In Milton, Massachusetts.
Father - Prescott Sheldon Bush - an influential figure in the Republican Party, was a partner in the New York firm Brown, Brothers, Harriman and Company, and from 1952 to 1963 - a senator from the state of Connecticut. Mother - Dorothy Walker - from the New York banking clan of Walkers.
George Bush spent his childhood in Greenwich (Connecticut).
In 1936, he entered the prestigious military school - Phillips Academy in Andover (Massachusetts). Upon graduation in June 1942, six months after the United States entered World War II, he enlisted in the Navy.
After completing a ten-month flight training course, Bush was commissioned as a junior officer on June 9, 1943, becoming the youngest naval aviator.
George W. Bush flew 58 combat missions in the Southwest Pacific war zone. On September 2, 1944, Bush's plane was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire, and he, ordering the crew to abandon the plane, jumped with a parachute. All crew members survived, except one. On the water, the pilots were picked up by sailors from an American submarine. For his participation in hostilities, George W. Bush was awarded the Navy Officer's Cross and three combat medals.
George Bush Sr. opened an account on the popular social network Twitter.
The first message that the former American leader left on the microblogging service concerned the memorial service that took place in South Africa for the ex-president of that country, Nelson Mandela.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
In Milton, Massachusetts.
Father - Prescott Sheldon Bush - an influential figure in the Republican Party, was a partner in the New York firm Brown, Brothers, Harriman and Company, and from 1952 to 1963 - a senator from the state of Connecticut. Mother - Dorothy Walker - from the New York banking clan of Walkers.
George Bush spent his childhood in Greenwich (Connecticut).
In 1936, he entered the prestigious military school - Phillips Academy in Andover (Massachusetts). Upon graduation in June 1942, six months after the United States entered World War II, he enlisted in the Navy.
After completing a ten-month flight training course, Bush was commissioned as a junior officer on June 9, 1943, becoming the youngest naval aviator.
George W. Bush flew 58 combat missions in the Southwest Pacific war zone. On September 2, 1944, Bush's plane was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire, and he, ordering the crew to abandon the plane, jumped with a parachute. All crew members survived, except one. On the water, the pilots were picked up by sailors from an American submarine. For his participation in hostilities, George W. Bush was awarded the Navy Officer's Cross and three combat medals.
George Bush Sr. opened an account on the popular social network Twitter.
The first message that the former American leader left on the microblogging service concerned the memorial service that took place in South Africa for the ex-president of that country, Nelson Mandela.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Republican George H. W. Bush, in the 1988 presidential election, received a cabinet during a period of significant changes in the world: the fall of the Berlin Wall, the approaching collapse of the Soviet Union, the not the best economic situation in the United States of America itself... The president's rating was affected by attempts to resolve the budget deficit that remained after Ronald Reagan, and the actual failure to fulfill election promises due to insufficient mutual understanding with Congress in the economic sphere.
Bush Sr.'s foreign and domestic policies differed significantly from the actions of his predecessor, who was distinguished by both more radical actions and more conservative views. During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the statesman, the future forty-first president of the United States, served as vice president for eight years. At the same time, Bush Sr. ran for a high position precisely as the “heir” and successor of Reagan.
1988 presidential election: victory of George W. Bush
Due to the fact that Ronald Reagan, who at the end of his second presidential term still had high ratings, could no longer run in the 1988 elections, the Republicans presented the candidacy of then Vice President George W. Bush. The Democratic Party nominated M. Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts.
The Democrat's campaign was characterized by several serious failures and harsh, mostly unfounded criticism (for example, the demand to open the candidate's medical history to the public and hints at the presence of mental illness in the anamnesis of M. Dukakis). Bush Sr. skillfully and very successfully positioned himself, using the popularity of his predecessor in his favor, which allowed him to win a landslide victory.
The political career of the Republican candidate has taken another turn. Traditionally for the United States, on January 20, 1989, George W. Bush took office as president. Many ordinary Americans and the media then called the rise to power of George H. W. Bush the “third term” of Ronald Reagan.
Election promises of the forty-first President of the United States
Many political scientists and journalists believe that the victory of George W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election was only the result of a competent election campaign and a successful bet on continuing the course of Ronald Reagan. Bush Sr. promised not to raise taxes, to minimize the role of the federal government in the state's economy, to continue to fight crime and drug addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality and abortion, and to protect family values.
The powerful speech that the future occupant of the White House (usually not distinguished for eloquence) made at the 1988 Republican National Convention was remembered by voters and the media as “A Thousand Colors of Light.” The speech described George HW Bush's vision for America. The candidate expressed unconditional loyalty to the flag, supported school prayer and the death penalty, the right of citizens to freely own firearms and openly spoke out about his opposition to abortion.
