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George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who was the 43rd President of the United States from [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2001 to 2009]] and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. As President, he succeeded UsefulNotes/BillClinton, and was succeeded by UsefulNotes/BarackObama.
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George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who was the 43rd President of the United States from [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2001 to 2009]] and the 46th Governor of Texas UsefulNotes/{{Texas}} from 1995 to 2000. As President, he succeeded UsefulNotes/BillClinton, and was succeeded by UsefulNotes/BarackObama.
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George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who was the 43rd President of the United States from [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2001 to 2009]] and 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. As President, he succeeded UsefulNotes/BillClinton, and was succeeded by UsefulNotes/BarackObama.
The son of former President [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush George Herbert Walker Bush]], he was an owner of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} Texas Rangers baseball team]] before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election, prior to reaching the White House. [[FountainOfMemes Famous]] for his frequent {{malaprop|er}}isms (known as Bushisms), such as "I know how hard it is to put food on your family". Ushered in a veritable ''golden age'' of political satire in America. Also "starred" in not one, but ''two'' {{sitcom}}s (''Series/ThatsMyBush'' and ''WesternAnimation/LilBush'', both on Comedy Central), which pushed satirical boundaries in doing so.
He got elected by a very narrow margin over incumbent vice-president UsefulNotes/AlGore, losing the popular vote and winning by a margin of 271-266 in the Electoral College, leaving him as only the fourth person to be elected president despite not securing the highest number of votes, and was the first to do so since UsefulNotes/BenjaminHarrison in 1888 (112 years prior). The election came down to the state of Florida, with Bush winning the state, and thereby the presidency by just ''537 votes'', leading to a massive legal quagmire over demands for recounts -- not least because the Governor of Florida at the time just so happened to be Bush's brother, Jeb -- that left the presidential transition in doubt until very late in the day, when the Supreme Court ruled in Bush's favor.[[note]]Contrary to what is often remembered, and for all the controversy that was involved, Bush's victory wasn't considered a true upset at the time, as polling in the months leading up to the election had been relatively consistent in predicting Bush would win. It was actually ''Gore'' who did better than predicted, by winning the popular vote -- and for as ridiculously close as the result in Florida was, four of Gore's states were won by margins of less than 7,000 votes; had Gore not won those states it would have produced a result uncannily close to what would unfold in UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's 2016 victory, with Bush narrowly losing the popular vote, but decisively winning (by 301-236) in the Electoral College.[[/note]] He won his second election, this time against UsefulNotes/JohnKerry, more traditionally with far less controversy in what is to date the only time a Republican has won the popular vote since his father in 1988. There were still several disputes over voter fraud and disenfranchisement, particularly in the decisive state of Ohio -- though given that Bush won the state by about 118,000 votes, most people, including Kerry himself, were quick to agree that any irregularities almost certainly wouldn't have changed the result.
A brief policy overview: He was president during the September 11 terrorist attacks, ordered the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan and achieved his highest recorded approval ratings in the aftermath; decided to invade and occupy Iraq; invested in AIDS awareness programs in Africa and the fledgling science of nanotechnology; signed the US out of the Kyoto accords; promoted the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem No Child Left Behind Act]]; signed the PATRIOT Act into law; oversaw tax cuts (mostly) for the rich at the beginning of his term and bailouts[[note]]And yes, "bailout" is the technical term.[[/note]] for the big banks toward the end of it.
