'He's my brother from another mother': George W Bush gushes about unlikely pal Bill Clinton who ousted his father from the Oval Office George W Bush and Bill Clinton, both 68, have struck up a firm friendship Both former Southern governors became grandfathers in past year They joke about potential 2016 presidential race between Clinton's wife Hillary for the Democrats and Bush's brother Jeb for the Republicans Bush says his own father George HW Bush is a 'father figure' for Clinton George W Bush has described Bill Clinton as a 'brother from another mother' in a gushing interview about their surprising friendship. He added that his own father 'serves as a father figure' to Clinton, who pushed the elder Bush out of office in 1992. And among the many jokes they share, they have recently been chortling about the 2016 election when Clinton's wife Hillary could well run against Bush's younger brother Jeb. 'Brother from another mother': George W Bush counts his predecessor Bill Clinton among his close friends Close: America's 41st, 42nd and 43rd presidents are all very close, according to George W Bush (center) who says his father George HW Bush (right) is 'a father figure' for Bill Clinton (left) who served between them 'We were both Southern governors and we both like each other,' Bush told The Sunday Times's Toby Harnden. 'He's fun to be around. I hope he would say I'm fun to be around.' The 68-year-old laughed as he recounted a phone call he and his father made to Clinton, also 68, to congratulate him on becoming a grandfather. Chelsea Clinton, 34, gave birth in September to her first child, Charlotte. It was just over a year after Jenna Bush, 32, had her little girl Mila. I said: "Let me tell you something. Get ready, you're going to be the lowest man on the totem pole in your family. And he laughed. We get along great. He also pokes fun at Hillary's expected nomination. 'I like to needle him about how he'd be an interesting first spouse,' Bush chuckled, while refusing to shed any further light on his brother's plans to run for the Republican party. Banterous: Clinton poked fun at Bush when he tweeted this photo of his successor's new book on Wednesday Hit back: Bush rebuffed his Twitter jibes with an Instagram post, with the hash tag #PresidentialGrammers It would be, he concedes, a bizarre battle for voters, who would be contemplating the choice between Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama-Bush and Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama-Clinton. The part-time oil painter revealed Clinton is just as close to his 90-year-old father, George HW Bush. 'Bill Clinton treated Dad with great deference and Dad has become a friend of his,' Bush explained. Clinton frequently sought Bush Sr's advice after taking his place in the Oval Office, just as Bush Jr did with Clinton when he was elected America's 43rd president. Bush added that Obama has not sought advice from him. The banterous element of their friendship made its way into the public sphere on Wednesday in a jovial war of words on social media. Newly-grandfathered: Bush said he bonded with Clinton, also 68, over becoming grandparents recently 'We get along great': He attributed much of their similarity to the fact that they were both Southern governors Clinton, America's 42nd president, tweeted a photo of himself reading Bush's newly-published book about Bush Sr, titled 41: A Portrait Of My Father. 'Received my copy of #41 by #43, George W. Bush,' Clinton tweeted. Touching tribute! #HowAreYouSTILLNotOnTwitter #PresidentialTweeters. In response, Bush posted a screenshot of Clinton's tweet on his official Instagram page. Thanks, 42! Hope you like the book about your pal, #41. #HowAreYouSTILLNotOnInstagram #PresidentialGrammers #BrotherFromAnotherMother.