We are diminished. He led a life of public service and did so in many roles over time, an example to all. Serving as DCI during the Cold War is not always what people remember him for, but it is one part of his legacy.

This thread has taught me a lesson, which is how easy it is for us, myself included, to denigrate and disparage someone we have no personal connection with. A relative of mine was nominated to a federal judgeship by President Bush. As such, she had several contacts with him and was tremendously impressed by the man.
May he RIP.

RIP Mr President
I proudly served under him and would do so again

I briefl served with a Marine that was a crew chief on Marine One during the last half of President GHWB. He told me that the President would go visit them, he called him a true gentleman. Unlike the next pres couple who treated them like servants

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
He was a victim of economics cycles.

His anti-2A stance did not help his cause. To his credit, he was that way since before I was born, and I never heard him back down from it even after he lost in 1992. He was definitely a man of principle. Compare that to Slick Willy's lamentation that the '94 AWB cost the Dems politically.

quote:

Ross Perot took over 20% of mostly Republican votes and Bush still didn’t lose by much.

The electoral split was 370 - 168. That's over 2:1.

41 gave a lot to this country and appeared to be a family man. I wish them peace.

Rest in peace, Mr. President. I shall miss your essential decency, and your obvious love for this country.

I worked and trained with an officer who who had served President Bush when he was in residence at Kennebunkport. He was commander of the EOD team from Devens, that supported the Secret Service there. One cold night they were hanging out in the guard shack, which is at the road end of the driveway from the house and the door opened. It was the President and Mrs. Bush with a tray of sandwiches and a couple of thermoses of hot coffee for the crew. They came in, sat down and talked with the EOD guys for about half an hour before going back to the house.

He was absolutely an old-school, establishment Republican, and that is unfashionable now, but he was also a patriot, hot warrior, cold warrior, leader, and fundamentally good man.

RIP for a good and gracious man.

Rest in Peace, Mr. President

quote:

Fair winds and following seas, Sir. We have the watch.
- U.S. Navy post this morning

quote:

Originally posted by Herknav:

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
He was a victim of economics cycles.

His anti-2A stance did not help his cause. To his credit, he was that way since before I was born, and I never heard him back down from it even after he lost in 1992. He was definitely a man of principle. Compare that to Slick Willy's lamentation that the '94 AWB cost the Dems politically.

quote:

Ross Perot took over 20% of mostly Republican votes and Bush still didn’t lose by much.

The electoral split was 370 - 168. That's over 2:1.

41 gave a lot to this country and appeared to be a family man. I wish them peace.

Most national elections have each party score around 50% of the vote and the few points plus or minus determine the winnner. So take 20% from your 50% and that’s 30%. The electoral college system of winner takes all makes the difference look larger.
Bill Clinton won well under 50% in his victory but still won the state electors due to the split on the other side. That should be a lesson to those that always want the (their) perfect candidate.

http://archive.fairvote.org/plurality/perot.htm

He is a year younger than my dad. He was a WWII pilot like my dad. Unlike my dad, he grew up in privilege and didn't have to serve, but he did serve, and he did it on the front lines of battle.

He was a gentleman who truly never understood the wild pack of hyenas in the Senate and House that would suck him into bad policy and then stab him in the back with it. I didn't agree with everything he did, but I believe he's a good man and I have great respect for he and his family. RIP, Mr. President. God bless you.



.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
He was a victim of economics cycles. After the great years of Reagan the economy was adjusting.

He is largely at fault regarding the down cycle. His signed a huge tax increase in 1990 that took what was probably a natural down cycle and blew it up into a recession. The tax increase came at the coaxing of George Mitchell and Jim Wright, two snakes in the grass. Then they beat him over the head with the tax increase in the 1992 campaign. And a lot of conservatives abandoned him.

He never truly understood economics. He labeled Reagan's economic platform as voodoo economics in the 1980 primaries. Even as the economy blossomed, he never fully caught on. He was a good man, but he handed the Presidency to Clinton on a silver platter.



.

^^^^^
He was a lucky guy that almost wasn’t.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ne...japanese-pow-guards/

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
^^^^^
He was a lucky guy that almost wasn’t.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ne...japanese-pow-guards/

That's a great article and I had forgotten about the brutal Japanese part. Thanks for sharing it.



.

quote:

Originally posted by DarthMegaHD:
New world order secret society ruling class scum. He joins John McCain in hell where all the lying RINOs and their Demonrat buddies belong. Not sorry

Do you have a reading comprehension problem? I said cool it.

The last warrior-President and a man to be respected, whatever you thought of his policies. We won't see another one.

RIP Sir. Flags at half staff and a Salute

As an USAF SP in the 1980s, I had the honor and privilege of guarding both AF1 and AF2 when they were on the ramp. Never met him nor Reagan but only saw him from afar. RIP.

We elect presidents to do a job, not confirm our biases. 41 did his job. He made decisions based on what he believed was best for our Country and not what would get him elected. How a leader should act.

RIP 41, your clarity of leadership will be missed.

Thank you for your service to our country and RIP, Mr. President.

I had the privilege of meeting him during his Presidential run when he made a stop in town. He and Barbara were very gracious to a fault. His resume of public service was unparalleled by any President in my lifetime.

Did I agree with all of his policies and decisions? No, of course not, but I had a lot of respect for the man for being a true and loyal American.

Jim

Like all of him, none of him or anything in between, one still must admit he was a gentleman.

May he enjoy the peace he fought for and earned for himself, and all of us.