president h dubya creditedit -- h.w. bush for standing up to saddam hussein and rallying the world in 1991 when he invaded kuwait. on the other hand, in regards to the comment, "read my lips, no bushaxes," president h.w. should have gotten the spine and told the democrats in congress to go pound sand. that is my comment. thank you very much. host: michael from maryland, good morning. caller: good morning. say, i would like to president bush was not all bad but not all good either. he did some good stuff for our economy coming in the thing, but did raise taxes. that was not a good thing. nobody wants to see somebody died that lived in our era. condolences to his family and that is it. host: once again, i want to remind everyone we are taking calls on the life of president george h.w. bush. you can always call in. eastern and central time zones, (202) 748-8000. the mountain and pacific time zones, (202) 748-8001. if you are active or retired military, we want to hear from you. we have a special line at (202) 748-8002. you can a

what did that mean to george h.w. bush eight years after being drummed out of office he got to watch his son succeed the man who beat him? >> president bush talked often about the incredible experience of living to see his son be inaugurated as president of the united states. it's a remarkable life lived and tonight we mark the passing of an american giant. i think he'll go down in history as the greatest one-time president and be remembered as a ko consequential president. the man that was an architect of the cold war and showed qualities of restraint we see hi missing. you saw restraint in the gulf war. you saw restraint when the berlin wall came down. a person who talked often about how he hated bragging and how as a child he was told not to brag. we reflect back on his life tonight, i think he had a solid claim to be called justly the greatest living american. i think that's what we lost tonight, a remarkable american life has come to its conclusion from the youngest naval aviator flying in combat in the second world w

the obamas writing george h.w. bush'sife is a testament to the notion that public service is a noble, joy us calling. his son, president george w. bush said his father was a man of the highest character and the best man a son could ask for. >> and he never stopped serving, i saw him up close working on tsunami relief in asia and home after katrina. joining us now is jois jonathanr and karen also joins us. karen, let's go to george h.w. bush's undoing in the end, he served one term. that was because america was in recession. there were criticisms of him at the time that he was not able to connect with americans over the kitchen table issues that they were struggling with at the time. from as sure-foot ted as he wasn the international stage, at a very turbulent and dangerous time, he was not quite as certain of himself on domestic policy. so he gets hit by two big problems economically. one is the recession. the other is americans growing concern about the enormous federal deficit. and he was not somebody who was able to in

he was born to -- george h.w. bush and barbara bush when george h.w. a student at yale early on in their marriage. this is a family that grew and is dynastic. it's no exaggeration to use that term. >> he hated that word, "dynasty." there was nothing to turn him off more than that word because he thought it conveyed a sense of personal privilege, that you didn't have to work that hard because you had a famous last name. and that does not reflect his values or the values i think that he passed on to his children.. but it's hard to deny that it is a dynasty. it's one of the premier american political dynasties. it has two presidents, governors of two big states. now it was an elected official george p. bush in texas. i remember doing interviews over the past year for the biography of barbara bush i've been working on that george p. bush would come and visit his grandfather when he was ailing. he was being hospitalized during his rough primary campaign in texas this year. and barbara bush would egg him on. george p. bush on to tell him all the details abou

george h.w. bush. eric: very compelling and meaningful address at the forum by the secretary who gave personal advice, don't always think about everything, just serve the country, talked about selfless service and you're looking the screen at a man who did just that. exclusive town of connecticut, son of u.s. senator, went off to midland, odessa, texas to find own fortune fields of the state before turned to public service as chairman gop harris country republican at the same time when you couldn't get many republicans in the lone star state to congress to the head of the republican national committee, the united nations, ambassador to china, vice president and, of course, president, life of selfless public service, he was gracious, thoughtful, considerate and had character. the one person to work with him closely joins us now, denise ross, distinguished fellow, denise ross, point person on many diplomatic efforts and both republican and democratic administrations and worked especially in the middle e

lester holt has more on the life, career and legacy of president george h.w. bush. >> i come before you and assume the presidency at a moment rich with promise. >> reporter: for george bush, becoming president was the capstone of a lifetime of public service that would also include being the father of a president. in fact, the bush family has been among the most prominent in american political history. but while george h.w. bush grew up in wealth and privilege and went to the best schools, he also learned the importance of serving his country. a navy pilot during world war ii, he was shot down over the pacific and rescued by a passing submarine. the moment incredibly captured on camera. he returned home, married his sweet heart, barbara pierce and started a family. moving to texas in 1948 to get into the oil business. they suffered the loss of daughter robin to leukemia, but raised five children. in 1964, the year he turned 40, bush got into politics running for senate. >> i certainly hope and i'll bet you do too, that our children can grow up knowing what freedom

