George W. Bush to President Obama as he unveiled his official White House portrait: "Mr. President, as you gaze at this portrait, you can ask yourself, 'What would George do?'"

Bush, his wife, Laura, and his parents joined the Obamas in the East Room earlier today for the presentation of the paintings that will join those of all the previous presidents. Bush opened his remarks by saying that the collection now "begins and ends with a George W." (He also mentioned Dolly Madison's rescue of the original George W.'s portrait when the White House was burned in 1812, and asked Michelle Obama to watch out of his.

Both paintings were done by artist John Howard Sanden. The painting over Bush's shoulder is A Charge to Keep, a 1916 painting by W.H.D. Koerner that hung in the Oval Office for his entire presidency (and inspired the title of his 1999 memoir.)

Bush's introduced the First Lady by saying, "It is my privilege to introduce the greatest first lady ever. Sorry, Mom." Laura Bush then delivered the best zinger of the day, saying to the Obama's: "Nothing makes a house a home like a portrait of its former occupants staring down at you from the walls."

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Dashiell Bennett