George H.W. Bush

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George H.W. Bush
Image of George H.W. Bush
Prior offices
Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Vice President of the United States

President of the United States

Education

High school

Phillips Academy

Bachelor's

Yale University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Navy

Years of service

1942 - 1945

Personal
Religion
Christian: Episcopalian
Profession
Politician, businessman

George Herbert Walker Bush (b. on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts) was the 41st President of the United States. He served from 1989 to 1993 and died on November 30, 2018, at age 94.[1]

Prior to serving as president, Bush served as vice president in Ronald Reagan's administration, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, chief of the U.S. envoy to China, chair of the Republican National Committee, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. House representative for the 7th District of Texas. He was also a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy.[2]

Biography

Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts. He attended the Phillips Academy, where he met his future wife, Barbara Pierce, in 1941. Immediately after graduation, Bush enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He flew 58 missions during his time in the Navy, and was shot down once in the Pacific. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross award.[2]

When he returned from service, Bush married Barbara Pierce. He attended Yale University, earning a degree in economics, before forming the Bush-Overbey Oil Development Co. in Texas with John Overbey in 1951.[3][2] He also co-founded the Zapata Petroleum Corporation in 1953. He served as president of the company until 1964. He served as chairman from 1964 to 1966 before selling his shares.[4] He began his career in politics in 1963, when he became the chair of the Republican Party of Harris County.[2] He ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1964 but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Ralph Yarborough. Bush won election to the U.S. House seat representing the 7th District of Texas in 1966 and 1968.He tried again for the same Senate seat in 1970, but was defeated by Democrat Lloyd Bentsen.[4]

President Nixon appointed Bush as permanent ambassador to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in 1971, a position he held for two years before Nixon requested he chair the Republican National Committee in 1973. When Gerald Ford became president, Bush was appointed to lead the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, where he served for just over a year. He assumed his final appointed position in 1975, becoming the director of the Central Intelligence Agency until the Carter administration took office in 1977. He then returned to the private sector, serving as chair of Houston's First National Bank.[4]

He entered into the race for the United States presidency in 1979, but fellow Republican Ronald Reagan won the nomination and asked Bush to run in the general election as vice president. The Reagan-Bush ticket won the general election and the pair were re-elected in 1984. Bush assumed the role of president for about eight hours on July 13, 1985, while President Reagan underwent surgery on colon cancer. Following Reagan's second term, Bush ran and won the general election for the presidency in 1988. He was sworn in on January 20, 1989. Bush lost re-election in 1992 to then-Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton.[4]

He made appearances and helped his son, George W. Bush run for the presidency in 2000.[2] In 2005, he and Clinton formed the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund to provide relief for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[3]

Bush died on November 30, 2018, at age 94.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Bush's academic, professional, and political career:[2][3]

  • 1942-1945: Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy
  • 1948: Graduated from Yale University
  • 1951: Formed the Bush-Overbey Oil Development Co.
  • 1953-1964: Co-founded and served as president of Zapata Petroleum Corporation
  • 1963: Chair of the Harris County Republican Party
  • 1964: Lost election to the U.S. Senate representing Texas
  • 1964-1966: Chairman of the Zapata Petroleum Corporation
  • 1967-1971: U.S. representative for Texas' 7th Congressional District
  • 1971-1972: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
  • 1973-1974: Chair of the Republican National Committee
  • 1974-1975: Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China
  • 1976-1977: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
  • 1980: Lost primary election for U.S. presidency to Ronald Reagan
  • 1981-1989: Vice president of the United States under Ronald Reagan
  • 1989-1993: President of the United States
  • 2005: Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund started
  • 2009: U.S.S. George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier commissioned
  • 2011: Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

State of the Union addresses

Every year in office, the president of the United States addresses Congress on the present state of affairs as well as the administration's goals for the coming year.[5] Addresses made by presidents in their inauguration years are not technically "State of the Union" addresses and are typically held in February.[6] Following are transcripts from Bush's State of the Union addresses.

Elections

1992 presidential election

In 1992, Bush lost the general election to Bill Clinton (D) for the United States presidency.

