Jean Becker – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Past as Prologue: An Evening with Jon Meacham

By Allie Plunk

Saturday, February 28th was an eventful day for LEAP students! We travelled to the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston for a book talk on Pulitzer Prize Winner Jon Meacham’s new anthology American Struggle, which explores the history of politics.

Introduced by World Affairs Council CEO Maryanne Maldonado…

…and moderated by Chief Programs Officer Ronan O’Malley…

…Meacham discussed American political history, getting into the nitty gritty of the division of party lines with witty humor and anecdotes.

In addition to the United States’ religious roots, he explored the impact of African Americans as far back as the Civil War, such as Frederick Douglass, on the development of political ideology– more specifically, the creation of the Republican party.

Meacham had several interesting points on the distinction between an “anti-slavery” and “abolitionist” person in the 1800s. These two ideas were once very different, yet today, most Americans would consider them the same thing. This kind of trend is frequent in politics, as ideology and morality evolves. He also unpacked the lasting effect of the World Wars, Great Depression, and Cold War, describing the general idea of modern American politics as “a vigorous debate, from 1932 to 2016, between [the ideas of] FDR and Reagan.”

He also reflected on the development of factions within the two major political parties, such as the John Birchers of the 1950s. On today’s politics, he determined that while we do live in a time of political upheaval due to party extremism, this “crisis” is not unprecedented. America’s political history has been littered with events that were perhaps more destabilizing than what we experience today, such as the Great Depression, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and the fight for Civil Rights in the 60s. These events shook Americans to their core. While today’s Americans may feel like they exist in a space of political turmoil, the moral and financial roots of a nation were shaken during these events. He suggested that history serves not as a roadmap, but as a diagnostic tool, helping citizens understand how democratic institutions have survived moments of extremism in the past.

Following the talk, we were surprised to see Jean Becker, whose book event we had attended at the Bush School of Government and Public Service just days earlier. After a brief conversation and a quick selfie, we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves to Meacham– a memorable end to a day that brought American political history to life.

Jean Becker and Tom Collamore Discuss Advance Work in ‘Don’t Tell the President’

The Bush Foundation: Jean Becker and Tom Collamore &

In a special event hosted by the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, authors Jean Becker and Tom Collamore took the stage to discuss their new book, “Don’t Tell the President.” And as with all Bush Foundation events, the setting and the audience proved to be as interesting as the main attraction.

That was certainly the case this time, as we ran into Secretary Andrew Card…

…and photographer Mark Burns before even entering the auditorium! Both were generous with their time, discussing their favorite stories concerning President Bush.

Of course, they were also there to see Jean Becker, and while we may not be members of the Jean Becker Fan Club….

….we make the opportunity to see her speak.

Don’t Tell the President: The Best, Worst, and Mostly Untold Stories from Presidential Advance

Alice Gonzales Yates, President of the George and Barbara Bush Foundation…

…introduced the event, and it was a pleasant and unexpected surprise when she introduced us!

The most enjoyable part of the evening, of course, was hearing from Jean Becker and Tom Collamore–and contributing authors Robbie Aiken, Jay Allison, and Greg Jenkins–discuss a blend of behind-the-scenes chaos and the concomitant responsibility that comes from preparing the nation’s most important figure for public engagements.

The engagements discussed ranged from the picayune to the momentous, from an imposter surreptitiously boarding the press plane for a presidential trip to getting just the right setting to support Solidarity in Poland with Lech Walesa and the destruction of the Berlin Wall in Germany.

This was the perfect pairing with our visit to the Bush Presidential Library earlier in the day, providing insights into some of the history we had observed while also reminding us of the importance of event planning, even in our own small events.

Adding to the fun of the evening was seeing Ms. Becker be recognized as an honorary member of the TAMU Singing Cadets, who sang “America the Beautiful” as an honor to the United States as part of the country’s 250th anniversary of independence.