. >> steve kegeorge h.w. bush has away at the age of 94. that word coming to us just over an hour ago. a statement released by his son, the 43rd president george w. bush. he had governed this country from 1989 to 1993, a time of moment momentous change. the fall of the berlin wall, the reunification of germany, major global events that played out under the watch of george h.w. bush, a one-term president whose legacy in the last 25 years in the generation since his presidency has in many ways been enhanced in a way that few one-term presidents before him we have seen. hallie jackson, who's covering the current president donald trump on his trip to buenos aires, joins us from there. we have heard from president trump in the last few minutes? >> reporter: we have. in a statement from president trump amnd first lady melania trump responding to the death now of former president george h.w. bush. i'm going to read you pieces of this. president trump saying that melania and i join with the grieving nation to mourn the loss of former president georg

george h.w. bush's life is a testament to the notion that public service is a noble and joyous calling and he did tremendous good along the way, expanding america's promise to immigrants and people with disabilities, juicing the scourge of nuclear weapons and expelling a dictator from kuwait. when democratic revolutions loomed, it was a steady diplomatic hand who made possible ending the cold war without firing a shot. it is a legacy of service that may never be matched, although he would want all of us to try. " a statement that came from the office it -- office of president and hillary clinton. we mourn the passing of george h w bush and give thanks to his long life of service. . will be forever grateful struck by the kindness he showed to chelsea, and by his devotion to barbara and their growing brood. few americans have been or will be able to match president bush's record of service to the united states and the joy he took every day from it. from his service in world war ii to his work in congress,

george h.w. bush. i'm going to read you pieces of this, president trump saying that melania and i join with a grieving nation to mourn the loss of former president george h.w. bush who passed away last night. through his authenticity, wit and unwavering commitment to faith, family and country, president bush inspired generations of 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. president trump goes on to talk about some of the defining moments of george h.w. bush's life and legacy, talking about how he always find a way to set the bar higher. president bush guided our nation and the world to a peaceful and victorious conclusion of the cold war and as such set the stage for the decades of prosperity that have followed. through all he accomplished, he remained humble. president trump and the first lady saying along with his full life of service to this country, we will remember president bush fo

although i did not vote for george h.w. bush, i thought overall he was a very good president. , did not agree with everything but you're never going to agree with everything every president does anyway. he was a great example of how a president behaves. he never had any bad -- had anything bad to say about people publicly. he was a good christian man and there was a lot to say about the way he handled his office. it is sad to say that people did not take some of those attributes the heart when they voted for our last presidential election. i hope they look at those attributes in our next presidential election. host: on the phone joining us , thes warren finch director of the george h.w. bush presidential library. mr. finch, thank you for joining us. guest: good morning. host: what will be the legacy of president george h.w. bush? guest: a life of service from his earliest days. one of the youngest eyelets to pilots to serve in the navy during world war ii, congressman, ambassador to the , vice nations, rnc president, president,

this was what george h.w. bush wanted. >> it was. al of former first lady barbara bush in i believe was it february or april perhaps. >> in april. >> the funeral of senator john mccain, events where not all of the presidents were there, notably of course the current president, donald trump, not invited to mccain's and he did not attend barbara bush's. >> when he got there, he shook hands, president trump, with michelle obama and former president obama. but there was nothing else beyond that. >> a lot of people reading a lot into that about hillary clinton not looking at president trump. why didn't president trump shake this person's hand, why didn't this person shake president trump's hand? that's probably for another time and place to have that discussion. but obviously a lot of tensions in that pew, things that have been said. there are a lot of ten

george h.w. bush has died at the age of 94. the flag at the white house flying at half-staff right now as flowers pile up outside the bush home in houston, texas. tributes are pouring in from president trump and former presidents barack obama and bill clinton. as well as former vice president al gore and condoleezza rice, james baker, and so many more. the nation mourning the man who devoted his life to service to his country and to his family. cnn's john king now with the story of george h.w. bush, the politician. ♪ >> reporter: it was the defining promise of his presidential campaign. >> read my lips. no new taxes. >> reporter: that was his 1988 republican convention speech. just two years later, during the buildup to the gulf war, he broke it, knowing it would infuriate conservative, and perhaps cost him his job. >> as we speak, our nation is standing together against saddam hussein's aggression. but here at home there is another threat, a cancer gnawing away at our nation's health. that cancer is

