119: “READ MY LIPS – I MADE HISTORY WITH BUSH 41”

Tom’s alarm went off at 6:00am on Thursday July 25, 2019 and he hurriedly got ready for the day. Vicki, on the other hand, had planned on a relaxing day with her family. I was excited – it was only going to be the two of us making the trip to College Station, Texas. Without my photographer’s wife joining our fun, we could take as much time as we wanted during our visit to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Tom’s goal was to leave the farm before seven o’clock because he wanted to arrive at the museum when it opened at nine; my camera guy figured it would take two hours to make the 112-mile trek. Although we made it out of the farm door on time, we ran into heavier-than-expected traffic enroute to College Station; which caused us to arrive at Bush 41’s Library on the campus of Texas A&M University twenty minutes late. After Tom carried me into the museum and purchased our entry ticket, he noticed a large group had just arrived; which was disappointing because my photographer didn’t want to fight to see the artifacts that were on display. In my mind, I was convinced there wouldn’t be much to see inside anyway. We had visited George W’s Library in 2016 and it was a huge disappointment. As a matter of fact, or opinion, only Clinton’s museum was worse. I thought to myself: “Like father, like son – the Presidential Library acorn likely didn’t fall far from the tree.”

When we arrived at the George H.W. Bush Library at 9:20am, a small work crew were putting the finishing touches on some landscaping in front of the building. With that crew in the way, Tom decided to wait until we finished before he would have me pose for a picture.

As the huge group of tourists made their way into the exhibit area, Tom carried me back outside where we headed for the President’s gravesite that was located somewhere behind the library. From an opening in the camera case, I watched as my photographer searched for the burial ground, which he thought would be close to the Presidential Pond. But after we made a complete lap around the large catch-and-release fishpond, Tom saw a stone entryway that appeared to lead over a bridge and into a wooded area. On the right-hand section of the gateway was a bronze plaque that read: ‘The Gravesite is open during Museum hours’. After a short walk through the woods, which gave us relief from the hot morning Sun, we arrived at a beautifully manicured clearing where I got my first glimpse of the enclosed family burial ground.

It was a euphoric feeling when Tom plucked me from the camera case and held me through the bars of the iron fence for our first of many photos of President Bush’s grave. In my resin-filled mind and heart, I knew I was the first, and likely only, bobble head to visit all 39 Presidential gravesites; and quite frankly, I was proud of that accomplishment. I had to admit, the journey has been a labor of love – it took six years and 15 days for my photographer and me to complete our mission; one that began on July 10, 2013 at the grave of Rutherford B. Hayes.

As Tom held me aloft with the granite marker and white marble cross that identified the President’s final resting place in the background, I wanted to borrow a line from Neil Armstrong: “That’s one small step for Jefferson; one giant leap for bobble heads.” When George H.W. Bush died on November 30, 2018, he was the longest-lived U.S. President in history. A week after his death, he was interred at his Presidential Library alongside his daughter Robin (who died at the age of three in 1953) and wife Barbara, who had passed away only seven months earlier.

The reflection of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library could be seen in the Presidential Pond as we made our way to the family cemetery.
The flag-draped casket of President Bush was carried alongside the Presidential Pond on December 6, 2018 as the funeral procession made its way to the Bush Family Cemetery.
The pathway to the Bush Family Cemetery continued over this bridge and through the woods. The burial ground was located roughly a half-mile from the front of the Presidential Library.
When the camera clicked and captured this image, I made history as the first bobble head to visit and be photographed at all 39 Presidential gravesites.
The Bush Family Cemetery was beautifully tranquil and very peaceful. As I stood there admiring the final resting places of George, Barbara and Robin, I had wanted to stand on the President’s marker. But that wasn’t going to happen; at least not with the locked iron barricade that surrounded the area.
While it was an honor for me to pay homage at the gravesite of George H.W. Bush, I knew my photographer was honored to be there as well. After all, Tom and his entire family saw George and Barbara during a “Whistle Stop” campaign tour in Wixom, Michigan in 1992.
While I stood at the ornate entrance to the Bush Family Cemetery, I had hoped someone would come and open the gate so that I could stand on the President’s grave marker. But when that didn’t happen, I had to settle for standing roughly twenty feet from the gravesite.
Even though I was locked out, I knew in my resin heart that President Bush wouldn’t mind if I stood on his headstone for a photo. I was sure if I could ask the President for his permission, he would smile and say: “Not gonna do it; wouldn’t be prudent.”

