Mississippians are remembering George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States. MPB's Ashley Norwood talks with a long-time journalist and a former Governor about their moments with the President.
"He was a big baseball fan. He loved sports. Kind of like a regular guy," said Wilkie.
"Kind of a Regular Guy" Curtis Wilkie recalls. Wilkie is a Mississippi author and renowned journalist who says he first met Bush when he interviewed him during his campaign for the Republican party nomination in 1979. The two developed a professional relationship but also shared personal memories--memories Wilkie says Bush recounted in a letter to him some years ago.
"It was a very thoughtful sweet letter and I very much appreciated it, saved it and when I learned of his death I reread the letter and was reminded what a nice guy he was," said Wilkie.
Prior to assuming the presidency in 1989 Bush was a member to the U.S. House of Representatives, director of the CIA and the 43rd Vice President of the United States from 1981 to 1989.
Former Republican Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour says during today's National Day of Mourning, Mississippians should be proud of the work Bush did in office.
"He was well regarded in our state. He was supportive of our state. Supportive of our military bases. Of course he having been in the oil business had a lot of friends in Mississippi, People who had been in the oil business in our state since 1939 when we discovered the first oil spill," said Barbour.
Coverage of the funeral services for President Bush will air on MPB Think Radio beginning at 10 AM. Ashley Norwood, MPB News
