"You will be our president when you read this note"

[bigtree]

Michael Beschloss @BeschlossDC

George H.W. Bush’s letter to Bill Clinton, Inaugural Day 1993:





“You will be our president when you read this note. Your success now is our country’s success. I will be rooting hard for you.” ~George HW Bush to Bill Clinton

[Zambero]

1. A class act

He and Bill developed a lasting friendship over the years. Despite pronounced political differences, there was a time when civility and working toward the common good was the rule. Hopefully once the current nightmare is behind us, some of that can be restored once again although I am not overly-optimistic.

[patricia92243]

2. I can't even imagine the jackass that is in the WH now writing anything gracious or kind.

[Moebym]

29. He'll trash the place.

Like an tenant after getting an eviction notice, he'll overturn furniture, throw stuff on the floors, etc. I mean, he thinks it's a dump anyway.

[3Hotdogs]

43. "Dear Next Pres'dent,

I did the mostliest of any pres'dent before me to fix our country. I know you won't be abl3 to match the things I did but do your bestest.

Don

[tclambert]

49. "PS. Please pardon me! Please, please, please, please, please!"

[Calista241]

51. Hey now., he's going to leave behind fabulously gold plated walls and heavy oak furniture.

In the private residence.

[samnsara]

3. im in tears.. i want our America to be GREAT again!!!!

[Ilsa]

4. That was a very kind note after what was a stunning loss for GHWB.

The first priority was the nation, not "winning" or getting revenge (remember Omarosa's comments).

[bigtree]

5. it had to be humbling for Bush

...and he did prove to be gracious in his retirement.

I imagine he reveled in the history and national tradition in our democracy that deserves and flourishes from such graciousness.

[mcar]

6. K&R

[milestogo]

7. Thought this was going to be a note from Trumpy to Putin.

[Greybnk48]

8. I almost always disagreed with Poppy, but never hated him.

Not like we feel today about many; feelings well deserved I might add. He and his wife conducted themselves very professionally while in office. He always did, she let her racism show when Dubya took over; a rare slip. In hindsight, and knowing what we know now, I wonder what kind of President he would have been if he hadn't had the fucking monster Cheney at his ear all the time?

I didn't vote for him, but he was a good man.

[George II]

9. That is traditional. Outgoing Presidents leave a note like that in the Oval Office for the...

...new President (Nixon may not have done so for Ford, however).

Obama left one for trump.

I suppose we'll have to wonder if trump will do this for the next President?

[bigtree]

10. "When you read this note, I'll no longer be president..."

...

[Bayard]

28. Number 5

Speed dial on this phone will get you a Big Mac.

[Bob Loblaw]

11. I can't imagine

Trump doing this. And this is yet another funeral he will be asked to stay away from.

[EllieBC]

12. You can't imagine it because he won't.

The days of class and grace are gone.

[Bob Loblaw]

14. Trump never possessed

either class or grace. I'm not ready to say that no one else does. Take you and me for instance.

[EllieBC]

18. I feel like it's been going in general.

Just in general, people are less polite than they used to be. Maybe it’s the extreme polarization. I think about how the Clintons and Obamas can be pleasant and even friendly with the Bush family and the McCains or how RBG would have lunch with Scalia and I wonder what the hell is wrong with the rest of us. What has happened? I mean I know that giant talking yam accelerated the death of decorum but it was already happening.

[Bob Loblaw]

22. I don't disagree

And I think reasonable people can disagree without being unreasonable. I happen to believe there are still more people who choose decency over those who don't. I think we can continue to fight for ourselves and our causes and beliefs without stooping to their level. Admittedly I don't always practice what I'm preaching here, but I try most of the time. To paraphrase; All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good people do nothing. Have a great weekend, it appears that Mousse-a-lini's mideeds are reaching critical mass.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

33. Fox, Limbaugh, and entitled ultra-rich

The extreme polarization is the result of extremist propaganda being pushed for the agenda of the centi-millionaire and billionaire class. They received windfalls under Reaganomics and have been amassing more wealth and power to promote more wealth and power to themselves ever since.

[rickyhall]

52. Don't forget Gingrich

[erronis]

38. And the bang-for-the-buck media. If it doesn't flame emotions, it doesn't get eyeballs and ad$$$

Murdoch understands how to divide people so he can sell his crap. Other media moguls are guilty also.

Fascinating segment on OnPointRadio about Roger Ailes (also The Clinton Affair): https://www.divideandconquerfilm.com/

And, I hope we can resurrect some decorum and intelligent discussion. The yacking yam can't destroy everything.

[George II]

16. The funeral will be in Washington and trump will be there. Hopefully he'll be shunned like this week

[bullwinkle428]

26. "HOW COULD U STAB ME IN THE BACK LIKE THIS, MIKE???"