and it went smoothly, and after george h.w. bushleft office, he became friends with carter and then he became very good friends with bill clinton. and bill clinton was almost like a son they never had in the bush household. and it was sweet to see that. i think it really was one of the things that contributed to in the country a sense of we're all in this together. >> talk to us then about the '90s, about that hand-off having been a presidential advisor. this was the time of the first iraq war. and then having as you said to lose to bill clinton and then turn -- and there there are at the white house there during the inauguration -- and turning over the levers of power to a democratic challenger in a very hard fought campaign. >> let me just say -- i'm glad you helped me correct that, absolutely. george h.w. bush was defeated by bill clinton and it was a hand-off to bill clinton which did go smoothly. and as i say later the two of them later became friends. but it was hard for george h.w. bush to lose that election. he had a very hi

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 41s 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. cnn anderson cooper with the life and times of the 41st president of the united states. george h.w. bush. >> born in massachusetts on june 12, 1924. the son of a future u.s. senator. he married barbara pierce. they had six children. two follow his footsteps into public life. in 2001 his eldest son texas governor george walker bush became the 43rd president. following his father into the white house. his second son jeb served two terms as florida governor. and 2016 unsuccessfully ran for the republican presidential nomination. after earning a degree at yale the elder bush moved to texas. where he made a fortune in the oil business. there his budding interest in republican politics blossomed. that one fact helped bush become elected to two terms as a cong

-- george h.w. bush and the life that he lived. i will say that it's almost as if bush 41 inspired this president to even move beyond his own boundaries that he showed the first two years by delivering to this country and the world a statement upon george h.w. bush's passing that was graceful and was presidential and quite frankly what's been lacking a bit in the past. i want to talk to jon meachum who on wednesday will be eulogizing george h.w. bush and who spoke about him yesterday at the national cathedral. you know, jon, we to talk about what a great man george h.w. bush was and how he guided america and the world through the ending of the cold war, how he reunified germany, how -- well, just, you know, a cia director, an u.n. ambassador, ran the rnc, vice president, president, congressman, took courageous stands. he was a great man, but what is so remarkable in 2016 and the great take away from his life has to be that he was a good man. he was fundamentally a decent man. not only when he was president of the united states, but

but the bush family, we know that george h.w. bushvote for president trump. we know that george w. bush did not vote for president trump. so this is a room and part of his appeal, i suppose, the idea that he was very anti-establishment even though he is now the embodiment of the establishment. president trump is in a room full of people who did not vote for him in many ways. >> good to see jimmy carter there, as well. these are truly, truly remarkable pictures all being shown in honor of the 41st president of the united states. >> it's a glorious cathedral, the national cathedral and quite an assemblage. traditionally, the sitting president would be one of the people asked to give a eulogy. that is not the case here. you can say bush 43, it's a unique situation because bush 43 would be giving the eulogy. you can say that the bush family clearly chose not to have the current president actually speak. he was invited. i don't know if it is a slight smile on the face of barack obama, the awkwardness of the situation. >> first of all, i th

now george h.w. bushnd bill clinton did not seem like a natural fit, among other things, bill clinton had beaten bush and the '92 election. in addition, their personalities could not have been more different. president bush 41 regaled us at lunch about their trip together through southeast asia. one of the things he said was, we are so different. he loves to talk and opines about everything, and i am more measured. but a lot of what he said was very interesting and among other things, if i was having trouble talking about something, i knew that bill would fill the space. another thing that, frankly, drove him crazy about bill clinton was the fact that bill clinton, and anybody who's ever covered him do this, was always late. he would get involved in a conversation, and we always talked about operating on clinton time. they agreed that they would get up and go at let's say, 9:00 in the morning, and their trip to southeast asia, and bush would be in the car at 9:00 or maybe 8:57, and clinton ritual but he d

now george h.w. bushnd bill clinton did not seem like a natural fit, among other things, bill clinton had beaten bush and the '92 election. in addition, their personalities could not have been more different. president bush 41 regaled us at lunch about their trip together through southeast asia. one of the things he said was, we are so different. he loves to talk and opines about everything, and i am more measured. but a lot of what he said was very interesting and among other things, if i was having trouble talking about something, i knew that bill would fill the space. another thing that, frankly, drove him crazy about bill clinton was the fact that bill clinton, and anybody who's ever covered him do this, was always late. he would get involved in a conversation, and we always talked about operating on clinton time. they agreed that they would get up and go at let's say, 9:00 in the morning, and their trip to southeast asia, and bush would be in the car at 9:00 or maybe 8:57, and clinton ritual but he d

