SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man who worked at the White House when George H.W. Bush was Vice President and then continued to work there when he became President says he feels proud to have touched history.
George Rodriguez worked as a Special Assistant to President Ronald Regan, and there were times he was assigned to help Vice President Bush. When Bush was elected to the oval office, he continued his work as Special Assistant over HUD on housing issues.
“A great man has passed and I hear all the accolades about it, a couple of weeks ago, it wasn’t fazing me, now I’m realizing I was in the presence of greatness,” he said.
Rodriguez has nearly a decade of memories to share about his interaction with the Bush family in the political and personal scene. He says Bush was always the gentleman, a family man and kind.
“We have lost a great American, and not only that we have lost a great human being, because of his ability to show love and respect,” Rodriguez said.
He says it was Bush’s ability to find middle ground between political foes, and it helped him get the VP nomination after a contentious 1980s Republican Primary Convention he says.
But his most lasting memories where watching how Mr. and Mrs. Bush showed their love for one another. Oftentimes being in the middle of a political dinner, but seeing them hold hands.
“The world is going on over there the politics is going on over there, but they were happy together,” he said.
Even after his re-election loss, they found strength in family. “In 1992 it was a heartbreak when he lost, but he was a gentleman and he and Barb continued to live their lives together,” he said.
After her death in April, Rodriguez knew it would just be a matter of time.
“I anticipated it wouldn’t be long before he went because their relationship was very, very close,” he said. “And now they are together again, I have no doubt she came to get him.”