Much like UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, his foreign policy decisions tend to cast a long shadow over the rest of his presidency, especially in matters of domestic achievements. If his administration's remembered for anything on that front, it's usually its notoriously diffident handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (best embodied by an incident in 2005 where Music/KanyeWest blurted out "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon to the visible shock of everyone else on-set, which Bush called the worst moment of his entire political career) -- leaving overall opinions on his presidency ''extremely'' negative at the time of his leaving office and still mixed today. The years since he left office have seen his reputation recover just a little, however, with some now crediting him for his handling of the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and recognizing that many of the era's more controversial policies (including the aforementioned PATRIOT Act) were passed by the Republican-controlled congress, often by bipartisan, veto-proof majorities, not to mention that Bush's initiatives regarding national security, defense, and the fight against terrorism have been widely praised and have somehow served as a long-term benefit.[[note]]President Bush actively supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security as part of efforts to enhance coordination and national security at a time when the need for a more comprehensive and coordinated response to terrorist threats was acknowledged.[[/note]] The 2008 financial crash also happened late enough in his presidency that he managed to avoid having it define him in the same way that TheGreatDepression did to UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover, though it certainly hasn't helped his reputation any. All things said and done, most consider Bush the ''most'' controversial US president since UsefulNotes/RichardNixon[[note]]Although, to be fair, the vast majority agrees that UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump has become ''an even more controversial president'', especially due to his populist brand.[[/note]]; however, the exact nature of his legacy remains a matter of debate. To some, he was a buffoonish oaf who had no clue what he was doing. To others, he was a violent warmonger who was eager to act aggressively against the Middle East and Muslim Americans.[[note]]On the latter point, there's no doubt that the ''perception'' of this led to Muslim Americans more-or-less permanently aligning themselves with the Democrats after a long period during which non-Black Muslims tended to be Republicans.[[/note]] To a third crowd, he was simply a meek puppet leader, with UsefulNotes/DickCheney, UsefulNotes/DonaldRumsfeld, and the rest of the neocons being the ones actually pulling the strings. The latter characterization is seeing increased popularity among historians as time goes on,[[note]]To the extent they're reliable, memoirs and other inside accounts of Bush's administration suggest that this was largely the case for Bush's first term, i.e. the aftermath of 9/11 and the Iraq War. In the second term, Bush grew more assertive and frequently overruled Cheney's suggestions, especially when Cheney pushed for military strikes against Syria's WMD program and a tougher stance against Russia.[[/note]] though the general public is more split on what exactly to make of the former president. Public perception of Bush improved notably in recent years; however, despite this, he remains a highly polarizing figure in American politics, even among Republicans. It has reached the point where within the GOP itself, opinions about him are divided: Republicans from the neoconservative wing continue to praise him, while those from the populist/[[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump Trumpist]] wing vehemently repudiate him, considering him an elitist out of touch with the reality of the average American.
Helped popularize the phrase, "I'm [[HelloInsertNameHere <Your Name here>]], and [[IApprovedThisMessage I approve this message]].", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV, usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover.
On another trivial and somewhat more dubious note, the term "[President] Derangement Syndrome" was coined during his tenure by supporters seeking to mock his critics, as Bush's controversial nature led to a large amount of parody and criticism among more leftist media outlets and creators. As time went on, however, the increasing unpopularity of Bush's administration would leave his supporters-- rather than his detractors-- walking away with egg on their faces, leading "Bush Derangement Syndrome" to fall out of the public consciousness until the Donald Trump administration, where a similar media climate resulted in "Trump Derangement Syndrome" becoming the new buzz-term among the American right ("Obama Derangement Syndrome" also briefly popped up among the left during Barack Obama's tenure, primarily as a way of getting back at those who were so eager to cry "Bush Derangement Syndrome" in the 2000's, but this faded out fairly quickly in favor of other forms of parody).
He released his memoirs in November 2010.
The son of former President [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush George Herbert Walker Bush]], he was an owner of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} Texas Rangers baseball team]] before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election, prior to reaching the White House. [[FountainOfMemes Famous]] for his frequent {{malaprop|er}}isms (known as Bushisms), such as "I know how hard it is to put food on your family". Ushered in a veritable ''golden age'' of political satire in America. Also "starred" in not one, but ''two'' {{sitcom}}s (''Series/ThatsMyBush'' and ''WesternAnimation/LilBush'', both on Comedy Central), which pushed satirical boundaries in doing so.
He got elected by a very narrow margin over incumbent vice-president UsefulNotes/AlGore, losing the popular vote and winning by a margin of 271-266 in the Electoral College, leaving him as only the fourth person to be elected president despite not securing the highest number of votes, and was the first to do so since UsefulNotes/BenjaminHarrison in 1888 (112 years prior). The election came down to the state of Florida, with Bush winning the state, and thereby the presidency by just ''537 votes'', leading to a massive legal quagmire over demands for recounts -- not least because the Governor of Florida at the time just so happened to be Bush's brother, Jeb -- that left the presidential transition in doubt until very late in the day, when the Supreme Court ruled in Bush's favor.[[note]]Contrary to what is often remembered, and for all the controversy that was involved, Bush's victory wasn't considered a true upset at the time, as polling in the months leading up to the election had been relatively consistent in predicting Bush would win. It was actually ''Gore'' who did better than predicted, by winning the popular vote -- and for as ridiculously close as the result in Florida was, four of Gore's states were won by margins of less than 7,000 votes; had Gore not won those states it would have produced a result uncannily close to what would unfold in UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's 2016 victory, with Bush narrowly losing the popular vote, but decisively winning (by 301-236) in the Electoral College.[[/note]] He won his second election, this time against UsefulNotes/JohnKerry, more traditionally with far less controversy in what is to date the only time a Republican has won the popular vote since his father in 1988. There were still several disputes over voter fraud and disenfranchisement, particularly in the decisive state of Ohio -- though given that Bush won the state by about 118,000 votes, most people, including Kerry himself, were quick to agree that any irregularities almost certainly wouldn't have changed the result.