the motorcade carrying former president george h.w. bushf the bush family, including former president george w. bush, is right now on its way to capitol hill for this memorial service. cnn's manu raju is in the capitol rotunda where the ceremony will happen. and manu, we've seen the diplomatic corps fill the rotunda. we have seen some local dignitaries, the mayor of washington, muriel bowser, the governor of maryland, larry hogan. tell us what you see. >> reporter: yeah, we'll see more and more officials. bush administration officials from his administration coming in. we saw colin powell just moments ago enter, as well as trump administration officials, too. cabinet level officials. steven mnuchin, as well as wilbur ross. the senate is filling up, too. mitch mcconnell and the senate republican and democratic leadership soon will gather, as well as we await their remarks during the ceremony in the rotunda. now, when the casket does arrive in the front of the east front capitol of -- east front steps of the capitol, it will move up the steps

george h.w. bush. i am john king in washington. >> i am dana bash in houston. today we honor the life of the 41st president, george herbert walker bush. he died late last night at the age of 94. months after his wife's death. he is known as a war hero. to those close to him, his most important role was family man. he was a father to six and has 17 grandchildren. his love story with barbara bush is one for the ages. in his last years of life, the former president said he was never scared of death. >> doesn't scare me. used to. when i was a little kid, thinking about dying, scared. you get older, larry, you don't think about it, i have too much to do, too much to live for, too much happiness. no regrets about anything. no regrets about one single thing in my life i can think of. i made mistakes, but they don't measure up to regrets now. >> you may remember a few months ago the touching cartoon of barbara reuniting with her young daughter in heaven. after barbara bush's death, there's now a new drawing.

for more on president george h.w. bush now we are so happy to have bob schieffer here with us tonight. bob, you covered president bush's runs in '08y and '88. what stood out most for you? >> you know what i always will remember about him is his modesty. he was i think probably the most modest person who ever held the office, certainly in my lifetime. and that played so well. when the soviet union was coming apart, when berlin wall was falling, when communism was imploding, he never tried to brag about it. he-- he kept the rhetoric low, and he kept the situation cool. and i think that had a tremendous impact on a very dicey situation. >> glor: and he was able to self-analyze, too. i mean, you heard that clip when he said, "one of my failings was i didn't think i could communicate as well as reagan. that. seems pretty remarkable. >> it was for someone to say that. but the fact is he was a much better public servant than he was a politician. and i think it came out of his upbringing. in his family, they were discouraged from

george h.w. bush is known as this kind, gentle man. pretty fierce campaigns. and george w. bush was one of his enforcers who would let you know if you wrote something that he felt was unfair to his father. >> all branches of the u.s. military are participating in this event right now. joint base andrews. the casket eventually will be moved to the hearse. the u.s. air force band, the ensemble will play "my country 'tis of three." there will be currently the joint forces color guard positioned. this ceremony, this very, very powerful ceremony is about to begin and the family, no doubt, will play a critical role, not just today, but throughout this week. >> the family, you asked the children, they never wanted to disappoint their father. that was the worst thing, if he said, i was disappointed in you. and they really want this not only to be a celebration, but they want everything to be just right for him. and just a little side note. i know that jeb bush stopped by the staff office today, as his father would have done to thank everybody o

he has some things he'd like to say about george h.w. bushlus, bush 41 went sky diving on his birthday even when he hit 90. we will talk about hln's robin meade who joined him for one of those jumps. fÉ brewer is so eas, it makes any house a coffee house. rinsky's coffee house is open! pop that in for a coffee or brew a shot and froth fresh milk for a latte or cappuccino. easy peasy. now she's a barista! we've got the best coffee in the world being made by an under-skilled staff! excellent. it's so frothy. a little piece of heaven. thank you. but how's the coffee? latte for no one!? nelson. sorry? that's for nelson. latte for nelson. that's not what it says here. xfinity mobile is a designed to save you money. latte for nelson. even when you've got serious binging to do. wherever your phone takes you, your wireless bill is about to cost a whole lot less. use less data with a network that automatically connects you to the most wifi hotspots in millions of places and the best 4g lte everywhere else. saving you hundreds of dollars a year. and as

