critical of george w. bush. we were talking about the history, she was ronald reagan's speechwriter, history of george herbert walker bush with the cold war, didn't he inherit all the benefits of reagan? she said absolutely not. whoever followed ronald reagan, had negotiations, every country in eastern europe, the problems with poland and czechoslovakia and romania, had to deal with all the details after the fall of the berlin wall, to make sure that thing didn't fall apart in a crazy way, but orderly transfer of one of the biggest empires the world had seen, the soviet union. connell: to follow up on your point, david, we have only a

minute left, we'll hand it over to charles payne, spoke to the president bush, a lot of people would made it by themselves and he didn't be encouraged those around him to make a step back. >> one thing he did do made the unification of germany happen. that was not going to happen. he made that happen. he basically stepped in there full bore. that was the most critical thing of all. >> wasn't for the tax cuts he would have much different country. he would be a better president. he would have been a better president. >> wouldn't have lost his party. this guy lost 27% of the republicans didn't vote for him in 1992. connell: thanks so much for coming in today. charlie, david. we'll watch you tonight of course. >> at what time? connell: on bulls and bears. 5:00. he is true television man. see you at 4:00 p.m. offer

"after the bell" with melissa. we normally close up the market. as we remember a former president. the stork market is closed. it will reopen 9:30 in the morning. i'm connell mcshane in for neil cavuto. now charles payne. charles: thank you very much. we're looking at joint base andrews where the bush family is gathered. this is the final journey for george herbert walker bush aboard air force one renamed for this one particular moment, back to his home state of texas after more than a two-hour service both moving, fun, it was just really, i thought, had the right tone and sort of was the right sentiment, the ultimate sendoff if you will for a husband, father and former president of the united states. very touching, very moving. also brought back memories perhaps of a bygone