George W. Bush: A Retrospective on His Life and Career

George W. Bush was a President who proudly celebrated his Texas roots, cultivating the folksy persona that would define his entire political career. Yet he was also an ambitious individual who took risks.

Domestically, he employed what became known as his "compassionate conservative" philosophy - which combined traditional conservative principles with local groups working to help those who needed assistance but could not help themselves.

 

What Made Him So Popular?

 

George W. Bush rose through the ranks of Texas oilmen to achieve one of the highest job approval ratings ever seen since World War II. This success can be attributed both to historical events and interventions abroad as well as his outstanding domestic record. Bush enjoyed high ratings throughout his first three years before an economic slowdown and domestic missteps began to erode support in his reelection year.

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Since dropping out of Harvard after his sophomore year, Bush decided to return to college rather than law school and chose Yale for his studies of European and American history, the Soviet Union, its struggle for freedom against tyranny, fraternity officer duty (Delta Kappa Epsilon) and membership into Skull and Bones secret society membership.

 

After graduating Yale, Bush entered full time into the oil business. He established Arbusto Energy in 1977, and later led a group that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1989. Later that same year he married Laura Lane Welch.

 

In 1987, Bush ran for Congress and won his seat representing Midland - an area with oil fields. He proved a skilled campaigner working closely with Lee Atwater on strategy; furthermore he proved an effective leader, often speaking well and spearheading fundraising initiatives himself.

 

At the conclusion of his first term, President Bush had an approval rating of around 57%; this figure was lower than it could have been had he not broken his pledge not to institute new taxes ("Read My Lips: No New Taxes"). It then rose substantially following the collapse of Berlin Wall and U.S. military action against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during December and January 1991.

 

Bush's ratings climbed steadily during his second term, culminating in an 80% rating at one point - one of the highest ratings ever achieved and one of the best ever seen by Gallup since it began tracking presidential ratings in 1949. This increase was partially a result of the military operation to depose Manuel Noriega as dictator in Panama and also showed the immense trust the American public placed in him as they guided foreign policy decisions.

 Domestically, President Bush concentrated on Social Security and immigration reform legislation but failed to secure either through Congress. High deficit spending and an unstable economy further diminished his standing and during reelection year he lost to Democrat Bill Clinton; subsequent polls had shown lower ratings due to 9/11; however in February 2018 64% of Americans approved of his job performance as president.

 

Why Is He Controversial?

 

George W. Bush ran for President against one of the most contentious political environments ever seen in modern American history. George W. Bush had an uncertain presidency that divided voters deeply; this resulted in an intense Democratic nomination battle between Governor Ann Richards and Senator John McCain that left voters deeply divided about who should become their candidate. 

 

Bush ultimately beat Richards by an unexpected margin that sent shockwaves through much of America. Bush focused on domestic policy during his presidential campaign, advocating a philosophy known as "compassionate conservatism," which combined traditional conservative tenets of limited government and free market principles with compassion for people who cannot help themselves. Additionally, local religious organizations were seen as an essential source of relief to help struggling Americans; his office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives was established to support such efforts.

 

Bush saw early legislative success during his first term. These included No Child Left Behind education reform, two rounds of tax cuts, and the implementation of Medicare drug coverage. Furthermore, his administration tackled numerous social issues like immigration reform and relaxing environmental regulations - yet these accomplishments did not prevent Bush from becoming increasingly controversial within American politics.

 

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, Bush changed America's foreign policy by creating the Department of Homeland Security and ordering an invasion of Iraq based on claims that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and had links to al-Qaeda; critics charged that his approach was too aggressive and risked violating human rights.

 

Financial crisis and slow recovery from Hurricane Katrina further undermined public opinion of Bush's administration, with approval ratings plummeting at its conclusion to historical lows and more than half of those disapproving strongly of his performance expressing such feelings.

 

Though President George W. Bush received negative assessments during his presidency, many Americans still held him up as someone of integrity and honorable character. This sentiment was demonstrated in responses given in a Pew Research Center survey when respondents were asked to describe him in one word; "honorable" was by far the most popular response followed by "good" and "honest". 

 

Unfortunately these positive appraisals didn't always translate to public opinion - in December 2008 only 11% said they thought Bush will be remembered as either outstanding or above average President; that figure represents one of all end-term assessments ever given by any president thus far!

 

Who Is He?

 

George W. Bush stands as one of the most controversial presidents in recent American history, known for adhering to a set of principles which has helped form his public persona and shape his public persona. Serving from 2001-2009 and often associated with Texas roots and conservative political ideologies that marked his presidency; many Americans remain critical of what many have termed "cowboy diplomacy."

 

Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut on July 6, 1946. In 2000 he narrowly defeated Al Gore in the Electoral College, becoming 43rd President. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks he initiated several measures to strengthen homeland security as well as declare global war against terrorism; additionally he invaded Iraq claiming Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction; although no such stockpiles were actually discovered.

 

Privately, Bush remains committed to his family and religion. Following several episodes of alcoholism, he turned to Christ and eventually become a born-again Christian. Laura helped him take control of his personal life and become a better father and husband; together they have two daughters named Jenna and Barbara.

 

Once Bush completed both National Guard service and Air Force flight training, he ventured into West Texas' oil business. Working at Dresser Industries--which manufactures and distributes drilling equipment--Bush started at the bottom by sweeping warehouses and painting machines before rising through the ranks to become a salesperson and later founding his own oil and gas firm.

 

Bush entered politics as an aide for senators Edward Gurney and Red Blount before running for Texas Senate himself. His grassroots campaign focused on issues including education, juvenile justice, welfare policies and public outreach events - often connecting with voters directly through grassroots campaign events themselves. While his campaign encountered some difficulties (for example accidentally shooting an endangered Kildeer bird), they were easily overcome using humor and charm from Bush himself.

 

After his time as governor, Bush continued his business development while also holding high-profile government roles such as chairman of the Republican National Committee, envoy to China and Director of Central Intelligence before being elected as president. Bush has written several books and participated in disaster relief fundraising efforts while living with his family in Dallas, Texas - remaining active within his church community, enjoying music and spending quality time with family.