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 je

george h.w. bush or his son, former president george w. bush, that was a father, a son, paying tribute to his father as he was brought up the capitol steps. the bushes are known -- they'll be the first to tell you that they are emotional. that they cry easily. i know that he was steeling himself. you could certainly see on his face the emotion as he, you know, struggled to keep it together. >> tom friedman of the "new york times" is with us. like me and john and jamie, you spent a lot of time covering the president of the united states in various capacities. as you look back and watch what's going on right now in the rotunda, what goes through your mind? >> well, the biggest thing that goes through my mind now, wolf, is looking at the friends and colleagues that are there lined up. what a high-quality team he had around him. i covered secretary of state james baker, traveled virtually all 750,000 miles with him during those four years, including several trips with the president. and when you think abo

george h.w. bush, the 41st president of the united states who died last night at the age of 94. he started his presidency with the vision to reshape america into a kinder and gentler nation. >> no president, no government can teach us to remember what is best and what we are. america is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. we as a people have such a purpose today. it is to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world. >> this morning his death marks the end of a political era and the end of a life dedicated to public service. president george h.w. bush one-term presidency was defined by international triumphs like the fall of the berlin wall and collapse of the soviet union bringing a peaceful end to the four decades' old cold war. >> for over 40 years the united states led the west in the struggle against communism and the threat it posed to our most precious values. this struggle shaped the lives of all americans. it forced all nations to live u

former president bill clinton who defeated george h.w. bush said few americans have been or ever will be able to match president bush's record of service to the united states. to those close to him, his most important role as a husband and as a father and a grandfather. >> give me some words to describe your father. >> my dad is just the kindest person. he's been an extraordinary role model. i can't -- it's hard for me to be objective. i believe he's as close to perfection as any person. if everybody was like him in trying to find the best in others, the world would be a way better place than it is today. >> you said he inspired you. how so? >> well, throughout my life, an amazing man, who's absolutely selfless. it inspires me to teach in inner city high school after college. he inspired me to think about public service. >> we had gone to the inaugural parade. i wanted to see what it was like to go into the oval office. dad walks in. i said, welcome, mr. president. he said, thank you, mr. president. >> what would you like people to remember an

george h.w. bush was shot out of the sky in the pacific. president george w. irst lady laura bush are in the capitol. >> his life was about a life of service. it wasn't just how can i win the presidency. you are talk about a world war ii veteran,ing a congressman, a u.n. ambassador, and made his life about serving his country and his family. unfortunately that generation is gone. because everything now is about me me me. i tip my hat to george h.w. bush. he was one of the finest americans ever alive. liz: george w. bush is the coldest child of george and barbara bush. they were married 73 years. they are the longest married presidential couple ahead of jimmy and ross land carter. >> i have been married 7 years going on 8 years. i tip my hat to anyone married for much longer than that there is. barbara bush just sits there and waits for president bush to come home. they put up that picture and said i'm sure she's at the gate waiting for him to come home. you could see she was tangibly moved by the moment. there is george w. bush hugging well wishers. you know, t

george h.w. bush has died. the 41st president of the united states passing away in his hometown of houston overnight at the age of 94. condolences pouring in from across the world as the man who was known as 41 is remembered fondly by his family, friends and politicians from both sides of the aisle. the former president remembered as a man devoted to service who spent his entire life fighting to make the united states a better place. war hero, congressman, cia director, vice president, and finally, president. >> i george herbert walker bush -- >> he was in the oval office for some of the biggest events. victory in the gulf war. >> as president, i can report to the nation aggression is defeated. the war is over. >> also at the helm for the end of the cold war. the fall of the berlin wall. a dedicated public servant who spent his life after the presidency helping to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charitable causes. a devoted husband to the love of his life barbara. who passed earlier this yea

george h.w. bush passed away at his home in houston last night. it comes after eight months his wife of 83 years barbara died. he issued a statement calling his father the man of highest character. he praised him. more coverage of the passing of george h.w. bush coming up. . >> reporter: for more than 40 years now a part of every president's job description has been to put up with being laughed at on "saturday night live." george bush was no exception. but he did more than just tolerate dana car i have making fun of him. he showed he was able to have fun at his own expense. >> dana, george bush here, i'm watching you do your impression of me and i get to to say, it's nothing like me. it bears no resemblance, it's bad. it's bad. >> well, i'm sorry, mr. president, i think it's a fair impression. >> i don't see it, it's totally exaggerated. it's not me, those crazy hand gestures. the pointing thing, i don't do them. also non-god da, i never said it. i never once says that da da. >> reporter: problem was

and in a conversation with his son george bush, he said i love you, dad, and president h.w. bush said, "i love you, too." >> he's always been an athletic man. he wou he would show up at the hospital in the last few years, even after barbara bush passed away last spring, he had to go to the hospital pretty soon afterwards, people thought this might be that moment. he's always been a fighter. as secretary baker told me, this time he was ready. this time he knew he wasn't going to -- he gave instructions to his medical team not to bring him to the hospital. he didn't want to do that again. he wanted to die in his own bed. >> peter, as has been said, these were close friends, best friends. it goes in your piece when you describe what secretary baker, that he was massaging the former president's hands and feet. >> yeah. he's a close friend, extraordinary friendship in politics, you don't see a president and secretary of state the way they were. they were partners on the tennis courts at the houston country club way back when they were young men. in fact, their partnership in politics

