Photos courtesy of George W. Bush


Bush's presidency like none other in history

Story JON SINGER
Podium photo by STACEY BOCK

The George W. Bush presidency is one no American will forget.

Completely setting aside politics, the emotion and realization of a changed world is upon America for the first time. Before September 11, 2001, America thought it was safe from the chaos in the Middle East. America tried to play peacemaker, attempting to reason with other cultures. Sometimes it worked, but since that horrific day in 2001, President George W. Bush, now with the official support of America, isn't waiting for another terrorist attack. Bush has taken the war to others, thus making the War in Iraq one of the most controversial in the modern era, and Bush one of the most controversial figures in history.

Controversy, however, can be a sign of greatness. The next four years of Bush's presidency will determine if Bush is a great President divinely appointed to be strong in our difficult time, or if he is fighting battles against terrorism that simply can't be won.

BEGINNINGS

Ironically, Bush's pre-9/11 careers in and out of politics were noted for being carefree and fun-loving. He was experimental and content in the private sector. He only succeeded in politics after he turned his personal life around.

Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Conn., although he grew up in and around Houston, Texas. His father, George H.W. Bush, was a World War II hero who became director of the CIA before serving in politics as Vice President to Ronald Reagan and as President from 1989 to 1992.

Bush loved sports, especially baseball, which he played a year of at Yale. He was a prankster and a somewhat heavy drinker. Bush followed his father to Yale University, graduating in 1968. He then joined the Texas Air National Guard, flying an F102 fighter plane. He graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1975. 1n 1977, Bush married Laura Welch, a teacher, librarian and now First Lady.

Bush tried his hand at politics for the first time in 1978, running for the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas. He lost that year to Democratic State Sen. Kent Hance. With the failure, Bush headed into the oil and industry, where he founded and ran Arbusto Energy, from 1979 to 1984.

In 1981,Bush's twin daughters Barbara and Jenna were born. Then, in 1985, Bush began a life change. He took life more seriously as he was approaching age 40. Many around Bush say Bush's meeting with Rev. Billy Graham was instrumental in Bush's decision to become a born-again Christian. (Graham was a frequent guest of Vice President George H.W. Bush's family). In 1986, Bush completely quit drinking and shot toward success ever since.

In 1988, Bush was an integral part of his father's campaign in which the elder Bush became President of the United States. The younger Bush was finally driving toward political success, but his time was yet to come.

Bush's last business venture before his final political run that led to his presidency, was ownership of Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers. Bush owned the team until 1994, when he was elected Governor of Texas.

Bush was a hugely popular governor in Texas, and was known for working with Democrats and Republicans alike. In his second tern, beginning in 1998, he won nearly 70 percent of the vote.

This success made Bush comfortable in himself, and when he declared his candidacy for President, he truly was an outsider to Washington and its politics.

PRESIDENCY

The 2000 election was a rocky start for Bush. After winning the popular vote but losing the electoral vote, Democratic challenger Al Gore demanded recounts in Florida, appealing several laws and rulings all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bush was finally declared winner, and began earning his legitimacy by passing major bipartisan laws such as his education reform, aka No Child Left Behind, and passing tax cuts across all incomes to help a sinking economy turn upward again.

But less than eight months after taking office, Bush had another agenda wipe out his own: fighting terrorism.

Bush's War on Terror quickly became America's, too. Even left-wing 2004 presidential challenger John Kerry threatened terrorists daily during his campaign.

Bush's legacy will always be his circumstance. He's the first president to battle a new kind of war. The American people have voted to see him finish what he's started, to lead America further down the road to peace and, someday, likely long after Bush's term is up, a return to the innocence of a pre-9/11 world.