Former President George W. Bush says that Rush Limbaugh "was a friend throughout my presidency."
Limbaugh, 70, died after a bout with lung cancer, long outliving his prognosis. He was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in January 2020. His passing was announced on Wednesday.
In a statement, the former two-term Republican president wrote that "Laura and I are sorry to learn that Rush Limbaugh has passed away. A son of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Rush rose as a pioneer of talk radio starting in the 1980s, and was a friend throughout my Presidency. While he was brash, at times controversial, and always opinionated, he spoke his mind as a voice for millions of Americans and approached each day with gusto."
"As he battled hearing loss and cancer late in life, he was sustained by the support of friends and family, his love of sports and rock and roll, and his belief in God and country. Rush Limbaugh was an indomitable spirit with a big heart, and he will be missed," Bush emphasized.
Limbaugh's passing has seen an outpouring of tributes from Republicans.
Former President Trump, in comments on Fox News, remembered Limbaugh as a "gentleman" and a "fighter."