Erin Mulvaney, Houston Chronicle
George H.W. Bush’s chief of staff on Thursday sought to tamp down any speculation the former president is near death, saying he would encourage family and friends to “put the harps back in the closet.”
The 41st U.S. president has been in The Methodist Hospital in Houston for more than a month, and is now on a liquid diet in the intensive care unit with a fever described as “stubborn.”
His chief of staff, Jean Becker, told family and friends in an email that the 88-year-old Bush “has every intention of staying put.” She said the health care Bush is receiving is “unequaled.”
Bush was admitted to Methodist with a cough on Nov. 23. On Wednesday, Jim McGrath, Bush’s spokesman in Houston, said Bush had been in the intensive care unit since the weekend and remained in “guarded condition” with an elevated fever. In her email Thursday, Becker wrote that McGrath’s statement had prompted inquiries from “most of the civilized world.”
“Is he sick? Yes. Does he plan to go anywhere soon? No,” she wrote. “He has every intention of staying put. He would ask me to tell you to please, ‘put the harps back in the closet.’ ”
Becker said the family was resisting releasing a statement out of respect for the former president and relatives. She said they prefer to deal with health issue in private. Bush “is so beloved we knew everyone would overreact,” Becker wrote.
Her email continued, “Will he be in the hospital for a while? Yes. He is 88 years old, he had a terrible case of bronchitis which then triggered a series of complications.”
Bush has been battling a persistent fever since last week. Although McGrath has said Bush and his family have been in a frustrating situation, he said Bush is alert and has been having a “running banter” with his nurses and is surrounded by family.
(Read more at the Houston Chronicle)
OTHER COVERAGE:
- Chief of staff: George H.W. Bush receiving great treatment, will likely be in hospital a while (KPRC 2 News)
- Bush’s battle: Explaining the former president’s health condition (KHOU 11 News)
- Just how serious is former President George H.W. Bush’s condition? (KTRK 13 News)
- Bush aide tells everyone to put ‘harps back in the closet’ (KRIV 26 News)
LOCAL AREA HEADLINES:
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STATE, NATION & WORLD:
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- Money, tuition and graduation rates top higher ed (AP)
- Payday lenders contribute heavily to lawmakers (Houston Chronicle)
- Planned Parenthood seeks order in health program (AP)
- EPA Chief Announces Resignation (NPR)
- N.Y. woman arrested over Newtown massacre scam (USA Today)
- Developers of Wind Farms Run a Race Against the Calendar (New York Times)
- U.S. gun lobby vows to fight arms trade treaty at UN (AlertNet/Reuters)