Former presidents call for unity at aid concert

Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — The five living former presidents put aside politics and appeared together for the first a form of Parkinson’s disease and appeared in a wheelchair at the event. His wife, Barbara, and George W. Bush’s wife, Laura, were in the audience. time since 2013 at a concert Grammy award winner on Saturday to raise money Lady Gaga made a surprise for victims of devastating appearance at the concert hurricanes in Texas, Florida, that also featured country Louisiana, Puerto Rico music band Alabama, Rock and the U.S. Virgin Islands. & Roll Hall of Famer Sam

Democrats BarackMoore, gospel legend Obama, Bill Clinton and Yolanda Adams and Texas Jimmy Carter and Republicans musicians Lyle Lovett and George H.W. and Robert Earl Keen. George W. Bush gathered in The appeal backed by the College Station, Texas, ex-presidents has raised $31 home of Texas A&M University, million since it began on Sept. to try to unite the country 7, said Jim McGrath, spokesman after the storms.for George H.W. Bush.

Texas A&M is home to President Donald Trump the presidential library of offered a video greeting that the elder Bush. At 93, he has avoided his past criticism of the former presidents and called them “some of America’s finest public servants.”

“This wonderful effort reminds us that we truly are one nation under God, all unified by our values and devotion to one another,” Mr. Trump said in the greeting, played during the concert.

Four of the five former presidents — Mr. Obama, George W. Bush, Mr. Carter and Mr. Clinton — made brief remarks that did not mention Mr. Trump. The elder Bush did not speak but smiled and waved to the crowd. They appealed for national unity to help those hurt by the hurricanes.

The last time the five were together was in 2013, when Obama was still in office, at the dedication of George W. Bush’s presidential library in Dallas.