Clinton and Bush, Sr.: Ex-Presidents to the Rescue

Posted on January 3, 2005

No, it's not a Saturday Night Live skit; it's real life. Stung by the worldwide "stingy" criticism, President Bush stepped up to the plate and finally asked his dad for some help. And I, for one, am all for it. President Bush has asked former Presidents Bush and Clinton to head up fundraising efforts in the private sector to assist victims of the Tsunami disaster. Appearing tonight on Larry King Live in a network first, the two ex-presidents agreed that it was time to put partisan politics aside and show the world that the American people really do give a damn what happens to everyone else around the world.

Answering questions from each of their respective homes, both Bush, Sr. and Clinton sounded at ease as they discussed their visits earlier in the day with current President Bush, Jr. to the four embassies of the countries hardest hit by the tragedy. Bush, Sr., now 80, looked and sounded good. He was charming and self-deprecating, even joking that Clinton "beat me soundly in 1992" but that they could still work together. It was shocking really -- we haven't seen that kind of good-humored non-partisan comraderie in years.

I think that having the two former presidents visit the embassies in the company of the sitting president sends a message of solidarity to the rest of the world. It's civil, it's caring, and it's the kind of grand gesture that really means something, especially now that it's backed up by an initial $350 million in aid. And it's already working. As Bush, Sr. and Clinton got into the limo after the news conference at the White House this morning, Bush, Sr. got a message on his Blackberry -- a friend offered $1 million. Just like that. And the Blackberry messages kept coming, Clinton said; they'd already raised several million bucks via text messaging. And to all the Luddites out there; if 80 year-old Poppy Bush can use a Blackberry, so can you.