Transcripts For CSPAN3 First Ladies Influence And Image 20151207

We talked to her recently. She talked about that day. I like to have you talk about how she responded to that and how it redefine what is her years of first lady would be. Watch. I was on my way to capitol hill to brief the Senate Education committee on Early Childhood education. I hosted a summit on Early Childhood education that summer. I was going to brief that committee on Early Childhood education when i was getting in the car. My secret Service Agent said a plane flown into the world trade center. We assumed that it was just some strange accident. We knew the second plane had hit. How did you leave . The secret service came to get me and said its time to at first they were thinking that would take me back to the white house. They had to regroup and figure out where i should go. Womenner concluding off their high hills running from the white house. I know they were expected to have interesting jobs at the white house but in one thought they would have to run from the white house. Lot of them had been reinforced. Thats where i went. Spent the day. Had you talked to your husband or girl at that point . I cant remember. I had the logs from the day to remember. I wanted my mother to say everything will be all right. I called her and said, everything is going to be all right. I wanted to say, certainly it is. How did she respond . How did she redefine her role after that day . I was with her that day because i was covering her as first lady for the washington post. There was some confusion whether anyone with hear her. She and senator kennedy made a brief statement to the press over there. I can remember looking at her. Its always she twist her fingers at her side when shes struggling with something that was pretty dramatic. I remember thinking, she is wise enough. Her motherinlaw was in in white house. She said in that moment what really she came to say over and over again. We have to make sure we tell children that we love them and we will get through this. Spontaneous and sincere. Things were different immediately. Laura bush wrote a letter to the children of america a day after 9 11. I want you to know how much i care about all of you. This is a personal message. Be kind to each other. Take care of each other and show your love for each other. As Mark Updegrove as a nation we have not experienced anything on this level since the attack on pearl harbor. What do americans want from the white house and president and first lady if the time of extreme National Crisis . There are many moments when we have in place the rights person for the right moment. I think she was the right first lady for that moment. I forget now, i wouldnt know what to do. We didnt know how to ring a how to react to it. She said, comfort your children. Reach out to your kids. Your kids want you now and they need you now. I think that helped us to get through that very trying moment. She served texas. Theres a strength that emanates from her. We benefitedded from having her in the white house during that rot. Texan connection is where we g go next as we learn more about her life. Both bushes say that to know them you must know midland texas. Where was laura welsh born and it will us about her Early Childhood . Midland texas is west texas. It is the place you can see it from miles away. Its very wide and very flat and very much big sky. Her failure was a father was a biller. Her mother came from texas Strong Female stock. Her mother had managed dairy farm when her grandfather was away. I think it was very much a place of who she was. Gave her a sense of strength about the land and the prairie and doing for yourself. I can remember when i went there, people talked about crying. They cried in front of barbara bush. As she moved from western pennsylvania having been educated. Her husband came back and said well move out there and make our fortune in oil. He said, theres a town nearby called no trees. Her friend says said, she was coming home from super market and there was a tumbleweed in front of her door. You have to have a special appreciation. I think it made her tough. In her book, her book have a love letter of midland, texas. Its so much a part of her. She talked about the sky and how her mother and she used to look up at the sky and how important that is to that part of the country. You sort of see people for who they are and there are no trees midland you right. In the 1950s was supportive but it also could be insulating. How did that shape her . Shes an only child. That was insulating in a way. Theres a lonely existence. There werent a lot of folks who came in from the outside. People had their own ways of being and their own divide as to where you were in the social stratosphere. You raised hell in odessa and you raised kids in midland. There was a certain way of behaving. People also depended on each other. Midland today have the largest hispanic population. What was it like in terms of minorities when laura welsh was growing up . I cant really speak exactly how it was then. There was three different high schools. They all got together for a reunion when the bushes were in the white house, nobody really remembered about the high school. I dont think that it was a matter of overt separation as much as within a certain class of people. I know when i went back there to do reporting, i say i will go across town to do an interview. They say what are you going over that part of town for . I think that people kept to their own lanes. When she went off to smu she had said her friends didnt have a remembrance of Martin Luther king and the race riots. There was a sock hop and a soda. In that way it was isolating. Her mother was born in 1999 and still very much alive. Right after the age of turning 17, laura welsh information a car crash in midland, texas. It was older than the death of a very close friend. She spoke about that. She wrote about it in her book. Lets listen. Mrs. Bush you write and spoken from the heart about a difficult period november 1963 and a loss of faith. Why . I was in a car wreck. I wrote about it extensively in my book. The whole time i was in the hospital, not injured. I had a cut on my leg and broken ankle. I was praying that the other person in the car would be okay. The other person in the car was one of my best friends. Which i didnt know. I didnt really recognize that at the site of the crash. His father came up. His father had been they lived which is past where the car wreck was. I recognized his father but i didnt understand mike was there. I prayed over and over for