Barbara Bush

[B.D.F.]

Just read what I found to be a very sad news article: Barbara Bush, wife of George H.W. Bush and mother of George W. Bush, has refused further medical care and has been moved from the hospital to home, and is now receiving only care that provides comfort. There is really nothing more to say as all adults should realize this situation and where it is headed.

All politics aside, Mrs. Bush has always represented sort of a 'class act' to me. As an American, she has never embarrassed me or caused me any emotional discomfort in my lifetime, something I unfortunately cannot say about every major US politician's wife (and mother). I certainly do not know the woman but from a distance, she seems to be what I would term a 'class act', a tough, uncompromising woman who has be a stalwart and to the best of my knowledge, upstanding leading citizen for her entire life. She has always projected dignity and grace, again, at least in my view.

Of course I have no particular information or knowledge and it is entirely possible that Mrs. Bush is a horrible human being..... but if so, she has managed to disguise it well enough for decades now. And that alone is worth something, at least to me.

So my personal compliments to Mrs. Bush and my appreciation as an American for her 'service' (being first Lady most certainly is a demanding if unselected service IMO), grace and personal presentation after decades of being in the public's eye (the public's very unforgiving eye).

Brian

[Conniesaki]

Just read what I found to be a very sad news article: Barbara Bush, wife of George H.W. Bush and mother of George W. Bush, has refused further medical care and has been moved from the hospital to home, and is now receiving only care that provides comfort. There is really nothing more to say as all adults should realize this situation and where it is headed.

All politics aside, Mrs. Bush has always represented sort of a 'class act' to me. As an American, she has never embarrassed me or caused me any emotional discomfort in my lifetime, something I unfortunately cannot say about every major US politician's wife (and mother). I certainly do not know the woman but from a distance, she seems to be what I would term a 'class act', a tough, uncompromising woman who has be a stalwart and to the best of my knowledge, upstanding leading citizen for her entire life. She has always projected dignity and grace, again, at least in my view.

I agree she seems like a nice lady. Very grandmotherly.

Of course I have no particular information or knowledge and it is entirely possible that Mrs. Bush is a horrible human being..... but if so, she has managed to disguise it well enough for decades now.

... although you could say similar about Bill Cosby. (until recently)

[mikeyw64]

The only woman to have been present at the swearing in of both husband & son as President

[Eupher]

She's 92; she and GHWB have been married 73 years.

Read an interesting quote attributed to her, paraphrased, "I married the first man I kissed. When I say this to my grandchildren, they say it makes them want to throw up."

I really would've thought that GHWB would be the first to go of the two of them. He's pretty immobile with a vascular form of Parkinson's apparently.

[B.D.F.]

Absolutely true- she could be a monster, and of course I might never know. I do not know the woman. But as I said, she never embarrassed me as an American, <appeared> to be a class act while at the same time being a pretty normal human without any false airs or facades that so often seem to surround people who have occupied her position.

Further, I have a lot of respect for what may well be 'The greatest Generation' and it has nothing to do with politics. As a baby- boomer, I believe that generation was tougher, far more grounded, based in reality instead of the illusions surrounding reality (i.e., the goal was to be safe and comfortable in a respectable, modest home while my generation and later seem to think that the goal is really how many square feet of granite counter-top a house has that counts). They bore tremendous, almost unbelievable pressures and situations in the great depression and WWII, rose to both occasions and not only  made it through but made things better in the end. Then they benefited from the rapid, almost equally unbelievable economic boom and expansion of the post- war period without losing that grounded, practical inner self. They had a certain minimum level of behavior that resulted in a level of decency that is just not present today and has not been around for several decades now IMO.

And they are mostly gone now, with the ones that remain leaving us at a tremendous rate. And frankly, it makes me a little sad because it is like saying goodbye to a most impressive group of people, again, at least IMO. Those people such as Barbara Bush are merely the most visible 'tip of the iceberg' and perhaps, people who rose up a little higher, bore their own situations a little bit better than some others; beyond surviving, she and quite a few others rose up as leaders that were respectable and if nothing else, at least put on an excellent display.

I mentioned Bob Dole in a similar way a while back and just so it does not appear that these thoughts have any kind of political angle, one of my all- time heroes was Daniel Inouye, who served on the other side of the aisle. Read the citation given him when he received his Medal of Honor and see if that 'flesh and blood' man does not make Superman seem a little wimpy.

Brian

<snip>

... although you could say similar about Bill Cosby. (until recently)

[Rubber_Snake]

  

Brian, have you read “In Harm’s Way”?  Excellent book about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.  Gives you appreciation and admiration for the greatest generation. 

