Prospective VP nominee Sarah Palin, first lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain met in Minneapolis, Minnesota Tuesday. (Photo credit: McCain campaign)
(CNN) - First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain addressed the Republican National Convention Monday evening, delivering abbreviated remarks due to Hurricane Gustav.
Watch: "We are all Americans," says Mrs. Bush
George and I were planning to come to enjoy this convention to have a really good time," Laura Bush said. "And we would have been here tonight speaking, but, of course as we all know, events on the Gulf Coast region have changed the focus of our attention. And our first priority now, today, is to ensure the safety and the well-being of those living in the gulf coast region.
Joining Bush on stage after a video message from four governors of states affected by the storm, Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, urged delegates to help with hurricane relief.
Watch: Cindy McCain calls for hurricane aid
"I would ask that each one of us commit to join together to aid those in need as quickly as possible," she said. "As John has been saying for the last several days, this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats."
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – Cindy McCain and first lady Laura Bush will appear before the Republican convention Monday to encourage people to donate to the relief efforts in the Gulf region, a senior McCain campaign official told reporters in a conference call.
Watch: Cindy McCain and Laura Bush meet some delegates
Republican officials have dramatically scaled back the first day of the convention as Hurricane Gustav slammed into the Louisiana coast. In addition to Bush and McCain appearances, the convention will perform the bare bones official business needed to start the convention. Rick Davis, John McCain’s campaign manager, emphasized that all political activity will be suspended for the time being.
“We hope to regain our schedule at some point,” Davis said.
Davis also said that Target and FedEx will help convention attendees and the Red Cross send care packages to the Gulf region. Later in the week, delegates, staff and other volunteers will meet in Minneapolis to assemble the care packages. In addition, the McCain campaign is setting up a phone bank in the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis to raise money for Gulf Coast charities.
(CNN) – Count first lady Laura Bush among the many fans of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s surprise pick for the number two spot on the Republican ticket.
“I’m so excited . . . about getting to vote for a Republican woman for vice president,” Laura Bush said Monday on American Morning. “I’m thrilled.”
Watch: Laura Bush on American Morning
Bush was particularly taken with Palin’s rugged Alaskan lifestyle. “I know how strong she is. I know what that kind of life in a state like Alaska is and the kind of women that state produces and I’m very thrilled that she’s on our ticket.”
The first lady also rejected the notion that Palin lacked the experience to serve as vice president and possibly as president if necessary.
“I think she has a lot of experience that none of the other three people who are on either ticket have,” Bush told CNN’s John Roberts.
“Mayors across the country will tell you that running a city, running a town is a totally different experience from any other kind of government,” the first lady added.
“I think she has a different experience. She’s the mother of five kids. She’s doing that while she’s worked . . . I just have a lot of admiration for her.”
Since McCain’s announcement late last week, Palin has proven popular with the Republican Party’s conservative base, a constituency McCain desperately needs in the general election match-up against Sen. Barack Obama. But, the little known Alaska governor has also faced criticism from Democrats for her lack of experience – especially on foreign policy issues – after the McCain campaign has argued for several months that Obama lacks sufficient experience to be president.
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) - A White House official says first lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain will speak briefly from the podium at the Republican convention tonight, urging delegates and television viewers to help hurricane victims. Mrs. Bush herself said at a Louisiana delegation breakfast Monday morning that she will give a speech tonight, and noted she will talk a bit about what a terrific first lady Cindy McCain will make. The Republican National Committee will reveal more details within the next hour.
(CNN)— Michelle Obama said Wednesday she was “touched” First Lady Laura Bush came to her defense when her patriotism was questioned.
“There’s a reason why people like [the first lady],” Obama said on ABC’s The View. “She doesn’t fuel the fire.”
Earlier this year at a campaign event Michelle Obama said, "For the first time in my adult life, I'm really proud of my country.”
WATCH Michelle Obama respond to questions of her patriotism
Laura Bush told ABC last week the remarks must have been misinterpreted.
"I think she probably meant 'I'm more proud,'" said the first lady, adding that "you have to be very careful in what you say" when you’re campaigning.
"That's one of the things you learn and that's one of the really difficult parts both of running for president, and for being the spouse of the president, and that is everything you say is looked and in many cases misconstrued."
Obama said Wednesday she had sent The First Lady a note that took her “a while” to write, but wouldn’t divulge any details because she didn’t know whether it had been received yet.
Related: McCain: Treat our wives with respect
(CNN) – First Lady Laura Bush said Monday that as a veteran of the rigors of the campaign trail herself, she "admired Hillary's grit and strength."
"I know what it’s like to run those campaigns, to be the candidate and how very difficult it is both emotionally and physically,” Bush told ABC News. “It's a huge endurance, process of endurance, and so I'll have to say I have a lot of admiration for her endurance and strength."
"I know it's hard," Mrs. Bush said, "It's hard to do that and I think she did great."
Bush also defended Michelle Obama over a controversial comment that drew criticism from many conservative pundits – but offered caution for the wife of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
Earlier this year, Michelle Obama told the crowd at a primary season campaign event that "for the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country." (WATCH what Michelle Obama said)
Later, she said her remarks had been misinterpreted, and that she had been referring to how proud she was that Americans were engaging in the political process as never before. (WATCH: Michelle Obama responds to her misinterpreted remarks.)
"I think she probably meant 'I'm more proud,'" said Laura Bush Monday, adding that "you have to be very careful in what you say" when you’re campaigning.
"That's one of the things you learn and that's one of the really difficult parts both of running for president, and for being the spouse of the president, and that is everything you say is looked and in many cases misconstrued."
Watch Laura Bush's press conference Monday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – First Lady Laura Bush has spoken out before on Myanmar – mostly through written statements – but Monday's on-camera mini-news conference in the White House briefing room was a first. In the wake of Saturday's deadly cyclone in Myanmar - also known as Burma - Mrs. Bush did not mince words decrying the ruling military junta for its failure to adequately warn residents of the impending danger.
"The response to the cyclone is just the most recent example of the junta's failure to meet its people's basic needs," Mrs. Bush said.
Aides to the First Lady say today's briefing room appearance was originally planned for Tuesday.
That's when President Bush is expected to sign legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel-Prize winning democracy activist currently under house arrest in Myanmar.
Officials say Mrs. Bush decided to push up her appearance, in light of the deadly cyclone over the weekend.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - First lady Laura Bush was "resting comfortably at the White House" Saturday following a successful surgery to relieve pinched nerves in her neck, according to a statement from her press secretary, Sally McDonough.
McDonough said the 2 1/2-hour procedure was conducted at the George Washington University Hospital by a team led by Dr. Anthony Caputy, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and co-director of the Neurological Institute. Dr. Richard Tubb, U.S. Air Force brigadier general and physician to the president, consulted in the procedure, she said.
The procedure, called a posterior cervical foraminotomy, was described as "minimally invasive."
McDonough said the first lady spoke with President Bush, who was aboard Air Force One on his way back from Australia, after the surgery. Bush attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - First lady Laura Bush will undergo outpatient surgery Saturday to relieve pressure on pinched nerves in her neck, the White House announced Friday.
The surgical procedure, called a posterior cervical foraminotomy, was described as minimally invasive.
The White House statement did not say where or when the first lady will undergo the procedure.
President Bush is in Australia for the APEC summit.
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