Domestic policy of George H. W. Bush
Bush Sr., whose domestic policy following his presidency was not particularly successful, paid more attention to solving foreign policy issues. The president had to break his main campaign promise, but managed to ensure that the national course in the social and economic sectors became less ideological, which was clearly observed under Reagan. Below we take a closer look at several of the main points of the domestic policy of the forty-first US president.
A number of “social” laws adopted by George W. Bush
Under the forty-first President of the United States, legislation was passed to support people with disabilities, protect the environment, and protect employees from discrimination. George Bush Sr. sought to take his first steps in the presidency by ensuring a high moral level of activity. He ensured that all top positions in the Department of Health and Human Services were filled by anti-abortion politicians. In addition, Bush Sr. vetoed federal funding for abortions for women from poor families.
Budget deficit and tax rate increase
George Bush Sr.’s “legacy” was the state budget deficit, which tripled in ten years (1980-1990). The President called on Congress to cut government spending, but no consensus could be reached. Democrats believed that the only correct solution to the problems was to raise taxes and cut social security. As a result, not only was a new individual tax introduced in the amount of 31% of profits, but also the rate on existing deductions was increased.
The level of the US economy, which had been steadily growing during the vice presidency of Bush Sr., stopped increasing, and later began to decline altogether. The reason for this was the president’s focus on foreign political activities.
It was the failure to fulfill the main election promise that became the reason for the president's defeat in the next elections - in 1992 Bill Clinton won. However, the “Bush clan” reminded the world community of itself in 2001, when the son of George H. W. Bush came to power. Bush Jr. remained in office until 2009.
Strategic weapons and refusal to stop nuclear testing
Another point of the domestic policy of the forty-first president of the United States of America is closely related to foreign policy. President Bush Sr. continued to lay the foundations for a new militarism and increased funding for the military sector, even despite the weakening and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States' main adversary in the Cold War.
In addition, the politician refused to stop testing nuclear weapons after a corresponding step by the USSR. Bush Sr. supported and continued to develop the Star Wars program, the most famous military program implemented by the United States since the Reagan era. By the way, some of the developments that were obtained during the implementation of the ambitious program later became “public domain” - GPS technology, for example, is now available to civilians, and navigation devices are freely available for sale.
Constitutional amendment prohibiting burning of national flag
Bush Sr. mentioned the need to adopt an amendment to the US Constitution banning burning of the national flag during the election race in his “A Thousand Colors of Light” speech. The President considered burning the flag a desecration of the state symbols of the United States of America. However, Bush Sr.'s aspirations never received support. Opponents appealed to the Constitution's First Amendment, which provides for the “burning of the Stars and Stripes” as part of demonstrations and rallies.
Foreign policy of George W. Bush
Bush Sr.'s foreign policy was distinguished by several successful military operations and a decrease in tensions between the United States and the USSR (in February 1992, an agreement was signed between the forty-first president of the United States and the then head of the Russian Federation to end the Cold War). The population's confidence rating in the actions of Bush Sr. reached 89% after ordering the start of military operations in Panama and the Persian Gulf.
Military intervention in Panama: Operation Just Cause
Bush Sr., whose policies in relations with other states received a positive response in American society, ordered the invasion of Panama on December 17-18, 1989. The official targets of the invasion, according to statements by authorized persons, were:
ensuring the safety of US citizens located in Panama;
protection of the Panama Canal, which has important geopolitical significance;
support for the Panamanian authorities legally elected during the elections;
the overthrow of General Noriega's regime and subsequent trial as a war criminal (in addition, General Noriega was accused of drug trafficking).
The invasion was preceded by pressure on Panama, the introduction of economic sanctions by the United States and an increase in the US military contingent in the independent state. Subsequently, the main operational tasks assigned to groups of saboteurs and US tactical aviation were completed in full in one day:
an attempt was made to capture the President of Panama;
television broadcasting was stopped (the emblem of the US Department of Defense and the requirement not to attack American soldiers were broadcast);
military personnel and equipment were landed at several airfields and an airbase.
The last battles took place on Christmas morning 1989. As a result of the US military operation, the government of Panama was overthrown by force, and the new president took the oath of office at a United States military base. Manuel Noriega remains in an American prison to this day, and the Panama Canal is under US control.
