Untitled Document
President George W. Bush says Bill Clinton has become so close to his
father that the Democratic former president is like a member of the family.
Former President George Bush has worked with Clinton to raise money for victims
of the Asian tsunami and the hurricane disaster along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Asked about his father and Clinton, Bush quipped, "Yes, he and
my new brother."
"That's a good relationship. It's a fun relationship to watch," Bush
said in an interview with CBS News broadcast on Sunday.
While attending Pope John Paul's funeral, Bush said, "It was fun to see
the interplay between dad and Clinton. One of these days, I'll be a member of
the ex-president's club. ... I'll be looking for something to do."
He said ex-presidents share rare experiences that others cannot understand.
"And so I can understand why ex-presidents are able to put aside old differences,"
he said.
Bush said he checked in with Clinton occasionally.
"And you know, he says things that makes it obvious -- that makes it obvious
to me that we're kind of, you know, on the same wavelength about the job of
the presidency. Makes sense, after all, there's this kind of commonality,"
he said.
Bush jokingly referred to speculation that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the
former president's wife, will seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency.
He had earlier referred to the former first lady as "formidable."
"Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton," he said, referring to how Bill Clinton
had followed his father, and Hillary Clinton could follow him.