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'''George Walker Bush''' (born New Haven, [[Connecticut]] 1946) was the Governor of [[Texas]] (1995-20001995–2000) and served as the 43rd [[President of the United States of America]] from 2001 to 2009. Campaigning on a theme of "compassionate conservatism" and promising "to restore honor and dignity" to the office of President after the Clinton years,<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E3DC153FF931A2575BC0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; Bush Calls on Gore to Denounce Clinton Affair,] By Frank Bruni, [[The New York Times]]'', August 12, 2000.</ref> he won the office by a narrow margin in the decisive State of [[Florida]] in the [[United States presidential election, 2000|2000 Presidential election]]. Legal challenges to the certified vote count went all the way to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] when liberal Democratic contender [[Al Gore]] contested the outcome for weeks until the Supreme Court case ''[[Bush v. Gore]]''.
In the [[United States presidential election, 2004|2004 Presidential election]] Bush won re-election, helped in part by a 300,000 vote victory (5%) in the State of Florida, where the outcome had been so close in 2000.<ref>[http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/SummaryRpt.asp?ElectionDate=11/2/2004&Race=PRE&DATAMODE= Florida Election Records], ''[[Florida Dept. of State]]''</ref> [[Leftist]] Democratic candidate [[John Kerry]] conceded defeat the day after the election.
Bush's presidency was defined by [[foreign policy]] because of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]], which eventually resulted in the attacks onto the countries of [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. Bush named two conservatives to the Supreme Court. He reformed K12 education with a major new program, [[No Child Left Behind]], and pushed a series of major tax cuts through Congress. Conservatives cheered. All this happened in his first term, aiding his easy reelection. In addition, he engineered two government rebate checks, giving back to the people. Average unemployment over eight-years of the [[Bush Administration]] was 5.3%.<ref>[http://scottstanzel.com/2010/06/04/unemployment-rate-during-president-bush/ Scottstanzel.com, Unemployment During President George W. Bush’s Two Terms]</ref> His performance in dealing with [[Hurricane Katrina]] in 2005 were was widely ridiculed, though some Republicans argued that local Democrats did an even worse job.
As the [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] smashed into the banking system and the nation plunged into the [[Recession of 2008]], Bush responded by proposing a massive aid program of $700 billion to banks, and loan guarantees amounting to the trillions of dollars. Conservatives were dismayed as he proposed a traditional [[Keynesian]] [[stimulus]] which Democrats lauded. Above all, he made one of the most dramatic federal interventions in American history by his aid to the financial system. Bruce Bartlett, a Republican economist, says, "Bush clearly is not a Reaganite or "small 'c' conservative."
Conservatives and [[libertarian]]s have criticized Bush for greatly increased domestic spending, creating a new entitlement program for prescription drugs, failing to veto a single billbefore mid-2006, pursuing [[globalist]] policies, and expanding both the size and scope of governmentincluding federal regulations. The man In addition, many of his nominees to federal and even some judicial positions were liberals. Many of these officials, as well as Bush himself, opposed [[Donald Trump]] successful campaign for president in 2016. Supporters counter that he made extremely difficult decisions under extraordinary circumstancesand that he was a man with convictions that did not cower from protecting America. <ref>See www.honorfreedom.com</ref> Unlike any president before him, he was subjected to an all -out attack by the [[Islamic terrorism|Islamic terrorist ]] group Al-Qaeda. Bush's last year in office was a combination of Democrat [[Alinsky]] tactics and abandonment by his own Republican party. Lobbyists and Congress contributed greatly to the collapsing financial markets. Mistakes, questionable interests, Federal Reserve lack of transparency, Liberal Media, Unions, Homeland Security and you one might understand why the Bush team was to falterfaltered, they were in over their heads. Bush is a man with convictions that didn't cower from protecting America and putting America first.<ref>See www.honorfreedom.com</ref> George would engineer two government rebate checks, giving back to the people. Average unemployment over eight-years of the [[Bush Administration]] was 5.3%.<ref>[http://scottstanzel.com/2010/06/04/unemployment-rate-during-president-bush/ Scottstanzel.com, Unemployment During President George W. Bush’s Two Terms]</ref> and he can be credited for having the most [[pro-life]] policies of any president.
