Former president George H.W. Bush won't be attending the GOP convention next month because of the challenges he faces with moving around.
The 41st president and former first lady Barbara Bush will not be attending the Republican Party confab in Tampa. The Bushes are big supporters of Mitt Romney.
"President and Mrs. Bush are more convinced today than ever that we need to get behind Mitt and Ann Romney to help turn this country around, but sadly the situation around President Bush's mobility will prevent them from attending the Tampa convention," Bush spokesman Jim McGrath said in a statement.
Bush, 88, suffers from vascular Parkinsonism, a disease that limits his mobility. He usually needs a scooter or wheelchair to get around.
The former college baseball player who has jumped out of airplanes in his golden years recently discussed his condition with Parade magazine.
"It just affects the legs. It's not painful. You tell your legs to move and they just don't move. It's strange, but if you have to have some bad-sounding disease, this is a good one to get," Bush said.
The Hill was the first to report that the former president and first lady will miss the GOP convention, which runs Aug. 27-30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. It's the first time in 35 years Bush has missed a Republican National Convention.
USA Today