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Video: TODAY welcomes Jenna Bush Hager

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    >>> back now at 7:43. it's a very special morning here on "today." we're welcoming a new member to the family . jenna bush hager .

    >> a lot of ways she's a familiar face. after all she spent eight years in the white house . there's a lot you may be surprised to learn about the newest contributing correspondent.

    >> i want candy .

    >> hey, hey.

    >> smile, jenna .

    >> well, president bush , george 's dad was vice president in 1981 when barbara and jenna were born. for their whole lives, somebody in their family has been in politics.

    >> these are our two west texas twin granddaughters, jenna and barbara.

    >> i always expected jenna to be a teacher. she loved, even as a little girl , to line-up her dolls and play school .

    >> hi, daddy.

    >> jenna was a very amusing child . she was the first one to learn to crawl out of her bed.

    >> come on, baby.

    >> then she would run into our bedroom like, it's jenna .

    >> jenna and i are twin, i'm 1 minute older than her.

    >> i think she's bossier.

    >> jenna is definitely the bossier twin.

    >> i think i'm probably bossier. i hate to say it.

    >> it would seem, i think, to outsiders that they had a pretty extraordinary childhood. in fact we made an effort for p hip to have an order childhood.

    >> our grandparents gampy and ganny were vice president.

    >> they had this big swing.

    >> they were always ganny and gampy.

    >> we went campaigning and dressed up on at plane. jenna was juicy fruit , i was a vampire.

    >> they trick or treated the press at the back of the plane. the press was a little unprepared.

    >> it was sad. no one hat candy with them. we had a few certs and a piece of gum.

    >> to me i feel our childhood was really fun. we went to maine, boat rides. our parents took us on family bike rides. as soon as we learned how to ride a bike. growing up was a typical childhood.

    >> and we're going to do a nice show --

    >> jenna did really like to be the center of attention . jenna wanted voice lessons too.

    >> i wanted to be on broadway and do shows and scenes.

    >> jenna loves me, that's her karaoke song. * i would do anything for love *

    >> then it ramps up.

    >> singing was not her thing at all, but she thought it was.

    >> george and i, of course , thought they were really talented.

    >> i always thought i was fantastic . i still think i'm a pretty good singer. nobody else does.

    >> their grandfather and i can't sing either, so it's all right. and their father is worse, so --

    >> george and i made a very conscious effort to keep our girls out of the spotlight. they were the ones that chose to run for office. and they, i think always were aware that it was a special privilege for them.

    >> we also got to meet many heads of state and heroes, really, of ours. people even say so now you're going to be on tv? tell me my story makes me uncomfortable but talking about other people doing extraordinary things, is amazing.

    >> henry an i got married about a year and a half ago. we're not counting months now.

    >> she is natural.

    >> bubbly.

    >> jenna is definitely an extrove extrovert. she's probably the funniest person i know.

    >> she's bright.

    >> i think that's one of her most enduring qualities there's no pre tension.

    >> she's the kind of person people love to be around.

    >> i love teaching. i worked in inner city baltimore for most of my career.

    >> i moved a lot in america to work for unicef, many living with hiv/aids or faced abuse in their homes.

    >> i taut twice a week. i changed by my experience as a teacher.

    >> kids don't care who your parks or grandparents are. as soon as they get to know who you are as a person , that's what matters to them.

    >> one year, for dr. suess' birthday she dressed up as hat in the cat.

    >> they would say there's the book lady.

    >> i would say i really miss her. she was a good teacher.

    >> so my plan is work for the "today" show and teach. i'm going to be a reading resource teacher and work for the "today" show as correspondent. i think it's going to be a really cool experience to do both.

    >> i was on a "today" show for "honor story" a book i wrote and i came back with my mom to talk about a book we wrote "read all about it."

    >> they read to us. they weren't watching television. they turned the tv off but did watch "today" show.

    >> that's when associate producer jim said you would be great on our show. i'm super excited. i didn't think he was for real but i guess he is.

    >> good luck, jenna .

    >> i wish her the very best on the "today" show.

    >> i know you're going to do a great job.

    >> and we do welcome you, jenna , to the team. nice to have you. so much of that was sweet and great. we just want to talk about meatloaf.

    >> we'll never talk about meatloaf again.

    >> you say you have a good singing voice.

    >> is this the way you welcome me?

    >> how about the smackdown from ganny.

    >> ganny is tough but she 's wonderful .

    >> she's the best. but to change the subject if i can --

    >> as i possibly can --

    >> i'm thrilled to be here and one of the great parts is that now i'm not ever again promise, part of the story, in that i get to tell terrific stories about people doing wonderful things. like -- start tomorrow, by the way, we're taking you to dallas. you'll tell us a great story there.

    >> doing a live web shot today.

    >> exactly.

    >> by the way, you don't have to tell your folks to pick us up at the airport but we are coming for dinner.

    >> secret service .

    >> we expect you in some kind of costume tomorrow.

    >> thank you very much .

    >> welcome back right after this.

    >> great.

    >>> just ahead, susan boyle 's first trip to the u.s.

TODAY

In her first week as a TODAY contributing correspondent, the daughter of former President George W. Bush logged on to do a live chat with readers. In the chat, she discussed her new role covering education for TODAY, her role models, her job as a teacher, her favorite books and more. Click below to replay the chat.    

***This is a moderated discussion. We'll answer as many questions as we can, but may not be able to get to them all.

Tune in to TODAY on Friday, Sept. 18 to catch Jenna Hager’s first piece since joining the program. She will profile Dalton Sherman, an 11-year-old motivational speaker from Dallas.

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