==Early life==
[[Image:Bushfamily.JPG|left|thumb|275px|George W. Bush and his family in 1981]] George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, [[Connecticut]], and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas.<ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/georgewbush Biography], [[White House]]</ref> He joined [[Delta Kappa Epsilon]] [[fraternity]] at Yale. He earned a BA in history from [[Yale University]] and attended [[Harvard]] Business School as well. He later served in the [[Air National Guard|Texas Air National Guard]] as an F-102 Delta Dagger pilot. Bush grew up around politics, as his father [[George H. W. Bush]] had been a member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], American Ambassador to the [[United Nations]], Director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]](CIA) and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] of the United States under President [[Ronald Reagan]]. In 1988, George W. Bush worked for his father's successful presidential campaign. Afterward Bush purchased the Texas Rangers [[baseball]] franchise.
==Governor of Texas==
Republicans also picked up seats in both chambers of [[Congress]].
==Presidency (2001-20092001–2009)==
In foreign and security areas, his Bush's terms included the 9-11 terrorist attack, the passage of the PATRIOT Act, the invasion of Afghanistan (2001–present) and Iraq (2003-present), the expansion of NATO to the Russian border, financial aid to fight disease (especially AIDS) in Africa, and improved relations with India. The Iraq war was the focus of intense partisan debate. While Bush had numerous domestic policy goals during his 2000 presidential campaign, the 9-11 attacks and their aftermath caused him to abandon much of it.<ref>Milbank, Dana (September 2, 2004). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54556-2004Sep1.html From His 'Great Goals' of 2000, President's Achievements Mixed]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 22, 2017.</ref>
The 2002 midterm election saw a GOP gain of seats in the House of Representatives and governorships, However , the 2006 elections showed sharp GOP losses across the board, and loss of control of the House for the first time since its capture in 1994. He played a minor role in the 2008 election, which the GOP lost.
In domestic legislation , he partnered with Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]] to pass the No Child Left Behind education act, and tried—but failed—to pass immigration reform. Early on he secured large-scale tax cuts, which helped the economic recovery in 2002. The boom (and later collapse) in real estate boosted the economy then pulled it down. Liberals criticized his handling of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina relief, and the dismissals of U.S. Attorneys for political reasons. His proposed "Vision for Space Exploration" went nowhere, and he failed to make headway in Social Security reform. Conservatives hailed his appointments His record of court nominations is mixed, having nominated some strong conservatives to along with moderates and liberals. Bush Administration became the Supreme Court at most regulating Administration since the timeNixon Administration.<ref name="Regulations"/> The Iraq War had several negative consequences for the United States.<ref>Hayward, John (October 19, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/19/9-terrible-legacies-of-george-w-bush-and-the-iraq-war/ 9 Terrible Legacies of George W. Bush and the Iraq War]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 22, 2017.</ref>
===Administration and Cabinet===
===Response to the 9-11 Terrorist Attacks===
The September 11, 2001 , Terrorist Attacks resulted in George W. Bush becoming a self-described war time wartime President. On that morning President Bush had traveled to Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, [[Florida]] to promote his [[education]]al agenda; when 19 Islamic terrorists connected with [[Al-Qaeda]] hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two of them crashed into the [[World Trade Center]] in [[New York City]], the third in [[The Pentagon]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] and the fourth in Somerset County, [[Pennsylvania]], after passengers of the flight successfully stopped the hijackers from hitting Washington D.C., possibly the [[White House]] or [[Capital]]. As a result, over 3,000 Americans were killed, and over 6,000 injured, the largest terrorist attack in American history. After [[White House]] Chief of Staff [[Andrew Card]] had whispered in the President's ear that the United States was under attack, President Bush addressed the public in the Booker school's media center, saying a brief four -paragraph statement that "Terrorism against our nation will not stand. This will not stand." Which was a formation that President George H. W. Bush used in August 1990 after [[Iraq]] invaded [[Kuwait]]. President Bush would later say that "This is my reminder of lives that ended, and a task that does not end. . . . I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people."
