George W. Bush gifts Michelle Obama mints, recalling viral friendship moment

Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Michelle Obama shared a lighthearted moment at the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Bush presented Obama with a tin of Altoids, a nod to a memorable incident at the 2018 funeral of Sen. John McCain. During that funeral, Bush was seen discreetly passing Obama what appeared to be a cough drop, a moment that quickly gained public attention.

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President Bush and I, we are forever seatmates because of protocol, that's how we sit at all the official functions, so he is my partner in crime at every major thing where all the 'formers' gather.

Obama had previously described their unexpected camaraderie, noting their frequent seating arrangements at official events. "President Bush and I, we are forever seatmates because of protocol, that's how we sit at all the official functions, so he is my partner in crime at every major thing where all the 'formers' gather," she said on "Today." She characterized Bush as "a wonderful man" and "a funny man," expressing deep affection for him.

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It was a simple gesture. He was getting a cough drop from Laura, and I looked over and I said, 'Hand me a cough drop.'

Bush himself later confirmed in an interview with his daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, that the item was indeed an Altoid. He reflected on the public's reaction to their interactions, stating, "It turns out the country is starved to see a center-right Republican and an African American center-left Democrat having fun and being able to converse, not as political figures, but as citizens."

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I love him to death.

The gesture at the Obama Presidential Center appeared to be a success, with Obama smiling and holding up the tin in a photo alongside Bush. Both the Bushes and the other former presidential couples, the Clintons and the Bidens, were in attendance alongside the Obamas for the ceremony.

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It turns out the country is starved to see a center-right Republican and an African American center-left Democrat having fun and being able to converse, not as political figures, but as citizens.