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Former Louisville mayor remembers impromptu ride with President Bush

Former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson recounts his surprising ride with President George H.W. Bush in 1991.

When President George H.W. Bush came bounding down the stairs of Air Force One in Louisville in June 1991, at the foot of the stairs was then longtime Mayor Jerry Abramson.

“It was really a surprise. I’d gone out to meet the president and as he’s coming off Air Force One, he says ‘would you like to ride in the limousine with me downtown to the speech?’ What do you say when the president of the United States invites you? So, I jumped in,” Abramson said.

And away they went.

President George H.W. Bush greets then city officials in 1991 during a Louisville visit.

Abramson told me that he used the rare one-on-one time to get some red tape cut, by the chief executive.

“I had several pending requests for grants from the federal government affordable housing and a public transportation grant for TARC at the time and so I was lobbying the guy for my hometown, sitting in his car going down 65,” he said.

Abramson also remembers the irony of being asked in that limo.

“At the time there was a governor’s race going on in Kentucky. The Republican candidate for governor was standing there at the base of Air Force One and the president turned to me and said ‘Mayor, do you want to ride with me downtown.’”

Leaving the candidate on the tarmac, the president was in Louisville for the Crime Stoppers conference and stopped in to visit Jefferson County police.

President George H.W. Bush discusses the Crime Stoppers program with Jefferson County police in 1991.

President Bush and first lady Barbara Bush liked Louisville.

WHAS11 followed the Bushes during the Labor Day visit to Cardinal Stadium in 1992 to celebrate Kentucky Harvest with founder Stan Curtis.

President Bush and first lady Barbara Bush visit Cardinal Stadium in 1991.

President Bush threw out the first pitch and then gave a speech.

“One neighbor helping another. That is the American spirit. That is the American way. That is what we mean when we talk about points of light. May God bless you all and may God bless this wonderful, American spirit,” he said.

President George H.W. Bush gives a speech during a Louisville Redbirds game in 1991 at Cardinal Stadium.

During the Louisville visit, he jogged around the track at Male High School and attended services at Highview Baptist Church with the first lady.

Abramson told WHAS11 News he wasn’t a fan of the Bush presidency at the time but was struck by one thing.

President George H.W. Bush takes a jog around the Male High School track.

“He seemed so genuine and engaging and concerned about the city. He started the conversation by saying ‘what are the issues I can help with’ – well that’s all you need to tell a mayor,” Abramson said.

As for Bush? The former mayor said his opinion quickly changed.

“A lot of us I’m afraid in America sort of overlooked that and didn’t realize how humble and how committed and when you look at the accomplishments, especially in foreign policy, he was a really special president and one that we can all look up to and feel confident with.”

President George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush wave goodbye to the city of Louisville from Air Force One in 1991.

The projects Abramson lobbied Bush for in 1991, he said the city landed one of the two.

►Contact reporter Doug Proffitt at dproffitt@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@WHAS11Doug) and Facebook.

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