Barbara Bush never imagined that any of her children would grow up to become president. Although most mothers would like their children grow up with presidential ambitions, she said she just hoped her children would grow up.
“But there we were, waiting for our son George W. to be sworn in as the 43rd president of the United States of America,” she said.
The former first lady spoke about her book, “Reflections: Life After the White House,” in front of a filled Rudder Theater Tuesday.
Bush is slated to be the center of the exhibit “The Year of the Woman” at the George Bush Presidential Library starting in April.
Bush shared with the audience excerpts from her book which contained family stories and other experiences from the end of her husband George Bush’s presidential term to the inauguration of son George W. Bush as current U.S. president.
Barbara Bush was introduced by former President George Bush.
“Some of you know her as the former first lady, some of you know her as the mother of the current president, some of you know her for her work as a literacy advocate, but everyone in the family knows her as the enforcer,” her husband said.
Barbara Bush took the stage to a roar of laughter, undermining her husband’s attempts to portray her as the enforcer, and admitted to the crowd that she was nervous.
“I dreamt that I was giving this speech, and someone in the crowd told me to sit down and shut up,” she said.
Barbara Bush shared humorous family stories with the audience to give people another look at the Bush family.
She said her two sons, Jeb and George Jr., called her after a town meeting in Florida one night last year. George said he was asked by an audience member if the Bush family believed that family dinners were important, and that he responded saying he thought it was important to eat dinner as a family, unless his mother was cooking. Ironically, a few days after the phone call, son George W. Bush passed out from choking on a pretzel while watching television.
“It was a message sent from heaven to never make fun of your mother,” she said.
Barbara Bush also shared her thoughts on the Sept. 11 tragedy. After it was confirmed that everyone in her family was fine, she said she understood what an impact it had made.
“I realized then that the whole world changed on 9-11,” she said.
Bush also presented a message of tolerance of others and asked everyone to help others in any way they could, such as through service and everyday kindness.
She commended the Aggie community for its commitment to community service and helping others.
“It seems to me that every single Aggie tries in some way to contribute to the community and continue to lend a helping hand to those in need,” she said.
Her husband George Bush shared what he thought Aggies’ goals should be.
“Put the emphasis on fairness. People are hurting due to unfair stereotypes; do something about that here, starting with this campus,” he said.
Several students who attended said they enjoyed Barbara Bush’s speech and how she related to the audience.
“It was wonderful,” said Rebecca Fritcher, a junior exercise physiology major. “Her thoughts and feelings were honest, she was honest about her faith and her life as she saw it.”