Tour: The Foundation Offices

Following the event, we approach Ms. Yates to thank her, and she graciously spent more time with us, even as she had additional work to do. During the conversation, she offered to give us a tour of their offices, tell us more about the Foundation, and let us see the “Bush Apartment.”

We had already had a wonderful day: seeing the Bush Presidential Library, hearing from Kathryn Meyers at the Bush School of Public Service, and attending the Becker and Collamore event. So, the opportunity for something on top of all that was certainly unexpected, and while we didn’t want to delay Ms. Yates from her work any further, this was an opportunity we couldn’t decline.

Ms. Yates provided an overview of the Foundation’s work, while also givinga wonderful tour of the Foundation’s space. It was a beautiful space, one that has been preserved since the President’s passing, and one that is still used for myriad purposes. It was an honor to be given the tour, and it was the perfect way to end our time at the Bush Presidential Library.

Dinner

While the tour was an ideal cap to our day at the Bush Library, we all believed that dinner would be the perfect way to end our; accordingly, we headed to Shiraz Shish Kabob. On LEAP field trips, we do our best to eat at restaurants themed with our learning opportunities, and after spending a day at the Bush Library–where the Middle East was much on display–we enjoyed diverse fare from one of our favorite College Station places.

For many, it was the first time to try Baklava or Shawarma or even Hummus, and it was met with great approval.

With full stomachs, on a high of a fantastic nine-hour learning sprint, and a renewed spirit of public service, we returned to SHSU.

A Timely Discussion of “Character Matters” with Jean Becker

Brock Williams-Rodriguez

On October 30^th, Jean Becker came to Sam Houston State University to give a special presentation about her time as Chief of Staff to President George H.W. Bush, Deputy White House Press Secretary to Mrs. Barbara Bush, and her book Character Matters. Although that was almost a month ago, it seems appropriate to post this now, in the midst of the Thanksgiving holidays, for we are, indeed, grateful for her visit to SHSU.

The discussion began with Professor Yawn introducing Ms. Becker…

…while also noting that she is on the board of the “Points of Light Foundation”–a non-profit that promotes public service.

In fact, it was noted that President Bush’s motto, “any definition of a successful life must involve service to others,” is similar to SHSU’s motto, “a measure of a life is its service.”

This likely resonated with the 100+ students there, including the Freshman Leadership Program, which was on hand specifically to see Ms. Becker. Professor Hester, Ulbig, and Callaway also attended, as did President White!

Ms. Becker transitioned to discuss the early life of President Bush, including his time in World War II and being a Navy Airmen. A story that left me deeply reflective was about President Bush and two fellow soldiers being shot down on September 2, 1944. Only President Bush survived, a loss that he carried with him for the rest of his life. He frequently asked, “Why me? Why was I spared?” This question fueled his lifelong commitment to helping others and making a positive impact on as many lives as possible.

Next, Ms. Becker shared a light hearted story about how she learned to fear four words, at least when brought to her by President Bush: ‘I have an idea.'” She further explained by illustrating that on the 75th birthday of President Bush, he said those four words to her, conveying his interest in parachuting out of an airplane. After President Bush did this, he parachuted out of a plane for his 80^th, 85^th, and his 90^th birthdays!

Ms. Becker shifted to speak on her experiences as the Deputy Press Secretary to Mrs. Barbara Bush. Before she landed this role, she was a reporter for USA Today and was covering the 1988 Presidential Election between President Bush and Michael Dukakis. Mrs. Bush had noticed how good Ms. Becker was at covering the story, especially the weekly election column with Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Dukakis; this is when she was offered the position.

Ms. Becker was delighted to share her stories of working with Mrs. Bush, from traveling to Hawaii (where she had an unfortunate encounter with a biker gang) to Rome, where she met the Pope. She also discussed Mrs. Bush’s ability to communicate, perhaps best illustrated when she was invited to give a speech at Wellesley College, and the students there protested her choice as commencement speaker. Ms. Becker encouraged us to watch the Commencement Speech and note how Mrs. Bush was able to take an antagonistic crowd and win them over, without giving ground.

