“The US should be a force for good in the world.”
“America ought to be a kinder, gentler nation.”
George H. W. Bush
Best Prepare President
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Mr. Simoneau & Mr. Reed
March 2009
Early Years in the Bush’s Family
• June 12, 1924, Milton, Mass
• Lived in Washington, DC. Son of a US Senator, Prescott Bush, R-Connecticut.
• High School at Phillips Exeter Academy, Milton, MA. Elite private school
• Family mansion on Walker Point in Kennepunkport, Maine.
Decorated Pilot
• Enlisted in US Navy on his 18th birthday• Youngest pilot ever to earn his wings. • Served on the USS San Jacinto• 58 combat missions vs Japanese• Shot down, rescued by a US submarine• Distinguished Flying Cross
Marriage & Family Life
• Barbara, Jan. ‘45• Started his family while at Yale • 6 children, George W. the eldest
son. • Jeb Bush, R. Gov of Florida
College Education at Yale
• GI Bill of Rights after W II. • 3 year graduate of Yale
University, Hartford, CT• Phi Beta Kappa• Cpt, 1B, Baseball Team.
College World Series, Omaha, Neb
College World Series
With Babe Ruth at Omaha, Nebraska
1950’s: Texas Oilman & TX Congressman
Invest in oil industry• Hits a gusher.• Self-made millionaire• Moves to Houston, & runs for congress
Midland, Texas
Congressman
• 1st Republican ever to be elected from the Houston, TX district
• Served 2 terms in the House• Ran twice, unsuccessfully, for a US Senate seat from
Texas.
Bush serves as a US Ambassador
first to the United Nations, NYClatter to China, 1st US Ambassador there
In the 1970’s
Bush also served as National Chairman of the GOP(the Grand Old Party)
Bush serves asReagan’s VP
for 8 years
• De-regulation• Anti-drug campaign• Traveled widely around the
world representing the US
1980’s
Election of 1988
• Bush & Quayle vs Mike Dukakis (D)
Man of the Year. 1988
Two Themes:
• Continuing the Reagan Era
• Peace & Prosperity
Bush I Presidency• Captures Panama dictator
Manual Ortega.
• US Marines bust Drug cartel
• Iraq invades Kuwait.• Oil prices explode!
Father Bush & son Bush were both sworn in as presidentBy the same Chief Justice, William Rehnquist. He recently passed away from brain cancer.
The Gulf War, 1991. US vs Iraq550,000 US Troops, 125,000 Allies
• Gen. Stormin’ Norman Schwartkopf
• General Colin Powell• Not attack Baghdad• Let Huessein continue in power• Not occupy Iraq. • By Dick Cheney? Sec of Def.
The Persian Gulf War
• Iraq invades Kuwait
• Grand Coalition.• US 425,000• World 118,000• 3 weeks of bombing• 100-hr invasion• Iraq Army is destroyed
Looking back on the Gulf War
• Heroic return of US troops to DC
• Troubled US economy• Read my lips, no new
taxes.• Growing deficit. • GW signs new tax Bill
signed
The 7 Sisters
Election of 1992
• Incumbent President Bush runs for re-election
• Dem. Bill Clinton / Al Gore• Ross Perot, Independence
Party• Win by a Plurality
Bush vs Clinton ‘92
Bush’s defeat & graceful exit.
Election of 2000
G W H Bush in pictures
The USS George H. W. Bush
Most modern aircraft carrier in the US Navy
5,000 men
125 jets
Twin nuclear reactors
One of 13 aircraft carriers
On patrol in the Mediterranean
Bush in his Retirement
Evaluating the G H W Bush’s Presidency
Bush 1’s Presidential Library
Bush Life in Review
Bush / Clinton Initiative
• Hurricane Katrina• AIDS in Africa• Fighting Malaria
Official White House Portrait
• Bush 1 Remembered?