George W. Bush Talks About His Well-Known Moment with Michelle Obama at the Funeral

George W. Bush Reflects on a Memorable Moment with Michelle Obama

Former President George W. Bush shared a poignant memory of his time with Michelle Obama during the funeral of late Republican Senator John McCain in 2018, an encounter that unexpectedly captured the public’s attention.

In an interview with his daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, on April 21, President Bush remarked on how this moment transcended their roles as politicians, presenting themselves as just ordinary citizens. “As you know, I get a little annoyed. I was sitting next to Michelle, and it was really nice to have her there at the funeral,” Bush recounted.

He reminisced about the moment he playfully offered an Altoid to Michelle, saying, “I didn’t think it would be such a big deal, but apparently, it surprised everyone.” This innocent gesture seemed to resonate broadly, highlighting a longing in the nation for these candid interactions between political figures from different backgrounds.

Turning to his daughter in the conversation, President Bush added, “Then we got in the car, and you mentioned it was trending. I had no idea what ‘trending’ meant at that time.”

He suggested that the American public was eager to witness interactions between white center-right Republicans and African-American center-left Democrats that felt more like friendly chats than political discussions. “I plan to keep doing that,” he stated.

Interestingly, Michelle Obama once humorously referred to the Altoid as an “old cough medicine” during a separate interview.

Reflecting on the public’s surprise at their friendship, Bush mentioned in a prior interview, “People were really taken aback that Michelle Obama and I could get along.” He described her as a “partner in crime” during those significant occasions.

Michelle Obama echoed similar sentiments later, mentioning how they had always remained close at various events, reinforcing their camaraderie. She shared, “We were just sitting together; that’s how we do things at major gatherings.” She affectionately added that they basically acted as each other’s “partners in crime” at these functions.