Photos show Michelle Obama and George W. Bush's enduring friendship, built on wisecracks and cough drops

Advertisement
Photos show Michelle Obama and George W. Bush's enduring friendship, built on wisecracks and cough drops
Former US President George W. Bush smiles as he speaks with First Lady Michelle Obama during an event marking the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, March 7, 2015.
  • Former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President George W. Bush are old friends who don't let their party and political differences get in the way.
  • Bush said he likes Obama because she gets his humor, while Obama called Bush her "partner-in-crime."
  • The friendship, which began when former President Barack Obama was inaugurated in 2009, has had its fair share of viral moments, including several sly cough drop handovers and a sweet embrace.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's an iconic friendship.

Advertisement

Since 2009, former Republican president George W. Bush and former first lady Michelle Obama have hit it off, sharing some truly memorable moments.

In 2016, they had a sweet embrace that was impossible to fake. In 2018, Bush handed Obama cough drops on two different occasions - the first at the memorial service for late Sen. John McCain, and the second at the funeral for George H. Bush, Bush's father.

Obama told the "Today" show, "I love him to death. He's a wonderful man, he's a funny man." While Bush told People they just "took to each other."

It's also a friendship that's been a little out of their hands. Obama and Bush are often seatmates at official functions, so they can spend a lot of time next to each other.

Advertisement

Here's their friendship, in photos.

{{}}

The friendship blossomed in 2009, at President Barack Obama's inauguration.

The friendship blossomed in 2009, at President Barack Obama's inauguration.

It's a relationship that's been partly out of their hands since Obama and Bush are often seatmates at official functions. Of which, they attend a lot.

It's a relationship that's been partly out of their hands since Obama and Bush are often seatmates at official functions. Of which, they attend a lot.

They'll often be seated next to each other at inaugurations or funerals for major political figures.

Advertisement

But even when they aren't seated, the couples can be seen together.

But even when they aren't seated, the couples can be seen together.

In 2016, Obama and Bush showed the world their enduring friendship with a sweet embrace.

In 2016, Obama and Bush showed the world their enduring friendship with a sweet embrace.

The two attended the dedication ceremony for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Jenna Bush Hager, Bush's daughter, called it "the hug that went around the world."

Advertisement

In 2016, the pair shared a moment during a memorial service for five police officers who were killed in Dallas.

In 2016, the pair shared a moment during a memorial service for five police officers who were killed in Dallas.

"Party doesn't separate us. Color, gender — those kinds of things don't separate us. It's the messages that we send," Obama told NBC News.

They also sang together.

They also sang together.

They sang the Civil War-era song "Battle Hymn of the Republic," to honor fallen police officers who were killed by a sniper during a peaceful protest over the police killing of two African-American men.

Bush also raised a few eyebrows for dancing and lifting his wife and Obama's hands during the somber song.

Advertisement

Bush spoke to People about their friendship in 2017.

Bush spoke to People about their friendship in 2017.

"I needle her a little bit and around her, I'm fairly lighthearted," he said. "[The Obamas] are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other."

In 2017, he told Ellen DeGeneres that their friendship surprised everybody.

In 2017, he told Ellen DeGeneres that their friendship surprised everybody.

"That's what's so weird about society today, [the surprise] that people on opposite sides of the political spectrum can actually like each other," he said.

Advertisement

In 2018, at late Sen. John McCain's memorial, Obama saw Laura Bush hand her husband a cough drop, and asked for one, too.

In 2018, at late Sen. John McCain's memorial, Obama saw Laura Bush hand her husband a cough drop, and asked for one, too.

"I looked over and I said, 'Hand me a cough drop," she told "Today." Bush did as he was told.

A clip of Obama mouthing "thank you" after the handover went viral.

A clip of Obama mouthing "thank you" after the handover went viral.

According to Business Insider's Eliza Relman, the moment "became a symbol of bipartisanship and human decency at a time of deep political and cultural division."

Advertisement

In 2018, Obama said Bush was her "partner in crime."

In 2018, Obama said Bush was her "partner in crime."

In an interview with Today, Obama spoke about their friendship, after their interaction at the memorial had gone viral.

She said she loved him "to death," and that he was "a wonderful and funny man."

She said she loved him "to death," and that he was "a wonderful and funny man."

She also mentioned the cough drops had come in a White House box, leading her to ask how long he'd had them. He responded, "A long time — we got a lot of these!"

Advertisement

Then, at Bush's father's memorial in late 2018, as he greeted a line of past and present American presidents, he slyly slipped another cough drop into Obama's hand.

Then, at Bush's father's memorial in late 2018, as he greeted a line of past and present American presidents, he slyly slipped another cough drop into Obama's hand.

In December 2019, Obama defended Ellen DeGeneres when the host was ridiculed for having a friendship with Bush.

In December 2019, Obama defended Ellen DeGeneres when the host was ridiculed for having a friendship with Bush.

DeGeneres was criticized for her friendship with Bush after a photo went viral showing the pair sitting together at a football game.

Advertisement

Obama told "Today" that while they agreed on policy, their values were the same.

Obama told "Today" that while they agreed on policy, their values were the same.

"We don't disagree on humanity. We don't disagree about love and compassion. I think that's true for all of us. It's just that we get lost in our fear of what's different," she said.

Next StoryBiden, Warren, Sanders, Yang, and Buttigieg are threatening to skip the next Democratic debate amid a labor dispute