WATCH: George W. Bush Does Not Greet Donald And Melania Trump — Gives Obama Loving Belly Tap

 

As former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral got underway on Thursday all five living former presidents entered Washington DC’s National Cathedral, starting with President-elect Donald Trump.

As Trump entered with his wife Melania, they both stopped to shake hands with former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence – who both stood to greet the president-elect. Pence shook hands with Trump in one of their first meetings since their falling out over the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Karen Pence did not rise to greet Trump, the first of several snubs to take place as the nation’s former leaders gathered together in a rare sight for the country to see.

The next to enter was former President Barack Obama who skipped past the Trumps, who did not stand, and moved to shake hands with the former vice presidents who quickly stood to greet him. Obama, whose wife was on vacation in Hawaii, soon sat down next to Trump and the two began talking but did not appear to ever shake hands. Clips of Obama and Trump chumming it up quickly went viral as many on the right argued it was proof that Obama never really worried Trump would be a kind of dictator.

Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura entered next and both quickly skipped past the Trumps as well – who did not stand to greet them. Obama did stand to greet the Bushes and was welcomed with a loving tap to his stomach from George. The Bushes did not appear to ever go on to interact with the Trumps. George Bush has been largely absent from politics since leaving the White House but has been critical of the GOP under Trump’s leadership, urging Republicans not to embrace “protectionist, isolationist, and nativist” policies.

Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary entered next, but from a different side of the row, which meant they never came into contact with the Trumps. However, Bush did stand to greet them and was roundly snubbed by Bill and Hillary – even after Hillary sat next to him and at no point appeared to greet or acknowledge him. Bush appeared to purse his lips in disapproval at one point, but eventually sat back down and started waving and offering “thumbs up” gestures to people he knew in the crowd.

CBS’s Norah O’Donnell reported live throughout the funeral and noted Bush “did not shake Trump’s hand.”

“And look how appropriately former President George W. Bush stands to welcome former First Lady Hillary Clinton and President Clinton,” O’Donnell added. Her co-anchor Robert Costa replied, “We have not seen President Bush interact with President Trump.”

“We have not,” O’Donnell responded.

Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.

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Alex Griffing is a Senior Editor at Mediaite. Send tips via email: alexanderg@mediaite.com. Follow him on Twitter: @alexgriffing