President Obama had warm words for former President George W. Bush, who he hailed as an exemplar of how a president should handle the transition from one administration to the next.

“On behalf of the American people, I want to thank — most sincerely — President and Mrs. Bush for their service to our country,” Obama said during the ceremony unveiling the Bushes official portraits. Obama praised Bush for following “the humble heroic example” of President Washington, who voluntarily left the White House after two terms and so established a presidential tradition. “George, you went out of your way to make sure that the transition to a new administration was as seamless as possible,” he said.