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  • Fred Ryan: Good afternoon.

  • I'm Fred Ryan, Chairman of the Board of the White House

  • Historical Association.

  • The Association is honored to be part of today's historic

  • ceremony and to have played a role in arranging for the

  • magnificent portraits that are about to be unveiled.

  • The White House Historical Association was founded

  • 50 years ago by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with two

  • specific missions.

  • The first is to educate and inform the public about the

  • history of the White House and the distinguished group

  • of Americans that have inhabited it.

  • In this regard, it is an exciting time for us as we mark

  • our 50th anniversary campaign for White House history.

  • To the north of the White House at the historic Decatur House we

  • have just launched the new David Rubenstein National Center for

  • White House History.

  • Next year, to the south of the White House,

  • we will open a newly redesigned White House visitors center.

  • It will give the millions of visitors to Washington each

  • year a chance to gain a broader understanding of life in the

  • White House.

  • If we can just acquire something on the east and west,

  • we'll have the place surrounded.

  • (laughter)

  • The other mission of the association is to provide

  • funds to preserve the White House public rooms and enhance

  • its incomparable collection of decorative and fine arts.

  • Over the five decades and ten presidents since our founding,

  • the Association is proud to have provided nearly $40 million in

  • financial support for refurbishing and making

  • important acquisitions for the White House.

  • Through the portraits of our presidents and first ladies,

  • it's a wonderful tradition that here in America's house our

  • country honors those who have honored us.

  • The tradition began with the acquisition of George

  • Washington's portrait in 1800.

  • It was purchased by the United States government.

  • It was viewed as such an important national treasure,

  • it was the object of Dolly Madison's greatest concerns

  • when the British burned the White House in 1814.

  • The White House Historical Association has been privileged

  • to commission the official portrait of every president

  • and first lady over the last 50 years,

  • and to acquire historical portraits of those who were

  • previously missing from the White House collection.

  • In our digital world, where so many images are mere flashes

  • on a screen, these enduring portraits of great Americans by

  • acclaimed artists are lasting tributes to our presidents and

  • first ladies and will forever be part of the

  • White House collection.

  • Today, the portraits of President George W.

  • Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will be added to this unique

  • collection of those who have occupied this house and served

  • our nation with distinction.

  • And to those great presidential portrait artists whose works

  • here include Gilbert Stuart, John Singer Sargent and Aaron

  • Shikler we now add John Howard Sanden.

  • So today's event may once again prompt one of those

  • great debates that's taken place often within the White House.

  • Strong arguments will be made on both sides.

  • It's not a debate over issues or between parties.

  • It's a debate as to whether the portrait actually looks like the

  • President and First Lady.

  • (laughter)

  • And we will soon find that out.

  • It is now my distinct pleasure to introduce the President of

  • the United States.

  • (applause)

  • President Obama: Thank you.

  • Thank you so much.

  • (applause)

  • Thank you.

  • Please, everybody, have a seat.

  • Well, good afternoon, everybody.

  • Thank you, Fred, for that introduction.

  • To President George H.W. Bush and Barbara,

  • to all the members of the Bush family who are here --

  • it is a great privilege to have you here today.

  • And to President and Mrs. Bush, welcome back to the house that

  • you called home for eight years.

  • The White House is many things at once.

  • It's a working office, it's a living museum,

  • it's an enduring symbol of our democracy.

  • But at the end of the day, when the visitors go home and the

  • lights go down, a few of us are blessed with the tremendous

  • honor to actually live here.

  • I think it's fair to say that every President is acutely aware

  • that we are just temporary residents -- we're renters here.

  • We're charged with the upkeep until our lease runs out.

  • But we also leave a piece of ourselves in this place.

  • And today, with the unveiling of the portraits next to me,

  • President and Mrs. Bush will take their place alongside men

  • and women who built this country and those who worked

  • to perfect it.

  • It's been said that no one can ever truly understand what it's

  • like being President until they sit behind that desk and feel

  • the weight and responsibility for the first time.

  • And that is true.

  • After three and a half years in office -- and much more

  • gray hair --

  • (laughter)

  • -- I have a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the

  • Presidents who came before me, including my immediate

  • predecessor, President Bush.

  • In this job, no decision that reaches your desk is easy.

  • No choice you make is without costs.

  • No matter how hard you try, you're not going to make

  • everybody happy.

  • I think that's something President Bush and I both

  • learned pretty quickly.

  • (laughter)

  • And that's why, from time to time,

  • those of us who have had the privilege to hold this office

  • find ourselves turning to the only people on Earth who know

  • the feeling.

  • We may have our differences politically,

  • but the presidency transcends those differences.

  • We all love this country.

  • We all want America to succeed.

  • We all believe that when it comes to moving this country

  • forward, we have an obligation to pull together.

  • And we all follow the humble, heroic example of our first

  • President, George Washington, who knew that a true test of

  • patriotism is the willingness to freely and graciously pass

  • the reins of power on to somebody else.

  • That's certainly been true of President Bush.

  • The months before I took the oath of office were

  • a chaotic time.

