Discomfort at the funeral of George H. W. Bush
America's most exclusive club - the Presidents' Club - gathered on Wednesday to pay their last respects to George H. W. Bush, publicly flaunting his difficult relationship with the current holder of the most powerful office in the world.
It was an uncomfortable meeting between President Donald Trump and the former occupants of the White House who do not hide their disapproval of him.
Before the ceremony began on Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral, former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, accompanied by their wives, had a friendly chat between them, seated on the bench in the front row. Bill Clinton and former First Lady Michelle Obama had a quiet conversation.
But the arrival of the Trump couple, a few minutes before Mr. Bush's funeral procession, seemed to have the effect of a cold shower on the "ex". First Lady Melania Trump approached first, greeting the Obamas and former President Clinton with a handshake. President Trump then shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Obama before taking a seat. Hillary Clinton stared straight ahead as the Trumps arrived, while the Carers seemed to have overlooked their presence.
After that, the friendly conversations along the row stopped.
Next came George W. Bush, who shook hands with the entire front row of dignitaries - and even seemed to share a moment of humor with Michelle Obama, slipping something in her hand. Mr. Bush took his seat across the center aisle, along with the rest of the Bush family.
The Trump-Obama handshake was the first direct interaction between the current president and his immediate predecessor since inauguration day in 2017. Mr. Trump has not spoken to Ms. Clinton or Mr. Obama, two Democrats, since this day.
Those who have occupied the White House share a rare experience that usually engenders a special camaraderie often transcending party lines. But the unwritten rules of this exclusive club were disrupted by the election of Mr. Trump. And since being sworn in, Mr. Trump has scorned most contacts with his predecessors, who have returned the favor.
A shared unease
Despite the traditional brotherhood among presidents, Mr. Trump's predecessors have all made their unease known in different ways.
"It is unusual for a cabal of former presidents of both parties to hate a sitting president, and that is what is happening now," said Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University.
Because of their longevity and potential for continued influence, ex-presidents remain active and visible in the public eye longer than ever.
Busy with various personal activities, charity work and, in some cases, paid speeches, past presidents do not meet very often, making the funeral of one of their own a great reunion occasion. Bound by the presidency, they tend to be cautious in their comments about each other. Nevertheless, all the former presidents still alive have already shot arrows in Donald Trump's direction, directly or indirectly.
In a speech in September, Mr. Obama criticized the “crazy stuff” that comes out of the White House, without directly naming Mr. Trump. Last year, George W. Bush delivered a speech on many topics of the Trump presidency without naming him, stressing that "bigotry seems emboldened" and that American politics "seem more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and total fabrications. ".
Over the summer, Carter told the Washington Post that Mr. Trump's presidency was a "disaster." And Mr. Clinton, angered by his wife Hillary's 2016 presidential defeat, told a New York State weekly newspaper that Mr. Trump "doesn't know much."
Even George H. W. Bush seemed to have a negative opinion of Mr. Trump. In Mark K. Updegrove's The Last Republicans, published last year, Mr. Bush called Mr. Trump a "swagger."
The late President Bush said he voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, while his son said he voted for "none" of the candidates.
There have been other times when ex-presidents have seemed more sympathetic towards Mr. Trump. After the billionaire's surprise victory in 2016, Mr. Obama presented himself in the rose garden at the White House to declare that he "supported" the next president. Mr. Carter told the New York Times in 2017 that the media had been harsher on Mr. Trump than on other presidents. In June, Clinton said the United States should hope that Mr. Trump's talks with North Korea are successful.
Mr Brinkley recalled that presidential funerals tended to be courteous events, even after political tensions.
After all, "Bill and Hillary were at Nixon's funeral even though Hillary worked to remove him," he recalled.