president george h.w. bush and his mark on history. i'll talk with jon meacham who wrote the definitive book on the 41st president next. let's be honest. every insurance company tells you they can save you money. save up to 10% when you bundle with esurance. including me, esurance spokesperson dennis quaid. he's a pretty good spokesperson. ehhh. so when i say, "drivers who switched from geico to esurance saved an average of $412," you probably won't believe me. hey, actor lady whose scene was cut. hi. but you can believe this esurance employee, nancy abraham. seriously, send her an email and ask her yourself. no emails... no emails. when insurance is affordable, it's surprisingly painless. ♪ applebee's bigger, bolder grill combos are back. now that's eatin good in the neighborhood. with lower expense ratios than comparable vanguard funds. and we're now offering zero expense ratio index funds. that's value you'll only find at fidelity. ♪ one thing leads another that's value you'll only find at fidelity. i am a t

george h.w. bush's house seat in houston for three decades, right? >> that's right. >> until he retired. before george h.w. bush, that house seat -- there was redistricting but it was a democratic state and democratic area and he turned it republican. >> wolf blitzer, it is a small thing in a way, the daughter of a democratic president crying at the funeral of a republican president, but it does say something about what this country is capable of and what we are so sorely lacking too often, wolf. >> yes, it certainly does, jake. it was a really, really moving moment. all of these moments, you know, have been so powerful and such a distinctive opportunity for this country to get together, at least right now, and to remember the 41st president of the united states who now lies in state here at the u.s. capitol. we're watching the first official ceremony in washington honoring george herbert walker bush on his service to his country. i'm wolf blitzer with a special edition of "the situation room". family

then geoe h.w. bush and his son's story is both ar mir and a -- they were both a mirror and a maker of that political journey. senator prescott bush, senator from connecticut, very much a new england republican, george h.w. goes to texas. he was the first sane seed of texas politics. >> i said he washe seed. >> but there was one -- >> don't f >> there was one republican congressman who was -- in one of te ways that bush ce into the story was drive the john birch society, an extremist, cold war, they thought that george marshall and dwight eisenhower and fdr were communist conspirators. >> they were really big in dallas. >> and it was george h.w. bush who was thechairman, h job was the chairman of harris county republican party. and he ran in '64 and then was in the house from '66 to '70. but he was, ihink -- i i can tell one quick story ae,ut tim mcbranita's wonderful husband who was the body man for george h.w. bush for a very long time. and to give you some sense of the man's innate courtesy, on the da

george h.w. bush has died. he was 94, the oldest president in history. bush 41 spent the summer at his home in maine, which he loved so much, he talked about how happy was to be there but returned in october to texas, where his spokesman said the president was looking forward to some "proper tex-mex," the day after his stomach the funeral of his wife, barbara bush, he checked into a hospital with and infection. he went home a couple of days later. he had a former parkinson's disease. doctors treated him for pneumonia and other infections in recent years. george herbert walker bush was born on june 12th, 1924. in milton, massachusetts, south of boston. he was a decorated u.s. pilot who flew torpedo bombers, and survived being shot down during world war ii. he met barbara pierce at a christmas dance when they were just teenagers. they got married in 1945 when he was home on leave from the war. he later graduated from yale university and then with bar but they moved to texas to work in the oil business a

bush is defeat -- george h.w. bush bush is diet fated by bill clinton and is dejection, and george w. said it wasn't depression but deflation. his fatherhunt finished the race he was running, and he kind of has to find himself again. but one of the ways he does that, one thing that really galvanizes him is that his son, gets into politics. both run for the governorships of their senate 1994. it's expected that jeb will win the governorship in florida and it's sort of expected that george w. bill lose against the popular an riches in the state and the opposite happeneds. that's the surprise in the family. not that people expected jeb to win because he this political heir apparent. they look at the races and handicap them and say ann richards is a formidable candidate. >> barbara says you're going to lose. >> she said, you're going to lose, and it didn't matter to george w. bush. it didn't matter. and that is the other thing that his father teaches him. failure is not failure. because you can learn from it. and that's ex