Reaction to the collapse of the communist system
George Bush Sr., whose foreign policy was distinguished by decisiveness, expectedly supported the development of democratic principles in the republics of the Soviet Union and condemned the August 1991 coup in Moscow. In 1992, he signed a treaty with Boris Yeltsin to end the Cold War.
Gulf War
The conflict that erupted over the restoration of Kuwait's independence became known for the scale of the use of aircraft and so-called smart weapons. In addition, the military operation received the unofficial name of a “television war” due to the widespread coverage of what was happening in the media.
The prerequisite for US intervention was the invasion of the regular Iraqi army into Kuwait, whose forces were retreating to the territory of Saudi Arabia. The Iraqi army was both quantitatively and qualitatively superior to the Kuwaiti forces, so the invasion was successful in advance for the aggressor.
On the same day, the world community condemned the intervention. A few days later, part of Kuwait's territory was effectively annexed to Iraq, while the UN Security Council continued to pass resolutions. At the same time, American troops had already begun to arrive in Saudi Arabia in order to ensure the security of the state, which was clearly inferior to Iraq in military power and had significant oil reserves. The operation to liberate Kuwait began ten days later.
During Operation Desert Storm, Kuwait was completely liberated within four days. On March 3, a ceasefire agreement was signed.
Bush Sr.'s policy towards Asia and Latin America
US President George W. Bush did not forget about other regions that could potentially influence America. The politician attached great importance to international trade, so he put up with some phenomena that were alien to “American democracy.” For example, Bush Sr. did not intervene in the repressions in China, limiting himself only to an official appeal and the threat of sanctions.
Other military operations during the presidency of George H. W. Bush
In addition to the intervention in Panama and Operation Desert Storm, several other military incidents occurred during the presidency of George W. Bush. Among the latter we can list:
2 downed Libyan aircraft;
CIA involvement in the overthrow and murder of Ceausescu;
air support for the Philippine government during the suppression of the coup attempt;
military assistance to Guatemala in the “fight against communism”;
support for the coup d'état in Haiti;
“Renewing Hope” - US military occupation of Somalia;
assistance in the conflict between the pro-American candidate and the legitimate government of Angola.
It was under George H. W. Bush that America first tried on the role of “world policeman.”
Activities after the end of the presidential term
After the end of his term, George Bush Sr. (his photo is in the article) continued to engage in a number of commercial and public projects.
In addition, the forty-first president is the author of several books that are in demand not only in the homeland of the politician, but throughout the world.
George Herbert Walker Bush born June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts, and raised in New England. His father, Precott Bush, was a highly respected Wall Street banker who served on the supervisory boards of large businesses and represented Connecticut in the Senate in Washington from 1952 to 1963. George W. Bush attended Philipps Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, one of the most prestigious boarding schools on the East Coast. After graduating from school in 1942, Zgoda served as a naval pilot, then 2 and a half years of study at the famous Yale University in Connecticut. During the war, Bush married on January 6, 1945, Barbara Pierce, whom he had met three years earlier. They moved to Texas in 1948, and Bush became a manager and entrepreneur in the oil industry. Coming from the East Coast establishment and socialized in New England, Bush immediately donned a cowboy hat and, in his political career, behaved, by necessity, as both an East Coast Tory and a Texas entrepreneur. From Texas began a march through all political institutions, a gradual rise to the presidency: chairman of the Republican Party in Houston, Texas; U.S. Representative to the United Nations and the People's Republic of China; Director of the CIA; after a failed attempt to become a presidential candidate, vice president under Reagan. Bush not only became familiar with the US political system from a variety of perspectives, but also gradually became adept at negotiating, making compromises and creating consensuses - in short: he was a diplomat skilled in party, domestic and foreign policy.
His presidency was based on this wealth of experience. In the Bush administration, policy was made by experts, in the Foreign Office and the Treasury, along with James Baker and Nicholas Brady, there were close personal confidants who were very experienced politically. Bush's personnel policy differed sharply from Reagan's: experienced, pragmatic, non-ideologized, mainstream politicians and bureaucrats were recruited. No more than 20% of Reagan's political officials were deliberately retained in individual agencies. Also unlike Reagan, Bush was drawn into the routine affairs of the White House and the legislative process. At the same time, he clearly gave priority to foreign policy. Quite early on, they began to distinguish between two Bush presidencies, namely, relatively successful in foreign policy and unsuccessful in domestic policy. True, Bush was considered conservative, but his presidency was not subject to any kind of program; he had problems, as he himself said, with “obvious things.” It was impossible not to see Bush's rhetorical deficit; he lacked the ability to electrify, mobilize the public, or even more so to manipulate it. In these conditions, the “plus” was his wife Barbara, with whom he led a harmonious family life and who, thanks to her motherly disposition, won the sympathy of many compatriots.
