George Bush Explains His Fondness of Michelle Obama, Says it’s Because She Laughs At His Jokes

Over the years, several photos of former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Michelle Obama have surfaced, showing Bush’s apparent admiration of the girl from the Southside.

Despite their political differences, the two seem to have a genuine friendship, stemming from her appreciation of his sense of humor, so says the 43^rd president of their relationship.

“She kind of likes my sense of humor. Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like,” Bush said in an interview with PEOPLE.

The two have been pictured together on several occasions,  seated beside one another during a slew of events including last year’s dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C. The photo of Obama, 53, and Bush, 70, quickly went viral, both appearing genuinely fond of one another.

“I can’t remember where else I’ve sat next to her, but I probably have a few wise cracks, and she seemed to like it okay,” Bush told the publication. “I needle her a little bit, and around her, I’m fairly lighthearted. [The Obamas] are around serious people all the time and just took to each other.”

“When I saw her, it was a genuine expression of affection,” Bush said of their embrace at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture dedication ceremony.

Finally, Bush commented on Barack and Michelle’s post-presidency life, as his wife, Laura described life after the presidency and the Obama’s commitment to assisting military personnel and their families. An effort Bush has spent much of his post-presidency fulfilling.

“It’s going to take them a while to find their footing and figure out how they’re going to do what they want to do. But if there’s a way to be symbiotic, we’ll do so,” Bush said the former first couple.