Obamas and Bushes share a plane to Mandela's memorial
Obamas and Bushes had a joint round-trip passage to South Africa. Hillary Clinton flew out with the Obamas and Bushes but flew back with former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea.
US President Barack Obama (l.), first lady Michelle Obama, under umbrella, former President George W. Bush, and former first lady Laura Bush are greeted as they arrive in South Africa for a memorial service honoring Nelson Mandela, on Tuesday in Centurion, South Africa.
Evan Vucci/AP
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE
A joint wave from the Air Force One, a shared dinner, and a long flight home. President Barack聽Obama聽and former President George W.聽Bush聽shared quality time Tuesday as they returned from Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa.
Reconciliation was in the air.
Bush聽and his wife, former first lady Laura聽Bush, had round-trip passage with聽Obama聽and first lady Michelle Obama聽for the service, an international "who's who" of current and former international political leaders.
As聽Obama聽and Michelle聽Obama聽boarded the presidential jet Tuesday, they waited at the top of the stairs for the聽Bushes聽to climb the steps behind them. At the threshold of the plane's fore cabin聽Obama聽encouraged聽Bush and the two wives to turn and offer a farewell wave in unison.
It was a rare moment of unity for the 43rd and the 44th presidents, whose policy and ideological differences were on sharp display during the 2008 presidential election.
Once aboard, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, the聽Obamas聽and the聽Bushes聽dined together in the Air Force One conference room. There they were joined by senior聽Obama聽adviser Valerie Jarrett, Attorney General Eric Holder, and national security adviser Susan Rice.
Hillary Clinton, who flew to South Africa with the聽Obamas聽and聽Bushes聽on Monday, was not on the return flight. She traveled separately with former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea.