| George W. Bush | |
| |
| Living Person | |
| Nationality: | United States |
| Date of Birth: | 1946 |
| Religion: | Methodist |
| Occupation: | Pilot, Businessman, Politician, Author of Non-Fiction, Artist |
| Parents: | George and Barbara Bush |
| Spouse: | Laura Bush |
| Children: | Barbara and Jenna |
| Relatives: | Prescott Bush (grandfather) |
| Political Party: | Republican Party |
| Political Office: | Governor of Texas, President of the United States |
| Turtledove Appearances: | |
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. He attained the presidency in the very close and controversial election of 2000. He is one of five presidents to be elected without a leading number of popular votes, but is the only one to then win a term in his own right.
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks occurred took place eight months into Bush's first term. In response, Bush announced a global "War on Terrorism". As of part this war, Bush ordered an invasion of Afghanistan at the close of 2001, and an invasion of Iraq in 2003. The Bush administration justified the war in Iraq as one of pre-emption, based on a selective reading of intelligence that concluded that Iraq was amassing chemical weapons and/or played a role in the September 11 attacks. Neither conflict went as the Bush administration expected. The war in Afghanistan became the USA's longest war in 2018.
Domestically, Bush followed a generally fiscally and socially conservative course. After his re-election in 2004, Bush received increasingly heated criticism from across the political spectrum for his handling of the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, and numerous other challenges. In December 2007, the United States entered its longest post-World War II recession, often referred to as the "Great Recession", which again impacted his popularity.
Bush is the eldest son of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. He is the second president to have been the son of a previous president (John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, was the first). Given the tumultuous history of his presidency, Bush had both the highest approval ratings of any president (attaining this in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks) and some of the lowest (during the 2008 Recession).
Bush's habit of speaking in bizarre malapropisms, including pronouncing "nuclear" as "nucular," has become a popular subject of comedy.
George W. Bush in "Bedfellows"
| "Bedfellows" Satire | |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct (as "W") |
| Spouse: | O |
W married his long-term partner O in a ceremony in Boston to substantial press-coverage. Both admitted to the press that each would be nothing without the other.
After the ceremony, performed in front of a justice of the peace, O and W shared a public and passionate kiss staged for the media. They then went home to hammer out the honeymoon. O was a little disturbed by W's suggestion that O start wearing a burka when visiting W's mother and father. W then laughed at this little joke.
W had a folksy quality, although that often made him appear unintelligent. He enjoyed nicknaming everyone and everything, calling O "Sam", for example.[1]
Literary Comment
While the character of "W" is never specifically called by the name "George W. Bush", Harry Turtledove makes it absolutely clear that the two are one and the same.
George W. Bush in "Election Day"
| "Election Day" POD: July 16, 1999 | |
| Type of Appearance: | Contemporary reference |
| Political Office(s): | President of the United States |
The controversial presidency of George W. Bush had some impact on the 2016 presidential election, as another legacy candidate, John F. Kennedy Jr., sought the office.[2] His opponent, Donald Trump, seized on this as part of the campaign, and referenced it again when he conceded the race to Kennedy.[3]
See Also
- References to Historical Figures in Turtledove's Work for minor references to Bush.
- John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States in OTL, and the son of the second President, John Adams. John Quincy Adams was the first son of a former president to be elected in his own right. George W. Bush was the second. Adams was also the first President to be elected without carrying the popular vote. Bush was the fourth.
- Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States in OTL. Like Bush, Trump won in the electoral college, but did not carry the popular vote. Trump is also the only other president who has appeared in Harry Turtledove stories while still in office, namely "The Terrific Leader" and "Election Day".
References
- ↑ See, e.g., Atlantis and Other Places, pgs. 69-75, HC.
- ↑ Alternate Peace, loc. 544, ebook.
- ↑ Ibid., loc. 653.
| Political offices (OTL) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Clinton |
President of the United States 2001-2009 |
Succeeded by Barack H. Obama |
| Preceded by Ann Richards |
Governor of Texas 1995-2000 |
Succeeded by Rick Perry |
| Party political offices (OTL) | ||
| Preceded by Bob Dole |
Republican nominee for President of the United States 2000, 2004 (won both) |
Succeeded by John McCain |
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