Ms. Becker moved into broad topics: the relationship between Presidents Bush and Clinton, which began as competitors but ended up in a type of father-son relationship, one strengthened as they travelled the world to raise funds for natural disasters. The time she met George Clooney…

…and the importance of character in all that you do.

While Ms. Becker might highlight Mrs. Bush’s strong communication skills, we had a chance to see not only Ms. Becker’s skill with speaking, but also her non-verbal communication as well….

…which sometimes was directed at Professor Yawn…

Ms. Becker also engaged in a spirited Q&A session, including a discussion of her 9/11 experiences, when she was stuck in a DC hotel. She attempted to get in contact with President Bush and Mrs. Bush; however, she was told by Secret Service that they were safe but “they were in an undisclosed location” and could not be reached.

A bit worried but assuming “they were safe in an underground concrete bunker somewhere,” she got a call from President Bush. They were fine, he noted, while also offering that they were “staying at a Hampton Inn in Milwaukee, WI.” They had, he continued, walked across the street to an Outback Steakhouse, where the patrons, surprised to see them, broke into a round of applause. “Those people,” he said, “were really nice.” It was, Ms. Becker said, one of the only good stories from a day that involved much tragedy.

Professor Stacy Ulbig, who teaches media and politics…

…also asked an excellent question: “What got you interested in politics and journalism?” Ms. Becker responded, “All the Presidents Men.” This was a fortuitous response, inasmuch as Dr. Ulbig uses the movie and the Watergate Scandal in her class.

It was a wonderful experience, hearing from someone who has lived many stories and developed the communication skills to tell them well. And it was made even more enjoyable when, following the discussion, Ms. Becker graciously signed books for the students.

We would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Jean Becker for sharing her experiences with Sam Houston State University students. Her stories from her time as Chief of Staff to President George H.W. Bush and Deputy Press Secretary to Mrs. Barbara Bush were both inspiring and enlightening. Her insights left a lasting impact on all who attended.

Wednesdays with Rotary: Lessons in Character from Jean Becker

Once or twice a semester, the LEAP Ambassadors are privileged to attend Rotary meetings, and when we do, we often bring the guest speaker. Such was the case a few Wednesdays ago, when we brought in Jean Becker, who taught important lessons, not the least of which is, “Character Matters.”

That may sound a little anachronistic in 2024, but Ms. Becker knows of what she speaks. Working with President George H.W. Bush for more than two decades in his post-presidency, Ms. Becker was witness to massive fundraising for people in crisis; bipartisan coalitions to help others; and some amazing and high-profile acts of kindness.

And she was right at home, because Rotarians do much the same in their community.

Michelle Spencer, President of Rotary, greeted Ms. Becker, who then participated in the “pinning” of Lydia Montgomery, who was recognized as a “Paul Harris Fellow.”

Following a bit of Rotary business, Ms. Becker took the podium, describing various “points of light” she had seen during her 25-year career with the Bushes.

She not only shared her direct observations, but also those of Prime Minister John Major, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and other luminaries.

Ms. Becker has a great sense of humor, and she often left the audience crying from laughter–although some of her more poignant stories brought tears of sadness. In short, she has a wonderful way with words.

But she also is a master of non-verbal communication. Throughout her discussion, she might pause to cast a withering glare, perhaps while discussing those who cannot put down cell phones…

…at other times, she might jab her finger in the air to punctuate a point…

…and pity the fool who is the subject of her disapproving stare.

But it is all in good cheer…

…as captured by Ms. Becker’s engagement with the audience, her regard for others, and the wisdom she shares with a smile.

This positivity was reciprocated by the many in the audience who stayed after to get a photo…

…to share more stories…

…or just to say thanks for an afternoon well spent.