During the four years of Bush's presidency, there was radio silence on domestic policy. Much energy, however, was required to take on the heavy legacy of the Reagan administration: government deficits, national debts and the collapse of many savings banks that went bankrupt on speculation during the boom years in land and house prices. At the same time, the state budget deficit was a double-edged sword. It would narrowly limit the policy space of any president. At the same time, it could be used as an excuse for the president, who was not going to take the initiative in domestic politics anyway. The Bush administration's meager domestic policy output was the passage of the Americans with Disabilities and Air Protection Act. There was no sign of the newly elected president's ambition to go down in history as an education or environmental president in subsequent years. In doing so, he could gain the support of the Congress, with which he maintained cooperative relations and with whose members he had excellent personal relations. Bush also failed to use his great popularity after winning the Gulf War to implement a broad domestic political agenda. Against the advice of his staff, he proclaimed a minimalist concept that dealt only with crime control and transportation policy. An economic and political disaster that carried more weight than the meager domestic policy results was Bush's announcement that, despite his own repeated promises, he would raise taxes because of the government deficit. In general, economic policy and economic development became the Achilles heel of his administration, which ultimately cost him his re-election: economic growth and individual real income stagnated, the trade deficit, primarily with Japan, continued to grow, and the number of unemployed increased by 3 million. Shortly before Election Day 1992, this dissatisfaction was reflected in a public opinion poll: 80% of respondents believed that the government was leading in the wrong direction and that the country's economic well-being was at risk; Pessimism and a depressive mood spread.
In foreign policy, Bush had successes: in 1989, he began an intervention in Panama to arrest the local dictator Noriega, who was involved in the international drug trade; he adapted to rapidly changing relations between East and West by supporting the German unification process earlier and more energetically than Germany's other NATO partners; Together with Foreign Secretary James Baker, he defused the debt crisis in Latin America and set the peace process between Israel and its Arab neighbors back in motion. Above all, however, he made an impressive display of military power when he sent 540,000 American troops (10% of them women) to the Persian Gulf in 1990-91 to end the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait on behalf of the United Nations. Operation Desert Storm, in which the armed forces of the international coalition created by Bush broke the resistance of the Iraqis within 42 days, caused short-term euphoria among the American public, who hoped that it had overcome the “trauma of Vietnam.” However, it soon became clear that Bush did not have a long-term concept in foreign policy either. What he meant by the “new world order” he proclaimed remained unclear. His decisions were apparently made intuitively, but were carried out by a team of such brilliant politicians as James Baker, Dick Channey, Brent Scowcroft and Colin Powell. These were the people who brought the US as the only remaining "superpower" into the new emerging international system.
Thus, Bush is one of a number of 20th-century presidents who ruled for only one term and were denied re-election: William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter. Although (or perhaps precisely because) George W. Bush was president during a period of national and international turmoil, he left virtually no visible traces behind him and can be seen as a transitional president.
George Herbert Walker Bush. Born June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts - died November 30, 2018 in Houston. 41st President of the United States (1989-1993), Vice President under Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), Congressman, diplomat, Director of Central Intelligence, father of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.
George Herbert Walker Bush was born in Massachusetts to the son of senator and New York banker Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, at the age of 17, Bush delayed going to college and became the youngest aviator in the US Navy at the time. He served until the end of the war, then entered Yale University. After graduating in 1948, he moved with his family to West Texas, where he started the oil business, becoming a millionaire by the age of 40.
Bush entered politics immediately after creating his own oil company, becoming a member of the House of Representatives, as well as holding other positions. He ran unsuccessfully in the party's 1980 presidential bid, but was chosen as Ronald Reagan's running mate for vice president, and the pair won the election. During his tenure, Bush headed the administration's task force on market deregulation and drug control.
In 1988, Bush successfully launched his presidential campaign, defeating Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis. Bush's international policy was marked by military operations in Panama, the Philippines and the Persian Gulf, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the USSR two years later. On domestic policy, Bush went back on his 1988 word and, after a fight in Congress, signed a tax increase that Congress approved. Due to economic problems, Bush lost the 1992 presidential election to Democrat Bill Clinton.
Bush is the father of George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida. He is the last president in the world to fight in World War II.