[[Image:20010912-4-1.jpg|left|thumb|300px|President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hugh Shelton, talk with the press about the previous day's terrorist attacks during a cabinet meeting Sept. 12, 2001. White House photo by Tina Hager.]] Although the attacks may have been an attempt from Al-Qaeda to divide the United States, they were unsuccessful. Across the nation, Americans had donated blood and raised money for reconstruction in New York City. Within weeks, Americans had raised over one billion dollars.<ref>The American Vision from National Geographic, pg. 1033</ref> On September 14 President Bush declared a national emergency. [[CIA]] Director [[George Tenent]] and the FBI identified the attacks from Al-Qaeda and [[Osama Bin Laden]] in [[Afghanistan]]. As [[Secretary of State]] [[Colin Powell]] begin to build an international coalition with over 90 countries to support the United States global [[War on Terrorism]], [[Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] began to redeploy troops and aircraft's to the [[Middle East]]. On September 24, President Bush issued an executive order freezing all funding of financial assets to individuals and groups suspected of terrorism, and over 80 other nations soon followed. Bush then established the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal agencies working to prevent terrorism. The President appointed [[Pennsylvania]] [[Governor]] [[Tom Ridge]] to the office. In October President Bush signed into law the U.S. [[Patriot Act]], which allowed authorities to obtain a signal nationwide search warrant that could be used anywhere on suspected terrorists. It also made it easier to wiretap terrorists and track their [[email]]. The mastermind of the 9/11 attacks—[[Khalid Sheikh Mohammed]] has been captured.
===War in Afghanistan===
*''Main Article: [[Afghanistan War]]
Afghanistan housed and protected al-Qaeda as it planned the 9-11 attacks. It then refused to turn over al-Qaeda leaders. With UN and NATO approval, Bush went to war to overthrow the Taliban. On October 7, 2001, he ordered the bombing of al-Qaeda's camps and the [[Taliban]]'s military forces in Afghanistan. "We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, we will not fail, freedom will prevail", President Bush explained. The attack quickly shattered the [[Taliban]]'s defenses, and by early December the Taliban regime had collapsed. The United States, its allies and the UN then helped Afghanistan create a new government under [[Hamid Karzai]]. By March 2002, the Taliban and al-Qaeda were beginning to regroup again in the mountain's mountains of the [[Pakistan]] border. President Bush responded by launching Operation Anaconda, where Al-Qaeda troops were defeated. Al-Qaeda was largely destroyed, but the Taliban rebuilt using secure sanctuaries in Pakistan from which it launched terror attacks inside Afghanistan (and inside Pakistan as well).<ref>Fred Barnes, ''Rebel-in-Chief: Inside the Bold and Controversial Presidency of George W. Bush'' (2006); Seth Jones, ''In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan'' (2009)</ref>
As a candidate in 2008 , Obama criticized Bush for neglecting Afghanistan, and tripled the number of American troops from 31,000 when Bush left office to over 100,000 in early 2010
===2002 Mid-Term Elections===
Democrats wanted the focus of the 2002 mid term midterm elections to be on the [[economy]], which was growing slowly after the September 11th terrorist attacks. However, because Congress voted to authorized authorize military force in Iraq in mid-October, national security was the top issue. Republicans increased their majority in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] and took back control of the [[United States Senate]].
===2002-2003 build -up of the War in Iraq===[[Image:Dynamicduo.JPG|left|thumb|300px|[[Hillary Clinton]] and George W. Bush teamed up to sell America on the idea Saddam Hussein had WMD.]] In his famous January 2002 State of the Union speech, President Bush declared an "Axis of Evil" made up of [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], and [[North Korea]], countries that posed a grave threat to the world and were suspected of supporting terrorism. Considering it a more dangerous and urgent threat then North Korea, President Bush began putting pressure on Iraq throughout 2002 for a regime [[change]]. Iraq's dictator [[Saddam Hussein]] had used chemical weapons against Iran and the Kurds, an ethnic minority in Iraq. Considering that Iraq may had have been building Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD's) and was a threat to the United States and its allies, On September 12, 2002 President Bush tried to gain U.N. support for a U.S. led invasion of Iraq and asked for a resolution that Iraq gave up its Weapons of Mass Destruction. While the U.N. Security Council approved a resolution that demanded Saddam Hussein declare all of its WMD's, stop supporting terrorism and oppressing his people, Congress authorized the use of military force against Iraq. The United States, [[Great Britain]] and about 30 other countries began to prepare for war.
===Aftermath of the Invasion===
[[Image:20031127_dsc2048-515h.jpg|Right|thumb|300px|President George W. Bush meets with troops and serves Thanksgiving Dinner at the Bob Hope Dining Facility, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, Thursday, November 27, 2003. White House photo by Tina Hager.]] On March 23, 2003, U.S. led coalition forces began an attack on Iraq. Most of the Iraqi army dissolved and coalition forces quickly took control of the country. However, sectarian violence worsened through [[bomb]]ings and sniper attacks. On Thanksgiving 2003 President Bush and U.S. [[National Security Adviser]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] visited troops in Iraq to boost moralmorale. Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003 while little evidence had shown that he had obtained Weapons of Mass Destruction.
