In an interview, former President George W. Bush gushed about how much “genuine” affection he has for former first lady Michelle Obama.

Despite that her husband, Barack, spent eight years blaming every problem in America on President Bush, George W. says he really likes the former first lady.

“She kind of likes my sense of humor. Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like,” Bush said in a recent interview published by People Magazine.

The 70-year-old ex-president commented on the numerous photos depicting himself and Obama in affectionate poses — especially of the pair’s meeting at the 2016 opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“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,” “W” said. “I needle her a little bit and around her, I’m fairly lighthearted. [The Obamas] are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other.”

Of their meeting at the Smithsonian event, Bush said, “When I saw her, it was a genuine expression of affection.”

Michelle Obama made herself infamous in 2008 when she exclaimed that for the fist time in her “adult life” she was “proud of the country” when her husband was elected to the White House.

W concluded his remarks on Michelle and Barack by noting that he heard they may want to start “doing things for our troops.” He also said that it will “take them a while to find their footing” after leaving the White House.

The Texan may not have to worry over much about Michelle and Barack’s presidential “afterlife,” though. News broke this week that the former first couple had invited former presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett to live with them in their new Washington D.C. home (a report later denied) in order to gear up for a permanent political campaign aimed at undermining President Donald Trump’s presidency.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.