25 Years: The Bush Presidency in Memory and on Display

Although the semester-end draws near, several inquisitive and energetic students were up for a trip to the George Bush Presidential Library. The trip involved not only a tour through the Museum…

…but also a presentation by Jean Becker (President Bush’s Chief of Staff) and Warren Finch (the Library’s Director). What followed was an educational, informative, and entertaining trip through the past century for Cameron Gill, Ingrid Cuero, Olivia Discon, Kloe Osorio Ortiz, and Chris Fahey, led by Professor Mike Yawn and Stephanie Fors.

With a career as varied as George Bush’s, every student had something to enjoy. He had a large and successful family, including a father who was Senator…

…a son who was President, and another son who was Governor.

Ingrid seemed to like this aspect of the Museum the most, paying extensive attention to the family portraits, letters, and descriptions.

For Chris, a veteran, Bush’s military service was a highlight. Bush signed up for the military at 18, becoming the youngest fighter pilot in the service. His plane, The Avenger, hangs from the ceiling of the Bush School, while below,

…the Museum has artfully arranged artifacts from his time in the military.

One of these artifacts is video footage taken after Bush was shot down over Chichi Jima, and it shows him being rescued at sea by the USS Finback.

Cameron Gill and Olivia Discon seemed to most enjoy the gifts given to President Bush from heads of state across the globe.

Kloe and the group–perhaps Ingrid most of all–enjoyed playing roles in the Oval Office, staging a scene that might been from a national crisis.

Moreover, all of the students seemed to enjoy the learning that takes place when you find out things you didn’t know: Bush played baseball in college; Bush was Director of the CIA; Bush served in Congress; and just visiting, for the first time, a Presidential Library and Museum.

No matter their preferences inside the Museum, all enjoyed the presentation by Warren Finch and Jean Becker, who, after introductions by Max Angerholzer…

…reflected on 25 years of the Bush Presidential Library.

With a personal interplay worthy of a road show, Finch and Becker told stories about opening the Library, special events at the Library, managing content of the Library, and, ultimately, Bush’s passing and his burial on the Library grounds.

Following the event, the students had a chance to get their books signed and to meet with Ms. Becker, who was gracious as always. Indeed, she promised a return trip to SHSU, a prospect that was especially pleasing to Professor Yawn.

With a full day behind them, the students had a busy semester to return to at SHSU. Their trip home reflected some of their plans for finishing out the semester, for Thanksgiving break, and also, perhaps, for future visits to Presidential Libraries.

A Presidential Tour: Jean Becker and President G. H. W. Bush

Isabel Behm

It is not every day that you get a tour of a presidential office, and even less common to get one from a presidential chief of staff. But on a busy Wednesday in the middle of summer, LEAP students had just that opportunity: Jean Becker offered a wonderful two-hour tour of former President George H. W. Bush’s office in Houston, TX. Coincidentally, the tour occurred on Barbara Bush’s birthday, one of many connections we would make over the course of an educational afternoon.

Although we didn’t personally know Ms. Becker, we felt like we did from discussions with Professor Yawn and our reading of her book, “The Man I Knew.” And in the conversational, warm manner of her book, Ms. Becker welcomed us with open arms and was full of enthusiasm upon our arrival.

One of the first stories she shared with us was about the christening of the USS George H W Bush. Ms. Becker stressed how important it was to President Bush that the christening happen while his son (George W Bush) was still president. While the Navy said that this wasn’t possible, being a former President (and father of another) has its perks, and with a few phone calls, Ms. Becker was able to make it happen. The office is full of photos, and each photo has a story, and no one is better at bringing these stories to life than Jean Becker.

Another treat of the afternoon was having the opportunity to sit in the chair that President Bush sat in during Cabinet meetings in the White House. Each of us took our turn in the chair, and all of us enjoyed looking over the items that President Bush had on his desk. For a moment, we felt a bit presidential.