Also, if you find yourself in New Orleans, I would highly recommend taking a day to visit the WWII Museum.  Excellent experience. 

[B.D.F.]

OFFTOPIC:

No, have not read that one but I did read either a life- summary or a biography (?? cannot remember what it was) written by Mochitsura Hashimoto, commander of the I58, the sub that sank the Indianapolis and later testified at the court marshal of the captain of the Indianapolis.

I did have the excellent good fortune to spend some time in northwestern Germany and eastern The Netherlands; I had a very good friend who took me around in a couple of areas of trenches and emplacements of Operation Market Garden, along with visiting a simply outstanding WWII museum, again in The Netherlands, filled with artifacts from the the US, the UK and <mostly> Germany. The hardware was so well preserved and displayed that it looked like it literally could have been rolled outside and used immediately. I got the special treat of standing next to a projectile from one of the Krupp 80 cm rail guns (Dora or Schwerer Gustav); 800 mm in diameter, around 11' long and weighing over 10,000 lbs., it would have been launched to distances over 30 miles.

And I have ALWAYS wanted to see the museums (indoor and outdoor) at Aberdeen proving grounds in MD but delayed so long that they have now been shut down and most of the exhibits moved to VA. Doh!

Back ONTOPIC:

Anyway, I do no think there was anything special about 'The Greatest Generation' regarding those particular people of course but they were special, perhaps even unique, in the way life 'tempered' and shaped them. They seem to be a generation that produces more than it consumed, maybe better said in that they 'gave more than they got' and made the world what it is today, both good and bad. After all, it was the post- war excess and outstanding economy and world position of the US that generated the next generation, my generation, that I think may have been raised to expect to get all back that we provide and maybe just a touch more.

Brian

 

Brian, have you read “In Harm’s Way”?  Excellent book about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.  Gives you appreciation and admiration for the greatest generation. 

Also, if you find yourself in New Orleans, I would highly recommend taking a day to visit the WWII Museum.  Excellent experience.

[tonedeaf1]

"All politics aside, Mrs. Bush has always represented sort of a 'class act' to me. As an American, she has never embarrassed me or caused me any emotional discomfort in my lifetime,.."

Really makes me yearn for the folks like her from both parties -- didn't realize how good we had it.

[tweeter55]

https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/gma/former-first-lady-barbara-bush-dies-age-92-234304685--abc-news-topstories.html

[B.D.F.]

Yes, and take a look at this woman's expression about Mrs. Bush:

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Randa-Jarrar-Barbara-Bush-Fresno-State-professor-12844395.php

Sort the opposite bookend of a human that was a 'class act', maintained her dignity and always maintained an excellent level of decorum. This is what we get from a person 4 generations later. :-( This person (the poster, not Mrs. Bush) also expressed confidence that she will not be fired over this communication and that, if true, would be the most troubling aspect of later generations, at least to me.

Brian

"All politics aside, Mrs. Bush has always represented sort of a 'class act' to me. As an American, she has never embarrassed me or caused me any emotional discomfort in my lifetime,.."

Really makes me yearn for the folks like her from both parties -- didn't realize how good we had it.

[B.D.F.]

Another opinion from a different source:

"Barbara Bush, née Barbara Pierce, (born June 8, 1925, Rye, New York, U.S.—died April 17, 2018, Houston, Texas), American first lady (1989–93), wife of George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States, and mother of George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States. One of the most popular first ladies, she was noted for her charitable and humanitarian efforts."

Quoted directly from the Encyclopædia Britannica, located on-line at this link:  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Bush

Seems those fools missed the 'horror' that was Mrs. Bush entirely. Glad some woman named Randa Jarrar was able to set things straight. 

Brian

[Conniesaki]

Yes, and take a look at this woman's expression about Mrs. Bush:

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Randa-Jarrar-Barbara-Bush-Fresno-State-professor-12844395.php

Sort the opposite bookend of a human that was a 'class act', maintained her dignity and always maintained an excellent level of decorum. This is what we get from a person 4 generations later. :-( This person (the poster, not Mrs. Bush) also expressed confidence that she will not be fired over this communication and that, if true, would be the most troubling aspect of later generations, at least to me.

Brian

Seems like a serious problem when a government employee can confidently (and possibly accurately) declare they will never be fired.

That said, she's probably not entirely accurate, and I admit I'd get at least a skosh of satisfaction if she were to be fired. Karma. Jinx. Whatever ya wanna call it.

[gPink]

Seems she's taken a leave of absence this semester.

[Conniesaki]

Seems she's taken a leave of absence this semester.

If she was one of those university 'contractors' I bet her contract would not be renewed.