so, would you help to welcome barbara pierce bush and lawyura welch bush to share their experiences as first ladies. [ applause ] to help punishes -- to help us understand the dialog of responsibilities and the awesome news for presidents and their inspiration to all of us, richard smith who is a great author, who understands the w k workings of government, he has b been a friend of mine for a long time. he helped me with a speech for my forgettable campaign. we are thankful to have him for this discussion. thank you. >> thank you, andy. [ applause ] >> i don't know but, i'm not used to getting a standing ovation for showing up. >> you just got it because laura was here. >> it's hard to know where to begin. we have heard from a number of folks earlier today and we heard from real life practitioners, people that were in the white house at different parts of the history, who were challenged and rose to the challenge. each of you had unique life experience before you came to the white house. andy has described them. was that a particular advantage to you, and is there any way to fully pre

so would you help to welcome barbara pierce bush and laura welch bush to share their experiences as first lady. [ applause ] >> to u dialogue of responsibility and the awesomeness of their responsibilities for presidents and inspiration to all of us, richard norton smith, who is a renowned historian, a great author, who really does understand the workings of government from a historical perspective, richard norton smith has been a friend of mine for a very long time. he helped me with a very forgettable campaign for governor of massachusetts. but the speech he helped to write was memorable. so we're glad to have richard norton smith here as the moderator of this discussion. thank you. >> thank you, andy. [ applause ] i don't know about you, mrs. bush. i'm not accustomed to getting a standing ovation just for showing up. >> you just got it because laura was here. >> it's hard to know where to begin. let me ask. we've heard from a number of folks earlier today, and i know you were here for the discussion. we heard from real-life practitioners, people who have been in white houses of both pa

bush's life. but first his attention was drawn to a young woman named barbara pierce. then came a world war. [ female announcer ] feeling that flu all over your body? immerse yourself in all over relief with alka seltzer plus. it's specially formulated to speed relief to every inch of you. liquidate your flu symptoms with alka seltzer plus. laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. thanks. ♪ okay. what's your secret? ♪ [ male announcer ] the new united mileageplus explorer card. get it and you're in. droid razr by motorola. buy one for $199.99, get another one free. and back for a limited time, get twice the data for the same low price. verizon. [♪...] >> i wish my patients could see what i see. that over time, having high choleste

bush the youngest naval aviator was time. he flew a torpedo bomber, which he nicknamed after his high school sweetheart barbara pierce. on one of his bombing runs, he and his crew came under intense anti-aircraft fire. >> i will never forget it, september 2, 1944, we were making a final strike on the islands. i felt this -- this jolt. i could see the fire all around the anti-aircraft and suddenly, my plane was on fire. >> with his plane burning, the young pilot continued his raid, completing his mission before instructing drew bail out. then ejected him. he was awarded the distinguished flying cross. >> i am in floating in this raft, paddling and saw a submarine surface. they had been watching me through the periscope and they picked me up. >> he lost his crew. he wrote a letter to his parents from the submarine about his ordeal and battle, expressing the pain he felt for his dead comrades. >> last night, i rolled and tossed. i kept reliving the whole experience. my heart aches for the families of those two boys with me. when discharged, lieutenant george herbert walker bush was a decorated aviator. after the war, he