“Maybe There Really is More That Unites Us Than Divides Us”

A reflection on the coverage of the presidential funeral of George H.W. Bush and the message we can all collectively take away from this past week of highlights on the past President's life. It was much more than a message of success and failure. It was a message of faith, hope, and character throughout one's life.

“Maybe There Really is More That Unites Us Than Divides Us”

By Elin K. Phipps

Written on December 8, 2018

Almost everyday after I get home from work one of my favorite things to do is watch the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. There’s sometimes question as to why I enjoy watching any kind of news considering the theories of inaccurate news reporting; the constant updates from the White House; breaking news of shootings, terrorism, natural disasters, and protests around the world. There’s no question that there is a fair share of negativity in the news that has to be covered, but in spite of the gloom-ridden reports there is an occasional beacon of light that shines upon the current day to day topics. In addition to simply keeping up with everyday current topics, I truly enjoy Lester Holt’s segments such as: Inspiring America, Those Who Serve, Across America, Above and Beyond which all help spread positive news around the country. These regular segments were placed to the side lines this week with the passing of our forty-first president. There has been a plentiful amount of coverage apart from the day to day news, on the death of our nation’s past president. This is certainly to be expected. Although death in the news can be a sorrowful matter, I, like several other Americans have found this week’s news to be fairly inspiring and uplifting. Christmas time is full of messages of world peace, hope, joy, God sending his son to save us, unity, the spirit of giving, love, and family. At a time of year when we can all use a lift and boost of encouragement, the message of President George H.W. Bush’s life gives us just that and much more. Harry Smith, NBC correspondent covering the Bush funeral events, said it so elegantly during one of his reports: “These last few days, it’s felt like the nation has stopped to catch its breath- and feel again that maybe there really is more that unites us than divides us. President Bush believed that with all his heart- and remembering him helps us remember that too.”

Lester Holt said in a special report after the President’s state funeral that, “we are in an era that even the biggest news stories have almost a 24 hour shelf life. But there is something about a throwback, a life of 94 years-- it’s not easily summed up.” There’s clear proof of the accuracy of this statement when we look at the ever changing way we receive our news. We are able to go online and receive news immediately. The next breaking news story can come out in a matter of hours or minutes. Our world operates at a high speed pace. The reporting of the forty-first president has come to a cease now that the funeral events have finished, we may forget the Bush 41 videos people shared on Facebook, and the news will go back to normal coverage- but the one aspect that remains in my mind is the message that I have heard these past few days. It is one that has truly stayed with me from day to day. I have never read any books on George H. W. Bush; we never heavily studied him in history class; I haven’t had any particular interest in reading about the Gulf War, the end of the Cold War, or the Americans with Disabilities Act; I also wasn’t alive when he held the office of president. Despite not having a particular wealth of knowledge on the man prior to his passing, this week I was captivated by the “not so easily summed up” story of his life. Perhaps it was because I was hearing some of the stories about President Bush for the first time or maybe it was because the messages were presented in such a heroic, inspiring manner. Regardless, we can all learn from the lessons that were portrayed in its various forms throughout the events of the week.

George H. W. Bush was one of The Greatest Generation’s best. I recently wrote a piece on The Greatest Generation and my late grandfather on what would have been his 100th birthday this past August. Throughout the writing I reflected on my grandfather as an extraordinary common man of The Greatest Generation but also pointed out remarkable uncommon men and women of The Greatest Generation who are famous for various uncommon life accomplishments. George H. W. Bush was one of seven U.S. presidents I listed as a notable figure from the Greatest Generation as both a WWII veteran and an United States president. President Bush was the last of The Greatest Generation era to hold the office of president of the United States. The evident answer to why George Bush is considered a remarkable uncommon man is found in his list of accomplishments, career resume, and the simple fact of holding what is considered the highest office in the nation. There is no question that George Bush was, as his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager put it, “a giant of a man.” But on the other hand, the parts of his life featured in documentaries, eulogies, and speeches this week are not only those of his uncommon career achievements, but rather his more common roles in life- a husband, a father, a grandfather, a good man. As Bush-Hager stated when speaking of her grandfather, “Even though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders we really never thought of him as anything besides our grandpa.” George Bush will be remembered as a notable member of The Greatest Generation as a president of the United State, but also as someone who shares remarkable characteristics that collectively define this generation as exceptional and rare- thus uniting the uncommon and common persons of this era.