him to be okay. He wasnt. I thought, well nobody listen. God is listening. My prayer wasnt answered. I wept through a very long time of not believing. Not believing that prayers could be answered. It took me a long time and a lot of growing up to come back to faith. The car wreck shaped her in what way . What she had said about it and what she mentioned to me about it was that if you grow up and when youre young and youre expect that the world will be a certain way, she would have obtained that maturity, it came to her pretty quickly. I think that she is an empathetic person by nature. I think probably made it less judgmental about other people. I think that certainly made her the kind of person. She worries about her daughter and her husband. She seen at a early and how it could change everything. She talk about her faith. You have to move on. You have to be strong. You have to move on. I think its very helpful. I think faith plays a great role in both of their lives. I think george w. Bush became a born again christian in midland. It changed his life in a lot of ways. She has left she is vocal about her religious faith than he is. He is a little bit more low key about it. She is the second first lady to have a post graduate degree. Tell us whats important to know about her education and her early job . I think people frequently overlook that. They make the mistake of thinking that she is a conventional woman. Which she is not at all. She certainly was very selfdirected and came back from smu and teaching and said she wanted to go on to the university of texas and get her library in science degree. To go on and get her masters degree. I think thats a part thats important she maintains to this day. I can tell you how can be involved in program. We have a robust conversation going on on facebook. Youll see the picture of laura bush and join the conversation there. You can tweet us using the twitter handler first ladies. Well mix as many tweets as we can. You can call us. Question from twitter. She ask i have a question about laura bush, was she always a republican . Im not a fan of the muffets. I think she was a democrat for many years. See married into a republican family. And loved her husband and has great faith in him and his judgment. I think supported his platform. She is not a natural republican. Before we leave, set of relationships that has carried her through her entire life. A group of girlfriends she made in midland. How important are they to her . What do they provide to her and she to them . She and the president have a very strong set of friends who have been their friends forever. That has been a really sustaining aspect to them. You come to washington, its best to support your friends. They have been with you from the beginning. You know they are mostly progress democrats these group of girlfriends. What clues does that give to us thats interesting. I think she loved her husband. Shes loyal to her husband. One of the things that i have come to admire and appreciate about laura bush, she has navigated this bizarre volunteer job is to find areas of commonlity with people she might find differences. She would campaign for republicans but i saw her once change a speech in script because the person who she was campaigning for, she was not going to attack democrats. I think that she has things that are interesting to her with friends. They cared about literature and the book festival. Shes very much an avid conservationist and environmentalist. Seiz pretty active in womens shes pretty active in womens rights. Taking that reference, it kept them grounded too. Those are people who knew them well. Both of the bushes talk about the story of bringing their friends in and president bush having his pals in oval office. One of his friends says, gosh, bush, can you believe it. Im in the oval office. They looked at george. It gave them great comfort. Laura welsh and george bush were both Young Persons in midland, texas. Did know meet at children . They did not. They attended the same schools. He says she doesnt recall him. They didnt she knew who he was after a time. He was from a good family and a well known family in midland. At one point they lived in the same building in houston. Her friend from midland fixed them up. He was 30 and i guess they were about the same and. They got engaged and married quickly. Thats one thing i wanted to ask you about, this is the portrait you painted of a woman who is a librarian. Very orderly and measured. Measuring after four months. How do you describe that in the decisions to marry so quickly after she met george w. Bush . She had a do of suitors in her life. Texas at the time, you talked her feeling like an old maid. By texas standards, she probably was. Here comes this guy, george bush, who was so different from her in some respects and so complimentary. They really clicked. It was in characteristic she swept up in this romance. One thing she talks about, they went out on the campaign trail right after they got married. George Bush Campaigned unsuccessfully for a seat in congress in west texas. They gotten to know each other so well. They spent hours driving around west texas talking about their lives. I think that really helped their marriage begin on the rake right footing. They seemed so different he made her laugh. She said she wanted somebody that would make her laugh. She grew up as the only child. She didnt have a brother or a sister. Her mother had miscarriages. She really liked his nature. He wanted someone who was steady that would settle him down. I see that in him still. You can never know whats in someone elses marriage. I was struck when i saw them recently on tonight show he said something. She giggled and laugh. They still have that bond that hes funny. One of the great moments for her during her first tenures, she was at the white house for a correspondents dinner. In 25. Type2005. She took the podium in place of her husband. She said, aedes pratt housewife. They have this great rapport. Hi jane. Good evening is it true that lauras interest in afghanistan actually began in the sixth grade . I never heard that. Can you tell me more about that . In her book, i cant give you the page number, she had to write a report on a country and she and her father, mr. Welch went to the globe and her finger landed on afghanistan. She wrote that in her own book. I think she was talking about how exotic it was to write about afghanistan at that time. I do i traveled with her to europe and she toured the museum in paris. Where there are at the do of the antiquities from that country. Some of