George H.W. Bush's zest for life remembered at 11th annual Bush Lecture

The University of New England welcomed longtime chief of staff to Pres. George H.W. Bush, Jean Becker, for its 11th Annual George and Barbara Bush Distinguished Lecture on Thursday, Sept. 30.

Becker, who served as Pres. Bush’s chief of staff from March 1994 until his death in November 2018, recently published the book, “The Man I Knew: The Amazing Story of George H.W. Bush's Post-Presidency,” about the late president.

Prior to her time with the president, Becker served as deputy press secretary to first lady Barbara Bush from 1989 to 1992. A former journalist, she is also a member of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the C-Change Cancer Board, and she is an ad hoc member of the advisory boards of The George Bush Presidential Library and The George Bush School of Government and Public Service.

At the lecture Thursday, Becker explained her decision to write the book, which features stories from Bush’s life after his time in the Oval Office, including his mission of service in helping disaster-stricken communities abroad and at home — and his undeniable sense of humor.

“I decided to write a book because Pres. Bush left me so many great stories that it would be criminal not to write one,” Becker told the audience from a stage in the Harold Alfond Forum on UNE’s Biddeford Campus. “As I was writing the book, I realized there’s something much bigger at play than just stories of his life; Pres. Bush left us a blueprint on how to live a life well-lived.”

Bush’s zest for life was the primary topic of the evening, with Becker and four former political aides — Gian-Carlo Peressutti, Tom Frechette, Jim Appleby, and Coleman LaPointe — recounting their favorite memories with the 41st president, including the time he decided to go skydiving, without telling his wife, Barbara, at the age of 75.

The five also spoke of Bush’s later-in-life friendship with former Pres. Bill Clinton, his one-time political opponent turned humanitarian ally. “You can agree to disagree about a lot of things — politics, religion — but, at the end of the day, it’s wonderful to work for a common cause,” Becker said of the duo.

Known for his quick and unconventional decision making, Becker noted of Bush: “The five scariest words that ever came out of his mouth were, ‘Jean, I have an idea.’” But those ideas often came to life and with great success, like the time Bush secured actor George Clooney to attend an event in Cameron, Louisiana, following the devastation of Hurricane Rita in 2005.

There, they presented a $2 million check to help rebuild a toppled hospital emergency room. Bush’s inspiration for Clooney’s attendance: late-night reruns of “ER,” the medical drama in which Clooney starred.

Becker also spoke fondly of Mrs. Bush, even reading excerpts from various commencement speeches of hers in the early 1990s about tolerance and care for one another. “We need her voice right now,” she remarked.