Ceremony, celebration, and the kind words of President Obama, three former U.S. presidents, and his wife might have been almost too much for George W. Bush, who choked back tears today when making a speech at the dedication of his presidential library and museum on Thursday.
Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and President Barack Obama were all on hand at the George W. Bush Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University today to help dedicate George W. Bush's presidential library and to celebrate his public life. Despite being a mix of democrats and republicans, and despite George W. Bush's historically low popularity rating, around 33 percent, when he left office, the ceremonies and speeches resounded with mostly praise for the former president today.
President Obama, in his speech, commended Bush's authenticity and grounded-ness in his speech, saying, "To know the man is to like the man, because he's comfortable in his own skin." According to the Reuters report, Obama also added, "He takes his job seriously, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. He's a good man."
Even criticisms at the ceremony were blunted by humor. While former president Bill Clinton mentioned that the occasion was an attempt to rewrite history, he phrased it as something all former presidents strive to do, evincing laughter from the crowd and Bush. There were about 100 demonstrators who held an event in Dallas, near the campus where the ceremony was being held, protesting against various U.S. military actions which all five presidents have been involved with.
The bipartisan occasion ended with a speech from former President George W. Bush, where he thanked all of the dignitaries for attending and dedicated the library, saying, "For eight years you gave me the honor of serving as your President, and today I'm proud to dedicate this center to the American people."
After speaking about his presidency, politics, and the public spirit, Bush ended his remarks by saying, his voice already quivering, "Whatever challenges come before us, I will always believe our nation's best days lie ahead," at which point he was visibly holding back tears. He finished with his voice cracking, saying, "God bless."