Editing Barbara Bush (section)

=== Retirement ===
Bush described January 20, 1993, the day of [[Bill Clinton]]'s inauguration, as a "tough day" for her and her husband.{{Sfn|Carlin|2016|p=630}} The Bushes felt that George had earned a second term as president, and Barbara blamed the press—which she accused of being pro-Clinton—for his loss.{{Sfn|Gutin|2008|pp=144–146}} She believed that they showed preference for Clinton due to his relative youth.{{Sfn|Beasley|2005|p=199}} The Bushes moved back to Houston, where they lived in a rental home for nine months as they had a new house constructed.{{Sfn|Kilian|2002|p=205}} This new house featured a six-foot-tall brick wall to ensure the family's privacy.{{Sfn|Schneider|Schneider|2010|p=337}}

The day after returning to Houston, the Bushes learned that Nancy Reagan had called into [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] to criticize them, saying that Barbara had lied about not receiving a tour of the White House in 1988 and falsely stating that the Bushes never invited the Reagans to a state dinner. When Nancy later called Barbara to discuss the impromptu interview, Barbara decided that she "didn't feel like playing her game any more." Barbara corrected the falsehoods, and to make Nancy feel guilty, she lied by saying that reporters were harassing her because of the interview. She hung up after saying "don't you ever call me again." The two never spoke again, except for exchanging brief formalities at state events.{{Sfn|Page|2019|loc=Chapter 17}}

After spending eight years as Second Lady and then another four as First Lady, Bush had gone some time without cooking or driving a car, two skills that she was forced to reacquire after leaving the White House.{{Sfn|Schneider|Schneider|2010|p=336}} Though she was able to find more opportunities for relaxation, she remained busy with her various charitable causes, public appearances, and family commitments.{{Sfn|Carlin|2016|p=630}} For the first weeks of retirement, the Bushes—while still wealthy—did not have access to the funds that they once did and were surprised by the [[cost of living]] that they suddenly faced.{{Sfn|Page|2019|loc=Chapter 17}} Later on, between speaking fees and a book deal, Barbara made a considerable amount of money.{{Sfn|Schneider|Schneider|2010|p=336}} Her book, ''[[Barbara Bush: A Memoir]]'', was published in 1994 and stayed at the top of [[The New York Times Best Seller list]] for several weeks.{{Sfn|Page|2019|loc=Chapter 17}}{{Sfn|Gutin|2008|p=148}} That year, two of Bush's sons sought political office: George W. ran to be the [[governor of Texas]], and Jeb ran to be the [[governor of Florida]]. Though she helped the two of them campaign, she found that political attacks against her sons caused her even more stress than those against her husband, and she was unable to watch their respective gubernatorial debates. Jeb lost his election, and George W. was elected governor of Texas.{{Sfn|Gutin|2008|pp=150–151}} Both sons ran for the same offices again in 1998, and both won.{{Sfn|Gutin|2008|p=152}}

George W. went to Barbara for advice when he was considering a presidential campaign in the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 presidential election]]. Rather than giving him an answer, she told him to make up his mind. Later, during a church sermon about accepting the call to do the right thing, she turned to her son and said "he is talking to you", and he was convinced in that moment to run for president.{{Sfn|Page|2019|loc=Chapter 18}} When George W. announced his candidacy, his parents did not take a prominent role in the campaign, so as to avoid overshadowing him or making the election about the [[Bush family|Bush political dynasty]]. Barbara's primary role was traveling with other women associated with the campaign in the "W Stands for Women" tour in an attempt to increase his share of the women's vote.{{Sfn|Gutin|2008|p=153}} After a [[Bush v. Gore|long legal battle]] over the results, her son's opponent [[Al Gore]] conceded the election,{{Sfn|Kilian|2002|p=227}} and Barbara became the second woman after [[Abigail Adams]] to be both the wife and the mother of a U.S. president.{{Sfn|Kilian|2002|p=232}}