Long before today’s acid relations between Republicans and Democrats, President Trump and “the squad,” friendships mattered over daily politics.
In a classic example, a letter going up for auction next week highlights that mood, now some 30 years ago.
It is from famous letter-writer President George H.W. Bush to his long-time pal, then Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, the Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and during a heated fight over tax cuts.
A few weeks before the vote to give Bush his tax cut, Rostenkowski apparently came under fire from the Wall Street Journal in an attack so harsh that Bush, his pal since the 1960s, wrote him a note of support, including a wish that the fight wouldn’t interfere with their friendship.
It was written aboard Air Force One as the president flew home from an event in Spokane, Washington. “That my friendship with you now appears to some to be a burden to you troubles the hell out of me,” wrote Bush, adding, “I’m your friend. I hope you know that.”
That letter, revealing a friendlier Washington, is going up for auction July 30-31 at Alexander Historical Auctions, the worldwide seller of historical artifacts, autographs and letters. It has an expected price of $5,000-$7,000.
While it is unclear in what year it was written, it is dated Sept. 19, is written on Air Force One letterhead, and on a trip from Spokane to Washington. Bush was there in 1989 during the capital gains tax battle and didn’t return until his reelection campaign.
Over three pages and in hand, Bush wrote:
Dear Dan,
Sometimes Washington D.C. can be pretty mean and ugly – People write vicious stuff. Small minded politicos and gossipy pundits want winners and losers.
I saw an ugly piece in the WSJ today; and I hated it. My heart hurt.
Dan, you got your views on taxes and I’ve got mine. You’ve got your big job to do and I’ve got mine; but for me – more important than this issue is a friendship.
I do not want the battle up there to affect a friendship that means a lot to me.
That my friendship with you now appears to some to be a burden to you troubles the hell out of me
I called you Friday, but given today’s WSJ piece, I felt it better to scribble this (read by you only I hope) note.
Long after the dust has settled on tax bills, reconciliations, moving the question, amendments and the rest – Long after all of this, we will be friends.
Right now I am sorry if our closeness has hurt my pal, but there’s tomorrow out there. I care, Barbara too – Call me, come see me, or leave me be; but I’m your friend. I hope you know that.
The auction house noted that Houstonian Bush and Chicagoan Rostenkowski were friends since their days in the House. Bush lost reelection and Rostenkowski pleaded guilty to fraud in the 1990s post office scandal and was sentenced to 17 months in prison.
