Barbara Pierce Bush
Barbara Pierce Bush is the elder of the fraternal twin daughters (the other is Jenna Hager, née Bush) of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, and the granddaughter of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush. Learn more here.
On September 23, 2010, Ms. Bush attended a fundraiser for the pro-freedom to marry American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) in New York City at the Mandarin Oriental in the Time Warner Center. The fundraiser was co-chaired by former Republican National Committee Chair/Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts partner Ken Mehlman, Paypal Co-Founder Peter Thiel and Elliott Management hedge fund CEO Paul Singe.
Chad Griffin, AFER Board President, said this about the fundraiser: "Tonight represented much more than $1.2 million to fight Proposition 8 in the 9th Circuit and the Supreme Court. This unprecedented gathering of bipartisan political leaders and Wall Street titans demonstrates the shift of momentum that's possible when it becomes clear that marriage equality isn't a special interest issue, but rather one of fundamental American values. That has been the focus of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, and while there is certainly a tremendous amount of work to be done, it is gratifying to see such progress."
As Corey Johnson noted on towleroad.com: "It was announced by Mehlman that more than 1.2 million dollars had been raised. The energy in the room was hopeful, enthusiastic and celebratory even in the face of the previous day's setback on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The crowd was a diverse mix of Wall Street titans, Republican establishment figures, LGBT community advocates and politicos. Barbara Bush, President George W. Bush's daughter attended the event — which was a surprise to people in the room. Michelangelo Signorile offered additional perspective on Ms. Bush's attendance at a pro-marriage equality fundraiser here.
Freedom to Marry salutes Barbara Pierce Bush as a Voice for Equality!
If Ms. Bush's support inspires you, take action by signing the Freedom to Marry Pledge.
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