On January 30, 2005 , Iraq had it's its first general election since the liberation. They voted for a 275-member Iraqi National Assembly which later drafted a constitution. In December Iraq elected a permanent 275-member Council of Representatives. There were low levels of violence during the voting. In a show down showdown with Congressional Democrats after taking control of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] and [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] in the 2006 Congressional Midterm elections, Democrats retreated on their pledge to end the [[Iraq War]] early and bring the troops home. Democrats had threatened to withhold funding for the troops unless a date certain for withdrawal was set. After the final vote, 280-142 in the House and 80-14 in the Senate, the anti-War movement was defeated. The deal cut with Democratic leaders in exchange for their acquiescing to fund the troops calls for the President to sign legislation raising the [[minimum wage]].<ref>[http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070525-122215-4854r.htm Congress OKs war bill sans time-line,] By S.A. Miller, [[The Washington Times]]'', May 25, 2007.</ref> One commentator remarked, "Despite all the talk of standing up to George W. Bush, despite all the bravado about taking control of Congress, despite the so-called mandate to change direction, Democrats caved....They claim that the majority of Americans are with them on the Iraq issue, but...President Bush, at the weakest moment of his presidency, still bested his Democratic rivals." <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010192457/http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/phyrillas/05292007.htm Democrats Show True Colors], Tony Phyrillas, ''New Media journal'', May 29, 2007</ref>
===2007 Troop Surge===
[[Image:20061228-1_p122706pm-0144-515h.jpg|Right|thumb|300px|President George W. Bush meets with National Security team, from left to right, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, at Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. White House photo by Paul Morse]]
On January 23, 2007 , President Bush ordered an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq.
<blockquote>In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we're deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and the roaming death squads. And in Anbar Province, where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them, we're sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/23/sotu.bush.transcript/index.html?iref=newssearch Bush: State of union is strong], [[CNN]]</ref></blockquote>
===Humanitarian aid===
President Bush has worked to stop the spread of the [[HIV/AIDS]] epidemic in [[Africa]]. In the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) $15 billion over five years (2003–2008) was spent on fighting global HIV/AIDS and improving treatment. ===Government regulations===The Bush Administration became the highest-regulating Administration since the Nixon Administration, enacting 3,595 regulations in 2007 alone, increasing the number of pages in the Federal Register to a record high of 78,090 in 2007, and increasing the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on enacting and enforcing regulations from $26.4 billion to an estimated $42.7.<ref name="Regulations">De Rugy, Veronique (January 2009). [https://web.archive.org/web/20090902085717/http://www.reason.com/news/show/130328.html Bush's Regulatory Kiss-Off]. ''Reason''. Retrieved October 22, 2017.</ref>
===Economy===
During this same time period, spending mandated by Congress has also increased by more than 29% in inflation-adjusted dollars, representing an 11.4% increase in federal spending as a percentage of [[Gross domestic product|GDP]]. This spending has doubled the federal debt, increasing it from 58% to 66% of GDP. Defense spending increased 61%, and non-defense by 23% during the eight years since 2000. The largest non-defense spending increase has been for federally-funded medical expenses, at 54 percent.<ref>[http://www.aier.org/research/commentaries/750-big-government-under-the-bush-administration Big Government Under The Bush Administration], AIER, 16 November 2008</ref> In total, Bush has increased government expenditures by the largest percentage of any president since Lyndon Johnson.<ref>[http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/article944806.ece Some think Bush was too liberal], Wes Allison, Tampa Bay Times December 21, 2008 quoting Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University and author of a new paper, "Anatomy of a Divorce: Conservatives versus George W. Bush."</ref>
Bush presided over a period of unreal economic growth that reflected a bubble that burst in 2008. The [[housing bubble]] allowed people to cash in the rising value of houses; low -interest rates that led to massive borrowing. Money flowed into the U.S. from around the world. The stock market that hit a record high in 2007, then plunged relentlessly downward, losing $8 trillion in value in 2008. Unemployment hit an all-time low in March 2007, but started rapidly increasing after January 2008. Bush signed into law a minimum wage increase, one of the platforms for the Democrats in the 2006 Congressional elections, after the House and Senate included Bush's request of provisions for small-business tax breaks.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001784.html Bush Supports Democrats' Minimum Wage Hike Plan], [[Washington Post]]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/10/AR2007011001666.html House Passes Increase in Minimum Wage to $7.25], [[Washington Post]]</ref> Tax policies have been favorable to reducing the [[Capital Gains Tax]], with a subsequent surge in investment.
