Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph

2017Viral photograph / Photoshop templateclassic

Also known as: Clinton Between Two Bushes · Hiding Between the Bushes

Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph is a 2017 viral image shot by Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña, showing the former president grinning between two Bush statues—a visual pun on his presidency between Bush administrations.

Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph is a viral image of former U.S. President Bill Clinton grinning while standing between statues of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. Snapped by Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña on July 13, 2017, the photo became an instant hit thanks to its built-in visual pun: Clinton's presidency literally fell between the two Bush administrations1. The image spread rapidly across Twitter and Reddit, spawning Photoshop edits, news coverage, and a memorable response from Clinton himself.

political satire memesviral photo memesaccidental fame memesphotoshop memes2017 memes

Overview

The photograph shows Bill Clinton peeking out from between two large statues of his presidential predecessors and successors, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, with a sly, self-aware grin2. The humor works on two levels. First, there's the literal sight gag of a former president playfully hiding between two oversized stone figures. Second, there's the historical pun: Clinton's two terms in office (1993-2001) fell directly between the senior Bush's presidency and the younger Bush's presidency6. That combination of visual comedy and political trivia made it irresistible to share.

On the evening of July 13, 2017, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appeared together at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas1. The two discussed their friendship, swapped stories about life in the Oval Office, and cracked jokes at each other's expense3. George W. Bush reportedly described his relationship with Clinton as "a natural ability to respect and like each other," calling him "a brother with a different mother"1.

After the event, Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña snapped a photo of Clinton standing between the statues and posted it to Twitter with the caption "Everything's bigger in Texas"4. The tweet picked up over 2,100 retweets and 7,600 likes4.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (Angel Ureña's tweet, Yashar Ali's repost)
Key People
Angel Ureña, Bill Clinton
Date
2017

On the evening of July 13, 2017, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appeared together at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. The two discussed their friendship, swapped stories about life in the Oval Office, and cracked jokes at each other's expense. George W. Bush reportedly described his relationship with Clinton as "a natural ability to respect and like each other," calling him "a brother with a different mother".

After the event, Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña snapped a photo of Clinton standing between the statues and posted it to Twitter with the caption "Everything's bigger in Texas". The tweet picked up over 2,100 retweets and 7,600 likes.

How It Spread

The photo's reach expanded quickly when Twitter user Yashar Ali (@yashar) shared it later that night with the caption "President Clinton at the George W. Bush Library tonight". Ali's repost pulled in more than 14,000 retweets and 19,000 likes, pushing the image well beyond political Twitter circles.

By the next morning on July 14, the photo had drawn coverage from CNN, TIME, HuffPost, and local news outlets across the country. One Twitter user joked that Clinton should write a book called "My Life Between the Bushes". Others connected the photo to the then-recent story of White House press secretary Sean Spicer reportedly hiding in the bushes to avoid reporters, with one user writing "he's hiding in the bushes like Sean Spicer".

Clinton himself joined in on July 14, sharing the photograph on his own Twitter account with the caption "Note: Not to scale". That retweet earned more than 10,000 retweets and 57,000 likes. Some observers also noted the photo felt like an uplifting moment of bipartisan warmth, with one user tweeting "Is it just me, or is their bromance just the uplift we need right now?". Another wrote "This is more fun than 500 balloons!" referencing Clinton's well-known fascination with balloons at the Democratic National Convention.

Also on July 14, Reddit user Buckeye39 posted the image to r/PhotoshopBattles, where it received over 200 points and 30 comments. Users created edits including a literal "between two bushes" version with actual shrubbery, a swap inserting the infamously bad Cristiano Ronaldo bust, versions featuring Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and one where Donald Trump appeared between two statues of Vladimir Putin.

