President George H. W. Bush garnered public admiration over the course of his public service career, and his personal staffers shared their stories of the inner workings of the Bush White House and Bush’s style of leadership. Andy Card, former Secretary of Transportation under George H. W. Bush, and Jean Becker, Chief of Staff after Bush left office, told Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service students, faculty, and staff what Bush was like in the White House and in his personal life.
Card, who also served as White House Chief of Staff for George W. Bush, recalled a story about how George H. W. Bush comforted the family of a fallen soldier. Card spoke about how Bush knew what it meant to go to war and the human impact it had on Americans.
Becker shared the more personal side of President Bush and told a story about a prank on Roger Clemens. Clemens was visiting the White House, and when he touched an object on the Oval Office desk, a recording of Bush saying not to touch anything sprung out of it. The prank scared Clemens but did not scare him away for good.
The George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation, and the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs hosted the event on President’s Day to honor Bush in the wake of his recent passing.
