[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[December 19, 2008]
[Pages 1501-1502]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Unveiling of the Official Portraits of President George 
W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush
December 19, 2008

    Secretary Clough, thank you for the 
introduction. Thanks for coming. I suspected there would be a good-size 
crowd once the word got out about my hanging. [Laughter]
    It's a tremendous honor to have my portrait added to this gallery's 
Presidential collection. This is one of only two institutions with 
portraits of every President, starting with our first, George 
Washington. That means this exhibit now has an interesting symmetry. It 
starts with George W. and ends with George W. [Laughter]
    I want to thank the Vice President and Chief 
Justice for joining us. I thank members 
of Smithsonian Institute's Board of Regents. I too appreciate Marty 
Sullivan being here. I want to thank 
members of my Cabinet, administration, and friends.
    I am grateful to all the people who made this painting possible. We 
really appreciate your generosity. I thank the donors for coming today. 
They remind me of an interesting story about this collection. In 1857, 
the artist George Healy was commissioned by Congress to paint Presidents 
John Q. Adams, Van Buren, Tyler, Polk, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan. 
But by the time Healy got to President Buchanan, the Civil War had 
broken out, and an angry Congress held the former President to blame.

[[Page 1502]]

And so when Healy presented his bill for Buchanan's portrait, the 
lawmakers refused to pay. Things are bad when even Congress refuses to 
spend money. [Laughter]
    I want to thank the artists. Sasha, you had it easy; it does not take much to make 
Laura look beautiful. [Laughter] Anderson 
had a bigger challenge. [Laughter] And therefore, I needed to find a 
person who would do the painting that would be a good and forgiving 
friend. And so I want to thank my buddy--my college classmate Bob 
Anderson for painting this portrait. It actually looks like me, which is 
a good sign. [Laughter] You did a fabulous job.
    This is not the first time that Bob has 
painted me. He had a warm-up; he did my portrait for the Yale Club. 
Recently, I asked him what was different this time around. He said, 
well, this time around he had to use a lot more gray. [Laughter] I also 
understood Bob didn't have any difficulty depicting my eyes or my hands, 
but he had a lot of trouble with my mouth. And I told him, ``That makes 
two of us.'' [Laughter]
    A former Washington resident once said: 
``Whenever you hear about somebody being done in oil in this town, you 
can't be sure whether that means painting or boiling.'' [Laughter] That 
was a wise observation from a good and decent man, one who has offered 
me a lot of wisdom and advice throughout my life. And I am proud to have 
my portrait in the same room as President 41, George H.W. Bush.
    It's a humbling experience to be included here among so many 
extraordinary leaders. One of the great things about this collection is 
that visitors can examine the faces of the men who have shaped our 
Nation's history and study how history has shaped them. In each of their 
images, we're reminded of the incredible joys and responsibilities that 
come with the Presidency. Yet in these two centuries of history, we're 
also reminded that this office and the enduring ideals it represents are 
greater than any person.
    Being the temporary custodian of the office has been a privilege of 
a lifetime. Over the past 8 years, I have been inspired by the character 
and courage of our Nation, especially the men and women of our Armed 
Forces. I have been moved by the compassion of our citizens, from those 
who mentor a child to those who save lives around the world. Most of 
all, I've been uplifted by the many Americans who have sent their 
prayers.
    And so, with deep gratitude, I offer my own: For all of you in this 
room, for the success of our next President and 
those who follow, and for God's continued blessings on our wonderful 
Nation.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:15 a.m. at the National Portrait 
Gallery. In his remarks, he referred to G. Wayne Clough, Secretary, 
Smithsonian Institution; Martin E. Sullivan, Director, National Portrait 
Gallery; and painter Aleksander ``Sasha'' Titovets. The transcript 
released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included remarks by 
the First Lady.