the artifacts had been saved. I think she was taken by this idea that you could have this robust civilization and then it could be blown to bits in a matter of days. Really was quite compelled by that. Certainly might have been in her roots from early on too. Thought that was a cause. He ran for congress right after they got married. We she married him, did she know she will be marrying a politician . Well, not exactly. He promised her he would never have to give a speech. She knew he was from a very political family. She described herself as not being very political. When people use that, it means that they find politics distasteful. They just dont like it. Its nasty and full of one upmanship. People didnt have much appetite for that. Gary robinson wants to know was laura into politics or thrust into it because of her relationship with george w. I think thrust. Was that campaign being successful, what was life like after that . He had to figure out what he wanted to the. He went into the oil business in midland. Thats where they were for the first ten years of their marriage. Where their daughters were born and they raised them as toddler. It was a pretty middle class position for a long time. Until he decided to do other things. Was it middle class by choice or by necessity . He came from a very healthy family. He was in the oil business. Did they choose to live more modesty . They dont have the world you have in dallas. I think he saw a strong need to make it on his own. I would defer to you because you are working on this book about the relationship between them. As you find, he didnt want to feel as if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Midland is a bus town. He was coming if you want oil industry. It was not a very prosperous business at that time. He had Great Success as owner of the texas rangers. He always had his father to bail him out. They were not comfortable uncomfortable. They considered adaptations. What was parenthood for them and can you talk about how their children were raised . I think that she very much wanted to have children. She always knew she wanted to have children. She always imagined herself having a family. They described that both as being a very idealic team. She loved reading and raising them and very immersed in caring for them. I think that your children find a way to challenge your preconceptions what its going to be like. They had a set of twins. One who always had a guided personality more. One who has a mother and i think they delighted in that. The years they spent in austin, where they were all together, a very close town and easy town to be in, they described as being idealic. Lucy is watching us in wisconsin. Hi. Caller good evening. My question is when you were talking about lauras lack of faith after the accident. Was it something that happened that caused her to find out back in her life . Was it an influence of somebody george had billy graham, i was a little curious when she said she later came back. I wonder if there was something that drove her back to god . Thank you. I dont know. Do you know of anything that would have been cat lit cat lit tick in her life. No. The kind of modest that she projects and the privacy she shepherds means shes not really giving in the same way her husband is to talking and witnessing her faith in a public fashion. She was raised a methodist. Certainly always attended church. It was part of community life. The comfort of that, i think certainly she has talked about the comfort of scripture in a way that it part of her interest in literature. I remember her picking a bible very out after september 11th. I dont know if theres a catalyst. I wouldnt presume to speak for her in that way as to how she found her footing again. That caller mentioned billy graham. He had a troll role to play in george w. Bush to stopping drinking alcohol. You mentioned two bushes met, he was a bit of a crowder. He made that decision to give up alcohol. Im wondering if we know laura bush had a role in that decision or was that a personal life for him . He realized at a certain point. There was a conversation that george w. Bush had with billy graham in kennebunkport. He took god into his heart. I think this is laura bush is streamly supportive of all the decisions that her husband made. Including his embracing christianity. He made the decision that he wanted to make a bid for the Governors Mansion in texas. Laura bush was concerned because of the twins very young at that point. Ultimately, she agreed to support him on this. What was lauras experience like as first lady of texas. Seem like shell be embraced easily by the people there. Was she . She was. Its a low key position. She could talk about how she like ducking out the backdoor and going around the corner to the drugstore. Kind of hard to imagine with everything that happened after september 11th that somebody can live like that today. I think she had a rich life. She started the texas book festival. She very quietly had influence on him with his education initiative. Not in the sort of you will do this way. He learned about what role Early Childhood education have about environmental and early literacy. For the girls, it was a little easier for them too. They cab part of a set of well connected upper middle class kids in austin. Kind of knew each other and nobody really looked at them too harshly. As the son of a president , he certainly understood what life would be like in the white house. What the rigors campaign would be like. He decided to throw his hat in the ring for a president ial election how supportive was laura bush at that point . I think she was supportive of his intention. She was confident hed win. When he had his mindset on the state house in texas, when everyone thought he was going to lose, she knew he was going to win. He was tenacious in his drive for things. She have that same thing in 2000. For a woman promising she would never have to make a peach. In 2000, she was asked to address the republican convention. Well show you a clip of that. Im so thrilled and im honored to be here. Ill have to say im a little bit overwhelmed to help open the convention that will nominate my husband for president of the United States. The president is our most visible symbol of our country. Of its heart and its values and its leadership in the world. When americans vote this november, theyll be looking for someone to uphold that honor and that trust. You can see it in the pictures. The pictures are one of the most compelling stories of this campaign. We first saw them on our very First Campaign trail. They