"Our Values Are the Same": Michelle Obama Defends Friendship With George W. Bush, Critics React

Photo by David Hume Kennerly via Bank of America/Getty Images

Obama made the comment during a recent interview with Bush's daughter, Jenna bush Hager.

Michelle Obama is facing criticism for defending her friendship with George W. Bush.

READ: Barack Obama Speaks On "Cancel Culture In The Age Of Social Media Activism

Bush's daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, recently spoke with Obama on the Today show, where the former brought up criticism Ellen DeGeneres faced for sitting next to Bush during a football game in October.

"Your husband recently talked about the dangers of cancel culture. What do you say to people that want to be closer with each other?' Hager asks Obama as she then proceeds to talk about her own friendship with Hager's father.

"I had an opportunity to sit by your father at funerals, the highs and the lows, and we shared stories about our kids and about our parents," Obama said.

"Our values are the same," she continued. "We disagree on policy, but we don’t disagree on humanity, we don’t disagree about love and compassion. I think that’s true for all of us — it’s just that we get lost in our fear of what’s different."

Since then, the former FLOTUS has faced criticism for her comments.

Barack Obama recently offered his thoughts on cancel culture and being politically "woke" while speaking with Yara Shahidi at an Obama Foundation Summit event in Chicago.

"This idea of purity and that you're never compromised and you're always politically woke — you should get over that quickly. The world is messy," he said. "There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids, and share certain things with you."

Source: Today