Early in February 1985, when I accepted the position as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush, I had some idea of what I was getting myself into. On the official side, we had the entire second term of the Reagan/Bush Administration to complete. On the political side, we had a presidential campaign organization to build and an election to win in 1988.
What I did not fully comprehend was that I was also being invited into a family lead by Barbara Bush.
The opportunity to serve the Vice President was a high honor. The privilege of being invited to be so close to the Bush family would be an extraordinary life-long experience.
While sad to see her leave us, it is remarkable to hear so many people from around the world express their profound affection for Barbara Bush. She touched many lives in exceptionally positive ways during her 92 years.
While I had a close-up view for only a fraction of those years, the impact certainly never left me. She was honest, frank, funny and never for a loss when asked her opinion. These are traits extraordinarily valuable when you are trying to get through a presidential campaign.
Soon after accepting the position as her husband’s chief of staff, I asked if we could have lunch. While I didn’t know her well, I knew there was no way to go through the next four years without a strong bond.
We had a delightful lunch, and she said she had two requests. First, she knew that she would have to do events and travel during the course of the four years; but, she said, she really wanted to be able to end her day with her husband if at all possible. Second, she suggested she probably would do anything asked of her, but she did want to understand why.
Pretty remarkable!
I told her I had two requests. First, having been around the White House for four years, I knew how people liked to present themselves as carrying an important message from someone. I asked that if she ever had anything she wanted to share or communicate that she do it directly and indicated I would try to do the same. We both agreed that “messengers” usually get it wrong anyway. We were together a great deal, and I think we both lived up to this commitment without exception which was extraordinarily valuable.
My second request was that she help me understand who the really close friends were since I was being bombarded by calls wishing me well from people explaining that they were the closest of friends to the Bush family. She said she would help and offered to share their private Christmas card list which she suggested would give me a good place to start. A couple of days later the list arrived and I realized the extent of the challenge….there were hundreds of names on the list.
We traveled throughout the world and the country together. I observed how beloved she was wherever we landed. There truly were close friendships everywhere we went in the world. While she never had the formal title of Ambassador, I know of no finer Ambassador our nation has ever had whether she was greeting people at a residence or traveling to world capitals.
My last opportunity to spend time with her occurred a few months ago in Kennebunkport when, with Karen, I attended a small event for the Bush Library. For a few moments we sat alone with the President and Mrs. Bush in their home, and I shared how enjoyable it was to be with them in a place that had so many wonderful memories. Without missing a beat, she said, “and some that were not so wonderful as well!” She still got that last word!
I know her family wants us to celebrate her life and what a life it was!
I count myself fortunate to have been a part of it for a time.
Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore with his wife Karen.
Deirdre LaMotte says
What a woman Mrs. Bush was! She was the perfect foil for her husband ; she was a whip-smart woman who adored her family and lived
her life with complete honesty , decency and integrity.
As staffers working for George HW Bush, she would sometimes leave us quaking in our shoes. One Christmas Julie Petersmyer and I were helping them with a party for the White House Operators. Julie asked one of the women if she’d like another drink. Mrs. Bush gave her the
“Barbara Look”, told her firmly that one only asks if they’d like “a drink, even if it is their 10th drink”. We later laughed so hard
after I told Julie that my mother had said the same to me a zillion times. 🙂
Rest in peace, great lady!
Bronwyn Fry says
To add to the hosting etiquette lesson, I was once put in the same place by Wilbur Ross Hubbard. He was sitting at my desk making travel arrangements, and kept staring intently at a small candy jar, temptingly within his reach. I finally asked “Would you like one?” His instant response and lesson: “The question is NOT would you like one? It is ‘Will you have one?’ I would like one, but will not have one.” The “Wilbur Hubbard look” had the same mortifying effect on me.
Thus, the question should probably be “Will you have a drink?”
(I would like one, but since I’ve already had ten, I won’t have one.)