Jenna Bush Hager has spoken out about Joe Biden’s shocking decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, admitting it reminded her of her own grandfather, the 41st President of the United States, George HW Bush.
During Monday’s episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the mother of three said her grandfather was “devastated” when “he didn’t get chosen” to run for president in 1992.
Referring to a tweet Biden’s granddaughter Naomi posted over the weekend, Jenna, 42, said: “I think even in the depths of our political views and it’s clearly reached a fever pitch, we have to remember that people are people. And for her, that’s her grandpa.
“I think he reminds everyone a little bit of their grandfather. He reminds me a little bit of my grandfather, who I will never forget… when he worked so hard in 1992 and didn’t get elected and crushed.”
Jenna continued, “He wrote a letter to President Clinton, which went around the Internet, but ultimately it came down to him saying, ‘You are my president and today I support you.’
Jenna Bush Hager has revealed her grandfather George HW Bush was ‘devastated’ when he wasn’t elected in 1992
Jenna said President Joe Biden reminds her of her late grandfather, who passed away in November 2018
“So I hope that as a country we can get back to a place where it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s a human being and this must have been a really difficult decision.’ And a place where his family probably supported him, but they’re also sad about it and understandably so.”
Jenna reiterated her point, recalling the time she met Biden and his family.
“I find it so interesting because we’ve become a country that’s so divided on politics that sometimes it’s hard to think, ‘Oh my God, he’s a human being.’ And because I’ve spent some time with his grandchildren, I got to interview them when he was first elected and I got to spend some time with him…,” she said.
“You know, my mom wasn’t a member of the same political party, and yet he invited us all to the White House. We drove up there and he showed our girls the pool. And of course Poppy said, ‘Can I see the pool?'” Jenna added as Hoda, 59, laughed.
Referring to Biden’s resignation, Jenna said, “I don’t know either, but I assume this was a tough decision, right? Because a lot of one-term presidents don’t feel like their job is done.
“And yet he made that choice and he said in his statement… because it was the best for the country and that’s such an admirable… I mean, don’t we want… I want my children to put others before themselves.”
Hoda, a mother of two, agreed, stating, “A lot of life lessons learned these past few days,” while Jenna added, “And interesting things to talk about with our kids.”
Hoda continued, “I think there’s one place where most people would rather live, and that’s a place where we’re kind and tolerant and we can have different opinions, but we can also break bread and disagree and not dread a family reunion.”
George HW Bush pictured in November 1992 with another former president, Bill Clinton
Biden, 81, has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee to take on Donald Trump in November
Biden ended his campaign on Sunday after America’s oldest president admitted it was in the “best interest of the country” not to seek re-election for a second term.
Biden, 81, endorsed her Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee to take on Donald Trump in November, saying she would be the one to “unite” the party.
The president has faced growing hysterical outcry to resign after his disastrous performance during the debate with Trump last month.
Biden announced his seismic decision in a one-page letter posted on social media, pledging to stay until the end of his term in January.
However, Republicans called on him to resign immediately, saying he is “unfit to serve” if he is “unfit to run.”