Laura Bush On Giving Michelle Obama A White House Tour: "I Showed Her The Closets, I Showed Her All The Things That Women Are Interested In"

First Lady Laura Bush talked for the first time about her private meeting with Michelle Obama on Monday. When asked if she shared any White House parenting advice with the future First Lady, Laura Bush responded, "Not really. I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in. But I didn't try to give her a lot of advice."

Read on for the rest of the interview with CNN:

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The role of the First Lady is certainly something that I'm sure you discussed with Mrs. Obama earlier this week. How did that visit go? And could you tell us any anecdotes?

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: Well it went great. It was very private, really. It was really much more, I think, two mothers talking about home more in this visit, because of course I showed her the rooms that are our girls' rooms now that I think are the perfect rooms for her girls when they move there.

We talked more about really making the White House a home for a family. And what I know from having lived here and from visiting my mother-in-law when she made this family a home and from reading about all the other families that have lived here is this house really can be a home. And I know that they'll make it that way for their little girls.

QUIJANO: Certainly, there must be some increased pressure, a lot of scrutiny, of course, living in the White House. I was wondering, did you share any advice with her as a mother who has been through it, having had two daughters spending some formative years?

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L. BUSH: Not really. I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in. But I didn't try to give her a lot of advice. I know she knows that she can make it home.

And that's what she wants to do.

QUIJANO: Last question then. Your husband, the day after the election, talked about it being a stirring sight to see the Obamas because of the historic nature of having the nation's first African-American president. I wonder if you could share your thoughts on that, as well?

L. BUSH: Well I also think it's very, very important. I think it's important for American history. I think it's a message to everybody in the United States of what's possible. But it's also a message around the world because I know, because I heard from them, that there were leaders in the -- around the world who didn't think the United States would elect an African-American man. And so, I think it's a really important message about our own democracy to people around the world.

QUIJANO: Mrs. Bush, thank you so much.

L. BUSH: Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot.

Comments

[rektruax]

Ya'll just love to hate...

[BuzzingAlong]

Facts is facts.

[MikeCanada]

It's hard not to like Laura Bush, but come on. What a weird thing to say. This isn't 1956.

[LizDexic]

Yeah...I'm sure Eva Braun was a great gal too.

[Fongenie]

Hahahaha!

[cmarmonhalm]

All the things that women are interested in?

[whitewaterwillie]

Or to put it more specific..­.

L. BUSH: Not really. I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in.

Laura must have thought she was talking to Sarah Palin.

[mapleaforever]

If she was talking to Palin, she would have ti make sure she was loaded.

[lmvd3]

Palin needs a lot of closet space for all her stolen clothes.

[kesiac]

Well, yeah. As an independent professional woman, I have to admit, closet space is very important to me. And like Laura Bush, I thought all women thought the same.

[IsisCat]

Ah no. We don't.

[lmvd3]

Nope.

[lmvd3]

The vast majority of women have bigger concerns than closets. A few things that concern women more than closets, include the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, health insurance coverage for young, old and everyone in between, the price of gas, the price of food, unemployment, lack of access to quality education, racism, sexism, ageism, poverty, lack of benefits for Veterans, lack of healthcare for Veterans, homelessness, military aggression, human rights violations around the world, ability to go to college, ability to send their children to college, nuclear war, alternative energy, energy-efficient automobiles, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, pay equity, the economy, paying the electric bill, paying the gas bill, paying the daycare bill, corporate crime, state crime, street crime...ne­ed I continue???

[DeeW]

I think it's called "a joke"

[lmvd3]

I've never heard her make a joke or say anything funny. I don't think she has a sense of humor. I think she was serious. Really weird.

[SoryaGArt]

I think what she's forgetting is that closet space and bedroom areas are not the only things that women are interested in.
Lucky for Laura Bush. If Hillary Clinton won the presidency, would she show the closet space to Hillary, or to Bill? And how would that go...

[Zeebob]

I wonder if Laura Bush is as dumb as George Bush, really. I remember in the paste first ladies being against or for a cause, but I really don't think a single good thing came out of the white house in the past 8 years.

[AJ39]

I don't know if "Laura Bush is as dumb as George Bush," but I think she can probably spell.

"Don't think a single good thing came out of the White House" I agree, not much; but I would offer the programs and $ to combat AIDS in Africa is generally recognized as a very positive thing.

[lmvd3]

I always thought Laura was the smart one in the family. I take it back.

[Toonadude]

Poor Laura.
All of those meds have her thinking that every woman is a stepford wife.

[greyseal in tampa]

Well, I DO hope that Laura makes sure not to leave behind any of her meds.

[weatherwaxx]

"All the things women are interested in..." Ewww... makes my skin crawl.

[mypov123]

Oh give her a break. I can stand Laura Bush more than I can stand her husband.

[HRH]

And bronchitis isn't as bad as emphysema. Don't mean either is any good. At all.

[bookwyrm]

"I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in."

That's all women interested in?? Then why'd we bother running for president and vice president? Oh, right, so we could get to the White House CLOSETS.

[weatherwaxx]

It's where they've kept the white house gays..

[HRH]

Jon Stewart and Co need to read this line. Gawd, what they could do with it ! ! !

[lmvd3]

Like Larry Craig...

[chanterelle]

She THINKS she showed her the closets? She doesn't remember?

[11907281]

Wow, old Laura knows her place in the house with a statement like that !!! I think the Obama's will bring the image of the modern family to the WH, time to destroy these old stereotypes. I wonder what other things Laura thinks women are interested in??

[lisakaz2]

Well, closet space is good to know about but the tone of that sounds mighty strange to me.

[sandistorms]

Very stepford wife-ish?

[weatherwaxx]

Yeah, well... Michelle Obama is highly educated, politically savvy, and every bit the equal of her husband. Unfortunately, re: the third item, so is Laura Bush.

[HRH]

Badda-bing!

[OrganOfThought]

LOL