U.S. presidential election, 1992
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBill Clinton/Al Gore 43.1% 44,909,889 370
     Republican George H.W. Bush/Dan Quayle Incumbent 37.5% 39,104,545 168
     Independent Ross Perot/James Stockdale 19% 19,742,267 0
     Libertarian Andre Marrou/Nancy Lord 0.3% 291,628 0
     Populist James "Bo" Gritz 0.1% 107,002 0
Total Votes 104,155,331 538
Election results via: 1992 official election results

Other candidates that appeared on the ballot received less than 0.1% of the vote. Those candidates included: Lenora Fulani, Howard Phillips, John Hagelin, Ron Daniels, Lyndon LaRouche, James Mac Warren, Drew Bradford, Jack Herer, John Quinn Brisben, Helen Halyard, John Yiamouyiannis, Delbert Ehlers, Earl Dodge, Jim Boren, Eugene Hem, Isabelle Masters, Robert J. Smith and Gloria Estella La Riva.[7]

1988 presidential election

In 1988, Bush defeated Michael Dukakis (D) in the general election for the United States presidency.

U.S. presidential election, 1988
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge H.W. Bush/Dan Quayle 53.5% 48,886,597 426
     Democratic Michael Dukakis/Lloyd Bentsen 45.8% 41,809,476 111
     Libertarian Ron Paul/Andre Marrou 0.5% 431,750 0
     New Alliance Lenora Fulani/Joyce Dattner 0.2% 217,221 0
Total Votes 91,345,044 537
Election results via: 1988 official election results

Other candidates that appeared on the ballot received less than 0.1% of the vote. Those candidates included: David Duke, Eugene McCarthy, James Griffen, Lyndon LaRouce, William Marra, Edward Winn, James Warren, Herbert Lewin, Earl Dodge, Larry Holmes, Willa Kenoyer, Delmar Dennis, Jack Herer, Louis Youngkeit and John Martin.[8]

1984 presidential election

In 1984, Bush ran as vice president to Ronald Reagan, who defeated Walter Mondale for re-election to the United States presidency.

U.S. presidential election, 1984
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRonald Reagan/George H.W. Bush Incumbent 59% 54,455,472 525
     Democratic Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro 40.7% 37,577,352 13
     Libertarian David Bergland/James Lewis 0.2% 228,111 0
Total Votes 92,260,935 538
Election results via: 1992 official election results

Other candidates that appeared on the ballot received less than 0.1% of the vote. Those candidates included: Lyndon LaRouche Jr., Sonia Johnson, Bob Richards, Dennis Serrette, Gus Hall, Melvin Mason, Larry Holmes, Delmar Dennis, Edward Winn, Earl Dodge, John Anderson, Gerald Baker and Arthur Lowery.[9]

1980 presidential election

In 1980, Bush ran as vice president to Ronald Reagan, who defeated Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter for the United States presidency.

U.S. presidential election, 1980
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRonald Reagan/George H.W. Bush 50.9% 43,903,230 489
     Democratic Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 41.1% 35,480,115 49
     Independent John Anderson/Patrick Lucey 6.6% 5,719,850 0
     Libertarian Edward Clark/David Koch 1.1% 921,128 0
     Citizens Barry Commoner/LaDonna Harris 0.3% 233,052 0
Total Votes 86,257,375 538
Election results via: 1980 official election results

Other candidates that appeared on the ballot received less than 0.1% of the vote. Those candidates included: Gus Hall, John Rarick, Clifton DeBerry, Ellen McCormack, Maureen Smith, Deirdre Griswold, Benjamin Bubar, David McReynolds, Percy Greaves Jr., Andrew Pulley, Richard Congress, Kurt Lynen, Bill Gahres, Frank Shelton, Martin Wendelken and Harley McLain.[10]

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Bush was married to his wife Barbara until her death on April 17, 2018, with whom he had six children, including former President George W. Bush and former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush.[3] His daughter Robin died at age three from leukemia.[4] His father, Prescott Bush, also served as a senator, representing Connecticut from 1952-1963.[3]

Bush died on November 30, 2018, at age 94.[1]

Recent news

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External links

Footnotes


Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Original source: https://ballotpedia.org/George_H.W._Bush
Status: cached on December 13 2021 02:50:05