George W. Bush, Michelle Obama Share Inside Joke at George H.W. Bush's Funeral
President George W. Bush and former first lady Michelle Obama once again publicly displayed their friendship during George H.W. Bush's funeral Wednesday
By Sierra Jackson ••
George W. Bush appeared to slip something into Michelle Obama’s hands as he welcomed her to his father’s funeral. It continues a tradition: During John McCain’s funeral, Bush handed her a cough drop.
President George W. Bush might have been in mourning Wednesday at his father's funeral, but he still managed to reach out with a friendly gesture to former first lady Michelle Obama.
As Bush greeted the other living former presidents and their wives at the National Cathedral in Washington, where they were gathered for George H.W. Bush's state funeral, he seemed to slip something into Michelle Obama’s hand, bringing a grin to her and former President Barack Obama's faces.
It wasn't immediately clear what he passed her — he didn't make reference to it when he spoke for his eulogy — but it's not the first time he and the former first lady shared a moment of levity in a time of mourning.
At the late Sen. John McCain’s funeral in September, Bush and Obama bonded over a cough drop. Obama said on the "Today" show that they have become “partners in crime” at every official function because White House protocol mandates that they sit next to each other.
"I love him to death," the former first lady said of the 43rd president. "He's a wonderful man. He's a funny man."
During McCain’s funeral, Obama asked Bush for a cough drop after he passed one to his wife, former first lady Laura Bush. Obama later realized that the cough drop box sported a White House official seal, possibly making it at least a decade old.
On social media, many people commended the act of friendship between two figures from different political parties.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump shook hands with former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama after the Trumps arrived at George H.W. Bush’s funeral at the National Cathedral.
The duo’s relationship goes back further. In 2016, the bipartisan pair shared a hug at the National Museum of African American History dedication ceremony.
On a 2017 episode of "Ellen," Bush told host Ellen DeGeneres that his friendship with Michelle Obama took many people by surprise.
"[The friendship] surprised everybody," Bush said. "That's what's so weird about society today: [the surprise] that people on opposite sides of the political spectrum can actually like each other."
Despite the good relationship between Obama and Bush, the combination of former presidents and first ladies in the first pew of George H.W. Bush's funeral made for an awkward moment at an otherwise solemn event.
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Pallbearers carry the casket of former President George H.W. Bush off of Pacific Union's "Bush 4141" on Dec. 6, 2018, in College Station, Texas. The 41st president will be laid to rest near his presidential library next to his wife Barbara and daughter Robin.
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The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush passes through Magnolia, Texas, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, along the route from Spring to College Station, Texas.
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People wave at a train carrying the casket of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 6, 2018.
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People pay their respects as the train carrying the casket of former President George H.W. Bush passes by on Dec. 6, 2018, along the route from Spring to College Station, Texas.
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The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Spring, Texas, as it is placed on a Union Pacific train.
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Former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush and other family members watch as the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Spring, Texas, to a Union Pacific train.
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Former President George W. Bush cries as he touches the casket of his father, former President George H.W. Bush, at the State Funeral at the National Cathedral on Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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The State Funeral for former President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral, on Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Former President George W. Bush speaks in front of the flag-draped casket of his father, former President George H.W. Bush, at the State Funeral at the National Cathedral, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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Jenna Bush Hager, the daughter of former President George Bush, touches the casket of former President George H.W. Bush after speaking at his State Funeral at the National Cathedral, Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and former presidents, vice presidents, first ladies and spouses attend the state funeral for former President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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A joint service honor guard carries the casket of former US President George H.W. Bush into the Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral on Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former President Jimmy Carter listen as former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney speaks during a state funeral for former U.S. President George H. W. Bush at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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Former U.S. President George W. Bush (C) leans across President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to greet fellow former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and former first ladies Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama during the state funeral for his father and former President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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Canadian military salute on the sidewalk outside the Canadian Embassy, as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush drive by on Pennsylvania Ave. from the Capitol to a State Funeral at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Stephanie Penn, left, and Tiffany Ge watch the flag-draped casket of former President George H. W. Bush carried by a joint services military honor guard down the steps of the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington.
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A joint services military honor guard carries the flag-draped casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush from the U.S. Capitol to transport it to Washington National Cathedral Dec. 5, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
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Former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, Neil Bush and Sharon Bush, stand as a joint services military honor guard carries the flag-draped casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush from the U.S. Capitol to transport it to Washington National Cathedral Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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From right: former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, Neil Bush, Sharon Bush, Bobby Koch, Doro Koch, Jeb Bush and Columba Bush stand just prior to a joint services military honor guard carrying the flag-draped casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush from the U.S. Capitol to transport it to Washington National Cathedral Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C. President Bush will be buried at his final resting place at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University.
