Bill Clinton and George W Bush spurn partisanship for friendship

Bill Clinton and George Bush on the cover of Time magazine.

George W Bush and Bill Clinton have revealed how they started to grow close, to the point where Bush has taken to calling his Democratic predecessor his “brother from another mother”.

Clinton began working with Bush’s father, President George HW Bush, in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami. The two continued such fundraising work after Hurricane Katrina and a relationship was born. If that meant that one Bush became a surrogate father to Clinton, the other became a surrogate brother.

In an interview with Time magazine, the two ex-presidents weighed in on the 2016 election – in which it is possible Clinton’s wife, Hillary, could face Bush’s brother, Jeb.

In Bush’s analysis of such contests, “there’s kind of a general pattern”. The 43rd president added: “There will be flashes in the pans, there will be this crisis, there will be the funding thing. There will be all these things that happen, but eventually the person who can best lead their party will be nominated.”

The two also talked about the need for bipartisanship.

Clinton said: “I do believe that people yearn to see us both argue and agree … and they know in their gut, they gotta know, that all these conflicts just for the sake of conflict are bad for America and not good for the world.”

The 42nd president added, however: “This is highly complicated. People don’t like negative, divisive environments. But they frequently reward them in elections.”

Bush noted that when he and Clinton appear together in public these days, they are given a warm reception.

“I think it lifts their spirits,” he said. “Most people expect that a Republican and Democrat couldn’t possibly get along in thi day and age.”

With close family members running for the White House, the two ex-presidents are on the sidelines. While Clinton was an active surrogate for his wife in her 2008 presidential campaign, he is taking a more modest role this time.

“I think most of my role will be giving advice if I’m asked for it,” Clinton said. “And I try not to even offer it at home unless I’m asked.”

Bush is playing a similar role on his brother’s campaign.

“If [Jeb] needs my help, he’ll call me,” he said. “Otherwise I’m on the sidelines, and happily so.”

Given that Clinton and Bush are – apart from the present incumbent – the only two men alive to be elected to two terms in the White House it’s likely that at some point, sooner or later, they will be asked for their advice.

* This article was amended on 23 July 2015. An earlier version said “Clinton and Bush are the only two men alive to be elected to two terms in the White House”.