A brief policy overview: He was president during the September 11 terrorist attacks, ordered the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan and achieved his highest recorded approval ratings in the aftermath; decided to invade and occupy Iraq; invested in AIDS awareness programs in Africa and the fledgling science of nanotechnology; signed the US out of the Kyoto accords; promoted the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem No Child Left Behind Act]]; signed the PATRIOT Act into law; oversaw tax cuts (mostly) for the rich at the beginning of his term and bailouts[[note]]And yes, "bailout" is the technical term.[[/note]] for the big banks toward the end of it.
Much like UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, his foreign policy decisions tend to cast a long shadow over the rest of his presidency, especially in matters of domestic achievements. If his administration's remembered for anything on that front, it's usually its notoriously diffident handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (best embodied by an incident in 2005 where Music/KanyeWest blurted out "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon to the visible shock of everyone else on-set, which Bush called the worst moment of his entire political career) -- leaving overall opinions on his presidency ''extremely'' negative at the time of his leaving office and still mixed today. The years since he left office have seen his reputation recover just a little, however, with some now crediting him for his handling of the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and recognizing that many of the era's more controversial policies (including the aforementioned PATRIOT Act) were passed by the Republican-controlled congress, often by bipartisan, veto-proof majorities, not to mention that Bush's initiatives regarding national security, defense, and the fight against terrorism have been widely praised and have somehow served as a long-term benefit.[[note]]President Bush actively supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security as part of efforts to enhance coordination and national security at a time when the need for a more comprehensive and coordinated response to terrorist threats was acknowledged.[[/note]] The 2008 financial crash also happened late enough in his presidency that he managed to avoid having it define him in the same way that TheGreatDepression did to UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover, though it certainly hasn't helped his reputation any. All things said and done, most consider Bush the ''most'' controversial US president since UsefulNotes/RichardNixon[[note]]Although, to be fair, the vast majority agrees that UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump has become ''an even more controversial president'', especially due to his populist brand.[[/note]]; however, the exact nature of his legacy remains a matter of debate. To some, he was a buffoonish oaf who had no clue what he was doing. To others, he was a violent warmonger who was eager to act aggressively against the Middle East and Muslim Americans.[[note]]On the latter point, there's no doubt that the ''perception'' of this led to Muslim Americans more-or-less permanently aligning themselves with the Democrats after a long period during which non-Black Muslims tended to be Republicans.[[/note]] To a third crowd, he was simply a meek puppet leader, with UsefulNotes/DickCheney, UsefulNotes/DonaldRumsfeld, and the rest of the neocons being the ones actually pulling the strings. The latter characterization is seeing increased popularity among historians as time goes on,[[note]]To the extent they're reliable, memoirs and other inside accounts of Bush's administration suggest that this was largely the case for Bush's first term, i.e. the aftermath of 9/11 and the Iraq War. In the second term, Bush grew more assertive and frequently overruled Cheney's suggestions, especially when Cheney pushed for military strikes against Syria's WMD program and a tougher stance against Russia.[[/note]] though the general public is more split on what exactly to make of the former president. Public perception of Bush improved notably in recent years; however, despite this, he remains a highly polarizing figure in American politics, even among Republicans. It has reached the point where within the GOP itself, opinions about him are divided: Republicans from the neoconservative wing continue to praise him, while those from the populist/[[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump Trumpist]] wing vehemently repudiate him, considering him an elitist out of touch with the reality of the average American.
Helped popularize the phrase, "I'm [[HelloInsertNameHere <Your Name here>]], and [[IApprovedThisMessage I approve this message]].", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV, usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover.
On another trivial and somewhat more dubious note, the term "[President] Derangement Syndrome" was coined during his tenure by supporters seeking to mock his critics, as Bush's controversial nature led to a large amount of parody and criticism among more leftist media outlets and creators. As time went on, however, the increasing unpopularity of Bush's administration would leave his supporters-- rather than his detractors-- walking away with egg on their faces, leading "Bush Derangement Syndrome" to fall out of the public consciousness until the Donald Trump administration, where a similar media climate resulted in "Trump Derangement Syndrome" becoming the new buzz-term among the American right ("Obama Derangement Syndrome" also briefly popped up among the left during Barack Obama's tenure, primarily as a way of getting back at those who were so eager to cry "Bush Derangement Syndrome" in the 2000's, but this faded out fairly quickly in favor of other forms of parody).