are the pictures of americas future. Moms and dads and grandparents bring them to picnics. They hold out pictures of their children. They say to george im counting on you. I want my son or daughter to respect the president of the United States of america. That respect came in 2004. Can you tell us about their transition the clintons transition into the bushs and all of that politically. How the bushs established themselves in the white house after that election. It is very important advantage. They had been there before in a way because george bushs father was the president of the United States. He spent plenty of time there. They had some guidance as to what that looked like with the contours of that are like. Running for president is a marathon and if you get there or you dont, youre in for a surprise either way. Thats a very i think they had some exposure to that. That transition was somewhat eased for them by that. It was a famously bitter recount. Laura bush spent most of that time in austin as did george bush. She talked about how she tried to keep herself busy. There was time to wait and not to couldnt get too much started very much. Once they were sworn in, she spent many months not being in washington. She had two daughters who were going off to college. She wanted to make sure they got them settled. I think that she was only beginning to figure out what she was going to do and how she was going to focus her attention when september 11th came along. Staying with that theme. We have second impeachment in history, just before the election. We have a Supreme Court making a decision and the outcome of the election. How difficult is it for a presidency to establish itself in the wake of all of that turmoil . I think they they transitioned into the white house life relatively easy. Its interesting, right before 9 11 occurred, laura bush started hitting her trade as first lady. She had her first dinner for the president of mexico. She just done the First National back festival using the texas back festival as a template. She was really starting to get her groove in that role. Then 9 11 occurred. Its interesting you talked about a friend of hers who had called her and said, when you first took on this role, i thought i dont envy her. Now i envy you. Because of a role to play. A very Important Role to play as our nation picks itself back up in the wake of it tragedy. Michael watching us here in washington d. C. Youre on. Caller you have two questions. Is laura bush as conservative as her politics like, abortion and gay marriage. She recently spoke out about gay marriage. Does she still Smoke Cigarettes . She said she gave that up. It wasnt good for her. Because her daughters didnt like that. Knew that it wasnt hell. I think that see like many, like her motherinlaw barbara bush, who was married from a congressman from houston who championed funding for planned parenthood 40 years ago. Those women, they sometimes will give that sense that they are more liberal than their husbands and that it can work well for the party. Theres not necessarily evidence that thats true. I dont know that we can really answer that. I think in terms of her personal view of the world, i would say that she is not a judgmental and harsh person. I think she also certainly has never felt that it was her role to crusade on behalf of causes. Such as reproductive right or benefits for same sex couples. She has tried to have her impact in areas which we might consider safe subjects that everyone can get behind. What she would feel, i would argue, correctly, can have impact. Her Foundation Gives a Million Dollar away to libraries every year. Which are woefully inadequately funded. The book festival remains. I think she admired Lady Bird Johnson. All of these years later after initiative to put wildfires on the nations highways, they bloom year after year. It bring a sense of beauty. I think see tried to make her back where she could and let her deed speak for herself. I think thats rake. Right. What she saw with Lady Bird Johnson, first lady can take on a cause. If they have their only bully pulpit. It can make a real difference without world events coming across and asking her to ring a. 9 11 occurred. Instead of getting deeply involved in education or literacy, she had to do other things. You both referenced National Back festival, can she emmewuatedmewuate emulated in texas. We have a clip from september 8 2001 where laura bush was talking about the National Book festival. One thing that i like about that festival, their right here in the capital. Were right now on the steps of the library of congress with the United States capital behind us. I love the whole idea and the symbolism of book and the ideas of books with our National Government and our democracy. The idea in backs are really what are so important to our democracy. Both of you are authors. The Publishing Industry little bit less of center over the years. Was there any concept activism skepticism of back writers . They had a wonderful experience. This may have helped. Its easy to get behind whether youre liberal or conservative. She did have an issue in the white house after the war began in which she had been having a very series of symposium and the role they have played. One that she was going to do in poetry. She had invited a number of american poets. Sop of who were some of who were very opposed to the war. Quite outspoken on that subject. Poke out about it spoke out about it. The idea of whether well teach evolution or whether we teach Sex Education and emphasize abstinence. Those kind of intellectual arguments have some times serve [indiscernible] on that note, Miguel Martinez on facebook references that and said mrs. Bush and disinvited bush to the white house. Have mrs. Bush commented directlily on directly on that . Have she ever spoken out about that . Not that im aware of. I think she has a tendency to say that it is unfortunate that people cant come together and have a civilized discussion. That once again, you might be able to find some Common Ground if you get beyond that rhetoric. Our that is watch martha is watching us in the washington suburbs. Youre on. Caller thank you so much for taking my call. Its interesting that between laura bush and last weak, Hillary Clinton, theyre two women of my generation. One chosen one path and one chosen another path. Both women i admire very much. The one success that they have had is that they have both raised strong, successful young women. Can you comment on the difference between the two and why . Thank you. I guess on the difference between