See [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] and [[Recession of 2008]],
The [[socialist]] [[Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007]] was signed by Bush into law on April 25, 2009 , as a rider to the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, despite conservative opposition.<ref>[http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/01/opposing_minimum_wage_hike_is_1.html Opposing Minimum Wage Hike Is Bad Politics], [[American Thinker]]</ref> This measure hurt businesses and decreased America's competitiveness in the global marketplace.
===Supreme Court Appointments===
[[Image:Bush Oval Office 3.jpg|thumb|200px|right|President George W. Bush at the Oval office. South-facing windows.]]
After the death of Chief Justice [[William Rehnquist]], President Bush nominated U.S. Court of Appeals Judge [[John Roberts]] to fill the vacancy. He was confirmed on September 29, 2005 , by a 78-22 vote. To replace the retiring Associate Justice [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] Bush nominated Judge [[Samuel Alito]], after his original nomination of Chief White House Council [[Harriet Miers]] was withdrawn because of widespread opposition due to lack of experience. After an unsuccessful filibuster attempt from [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[liberal]]s, Alito was confirmed on a 58-42 vote and was sworn in on January 31, 2006.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5181091 Alito Confirmed as Newest Supreme Court Justice], [[NPR]]</ref>
===Involvement in the 2008 Presidential election===
In March 2008, Bush endorsed his one-time rival [[John McCain]] as the Republican candidate for President of the United States. However, due to the President's declining popularity in polls, McCain distanced himself from Mr. Bush on the campaign trail. Bush had the lowest approval rating (30%) of any president at their time of leaving office since the end of World War II, except Nixon.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-presapp0605-31.html Presidential Approval Ratings History], [[Wall Street Journal]]</ref> At the same time, Democratic Democrat candidate [[Barack Obama]] tried to portray a McCain presidency as four more years of George W. Bush. The President spoke by videolink at the 2008 [[Republican National Convention]], while his wife Laura appeared on stage with McCain's wife [[Cindy McCain|Cindy]].
[[Image:George Laura Bush2008.jpg|thumb|left|300px|President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush pose for their last official holiday portrait, Dec. 7, 2008, in the Blue Room of the White House.]]
''Decision Points'' is a memoir written by Bush and was released on November 9, 2010. Bush also went on a national tour after releasing his book. After two months, the book sold very well, surpassing two million copies sold.
The book is 481 pages long and is broken into 14 chapters, with the first two being about Bush before his presidency, covering events such as when he quit drinking alcohol and was governor of [[Texas]]. The remaining twelve are about events during his presidency, such as the War on Terror, the September 11, 2001 , attacks, and Hurricane Katrina.
===Opposition to Donald Trump===
Bush supported his brother, [[Jeb Bush|Jeb]] for During and after the Republican nomination in [[United States presidential election, 2016|2016presidential election]], Bush became known for his opposition to conservative businessman and U. Businessman S. President [[Donald Trump]] .<ref>Cohn, Alicia (November 4, 2017). [http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/358745-george-w-bush-im-worried-that-i-will-be-the-last-republican George W. Bush: ‘I’m worried that I will be the last Republican president’]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 4, 2017.</ref> Bush supported his brother, [[Jeb Bush]], for the Republican nomination in 2016. Trump strongly criticized both Bushes in the primaries, primarily Jeb. Trump won the Republican nomination, but Bush did not vote for Trump or [[Hillary Clinton]]in the general election.<ref>Lee, Kurtis (November 8, 2016). [http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-election-day-2016-1478647604-htmlstory.html Former President George W. Bush Didn't Vote for Donald Trump]. ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> Bush went out of his way to avoid criticizing President Obama during his entire tenure,<ref name="IngrahamFeb2018">[http://video.foxnews.com/v/5729616306001/?#sp=show-clips Ingraham: Bush and the global elites strike back]. ''Fox News Video''. February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> with the first time he reportedly criticized Obama being at a closed-door event in April 2015.<ref>Campbell, Colin (April 27, 2015). [http://www.businessinsider.com/george-w-bush-just-sharply-criticized-obama-for-the-first-time-2015-4 George W. Bush just sharply criticized Obama for the first time]. ''Business Insider''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> Despite this, Trump's presidency was only a month old when Bush attacked him for the first time.