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Courage – on GHW Bush’s 97th Birthday

Posted on Thursday, June 24, 2021
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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20 Comments
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George H.W. Bush would be 97 this month. His June birthday invites reflection. As a President, he was not Ronald Reagan, whom he served as vice president. Reagan was a lifetime conservative, Bush moderate. But as the elder Bush admitted on Reagan’s passing, he learned from Reagan.

He became conservative. More to the point, he was a seasoned, trusted leader – domestically and internationally. He had courage.

The contrast between Reagan-Bush and Biden-Harris is stunning, almost heart-skipping. If Reagan was a paramount national and world leader, man of conviction, great communicator, Bush – as his vice president – was no slacker.

Loyal, GHW Bush was modest, an abashed patriot.

Youngest naval aviator in WW II, he flew a torpedo bomber – Avenger – off the USS San Jacinto in the Pacific.

Having delivered his payload from a burning plane, he was shot down, wounded, crewmates killed, rescued at sea.

As one family with a crewmate on that carrier told me, unbeknownst to the public (until now), Bush was back up in an Avenger in 30 days. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, never spoke of it. Working in the White Houses of Reagan and Bush, I often tried to insert into Bush’s speeches an educating reference to his distinguished military record. He removed everyone.

Courage comes in many forms – not all military.

Married to Barbara, they had six children. Their second, daughter Robin, died at age five of leukemia. Imagine the heartache. Children, death of a young daughter, family travails – all might have ended national service. Instead, they matured the man, made an old soul young, and deepened his faith in God and America.

After the war, before family, he was a standout athlete, two College World Series, eventually turned his hand to business, was a Texas oilman. He then returned to service, ran for the Senate, and lost for the House, and won.

Defense hawk, he voted for the 1968 Civil Rights Act, which rankled some of his constituents – he did not care.

He said it conscience.

Fast forward. Before Ronald Reagan’s Vice President, Bush served as Ambassador to the UN, Republican National Committee Chair, de facto Ambassador to China, and Director of the CIA.

Before Reagan took on the Soviets before Trump took on China, Bush was circumspect – understanding China’s future required engagement and caution. He thought America “needed to be visible but not pushy, muscular but not domineering.” He knew the savagery of war hot, communism’s blot, and China’s uneasy trajectory.

By the time GHW Bush ran for President in 1980, he had world respect – and from leaders of both parties. Against the advice of some, Reagan felt he work as vice president.

As on so many other issues, Reagan was right. Bush was steadfast, loyal, smart, mature, and patriotic.

After eight years of watching one of the nation’s greatest, absorbing Reagan’s wit, grit, and boundless optimism – seeing him survive an assassin’s bullet, bring down inflation, cut income taxes, restore confidence, create 18 million jobs, convert a Soviet leader, and defeat the Soviet Union, GHW Bush took over as President. If not Reagan, Bush knew the lessons cold.

Which brings us to the stomach-churning contrast of Biden-Harris.

Not only is Biden visibly missing steps, signals, cue cards, and neurons – being laughed at on the world stage – but Harris, as his vice president, is the Rorschach opposite of GHW Bush as a vice president.

Where Bush was a vice president with heroic military service, paragon of family virtue, faithful and unabashed about commitments to life, Constitution, speech, worship, self-defense, and individual liberty; where he was seasoned by service in two high-profile, Senate-confirmed international leadership posts, had led a party and the Central Intelligence Agency – all after serving in Congress and making his way in business – Harris is the living opposite.

Harris has no military service, not enough courage to visit the border, the maturity of a teen – giggling at life-and-death inquiries.

She has not the virtue to hold office with clean hands, not the faith to defend faith, not the commitment to life that saves a baby from death at birth, less still to constitutional rights. She has held no national posts by appointment, has no knowledge of international affairs, no intelligence background, no history of making payroll in business.

In short, Harris is the antithesis of leadership, opposite of GHW Bush as vice president. Biden is the shadow of a shadow. In his prime, he was an empty suit, convictions all ambition, and these – to law enforcement, national security, bipartisanship – all gone. He is bleached out. Biden-Harris is the opposite of Reagan-Bush.

So, if history is our guide, we know three things. First, when we have strong leaders – like Reagan-Bush or Trump-Pence, who trust people, not government – good things happen. When we have bad leaders, weak by every measure, we must be on guard. Finally, if we stay true to our principles, as Reagan and Bush did under fire, “We the People” can again get strong, faithful, conservative leadership. Reagan never gave up, GHW Bush never gave up, and we must never give up. On GHW Bush’s 97th, good to recall it all and take heart.

 

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Jim
Jim
3 years ago

The Bush family is known to have ties to the Nazis, early on. I still voted for them though, because they were more conservative than other choices. They were both terrible presidents from an economic perspective.

John D. Beach
John D. Beach
3 years ago

The character of the American people is not what it was 75 years ago. Faced with the destructive impact of the Covid virus, Americans caved to the mandates of a Democrat party consumed with a lust for power that has corrupted, absolutely. They abandoned all reason, all qualifications, all legal, constitutional stipulations for due process of law, conceding to the choices of democrats to disobey or change the law for the purpose of total control of the election. Democrats gave themselves—and the country— losers and manipulated the system to make them “winners.” The consent of the governed was an option for failure of policies as contrasted with the success of policies by the previous administration. If policies represent true character, Democrats have a lot to learn about character.

graybear41
graybear41
3 years ago

Amazed at some of the comments about George W. This man was a patriot and a real American. I wonder if the negative comments come from veterans or even anyone who has common sense. I supported both Bush presidents and I continue to do so.

hoser
hoser
3 years ago

He was in on the Kennedy assassination and he orchestrated 9/11. You missed the boat, this was not someone to be praised, he was a thug. The truth will come out soon.

Bob L.
Bob L.
3 years ago

The Bush family has not been even moderate, but globalist since at least G.H.W’s dad. Just recently, the Bush family foundation accepted a donation from Red China. G.H.W. was really close $$$$ with the Saudi royal family.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

George H.W. Bush was A “NEW WORLD ORDER” globalist president who wanted to transform america … not a true american.
He adopted the criminal family of the Clinton’s and was a Hillary supporter. His policies of free trade purposely stripped our communities of industry pushing them oversees to increase profits of multi national companies while causing social decay, drug addiction, and crime in our communities. He sold-out this country

Bill on the Hill
Bill on the Hill
3 years ago

RBC…It should be noted Reagan started out as Democrat in California in a age gone by. In the time, Reagan I believe was of a conservative disposition, but he was a Democrat…He made the right choice in becoming a Republican as it became abundantly obvious whilst he was POTUS after the disastrous Carter administration…On the subject of Bush SR. however, I don’t share your abiding admiration of Mr. Bush nor of his bloodline son, George JR in particular. Both Bush’s had a strange personal liking and/or connection with the Obama’s & this alone always made me suspect…The Bush’s are a part of the bloodlines with deep connections in politics that I won’t go into here. That history is available for all to see…
In closing I hope George Herbert Bush has lost that whiney voice & eats all of his broccoli in heaven…
Bill on the Hill… :~)

Pat Reynolds
Pat Reynolds
3 years ago

Why are you suggesting we celebrate a man who helped kill JFK and tried to kill Reagan? I know a lot of readers won’t believe this, but it is true. His father was evil and so was he.

Ralph S
Ralph S
3 years ago

The WORLD is laughing at us for the SELECTION [NOT ELECTION] of BumbleB and Giggle-puss!

Mike Mallinson
Mike Mallinson
3 years ago

Thank God for the wonderful leadership of the former President Donald Trump and Michael Pence. I’m grateful for Reagan and Bush!!!

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