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Former Presidential Chief of Staff Andy Card, on Faith, Leadership, and the Power of 'We' in America
- Maina Mwaura CrosswalkHeadlines Contributor
- Updated Nov 05, 2024
Andy Card, the second longest-serving Chief of Staff in American History, served under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2006 and currently serves as the CEO of the George and Barbara Bush Foundation.
"We live in a great country, and the most important word in our Constitution happens to be the very first word, WE." Card believes that over the last few years, the American political system has lost the power of WE, which was instilled in him by his grandmother growing up in rural Massachusetts. Card remembers a photo in his grandmother's living room with women in white dresses walking down Commonwealth Avenue in Boston in a parade fighting for the right to vote. He recalls his grandmother being very proud that she was in that photograph.
Growing up, Card spent quite a bit of time with his grandmother, who lived right next door. She taught him that politics was not a dirty word but that it is essential to recognize that 'We, the People,' are the grounding of our politics in this country.
"She would say that the Constitution is a remarkable document, but it's an invitation. You're not obligated to do anything unless you accept the invitation."
As a young man, Card accepted the invitation to enter politics and eventually worked with former President Reagan and both Bushes. Although he had already served under two White House terms, he was surprised to be appointed as George W. Bush's chief of staff and reflected, "I was blessed to work with three presidents who invited me to have the courage to speak truth to power."
Assuming President Bush would choose a Chief of Staff from Texas, Card was surprised by the invitation and initially thought the President was asking him to run his transition team. He enjoyed the chief of staff role and remembers fondly, "It's not a nine-to-five job. It starts very early in the morning until late at night, and you get calls in the middle of the night." He knew that to do the job would require strong faith. Card's wife is a former United Methodist Church Pastor who has helped shape his faith.
Card tells us that Philippians 4:8 was his go-to verse daily when he walked into the White House. He wanted to make sure the President was greeted with an optimistic, positive attitude. So, he would say, "Top of the morning, Mr. President, it's going to be a great day." Card was passionate about being contagious with optimism to send the message that following our President will make things better.
That optimism helped carry Card through 9/11. Card sorrowfully recalls the day at an elementary school in South Florida when he had the task of telling the President that our country was under attack. Recounting, "My mind flashed to the fear that the passengers on the plane must have had; they had to know it was losing altitude, and then I can remember a staffer coming to me to let me know that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center." That day shaped Card, our nation, and the world.
Card revisits, "I opened the door and stepped into the classroom as the students were in the middle of a dialogue with the President, and at first, the President did not see me coming. I leaned down and whispered into his right ear that America is under attack."
Reflecting on what it was like to work with Former George W. Bush, Card believes that the President sets the tone for the White House staff and the country. According to Card, "He (President Bush) was an optimist and a pragmatist, empathetic to the burdens that were carried by people who had to live with his decisions." He describes George W. Bush as phenomenally disciplined about how he practiced his faith during his presidency but also as a genuinely compassionate conservative who wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of the American people. Card speaks of some of President Bush's greatest contributions as President, being what he did with PEPFAR, helping to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and recognizing the need to get malaria drugs into Africa.
Card remains optimistic that America will prevail and believes that Americans must stay involved.
"People need to be involved and don't stand on the sidelines and shout bad words. Get into the parade and demonstrate unity and commonality. I always tell people who serve in elective office that you represent everyone in your constituency, not just the people who vote for you."
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