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Jenna Bush Hager and her sister Barbara Bush stand with the husbands Henry Chase Hager and Craig Coyne as they pay respect in front of the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Jeb Bush and his wife Columba Bush pay their respects in front of the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State Colin Powell (C) and former military officials from the Gulf War salute the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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Former Senator Bob Dole stands up and salutes the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as Bush lies in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington, D.C. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and, finally, 41st President of the United States.
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Sully, a yellow Labrador service dog for former President George H. W. Bush, sits beside Bush's flag-draped casket as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pause in front of the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Dec. 3, 2018.
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Members of the U.S. Secret Service carry the casket of former President George H. W. Bush to a hearse at George H. Lewis Funeral Home after a family service, Dec. 3, 2018, in Houston, Texas.
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Crowds gather at Ellington Field to watch as the body of former President George H.W. Bush is transported aboard the presidential plane en route to Washington, where the 41st president will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dec. 3, 2018, in Houston, Texas.
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Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush board the presidential plane that will carry the casket of his father, former President George H.W. Bush, to Washington to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 3, 2018, at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas.
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The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard to the presidential plane, deemed Special Air Mission 41 in honor of the 41st U.S. president, at Ellington Field during a departure ceremony Dec. 3, 2018, in Houston, Texas.
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The plane carrying the body of former President George H.W. Bush departs Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, and heads to Washington on Dec. 3, 2018.
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An air traveler visits a statue of former President George H.W. Bush inside the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Dec. 2, 2018, in Houston, Texas. Bush, who died late Friday, Nov. 30, at his Houston home at age 94, is to be honored with a state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington and will be flown to Texas Thursday to be interred on the grounds of his presidential library at Texas A&M University.
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Flags fly at half-staff at Andrews Air Force Base in Md., Dec. 3, 2018, in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. An outpouring is anticipated in Washington this week during the state funeral for Bush, who died late Friday, Nov. 30, at his home in Houston. He was 94.
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Steve Duensing (left) of Salt Lake City and Jan Fitzpatrick of Kennebunkport, Maine, look at the official portrait of former President George H.W. Bush as it is draped in black cloth to mark his passing, at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, Dec. 3, 2018. Fitzpatrick visited the Bush vacation house in her hometown and has traveled to Washington to pay respects as the 41st president lies in state at the Capitol building.
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The hearse carrying the remains of former President George H.W. Bush proceeds up Constitution Avenue en route to the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington.
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Family members and others watch as the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard to lie in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington.
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The casket bearing the remains of former President George H.W. Bush arrives at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 3, 2018.
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The casket bearing the remains of former President George H.W. Bush arrives at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 3, 2018.
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Members of the Bush family walk through the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, where former President George H. W. Bush lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington.
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Former President George W. Bush is embraced by Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during the arrival of the casket of former President George H.W. Bush at the Capitol in Washington,Dec. 3, 2018.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Donald and Melania Trump sat shoulder to shoulder in the first row.
It was the first time Hillary Clinton and President Donald Trump were in the same room — let alone within a few feet of each other — since Trump's 2016 inauguration.
At his political rallies, Trump has continued to lead chants of "Lock her up," referring to the now closed federal investigation into allegations that Clinton had misused a personal email account for government communications. Trump has also continuously accused the Clintons of colluding with “Russia and lots of other people,” NBC News reported in October, though there’s no evidence that those allegations are true.
Clinton has expressed concerns about how Trump is running the White House.
During the funeral, Clinton appeared to keep her eyes fixed on the altar before the group.
As Trump made his way to the front pew of the church, he shook hands with the Obamas but didn’t appear to acknowledge the Clintons. Melania Trump, however, did shake hands with Bill Clinton and wave at Hillary Clinton.
The Obamas were seated between the Trumps and Clintons, and Michelle Obama sat between the political rivals with furrowed eyebrows and down-turned lips. Barack Obama sat cross-legged with his face turned.
Michelle Obama’s expression only changed when George W. Bush leaned over the pew to greet them and slip her an offering. As he grabbed Michelle Obama’s hand, a smile spread across her face.
Laura Bush also came over to say hello, shaking hands with Trump and waving to Melania Trump.
George W. Bush shares his final conversation with his father, George H.W. Bush.
Despite the general tension among the first pew's occupants, George W. Bush and Michelle Obama's moment reminded onlookers of the message sent by their cough drop exchange at the McCain funeral.
At the time, Obama noted that despite being a "simple gesture," the moment illustrated a larger lesson about how politicians should treat each other.
"[People are] hungry for what we all know: that party doesn’t separate us. Color, gender — those kinds of things don’t separate us," Obama said on the "Today" show. "And if we’re the adults and leaders in the room, and we’re not showing that level of decency, we cannot expect our children to do the same."
