RAW VIDEO: Presidents Gather for Opening of Bush 43 Library

All living former presidents join US President Barack Obama at the opening of the George W. Bush presidential library.

Published

12 months ago

Categories

US

Topics

United States, US Politics

People

Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter

Places

United States of America, Texas, Dallas

Transcript

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Former President George W. Bush is joined by his successor, President Barack Obama and all living predecessors, including his father, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter for the ceremony at the 23-acre complex on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The former president has seen his image rebound from the 33 percent approval rating he had when he left office in early 2009 after two eventful terms at the White House that began with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and ended with the 2008 financial crisis. A Washington Post-ABC poll this week put his approval rating at 47 percent, basically equal to that of Obama, who has struggled to bring the economy back to strong growth. Bush, 66, has resolutely avoided getting involved in politics since leaving the White House, preferring to build his library and museum, get involved in charitable projects and relax with golf and mountain biking. He has even taken up painting. Though he would have preferred that Republican Mitt Romney defeat Obama in last November's presidential election, he stayed completely out of the campaign and has avoided commenting on Obama's performance as president out of respect for the office.