Not only eagle-eyed netizens but
Barbara Bush
, the late former First Lady, was one of many renowned figures who publicly questioned
Donald Trump’s
caliber for the presidency. Before she died in 2018, Bush consistently spoke about her intense criticism of Trump, especially during his first term in 2016.
She found his loud, direct, and confrontational campaign style a major turnoff. Little did she know that it would become his PR tactic to stay relevant over the years.
In a clip from CBS Mornings, she remarked, “He’s like a comedian. Or a showman or something. It’s just not how things get done in this country — you need to work with Congress.”
Barbara Bush in her 1990 diary reportedly wrote “Trump now means Greed, selfishness and ugly”
https://t.co/tK1i0sjEkJ
pic.twitter.com/RTuXxo1hN0
— The Hill (@thehill)
March 27, 2019
Barbara Bush also strongly condemned the way Donald Trump treated women, such as his attacks on journalist Megyn Kelly. She also dismissed the idea that Trump’s wealth was impressive or meaningful. “Money doesn’t buy everything,” she told CNN. “It’s about accomplishments, giving back. I don’t understand the appeal.” Summing it all up, she once bluntly said, “I’m sick of him.”
Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh Yvette Nicole Brown (@yvettenicolebrown)
As per The List,
the general dislike towards the 79-year-old
increased when Donald Trump made jabs at her son Jeb Bush. When the New York businessman and the former Florida governor competed for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Trump criticized the entire Bush clan, including George W. Bush, over starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Interestingly, Donald Trump claimed to understand her dislike towards him and “She’s the mother of someone I ran against,” he told The Washington Post, as per the radical leader, several Americans expected Jeb to win. Still, Trump quickly knocked him out of the race. “I hit him very hard,” he added.
In a new book, USA Today’s Washington bureau chief, Susan Page, reveals that Barbara Bush claimed that the entire election stress felt like “a heart attack” as she blamed Trump for it. When asked shortly before her death whether she still considered herself a Republican, Bush responded, “I’d probably say no today.”
Barbara Bush was only the second woman in American history to be both the wife and the mother of a U.S. president. (Her son, George W. Bush, also served as the president after his father.) Reportedly, she made all attempts to stop Trump from winning the 2016 elections and instead assumed
Hillary Clinton
would win (
via AP
).
She even prepared a playful letter to welcome former President
Bill Clinton
into the “first spouses” club, expecting that Hillary Clinton would win. But that letter was never sent. She woke up the day after the election and recalled, “To my horror, Trump had won.”
Despite her disappointment, Bush still reached out to First Lady Melania Trump amid speculation about whether she would move to the White House from Trump Tower. Being the dignified lady that she was, Barbara offered kind advice to her and told her to do what she felt was best for her family.
Melania was seen at her funeral. Barbara was suffering from lung disease and congestive heart failure, and rather than spending her remaining time in the hospital, she chose to be comfortable in her final hours and return to Houston.
Statement by the Office of
@GeorgeHWBush
on the passing of Barbara Pierce Bush this evening at the age of 92.
pic.twitter.com/c6JU0xy6Vc
— Jim McGrath (@jgm41)
April 17, 2018
Then, in a moment of quiet comfort, away from the public spotlight, she and her husband,
George H. W. Bush
, spent time together hand in hand as they shared a drink: bourbon for Barbara and a vodka martini for her beloved George. After 73 years of marriage, they gave each other permission — he to let her go, and she for him to carry on. She died two days later on April 17, 2018.
Meanwhile, despite the evident differences between them, President Trump described the former first lady as “an advocate for the American family” after her death.