<ref>Riddell, Kelly (February 27, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/27/bush-undercuts-trump-after-staying-silent-on-obama/ Bush undercuts Trump a month into presidency after staying silent on Obama for 8 years]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref><ref>Flood, Brian (February 27, 2018). [https://www.thewrap.com/george-w-bush-didnt-criticize-obama-for-8-years-but-turned-on-trump-in-a-month/ George W Bush Didn’t Criticize Obama for 8 Years – But Turned on Trump in a Month]. ''The Wrap''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> On October 19, 2017, Bush gave a speech at a Bush Institute’s Spirit of Liberty event in New York (at the exact same location where President Obama criticized the Trump Administration the previous month), and he criticized President Trump and his policies as "nativist," though he did not call them out by name. He stated his support for globalism, free trade, and neoconservatism, stating that "we cannot wish globalism away."<ref>Multiple references:*Spiering, Charlie (October 19, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/19/george-w-bush-emerges-bash-trump-nativism-cannot-wish-globalism-away/ George W. Bush Emerges to Bash Trump, ‘Nativism’: ‘We Cannot Wish Globalism Away’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 19, 2017.*Dovere, Edward-Isaac (October 19, 2017). [http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/george-w-bush-trumpism-243945 George W. Bush slams Trumpism, without mentioning president by name]. ''Politico''. Retrieved October 19, 2017.*Shawn, Eric (October 19, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/19/george-w-bush-says-bigotry-or-white-supremacy-in-any-form-is-blasphemy.html George W. Bush says bigotry or white supremacy in any form is 'blasphemy']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.*Mansour, Rebecca (October 21, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/21/mansour-13-clueless-lowlights-george-w-bushs-trump-bashing-speech/ Mansour: 13 Clueless Lowlights from George W. Bush’s Trump-bashing Speech]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 23, 2017.See also:*Pollak, Joel B. (October 20, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/20/blue-state-blues-george-w-bushs-divisive-call-for-unity-against-trump/ Blue State Blues: George W. Bush’s Divisive Call for Unity Against Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.*Mansour, Rebecca (October 19, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/19/mansour-five-reasons-george-w-bush-new-jimmy-carter/ Mansour: Five Reasons Why George W. Bush Is the New Jimmy Carter]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 22, 2017.</ref> Bush reportedly was expecting people to connect his speech to criticizing Trump when he drafted it.<ref>Chaitin, Daniel (October 19, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/george-w-bush-personally-tailored-speech-seen-as-implicit-rebuke-of-trump-report/article/2638127 George W. Bush personally tailored speech seen as implicit rebuke of Trump: Report]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref> Bush's approval rating among Democrats rose to 51%, likely due to his opposition to President Trump, an amazing rating considering how unpopular he was among the Left when he left office.<ref>Hashmi, Siraj (October 27, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/democratic-love-for-george-w-bush-proves-politics-is-americas-most-popular-sport/article/2638835 Democratic love for George W. Bush proves politics is America's most popular sport]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved October 27, 2017.</ref> On February 8, 2018, speaking in [[Abu Dhabi]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]], Bush again criticized President Trump,<ref name="IngrahamFeb2018"/> claiming that "there's pretty clear evidence" that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election,<ref>Multiple references:*Hjelmgaard, Kim (February 8, 2018). [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/02/08/george-w-bush-clear-evidence-russians-meddled-election/318620002/ George W. Bush: 'Clear evidence Russians meddled' in election]. ''USA Today''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.*[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/08/george-w-bush-says-theres-pretty-clear-evidence-russia-meddled-in-2016-us-election.html George W. Bush says 'there's pretty clear evidence' Russia meddled in 2016 US election]. ''Fox News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> and he criticized Trump's America First immigration policy, saying that "we ought to say thank you and welcome [legal and illegal immigrants]" into the country.<ref>Multiple references:*Binder, John (February 8, 2018). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/08/george-w-bush-praises-mass-immigration-we-ought-to-say-thank-you-and-welcome-them/ George W. Bush Praises Cheap Labor Immigration: ‘We Ought to Say Thank You and Welcome Them’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.