U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) will be attending the state funeral for President George H.W. Bush Wednesday in Washington D.C.
“More than anything, George Herbert Walker Bush embodied class and decency. He treated everyone with a civility and grace that frankly we need a lot more of today,” said Cruz.
Cruz has known the Bush family for many years. In 2009, he went to meet with the former president at the Bush home in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Cruz was going to run for attorney general when it looked like there would be an open seat at the time. They had a meeting, and then Bush invited him out on a boat with his family. The day is a fond memory.
“He looks at me, I am wearing a suit, and he said, 'Well that is clearly not going to do for going out on the boat.' So we hop on a little golf cart. We are in an office, which is one building, and the residence is a different building, so we take the golf cart back to the residence. He takes me into the bedroom, opens up the closet and pulls out jeans, pulls out a shirt, pulls out a belt with a belt buckle that says President of the United States, and he gives me the whole thing -- says, 'Here put this on,'" said Cruz.
Many members of the Texas delegation have memories with the former president. U.S. Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX 25th District) met him in 1980, and they have been in touch since then.
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"He is the one that reminded when I was running for politics, the most noble calling of all is public service and to always remember that,” said Williams.
Williams and his family visited the president during the summers in Maine. And when Williams faced a challenging time in his life, Bush was right there. Williams injured his leg running for cover when a shooter opened fire at a baseball practice for the Congressional baseball game.
"He was the first one to call me in the hospital and check on me and say we are praying for you, and then called me again," said Williams, adding later, "I'll miss him. These are the days you don't want to have happen. Eventually they will happen, but now it’s the time to celebrate his life and let people see what a great man he was," said Williams.
Williams will also be at the funeral.
