Video Courtesy of The Hill
Preston Hollow neighbor and former President George W. Bush joined former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton in a video discussing peaceful transitions of power and unity.
“I think the fact that the three of us are standing here talking about a peaceful transfer of power speaks to the institutional integrity of our country,” Bush says in the video, alluding to the fact that he is the only Republican in the group.
The video comes after a shaky transfer of power from the Trump-Pence administration to the Biden-Harris administration. Although former President Donald Trump’s name was never mentioned in the video, the three-minute video seemed to be a rebuke of the recent president’s lack of interaction with the new administration. Trump only admitted that he wouldn’t be holding office for another term two weeks ago, and he did not attend Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration yesterday, breaking away from years of tradition.
The former president’s club united for the video that aired last night during the Tom Hank’s led “Celebrating America” television special. The video was filmed at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
Another major theme of the video was unity and bipartisanship, especially in a divided time. Obama specifically highlighted his own inauguration, when the Bush family ushered in his administration with grace.
“One of my fondest memories of the inauguration was the grace and generosity that President Bush showed me and Laura Bush showed Michelle,” Obama says. “It was a reminder that we can have fierce disagreements and yet recognize each other’s common humanity and that as Americans we have more in common than what separates us.”
The video ended with all three former presidents congratulating President Biden and offering him luck.
“I’m pulling for your success,” Bush says. “Your success is our country’s success, and God bless you.”
View the full video above.
