A Progressive's Eulogy of a Republican President

In these times of hyper political polarization I have no problem acknowledging former President George H.W. Bush for his life long commitment to public service.  From his service in the military in World War II to his eventual denouement as 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush conducted himself in the manner of a Connecticut Brahman that he was.  Born to privilege, he could easily have become the stereotypical 2nd generation trust baby brat but for his family's old money ethic that with wealth and privilege comes responsibility and the obligation to give back which for the Bush family meant public service,

The son of a United States Senator who became President and spawned a United States President, is a remarkable family feat.  H.W. was a successful entrepreneur in his own right, who after making his own fortune, embarked on career in public service that eventually made him arguably the most qualified person ever to become President of the United States.  Congressman, U.N. Ambassador, Ambassador to China  and Director of the CIA, his resume read like a cliche Hollywood screenplay.  While he held that last position he gave the commencement speech at my  alma matter McLean High School when I was a freshman.

In the spring of 1980, when I was in college at the University of Minnesota and H.W. was making his first bid for the presidency, we had as a guest speaker in my introductory poli sci class one day, H.W.'s campaign manager.  I distinctly remember how impressed I was by the campaign manager's presentation of H.W.'s impeccable credentials, most of which I knew, but some of which I didn't (captain of Yale baseball team).  But the thing that really made an impression was the campaign manager's zealous but earnest belief in the man, which struck me as 100% authentic.

I actually thought to myself that this was a Republican I could vote for and what would my father say if he found out.  Unfortunately I was never faced with this dilemma as H.W. , who in the primary spoke truth with his accurate description of Reaganomics for what it really was, "Voodoo economics", lost to Rotten Ronnie and subsequently served two terms as his loyal Vice President.

In 1988 the stars were aligned for H.W. who drew a non-entity in Dukakis for a Democratic opponent and easily won the presidential election.  Although only serving one term as President, H.W. was overseer to the collapse of the Soviet Union, something I never thought I would witness in my lifetime.  But in my mind that was not even H.W.'s biggest achievement.

President George H.W. Bush's two greatest works were his decisions to raise taxes and building the alliance in the first Gulf War.  Bush's decision to raise taxes after the country had read his courageous but hypecrit lips was a noble deed of political suicide, done for the good of the country's economy but which sealed his fate among the selfish Republican Party stalwarts who view tax cuts as a religion and not a means but an end in itself.  Bill Clinton owes his greatest legacy of the best post-war economy in no small part to the courage of H.W. to raise taxes when he did.

But if one had to choose  the greatest achievement of Bush's presidency and something fate put him uniquely in the position to execute, it was the alliance he built in the run up to the first Gulf War which had Arab countries fighting alongside "Crusader", infidel armies against a fellow Arab country (Iraq).  I say "Crusader" and infidel armies sarcastically because how H.W. was able to convince the Arab allies to join in kicking Iraq out of Kuwait was the moral authority that was built upon the foundation of President Jimmy Carter's integrity and diplomacy and H.W. 's personal integrity.  Unfortunately this could never be duplicated today due to his son's disastrous decisions in the second Gulf War (which H.W. counseled against) and the way our  criminal cabal that is the current administration has squandered our moral authority .

My favorite example of what kind a person H.W. was is the anecdote told by Charles Monroe-Kaneby who tells an absolutely hysterical true story on NPR's radio show This American Life,  of, as a young eco activist, attempts to disrupt one of President Bush's press conferences by heckling him.  I highly recommend taking a few minutes out of your day to listen to Monroe-Kanes story "In the Bush Leagues".  The contrast between the manner H.W. handled himself and the  way our current President's handles press confererences is utterly astonishing.

So on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you George Herbert Walker Bush, you country sorely misses your kind of Republican.