He released his memoirs in November 2010.
to:
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who was the 43rd President of the United States from [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2001 to 2009]] and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. As President, he succeeded UsefulNotes/BillClinton, and was succeeded by UsefulNotes/BarackObama.
The son of former President [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush George Herbert Walker Bush]], he was an owner of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} Texas Rangers baseball team]] before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election, prior to reaching the White House. He is [[FountainOfMemesFamous]] famous]] for his frequent {{malaprop|er}}isms (known as Bushisms), such as "I know how hard it is to put food on your family". Ushered family", and ushering in a veritable ''golden age'' of [[{{Satire}} political satire satire]] in America. Also He also "starred" in not one, but ''two'' {{sitcom}}s (''Series/ThatsMyBush'' and ''WesternAnimation/LilBush'', both on Comedy Central), Creator/ComedyCentral), which pushed satirical boundaries in doing so.
He Bush got elected by a very narrow margin over incumbent vice-president UsefulNotes/AlGore, losing the popular vote and winning by a margin of 271-266 in the Electoral College, electoral college, leaving him as only the fourth person to be elected president despite not securing the highest number of votes, and was the first to do so since UsefulNotes/BenjaminHarrison in 1888 (112 years prior). The election came down to the state of Florida, with Bush winning the state, and thereby the presidency presidency, by just ''537 votes'', leading to a massive legal quagmire over demands for recounts -- not least because the Governor of Florida at the time just so happened to be Bush's brother, Jeb -- that left the presidential transition in doubt until very late in the day, when the Supreme Court ruled in Bush's favor.[[note]]Contrary to what is often remembered, and for all the controversy that was involved, Bush's victory wasn't considered a true upset at the time, as polling in the months leading up to the election had been relatively consistent in predicting Bush would win. It was actually ''Gore'' who did better than predicted, by winning the popular vote -- and for as ridiculously close as the result in Florida was, four of Gore's states were won by margins of less than 7,000 votes; had Gore not won those states it would have produced a result uncannily close to what would unfold in UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's 2016 victory, with Bush narrowly losing the popular vote, but decisively winning (by 301-236) in the Electoral College.electoral college.[[/note]] He won his second election, this time against UsefulNotes/JohnKerry, more traditionally with far less controversy in what is to date the only time a Republican has won the popular vote since his father in 1988. There were still several disputes over voter fraud and disenfranchisement, particularly in the decisive state of Ohio -- though given that Bush won the state by about 118,000 votes, most people, including Kerry himself, were quick to agree that any irregularities almost certainly wouldn't have changed the result.
A brief policy overview:He Bush was president during the September 11 terrorist attacks, ordered the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan and achieved his highest recorded approval ratings in the aftermath; decided to invade and occupy Iraq; invested in AIDS awareness programs in Africa and the fledgling science of nanotechnology; signed the US out of the Kyoto accords; promoted the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem No Child Left Behind Act]]; signed the PATRIOT Act into law; oversaw tax cuts (mostly) for the rich at the beginning of his term and bailouts[[note]]And yes, "bailout" is the technical term.[[/note]] for the big banks toward the end of it.
Much like UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, his foreign policy decisions tend to cast a long shadow over the rest of his presidency, especially in matters of domestic achievements. If his administration's remembered for anything on that front, it's usually its notoriously diffident handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (best embodied by an incident in 2005 where Music/KanyeWest blurted out "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon to the visible shock of everyone else on-set, which Bush called the worst moment of his entire politicalcareer) -- leaving overall career). Overall opinions on his presidency were ''extremely'' negative at the time of his leaving office and are still mixed today. today.
The years since he left office have seen his reputation recover just a little, however, with some now crediting him for his handling of the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and recognizing that many of the era's more controversial policies (including the aforementioned PATRIOT Act) were passed by the Republican-controlled congress, often by bipartisan, veto-proof majorities, not to mention that Bush's initiatives regarding national security, defense, and the fight against terrorism have been widely praised and have somehow served as a long-term benefit.[[note]]President Bush actively supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security as part of efforts to enhance coordination and national security at a time when the need for a more comprehensive and coordinated response to terrorist threats was acknowledged.[[/note]] The 2008 financial crash also happened late enough in his presidency that he managed to avoid having it define him in the same way that TheGreatDepression did to UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover, though it certainly hasn't helped his reputationany. any.
