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| Convergence of Presidents at Bush Library Dedication | Convergence of Presidents at Bush Library Dedication |
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| UNIVERSITY PARK, Tex. — President Obama joined all of his living predecessors on Thursday to pay tribute to George W. Bush as the arguments of the past decade gave way, at least for a day, to a more generous appraisal of a leader who responded to great challenges with determination and grit. | UNIVERSITY PARK, Tex. — President Obama joined all of his living predecessors on Thursday to pay tribute to George W. Bush as the arguments of the past decade gave way, at least for a day, to a more generous appraisal of a leader who responded to great challenges with determination and grit. |
| The five current and past presidents gathered for the first time since Mr. Obama’s ascension to dedicate the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum here on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Joining them was a collection of current and former foreign leaders and lawmakers as well as hundreds of former Bush administration officials and thousands of his admirers. | |
| Mr. Obama praised Mr. Bush for his resolve after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his compassion in fighting AIDS in Africa and his commitment to overhauling the immigration system. Treading lightly over their disagreements over Iraq and other issues, the president said his predecessor had fought for what he thought was best for his country. | Mr. Obama praised Mr. Bush for his resolve after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his compassion in fighting AIDS in Africa and his commitment to overhauling the immigration system. Treading lightly over their disagreements over Iraq and other issues, the president said his predecessor had fought for what he thought was best for his country. |
| “We know President Bush the man,” Mr. Obama told the crowd in front of the brick-and-limestone center on a bright, sunny Texas day. “To know the man is to like the man. Because he’s comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is. He doesn’t put on any pretenses. He takes his job seriously but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is a good man.” | |
| It was an emotional moment for Mr. Bush, coming four years after leaving office with historic low poll numbers. Bathed in the admiration of his former team and his presidential peers, he recalled the goals that guided his time in office and choked up as he finished his speech. Sitting down to applause, he smiled and wiped tears from his eyes. | It was an emotional moment for Mr. Bush, coming four years after leaving office with historic low poll numbers. Bathed in the admiration of his former team and his presidential peers, he recalled the goals that guided his time in office and choked up as he finished his speech. Sitting down to applause, he smiled and wiped tears from his eyes. |
| “In democracy, the purpose of public office is not to fulfill personal ambition,” he said. “Elected officials must serve a cause greater than themselves. The political winds blow left and right, polls rise and fall, supporters come and go. But in the end leaders are defined by the convictions that they hold.” | “In democracy, the purpose of public office is not to fulfill personal ambition,” he said. “Elected officials must serve a cause greater than themselves. The political winds blow left and right, polls rise and fall, supporters come and go. But in the end leaders are defined by the convictions that they hold.” |
| Mr. Bush, 66, acknowledged the controversies of his time, noting that freedom means the freedom to disagree. “It’s fair to say I created plenty of opportunities to exercise that right,” he said with a smile. | |
| But he added that visitors to his library will see how he saw it. “They’re going to find out that we stayed true to our convictions,” he said, “that we expanded freedom at home by raising standards in schools and lowering taxes for everybody, that we liberated nations from dictatorship and freed people from AIDS. And that when freedom came under attack, we made the tough decisions required to keep the American people safe.” | |
| Laura Bush opened the ceremony by honoring her husband as a caring man who comforted a nation during times of terrorism and war as president and has continued to help the afflicted by rehabilitating a health clinic in Africa as a former president. “I remember how steadfast and steady he was for eight years,” she said, adding, “My George is a man who when someone needs a hand offers them their arms.” | Laura Bush opened the ceremony by honoring her husband as a caring man who comforted a nation during times of terrorism and war as president and has continued to help the afflicted by rehabilitating a health clinic in Africa as a former president. “I remember how steadfast and steady he was for eight years,” she said, adding, “My George is a man who when someone needs a hand offers them their arms.” |