I had a definite bounce in my head as we made the half-mile walk back to the Presidential Library. At one point during our hike, Tom stopped at a statue that both of us thought looked pretty cool. It was called ‘The Day the Wall Came Down’ and it featured four mares and a stallion that were portrayed leaping over a two-ton section of the Berlin Wall. Once we reached the entrance to the Library, I knew that my photographer was happy to get into the air conditioning; even though he figured it would be a short stay due to lack of authentic artifacts. But once again, my overweight camera guy was wrong. Sit back and take a look at the Presidential items of interest that I had the honor to pose with. If a single picture is worth a thousand words; then the following images are worth “a thousand points of light”.

I thought this statue, called ‘The Day the Wall Came Down’, looked cool and did a great job of representing freedom.
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl posed with President George H.W. Bush in front of the same statue.
George Bush’s Presidential limousine, which was a Lincoln Town Car, was the first historical artifact that we saw. I didn’t get too excited as Bill Clinton had a limo at his library as well.
I’m standing near the K-20 aerial camera, the case, and film canisters used by Lt. George Bush when he handled photographic assignments during World War II missions in the Pacific.
This was President Bush’s well-worn Yale first baseman’s mitt that he kept oiled and ready to use in a desk drawer in the Oval Office.
On June 5, 1948, Yale baseball captain George Bush received a manuscript of ‘The Babe Ruth Story’ that was donated to the Yale Library by Babe Ruth. Ten weeks later, Ruth was dead.
Vice President George Bush used his mitt on July 12, 1984 at Mile High Stadium while playing for the Denver Bears.
I’m a sucker to pose with a statue and this one of George Bush was situated in front of a backdrop of the United Nations Assembly Headquarters in New York City.
The military was a huge part of George Bush’s life and the 1944 TBM Avenger that I posed near was like the one that Ensign JG Bush flew during World War II.
I was able to stand close to George Bush’s briefcase that he used during his tenure as Director of the CIA.
During our tour of the Presidential Library, we came across one of President Bush’s tuxedos that was on display.
While President, George H.W. Bush did not use the Resolute Desk. Instead, the C&O Desk was used by the 41st President. I’m standing on a replica of the C&O Desk in an exact reproduction of the Oval Office at the Bush Library.
This model of a ship that I’m standing near was once on display in President Bush’s Oval Office.
When I learned these books, plates, and the statue were actually in the Oval Office during President Bush’s term, I had to pose near them.
This photo of President Bush was captured in August 1990; the ship model and items on the shelf that I posed alongside were very visible.
Tom carried me from the replica Oval Office to a recreation of George Bush’s Camp David office. There was a note that stated nobody was to wear a suit or tie inside that office.
I’m posing in the other half of Bush’s Camp David office.
I’m standing on the actual podium used by Vice President George Bush during his televised debate with Governor Michael Dukakis on October 13, 1988. I was surprised the top was exposed that allowed my photographer to place me onto the podium.
Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, right, speaks during the second Presidential debate alongside his opponent, Vice President George H. W. Bush, in Los Angeles, California on October 13, 1988. A subtle three-inch riser was inserted around Dukakis’ podium for height.
President George Bush played this Gibson guitar “The Prez” at the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Party on January 21, 1989.
The new President and his campaign manager, Lee Atwater, play guitars during the Inaugural Party on January 21, 1989.
I thought this bullet-riddled target was interesting. The target was found in Manuel Noriega’s headquarters by U.S. Army Major General Marc Cisneros, who sent it to President Bush on December 24, 1989.
The handcuffs used to transport Manuel Noriega from Panama to the United States were on display in the Bush Library.
President Bush used this telephone and intercom system in his private office adjacent to the Oval Office.
President George H.W. Bush owned this fishing boat that he named ‘Fidelity’.
If something smelled fishy in the White House it may have been due to the fishing excursion by President Bush and his son George W. Bush onboard ‘Fidelity’.
To me, George H.W. Bush had more courage than most gave him credit for. The helmet and parachute that I’m standing near was a great example of his guts. The President had used the helmet and colorful chute to skydive over the United States Army Yuma Proving Grounds in 1997 at the age of 73 years.
In the clear blue sky over the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, George Bush free-fell towards Earth on March 25, 1997.
Former US President George Bush parachutes March 25, 1997 from 12,500 feet over the United States Army Yuma Proving Ground with the US Army Golden Knights in Yuma, Arizona.
This is the drum light from the 4141 locomotive that carried President Bush’s casket from Houston to College Station.
Following the death of George H.W. Bush, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama left a message on the guest book that I’m standing above.
I thought this father and son portrait that hung near the gift shop of the Presidential Library was incredible.
“I have opinions of my own, strong opinions; but I don’t always agree with them.”
It was nearly 1:00pm when we left the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. Not only was there a bus parked in front of the building, two tourists did their best to stay in our photo as well. I suppose that’s what I get for not posing when we first arrived.