  • We knew our economy was in trouble,

  • our fellow Americans were in pain,

  • but we wouldn't know until later just how breathtaking

  • the financial crisis had been.

  • And still, over those two and a half months -- in the midst of

  • that crisis -- President Bush, his Cabinet, his staff,

  • many of you who are here today, went out of your ways -- George,

  • you went out of your way -- to make sure that the transition to

  • a new administration was as seamless as possible.

  • President Bush understood that rescuing our economy was not

  • just a Democratic or a Republican issue;

  • it was a American priority.

  • I'll always be grateful for that.

  • The same is true for our national security.

  • None of us will ever forget where we were on that terrible

  • September day when our country was attacked.

  • All of us will always remember the image of President Bush

  • standing on that pile of rubble, bullhorn in hand,

  • conveying extraordinary strength and resolve to the American

  • people but also representing the strength and resolve of

  • the American people.

  • And last year, when we delivered justice to Osama bin Laden,

  • I made it clear that our success was due to many people in many

  • organizations working together over many

  • years -- across two administrations.

  • That's why my first call once American forces were safely out

  • of harm's way was to President Bush.

  • Because protecting our country is neither the work of one

  • person, nor the task of one period of time,

  • it's an ongoing obligation that we all share.

  • Finally, on a personal note, Michelle and I are grateful

  • to the entire Bush family for their guidance and their example

  • during our own transition.

  • George, I will always remember the gathering you hosted for all

  • the living former Presidents before I took office,

  • your kind words of encouragement.

  • Plus, you also left me a really good TV sports package.

  • (laughter)

  • I use it.

  • (laughter)

  • Laura, you reminded us that the most rewarding thing about

  • living in this house isn't the title or the power,

  • but the chance to shine a spotlight on the issues that

  • matter most.

  • And the fact that you and George raised two smart,

  • beautiful daughters -- first, as girls visiting their

  • grandparents and then as teenagers preparing to head out

  • into the world -- that obviously gives Michelle and I tremendous

  • hope as we try to do the right thing by our own daughters in

  • this slightly odd atmosphere that we've created.

  • Jenna and Barbara, we will never forget the advice you gave Sasha

  • and Malia as they began their lives in Washington.

  • They told them to surround themselves with loyal friends,

  • never stop doing what they love; to slide down

  • the banisters occasionally --

  • (laughter)

  • -- to play Sardines on the lawn; to meet new people and try new

  • things; and to try to absorb everything and enjoy all of it.

  • And I can tell you that Malia and Sasha took that

  • advice to heart.

  • It really meant a lot to them.

  • One of the greatest strengths of our democracy is our ability to

  • peacefully, and routinely, go through transitions of power.

  • It speaks to the fact that we've always had leaders who

  • believe in America, and everything it stands for,

  • above all else -- leaders and their families who are willing

  • to devote their lives to the country that they love.

  • This is what we'll think about every time we pass these

  • portraits -- just as millions of other visitors will do in

  • the decades, and perhaps even the centuries to come.

  • I want to thank John Howard Sanden,

  • the artist behind these beautiful works,

  • for his efforts.

  • And on behalf of the American people,

  • I want to thank most sincerely President and Mrs. Bush for

  • their extraordinary service to our country.

  • And now I'd like to invite them on stage to take part

  • in the presentation.

  • (applause)

  • (portraits are unveiled)

  • (applause)

  • President Bush: Thank you, sit down.

  • Sit down.

  • Behave yourselves.

  • (laughter)

  • Mr. President, thank you for your warm hospitality.

  • Madam First Lady, thank you so much for inviting

  • our rowdy friends --

  • (laughter)

  • -- to my hanging.

  • (laughter)

  • Laura and I are honored to be here.

  • Mr. Vice President, thank you for coming.

  • We are overwhelmed by your hospitality.

  • And thank you for feeding the Bush family,

  • all 14 members of us who are here.

  • (laughter)

  • I want to thank our girls for coming.

  • I thank Mom and Dad, brother, sister, in-laws,

  • aunts and uncles.

  • I appreciate you taking your time.

  • I know you're as excited as Laura and me to be able to

  • come back here, and particularly thank the people who helped make

  • this house a home for us for eight years,

  • the White House staff.

  • I want to thank Fred Ryan and the White House Historical

  • Association and Bill Allman, the White House curator.

  • I am pleased that my portrait brings an interesting symmetry

  • to the White House collection.

  • It now starts and ends with a George W.

  • (laughter and applause)

  • When the British burned the White House,

  • as Fred mentioned, in 1814, Dolley Madison famously saved

  • this portrait of the first George W.

  • (laughter)

  • Now, Michelle, if anything happens there's your man.

  • (laughter and applause)

  • I am also pleased, Mr. President,

  • that when you are wandering these halls as you wrestle with

  • tough decisions, you will now be able to gaze at this portrait

  • and ask, what would George do?

  • (laughter)

  • I am honored to be hanging near a man who gave me the greatest

  • gift possible, unconditional love -- and that would be

  • number 41.

  • (applause)

  • I want to thank John Howard Sanden for agreeing to use

  • his considerable talents to paint my likeness.