the two and why they both managed to raise strong women. Their children are both strong. I guess it myself. I like to think of myself who raised stron and successful daughters. There should be room in america for all kinds of women to have all kinds of personalities and temperaments and paths and to devote our attention in whatever ways we want to. We can all reach the same kind of levels what we would feel thats satisfaction. I think they are very different. Both women lot of these first ladies will tell you a they saw their time in office as being primarily to be a support to their husbands. I think there are people that are rubbed the wrong way. The antifeminist position. You should be able to work and pursue your own interests. Maybe you can disagree with your husband. A president is not going to be a successful as he can be, put it another way even less successful than he might have been. I think certainly george bush spoke about that directly. I think its a partnership. In november of 2001 shortly after the attack, laura bush made first lady history by becoming the first lady to become the president s weekly radio address. Heres reflection the experience. Youll hear a little bit of a address that she gave. Laura bush, did it surprise you at first when you first became first lady . I knew it. I knew that orc. I gnaw it i knew it intellectually. I seen Lady Bird Johnson and how she flopsed me here influenced me. I didnt really know it until i made the president s radio address. In fa fall of in that fall of 2001 to talk about what other way women and chirp were treated children were treated by the taliban and afghanistan. Good morning, im laura bush im delivering this weeks radio address to kick off a worldwide effort to focus on the brutality against women and children by the Al Qaeda Terrorist Network and the regime it supports in afghanistan, the taliban. That regime is now in retreat across much of the country. The people of afghanistan especially women are reeyesing. Afghan women know through hard experience what the rest of the world is discovering. The brutal oppression of women is the central goal of terrorists. Not only do our hearts break but also the cause in afghanistan, we see the world, the terrorist would like to impose on the rest of us. All of us have an obligation to speak out. We may come from different backgrounds and faith but terrorist, the we respect our mothers, sisters and daughters. Fighting brutality against women and chirp is not children is not an expression of a specific culture. Its the acceptance of our common humanity. Thats the first time i really realized that people heard me. What i said people listen to. Then i knew from then on i dont think you ever really know it is intellectually until after you leave and see what the platform is. How did she help laura bush find her voice . She did find her voice. She talks about going to austin to visit her daughters. Jenna was attending college there at the time. There were a couple of middle east earn women who thanked her for that speak. She realized at that moment what a profound difference she could make. You dont see the people that it affects. It was that moment it told her that she i was making a difference. How did she use that voice . She teemed torned seemed torned. Thisfor instance, she was instrumental in spurring a program whereby, Liz Claiborne donated gads to women goods to women in afghanistan so they can become selfsufficient. Oneone of the things her and Hillary Clinton share, is that belief that society can be successful if they dont take advantage of half their population. She was very interested in doing that. Although i can remember pressing her repeatedly to say, how did secretary chow get involved. She mumbles out i think finding a voice for her her voice is results based. She really travels quite a bit and speaks on behalf of a lot of organizations who is raising money on things she believes in. A custom time couple ofs time a month. Connie is watching us in east lansing, michigan. Caller Hillary Clinton and laura bush entered a project that they both work on. Im wondering if you could explain or talk about that. Both first ladies have foundation. Can you talk. How this works in the world of campaign giving and finance. Well, laura bush continues to work on the issues that were important to her as first lady through the Bush Institute. The bush center is a conglomeration of a number of thing. Including the Bush Foundation which is the best factor to all things including bush. The bushs continue to further the causes of that they began to take initiatives towards in the white house. They do that with help of donors . Yes. The Bush Institute raises money that goes into the Bush Institute. The projects relating to the bush library as well. In the case of laura bush her husband was going to be running for president again. Some ways while there could be influence that those donors might gain, if there was another bush to run for president yes we think thats possible. In some ways, i guess i think they are sort of protected from that. However in case of mrs. Clinton and clinton global initiative, i think that remains an area that the public rightfully wants to watch for. If she were to run again, those people who have paid her money for speeches or donated to her various causes, have a relationship with her that we would want to examine. Everyone watching this program knows about the many challenges this country face during the eight years of the bush administration. It was a difficult time for the country. Also during a period, the Hurricane Katrina and ultimately the 2008 financial crisis and on the domestic policy side, the Big Initiative was no child left behind. Laura bush continued to pursue her own interest even as the country responded to the various bush administrations policy. We have seem to forgot first ladies standing by their husband as the Public Opinion of their work changes. How challenging is that to see the increase and criticism to see the person that youre married to . Its very difficult for them to see. The scrutiny at their husbands. They know the man. They know the real person. Very often, we can get caught up in the heat of the moment when we scrutinize our president. For laura bush, it really must have hurt. She continued to stand by him. I think she traveled far more in his second term than she did in the first term. She had found a voice on so many issues in particular related to women and trying to further that cause by hitting the road. Trying to be trying to better explain his policies to our nation and to the world. 