How to Use This Meme

The original photo works as a standalone reaction image for situations involving being caught between two things, playing both sides, or cheekily inserting yourself where you don't quite belong. The Photoshop template invites users to swap out the statues, change the background, or place different figures in Clinton's spot. The most common approach is to replace the Bush statues with two related figures and Clinton with a third person who belongs "between" them in some way.

Cultural Impact

The image landed during a period of intense political polarization in mid-2017, and many commenters noted how refreshing it was to see former presidents from opposing parties sharing a genuine, lighthearted moment. CNN declared that "there's little doubt that this picture will go down as one of the top presidential memes". TIME covered the photo as an example of Clinton's well-known sense of humor and his long-standing friendship with the Bush family. The fact that Clinton leaned into the joke himself, rather than letting it exist only as a candid moment, gave the image extra staying power. His "Note: Not to scale" reply became almost as quotable as the photo itself.

Fun Facts

Clinton and George H.W. Bush developed a genuine friendship despite Clinton defeating Bush in the 1992 election. Their bond was well-documented before this photo went viral.

The "Note: Not to scale" caption from Clinton's retweet outperformed the original posts, pulling 57,000 likes compared to the initial tweet's 7,600.

Some users connected the image to the Sean Spicer "hiding in the bushes" incident from earlier in 2017, adding another layer to the joke.

The photo was taken after a formal event about presidential leadership, making Clinton's playful posing an even sharper contrast to the serious setting.

Derivatives & Variations

Literal Bush Edit:

Redditors replaced the statues with actual hedges and bushes for a literal take on the pun[5].

Cristiano Ronaldo Bust Edit:

One r/PhotoshopBattles entry swapped in the widely mocked Ronaldo bust from Madeira Airport[5].

Obama Edit:

Barack Obama was placed in the scene in various configurations[5].

Hillary Clinton Edit:

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was edited into the photo[5].

Trump-Putin Edit:

Donald Trump was placed between two statues of Vladimir Putin, a political commentary version[5].

Living Statues Edit:

One version imagined the Bush statues coming to life[5].

Frequently Asked Questions

Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph

2017Viral photograph / Photoshop templateclassic

Also known as: Clinton Between Two Bushes · Hiding Between the Bushes

Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph is a 2017 viral image shot by Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña, showing the former president grinning between two Bush statues—a visual pun on his presidency between Bush administrations.

Bill Clinton Between Two Bushes Photograph is a viral image of former U.S. President Bill Clinton grinning while standing between statues of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. Snapped by Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña on July 13, 2017, the photo became an instant hit thanks to its built-in visual pun: Clinton's presidency literally fell between the two Bush administrations. The image spread rapidly across Twitter and Reddit, spawning Photoshop edits, news coverage, and a memorable response from Clinton himself.

political satire memes viral photo memes accidental fame memes photoshop memes 2017 memes

Overview

The photograph shows Bill Clinton peeking out from between two large statues of his presidential predecessors and successors, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, with a sly, self-aware grin. The humor works on two levels. First, there's the literal sight gag of a former president playfully hiding between two oversized stone figures. Second, there's the historical pun: Clinton's two terms in office (1993-2001) fell directly between the senior Bush's presidency and the younger Bush's presidency. That combination of visual comedy and political trivia made it irresistible to share.

On the evening of July 13, 2017, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appeared together at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. The two discussed their friendship, swapped stories about life in the Oval Office, and cracked jokes at each other's expense. George W. Bush reportedly described his relationship with Clinton as "a natural ability to respect and like each other," calling him "a brother with a different mother".

After the event, Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña snapped a photo of Clinton standing between the statues and posted it to Twitter with the caption "Everything's bigger in Texas". The tweet picked up over 2,100 retweets and 7,600 likes.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (Angel Ureña's tweet, Yashar Ali's repost)
Key People
Angel Ureña, Bill Clinton
Date
2017

On the evening of July 13, 2017, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appeared together at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. The two discussed their friendship, swapped stories about life in the Oval Office, and cracked jokes at each other's expense. George W. Bush reportedly described his relationship with Clinton as "a natural ability to respect and like each other," calling him "a brother with a different mother".

