I met Barbara Bush on a private parking lot of a large convention hotel in Orlando, Florida. I was the lead executive for a large annual national healthcare meeting and we had booked her as a keynote speaker.
Secret Service agents had brought her to the hotel after we flew her on a private jet from Houston to Orlando. The minute she stepped out of the back seat of the limousine, her demeanor, warm and gracious style, and her beautiful, sincere smile put me completely at ease. After warm greetings, we walked into a back entrance of the hotel. The Secret Service had already carefully planned exactly where we would walk, the freight elevator we would use, and all other security details. There were 3 Secret Service officers, a young lady who served as an assistant to Mrs. Bush, and of course Barbara and me. Mrs. Bush and I immediately hit it off and begin talking about all kinds of things as we walked in, through the hotel, and onto the freight elevator.
As the freight elevator moved up to the floor where she would speak, I felt so comfortable with her that I kiddingly asked the following question: “Is your son going to run for president?” I kid you not, this is actually what happened.
She looked at me and gave a rehearsed, reserved response like “Well… he hasn’t announced yet whether he will run or not.” (Remember, at this point I am standing less than 2 feet from her.) I just looked at her and smiled. Then, after about 3 to 5 seconds of silence, she literally looked around the elevator, like she was checking to see if anyone would hear her next comment. (Remember, the only people on that freight elevator were the 3 Secret Service officers, her assistant, and of course Barbara Bush, and me.) Then, in a priceless moment from a very proud mother, she stepped toward me, and excitedly, enthusiastically whispered, “But he is gonna run!!”
I congratulated her and then we visited a bit about her husband, President George Herbert Walker Bush.
I will never forget, as we approached the floor where we would get off the elevator, I commented saying, “because of security, I bet you’ve been on a lot of freight elevators across America.” Her immediate response, with a big, warm grin on her face, was “I’ve been on every freight elevator in every hotel in and around Washington DC!” Everyone on the freight elevator, including all 3 Secret Service officers, got a big kick out of that spontaneous comment!
Over the next couple of hours, I served as host and introduced Mrs. Bush to approximately 30 healthcare executives from all across America who had been selected to meet her, and to have their picture taken with her in a private room before her keynote address.
Then, I sat with her for approximately 30 minutes in the “ready room“ before her keynote.
Barbara Bush was one of the classiest ladies, one of the classiest human beings I have ever met! She was beautiful, gracious, warm, cordial, caring, respectful, real, and very strong in every way!
I am blessed beyond measure to have had the incredible honor of spending several hours with her, one on one.
I well remember the ride back down that same freight elevator – 3 Secret Service officers, the assistant, Mrs. Bush and me – walking through the back end of that hotel and walking out to the waiting limo. I thanked her for a great keynote and for being so gracious to the people she met.
But most of all, I thanked her profusely for her unwavering commitment and her leadership and service to The United States of America!