2004, the reelection. Laura bush was on the road during the campaign year. This next clip shows you one of the challenges being the first lady when you trying to pursue your own agenda and the press core continues to ask questions. Im proud the way schools and states and all across the country around to meet the goals. Also, we all have the same goal. Thats to make sure every child gets a great education. Thats what we have to address. Its not fair in our country to have that. How in the last couple of weeks, your husband criticized for the behavior of the American Military . They dont reflect the values of the United States of america. I know him. The good news in our country is those people will be prosecuted. There will be transparency in what happens. Thats ones of the benefits of living in a free country. One of the things we never take much about with first ladies is their qualities of leadership. We talk about leadership in terms of chief executive. I think leadership is also being specific in targeted and focused about how much time you have and what you can accomplish with a time that you have. In the case of laura bush, particularly in that second term she realizes it will have an back. There are many things that she maybe concerned. That she may discuss privately with her husband. She may have issues that she disagrees with him on. But the idea of times to remain focus on areas she would like to have impact and knowing she can trigger her time away, if she doesnt remain what we would call on message but which also can be highly specific. I would leave it to viewers to decide if theres a sincerity. Whether she does im very sorry about that or whether she shes just trying to take a pass on it. We do know now is that we have had other horrible incidents with our military. For the most part for all the people in service, it is an anomaly. She was speaking at a school about education initiative, no child left behind was major one of the bush administration. What was lauras role. As a teacher, did she support the direction that the president s Foreign Policy that was taking . She surely did. She was making a speech about education there and supporting his policy. President Bush Campaign talked about the low expectations. They really wanted to narrow that gap. That achievement gap. What she said she supported his policy by speak being it publicly. On the international front, she traveled and she ultimately visited in nearly 75 countries. In addition to afghanistan, she would seem very much involved in the president s african aids release effort. Also met with burmese refugees and exiles at the white house. When she chose to be involved internationally, what role did that play . Iagain the issue of womens rights and their full participation in societies in which they were. The teachings of there have been a couple of members of the family. I think conversations, she once again saw female leader in a country who had been repressed. Moved her to that. What do you think about that . When you talk about george w. Bush why he got involved. No other president really given much thought to it. Family member who found their children through adoption. Today for women in their 20s 30s, i always believe that abortion is a private decision. No one can walk in anyones else shoes. I think she said publicly when she was first lady, she would not over turn roe v. Wade. She asked whether gay people slept at the white house while she slept. She said probably. She let her views be known in subtle ways. Interesting enough, you mentioned she and president bush had trouble conceiving. They had went to an Adoption Organization see if they can adopt twins. They ended up conceiving their own set of twins. Weve been talking a lot in this program about the am of work laura bush did. Throughout the 20th century first ladies that had been a story told. We asked her about whether or not first ladies should earn a salary. Heres her answer. Mrs. Bush should first lady receive a salary . I dont think so. There are plenty of perks. Believe me. A chef. That was really great. I missed a chef. I dont think so. I think the interesting question really is not should they receive a salary but should they be able to work for a salary at their job that might have already had. Thats what have to come to terms with. For certainly a first gentlemen, they need to work whatever he did. If he was a lawyer or whatever. I think thats really the question we should ask. Should she have a career during those years that her husband is president. In addition to serving as first lady. Certainly at the state level first spouses have been able to pursue their own career. Can this work. A National Level . What about conflict of interest . Is it possible to migrate for having a life fully outside the white house . I think we have to give a try and see how we think it works out. Theres certainly the ceremonial aspects of the job. Are the ones you might might be able to find flexibility in. Certainly some of those really old fashion ways of being gracious spouse in the white house we could change. Ate relational job. Its not a political job being first lady. It is a job about tending to the primary the principle in its highest form. Not suggesting first lady is a staff member. She once said to me, being the way of george bush is wife of george bush is her most important job. Whether her husband is president or not. I took her to mean that is her primary relational core of life. She has other pursuits. She has hobbies many which she dont share. Anyone would be hard pressed. I dont think many first ladies would say the most porn role they played was the pillar of strength to their husbands in time of need. Being there for them. I would hope if we have a female president if she has a spouse, that spouse will feel same way about supporting her. We have a chart about president s popularity rating soring just eight years in office. It peaked enormously after the time attack and continued downward through the years of his presidency. Laura bush however, remains popular with the American Public and in a 2006 gallup poll, she was at a much higher rate than the president , 82 approval rating. What does this say about the American Public and their ability to see separately the world of people in the white house . I think that the American People are pretty wise. They know that he hasnt been elected to that position. Shes somewhat is there by virtue of her relationship to the president. She carries on and does what she can do. She cant be held responsible entirely for the political