George W. Bush Bio: From the Military to the White House
Early Life
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George Walker Bush was born July 6th, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut as the oldest child of George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara. His youth was spent in Texas, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University in 1968. At school, he was an average student, and he belonged to Yale’s famous secret society, Skull & Bones.
Military Service
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Following his graduation, he enrolled in the Texas Air National Guard as a pilot trainee. These soldiers were less likely than others to be sent to fight in the Vietnam War at that time, and it has been alleged that his father used his influence to prevent his son from going to war. Nevertheless he was certified as a fighter pilot in 1970.
Harvard Business School
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After an early discharge from the military, Bush attended Harvard Business School where he earned an MBA in 1975. It was not long before his personal life took a turn for the worse: his increasingly serious drinking problem resulted in a DUI arrest on September 4th, 1976.
Arbusto Energy
Not long after that incident, Bush met schoolteacher and librarian Laura Welch, and the two married just months later in 1977. His career also began around this time: in 1978 Bush ran for the House of Representatives in Texas’ 19th congressional district, but lost. He then joined the private sector when he founded the Arbusto Energy petroleum company.
Allegations of Insider Trading
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The company struggled through the early 1980s, and finally he sold Arbusto in 1986, but stayed on as a consultant. The sale resulted in allegations of insider trading, though he was cleared of that charge. It was also in 1986 that Bush decided to quit drinking after his fortieth birthday.
Texas Rangers
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In 1988, he worked for his father’s Presidential campaign in Washington. After Bush Sr.’s election, Bush Jr. moved back to Texas and bought a share of the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1989.
Governor of Texas
Bush’s next political move was the announcement of his candidacy for governor in the 1994 Texas election. As governor, he cut taxes and helped improve the Texas school system. He was reelected in 1998 with a staggering 69 per cent of the vote. His high approval ratings convinced him to run for President for the 2000 election.
2000 U.S. Presidential Election
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Bush won the Republican candidacy, and he chose former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as his running mate. When the election results came in on November 7th, 2000 the race between Bush and Al Gore was a tight one. A recount in the state of Florida was necessary. Ultimately, after over a month of speculation, Bush won the general election with 271 electoral votes to Gore’s 266. After being chosen as Time Magazine’s Man of the Year for the year 2000, George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20th, 2001.
First Term and 9/11
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In Bush’s first term as President, he cut taxes, and pushed through socially conservative initiatives and education reform. However, the most important event during his tenure came on September 11th, 2001, just months after his inauguration.
War on Terror
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Following terrorist attacks in New York City, Bush initiated a global War on Terrorism. This resulted in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, attempts to defeat Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and the goal of catching the man responsible for the attacks: Osama bin Laden.
Second Term and Hurricane Katrina
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He was re-elected in 2004 over Senator John Kerry. During his second term, he kept his commitment to issues initiated in his first term. He also dealt with Hurricane Katrina and the consequences on the country. His term came to an end on January 20th, 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn in.
Criticism
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Despite his relative popularity, Bush was often mocked in the media for his folksy, cowboy image and colloquial manner of speaking. He was also famous for coining nicknames for journalists and politicians.
Post-Presidential Life
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After leaving office, Bush remained relatively out of the spotlight on his ranch in Texas. He released the memoir “Decision Points” in November 2010.
Legacy
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While he was considered a controversial politician, George W. Bush will forever be remembered for his natural demeanor, decisive actions, and his Bushisms.
