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George H.W. Bush, RIP
President George H.W. Bush passed away Friday evening at 10:10 pm CT at the age of 94. Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath posted the following statement to Twitter:
George Herbert Walker Bush, World War II naval aviator, Texas oil pioneer, and 41st President of the United States of America, died on November 30, 2018. He was 94 and is survived by his five children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and two siblings. He was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Barbara; his second child Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush; and his brothers Prescott and William or “Bucky” Bush.
Rest in peace, sir.
Update: His son, President George W. Bush, has released a statement from his siblings and himself:
Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear Dad has died. George H.W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for Dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens.
A video retrospective from the New York Times:
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Published in Politics
What a good and decent man he was and what an example and testament of service his life was. And he had a devoted and formidable partner through it all.
One phrase by George H.W. Bush that always stays with me was immediately after Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. No one exactly knew what the U.S. reaction would be and a reporter asked what he would do. The president’s only response was, “Watch and learn.”
He took his senior White House team to Camp David and given his earlier diplomatic background, he quickly put together a coalition of allies to liberate Kuwait. I would imagine there will be a delegation from Kuwait attending his memorial service to pay their respects.
RIP, Mr. President.
The media. All lies, all of the time.
You don’t have to worship the guy. Your “respectful” observations should have been reserved for another day.
Today is a good day for hagiography. There will be plenty of time after the funeral, just as there is plenty of time now for criticism of John McCain.
One of the greatest qualities of 41 is that Bush I ordered everyone at the White House to not gloat or celebrate as the Wall fell, and then as the Soviet Union died.
I hope that I can model that generiousity of spirit when President Trump passes, and shut my mouth from saying any unkind thing.
Rest in Peace, President George H.W. Bush, “41.”
There was nothing respectful about your comments. They were short on accuracy as well but that is an argument for another day.
We as a nation lost a great man last night. Someone who truly loved his country and set about to serve it to the best of his ability for more than 70 years.
The WWII generation understood the concept of selfless service to a degree no generation since has. Perhaps it is because the circumstances required it, and they were not particularly successful in imparting to their children, but that does not diminish the debt we owe men like President Bush who always put their country before themselves.
Requiescat in pace, Mr. President.
Ugh, yes! I remember that ridiculous election. Clinton hadn’t even taken office and was already getting the credit for the sudden upturn.
I’ve done some reading about what the etiquette is supposed to be on the general internet after a death of a famous person. I don’t see what the big deal is about frank talk on most areas of the web.
Ricochet is better than the general internet.
Ricochet is a respectful community who try to act as our mothers would approve of at a dinner party.
Right, but it has no proximity to anything that ever matters in this sense. None. Just my opinion.
Not just a socialist, mind you…but a “hard core socialist”. You know, like other hard core socialists like Lenin or Stalin who murdered millions. Reckless hyperbole much? What a supremely idiotic label to put on this good man. BTW – How’d that one-man boycott work out for you? Pretty much destroyed the Cable TV market, I reckon.
Here’s hoping your obituary is honest after you die.
Could that have been the beginning of fake news? Probably not, but…
There are no laws here or even strong conventions or traditions. But people who admired President Bush are grieving rather emotionally today. It’s just not a nice thing to do to say negative things about him today because the people who are grieving will react with extra hurt and pain to the criticism today. It’s not that it’s wrong or impolite. More like throwing salt in a wound, adding misery. Why would anyone want to do that to someone else.
Skyler is one of the few people who can say such things without stoking defensive emotions in the grieving mix. He is speaking on a platonic level. It doesn’t bother me.
But I’m not leaving Ricochet until tomorrow. I glimpsed some comments on Fox last night that were simply vile.
It is too bad that we can’t have heroes anymore.
Well, that’s not true. I will hold onto mine.
President Bush always said yes when someone needed him. And he didn’t just put his time in so he could feel good about himself. He did his very best. He risked everything he had every time.
I’m sure when he met God last night, God said, “Well done, George. Well done.”
Because it is good manners and demonstrates honorable character to show restraint when respect is due.
All people, all presidents make errors. There is no rule, it is just a decision best made. All etiquette is a summary of the best practices for being a good and decent person.
Of all the people who deserve that kind of respect, it is GHWB. We could learn much from examining his life. Today examine all the good things he has done. They far outweigh the bad.
We should be so lucky to have the likes of George Herbert Walker Bush be in our community: as a resident and an official.
My issue is the proximity or whatever. This is just a bulletin board with a bunch of podcasts attached to it. It’s not attached to anything else that you need to worry about.
I could be talked out of all of this, but I’ve read a bunch of opinions about it.
More stunning insights. Perhaps another one-man boycott is in order. That’ll show us.
What is that supposed to mean?
Sounded like a resounding dismissal of Ricochet. If you’re that dismissive of this site, why bother with it?
I like it.
Actually, the remoteness of the internet seems to disengage a natural etiquette that is more instinctive in person.
It is good to be sensitive. When someone reminds us that sensitivity is lacking, it is good to respond to that social cue. Life is better when we notice and respond to others.
Thank you, Neil. God Bless you for saying that. We need more respect nowadays. It is in short supply. And when it doesn’t come from someone on the Right, it drives me crazy!
NBC has put together some very nice tributes to President Bush.
That was a great tribute. Thank you NBC. But more important, thank you Mr. President!
I didn’t call him a murderer, I said he was a genuinely nice guy.
And then I remember that his granddaughter works at NBC. Extra glad NBC prevailed on respect and admiration.
She’s good at it too. She really belongs there, unlike some of those other ruling class types like Chris Cuomo and Chelsea Clinton.
Words matter. Some people know how to use them in a coherent manner and not come off sounding like an angry drunk at the end of the bar. Mona Charen was edited on this site for less.
George H.W. Bush had a long life, well lived, surrounded by a large and loving family. I do not grieve him and, frankly, I don’t really get why anyone else would. None of us gets out of here alive and he seemed exceptionally blessed. We should all be so fortunate. Godspeed, sir.
OTOH, I will not berate anyone for noticing his time as chief executive was not stellar (he had the misfortune of following Reagan). I guarantee you, if I’m still here when Jimmy Carter goes, I will say similar things about him. Seemed like a decent enough fellow, but he didn’t even make middling as a president. So Bush has that going for him. He was way better than Carter as president, and I’m grateful for his service to the country.
Eternal rest grant unto him…
The Cape Cod Times is carrying a really nice list of tributes to President Bush. Among them:
I truly dislike Ross Perot.
This man should have guided us another 4 years. Instead, the corrupt, sleazy, Clinton era was begun… from which we will never recover.
Trump would not have been needed without Ross Perot.