decisions he make. I was struck when i was covering her. People would say, she seem so like this and that. Caller was mrs. Bush more sympathetic. I recall her to the veterans. Was this rooted her being a wartime first lady or with her personality and demeanor in general . I think its both. There arent many first lady who are political. She play a more traditional role as first lady than Hillary Clinton or eleanor roosevelt. She was very much consistent with her personality. Reading obituariries and comforting the people in need. I will interrupt. You referenced this earlier. That was her trip to the White House Correspondent dinner. Just as nancy reagan done two decades earlier, she went to the press core to have people see her in a different light tan they did covering her regularly. Lets watch and those of you will remember this time. He asked the old guy how to get to the nearest time not that old joke. Not again. George said says hes delighted to come to these press dinners. Baloney. Hes usually in bed by now. Im not kidding. I said to him the other day george if you really want to you refuse to stay up later. [applause] i married to the president of the United States. Heres our typical evening. 9 00 mr. Excitement here sound asleep. Im watching desperate housewives. With lynn cheney. Ladies and gentlemen i am a desperate housewife. Laura bush at the 2005 White House Correspondent dinner. The event was well received. One of the thing we talked about was each the first lady profiles. During her time in the white house, laura bush did a restoration of the lincoln bedroom. Well watch as he talks about that next. We refurbished the lincoln bedroom. Thats the biggest renovation project that weve worked on. The lincoln bedroom was by trauma when he set it up to be the lincoln bedroom to have the lincoln furniture in it. When lincoln lived here, the ram was his office. When truman redid the house he set up that room to commemorate the fact that it was lincolns office. It was the room he signed the emancipation proclamation. Truman redid the ram again then. Its never been refurbished. The carpet was over 50 years old. I worked with the White House Historical association, the Preservation Board who furniture curators and the white house curator. We looked back at wallpaper. We did restriction of those. We had old photographs the way Mary Todd Lincoln draped the lincoln bed with the purple, gold and really high victorian decorating. We did have later photographs not contemporary with lincoln but the bed still dressed the way she dressed it. How did the bushs use the white house as social instrument during their years . How did they use it to advance policy . I think that they had only really begun entertain the dinner for the mexican president was a few days been september 11th. It backfired they had fireworks. They hadnt warned anybody that was happening. Then after september 11th, there was a great deal of thought to what was appropriate. I think laura bush has been instrumental in seeing the white house as a living historical stution. Using it as a way to help people understand what the lives have been like for people who lived there at the time and the way it reflects the period and the way it reflects the context of the time. Its really about showing the tenor of those times and what was considered the rake way right way to be. They would bring in friends to do that. They favored smaller gatherings, certainly. She was right. He wept to bed at 9 00 at night. Let me take a call from david in provo utah. Caller hi. I was call to ask about laura bushs influence on the politics or the democratic rights in ber ma burma, i know she was championing that. Thank you so much. I found it kind of curious. I wish i knew more about that. I havent been able to understand what moved her to do that. She became outspoken in a way. I would argue that is her most forceful and surprising role as first lady to weigh into Foreign Policy in an area where United States had been kind of not all that engaged in speaking out the generals. Shes been persist i persistent. I think that continues to this day along with her breast in womens rights in afghanistan. I dont know very much that. That clip where laura bush mentioned the White House Historical Association Winds down, i want to remind you weve been watching. Its been our partners throughout the series helping us with research and with photographs language the way. We partnered with them and biography book, special edition of the first ladies of the United States. And many thousands of you had a copy of that so you can learn more about the lives of the first lady. Im cognizance of our time here. Very visited more than 75 country and renovated the lincoln bedroom. In 2009, she became a private citizen again and how has she approached that speck of her aspect of her life. The bushes was i think they eased very gracefully into private life. They gone back to their lives in dallas. Mrs. Bush very much continues to be involved. She was instrumental in planning of the bush library. She continues to lead a very full life. As i mentioned earlier continues to pursue sop of the causes that were dear to her as first lady. One the nice things about first lady in way too, you think you have just a brief period of time. Your impact does continue. She actually has more ram to continue to be involved in these policy initiatives than certainly the former president does or would or has suggested he wants to. He doesnt think its rake for a president to be criticizing another one. She and mrs. Obama has been together in africa have had a summit for africa. Theyve worked together on a number of things. Mrs. Clinton and she and secretary have carried on those things. She, i think, has been surprisingly and happily engaged in a way we thought she might not be. We have a clip of her trip to africa with current first Lady Michelle obama. Lets watch that. Thats why were launching the First Ladies Initiative at the Bush Institute. We want to support first ladies around the world. By convening them annually, to highlight the significant role that they can play in addressing pressing issue in their countries. I get asked especially in the first term, are you more like laura bush or are you more like Hillary Clinton . Im like is that it . You had to say are you Hillary Clinton or barbara bush . Thats right. I would say i think i will be laura bush. Having grown up as her. Mark, you had the opportunity to host some of these Panel Sessions with first ladies. What you hear is a desire of the public and the press and a desire of a woman to be