(Newswire.net — October 24, 2017) –Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George HW Bush and Jimmy Carter appeared together on stage at the hurricane relief concert “Deep From The Heart: One America Appeal Concert”, at the Reed Arena in Texas, on Saturday.
It was the first time since 2013 that five living former US presidents have appeared together. The previous time all of them were at the same place was at the dedication of George W. Bush’s presidential library in Dallas.
Now, in Texas, the current president did not come to the benefit concert for communities affected by Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey.
It was not explained why he did not come and whether he was even invited, but Donald Trump addressed the audience with a recorded short video message that was shown earlier in the evening.
“This wonderful effort reminds us that we truly are one nation under God, all unified by our values and our devotion to one another,” he said.
Four of the five former presidents also addressed the audience. The only one who didn’t speak was the elder Bush. He appeared in a wheelchair at the event because he has a form of Parkinson’s disease, but his son George W Bush, who served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, spoke shortly about his father, and the audience gave the 41st president a standing ovation.
James Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, was the first to address the audience. He was urging the public to donate to the Habitat for Humanity, an organization that helps build homes for the poor.
Barack Obama, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, received the loudest ovation from the audience. “When ordinary people step up and do extraordinary things, the One America Appeal is part of that process,” said Obama.
“The heart of America, without regard to race or religion or political party, is greater than our problems,” said Democrat Bill Clinton, who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001.
Country music band Alabama, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer ‘Soul Man’ Sam Moore, gospel legend Yolanda Adams and Texas musicians Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen all performed at this concert, and the surprise of the event was Grammy award winner Lady Gaga.
”Nothing more beautiful than everyone putting their differences aside to help humanity in the face of catastrophe,” the pop star tweeted after the concert at the Reed Arena in Texas.