The current Time Magazine has a short Q & A with Mrs Bush. The first question and answer go like this:
Your husband jumped out of an airplane for his 90th. What's your plan?
Not jumping out of an airplane. I'm not an idiot.
To me, she wasn't speaking disparagingly about her husband, she was just speaking her own truth.
I've noticed that Mrs. Bush has lost weight in the last few years. Remember when Phil Hartman would portray her on Saturday Night Live? I think she had a sense of humor about it. By the way, I like the way she looked then and I like the way she looks now.
I remember well, in 1990, when Barbara Bush gave the Wellesley commencement speech. There were protests prior to, and booing during, the speech - not because of her politics - but because she didn't have a career. Following is a portion of that speech:
For over fifty years, it was said that the winner of Wellesley's annual hoop race would be the first to get married. Now they say, the winner will be the first to become a C.E.O. Both of those stereotypes show too little tolerance for those who want to know where the mermaids stand. So I want to offer a new legend: the winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream - not society's dreams --- her own personal dream.
And who knows? Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the President's spouse--and I wish him well.
Happy 90th Birthday, Barbara Bush!
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