GEORGE H. W. BUSH

1
GEORGE H. W. BUSH
The 41st President of the United States of
America1989-1993
2
(No Transcript)
3
BACKGROUND

• Born in Milton, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1924
• he became a student leader at Phillips Academy in
  Andover.

4

• On his 18th birthday he enlisted in the armed
  forces. The youngest pilot in the Navy when he
  received his wings, he flew 58 combat missions
  during World War II.

5
(No Transcript)
6

• On one mission over the Pacific as a torpedo
  bomber pilot he was shot down by Japanese
  antiaircraft fire and was rescued from the water
  by a U. S. submarine. He was awarded the
  Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action.

7

• In January 1945 he married Barbara Pierce. They
  had six children George (W- former President)-
  Robin (who died as a child), John (known as Jeb),
  Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy.

8

• At Yale University he was captain of the baseball
  team and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

9

• After graduation Bush embarked on a career in the
  oil industry of West Texas
• There he founded his oil company and by 1980
  reported an estimated wealth of 1.4 million.

10

• His father, Prescott, was a Senator from
  Connecticut.
• In the 1960s, Bush won two contests for a Texas
  Republican seat in the House of Representatives,
  but lost two bids for a Senate seat.

11
(No Transcript)
12

• was appointed to a series of high-level
  positions
• Ambassador to the United Nations
• Chairman of the Republican National Committee
• Headed the U.S. liaison office in Beijing before
  becoming Director of Central Intelligence

13

• In 1980 Bush campaigned for the Republican
  nomination for President.
• He lost, but was chosen as a running mate by
  Ronald Reagan.

14

• As Vice President, Bush had responsibility in
  several domestic areas, including Federal
  deregulation and anti-drug programs, and visited
  scores of foreign countries.

15
(No Transcript)
16

• In 1988 Bush won the Republican nomination for
  President and, with Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana
  as his running mate, he defeated Massachusetts
  Governor Michael Dukakis in the general election.

17

• George Herbert Walker Bush became president on
  Jan. 20, 1989, with his theme harmony and
  conciliation after the often-turbulent Reagan
  years.

18

• Bush faced a dramatically changing world, as the
  Cold War ended after 40 bitter years, the
  Communist empire broke up, and the Berlin Wall
  fell.

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22

• The Soviet Union ceased to exist and reformist
  President Mikhail Gorbachev, whom Bush had
  supported, resigned. While Bush hailed the march
  of democracy, he insisted on restraint in U. S.
  policy toward the group of new nations.

23

• Bush's early Cabinet choices reflected a
  pragmatic desire for an efficient, nonideological
  government. And with his usual cautious instinct,
  in 1990 he nominated to the Supreme Court the
  scholarly David H. Souter, with broadly
  conservative views.

24
(No Transcript)
25

• IN HIS FIRST YEAR
• Lebanese Hostage Crisis
• The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska
• Ongoing War against Drug Trafficking

26
Invasion of Panama

• His public approval soared following the invasion
  of Panama in late 1989
• In a few speeches he stated why he went

27

• Safeguarding the lives of U.S. citizens in
  Panama.
• - 35,000 Americans living there. numerous
  clashes between U.S. and Panamanian forces one
  American had been killed a few days earlier and
  several incidents of harassment

28
Defending Democracy and Human Rights in Panama

• Earlier that year Noriega (Their leader) had
  nullified presidential elections that had been
  won by candidates from opposition parties

29
Combating Drug Trafficking

• Panama had become a center for drug money
  laundering and a transit point for drug
  trafficking to the United States and Europe.
  Noriega had been singled out for direct
  involvement in these drug trafficking operations.

30
Protecting the integrity of the Torrijos-Carter
Treaties

• U.S. political establishment claimed that Noriega
  threatened the neutrality of the Panama Canal
• United States had the right under the treaties to
  intervene militarily to protect the canal.

31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
A Mass Grave of Panamian Casualties.
35

• SECOND YEAR

36

• A staggering budget deficit and the savings and
  loan crisis (1980s continuation) caused the
  president's popularity to dip sharply

37

• This plunge followed Bush's recantation of his
  campaign no new taxes pledge as he sat down
  with congressional leaders to tame the budget
  deficit and deal with a faltering economy.

38
Third Year

• Emerged as the leader of an international
  coalition of Western democracies, Japan, and even
  some Arab states that came together to free
  Kuwait following an invasion of the country by
  Iraq in Aug1990

39

• The coalition forces defeated Iraq in only a
  little more than a month after Operation Desert
  Storm was launched on Jan. 1617, 1991, and a
  nation grateful at feeling the end of the
  Vietnam syndrome gave the president an 89
  approval rating

40
(No Transcript)
41

• High rating fell as the year went on, as doubts
  persisted about the war's outcomeIraqi president
  Saddam Hussein remained in power and persistently
  avoided complying with the terms of the peace
  treaty

42

• In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War,
  comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace talks began in
  late 1991.
• Pressure for this came from his Secretary of
  State James A. Baker

43
(No Transcript)
44

• 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
  signed in July with Soviet president Mikhail S.
  Gorbachev at their fourth summit conference,
  marking the end of the long weapons buildup

45

• Lost 1992 bid for reelection to William J.
  Clinton in a race between Clinton, Bush, and Perot