George Herbert Walker Bush was born at 173 Adam Street in Milton, Massachusetts on June 12, 1924. Bush's family moved from Milton to Greenwich, Connecticut, shortly after his birth. Bush began his education at Greenwich District Day School. Beginning in 1936, he attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, where he held numerous leadership positions, including senior class president and student council secretary, president of the fundraising society, member of the editorial board of the school newspaper, and captain of sports teams. baseball and football.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Bush decided to join the US Navy, so after graduating from Phillips Academy in early 1942, he became a naval aviator at age 18. After completing a 10-month course, he became a junior officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, on June 9, 1943, 3 days after his 19th birthday, making him the youngest naval aviator at the time.
He was assigned to Torpedo Bomber Squadron (VT-51) as a photography officer in September 1943. The following year, his squadron was stationed on the USS San Jacinto as part of a carrier strike force. There, Bush received the nickname “Skin” for his thin physique. During this time, Carrier Force 51 achieved a number of victories in the air-sea battle of World War II: the Battle of the Marianas.
Following Bush's promotion to the rank of second lieutenant, the USS San Jacinto began operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands on 1 August. Bush piloted the Avenger torpedo bomber from squadron VT-51, which attacked Japanese military installations on the island of Chichijima. His crew for this operation, which took place on September 2, 1944, included gunner-radio operator John Delaney and navigator, Second Lieutenant William White. During their attack, Lt. Bush's Avenger came under intense anti-aircraft fire and was hit, its engine catching fire. Despite the plane's fire, Bush carried out his mission and dropped bombs on his target, causing some destruction. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and other members of his crew bailed out of the plane. Others' parachutes did not open. It was not determined who jumped out with Bush, as Delaney and White were killed during the battle. Bush waited 4 hours on an inflatable raft while several fighter jets circled overhead for protection until he was rescued by the submarine Finback. In the following months he remained on the Finback and participated in the rescue of other pilots.
Bush subsequently returned to the San Jacinto in November 1944 and participated in operations in the Philippines until his squadron was relieved and sent home to the United States. During 1944, he served in 58 battles and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Citation for San Jocinto.
Because of his valuable combat experience, Bush was assigned to Naval Station Norfolk and assigned new torpedo pilots to the wing. He was later assigned as a naval aviator to the new torpedo bomber squadron VT-153. Following Japan's surrender, Bush was honorably discharged in September 1945.
Bush was accepted into Yale University before enlisting and accepted the offer after his discharge and marriage. At Yale, he enrolled in an accelerated program that allowed him to graduate in 2.5 years instead of 4 years. He was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and was elected president. He also captained the Yale baseball team and was a first baseman who played in the first two World University Championships. As team captain, Bush met Babe Ruth before playing as a senior. Later in his youth, like Father Prescott Bush, he was initiated into the secret society Skull and Bones. He graduated from Yale as a member of Phi Beta Kappa fraternity in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics.
After graduating from Yale, Bush moved with his family to West Texas. His father's business connections proved useful when he ventured into the oil business as a sales executive for Dresser Industries, a subsidiary of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. His father served on the board of directors there for 22 years. Bush created the Bush-Overby Oil Exploration Company in 1951 and two years later co-founded the Zapata Corporation, an oil company operating in the Texas Permian oil basin. He was appointed in 1954 president of Zapata Offshore Company, a subsidiary that specialized in offshore production. The company became independent in 1958, so Bush moved its headquarters from Midland, Texas, to Houston. Until 1964, he was the president of the company, and in 1964-66 - chairman of the board of directors. By this time, Bush had become a millionaire.
Bush was the Republican Party chairman for Harris County, Texas, in 1964, but wanting to be more involved in politics, he nominated himself for the Texas Senate. After winning the Republican primary, Bush faced his opponent, Democrat Ralph Yaborow. Yaborow criticized Bush as a right-wing extremist, and Bush lost the general election. Bush's colleague, Jack Crichton of Dallas, lost even more votes in the same election to Gov. John Conelly. Busch and Crichton sometimes shared the same podium during the campaign.
Bush did not give up politics and was elected in 1966 to the House of Representatives from the 7th Congressional District of Texas. Defeating Democrat Frank Briscoe with 57% of the vote, he became the first Republican to represent Houston. His votes in the House of Representatives were generally conservative: Bush opposed the public accommodations debate of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and supported open voting, generally unpopular in his district. He supported the Nixon administration's policies in Vietnam, but did not agree with the Republicans on the issue of birth control. Despite his first term in the House, Bush was appointed to the powerful Congressional Budget Committee, where he voted to end compulsory conscription. He was elected to a second term in 1968.