| In addition to Mr. Obama, former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and the first George Bush spoke at the program. | In addition to Mr. Obama, former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and the first George Bush spoke at the program. |
| The event was a public re-emergence of sorts for the elder Mr. Bush, 88, who spent weeks in a hospital last winter and at one point appeared close to death. Now in a wheelchair because of a form of Parkinson’s disease in his legs, Mr. Bush, the 41st president, has recovered considerably and remains lively and engaged, according to people who have seen him lately. | |
| Mr. Bush said only a few words thanking the crowd and those who had made the library. “It’s very special for Barbara and me,” he said, wrapping up by saying, “God bless America, and thank you very much.” | Mr. Bush said only a few words thanking the crowd and those who had made the library. “It’s very special for Barbara and me,” he said, wrapping up by saying, “God bless America, and thank you very much.” |
| The crowd seemed to want more, but when he just waved, they stood in ovation. In an emotional moment, the former president with the help of his son on one side and Mrs. Bush on the other managed to lift himself to his feet for a few moments in acknowledgment | The crowd seemed to want more, but when he just waved, they stood in ovation. In an emotional moment, the former president with the help of his son on one side and Mrs. Bush on the other managed to lift himself to his feet for a few moments in acknowledgment |
| Mr. Clinton, who has become so close to the Bushes that he is often described as a virtual member of the family, offered warm praise for Mr. Bush as a president and quasi-brother, mentioning as Mr. Obama did the AIDS program and immigration fight. | Mr. Clinton, who has become so close to the Bushes that he is often described as a virtual member of the family, offered warm praise for Mr. Bush as a president and quasi-brother, mentioning as Mr. Obama did the AIDS program and immigration fight. |
| He lightly touched on the purpose of any presidential library. “I told President Obama that this was the latest, grandest example of the eternal struggle of former presidents to rewrite history,” Mr. Clinton said with a smile. | |
| He recalled how he and Mr. Bush used to talk while his successor was in office, then referring to the library behind him joked, “Dear God, I hope there’s no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, sitting on stage with the other presidents and first ladies, laughed robustly. | He recalled how he and Mr. Bush used to talk while his successor was in office, then referring to the library behind him joked, “Dear God, I hope there’s no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, sitting on stage with the other presidents and first ladies, laughed robustly. |
| Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush hugged after his talk. | Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush hugged after his talk. |
| Mr. Carter, who was a fierce critic of Mr. Bush and the war in Iraq during his presidency, praised not only the AIDS program but also recalled how Mr. Bush had helped stop more than two decades of war in Sudan. “George W. Bush is responsible for that,” Mr. Carter said. | Mr. Carter, who was a fierce critic of Mr. Bush and the war in Iraq during his presidency, praised not only the AIDS program but also recalled how Mr. Bush had helped stop more than two decades of war in Sudan. “George W. Bush is responsible for that,” Mr. Carter said. |
| Turning to Mr. Bush, Mr. Carter added, “I’m filled with admiration for you and deep gratitude for you about the great contributions you’ve made to the most needy people on earth.” | |
| Also on hand was former Vice President Dick Cheney, who after a heart transplant last year appeared physically revitalized and in good spirits. Wearing a cowboy hat and khakis, he attended a casual reunion of administration officials at a Dallas bar on Wednesday night and never even made it inside as he chatted in the parking lot until past 11 p.m. with colleagues like Karl Rove and Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Ted Cruz of Texas and posed for pictures with former aides and complete strangers alike. | Also on hand was former Vice President Dick Cheney, who after a heart transplant last year appeared physically revitalized and in good spirits. Wearing a cowboy hat and khakis, he attended a casual reunion of administration officials at a Dallas bar on Wednesday night and never even made it inside as he chatted in the parking lot until past 11 p.m. with colleagues like Karl Rove and Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Ted Cruz of Texas and posed for pictures with former aides and complete strangers alike. |
| Mr. Cheney was introduced along with members of presidential families but took his seat in the audience and had no speaking role in the event. In an interview aired this week, Mr. Bush described their relationship as “cordial,” a word that left the impression that the two were not as close because of the dispute in the waning days of the administration over a pardon for Mr. Cheney’s convicted chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby Jr. | |
