NOTE: Doro Bush Koch shares her historical and personal insights in a new memoir, “My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush,” recently published by Warner Books. This ultimate insider book paints an affectionate and frequently humorous account of life in the Bush household, and includes material from scores of interviews with global decision-makers.
Not only as the daughter of our 41st president, but also the sister of President George W. Bush, the Bethesda resident brings a special view of the Bush family to her book. Koch took time out from the hectic demands of being a wife and mother of four, and a book tour to speak with The Examiner?s special correspondent E. Brooke Gunning. Q How did you come up with the idea for a book?
A My dad e-mailed me one day and asked me to write it. When he was president, his wonderful personal assistant, Patty Presock, had saved all his personal daily files ? what he did personally. She thought it would make a great future project for me. She never told me or my dad at the time [about the idea.] It all went to his presidential library at Texas A&M.
Q How did you feel about it?
A Terrified! My dad has had an incredible career. But it was a great father-daughter experience. As his daughter, it was very special. He was always available, and it was fun to go back and ask “what about this?” [My brother] Marvin said he was jealous that I got to spend all that extra time with Dad.
Q You interviewed manyworld leaders and high-profile people for the book. Who was the most challenging?
A (Mikhail) Gorbachev was challenging because it had to be done through an interpreter, so it ended being easier to submit written questions. I laughed through the entire interview with [comedian and Bush impersonator] Dana Carvey, because he spoke in my father?s “voice” the entire time.
Q You have a husband and four children. How did you work this in with their lives?
A They were great and so supportive. Everyone pitched in. I would work all day in the den, until about 6 p.m. I had papers all over the dining room. I would send Dad each chapter as it was completed, and he would add things. The publisher thought that sometimes Dad was too mushy and flowery, because he is always so nice about everybody. The publisher gave us leeway, as the book was supposed to be 360 pages, and it ended up at 525.
Q Your father is renowned for his loyalty, courtesy and humility. What do you most want people to know about him?
A He?s the master of the small gesture. He played an important role in ushering in the end of the Cold War ? without conflict. It?s the little things in life that he learned from his mother: public service, be kind, don?t brag.
Q You serve on the board of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, and as a Maryland resident you are the founder of its Family Literacy Maryland Initiative. Tell me about how that benefits Marylanders.
A It raises money and gives grants to existing and newly created literacy programs. We will be hosting an event on May 9. Everything is donated ? 100 percent.
E. Brooke Gunning may be reached at [email protected], or for more information visit www.marylandfamilyliteracyinitiative.org.
