When Harry Met: 'President George W. Bush' (aka John C. Morgan)
The setting was as real as could be. The podium was expertly arranged with the presidential seal affixed to the front of the lectern and the crowd of several hundred (including me) in the dining hall of Gadsden’s Meadowbrook Baptist Church waiting with fixed breath for the arrival of "President George W. Bush.”
To be clear, the 43rd president of the United States appeared in the person of John C. Morgan, a native of Orlando, Florida, who is a “look-a-like,” both facially and in mannerisms, and has long impersonated “Dubya” (with his acknowledgment and blessing).
Now, I’ve covered presidential campaigns that came to the City of Champions back in the day. Astronaut-turned-Sen. John Glenn made two stops in our town. The first was in front of the Ritz Theatre in Alabama City, the second on the front steps of the Etowah County Courthouse that resulted in an impromptu and exclusive interview across the street in the WGAD studios. (Remember that time, Peggy Carrell and J Holland?)
Minnesota Sen. (and eventual Vice President) Walter Mondale held a meeting in Convention Hall.
Neither event would/could compare to the Presidents Day celebration at Meadowbrook Baptist on Rainbow Drive.
At the conclusion of the noon meal, after Pastor Randy Gunter made the necessary introduction, U.S. Marine trumpets blared and the familiar strains of “Hail to the Chief” filled the hall as “President Bush” entered the room, accompanied by several bodyguards sporting dark sunglasses.
It only took a minute for Morgan to get into his routine as the 43rd president, sharing story after story in that all-too-familiar Texas drawl. but with a lot of humor added.
An example: Bush’s trip to the Middle East that included his regular morning 2-mile jogs and a call to wife Laura telling her “I visited Iraq and ‘I-ran.’”
The speech took a turn when Morgan began giving his testimony. The program ended with him picking up a guitar and singing a few songs, most of which had his audience laughing and singing along.
Gunter was watching Mike Huckabee’s TV program one evening when Morgan was a guest. That’s when he decided to invite him to Gadsden for the Presidents Day luncheon.
The pastor made a phone call to extend the invitation, “and he agreed to come.” It turned out that Morgan was already scheduled to appear in nearby Trussville on Monday and the Sunday date for Gadsden was open. He and his wife, Kathy, arrived in time to attend the church’s morning worship service.
Morgan was an appliance dealer in his hometown, married and the father of four sons. During the 2000 presidential campaign, friends, neighbors and customers started telling him that he looked “just like Bush.”
It came to a head during the third year of Bush’s first term. Morgan learned that celebrity impersonators would be holding their national convention in Orlando, and he decided to dress as Bush and attend the meeting.
He was an immediate hit with all he met and landed his first job as the main speaker for a national concern. Since then, he has imitated the 43rd president before corporate giants and everyday citizens, sharing the spotlight with music, television and movie stars.
You may have seen him on “Headline News,” “E!,” “The View,” “The 700 Club,” “Family Feud,” “America’s Got Talent” and many other national TV programs.
Morgan shared his story with me following his appearance at Meadowbrook: “I was a drug dealer and sex addict who Jesus saved in 1975 in a very quirky way and made me into America’s No. 1 George W. Bush impersonator.”
Since his new life began in 2003, “I’ve been traveling all over the world ever since; it’s been so amazing as to how God has opened so many doors for me to bring laughter and joy to so many folks; I don’t talk about Bush’s opponents; I just make it fun and the people have a blast.”
Since 2009, he’s offered BushGrams, where for a fee he’ll record a personalized message from “Dubya” for someone from Camp David, Air Force One or the White House.
What does the former president think about Morgan’s portrayal? “When I met him, he threw his arms around me and said, ‘If I had a face like mine, I’d be as mad as hell,’” Morgan recalled with a laugh. “He gets a kick out of it.”
Morgan has told of his faith in several books, one of which I’m reading; “My Life as a Bush ... and My Heart for Imitating Jesus” is highly recommended. It tells that after years of hiding behind the façade of a model Christian, Morgan now teaches a powerful message of redemption and encourages believers to become authentic imitators of Jesus Christ.
To learn more about Morgan, visit: www.johncmorgan.com, www.georgebushimpersonator.com or bushgrams.com.