My photographer and I seem to have a lot in common, except for the fact that I’m better looking.  The biggest commonality that we share is the fact that both of us hate to admit when we’re wrong; but on that day, both of us had to swallow some pride.  When Tom was carrying me out of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, he crossed paths with the same woman who had greeted us upon our arrival.  After she asked his opinion of the Library, I heard my photographer speak with a mouthful of his own foot: “To be honest, I was blown away by this Presidential Library.  Going in, I expected it to be like George W’s – which I had mentioned to you earlier was one of the worst Libraries that I have visited.  To gain my approval, I need to see authentic artifacts that the President had used, touched, worn, or sat on; and this museum had it all.  I would rate it the third best behind the Libraries of Reagan and Nixon.” The woman simply smiled and said in her Texan accent: “I was confident that you would like it.”

During the two-hour ride back to Paradise Farm where Tom’s wife hung out with her family, I stood inside the camera case and thought about George H.W. Bush.  The 41st President seemed like an honest man who served our country admirably; not only in World War II, but in the White House as well. Unfortunately for Bush, six words described his Presidency: “Read my lips; no new taxes.” I knew my photographer had a special place in his heart for George 41 and his wife Barbara; mostly because Bush was the first of only two sitting Presidents that Tom had seen in person. When my camera guy attended a Bush campaign ‘Whistle Stop’ rally in Wixom, Michigan on September 27, 1992, it was 21 years before he met me. At that time, I wasn’t even a wet glob of molten resin stuffed into a jar in China.

The last hours of our final full day at the farm were coming to a close. After dinner, my photographer and his wife sat on the back patio where they relaxed with Sally and the Johnson’s. My companions knew it would be their last time to kick back as they had nearly 1,400 miles in front of them and only four days to get home. At one point, near dusk, Tom grabbed his camera and headed for a distant field where he thought he saw a small herd of deer. Since our arrival two days earlier, Bill and Kim talked about their daily sightings of the deer; my photographer finally nabbed some images of them.

As quiet as my clumsy photographer tried to be, he still managed to spook the herd of deer; although he did snap this photo of a doe running away from us.
As the buck and five does looked back at my camera guy, I knew in my resin heart they were laughing at him. And at that moment, I couldn’t blame them.

After Tom placed me on the nightstand one final time, I stood in the darkness and thought about the last three days at the farm. While my photographer and I enjoyed our tours of the LBJ Ranch and the Bush Library, it was the time we had with Bill, Kim and Sally; as well as Tom’s cousin Margaret Ann a few days earlier; that made our stay in the Lone Star State special. If there was one thing I learned on the farm, besides not to touch Lyla, was there’s nothing stronger than family; even if separated by a thousand miles. George H.W. Bush cherished his family as well; one son even followed in his father’s footsteps all the way to the White House where they joined the Adams’ as the only father-son Presidents in U.S. history. Our third trip to the state was coming to a close and I was saddened to leave the farm and family behind. So much so, in fact, that at one point in the middle of the night I thought I felt a water droplet roll down my painted cheek where it came to rest near my mouth. With glistening eyes, I took a page from George Bush’s book that best described what was in my heart: “Read my lips; I love Texas.”

, , , , , ,

Post navigation

Thomas Watson

My name is Thomas Watson and I've been a U.S. history fanatic since I was 9 years old. In 2013, I decided to take my passion to the next level when I purchased a Thomas Jefferson bobble head with the sole intention of photographing that bobble head at Presidential sites. From that first day on July 10, 2013 at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, this journey has taken on a life of its own. Now, nearly 40,000 miles later, I thought it was time to share the experiences, stories, and photos of Jefferson's travels. Keep in mind, this entire venture has been done with the deepest respect for the men who held the office as our President; no matter what their political affiliations, personal ambitions, or public scandals may have been. This blog is intended to be a true tribute to the Presidents of the United States and this story will be told Through the Eyes of Jefferson. I hope you enjoy the ride!

4 thoughts on “119: “READ MY LIPS – I MADE HISTORY WITH BUSH 41”

  1. I am really loving the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems? A few of my blog readers have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox. Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *