Posted on 06/12/2012 8:43:44 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
On the occasion of his 88th birthday, former President George H. W.. Bush is old enough to contemplate his own mortality — but young at heart enough to discuss Justin Bieber and plan a skydiving trip when he turns 90.
Stories from Matthew McConaughey Steps Out Wearing Bush sat down with his granddaughter, TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager, to discuss everything from getting old to “The Bieber” to having an aircraft carrier named after him. The interview came less than two weeks after the 41st president’s return to the White House, where he watched as the presidential portrait of his son (and Jenna’s father), former President George W. Bush, was unveiled.
“It was exciting,’’ Bush said of that May 31 ceremony. “Any time you go there, there's a certain sense of awe and wonder about the experience, and a lot of memories come flooding back. It was hard to describe it and the total majesty.”
George W. Bush’s portrait will be placed next to his father’s own presidential portrait. “Isn't that sweet?’’ Bush told his granddaughter. “It’s very nice, and we’re pleased. Two presidents in one family, that's pretty good. We're both lucky to have served. He had two terms as president and did a great job. I'm proud to be next to your dad there, very proud.’’
While the younger Bush was a two-term president, the elder Bush was defeated in his 1992 reelection bid by Bill Clinton.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.msnbc.msn.com ...
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 that was Sonny “W” who was a “compassionate conservative” Daddy was “Kinder and Gentler” and “1k Points of Light”.
Gun grabber Perot emerged because of the national debt and NAFTA. Both legitimate issues.
That was the point Jeb Bush was trying to make, wasn’t it?
That today’s Republican ‘base’ out right reject ‘compromise’ with the other side.
No More Bushes. EVER. Put it in the Constitution. (Clintons too)
Go back to sleep you. The only point Jeb has, is the one on top of his head.
GHWB lost his re-election bid in ‘92 because he refused to go for the jugular when it came to fighting off the Grifter from Arkansas.
BS. If he had I might not have voted for Ross Perot. Loved them chats.
I thought Perot got into the race just to spite Bush. It was some sort of Texas rivalry.
That and that and the fact that so many women felt Clinton was devilishly appealing in a southern boy kind of way.
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.”
The problem with “compromise” is that we (conservatives) give stuff up and get nothing in return. The Commie pinko fellow travelers get half of what they want - and come back later for more. That’s how we got where we are now.
So, no. No compromise. Ever. Gridlock Congress, veto the bills. Make the other side give stuff up to us. Make them “compromise.” But don’t give them a thing. Not one more inch.
“I thought Perot got into the race just to spite Bush. It was some sort of Texas rivalry.”
Never heard that. In 1992 the country was already faltering. We were looking to get rid of the RINOs and Perot saw the opportunity.
“That today’s Republican ‘base’ out right reject ‘compromise’ with the other side.”
So the R electorate in 1992 was similarly harsh and uncompromising, wasn’t it? Bush would have won in 1992 had he kept his word. The democrat congress then was FAR less radical than today’s.
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