Former President George W. Bush, who in the wake of 9/11 began the war on Islamic extremism, said he had talked to Obama Sunday night and lauded his successor.
“Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001,” said Bush in a statement. “I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.”
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) also praised Obama.
“This is great news for the security of the American people and a victory in our continued fight against Al Qaeda and radical extremism around the world,” Boehner said in a statement. “I want to congratulate — and thank — the hard-working men and women of our Armed Forces and intelligence community for their tireless efforts and perseverance that led to this success. I also want to commend President Obama and his team, as well as President Bush, for all of their efforts to bring Osama bin Laden to justice.”
...
"This is not a night for partisanship,” said former Bush White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card in a telephone interview on MSNBC. “This is a night for celebration and gratitude and quite frankly to remember the victims of 9/11.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/54070.html