In 1970, Nixon persuaded Bush to resign his House seat so he could again run for a Senate seat against Ralph Yarborough, a harsh critic of Nixon. In the Republican primary, Bush easily defeated conservative Robert Morris by 87.6% to 12.4%. However, former Congressman Lloyd Bentsen, a more moderate Democrat and native of Mission, south Texas, defeated Yarborough in the Democratic primary. Yarborough then endorsed Bentsen, who defeated Bush by a margin of 53.4% to 46.6%. Nixon came to Texas to campaign in Longview in support of Bush and his colleague Paul Eggers, a Dallas lawyer who was a close friend of Senator John Tower.
After losing the election in 1970, Bush became well known as an ardent Republican businessman from the Sun Belt, a group of states in the southern part of the country. Nixon noticed and appreciated Bush's sacrifice in losing his seat in Congress and appointed him permanent representative to the UN. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and served at the UN for two years, starting in 1971.
In the middle of the Watergate scandal, Nixon asked Bush to become chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1973. Bush accepted the offer and took the position when Nixon and the Republican Party's popularity was plummeting. He loyally defended Nixon, but later, as Nixon's involvement became clear, Bush concentrated on protecting the Republican Party while maintaining his loyalty to Nixon. As chairman, Bush formally demanded that Nixon eventually resign for the good of the Republican Party. After Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, Bush wrote in his diary: “There was an atmosphere of despondency, as if someone had died... The speech weighed on Nixon - a blow or two in the press - a monstrous strain. No one could help, everyone looked at the family and things in general, thought about his achievements and then about the shame... truly, a new spirit - a new rise."
Gerald Ford, Nixon's successor, appointed Bush to head the American liaison office with the People's Republic of China. Because the United States at the time maintained official ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan rather than the People's Republic of China, the Liaison Office did not have official embassy status, and Bush was not formally an "ambassador," although he was unofficially one. The time he spent in China - 14 months - turned out to be very beneficial for US-China relations.
After Ford assumed the presidency, Bush was seriously considered as a candidate for the position of vice president. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Bush, who, with the support of his supporters, was reported to have launched an internal campaign to become the nominee. Ford eventually narrowed his list to Nelson Rockefeller and Bush. However, White House Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld reportedly chose Rockefeller over Bush. Rockefeller was eventually appointed and confirmed.
In 1976, Ford brought Bush back to Washington, appointing him director of the CIA. He served in this capacity for 357 days from January 30, 1976 to January 20, 1977. The CIA was reeling from a series of revelations, including the Church Committee investigation into illegal and unauthorized CIA activities, and Bush was entrusted with restoring the agency's reputation. While in office, Bush held a national security briefing with Jimmy Carter as a presidential candidate and president-elect, and discussed the possibility of remaining in office under Carter, but this did not happen.
After leaving the CIA, Bush became chairman of the executive committee of the First International Bank in Houston. In 1978, the Joan School of Business opened at Rice University, and Bush was invited there as an associate professor of administrative sciences. Bush worked at the School for a year and later said of this period: “I loved that short time in the academic world.” From 1977-79, he also served as director of the Council on Foreign Relations, an international policy organization.
In the late 70s, Bush decided that he was ready to run for the 1980 presidential election. During the 1979 election campaign, he attended 850 political events and traveled more than 400,000 km. Bush put forward his extensive government experience as his main trump card. His competitors included Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee, Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, Congressman John Andersen of Illinois (who would later become an independent), Congressman Phil Crane, also of Illinois, former Governor John Connelly of Texas, and the Republican favorite, former actor and Governor of California.
In the primaries, Bush focused almost entirely on the Iowa Caucus, while Reagan ran a more traditional campaign. Bush represented the centrist wing, while Reagan represented the conservatives. Bush caustically called Reagan's plan for deep tax cuts to stimulate the supply of goods "voodoo economics." His strategy was sound enough to help him win Iowa with 31.5% of the vote to Reagan's 29.4%. As a result of his loss, Reagan replaced his campaign manager, reorganized his headquarters, and concentrated on the New Hampshire primary. The two candidates agreed to host a debate in the state, organized by the Nashua Telegraph and paid for by the Reagan campaign. Reagan also invited four other candidates, but Bush refused to debate them and they eventually left. The most memorable moment of the debate was the decision of referee John Breen to turn off Reagan's microphone, to which he angrily replied: "I'm paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen." Bush lost the New Hampshire primary by 23% to Reagan's 50%. Bush also lost most of the remaining primaries and formally dropped out of the race in May.
With a seemingly bleak political future, Bush sold his home in Houston and bought his grandfather's estate in Kennebunkport, Maine, known as Walker's Point. At the Republican National Convention, however, Reagan selected Bush as his vice presidential running mate, giving him the winning 1980 Republican presidential ticket.
