
(CNN) - Neither former President George H.W. Bush nor his son former President George W. Bush will attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Both attended Obama's first inauguration in 2009, when the younger Bush's second term ended. Former presidents often attend inaugurations and have prominent seats alongside legislators, Supreme Court justices and other dignitaries.
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This will be the first inauguration that the elder Bush has missed since 1997, according to spokesman Jim McGrath. That year, former President Bill Clinton was sworn in for his second term.
The elder Bush was released on Monday from a Houston hospital, where he had spent more than a month after being admitted with bronchitis. He spent a week in intensive care as doctors treated a fever.
His doctor said Bush would continue to receive physical therapy as an outpatient. At age 88, he is the oldest living president and is four months older than former President Jimmy Carter.
Freddy Ford, a spokesman for the younger Bush, told CNN, "President and Mrs. Bush wish President Obama and his family all the best for a wonderful inaugural weekend." Ford did not say why Bush would not attend.
Obama will take the oath of office for his second term at noon Sunday, as is constitutionally required, at the White House. The ceremony at the Capitol will be held on Monday.
- CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report


obama get inaugurated so what? it is the wish of the bushes to attend or not. Who are we to say what they need to do..can you guys mind your business?
In my opinion Obama will be the worst president in our US history? Lets see how it goes in the records?
Bush 43 , please lord never again !
Bush I just reacted to the end of the cold and was in a state of paralysis when the Berlin Wall went done because he thought the Russians would sen in the tanks like 1953 or the 1989 China.Gorbachev ended the Cold War. As far Bush II the worst president ever. He gave us the current recession and the failed war in the Middle East all based on a lie. How can Bush II sleep at nights knowing he caused the death of over 4,500 Americans and tens of thousands of severely disabled, many with brain trama. I hope Bush II goes to Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction. Oh I forget he has been indicted on the international criminial war court for crimes against humanity. Let President Cheney the real president for the puppet also go to hell for his war profiteering for Halliburton. All Republicans should be ashamed for supporting this idiot for 8 years. The party of the corporate elite and the military-industrial complex needs to go the way of the American Whig party. As for the family values go talk to Rush and his fourth wife or Newt and his third wife. I believe Newt also wanted an open relationship between Callistra and th second wife.
The younger Bush deserves to stay away, he is a pathetic excuse of an American and as a retired US Army veteran, im ashamed to say he was President. He is nothing like his father who I respect. He himself is a low life slim ball
Skippy found out there was a "Too Cute!" marathon on Animal Planet, so he cant come to the inauguration. He asked his ex-boss Cheney to go instead.
If I never see a member of the Bush Klan ever again, it will be too soon.
But I do thank the Bush's for choosing not to defile America by attending President Obama's inaguration.
Who would want G. Bush there anyway. He destroyed this nation, the economy and jobs. He will be viewed at the worst President ever to hold office, the dumbest one.
GW will not be missed, while GHW - still on the mend - needs to avoid the stresses of extended periods in cold weather.
Thanks Bush 43 for not coming!!Don't need anyone from your corrupt administration being seen in public,it might stir up some old wounds,know what I mean you unamerican republican posters!!
Bush is probably afraid of getting arrested for his WAR CRIMES if he attends.
And for all you Obama bashers....go suck on it, you lost and you will continue to lose for many years to come, your time is over.
Bush 3 is waiting for Bush 2 to croak. Bush 3 has sparkling dollar signs in his eyes.
Bush wasn't even invited to speak at his own party's national convention in Tampa. The only party that would want he and his ilk back is Al Queda so that they could go back to the golden years of the Iraq conflct. At least he has the minimal intelligence to stay out of sight.
Everybody who thinks Bush Sr. was such a great President might want to go back & re-read a little of his history. And he wasn't exactly a saint in his personal life either when he was still in Texas politics.
If Romney was president, they would attend... who needs a socialist for 4 more years of debt?
GW knew it would be super awkward if he attended because he and Obama would be all over each other. GW would be all like "Yes! Yes! You left the rollback of Habeas Corpus in place! And all those provisions of the PATRIOT act! And Guantanamo is still open! And oooh, those drooooones! Baby! Gawd You're better than Cheney! Call me when there aren't so many people around??!"
GWB's unprecedented 'snub' of the Obamas prior to the last inauguration (he would not allow them to stay in the WH guest quarters prior to moving in) I'm frankly surprised he was even invited.
I admire Bush 41 and thought he tried to do a good job but as for his son 43 i do believe history will view him as a failure but i'm old so i won't be around to see if 50 years from now he will be regarded in a friendlier light. The two wars he put us in have left us in a financial mess that will take decades from which to recover. As for President Obama, i pray for him many times throughout the day because there is so much hatred in this country for this dear man. As Americans we should be hoping for him to succeed not fail. Good Bless the President.
May God Bless Both former Presidents, Bush senior and Bush jr. The reason others through out the world dislike Americans is because as a group most are rude and refuse to show respect to anyone and everyone.
43 is probably ashamed to show his face in Washington after what he let Cheney do to this country.
William Carl Engelke – San Francisco, California
Please – US Dissedent – Still Alive in California
Indicted George "Brian" Bush on Oil War
Indicted George Bush, Jr as well
Indicted William Jefferson Clinton on Domestic Corruption
on 2005 on Wolf Blitzer Blog – CNN International
Please Help William Carl Engelke – being Decimated
Bush is not going, and I dont blame him, because of how the current president laid every conceivable blame at W's feet, including the Korean War (LOL), I dont blame him for not going......This will be the first inauguration of any president that I have missed in my entire adult life.....I dont have special plans, I just dont want to waste a good day
I already know the themes the President will champion. I am white, therefore I am privileged and unworthy of equal treatment under the law. I am a born-again Christian, therefore I am a bigoted, narrow-minded hater. I am a Conservative, therefore I am an enemy of "the people" who must be silenced. I was a homeschooled, therefore I am anti-social and a threat to the communal system of indoctrination. I'm a person who has always been self-supporting and have never collected any type of welfare or unemployment (even though I was orphaned at age 14), therefore I'm a threat to the constant mantra that it is impossible for someone growing up in poverty to obtain a college education and be a success. I am a supporter of gun rights, therefore I must be a killer. I've paid my bills on time and have been a saver and investor, therefore I have been greedy and rapacious and have not paid my fair share of taxes.
I already know the Obama agenda. As the Scripture states,"when the wicked rise to power, good men go into hiding."
I can understand his father not being there, as he's just been hospitalized, but Bush the younger SHOULD be there...this is the formal assumption of power by the head of the country...Bush is still a former head of state, even as terrible as he was.
I wouldn't go either. HW is sick, and Dubbaya is probably tired of the boos. I'm sure neither appreciated the "It's Bush's fault" for the first two years in Obama had in office.