George HW Bush dies at 94

[Dill]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/george-hw-bush-41st-president-of-the-united-states-dies-at-94/2018/11/30/42fa2ea2-61e2-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html?utm_term=.41b253249dfb

Rich boy volunteered, fought for his country, continued to serve.

George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and the father of the 43rd, was a steadfast force on the international stage for decades, from his stint as an envoy to Beijing to his eight years as vice president and his one term as commander in chief from 1989 to 1993.

The last veteran of World War II to serve as president, he was a consummate public servant and a statesman who helped guide the nation and the world out of a four-decade Cold War that had carried the threat of nuclear annihilation.

His death, at 94 on Nov. 30 also marked the passing of an era.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(12-01-2018, 02:25 AM)Dill Wrote: Rich boy volunteered

Interesting that you thought this was pertinent.


Nonetheless, we won't have any left of the WW2 generation left soon.  Honor them while you can.

[GMDino]

A Republican I voted for for POTUS.

He seemed like a genuinely good man who I disagreed with on several issues.

Humble and able to laugh at himself.  I vanishing breed in politics.

Good thoughts to his family.

Edit: Had to edit because I forgot I did vote for McCain 2008.

[jj22]

I voted for his son twice. Senior was an underrated President.

[BmorePat87]

(12-01-2018, 02:43 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Interesting that you thought this was pertinent.


Nonetheless, we won't have any left of the WW2 generation left soon.  Honor them while you can.

I think pointing out that someone with money who could have found a way out of serving but instead volunteered to serve speaks to their character. I don't think it was meant as an insult to 41. 

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(12-03-2018, 02:40 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I think pointing out that someone with money who could have found a way out of serving but instead volunteered to serve speaks to their character. I don't think it was meant as an insult to 41. 

Possibly.  I think that was much more the norm than the exception back then though.

[Dill]

(12-03-2018, 02:40 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I think pointing out that someone with money who could have found a way out of serving but instead volunteered to serve speaks to their character. I don't think it was meant as an insult to 41. 

I was speaking to his character.  The son of Prescott Bush might have avoided combat duty.

Lot's of people with worldly success and cushy lives volunteered, among them Indiana PA's own Jimmy Stewart.  And that actor fellow, Reagan, who went where he was assigned, even if it was not a combat post.  Like SSF, I see this as a disappearing norm.

[fredtoast]

Former head of the CIA.

Vice President during Iran/Contra operation.

Connect the dots.

[Dill]

(12-03-2018, 09:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Former head of the CIA.

Vice President during Iran/Contra operation.

Connect the dots.

Head for a year.  Not clear that he knew money was funneled to the Contras.  Can't quite pull the dots together.  

But I don't want to defend him against accusation in that scandal; not certain how much he knew, but that is in part because he refused to cooperate with the investigation--which could be (misguided) loyalty, which also motivated the pardons. Not good.

There are other flaws in the memory as well--the Willie Horton ad and the PR disinformation before the Gulf War.

But for me these flaws don't completely cancel his foreign policy successes--or maybe lack of failures is a better way to put it. He was a Republican president so if you make that our scale, the best R since Eisenhower.

[Millhouse]

I think his three greatest accomplishments as President was the handling the end of the Cold War. Then how he handled the Gulf War. And then signing into law the Disabilities Act of 1990.

Overall he seemed like a good guy and like everyone posting here so far, well except for one, I agree with yas.

[Belsnickel]

I have my problems with things he did, but he was the last of his breed. I was three years old when he ran for office, so I didn't know much about him. What I have been learning, though, was that his selection as VP was a surprise. He didn't believe in Reaganomics, and his "read my lips" comment was mostly him saying what he needed to in order to win. Now, we all know politicians do this, and he was apparently a master at it. But the party went the way of Reagan and he didn't. He was more pragmatic. He was more of an old-school Republican. And while he would do anything to win an election, once the polls were closed he was back to his more moderate and friendly ways. He was the last deficit/debt conscious Republican Commander in Chief, with Clinton and Obama being more of his ideological successors than his son or Trump.

I think he served in the office in a tumultuous time and that will color how he will be remembered. I don't like to paint over the legacies of people when they pass away, but I have mostly good things to say about this public figure.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(12-03-2018, 09:42 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I think his three greatest accomplishments as President was the handling the end of the Cold War. Then how he handled the Gulf War. And then signing into law the Disabilities Act of 1990.

Overall he seemed like a good guy and like everyone posting here so far, well except for one, I agree with yas.

Agreed on all three.  Oddly, for a guy that was said to exude more than his share of charisma, it didn't really translate to his addresses and speeches  His letter to Clinton after the change of administrations is the type of class we don't see in Washington anymore, from anyone.

[GMDino]

(12-03-2018, 09:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Former head of the CIA.

Vice President during Iran/Contra operation.

Connect the dots.

He also continued the Reagan "just ignore AIDS it's a gay disease anyway" program.

Quite a few things I didn't like about his policies...but he seemed like a good person who was willing to work with everyone.

Not many like that any more.

[*michaelsean*]

Always cool to see all the Presidents in one place. I can’t speak for the current one but it seems no matter what you said about a previous guy while running, after you’ve been president there’s a fraternity and an understanding that you didn’t have before the oath.