I was fortunate enough to have met the man on two separate occasions. He was thoroughly kind and decent to those of us on dignitary protection detail and he also took the time to meet and greet the many spectators along our route. Even if you disagree with his politics, you have to respect his service in World War II and lifetime of service to the nation.
Funny story, so like I said, I'm working dignitary protection about 15 years ago. My job was to maintain local law enforcement radio contact with the USSS. So I'm paired up with a special agent and we're walking through a casino, about 30 feet ahead of GHW Bush and General Schwartzkopf, who are just strolling along, carrying on a pleasant conversation. As we pass this oyster bar with seating along the walkway, there is a guy looking towards us, right past his wife, who was talking up a storm. The guy shouts "holy shit, it's President Bush!" and his wife just stops, and yells at him that if he didn't want to listen to her, he could just say so, he didn't need to make up lies. Just then, President Bush strolls up to the two of them, leans over the railing and spends a couple of minutes just chatting with them. Slowed down our progress but damn it was a feel good moment.
Godspeed Mr. President. I hope you and Barbara are together again.....
I don't know what year this was, Mr Freeper, but it was certainly back when POTUSGHWB41 was more ambulatory. One day, my Son and some friends had gone to A&M to watch some athletic event and, afterward, as they walked through Aggieville toward a Parking Lot, they walked by a virtually empty gym. They could not help but notice POTUSGHWB41 coming out of the gym - just finishing up a work out. Just as they noticed him, he and his Body Guard walked out a door toward the same parking lot. The guys were all "Ah s...! -that' s POTUS George HW Bush41!" like the fellow in your story ... and they hurried to catch up to him.
Finally, my Son came to his senses and grabbed his friends and said "Hey, guys we are running toward an ex-POTUS and his Body Guards and that is as a good way to get the s--- shot out of us as any other. Quit running!" My Son said, right about then, a gaggle of Maggies stopped the ex-POTUS and he flirted with them long enough that the Son and friends got to talk with him a minute or two. My Son has a picture of himself standing there grinning with POTUSGHWB41.
I did not think President Bush41 would live very long after he lost his Barbara as in one of his writings, he described a note he sent to his Mother the day before he went out to join The Fleet- which said, basically, " Mother, I have kissed Bar... and I intend to do that again." He said "That might show how comparatively naive we still were in the early '40s..."
General Schwarzkopf was a favorite of mine, too. Looking back in the hindsight of his book, he says he was talking to General Powell on one of those Radio/phones and told him "I'm standing, right now, in the middle of the Basra Road and there is not one piece of equipment between me and Baghdad. It might be time to change my objective, General." The answer from DC was "No" as POTUSGHWB41 had already stated his "Exit Strategy."
As I recall, his Approval Rating, after that, was in the 90s.