| Perhaps to counter that, Mr. Bush from the stage singled out his vice president and offered warm words for him. “He served with loyalty, principal and strength,” Mr. Bush said. “I’m proud to call you friend.” | |
| Among others spotted or expected on Thursday were former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; White House aides like Andrew H. Card Jr., Joshua B. Bolten, Karen Hughes, Dan Bartlett, Joe Hagin, Joel Kaplan, Mary Matalin, Harriet Miers and Anita McBride; and political advisers like Ken Mehlman and Mark McKinnon. | Among others spotted or expected on Thursday were former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; White House aides like Andrew H. Card Jr., Joshua B. Bolten, Karen Hughes, Dan Bartlett, Joe Hagin, Joel Kaplan, Mary Matalin, Harriet Miers and Anita McBride; and political advisers like Ken Mehlman and Mark McKinnon. |
| Current and former foreign leaders like Tony Blair of Britain, Ehud Olmert of Israel, Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and John Howard of Australia were also present, as were current and former Republican lawmakers like Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas, and Bill Frist of Tennessee, the former Senate majority leader. | |
| In addition to the presidents and their wives, other presidential families were represented by Lucy Johnson, Lynda Robb, Tricia Nixon Cox, Susan Ford Bales and Michael Reagan. | In addition to the presidents and their wives, other presidential families were represented by Lucy Johnson, Lynda Robb, Tricia Nixon Cox, Susan Ford Bales and Michael Reagan. |
| Mr. Bush’s foundation raised more than $500 million for the presidential complex and associated programs. The $250 million facility, on 23 acres at S.M.U., houses the library and museum, which will be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, and a public policy institute, which will remain under Mr. Bush’s control to promote favored causes like global health and democracy. | Mr. Bush’s foundation raised more than $500 million for the presidential complex and associated programs. The $250 million facility, on 23 acres at S.M.U., houses the library and museum, which will be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, and a public policy institute, which will remain under Mr. Bush’s control to promote favored causes like global health and democracy. |
| The museum features the story of Mr. Bush’s presidency as he sees it, a narrative driven by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and his responses to it. Everything from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to an expansive program to fight AIDS in Africa are cast under the larger theme of spreading freedom around the world. | The museum features the story of Mr. Bush’s presidency as he sees it, a narrative driven by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and his responses to it. Everything from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to an expansive program to fight AIDS in Africa are cast under the larger theme of spreading freedom around the world. |
| Critics will not find enough about controversies like the inaccurate intelligence that preceded the invasion of Iraq or the stuttered initial response to Hurricane Katrina, but the museum includes an interactive theater to let visitors decide how they would have handled major challenges. Mr. Bush and his advisers said they were intent on exhibits short on hagiography and long on information that would help Americans see the various moments of decision through the president’s eyes. | Critics will not find enough about controversies like the inaccurate intelligence that preceded the invasion of Iraq or the stuttered initial response to Hurricane Katrina, but the museum includes an interactive theater to let visitors decide how they would have handled major challenges. Mr. Bush and his advisers said they were intent on exhibits short on hagiography and long on information that would help Americans see the various moments of decision through the president’s eyes. |
| “The museum does give people the opportunity to hear the different points of view that I got on these particular issues,” Mr. Bush told CNN’s John King. “The purpose of which is not to try to defend the policy. The purpose of which is to try to show people what it's like to be the president. And how you make decisions. History will ultimately judge the decisions that were made for Iraq, and I’m just not going to be around to see the final verdict.” | “The museum does give people the opportunity to hear the different points of view that I got on these particular issues,” Mr. Bush told CNN’s John King. “The purpose of which is not to try to defend the policy. The purpose of which is to try to show people what it's like to be the president. And how you make decisions. History will ultimately judge the decisions that were made for Iraq, and I’m just not going to be around to see the final verdict.” |