George HW Bush passed away on Friday, not even eight months after his wife Barbara passed. This was a big reason why HW’s granddaughter Barbara married so suddenly a few months ago – she wanted her beloved grandfather to be able to attend her wedding. HW Bush was 94 years old. He was a WWII veteran, a Navy pilot in the Pacific theater of the world war. In addition to serving as the 41st president of the United States, he also served his country as congressman, a UN ambassador, a special envoy to China, the director of the CIA, and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.
I’m not going to whitewash George HW Bush’s life and legacy, but he did many good things, things that seem so foreign in the current era of Trumpian Republicanism. He was an unabashed internationalist, and arguably one of the finest diplomats to ever sit in the Oval Office. He believed in the United Nations and NATO, and he believed that America was stronger when we had strong alliances with other nations. He was a Republican who raised taxes, and arguably laid the groundwork for the economic growth of the 1990s. He also oversaw a presidential campaign full of racist dog-whistles, and lord knows, he loved to grope unconsenting women, and he also ignored the AIDS crisis when thousands of men and women were dying. And he put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. Ugh.
After HW left office, he ended up developing a close friendship with Bill Clinton. Some even suggested that Clinton saw in “Pappy” Bush the surrogate father he was always looking for. So in addition to HW Bush’s five surviving children, also spare a thought for his good friend Bill too. The Bushes were also quite close to the Obamas too, and you can really tell by the warmth of everyone’s statements about him. I’m not even going to mention the Orange One, if that’s okay.
Hillary and I mourn the passing of President George H. W. Bush, and give thanks for his great long life of service, love and friendship. I am grateful for every minute I spent with him and will always hold our friendship as one of my life’s greatest gifts. https://t.co/1CYdrIeKmz
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) December 1, 2018
George H.W. Bush was a beloved father & grandfather, a war hero, a public servant, & a class act. In my experiences w/ him, I always valued his desire to listen, look at evidence & ask for ideas, even from people w/ different beliefs. My heart goes out to the entire Bush family.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 1, 2018
As a public servant, father, and grandfather, President George H.W. Bush was an extraordinary example for us all. His spirit of service and decency will be missed by many, including our family. I hope his memory will be a guiding light for our country and those around the world. pic.twitter.com/jUSU82TnO1
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) December 1, 2018
America has lost a patriot and humble servant in George Herbert Walker Bush. While our hearts are heavy today, they are also filled with gratitude. Our thoughts are with the entire Bush family tonight – and all who were inspired by George and Barbara’s example. pic.twitter.com/g9OUPu2pjY
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 1, 2018
If you haven’t already, be sure to read President George H.W. Bush letter to President Bill Clinton on Inauguration Day, 1993: https://t.co/J4UgzPCjOT pic.twitter.com/IzENQuywfq
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 1, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
He lived to be 94 which is an amazing lifespan. He got to be president. He was wealthy and well loved. I’m not shedding a tear for him, he did well for himself. He did NOT do well for people with AIDS, people of color, and women. I’ll let his family mourn him and I’ll focus on those he and his administration neglected.
He was responsible for the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed 1990, which has transformed our public buildings and accessibility as well as our attitudes and sensibilities about millions of Americans.
Don’t forget that.
Also the Nursing Home Reform Act, which mandated an end to many abusive practices in elder care.
Beat me to the punch! He did that because he didn’t feel people with diseases, AIDS included, should be discriminated against. I read a lot into him because people wanted to say such ugly things about a dead man and I think he thoughts on AIDS were those of ignorance much like many Americans. He changed as he grew older and became more educated. He clearly didn’t want them to walk around with a scarlet letter, so he passed the disabilities act to protect people like those with aids from job discrimination. He wasn’t perfect, no president is Obama included, but he tried. We can at least be empathetic towards his family. We don’t have to spit on a dead man’s grave. Stuff like that will come back and haunt you.
Yes and I bet to today’s GOP, they think this is a hand out. I’m really surprised about the mindset of the old school and the schlock we have today.
Thank you!
H.W. Bush cut AIDS research funding, banned HIV-Positive people from entering the country, encouraged “behavioral change” to the exclusion of comprehensive sexual education, and extended/expanded many of the murderous AIDS policies of Ronald Reagan, for whom Bush served as Vice President. By the end of 1993, over 194,000 HIV/AIDS related deaths had been reported in the United States. Approximately 133,000 of which were during Bush’s one term as President.
Excuse you Ceecu I’m certainly not spitting on his grave. It’s not like I have to either glorify this man or I’m spitting on his grave. Calm down. As I said he had a long and accomplished life (I mean, becoming president of the USA used to be quite an astounding accomplishment).
I agree, his war crimes in the Middle East were despicable.
RIP an sure Barbara was waiting for him they were always together. He was held in great esteem by the rest of the world and yes he was a great diplomat, a rare thing these days.
Trump is already using this to hide behind from the sh!tshow that went down at G20 and am sure he will use the funeral as a platform to promote himself and deflect from Mueller. The Bush family should not invite him. He will only ruin it.
As TQ said in her message he was a true patriot and I think she liked him.
The Orange baby talks…jeez.
Unfortunately I think it’s mandatory for current Presidents to attend the funerals of former Presidents…
What does Weasel-in-Chief do that adheres to tradition? The Bush family should disinvite him as he soils the office with his every breath.
Yeah it is a state funeral so that nazi and traitor tots (complicit barbie and dickless ken) will probably be there. I hope they are not asked to speak!