george h.w. bushnt about the past 24 years with his wife barbara not long after leaving the white house until her passing in april of this year. the longest married presidential couple in history at 73 years, and we've been watching as people bring flowers here to the gates of this community including a couple of funeral wreaths that were hung earlier today joining some of the other bouquets and american flags that have been left behind to honor the combat navy pilot who flew 58 missions in world war ii, the son of a senator, the father of a president and a governor. george h.w. bush was a congressman, an ambassador to the u.n., director of the cia and, of course, a two-term vice president under ronald reagan before his four years in the white house beginning january 20, 1989. and in a statement his son, the former president -- george w. bush -- wrote after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died. george h.w. bush was the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. the entire bush family is deeply gr

george h.w. bush, the 41st president of the united states, has died at the age of 94 at his home in houston. mr. bush died last night less than eight months after his wife of 73 years, barbara bush, passed away. >> i, george herbert walker bush, do solemnly swear. >> i, 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. >> sreenivasan: george herbert walker bush became president in 1989. his inaugural address included the words "kinder" and "gentler," words thad become part of his legacy and tat he also used in his acceptance speech republican convention in 1988. >> i want a kinder and gentler nation. >> sreenivasan: mr. bush was 1 born on ju 1924, in milton, massachusetts. the son of a wealthy family, he grew up in greenwich, connecticut, and spent summers at the family's oceanfront home in kennebunkport, maine., his fatherprescott bush, was an in

speaking of george h.w. bush's sense of humor, president bush comply minted the queen on her long walks saying she has left the secret service out of breath and panting. the queen laughed at that one. stuart: good stuff. good stuff. doug, we enjoyed the two humorous items that you related for us. ashley: yes. stuart: give me another one. [laughter]. >> well, i'll tell you what is a surprise to me, when he would always call me on the phone, he would say, wait a second, doug, don't say anymore. let me get to a secure phone. this happened all the time, whether he was calling from air force one. air force one isn't secure? but he was always saying that. he was former director of the cia. so i thought it was kind funny when hillary clinton elected president, she made a big deal out of fact that she felt the former director of the cia and previous president had bugged the residence. so they brought in the fbi to do a sweep. brought them back a second time, when she said she was sure they missed. they brought in the cia.

bush when i think of the george h.w. bush presidency i think of bipartisanship and working together with both sides of the aisle as opposed to the truck president there's a lack of bipartisanship and not only working with his own party but working with the other party as well george bush was just president and leader for our country and i think he had great values and you know when you think about divided america you know he really stood to have everyone represent you know one one country and it was really special for a great leader i met him briefly in one nine hundred ninety two when he was running for reelection and he lost but our interaction was very brief but he was very gracious and i will always remember that and i just want to show my perspective. you know i have to be the change the way that people see george h.w. bush. oh definitely there's some a softening of his his legacy in the memories there through some a rose colored hindsight there was he was not a perfect president we should remember his policy is his blin

as purposeful and particularly if you are a person of faith, this is a time to celebrate george h.w. bush, not to grieve his loss, that is what we're doing is a family right now. >> reporter: monday, members of congress, surrounded by bush family and staff, have the opportunity to reflect. >> he showed us that how we live is as important as what we achieved. >> reporter: members of the public again filing in to pay respects of their own, standing all hours of the day and night through wednesday morning. including former u.s. senator, bob dole, who was helped out of this will save -- wheelchair to salute the former president. >> there's a time for politics and governing. there is also a time for reflection. for our country to think about the values that make our country great. >> reporter: the memorial service is set to embody just that. drying dignitaries from all across the world. we will hear from another president, george w. bush, speaking as a son to a father. george herbert walker bush, or hero, congressman, statesman, and 41st president of the united states. president trump has decl

the life and the legacy oft presideorge h.w. bush. bush called them for four years. the flag at the white house was wered just before sun rise this morning. many of you are waking up to the news. we've been gathering the latest tributes and remembrances overnight. we also have a uniqu personal experience from our own jim vance. it's one you'll wan to catch. >>> first, we welcome you to news 4 today. good morning. angie goff is off. we want to start you off with storm team 4's laurynet ri she's tracking what looks like potentially a rainy saturday. >> it looks like we're going to have rain for the secdad half of thwith showers between now and about 7:00 p.m. if you need to get things done early this morning, now is the time to do it. you can see the rain just entering just off to the west and coming through petersburg. that's going to continue to move from the south and p west andh to the north and east. all of that will be headed our way. we're not looking at much here. these are a few showers. then look at a this tocome. i think we'll