The conversation with Ms. Becker ranged across many topics, from international security to the friendships that President Bush developed over the years. One of those with an unlikely individual: Bill Clinton. This is somewhat surprising, of course, because President Clinton beat President Bush in the 1992 election, so one might expect some animosity. But following an international emergency in 2004, President George W. Bush asked his father and Clinton fundraise to help those affected by the disaster. This sparked a friendship that lasted until President Bush’s death.

While we learned a lot about the man President George H.W. Bush was, we also learned about how Ms. Becker came to be his Chief of Staff and how her life was drastically changed. She grew up in a small town, went to college in her home state, and upon graduating, worked her way up with various newspapers to USA Today. In 1988, she was assigned to cover the wives of the presidential candidates. When George H. W. Bush was elected, she was offered the role of Deputy Press Secretary to the first lady.

When this job ended following President Bush’s loss in 1992, he offered her the position of his “interim” post-presidency chief of staff. The interim position lasted for more than 25 years–until his death in 2018.

In a very relatable way, Ms. Becker shared many thoughts about her career, offering us valuable advice for our own careers. In particular, she reminded us it was okay to stray away from our “plan,” which is what she did when she was offered a job at the White House.

We were there for more than two hours, and time flew by. When we left, we all agreed that we could have listened to her all day, if schedules and time permitted. She was a wealth of knowledge, we absolutely enjoyed every second of it, and we were impressed by her example of hospitality and generosity.

Side Note: It wouldn’t be a LEAP trip, if we didn’t learn something about art. So it was interesting that, when we entered the building, we encountered a bust of George Bush done by Huntsville artist David Adickes.

Moreover, we also saw a work by George Rodrigue, an artist LEAP is familiar with through trips to Austin and New Orleans. Here the work was on President Bush’s wall, and it was signed to him by George Rodrigue!

Pearls of Wisdom from Barbara Bush

Jean Becker was Chief of Staff to George H. W. Bush for 25 years, and prior to that, she was she was Deputy Press Secretary for Barbara Bush, so she knows the Bush family. And several of the Bush family joined her on Wednesday to discuss Becker’s new book, “Pearls of Wisdom: Little Pieces of Advice (That Go a Long Way). The book was “narrated” by Becker but the words, advice, and voice is Barbara Bush.

In addition to Ms. Becker, Neil Bush, Pierce Bush, and Dorothy Bush were on hand (via Zoom) to share stories of Ms. Bush and the advice and guidance she provided.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Bush School of Government and Public Affairs, Jean Becker, the Bush Family

Some examples of Bush’s wisdom:

Try to find the good in people, not the bad;
It is better to make a friend than an enemy;
Don’t worry that your children don’t listen to you, but be aware they are always watching you.

The Bush family also chimed in and shared stories of Mrs. Bush’s guidance and what Barbara meant as the family matriarch. Dorothy Bush, for example, noted that while she was proud to be the sister and daughter of presidents, she was “even more to be able to say that I am Barbara Bush’s daughter.” She also recalled that Mrs. Bush’s favorite people to give advice to were her grandkids. On one occasion, Doro’s son, Robert Cook, was staying at the Bush house, and he was spending much time at the freezer, where he would fish out his favorite treat: Klondike bars. At one point, Barbara told him to stop eating the Klondike bars, that he was being gluttonous. He didn’t refrain, but he did go to the freezer surreptitiously–when Mrs. Bush was not around. He soon found that didn’t work; the next time he visited the freezer, he found it locked with a padlock, courtesy of Mrs. Bush.

Perhaps Mrs. Bush’s simplest advice was to: “choose happy.” In slightly more elaborate form, she said, “There are two types of people in the world. Those who wake up and say, ‘Good morning, Lord.’ And others who say, ‘Good Lord, it’s morning.’ Be the former.”

The LEAP Ambassadors are grateful for having the opportunity to meet Mrs. Bush…

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Bush School of Government and Public Affairs, Jean Becker, the Bush Family

…and to Mrs. Becker (and Mark Burns) for the opportunity to tour George H. W. Bush’s office.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Bush School of Government and Public Affairs, Jean Becker, the Bush Family

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