The recession on Bush I's watch ended 18 months before the election in 1992, but the media (and Bush I) allowed Clinton to get away "it's the economy, stupid!" and "this is the worst economy since the great depression!"
Bush I surrounded himself with negative people (Dick Darman) too willing to accept the Demo view of the world. Bush I was also the antithesis of a "visionary" -- I really feel he was happy to see the end of his presidency. Clinton didn't win; Bush was fired.
This George W. Bush is a visionary and a man of much more principle than his father -- his father would have been pushed around by a Paul O'Neil. GWB put his programs on the table when he ran against the boob, Gore, and he has the temerity to push for the passage of that program in the 4 years that followed. Who knew he would inherit the biggest market meltdown since the great depression, and the most severe corporate scandals in recent history, and a pretty severe recession, and the terrorist attacks on 9-11-01? Thank Bill Clinton for all those challenges... all those cans kicked down the road... Bill Clinton's famous "Bridge to the 21st Century"!