After the event, Clinton's press secretary Angel Ureña snapped a photo of Clinton standing between the statues and posted it to Twitter with the caption "Everything's bigger in Texas". The tweet picked up over 2,100 retweets and 7,600 likes.

How It Spread

The photo's reach expanded quickly when Twitter user Yashar Ali (@yashar) shared it later that night with the caption "President Clinton at the George W. Bush Library tonight". Ali's repost pulled in more than 14,000 retweets and 19,000 likes, pushing the image well beyond political Twitter circles.

By the next morning on July 14, the photo had drawn coverage from CNN, TIME, HuffPost, and local news outlets across the country. One Twitter user joked that Clinton should write a book called "My Life Between the Bushes". Others connected the photo to the then-recent story of White House press secretary Sean Spicer reportedly hiding in the bushes to avoid reporters, with one user writing "he's hiding in the bushes like Sean Spicer".

Clinton himself joined in on July 14, sharing the photograph on his own Twitter account with the caption "Note: Not to scale". That retweet earned more than 10,000 retweets and 57,000 likes. Some observers also noted the photo felt like an uplifting moment of bipartisan warmth, with one user tweeting "Is it just me, or is their bromance just the uplift we need right now?". Another wrote "This is more fun than 500 balloons!" referencing Clinton's well-known fascination with balloons at the Democratic National Convention.

Also on July 14, Reddit user Buckeye39 posted the image to r/PhotoshopBattles, where it received over 200 points and 30 comments. Users created edits including a literal "between two bushes" version with actual shrubbery, a swap inserting the infamously bad Cristiano Ronaldo bust, versions featuring Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and one where Donald Trump appeared between two statues of Vladimir Putin.

How to Use This Meme

The original photo works as a standalone reaction image for situations involving being caught between two things, playing both sides, or cheekily inserting yourself where you don't quite belong. The Photoshop template invites users to swap out the statues, change the background, or place different figures in Clinton's spot. The most common approach is to replace the Bush statues with two related figures and Clinton with a third person who belongs "between" them in some way.

Cultural Impact

The image landed during a period of intense political polarization in mid-2017, and many commenters noted how refreshing it was to see former presidents from opposing parties sharing a genuine, lighthearted moment. CNN declared that "there's little doubt that this picture will go down as one of the top presidential memes". TIME covered the photo as an example of Clinton's well-known sense of humor and his long-standing friendship with the Bush family. The fact that Clinton leaned into the joke himself, rather than letting it exist only as a candid moment, gave the image extra staying power. His "Note: Not to scale" reply became almost as quotable as the photo itself.

Fun Facts

Clinton and George H.W. Bush developed a genuine friendship despite Clinton defeating Bush in the 1992 election. Their bond was well-documented before this photo went viral.

The "Note: Not to scale" caption from Clinton's retweet outperformed the original posts, pulling 57,000 likes compared to the initial tweet's 7,600.

Some users connected the image to the Sean Spicer "hiding in the bushes" incident from earlier in 2017, adding another layer to the joke.

The photo was taken after a formal event about presidential leadership, making Clinton's playful posing an even sharper contrast to the serious setting.

Derivatives & Variations

Literal Bush Edit:

Redditors replaced the statues with actual hedges and bushes for a literal take on the pun[5].

Cristiano Ronaldo Bust Edit:

One r/PhotoshopBattles entry swapped in the widely mocked Ronaldo bust from Madeira Airport[5].

Obama Edit:

Barack Obama was placed in the scene in various configurations[5].

Hillary Clinton Edit:

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was edited into the photo[5].

Trump-Putin Edit:

Donald Trump was placed between two statues of Vladimir Putin, a political commentary version[5].

Living Statues Edit:

One version imagined the Bush statues coming to life[5].

Frequently Asked Questions