[MurrayDelph]

34. If Trump manages to get through the whole term

(and, god, I hope he doesn't)


The best we can hope from him is a note that says:



"This letter is good for 10% off of your purchase* at Mar-a-Lago gift shop





"* $500 Minimum purchase required"

[SergeStorms]

47. $500 at the Mar-ma-lado gift shop...

will get you one MAGA hat and a black and white photo of Trump eating a chicken leg.

[SnowCritter]

15. If he does,

you can be assured that the topic of the note will be Trump, and nothing else.

The ultimate narcissist right to the end.

[George II]

17. Something like "I fixed this country, now don't screw it up"

[KentuckyWoman]

13. I am baffled by all the hearts and flowers for GHWB today on the DU.

The man is a horrible human being. No amount of washing gets the skunk off him. There can be no redemption for any member of the BFEE.

The President's club is fine. I get that. But to see any kindness towards the man here is completely baffling. So he's not as much a shithead as what we have. I'm sorry, but that can't be the standard. It can't.

[lark]

19. You won't be hearing any kind words from me.

I will never forgive him for what he did to Jimmy Carter for Rayguns and his personal benefit. He may have been better on the outside, not as crass or hate filled, but inside he sold out our country and the hostages for his own benefit and that's unforgivable in my book. He also fomented the Iraq war encouraging them to invade Kuwait then turning on them once they followed his suggestion. But there's a difference, he did what he did for power, but power for the rich of this country. He wasn;t a tool of Russia or any other foreign country and put the welfare of this country above that of any others. Tiny puts Russia first, America and our allies last and actively tries to hurt the working class/poor and minorities out of hate. So yes no one has ever been as bad as drumpf, but HW wasn't actually good. His son is still one of the top 2-5 worst presidents ever. I think the rankings for worst ever should be - Drumpf, Jackson, GW Bush, Harding.

[bigtree]

20. it's all out there

Last edited Sat Dec 1, 2018, 12:31 PM - Edit history (3)

...a touching letter to the incoming president isn't going to erase any of the bad things he orchestrated or participated in.

Still, we're not bound to scorn or recrimination in our discourse. There's value in emphasizing his humanity, and there's further value in recognizing the comity shown to his political rival, especially in the midst of such a recriminating presidency as we're experiencing today.




GHW Bush pictured at Walker's Point Maine in this July 2013 photo after joining members of his Secret Service detail in shaving his head to show support for Patrick, the two year-old son of a detail member who was being treated for cancer and was losing his hair. Reuters

[Moebym]

30. Great comment. Let's let history be the judge. Nt

[reflection]

41. I completely understand.

I'm torn, like a lot of people. I got the chance to spend a week in very close proximity to him, ate meals sitting next to him for several days and chatted in the hallways where we were staying. One on one, a complete class act. Charming, wanted to talk about you, not himself, would stop in the middle of whatever he was doing literally dozens of times to sign something or grant a picture taken with someone. Funny, self-deprecating, the whole package. Then you have his policies.

Made me wish I'd never met him. Or made me wish I never knew his policies. He's hard to put in a box for me. I'll just be glad for what he did well and lament what he didn't.

[burrowowl]

45. I am too!

For 1 Iran Contra 200 t0 250,000 Guatemalan Natives killed and Bush I is to blame (Raygun's mind was already gone) , he makes me puke!

[trof]

21. Damn.

Got something in my eye just now.

[Mrs. Overall]

23. Country before party. Unity before division.

[orangecrush]

24. Class act.

As much as I suffered as a result of his policies (as did most of us) I respect him for upholding the dignity of the office.

[Gothmog]

25. GHW Bush was a class act

[secondwind]

27. This is so beautiful! And it made me sad when recall Trump having Palin and Kid Rock and Ted Nugent

in that same room!

We NEED our country back..

[DesertRat]

31. There was never any doubt that he loved the country. RIP

[jmowreader]

32. If a note like that is left after our current long nightmare, someone else will have written it

[bigtree]

35. kick

[colsohlibgal]

36. Polar Opposite Of Trump

Did not agree with Poppy Bush about everything but he had a class and decency that has gone and went, for the most part, in that Party. Tragic.

RIP GHWB.

[jb5150]

37. I don't know what Trump's letter will say ....

... but I'm guessing it will be written in crayon.

[garybeck]

39. That's how presidents are supposed to act. Nt

[Initech]

40. Sigh... remember when the presidency used to be respected?

[jimlup]

42. George H. W. Bush is still a war criminal

I will not apologize for holding this view nor will I forget it.

[burrowowl]

46. He sure is and did crimes against humanity!

200 to 250,000 Guatemalan Natives killed under Iran-Contra!

[jimlup]

48. +1

[Honeycombe8]

44. A note from a standup man. No wonder they remained friends.

Those were the days when the two parties could get along. That all changed with the Republican hatred for Bill Clinton and the rise of Newt Gingrich.

[TeamPooka]

50. Trump's letter to his successor will be: "follow that, motherfucker" written in purple crayon.