Not really sir... but most Americans fell for the smooth talkin’ Slick One in ‘92 just like The One in ‘08. Some things never change.
I remember that race and Bush appeared as if he wasn’t trying hard, didn’t care and showed minimal effort. Yes, the 3rd party guy cost him big time but still he came across as unenthused and not minding if he lost. He gave us willie clinton, and clinton gave china the missile secrets.
He would have had a second term if he hadn’t tried so hard to distance himself from Reagan with the “compassionate” conservative crap.
His heart wasn’t the problem: his spine was. If he had stuck by “read my lips.” he’d have gotten that second term.
Bush Sr. gave us Perot which gave us Clinton. If Bush was engaged then Perot would never have entered the race.
If Bush I wanted a second term he should have kept his “No New Taxes” pledge.
“41” a Rino at heart, listened to Colin Powell, “let’s quit now” instead of taking out Saddam Hussein then and we all remember “read my lips no new taxes”. We’ve had enough of the Bushs. Now Jeb is bad mouthing conservatives. HW brought us Clinton and GW brought us Obama.
No More Bushes. EVER. Put it in the Constitution. (Clintons too)
BS. If he had I might not have voted for Ross Perot. Loved them chats.
I'm sure that Bush the Elder really thinks this. But his fundamental problem is that he was never a very good politician. He was always better at government jobs to which he had been appointed. He won the presidency in 1988 because his opponent was a leftist loon and the glow of the Reagan administration was still with him.
In my opinion, Bush lost the presidency in 1992 during a key moment in the Richmond debate. That stupid pony-tailed guy in the audience got up and whined "You're our daddy! What about taking care of OUR needs?" Talk about a high, lobbed softball! Bush could have assured his re-election had he taken that clown's question and told him, "I'm NOT your Daddy. Grow up and take responsibility for your own life!"
I believe that after such an exchange, he would have cruised to a victory.
“Read my lips. No second term.”
Mr. President Bush is a very good man, but one whose time had passed. By 1992, the world was changing rapidly, in part due to the fall of communism, which he had a supporting part in. President Bush was heir to an enormously successful presidency, but had a tendency to want to apologize for it rather than defend it.
He is a remarkable patriot, but did not have the stomach for the political fight. I am still amazed that he went from 90% approval rating after Desert Storm to defeat almost overnight. Breaking the tax pledge, appointing Justice Souter were the lows. His acknowledgement of growing political correctness in a speech at Univ. of Michigan was an opportunity he didn’t engage. Appointment of Justice Thomas was a tremendous credit to Pres. Bush. In summary, great opportunities, mixed bag of results. He was not the man to lead the 90’s.
If he hadn’t been such a RINO he would have beaten Klinton - I was one of MANY Repubs that would not vote for him.
Mr. President Bush is a very good man, but one whose time had passed. By 1992, the world was changing rapidly, in part due to the fall of communism, which he had a supporting part in. President Bush was heir to an enormously successful presidency, but had a tendency to want to apologize for it rather than defend it.
He is a remarkable patriot, but did not have the stomach for the political fight. I am still amazed that he went from 90% approval rating after Desert Storm to defeat almost overnight. Breaking the tax pledge, appointing Justice Souter were the lows. His acknowledgement of growing political correctness in a speech at Univ. of Michigan was an opportunity he didn’t engage. Appointment of Justice Thomas was a tremendous credit to Pres. Bush. In summary, great opportunities, mixed bag of results. He was not the man to lead the 90’s.
George H. W. worked hard, but Perot and Bill teamed up and worked harder.
“....to discuss everything from getting old to “The Bieber” to having an aircraft carrier named after him.”
.
Justin Bieber will have an aircraft carrier named after him?
Why not? Someday a USN ship will be named after Bambi, anyway.
Why so cynical? It’s the birthday of an important national figure... one I like and respect.
There are actually some here who continue to assert that Bush would have lost the election without Perot.
That is so simple minded. All the Perot voters were super fiscal conservatives. they would never have voted for Clinton.
If Perot had not been in the race, they would have voted for Bush. Maybe without great enthusiasm but they would have done it.
Perot had (and has) a deep personal animus for Bush. The why has been speculated on, but no one denies it existed.
...zzzzzzzz....