As vice president, Bush engaged in generally low-profile work, recognizing the constitutional limitations of his office. He avoided making decisions and criticizing Reagan at all costs. He and his wife moved into the Vice President's residence in Observatory District One, about two miles from the White House. The Bush family attended a large number of social and formal events due to their status, including many funerals, which became a running joke among comedians. Mrs. Bush found the funeral quite rewarding, saying, "George met many current and future heads of state at the funerals he attended, allowing him to forge personal relationships that were useful to President Reagan." As President of the Senate, Bush remained in touch with members of Congress and kept the President informed of all developments on Capitol Hill.
On March 30, 1981, an assassination attempt was made on Reagan in Washington, as a result of which he was seriously injured. Bush was in Dallas at the time and returned to Washington immediately. Reagan's office was convened at the White House, where they discussed various issues, including the functionality of the nuclear briefcase. When Bush's plane landed, his aides advised him to go straight to the White House by helicopter because he needed an image of a functioning government despite the assassination attempt. Bush rejected the advice, replying, "Only the President can land on the South Lawn." This had a positive effect on Reagan, who recovered and returned to work within two weeks. From then on, they regularly dined in the Oval Office on Thursdays.
Bush was appointed by Reagan to head two special commissions: on deregulation and the fight against international drug trafficking. The special commission reviewed hundreds of regulations, making specific recommendations on which ones to add and which ones to revise in order to reduce the size of the federal government. The Drug Enforcement Task Force coordinated federal efforts to reduce the amount of drugs entering the United States. Both commissions were popular among conservatives, and Bush, a moderate, began courting them through his work.
Represented the United States at the funeral in November 1982 in Moscow.
Reagan and Bush ran for re-election in 1984. Democratic opponent Walter Mondale chose New York Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his vice presidential candidate for the first time. She and Bush held the only televised vice presidential debate. Bush represented the Ivy League, while Ferraro represented the blue-collar district of Queens, New York; this, coupled with his high popularity among female journalists, put Bush at a disadvantage. However, the Reagan-Bush pair won a complete victory over the Mondale-Ferraro pair.
At the start of his second term as vice president, Bush and his aides planned to run for the 1988 presidential election. At the end of 1985, the committee was formed and raised over two million dollars for Bush. Bush became the first vice president to officially serve as acting president when Reagan underwent surgery on July 13, 1985, to remove polyps from his intestines. Bush acted as president for 8 hours.
The administration was rocked by scandal in 1986 when it was revealed that administration officials had secretly sold weapons to Iran and used the proceeds to finance the anti-communist group Contras in Nicaragua, in direct violation of the law. When the Iran-Contra affair hit the press, Bush, like Reagan, said he was unaware of the hidden funds, although this was later questioned. An assessment of public opinion at the time indicated that the public doubted Bush's explanation that he was an "innocent bystander" when the transactions occurred. This formed the opinion that he is a coward. However, his outburst during an interview with Dan Rafer on CBS television restored Bush's lost reputation.
As vice president, Bush officially opened the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis.
Bush had been planning to run for president since 1985, and entered the Republican primary for president in October 1987. His competitors for the Republican presidential nomination included Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, Congressman Jack Kemp of New York, former Gov. Pete DuPont of Delaware and conservative Christian televangelist Pat Robertson.
Viewed as the front-runner, Bush, however, finished third in Iowa behind winner Dole and Robertson. Following Reagan's example in 1980, Bush reorganized his headquarters and concentrated on the New Hampshire primary. With Dole leading the way in New Hampshire, Bush launched a television campaign portraying the senator as a proponent of tax increases. Bush returned to victory in the state primary. Bush continued his winning ways, winning many primaries in southern states. When caucus primaries (such as Super Thursday) began, Bush's organizational strength and fundraising leadership proved too much for the other candidates, and he became the Republican nominee.
In the run-up to the 1988 Republican National Convention, there was much speculation about who Bush would choose as his running mate. Bush chose little-known conservative-backed Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana. Despite Reagan's popularity, Bush trailed Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis, then governor of Massachusetts, in many polls.
Bush, who was sometimes criticized for his lack of oratorical skills compared to Reagan, gave a powerful speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention. The speech, known as "A Thousand Colors of Light," described Bush's vision for America: He supported the Pledge of Allegiance, school prayer, the death penalty, gun rights and his opposition to abortion. The convention speech contained Bush's famous vow: "Read my lips: no new taxes."
