BUSH FAMILY/CLINTONS/JIMMY CARTER/OBAMA/TRUMP FAMILY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The nation’s most exclusive fraternity — the presidents club — assembled Wednesday [12-5-18] to mourn George H.W. Bush, putting on public display its uneasy relationship with the current occupant of the Oval Office. The uncomfortable reunion brought President Donald Trump together in the same pew with past White House residents who have given him decidedly critical reviews. The late Bush was the de facto chair of the modern incarnation of the president’s club, transcending contentious campaigns and party lines to bring together fractious personalities who share that rarified experience. But the staid group of Oval Office occupants has been disturbed since Donald Trump’s election. And since his swearing-in, Trump has spurned most contact with his predecessors — and they have snubbed him in return. The Bushes had made it known to the White House months ago that, despite differences in policy and temperament, the late president wanted Trump to attend the national service.”
–The Associated Press, “Trump on the Fringes of Presidents’ Group at Bush’s Service,” The New York Times online, December 5, 2018