  • You've done a fine job with a challenging subject.

  • (laughter)

  • In the portrait, there's a painting by W.H.D. Koerner

  • called, "A Charge to Keep."

  • It hung in the Oval Office for eight years of my presidency.

  • I asked John to include it, because it reminds me of the

  • wonderful people with whom I was privileged to serve.

  • Whether they served in the Cabinet or on the presidential

  • staff, these men and women -- many of whom are here -- worked

  • hard and served with honor.

  • We had a charge to keep and we kept the charge.

  • It is my privilege to introduce the greatest First Lady ever --

  • sorry, Mom.

  • (laughter)

  • Would you agree to a tie?

  • (laughter)

  • A woman who brought such grace and dignity and love

  • in this house.

  • (applause)

  • Mrs. Bush: Thank you all.

  • (applause)

  • Thank you, everybody.

  • Thank you very much.

  • Thank you, darling.

  • Thank you, President and Mrs. Obama.

  • Thank you for your kindness and your consideration today.

  • It was really gracious of you to invite us back to the White

  • House to hang a few family pictures.

  • (laughter)

  • And I'm sure you know nothing makes a house a home like having

  • portraits of its former occupants staring down

  • at you from the walls.

  • (laughter)

  • This is not the first time I've had the opportunity to confront

  • an artistic likeness of myself.

  • A few years ago, just after the 2008 election,

  • a friend sent me something he'd found in the gift shop of the

  • National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia.

  • It was a Laura Bush bobblehead doll.

  • (laughter)

  • He said he found it on the clearance shelf.

  • (laughter)

  • But I'm flattered and grateful to know that this particular

  • work has a permanent home.

  • And thanks to the masterful talent of John Howard Sanden,

  • I like it a whole lot better than I do that bobblehead doll.

  • (laughter)

  • Thank you very much, John Howard Sanden -- you're terrific to

  • work with.

  • And thanks to Elizabeth and your family who have

  • joined you today.

  • Thank you very, very much, John.

  • (applause)

  • And, of course, it's meaningful to me as a private person to

  • know that these portraits will be on view at the White House,

  • that my portrait will hang just down the hall from my

  • mother-in-law, and that George's portrait will hang very close to

  • his dad's.

  • But what's more meaningful is it's meaningful to me

  • as a citizen.

  • This was our family's home for eight years.

  • It was our home, but it wasn't our house.

  • This house belongs to the people whose portraits will never hang

  • here, the ordinary and not-so-ordinary people whose

  • lives inspired us and whose expectations guided us during

  • the years that we lived here.

  • In this room are many of the people who stood by us as we

  • faced the tragedy of September 11th,

  • and who worked with us in the years after.

  • Thanks to each and every one of you for your service

  • to our country.

  • (applause)

  • I hope others will see in this portrait what I see: a woman who

  • was honored and humbled to live in the White House during a

  • period of great challenge, and who will never forget

  • the countless American faces who make up the true portrait

  • of that time.

  • Thank you all very much.

  • Thanks so much.

  • And thank you, Michelle, if you want to come up.

  • (applause)

  • The First Lady: Well, I don't think we have enough tissue

  • to go around.

  • (laughter)

  • Jenna and Barbara, they're just a mess.

  • (laughter)

  • But I want to thank President and Mrs. Bush

  • for joining us today.

  • I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Laura

  • for providing such a wonderful model of strength and grace for

  • me to follow as First Lady.

  • It is an interesting job, and it's just been amazing to learn

  • from your example not just as a First Lady,

  • but as a mother of two wonderful daughters.

  • You're on the other side of where we hope to be --

  • (laughter)

  • -- in a couple of years -- two daughters that sit up straight

  • and cry when they're --

  • (laughter)

  • -- and think lovingly about their mom and their dad.

  • (laughter)

  • We're working towards that goal, but you've done a terrific job.

  • And I also want to echo Barack.

  • We couldn't be more thankful for the warmth and graciousness that

  • both of you showed -- all of you showed -- our family when we

  • moved in three years ago.

  • It is truly, truly a privilege for us to occupy this house.

  • And hopefully, we are setting the same example of warmth and

  • love and hope that you all have provided as well.

  • The warmth is truly reflected in these portraits,

  • and I promise you --

  • (laughter)

  • -- I promise, I'm going straight for --

  • (laughter)

  • -- and I'm sure it will be closer right down the stairs,

  • and I'll get right to it.

  • So I am thrilled for all of the White House visitors who

  • will soon have the chance to enjoy them as well.

  • And I'm thrilled for both of you as you join these incredible

  • Americans whose portraits are already displayed here at the

  • White House.

  • So congratulations again.

  • Congratulations on the work that you have done,

  • the example that you have provided to this country,

  • and what it means to be an American family.

  • We are so happy and proud and honored to be a part.

  • And with that, it is my pleasure to invite you all to join us for

  • a reception right outside in the State Room.

  • Now it's time to eat.

  • (laughter)

  • Thank you all so much.

  • (applause)

Fred Ryan: Good afternoon.

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