Michelle Obama dismisses criticism of her friendship with George W. Bush: 'We disagree on policy but we don't disagree on humanity'

If opposites really do attract, then Michelle Obama and George W. Bush are living proof. The two have developed a friendship despite being on different sides of the political spectrum. Obama, however, has come under fire for the relationship, with some questioning how she could be friends with someone whose conservative beliefs and policies run counter to those she and her husband, former president Barack Obama, subscribe to. During an interview on Today with Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former president George W. Bush, Obama told Hager the two aren’t so different after all. “Our values are the same,” she said. “We disagree on policy but we don’t disagree on humanity. We don’t disagree about love and compassion. I think that’s true for all of us. It’s just that we get lost in our fear of what’s different,” she added. Hager noted that comedian Ellen DeGeneres also faced criticism after she was spotted socializing with former president Bush at a football game, a move DeGeneres defended on her show. DeGeneres told viewers in part, “Just because I don't agree with someone on everything doesn't mean that I'm not going to be friends with them.”