In the development of his biography, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, historian Jon Meacham conducted extensive interviews over a decade with the 41st president, his family, friends, and colleagues and was granted access to the former president’s audio diaries and First Lady Barbara Bush’s diary.
At the time of its release in November 2015, the book gained headlines for its revelations from the elder Bush about his willingness to risk impeachment — if necessary — to engage in the first Gulf War, as well as some critiques of his son’s presidency.
In the audio above, Houston Matters host Craig Cohen discusses all of that with Meacham, and we learn about moments that underscore Houston’s influence on Bush and his life.