President Bush, as a notable member of The Greatest Generation and a leader of the United States, will be portrayed throughout the history records. Bush himself said in an interview with his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager, “I want someone else to define my legacy.” He continued to say, “I think history will get it right and point out the things I did wrong and perhaps some of the things we did right." There are plenty of things to point out in history that George Bush did right which has been highlighted in the news this past week. Bush was a honorable war hero in WWII as a lieutenant in the Navy. During his time in the service he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation. He was captain of the baseball team and graduate of Yale University. He was a successful businessman and politician- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to China, Director of Intelligence, and Vice President. As President he helped end the Cold War, fought the Gulf War, assisted with the unification of Germany and the tear down of the Berlin Wall. President Bush signed a number of major bills including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, reauthorized the Clean Air Act, helped with an increase in legal immigration by signing the Immigration Act of 1990- just to name a few.

History books will in fact keep record of the events that happened throughout George H. W. Bush’s presidency, but his son George W. Bush provided a much different perspective into the life of his father as president. In his eulogy to his father he said, “He showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage, and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country.” George H. W. Bush certainly had room to boast about his successful life achievements- but the word that was consistently used this week when describing Bush was “humble.” Proverbs 27:2 says, Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Bush surly lived by these words even in the midst of climbing success. Even though he did indeed experience several successes throughout his life and presidency, we know that the election outcome of 1992 in the President’s run for a second term did not end in his favor.

The loss of the 1992 election caused significant pain to George H. W. Bush and his family as the tides turned and he returned to private life. George W. Bush said of his father in a CNN interview regarding the election loss, “Self pity was not apart of his being. He didn’t want to inflict his pain on anyone else.” Considering the sorrowful ambiance that hovered over the White House after the loss of the election, President Bush invited Evangelicalist Billy Graham to spend his last night in the White House with him and Barbara. In the book The Preacher and the Presidents, I read that some years after the election Bush explained why he invited Graham to be with him: “Billy‘s presence always helped me put things in perspective. In many instances, he really helped me realize that life will go on.” This is only a minimal insight to President Bush’s unselfish and optimistic approach to life.

In George W. Bush’s eulogy to his father he stated, “In victory, he shared credit. When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is part of living a full life, but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.” In this example of defeat in one's life, I think of one of my favorite bible verses: Romans 5:3-5, Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. George H. W. Bush’s loss in the 1992 presidential election is a tremendous example of how admirable character and the light of the Lord can shine in spite of defeat.

Although he was defeated in his second term, failure did not define him in the coming years. Out of all the awards and accomplishments under George H. W. Bush’s name, the one award I find the most fascinating is one that is not frequently mentioned- The Profiles and Courage Award. I recently read the book Profiles in Courage, written by President John F. Kennedy, published in 1957. The basis of the book features eight U.S. senators on both sides of the political line who took risks, put country over party, and made hard decisions that resulted in election losses and tough criticism. These eight senators are said to be examples of people who made difficult decisions with the idea of doing the right thing, acting with bravery, being unselfish, and holding themselves to the utmost highest of integrity. The family of President John F. Kennedy created the Profiles in Courage Award in 1989 to award those with similar political acts as the eight senator's acts featured in Kennedy’s 1957 book. President George H.W. Bush was awarded the Profiles in Courage Award in 2014 for “recognition of the political courage he demonstrated when he agreed to a 1990 budget compromise that reversed his 1988 campaign pledge not to raise taxes and put his re-election prospects at risk." Despite the fact that he suffered the loss of the second term of his presidency which left an emotional wound, he was honored and admired for his integrity and courage- which perhaps means more in the end than an election win in hindsight.

