Former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush arrive at the White House East Room for the unveiling of his sons' official portrait in Washington, DC., May, 31, 2012
Pink with polka dots. Lavender. American flag-striped. These are just a few of the colors that have emerged from former President George H.W. Bush’s surely-brimming sock drawer over the past few months.
“I like a colorful sock. I’m a sock man,” the 41st president admitted to the Today show last year. Knowing what we know now, dare we say he was understating his appreciation? Bush now uses a wheelchair at public appearances, so it’s practically a given that cameras are trained as much on his feet as they are on his face.
(PHOTOS: George H.W. Bush Has the Best Socks)
Indeed he’s made no secret of his love for socks. (Nor have we.) But because he can only show off two at any given time, his George Bush Presidential Library Foundation is giving him a hand (err, a foot?) for his 89th birthday. The College Station, Tex.-based organization has afforded their namesake a celebration as colorful as his daily footwear choices – by asking the American public to don “exuberant socks” and post their photos on social media. And yes, that’s something of a political order.
So it’s no shock that today’s festive celebration has caught the eye of many prominent politicos.
And Bush himself, the famed connoisseur of colorful hosiery, is certainly reveling in today’s foot-focused frenzy. By our count he’s been photographed twice so far, donning three separate styles of sock.
He started off the day with a classic yellow-and-red argyle sock that clashed with the blue-and-mustard polka dot pattern on his other foot (it’s his birthday – he can mismatch if he wants to).
(PHOTOS: George H.W. Bush with Texas Cheerleaders)
But because he even couldn’t leave the house with such a shocking footwear choice, he instead donned a pair worthy of his legendary status (or perhaps it was a well-timed advertisement given this weekend’s big box-office opening?)
Regardless, we expect George H.W. Bush to soar to untold heights with his sock collection. And the Bush Foundation is collecting all of the photos on their Flickr page. So in honor of his birthday today, we have a patriotic duty to show a little leg and show off our socks.
https://twitter.com/GB41Foundation/status/344845065920839680/