President Bush celebrated Thanksgiving at Camp David with relatives and good friends like Condoleeza Rice. This week, George Bush Sr. was with a much less welcoming crowd in Abu Dhabi—defending his son’s record on the war.
In a story that did not make the headlines in American media over the holidays, Bush Sr. was jeered by a crowd after giving a key note address to young business leaders in the United Arab Emirates.
After a woman audience member told Bush Sr. “We do not respect your son. We do not respect the work he’s doing all over the world,” the crowd whooped.
Due to the presence of journalists, Bush Sr. would not say what advice he gives George W. on the war. But he displayed unfailing family loyalty, saying that his son was “an honest man” who was working for peace.
“When your son’s under attack, it hurts,” Bush Sr. told the audience. “You’re determined to be at his side and help him any way you possibly can.”
–Caroline Dobuzinskis