George W. Bush Passes Candy To Michelle Obama As BFFs Share Viral Moment At John McCain’s Funeral

The unlikely friendship between George W. Bush and Michelle Obama was on display yet again at John McCain’s funeral, with the former president passing a piece of candy to the former First Lady in an adorable display.

The two have grown close since Barack Obama left office early last year, appearing together at a number of events. On Saturday, the Obamas and the Bushes sat next to each other at the funeral service for Arizona Senator John McCain, and USA Today noted that George and Michelle shared a sweet moment.

“In a video clip shared on Twitter, Bush takes the small parcel from Laura Bush and passes it to Obama. In the clip, Obama takes the candy and whispers ‘thank you,'” the report noted.

The video gained viral attention, spreading across social media and garnering interest from news outlets across the country. Many saw their friendship as a breath of fresh air in an era that has become more bitterly partisan under Donald Trump.

Though John McCain opposed both Barack Obama and George W. Bush in presidential races — losing to Bush in the 2000 Republican primary and to Obama in the 2008 general election — both remained close with the Arizona Senator and McCain asked both to deliver eulogies. The former First Ladies attended as well, paying tribute to McCain’s life and legacy as a politician and Vietnam War hero.

While both garnered headlines for the eulogies that both honored McCain and took veiled shots at Donald Trump, the moment getting the most viral attention was George W. Bush’s generous spirit with friend Michelle.

The two have long been friends. One of their first viral interactions came at the opening ceremony for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016, with George and Michelle sharing a warm embrace at the event. As Bush later explained, he feels a true kinship with the First Lady despite their very different backgrounds and often opposing political views.

“When I saw her, it was a genuine expression of affection,” Bush told People magazine.

George W. Bush slipped a piece of candy to Michelle Obama at McCain's funeral and the internet is glad https://t.co/AgefMuBoWj

— TIME (@TIME) September 1, 2018

As Bush went on to explain, Michelle Obama seems to appreciate his sense of humor, which earns some major points in his book.

“I can’t remember where else I’ve sat next to her, but I probably have a few wisecracks and she seemed to like it OK,” Bush told People magazine. “I needle her a little bit and around her, I’m fairly lighthearted. (The Obamas) are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other.”

While they may not be serious people — especially with each other — Michelle Obama and George W. Bush do appear to be seriously good friends.