Not only was President Bush given an award, more importantly he was able to find peace in the midst of a difficult loss- a significant life accomplishment in itself. Former Canadian prime minister, Brian Mulroney, told a story during his eulogy of a time when George H. W. Bush described the peace he had found in his life since the 1992 election. Mulroney recalls being at Walker’s Point (Bush’s home) and being shown a simple plaque that read “C-A-V-U.” George said, “Brian, this stands for ceiling and visibility unlimited. When I was a terrified 18 to 19-year-old pilot in the Pacific, those, those were the words we hoped to hear before takeoff. It meant perfect flying. And that's the way I feel about our life today, CAVU. Everything is perfect. Bar and I could not have asked for better lives. We are truly happy and truly at peace.” In an interview some years later when discussing the loss of the election of 1992 Bush is quoted saying, “The Lord works in mysterious ways because my life now is a very happy one.” This kind of found peace speaks as a testament of George H.W. Bush’s faith. I find this kind of peace he speaks of to be an inner peace that can only come from the Lord. Just as it is stated in Psalm 29:11, The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

President Bush, as a person of character was gracefully portrayed through his son’s eulogy. I was truly touched by the way George W. Bush expressed his love for his father and the focus placed on his father’s moral values and common roles. George W. Bush stated, “He was a genuinely optimistic man. And that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree. And he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person- and usually found it. Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary; that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values, like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver’s soul.” George W. Bush spoke on his father as a family man and said, “He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was firm in his principles and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted, but never steered. We tested his patience- I know I did- but he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love.” He concluded by speaking on his father as a dedicated husband and stated, “Every day of his 73 years of marriage, Dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. He married his sweetheart. He adored her. He laughed and cried with her. He was dedicated to her totally.” This eulogy spoke to the way President Bush 41 conducted himself as a person of high morality and shows what truly matters at the end of the day and at the end of one’s life: Your character and your family.

At the time of his death, George Bush had a net worth of approximately $23 million according to TIME magazine. He had a lengthy amount of accomplishments throughout his career which helped him “leave the world a better place than he found it.” Bush had a significant moment of failure which he endured in the public eye in 1992. But what spoke to me when I reflected on the messages, documentaries, and eulogies given by Bush’s friends and family, is that the focus at the end of his life wasn’t on his net worth, his successes or his failures. The focus was on how Bush treated others, his love for his family, how he was a devoted husband, his loyalty as a friend, his humble manner, and service to country. In his Inaugural Address, President Bush said, “We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it. What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us? Or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment there to trade a word of friendship.” I believe that this type of character, morals, and values portrayed throughout his life points back to two things- Bush as a noble member of The Greatest Generation and his dedication to his faith in Jesus Christ.

Members of The Greatest Generation population are slowly decreasing and soon all we will have left are memories and history records. In the process of watching the last of this generation fade, I believe that it is important to focus on filling these holes that they leave in our world here on earth and strive to reach to a standard of their great values and character. As Tom Brokaw, NBC correspondent said after the funeral, “I have been to a number of state funerals or inside and also covering them. I have never seen one with such an important message that was so far reaching. It was an Episcopalian ceremony with an ecumenical message. The message was about faith, hope, family, and values.... about dedication not only to your family but your country as well.” God’s timing is perfect timing- in life and in death. Perhaps our world needed a whole hearted message centered around faith, hope, family, and values- right before Christmas, to remind us all of the message of Jesus Christ. During the funeral longtime Bush family pastor, Reverend Dr. Russell Levenson Jr., spoke of a moment when President Bush’s friend washed his feet during his last days, just as Jesus had done thousands of years ago for so many. Brokaw said in regards to his message, “The symbolic and importance of a gesture as washing one's feet which dates back to the days of Jesus- I think for a lot of people was a distillation of a message that we all needed to hear.” It is sometimes difficult to pull these messages of light from the everyday news as we are blinded by tragedies and dark clouds of sorrow that occur in our world. Despite this fact, we can all be reminded this week that these messages from George H.W. Bush’s funeral stands the test of time and that “maybe there really is more that unites us than divides us.”