All things said and done, most consider Bush the ''most'' controversial US president since UsefulNotes/RichardNixon[[note]]Although, to be fair, the vast majority agrees that UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump has become ''an even more controversial president'', especially due to his populistbrand.[[/note]]; brand[[/note]]; however, the exact nature of his legacy remains a matter of debate. To some, he was a buffoonish oaf who had no clue what he was doing. To others, he was a violent warmonger who was eager to act aggressively against the Middle East and Muslim Americans.[[note]]On the latter point, there's no doubt that the ''perception'' of this led to Muslim Americans more-or-less permanently aligning themselves with the Democrats after a long period during which non-Black Muslims tended to be Republicans.[[/note]] To a third crowd, he was simply a meek puppet leader, with UsefulNotes/DickCheney, UsefulNotes/DonaldRumsfeld, and the rest of the neocons being the ones actually pulling the strings. The latter lattermost characterization is seeing increased popularity among historians as time goes on,[[note]]To the extent they're reliable, memoirs and other inside accounts of Bush's administration suggest that this was largely the case for Bush's first term, i.e. the aftermath of 9/11 and the Iraq War. In the second term, Bush grew more assertive and frequently overruled Cheney's suggestions, especially when Cheney pushed for military strikes against Syria's WMD program and a tougher stance against Russia.[[/note]] though the general public is more split on what exactly to make of the former president. Public perception of Bush has improved notably in recent years; however, despite this, he remains a highly polarizing figure in American politics, even among Republicans. It has reached the point where within the GOP itself, opinions about him are divided: Republicans from the neoconservative wing continue to praise him, while those from the populist/[[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump Trumpist]] wing vehemently repudiate him, considering him an elitist out of touch with the reality of the average American.
Helped popularize the phrase, "I'm [[HelloInsertNameHere <Your Name here>]], and [[IApprovedThisMessage I approve this message]].", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV, usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover.
On another trivial and somewhat more dubious note, the term "[President] Derangement Syndrome" was coined during his tenure by supporters seeking to mock his critics, as Bush's controversial nature led to a large amount of parody and criticism among more leftist media outlets and creators. As time went on, however, the increasing unpopularity of Bush's administration would leave his supporters-- supporters -- rather than his detractors-- detractors -- walking away with egg on their faces, leading "Bush Derangement Syndrome" to fall out of the public consciousness until the Donald Trump UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump administration, where a similar media climate resulted in "Trump Derangement Syndrome" becoming the new buzz-term among the American right ("Obama Derangement Syndrome" also briefly popped up among the left during Barack Obama's tenure, primarily as a way of getting back at those who were so eager to cry "Bush Derangement Syndrome" in the 2000's, 2000s, but this faded out fairly quickly in favor of other forms of parody).
He released his memoirs in November 2010.parody).
The son of former President [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush George Herbert Walker Bush]], he was an owner of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} Texas Rangers baseball team]] before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election, prior to reaching the White House. He is [[FountainOfMemes
A brief policy overview:
Much like UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, his foreign policy decisions tend to cast a long shadow over the rest of his presidency, especially in matters of domestic achievements. If his administration's remembered for anything on that front, it's usually its notoriously diffident handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (best embodied by an incident in 2005 where Music/KanyeWest blurted out "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon to the visible shock of everyone else on-set, which Bush called the worst moment of his entire political
The years since he left office have seen his reputation recover just a little, however, with some now crediting him for his handling of the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and recognizing that many of the era's more controversial policies (including the aforementioned PATRIOT Act) were passed by the Republican-controlled congress, often by bipartisan, veto-proof majorities, not to mention that Bush's initiatives regarding national security, defense, and the fight against terrorism have been widely praised and have somehow served as a long-term benefit.[[note]]President Bush actively supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security as part of efforts to enhance coordination and national security at a time when the need for a more comprehensive and coordinated response to terrorist threats was acknowledged.[[/note]] The 2008 financial crash also happened late enough in his presidency that he managed to avoid having it define him in the same way that TheGreatDepression did to UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover, though it certainly hasn't helped his reputation
All things said and done, most consider Bush the ''most'' controversial US president since UsefulNotes/RichardNixon[[note]]Although, to be fair, the vast majority agrees that UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump has become ''an even more controversial president'', especially due to his populist
He released his memoirs in November 2010.
Added DiffLines:
He also helped popularize the phrase "I'm [[HelloInsertNameHere <Your Name here>]], and [[IApprovedThisMessage I approve this message]]", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV (usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover), and released his memoirs in November 2010.