The general election campaign between the two candidates has been described as one of the nastiest in modern history. Bush criticized Dukakis for polluting Boston Harbor as governor of Massachusetts. Bush also emphasized that Dukakis opposed a law that required all candidates to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, a topic well covered in Bush's speech.
Dukakis's unequivocal opposition to the Pledge of Allegiance led to a provocative question during the presidential debate. Moderator Bernard Shaw asked Dukakis, hypothetically, whether he would support the death penalty if his wife Kitty were raped and murdered. Dukakis responded that he had not, as did the Willie Horton ad, which contributed to Bush's characterization of him as "forgiving of wrongdoing."
Bush defeated Dukakis and his vice presidential running mate, Lloyd Bentsen, in the US Electoral College by 426 votes to 111 (Bentsen received one vote from the traitorous elector). Nationally, Bush won 53.4% of the popular vote to Dukakis' 45.6%. Bush became the first vice president since 1836 to become president by winning the election. He also became the first elected president since 1929 whose predecessor belonged to the same party.
During the campaign, there was a scandal associated with the release of data about the Nazi leaders involved in the campaign - emigrants from countries that were allies of Germany in World War II.
Bush was inaugurated on January 20, 1989, succeeding Ronald Reagan. He received his office at a time of great change in the world; the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the USSR, which occurred at the beginning of his presidency. He ordered military operations in Panama and the Persian Gulf, and had a very high trust rating among the population of 89%. However, the economic recession and tax increases, which he pledged not to implement during the election campaign, caused a sharp decline in his ratings, and Bush lost the 1992 election.
Early in his term, Bush was confronted with the budget deficit left behind by Reagan. The $220 billion deficit in 1990 has tripled since 1980. Bush dedicated himself to containing the deficit, believing that without it America could not lead the world. He began urging the Democratic-controlled Congress to act on the budget and cut government spending. However, Democrats believed that the only way was to increase taxes. Bush faced problems in trying to find consensus.
A very sensitive blow to the Republicans under Bush was the decision of the US Supreme Court, which by a vote of 5 to 4 in 1992 recognized the right of women to have an abortion. Moreover, among those who supported this decision were two judges who took this post on the recommendation of the abortion opponent R. Reagan.
In February 1992, Bush and Bush signed a document ending the Cold War.
On January 14, 2017, George W. Bush was hospitalized due to breathing problems at a Houston hospital. Later it became known that the ex-president was recovering and was disconnected from the ventilator. The cause of health problems was pneumonia. His wife Barbara, who complained of cough and weakness, was also hospitalized.
On April 24, 2018, 93-year-old George W. Bush was admitted to a Houston hospital due to sepsis (the body was struck by an infection that entered the blood).
On May 5, 2018, George W. Bush was discharged from the hospital; doctors describe his condition as good.
On May 27, 2018, the former American leader was again hospitalized in a hospital in Southern Maine, where the ex-politician traditionally spends the summer season, due to low blood pressure and general weakness. On June 5, Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath tweeted that Bush Sr. had been released from the hospital.
Personal life of George HW Bush:
Bush married Barbara Pierce on January 6, 1945, a week after returning from the Pacific.
The marriage produced 6 children: (born 1946), Paulina Robinson Bush ("Robin", 1949-1953, died of leukemia), John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born 1953), Neil Mallon Bush (born 1955), Marvin Pierce Bush (born 1956), and Dorothy Bush Koch (born 1959).
George H. W. Bush's illness
On December 27, 2012, Bush was admitted to intensive care (an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis with high fever due to Parkinson’s disease). Previously, on November 23, 2012, he was hospitalized with bronchitis.
George HW Bush celebrated his 90th birthday with a skydive. The former US President and father of former US President George W. Bush celebrates his birthday in this way every 5 years starting from his 75th birthday.
The ex-president suffers from Parkinson's disease and has to use a wheelchair. This time, for safety reasons, Bush Sr. made the jump in tandem with an experienced army paratrooper, Sergeant Mike Elliott.
On January 14, 2017, George W. Bush was hospitalized due to breathing problems at a Houston hospital. Later it became known that the ex-president was recovering and was disconnected from the artificial respiration apparatus. The cause of health problems was pneumonia. His wife Barbara was also hospitalized, complaining of a cough and weakness.
The image of George H. W. Bush in the movies:
The role of Bush Sr. was played more than once by actor John Roark:
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, 1991, directed by David Zucker;
"The Silence of Ham" (1994);
"Courage in Battle" (1996).
Russian actor Vladimir Sedov played Bush Sr. in the film “The weather is good on Deribasovskaya, or it’s raining again on Brighton Beach” (1992).
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