their own self. Are you going to be more traditional first lady. Which one will you be. They all have their unique stamp on the role. We have read couple of times from laura bushs memoir which is spoken from the heart. You talked along the way what a guarded individual she was. When you read her memoir, did you learn anymore about her in your biography . It was interested hearing i was interested in hearing her own words. I think that one the keys understanding laura bush, hes a read shes a reader. Gentleman david wanted know whether she was empathetic. She finds power in narrative and if story and in human story. Thats what she responds to. Thats what touches her. That is what compels her to act in many ways. I gathered from her deeper understanding from that book of the meaning of the west texas land be the sound of the wind, the great giants of texas literature. Thats really a key to understanding who she is. Shes not a crusader as much as she is a reader. She talked about of being in west texas. Leading midland through those narratives. I think her book is exceptionally well written. I was far more interested in the first part of it. Which is a story of her growing up in midland. She writes so poetically about her duties as first lady. Which is one ceremony after the next. Its very difficult write compellingly about ones tenure as first lady. It is so ceremonial. Debbie is watching us in louisville. Caller we have many influential first ladies to go back through history. Either its Hillary Clinton Michelle Obama or laura bush. What the most important thing that you believe that laura bush has done for the american, for womens rights . Susan, of all the first ladies which one bring more that had impressed you the most . Im going to pass on that one did she make any advances for womens rights . With all of the first ladies its hard to judge them and the corn temporary times contemporary times. I will defer to my historian. She has been a representative in her own way for rights in a way that is not as expected as someone who has crusaded. What im trying to say, what some people is more traditional mean to speak from that position, out on behalf of women who do not have opportunities. Somebody in makes her more effective because its not kuwait as expected. If shes championing it in a place that we wouldnt expect here. Both the bushes take the long view of history. Laura bush talks about the fact that she admired her husband for taking long view of history. Making difficult decisions during the course as presidency. That wouldnt necessarily manifest themselves in popularity. I think youre right. His presidency and how its reflected is very much in the balance. Well see what happens. He knows that. Most historians know it. Her contributions as first lady will be revealed as we begin to see the forest of the trees in there. We have a couple of minutes left. People candidate along the way. Since she is historically the only first lady to have had a motherinlaw who sebbed in the role served if the role. Served if the role. People are curious. They have a good relationship. And a strong relationship. I wouldnt presume it say its exactly a marriage. I wouldnt presume to say whats exactly between a motherinlaw and daughterinlaw. Barbara bush has a large personality when she came to kennebunkport. She said, i read. I smoke and i admire. That was her way of saying, this is who i am and this is what i will be doing. I think that she respects very much her motherinlaws life. I think that barbara bush, her part has been very grateful. Is steady and once said, shes the one with the first lady potential. Theres great mutual admiration between the two. Very different women. I think thats right. I think barbara bush and laura bush the qualities of a great political partner. A great spouse for her husband as he embarked on a political career. The two daughters, jenna is an nbc correspondent. She married and not in the white house. They gave george and laura bush their first grandchild. Barbara is ceo of an organization of Global Health core. I want to thank our two guests to help us understand the life and time legacy of laura bush. Thanks for both of you for being here. Were going to close with some thoughts about the members of the bush family, the president himself and the two daughters on their mother first lady laura bush. Thank for being with us. I dont want to steal barbara barbara. You want to go first . Okay. You can go first the next time. I would say probably her work for women. All our really. We were so lucky because our parents tuck us on travels to africa. We got to see being in clinics and schools and meeting people whos lives will be forever changed. I would say her work for women more broadly publicly so far. My dad too. Im very proud of him for that. I think i will echo that. After 9 11, mom played such a im going to cry i think the work that she did after 9 11 and how comforting she was to everyone in the country is an incredible legacy and was really critical to the country healing after 9 11. I were doing a series on first ladies i would be probing this question. Could the first lady handle the pressure . The answer is no. Then the life of the president will be pretty neutral. Laura was unbelievably calming. She was a pillar of strength in the mist of all the noise and finger pointing and yelling and all of this stuff that goes on in washington. She is a great first lady. American history featuring cspan original series. Sunday night throughout the rest of the week. Next week we look at Michelle Obama. This is American History tv. All weekend and every weekend on cspan 3. Abigail fillmore was the first lady to work outside the home. She successfulled lobbied concentration for funds to congress for funds. Jacqueline kennedy was responsible for the creation of the White House Historical association. Nancy reagan as a young actress found her name on the blacklist of communist sympathizer. She appealed to Ronald Reagan for help. These stories and more are featured in cspans book first lady president ial historian on the lives of 45 iconic american women. Giving readers a look into the personal lives of every first lady in American History. Store its of fascinating women and how their legacies resonate today. The book is based on original interviews from cspans first lady series. Has received numerous reviews including this one from michael president ial historian and author. He said quote cspan is a national treasure. Judy say, cspan has performed another American Value series. Nowhere else can one find a useful and insightful laugh