*Anapol, Avery (February 8, 2018). [http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/372882-george-w-bush-on-immigrants-we-ought-to-say-thank-you-and-welcome George W. Bush on immigrants: 'We ought to say thank you and welcome them']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> In May 2018, Bush again endorsed globalist policies, speaking against "dangers of isolationism" among other issues at a globalist Atlantic Council event.<ref>Lawler, David (May 10, 2018). [https://www.axios.com/george-w-bush-warns-against-isolationism-ff2d0509-9ec9-4491-a4d6-7057ddf8a827.html George W. Bush warns of “dangers of isolationism” in impassioned speech]. ''Axios''. Retrieved May 10, 2018.</ref><ref>Delk, Josh (May 10, 2018). [http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/387209-george-w-bush-urges-moral-practical-spending-on-global-interests George W. Bush urges ‘moral, practical’ spending on global interests]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved May 10, 2018.See also:*Chaitin, Daniel (May 12, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/george-w-bush-flubs-winston-churchill-quote George W. Bush flubs Winston Churchill quote]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved May 12, 2018.</ref>
== Family ==
George W. Bush is the son of [[George H. W. Bush]], who served as vice-president from 1981 to 1989 and as president from 1989 to 1993, and [[Barbara Bush]]. President Bush is married to [[Laura Bush|Laura Welch Bush]], a former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. John Ellis "Jeb" Bush, Neil Bush and Marvin Bush are his brothers. Dorothy Bush Koch is his only surviving sister, as Pauline Robinson Bush died at age four of [[leukemia]].
Bush's daughters developed [[liberal]] political views, refusing to affiliate with the Republican Party for ideological reasons<ref>Chumley, Cheryl K. (September 5, 2014). [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/5/bush-daughters-decline-republican-label-were-both-/ Bush daughters decline Republican label: ‘We’re both very independent’]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved October 29, 2017.</ref> and supporting<ref>Viebeck, Elise (October 3, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/10/03/another-bush-voting-for-clinton-barbara-jr-spotted-at-paris-fundraiser/ Another Bush voting for Clinton? Barbara (Jr.) spotted at Paris fundraiser]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 29, 2017.</ref><ref>Merica, Dan (October 3, 2016). [http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/02/politics/barbara-bush-hillary-clinton-fundraiser-huma-abedin/index.html George W. Bush's daughter attends Clinton fundraiser in Paris]. ''CNN''. Retrieved October 29, 2017.</ref> and voting for<ref>[http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/10/20/barbara-bush-confirms-she-voted-for-hillary-clinton/ Barbara Bush confirms she voted for Hillary Clinton]. ''Women in the World -- The New York Times''. October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.</ref> the left-wing [[globalist]] [[Hillary Clinton]] in the 2016 presidential election over conservative [[Donald Trump]].
==Faith==
==Polls==
When Bush entered office, his popularity rating was near 50%. However, after the [[September 11]] attacks, his popularity rose significantly, reaching an all-time high of 90%.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-07-09-bush-poll_N.htm Poll: Bush approval drops to low of 29%], [[USA Today]]</ref> Since, then, though, it declined as some of his policies have become unpopular (largely due to the media's persistently negative—and [[liberal bias|biased]]—reporting on the [[Iraq War]] and misrepresentation of his policies).<ref>[http://www.hist.umn.edu/~ruggles/Approval.htm Historical Bush Approval Ratings from University of Minnesota]</ref> In 2007, Bush had an approval rating of only 24%.<ref name=elevenpercent>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/10/17/us-usa-politics-poll-idUSN1624620720071017 Voters unhappy with Bush and Congress], [[Reuters]], October 17, 2007</ref> The same poll gave the Democratic controlled Congress an approval rating of only 11%.<ref name=elevenpercent />
After leaving office, Bush's approval ratings increased again, reaching 45% by 2017.<ref>Bedard, Paul (September 11, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/bush-is-back-nears-911-popularity-in-huge-poll-swing/article/2634015 Bush is back, nears 9/11 popularity in huge poll swing]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 11, 2017.</ref>
== Farewell Speech ==
==See also==
*[[Previous Breaking News/George W. Bush|Articles about '''George W. Bush''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
*[[Bush Derangement Syndrome]]
==References==
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==External links==
* [http://www.nationalreview.com/article/346562/george-w-bush-reconsidered George W. Bush Reconsidered on National Review Online]
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