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Tag: Brad Paisley

More Presidents Day the LEAP Way: Touring President Bush’s Office

This past Wednesday, the LEAP Ambassadors had the opportunity to tour Former President H. W. Bush’s office in Houston. LEAP’s favorite photographer, Mark Burns, collaborated with Bush’s former chief of staff, Jean Becker, to help create this unique opportunity for us. In the early afternoon, we arrived at what seemed like just another office building in Houston.  However, after walking through the doors, a bust of the former president is seen on the wall, sculpted by none other than Huntsville’s own, David Adickes!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, David Adickes

After stepping out of the elevator and making our way down the hallway, we noticed that Former Ambassador Chase Untermeyer’s Houston office is located just down the hall from Bush’s.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Chase Untermeyer

Ambassador Untermeyer will be coming to the SHSU campus to visit with students on February 27th, and we can’t wait to ask him to share with us his experiences in government and with President Bush.

And then there was the Secret Service office that required check-in before heading to President Bush’s office…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns, Secret Service

…and then there was President Bush’s office.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

Stories about Bush weren’t in short supply among the people working in his office.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker

He was described as a kind, caring man who loved to skydive and could be quite spontaneous, much to the chagrin of his office staff and secret service agents.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

We were shown around the office where numerous photographs, paintings, and gifts were pointed out to us with a story behind each one.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

A couple of our favorites were the Presidential Seal made out of Waterford Crystal which was a gift from the Irish President…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

…the many photos of President Bush skydiving, and a solid gold iPad encrusted with diamonds given to him as another gift from a prince of Saudi Arabia.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

We were led into Bush’s personal office which was large, spacious, and bright with windows all around showing views of the distant downtown skyline.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

We had a chance to see something as serious as a map of military installations that he and Gorbachev had discussed near the end of the Cold War…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

…while also seeing something as down-to-earth as signed guitars he received from Taylor Swift and Brad Paisley.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley

We posed for a picture in the office before moving on.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

Ms. Becker also took us into her office to share stories and show photographs, including some by Mark Burns, who helped us set up this tour.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

Through the stories told and the pictures seen on this tour, George H. W. Bush began to morph from a man we’ve only ever read about into one we felt as though we knew.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

We thanked both Ms. Becker, Mark Burns, and our tour guide, Ms. Sage, for taking the time to show us around.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

It was our fourth event in three days, and three of those events had in one or the other revolved around President Bush and his Presidency, giving us a renewed appreciation for him as a President and as a human.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day,  Jean Becker, Mark Burns

 

Author mikeyawnPosted on February 18, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, PoliticsTags Brad Paisley, Chase Untermeyer, Jean Becker, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Mark Burns, President George H. W. Bush, Presidents Day, SHSU, Taylor SwiftLeave a comment on More Presidents Day the LEAP Way: Touring President Bush’s Office

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