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Re: George H. W. Bush...is dead at 94.
Bush's attitude towards Clinton wasn't exactly oozing arrogance but rather almost a disbelief that a guy like Clinton could possibly act as if he was a legitimate challenger. And I think that hurt Bush the most.
Yes Ma'am said the exact same thing when I told her. She had an aunt and uncle that were married for 78 years, and the wife followed the husband in less than a month after he passed. All she could talk about was how she wanted to be back with him again in heaven.
He was excellent at foreign policy
https://www.npr.org/2018/11/30/423556608/former-president-george-h-w-bush-dies-at-94
The Good: George H.W. Bush was by all accounts a decent, honorable man; a loving father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather; a war hero; a tireless public servant. He was a baseball guy, which endears me to him at least a little (OK A LOT). He was affable, especially as he aged; he was never condescending or nasty; I really do feel that GHWB was a good man all around. If I had to rank the presidents of my lifetime by how much I respect them (don't worry, I won't), I gotta say that I respected Bush a lot, even after things like Willie Horton that really jaded me against him early in my dawn of political awareness.
The Bad: He was the head of the CIA. He knowingly signed off on some pretty reprehensible **** that the U.S. did all over the world. I don't know if I can ever entirely forgive him for that.
The Interesting: George H.W. Bush is the only President, past or present, that I've ever been in close proximity to. I was maybe 15 feet away from him at the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions in 2003. People there LOVED him.
I do think he'll go down in history much as Jimmy Carter has; known more for their post-presidential accomplishments after nondescript, one-term presidencies. But honestly, I think that's a good thing. Bush, much like Carter, did exponentially more good after they left office than they did while in it, or that they would have been able to do if not for their four-year stints as Leader Of The Free World.
RIP, Poppy. You were a great American.
Edit:I’d like to share a story about former President Bush. In 1999 a tragedy occurred in my community, which he and Barbara rather adopted. The former President had just landed in Europe, but when he heard the terrible news, he ordered the plane back into the air and immediately flew here in time to be present for the memorial service the next day.
He abandoned his European meetings and came here, a community most of the world hasn't heard of, adding his Presidential dignity and solemnity to the memorial service. Although he could have spoken and focused all the attention on himself, he instead chose to simply sit on the stage with other dignitaries who were lesser in the world’s eyes and let them speak. I will never forget this—his respect and his understanding that this wasn’t about him.
I don’t think the world knew until later that he had even been here. But he was. The accolades have already begun to pour in about his achievements and his service to his country, but what he did for us that night had nothing to do with any of that; it was about a genuine selflessness and loyalty of which too few people are possessed.
Some may boast of prowess bold, but what George H.W. Bush did was truly grand and speaks to the real measure of the man.
Bush did kind of seem to act entitled to a second term since HE WON A WAR and what the **** is this old hippie from Arkansas doing postponing my party? A rare moment of hubris from him.
Poppy Bush represented the last vestige of the Reagan Revolution. After his son, George W, kicked the Neocons to the curb towards the end of his presidency, I had a short-lived hope that the GOP would come back.
Whether you agreed or disagreed with Bush, you could count on his honesty. I voted for him twice.
One more thing about Bush. He carried on a peculiar political tradition, which was a carryover from Reagan's presidency. While Reagan was in office, he and Tip O'Neill fought each other every day, but at the end of many days, you would find them sitting down and having a beer together, chatting and enjoying each others' company. Bush also did this with members from the other side. This tradition ended when Clinton became president. When Bush left office, civility went out the window.
RIP, Mr. President.
It makes it even funnier that later in life the two of them became friends and did a lot of nonprofit work together. When I was stationed in Mexico I helped coordinate a visit by both of them on a joint visit. They were both former Presidents at the time. They got along fabulously. Bill was very attentive to George.
Once Clinton won in 92, and attempted to put together a national health scheme, partisanship has ruled. The Right never got over Clinton pissing on their 12 year party. Then Newt came along and any hope of the two sides working together went out the window.
I am so sad. I loved Poppy Bush. Voted for him every chance I got, and was damned annoyed that some upstart named Clinton stole a second term in office from him.
He and Barbara were class acts to the end. Their loss is America's loss; they were true patriots, who loved this country, serving it with truth and dignity.
Rest in peace, Poppy. There will never be another quite like you.
Those were the days, man.
Because you decided to use his passing to attack President Clinton I will now happily ask that I hope GWH Bush does the same thing as his wife;- NOT INVITE the orange douchebag to his funeral.
Has anyone mentioned the Kurds who were slaughtered by Saddam after they uprose after Bush had promised them he'd protect them if they did?