As the nation braces for the 2024 presidential election, Jean Becker, former Chief of Staff to President George H.W. Bush, shares reflections on leadership in a new book, “Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons from George H. W. Bush.” Through anecdotes and contributions from figures like former British Prime Minister John Major, Condoleezza Rice and Reba McEntire, Becker illustrates Bush’s enduring legacy, highlighting his embodiment of compassion and resilience.
Among the contributors is veteran CBS White House correspondent Peter Maer, who grew up in a Jewish family in Granite City, Ill. and attended United Hebrew in St. Louis. Maer recounts a poignant moment from 2005 when he accompanied Bush and former President Bill Clinton on a goodwill trip to Southeast Asia after a devastating tsunami.
“As we gazed out the window to the dark Pacific waters below, we recalled the devastating losses of so many, the two leaders encountered. There I was, discussing the fragility of life with a man who survived being shot down over the Pacific in World War II and later suffered the loss of a beloved daughter. He knew so much about the blessings of life itself,” said Maer in the book.
During the conversation, Maer shared a Yiddish phrase passed down from his mother, Dorothy Maer, and his grandmother, Blanche Steinberg: “Mentsh planz. Got Lakht” (“Man plans. God laughs”).
“Yiddish you say,” said Bush. “Very interesting.”
Bush, intrigued by the expression, continued to engage in a thoughtful discussion with Maer.
For Maer, the moment highlighted the president’s open-mindedness and his genuine interest in learning from others, as well as his ability to connect with people from different backgrounds.
“The conversation included in the book was a very poignant moment after the long trip that saw former Presidents Bush and Clinton and those traveling with them witness scenes of devastating death and destruction,” said Maer. “That highly personal one-on-one moment as we headed home summarized what in retrospect was our shared view that every day is truly a blessing.”