in honor the legacy of president george h.w. bushut also government back to the name of the best interest of our country. >> absolutely. resident bush embodied this concept to being a gentleman, being graceful. he started the negotiations and frame after which i hope we get to talk about later. lots of great bipartisan opportunities. and though some of the things we've recently done. 90% of us both sides of the aisle voted in favor of funding the military for the whole year, funding the war on drugs as well for the whole year. so there are bipartisan things happening. the hope is we have to go beyond civility, beyond just listening to each other, but implementing each others can't and come in deciding on golson object is together. i see that happening on a daily basis and i'll keep working on now. >> congressman, in a sense is the reason the partisanship in washington has grown so deep, is it because we have it so good? is the partisanship and ranker luxury if we were to return to the times when congressman dingell or george h.w. bus

and certainly made george h.w. bush rest in peace. more now with shep smith. od afternoon, i'm shepard smith. our coverage begins today with george herbert walker bush making his final journey to washington. a live look at joint base andrews where the casket is set to arrive minutes from now, followed by a ceremony which we will bring you live during this newscast. hours ago a send-off in texas from the president's adopted hometown of houston. ♪

during the presidency of george h.w. bush. ou have a story or two you could share about that time frame? >> sure. after president bush was elected and took over the white house, president reagan moved back to california. and we were told that president bush was coming to los angeles on first trip after being elected. the first thing he wanted to do was come pay his respects to ronald reagan the former president. what they wanted to do was have lunch the same they had every thursday at the white house in the oval office, a mexican lunch. something that they shared a little bit of a treat for them out of their normal diet and they just sat and talked. they talked about what was going on in the world and about their families and really, i think reerks kindled that relationship that had been really important to both of them. pete: i hear that thursday lunch was initiated after the president reagan was shot and the vice president showed so much grace in that interaction towards their relationship even more. >> if there is anything g

george h.w. bush in fact moved faster than other leaders at the time. many were wary of a united germany but he helped a new germany be a part of nato and the european union and in a rare english language statement and very personal one german chancellor merkel had this to say over the weekend. >> i was in the white house visiting george bush and here is the father and one of the fathers of the communication and we will never forget that. >> we will never forget that. a few more statements, comments, words of gratitude since then we've heard from u.k. prime minister may saying he was a true friend of this country. also we heard from french president macron, he said he was a big supporter of the alliance of europe. nice words for the former president. >> sandra: one of george h.w. bush's closest friends describing the president's final moments. former secretary of state james baker was at his bedside. the last words george w. bush said and he said them to president george bush 43 who had called in to s

president bush, george h.w. bushsaw the letter and called the white house and for three yes i had an opportunity to work with the bush administration on rebuilding after katrina. mrs. bush, barbara bush, along with the president, spent countless years helping us to not only rebuild the beloved gulf coast that i hail from, but also they provided resources for historical black colleges and universities. he cared about the people of the gulf coast and i'm just grateful that i had an opportunity to say thank you to the president for his great work. >> your hometown as well. >> my hometown and it was really quite remarkable what he did. and laura bush also in louisiana. i interviewed president bush in 2004, a long interview about the constitution. at that point he said to me, bill clinton and i will never be friends the way jimmy carter and jerry ford are friends. then in 2005 they became friends. it was george w. bush who put them together in the same w-- understanding that these men should know each other and share thei

those george h.w. bushas director of the central intelligence agency for only a from january 1976 to january 1977, their headquarters building in northern virginia is named after him. a videoeelamerica, tribute created by the cia for his january 2016 visits to their headquarters, to mark the 40th anniversary of his tenure as want thistitled i job: george h.w. bush and the cia. this 13 minute program was recently declassified and released by the cia. >> this is the man who has had a distinguished public life, when you stop and think about them. vice president, president, father of another president, cia director, ambassador to china, ambassador to the united nations, he's any debt she is a capable man who has handled every task the country has called upon him -- he is a capable man who has handled every task the country is called upon him. individually -- >> is the most kind and thoughtful person i have known in my life. you can talk to a lot of people about george h.w. bush and they will tell you the same.

i think they take heart in listening to what george h.w. bushd bush 43, what was striking to me, he reread a part of his father's inaugural address. and his father said we cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account, we must also give them a sense what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it. and that may be what the local organizing is about now that you're talking about, david, that this isn't bygone. it's different. it just got to be different. >> it's a struggle. >> but it's a struggle. it's an ongoing struggle. the bush name has been a pariah in the 2016 campaign certainly. no more i think after this. but i think the values are the values of this nation and the pendulum swings back and forth always. >> early yesterday this morning at the capital to pay my respects, they had this table of notebooks for people to leave messages to the family. i went over to the table and somebody ahead of me, clearly a young kid had written