Angus champions Bush coins

Senator Angus King has been a strong advocate for creating coins to honor George and Barbara Bush, a wonderful idea.

You probably haven’t heard this because Angus works hard to get bipartisan support, behind the scenes, without fanfare. Senator Susan Collins was a cosponsor of the bill.

The coins should be minted and distributed this year. It is such a great way to commemorate both former President Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush.  The coins mean a great deal to our Veterans as well, since George Bush was a war veteran.

You must know that the Bushes loved Maine and spent a lot of time at their beautiful house on the ocean in Kennebunkport. I still remember the first time I saw their home, while standing on the Kennebunkport Beach. It was stunning. And I know that one reason I liked George was because he loved to fish and play golf in Maine. Me too!

And the Bushes were very generous to many Maine projects, including the Barbara Bush section at Portland’s hospital. I remember a photo of Barbara at the hospital reading a book to a child.

Angus was instrumental in recruiting cosponsors, which was essential to reaching the 67 sponsors and cosponsors necessary for the Banking Committee to report the bill to the floor of the Senate.  The bill was originally sponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and it’s been a nice bi-partisan effort.

Thanks Angus!

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.