George W. Bush, a Republican from Texas, was born into the Bush political dynasty on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. He was 54 when he became the 43rd president of the United States. During the early part of the 2000 campaign, Bush led in polls over Vice President Al Gore Jr. Gore won the popular vote but the presidency hinged on Florida’s electoral votes; in the end, Bush won the electoral count. George W. Bush became a wartime President in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Since his presidency, he has been making waves in the art community. Could Bush be attempting to make a political comeback?
During Bush’s Presidency
During Bush’s Presidency, the terrorist attacks occurred on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the thwarted flight against the White House or Capitol on September 11, 2001. In response, Bush sent American forces into Afghanistan to break up the Taliban, who were responsible. The Taliban was successfully disrupted but the leader, Bin Laden, was not captured. Following the attacks, the president ordered a reform of the military forces to keep up with the new enemy.
Bush was re-elected after being challenged by Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry in 2004. Before his second term, Bush said, “after the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet- and then there came a day of fire. There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom – tested but not weary lol… we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.” This statement and similar others, plus the unity the country felt after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 all attributed to Bush’s reelection. The former president’s approval rating has soared since he left office in 2009.
Where has Bush been since his Presidency?
President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush returned to Texas as private citizens in 2009. President Bush established the George W. Bush Institute, an organization dedicated to generating practical solutions to improve economic growth, education policies, global health, and human freedom throughout the world. Laura Bush continues to advocate for education and to promote human rights in countries like Afghanistan and Burma. Both are very involved in the creation of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and supporters of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
George W Bush has recently done a promotional book tour with virtual conversations, radio interviews, and late-night talk shows. The book and media appearances have debuted Bush’s new, some republicans speculate politically moderate, outlook on life. Bush’s new book, Out of Many, One, is one of the major reasons for this speculation. The 43rd president has painted 43 portraits of immigrants he has got to know and has written their stories. He says his purpose is to put human faces on the important debate around immigration and the need for reform. The promotional tour, and sudden passion for immigration, signify Bush’s comeback to the public stage.
Recently many people have accused Bush of being a hypocrite recently due to his criticism of the Ukraine crisis. “I join the international community in condemning Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” Bush said after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Leftists believe Bush shouldn’t be commenting on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine due to his invasion of Iraq. Do you think Bush is attempting to make a new name for himself as a more moderate politician? Why do you think Bush has made this shift from a right-wing leader to a more leftist politician? Could we possibly see Bush running for an office again in the near future?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
