Moment Between Bush, Michelle Obama Sparks Heated Debate About Bush’s Problematic History

Michelle Obama and former President George W. Bush had America gushing after the two shared a lighthearted moment at the memorial service for Arizona Sen. John McCain this weekend. Their sweet moment wasn’t enough for critics to forget the atrocities that Bush committed during his presidency, however.

Video of Bush happily passing Mrs. Obama what folks initially thought was a piece of candy during the senator’s funeral at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday quickly went viral, with Bush’s camp later clarifying it was a cough drop, CNN reported. The two sat side by side, as the former first lady’s husband, former President Barack Obama and Bush were there to eulogize their late friend.

Many lauded the moment, saying it was just what McCain would have wanted.

“I’d like to think that moments like this between W. Bush and Michelle Obama are what McCain was hoping for,” CNN Politics editor Brenna Williams tweeted.

“George W. Bush and Michelle Obama is the reality TV show that America needs,” another person chimed in.

Still, many were unimpressed by Bush’s “antics” and criticized those who seemed to forget his history of doing bad by people of color. Bush, who served as POTUS from 2001 to 2009, is most known for his poor handling and response to Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged the city of New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast in 2005. It was four days before the president ordered federal emergency relief aid to the mostly Black and brown, low-income residents impacted by the Category 5 storm.

Bush, who was vacationing at the time, was already facing criticism for his handling of the deadly Iraq war.

All seemed forgiven, however, after the video of he and Mrs. Obama, which didn’t sit well with some folks.

“That’s wild all Bush had to do was enjoy hugging a Black woman for everyone to welcome him with open arms like Katrina didn’t happen on his watch,” one critic wrote.

“Have you forgotten how he lied and we went to pointless war?” another  chimed in. “So he gave someone candy and all that is forgiven? Ya’ll must be young …”

One user saw things from a different perspective, insisting no one had forgotten about Katrina, but because “what we’re experiencing now, is so much worse (with more crap coming), we have to squeeze as much good news from what we have today just to keep sane.”

Still, another argued that “the bar for white men on here is super low. They have to do next to nothing to be celebrated.”

See more in the video below.

I’d like to think that moments like this between W. Bush and Michelle Obama are what McCain was hoping for. pic.twitter.com/vYE3A46Ity

— Brenna Williams (@brennawilliams) September 1, 2018