Sanibel resident remembers H.W. Bush’s legacy and friendship

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
President George W. Bush observes Chief of Staff Andy Card swearing-in Porter Goss as the new director of the CIA in the Oval Office Friday, Sept. 24, 2004. Also pictured is Director Goss’s wife Mariel – Photo from George W. Bush White House archives.

One Sanibel Island man not only remembers the legacy George H.W. Bush left behind this week but also the friendship he had with the former president.

Before Porter Goss was a full-time resident on Sanibel, he was in Washington D.C. during his career in public service, where he spent a lot of time with the Bush family.

Goss, former CIA director and congressman, shares a lot in common with H.W. Bush, who died Friday.

Both men shared a lot in common starting with their experience heading up the country’s central intelligence division.

(Far left) Porter Goss and (second to right side) Former President George H.W. Bush standing with former CIA directors respectively – Photo from Porter Goss website.

Goss said he looked up to President Bush and turned to him for advice.

As a new congressman when Bush was president, Goss said Bush took the time to meet with him in the Oval Office with his cabinet about ideas he had to help the environment.

Later on, when Porter became CIA director, Bush would come along on covert missions to help out.

In fact, last time the two of them were together in person was about 10 years ago on one of those missions. Goss remembers it like yesterday.

“And I was in charge,” Goss said. “And I was petrified. I had the former president of the United States on this helicopter flying around at night, coming back, and I knew that Mrs. Bush, Barbara Bush, was very concerned that he had a very long day. So, I was only interested in getting him from point A to point B, getting him to his next stop and making sure everything was fine.”

Goss was the last director of central intelligence and the first director of the Central Intelligence Agency following the passage of the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which abolished the DCI position and replaced it with the director of national intelligence on April 21, 2005.

Goss represented Florida as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 15 years.

Goss said he plans on going to Washington D.C. to pay respects to the former president and his family.

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