Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush are back in the White House today for the unveiling of their portraits. Joining them are former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush. It is a rare event to have three Presidents at the White House.
There is a packed house in the East Room and we are following along with Twitter for first-hand accounts of all the action and ceremony. Much love was shown for former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush.
East Room is packed with reporters and photographers for the Bush-Obama event. pic.twitter.com/IElYzb2K
— Julie Pace (@jpaceDC) May 31, 2012
RT @steveholland1 Packed house here in the WH East Room for Bush portraits unveiling. Spotted; Rove, Josh Bolten
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
RT @MylesNMiller The whole Bush administration is here! http://t.co/3wr4Crus
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
President Bush shows his grace and class, as always.
Excited Natl Park Service employee told me both ex-presidents Bush carving out time in aftnoon to meet w/WH household staff #classygesture
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) May 31, 2012
Soros monkey and Media Matters “research fellow” not so classy.
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/208245284160016385
Reports from the scene aren’t so snarly, as even reporters appreciate the ceremony and the history.
Packed house in the East Room for George W and Laura Bush portrait unveilings. Bushes wrapping up lunch with the Obamas.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
VP Bden interrupted his week of preparing for daughter Ashley's wedding in WIlmington to attend this rare ceremony.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Pres. George HW and Barbara Bush are also guests at this event marking the continuity and legacy of the US presidency.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Recommended
The Bush daughters Jenna and Barbara have front row seats for this ceremony.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Biden yuks it up.
Biden is hamming it up with the Bush fam
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) May 31, 2012
Politics is weird. RT @WestWingReport: Nice to see Jenna and Barbara Bush – yakking w/VP Biden
— Stefan Becket (@becket) May 31, 2012
A Marine Band pianist is performing as the crowd awaits start of ceremony. Not Bob Dylan tunes today.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Long ovation for George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush.
Pres Obama & Former Pres GWBush and Michelle & Barbara enter East Room to "Hail to the Chief" and receive standing ovation.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Extended and emotional ovation for Pres George HW Bush and Barbara Bush in East Room
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 31, 2012
RT @WestWingReport Long, standing ovation for President George H.W. Bush; he is brought in in his wheelchair, big smile; Barbara alongside
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
Aww. Warm fuzzies.
Old friends also catch up.
Feels like a Bush-era reunion in East Room. The old gang's here: Bolten, Card, Gonzales, Miers, Evans, Rove, Hagin, Lazear, Johndroe & more.
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 31, 2012
Historic gathering in East Room with 3 Presidents and 3 First Ladies. pic.twitter.com/DO6EpM20
— Norah O'Donnell ?? (@NorahODonnell) May 31, 2012
President Obama speaks at the ceremony.
Pres Obama to Pres Bush 43 & Laura Bush: "Welcome back to the house that you called home for 8 yrs."
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 31, 2012
RT @MylesNMiller Presidents #Bush & Obama http://t.co/U6iBldTu
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
Pres Obama praises Pres Bush for "seamless transition," for "conveying strength and resolve" after 9/11.
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 31, 2012
QOTD: Pres Obama thanks Pres GWBush for advice & guidance and "you also left me a really good TV sports package. I use it."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Portrait unveiled!
RT @dsupervilleap Portraits unveiled. Sustained applause, standing ovation. 'Thank you. Sit down. Sit down," Bush 43 barks.
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
And President George W. Bush speaks; miss him yet?
The Bush family is a class act.
— Chris Lockhart (@ctiberius) May 31, 2012
George W. Bush is funnier than President Obama. That is all.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) May 31, 2012
Pres GWBush gets rousing ovation – tells former staffers: "behave yourself."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Former Pres Bush thanks Pres Obama "for inviting my rowdy friends to my hanging."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Bush rocks the house w/joke saying his portrait in the White House means Obama can ask it "what wld George do?"
— Patricia Zengerle (@ReutersZengerle) May 31, 2012
The love between a son and his daddy.
forgot how quick W was to tear up…refers to his pop's "unconditionally love" and gets weepy
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 31, 2012
Big applause here when GWB thanks "number 41"
— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) May 31, 2012
Touching moment as Bush thanks his father, "number 41," for giving him unconditional love.
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) May 31, 2012
President Bush, and his wife Laura, continue to bring down the house.
Bush family is treating this portrait unveiling like a roast. Hopefully all future presidents will follow suit.
— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) May 31, 2012
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/208252829452869633
RT @hcpeterson Bush: "It is my honor to introduce the greatest first lady ever… Sorry mom"
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) May 31, 2012
Laura Bush jokes "nothing makes a house a home like pictures of its former occupants staring down at you"….
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 31, 2012
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/208252449142743044
Pres Bush says that as Pres Obama weighs tough decisions he can now gaze upon the Bush portrait and ask "What would George Do?"
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Pres Bush recalls that when Brits burned WH, Dolly Madison saved portrait of first GW. "Now Michelle, if anything happens there's your man."
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 31, 2012
George W. and Laura Bush look happy and well-rested. Mrs Bush says she was "honored and humbled" to live in WH in period of great challenge.
— Patricia Zengerle (@ReutersZengerle) May 31, 2012
Funny moment from George W. Bush when crowd of his pals was hooping and hollering: "Sit DOWN! .. BEHAVE yourself!" The Decide again ..
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) May 31, 2012
As for the portraits themselves?
Portraits of Pres and Mrs Bush painted by John Howard Sanden of The Portrait Institute.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 31, 2012
Portrait background info: W is portrayed in center of Oval Office, Laura Bush in the Green Room (which she helped refurbish)
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) May 31, 2012
RT @HuffPostPol: George W. Bush's official portrait (better quality) pic.twitter.com/PxhBhfgD
— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) May 31, 2012
PORTRAITS!! President George W. Bush: http://t.co/fmZ6fncK Mrs. Laura Welch Bush: http://t.co/0E6cdQ3B
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 31, 2012
And, Laura Bush is trending!