What she said, Tuesday Republican edition

Former first lady Laura Bush on Monday expressed support for President Barack Obama's decision to speak to the nation's school children, saying it is "really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States."

In an interview with CNN, Mrs. Bush, a former school teacher, said, "There's a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children" to stay in school. And she said parents and others also need to send that message.

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Mrs. Bush also decried the extreme political partisanship in the nation.

"We're polarized. … A lot of people on the right, a lot of people on the left. We've seen that for the last eight years. … We're still seeing it," she said.

Mrs. Bush praised Obama's performance under difficult circumstances. "He's tackled a lot to start with and that's made it difficult," she said.