I won’t whitewash his failings as a president either, but I think the difference in how I view his death (fully admitting that this may be possible because the bar for decency has been moved so low in that last two years as to be practically non-existent) is that he was a man of service for most of his life, a man who seems to have recognized those failings and had the capacity to try atone in some way. A man who perhaps was a better statesman than he was a president.
He could have just kind of told everyone to f**k off after leaving the WH and continued life as wealthy white guy who doesn’t have to worry about much. Instead he joined his ex-political rival to come together for people who were in need, both here and abroad. The current inhabitant can’t even offer condolences to people without somehow blaming them for their own misfortune at the hands of a natural disaster.
I think his letter to Bill Clinton illustrates what we are so desperately missing right now – the idea that you could be unhappy with your loss to someone you disagreed with on a number of levels, that you campaigned against, and still say to them “I wish you the best.Do well. The COUNTRY needs it”. If 45 is able to leave office voluntarily, if he leaves a letter at all, it will be a short, crudely written ode to his own imaginary successes and a gloat that no one will ever match them.
Also, it is hard for me not to be charmed by the picture of him with Michelle and that he was sneaking a kiss while Obama’s back was turned.
I agree Bush wasn’t perfect by any measure but in comparison to what we have polluting the Oval Office now, he just seems so reasonable. I liked what Bush said about being political opponents and not enemies. It used to be that way, where politicians could disagree but still work together but along came Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and the tremendous division and lies they sowed and here we are, It’s tragic.
One thing I really liked about GHWB was that he was a life long member of the NRA but publicly resigned in 1995 when they started referring to federal agents as “Jack booted thugs” some of the Parkland parents were tweeting his resignation letter yesterday to show how different Republicans were just 20 years ago.
I certainly celebrated election night 1992 when Clinton beat GHW. Who could have foreseen what this country has become?
Rest In Peace
God Speed Mr. President.
Of the Republican presidents during my lifetime, Grandpa Bush was the best. Sure he wasn’t perfect, no one is…..but by the current standards of behavior in the Oval Office, he deserves to be put on a pedestal. I liked that he had a lot of varied experience in and around the government workings. It made him a better man, unlike IQ45 who thinks he is King over all.
Rest in peace, sir.
I saw a cartoon/illustration of him meeting his wife and his daughter that preceded him in death waiting to meet him in heaven. It said something the effect that they were waiting to enter until he got there to meet them. I am in no way religious but, man, that brought a tear to my eye.
I saw that cartoon! There was a earlier one when Barbara died , that showed her deceased daughter running into Barbara’s arms. Both brought me close to tears
Oh my goodness! I didn’t see that one.
Arnold Shwarzenegger posted the most touching tribute so far, complete with pics of them sledding together. Check out his insty.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2PZBWHXTq/
That was lovely! Thanks for sharing it.
Wow people are really glossing over the bad things he did just because he’s dead now? Y’all wild 😂
I don’t think anyone is glossing over his shortcomings, especially not here on Celebitchy, lol. Your statement reminds me of the “they’re equally bad” narrative from the 2016 elections. Acknowledgement of GHWB’s extraordinary service to the nation, his civility and acknowledgement of his errors while president don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
One of my most important causes is female reproductive rights. My most poignant memory of GHWB was an interview, can’t remember if it was during the 1992 election cycle or during GWB’s 2000 campaign. A reporter asked him if one of his young granddaughters was raped and became pregnant, if he would forbid her from having an abortion. His reply was that while he hope that she would keep it, he would not interfere with her having an abortion. It boggled my mind that at that point in his life, that he did not understand that that was a pro-“choice” opinion.
This man was a racist who supported, created policies that promoted white supremacy through institutionalized racism. I’m not whitewashing his life and I feel nothing for his passing. It’s like how his son gets this sweet edit now, nope….definitely nope. #NotTodaySatan
Where did I say anything about comparing him to anyone else? I said people are glossing over the bad things he did which is fact. You literally just proved my point in sharing your little anecdote. I’m not going to praise him or kiss his ass just because he’s now deceased.
Yep. I cackled when I read he thinks he’ll meet his wife in heaven. If there is a heaven he certainly wouldn’t be making the cut.
preach!
My thoughts exactly. To many, him & family but a stain to humanity.
Bill Clinton expanded on the ADA which vastly improved it—the expansions Clinton made to it is what my husband relies on. But HW certainly paved the way for it. Most Presidents leave a note for the incoming President—informally passing the torch, no matter the political affiliation. I’m sure there will be a break in tradition next election.
I think the current POS in charge has lowered the standards of what a “good man” is. I feel for his family as I do when anyone dies, but H.W. was neither a good man nor a good President. Neither was his son. Neither was Bill Clinton.
Exactly. People view this man through rose colored glasses…
I was a pre-teen/young teenager when he was president, and I wasn’t following politics at ALL. I’m sure I would have disagreed with a lot of his ideologies, given he’s a Republican. But I remember having a soft spot for him and Barbara. Sort of like the nation’s grandparents, I guess, is how I saw them. And as much as I did disagree with Bush II, I have always admired the family as a whole. RIP good sir. Thank you for not being Trump.
Okay, thank you for not being Trump. Other than that, wealthy elderly cis hetero white man in power, byebye.
Another war criminal bites the dust.
Ooooh, Armie Hammer is not gonna like that MObama posted a pic of her and Bush Sr in that tweet.
That’s a wonderful picture of HW under the headline. RIP.
This man was responsible for one of the most brutal wars in the Middle East. He was also directly responsible for the bombing of the Amiriyah shelter, chock FULL of women and children. 408 died that day.