George W. Bush

But the gathering of the 43rd and 44th first couples also saw the reuniting of two unlikely friends.

Over the past eight years, former President George W. Bush and First Lady Michelle Obama have been seen becoming increasingly chummy. At public events, the two can often be found sitting next to each other, sharing a laugh or lending a hand to hold.

Saturday's ceremony was no exception. During the event, Obama reached over and grabbed Bush into a hug as their spouses clapped and looked on.

Bush asked his successor for a little help taking a selfie.

"He has kept his word when he made a commitment. He is somebody who has been gracious. And I think maybe most importantly, he's somebody who understands that in government, in governance, you don't get 100 percent of what you want, but you have to work with people who you disagree with — sometimes strongly — in order to do the people's business." — President Barack Obama.

Bush spoke Friday, saluting then-Gov. Haley Barbour, as well as U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and former Sen. Trent Lott.

He's chosen to deliver remarks at Warren Easton Charter High School, the same school he visited on the first anniversary of the catastrophic storm. He is accompanied by his wife, Laura, whose library foundation helped rebuild what is the oldest public school in New Orleans.

The school's success is one of the president's brighter moments in what was an extremely trying time for the Bush administration. Bush was vilified for his government's lackluster response.