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Environment/Energy · Liberty · Politics

President George H.W. Bush Dons a Heartland ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ T-Shirt!

The 41st President of the United States holds a Heartland Institute "Don't Tread On Me" T-shirt.

When you design a freedom-loving T-shirt, you can hardly pick a better model to show it off than a former president of the United States — and The Heartland Institute has one in George Herbert Walker Bush.

Thomas Wysmuller, a lecturer for NASA who spoke on a panel with two Apollo astronauts and a former NASA engineer at our Seventh International Conference on Climate Change, went straight from our three-day event in Chicago to his home in Ogunquit on the southeast coast of Maine. Tom visited a popular local Perkins Cove restaurant yesterday, Barnacle Billy’s, to wish the owner a happy birthday, and happened to run into an acquaintance — the 41st president.

Tom had on-hand several of the “Don’t Tread On Me” T-shirts Heartland gave out to attendees at the conference, and presented one to George H.W. Bush. As you can tell from the photo here — and more below — he was happy to receive it. Tom wrote in an email to me: ”All were delighted to receive it, especially President Bush … He REALLY liked the shirt!!!”

Tom  informed the president that at the conference he, former NASA engineer Hal Doiron, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, and Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham talked about their letter to NASA warning that its “unproven and unsupported remarks” on global warming damage the agency’s reputation. President Bush was pleased with the news, and gave a cheer for the crew “holding NASA’s reputation high at Heartland in Chicago.”

A hearty cheer for Tom and The Heartland Institute!

BTW: That’s former First Lady Barbara Bush in the pink hat on the left.

Mr. Bush liked the T-shirt so much, he wore it the rest of his visit to the restaurant … and even on the drive home on his boat.

Heartland gear makes for great boating attire.

To call this a thrilling moment for The Heartland Institute is an understatement. It is truly an honor, and we are humbled. Thanks to Tom for handing Bush 41 the T-shirt — and even more thanks to Mr. Bush for wearing it with such enthusiasm.

BTW: To get your very own version of what that dapper former president wore on Saturday, visit the Heartland Store — where a shirt inspired by the Gadsden flag is complimented by many items that tell all who see you how much you honor your freedom. (HINT: The freedom cards are sure to be a winner at your next poker night.)

What a great start to the Memorial Day weekend!

(DISCLAIMER: The 41st president is not an endorser of Heartland or our online store. He is merely a big fan of the shirt.)

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— Jim Lakely

Jim is the the director of communications at The Heartland Institute. Prior to joining Heartland, he was an ink-stained newspaperman for 16 years with many stops in "old media." Jim covered Congress and The White House during the George W. Bush administration for The Washington Times, and worked as a reporter, editorial writer and columnist for newspapers in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California. He has appeared on the Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, and many local and national talk radio shows to talk politics and policy.

  • http://twitter.com/RKRoss1 R K Ross

    I went to the Heartland store to get a shirt like President Bush has (and, once I got there,  a Fakegate one too), but I could not figure out how to specify which size of shirt I would be sent.  Is there a trick to it that I am not seeing.  It gave only one SKU number per shirt.