By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Thursday, March 26 former First Lady Laura Bush was in Homewood at Samford University. Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan called the wife of former President George W. Bush a, “First Class Lady.”
In a statement on Monday, March, Chairwoman Lathan said, “Speaking of ladies, it was an honor to attend Samford University’s Department of Education’s 100th Year program celebrating the education of Samford teachers. First Lady Laura Bush was the keynote guest speaking to a sold out crowd of 1,800 students, faculty and Laura fans. Along with Jefferson County Republican Executive Chairwoman Sallie Bryant, we enjoyed some great moments listening to Mrs. Bush.”
ALGOP Chairwoman continued, “Mrs. Bush updated us on President George W. Bush’s parents, her children and doted on their first grandchild. She shared that GWB wants his grandfather name to be “Sir”. She also brought a loud laugh from the crowd when she said that nowadays grandparent names sound more like “cat names” than the old Grandma or Grandpa name days.”
Lathan said that Mrs. Bush, “Shared moments in the White House: her husband not really comfortable with valets on their first night; having 27 family members sleeping under the same roof the night of the first Inauguration; redecorating the Lincoln bedroom, which was actually President’s Lincoln office where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation; leaving on the last day on Marine One with her in-laws already sitting in the helicopter when they got in it, which reverse repeated itself when GHWB and “Bar” left the White House on Marine One while George and Laura were waiting on them; and the everyday respect and humbleness they shared as they were in their new home for eight years of residency.”
Mrs. Bush recalled sitting in the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s (D-Massachusetts) office with the Senator watching the Twin Towers fall on September 11, 2001. Bush joked about a, “friend sending her a Laura Bush bobble head doll that was found in Philadelphia on a half price shelf after they had left the White House. Mrs. Bush had the doll and showed it to the audience and said at times she felt like she lived in a “bubble”.”
Mrs. Bush joked about headlines from grocery store tabloids claiming that she had left her husband and her father-in-law was an alien. “Who knew?” she joked.
Lathan said, “She spoke of her love of teaching, and knew she wanted to teach since she was in the second grade when she fell in love with her teacher and “wanted to be just like her”.”
Chairwoman Lathan wrote, “Laura Bush is a beautiful example of warm hospitality, a loving heart and a strong family woman who is comfortable in her own shoes. Whether talking about dirty socks that her husband now drops on the floor, thinking they will magically pick themselves up like in the White House, or sharing a moment about running down into the underground White House bunker when a report about a possible plane heading toward them on 9/11, it was refreshing to once again share special moments with the lovely Laura Bush.”
Lathan said that Mrs. Bush’s new book is ‘Spoken from the Heart’, where she shares her stories.
Chairwoman Lathan said that she will be in Montgomery on Wednesday to attend the Alabama Federation of Republican Women (AFRW) Legislative Days.
Chairwoman Lathan wrote, “We appreciate our Montgomery legislative leadership rolling out the ‘Red Carpet’ for one of the hardest working women’s team in the nation! A highlight will be a breakfast with First Lady Dianne Bentley, a keynote address by Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh, hearing from our elected officials, panel discussions and visiting with our legislative delegations. Congratulations.”
Prior to her election as Chair of the Alabama Republican Party in February, Mrs. Lathan was Chair of the Mobile County Republican Party.
