Political Odd Couple: Bush & Clinton
KEILAR: First Lady Michelle Obama is raising some eyebrows for a remark about rich kids while speaking to African-American high school students in Atlanta today. Listen to her comments about education during a pep rally.</s>MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Are you all still fired up? Are you listening to me? Do you hear what I'm telling you? Because I'm giving you some insight that a lot of rich kids all over the country, they know this stuff, and I want you to know it too, because you have got to go and get your education. You've got to.</s>KEILAR: Mrs. Obama spoke at the Booker T. Washington High School. It was the first public high school for African-Americans in Georgia. And as political odd couples go, when former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush get together, well, you might expect things to be sort of awkward, right? But as CNN national correspondent Suzanne Malveaux shows us, that certainly was not the case today.</s>SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two former presidents, numbers 42 and 43 appear to be best buddies these days.</s>G.W. BUSH: First of all, he is an awesome communicator.</s>MALVEAUX: Asked to explain how their friendship helped launch their scholarship program, it was classic George W. Bush.</s>G.W. BUSH: Hi, mom! Anyway --</s>G.W. BUSH: Because we got a lot to offer.</s>MALVEAUX: It was a surprising light-hearted love fest between Presidents Bill Clinton and Bush, that had the audience made up of mostly staffers rolling. When asked what the two former presidents admired about each other most --</s>WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: You always want to be underestimated by your adversaries.</s>G.W. BUSH: You two have got great empathy for people, is that enough?</s>MALVEAUX: And both joked about how they spend their free time.</s>CLINTON: Taking selfies with people.</s>G.W. BUSH: At least they're still asking, you know?</s>CLINTON: Yes, that's right.</s>MALVEAUX: Gone are pictures like these, when the Clintons and Bushes offered cold shoulders. After all, it was Clinton who turned George H.W. Bush into a one termer. But Clinton and Bush Senior later became close, publicly working together in tsunami relief and post-Hurricane Katrina as I witnessed firsthand.</s>GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: That I believe they ought not to be as upset, but I can understand why they are.</s>MALVEAUX: What they kept quiet was Clinton's growing closeness to the son, George</s>W. CLINTON: He used to call me twice a year in his second term just to talk.</s>MALVEAUX: Now, Bush is offering insight into what makes a president.</s>G.W. BUSH: We're just normal people who got caught up in the ambition and drive and circumstance and ended up being president. Man, these guys can do it, I can do it.</s>MALVEAUX: When Clinton responded, he was interrupted by a call.</s>CLINTON: There's only one -- yes. Only two people have this number and they're both related to me. I hope -- I'm not being told I'm about to become a premature grandfather.</s>G.W. BUSH: That's right, yes.</s>MALVEAUX: On that, Bush gave this advice.</s>G.W. BUSH: Be prepared to fall completely in love again.</s>MALVEAUX (on camera): Also noteworthy, in the audience was the former secretary of state and first lady, Hillary Clinton, who laughed when someone suggested, how about another Clinton-Bush match-up in 2016 referring to her and former Governor Jeb Bush running against each other. George Bush joked that the first one didn't turn out so well, referring to his father's loss to Bill Clinton in 1992. Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Washington.</s>KEILAR: Great story. Remember you can follow us on Twitter. Just tweet the show @CNNSitroom. And be sure to join us tomorrow in THE SITUATION ROOM. You can watch us live or DVR the show so you won't miss a moment. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Brianna Keilar in THE SITUATION ROOM. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.