The U.S. (and the colonies before its formation) have benefitted from the service and/or philanthropic contributions of a number of persons born into wealth and privilege. Mr. Bush was one such individual.
Although not a fan of H W’s politics he deserves his celebration of life from the people that cared about him. Unfortunately Trump has been invited to attend the DC services. His hatred of the Bush family is evident. Mrs. Bush and John McCain didn’t want him for their funerals. I wonder if the family was pressured to invite him? Lets hope he won’t be allowed to speak.
The hagiographers and bootlickers are out in force. The 41st president of the United States was not the last Republican moderate or a throwback to an imagined age of conservative decency and civility; he engaged in race baiting, obstruction of justice, and war crimes. He had much more in common with the two Republican presidents who came after him than his current crop of fans would like us to believe.
Like many before him, he became a better man after leaving office. The pressures of the office waken many with strong egos to a more humanitarian view, and actions, afterward. He deserves to be honored for the things he did right, like the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Let’s not forget HOW he became an Ensign in the USN at age 18, when such a thing is basically impossible without a great deal of corruption involved. Prescott Bush and his cousin, George Herbert Walker, Jr, ran a bank that did a LOT of business with the Nazis and CONTINUED doing business with the Nazis for nearly SIX MONTHS AFTER they declared war on us. The bank was seized under the Trading with the enemy Act and Bush was facing a treason charge for providing aid to an enemy. He used his eldest son as a cat’s paw by buying him a full commission in the USN, despite having only graduated from high school and having no maritime or aviation credentials whatsoever. You see, I was a Naval officer, USN. I was only able to garner that status because I came into the Navy with a commission as a LT from the USCG. Otherwise, the only way you could become a USN officer, instead of a USNR officer right off of the street was to graduate from Canoe U (a.k.a.: Annapolis), or, spend at least 12-24 years as an enlisted man, become a CPO and then become a Warrant Officer, or become a PO1 (CPO-eligible) with 6-18 years, or a Warrant Officer with 12-18 years and apply to become an LDO (Limited-Duty Officer). Of course, the LDO program is a post-WW2 invention. Since 1991, no one becomes a USN officer from Day One. Even Canoe U grads have to wait 5 years and request a transfer to the USN. I know that some will try the aviation exception, but that did NOT apply, because that required that you already had to have a pilot’s licence with at least 400 hours of flight time BEFORE applying. The Navy only accepted a few of those and those without a college degree were only allowed to be Petty Officers (NCO), not full officers. Only the US Army did that. #FactsMatter
Broken heart? That’s naive at best. He had a long-term affair. In France, when a former president died, both his wife & mistress attended the funeral. It was quite civilised. But our culture hushes these things up & pretends they don’t happen unless they are being used as a partisan weapon. The press didn’t talk about Bush’s mistress even though it was an open secret in DC because it wasn’t relevant. The Dems did not try to use it to bring him down, that’s a particularly Rethug form of hypocrisy.
mourdac Premium Member over 5 years ago
The U.S. (and the colonies before its formation) have benefitted from the service and/or philanthropic contributions of a number of persons born into wealth and privilege. Mr. Bush was one such individual.
MaryBethJavorek over 5 years ago
very nice tribute to a very respectable president. They don’t make them like that nowdays.
comixbomix over 5 years ago
From when politics was a means to an end, instead of The End:
https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/George-H-W-Bush-s-Oval-Office-note-to-me-13436499.php
Ally2005 over 5 years ago
Although not a fan of H W’s politics he deserves his celebration of life from the people that cared about him. Unfortunately Trump has been invited to attend the DC services. His hatred of the Bush family is evident. Mrs. Bush and John McCain didn’t want him for their funerals. I wonder if the family was pressured to invite him? Lets hope he won’t be allowed to speak.
Teto85 Premium Member over 5 years ago
The hagiographers and bootlickers are out in force. The 41st president of the United States was not the last Republican moderate or a throwback to an imagined age of conservative decency and civility; he engaged in race baiting, obstruction of justice, and war crimes. He had much more in common with the two Republican presidents who came after him than his current crop of fans would like us to believe.
jvscanlan Premium Member over 5 years ago
Next week, let’s take a much closer look at Bush’s accomplishments
Dtroutma over 5 years ago
Like many before him, he became a better man after leaving office. The pressures of the office waken many with strong egos to a more humanitarian view, and actions, afterward. He deserves to be honored for the things he did right, like the Americans with Disabilities Act.
KenseidenXL over 5 years ago
Let’s not forget HOW he became an Ensign in the USN at age 18, when such a thing is basically impossible without a great deal of corruption involved. Prescott Bush and his cousin, George Herbert Walker, Jr, ran a bank that did a LOT of business with the Nazis and CONTINUED doing business with the Nazis for nearly SIX MONTHS AFTER they declared war on us. The bank was seized under the Trading with the enemy Act and Bush was facing a treason charge for providing aid to an enemy. He used his eldest son as a cat’s paw by buying him a full commission in the USN, despite having only graduated from high school and having no maritime or aviation credentials whatsoever. You see, I was a Naval officer, USN. I was only able to garner that status because I came into the Navy with a commission as a LT from the USCG. Otherwise, the only way you could become a USN officer, instead of a USNR officer right off of the street was to graduate from Canoe U (a.k.a.: Annapolis), or, spend at least 12-24 years as an enlisted man, become a CPO and then become a Warrant Officer, or become a PO1 (CPO-eligible) with 6-18 years, or a Warrant Officer with 12-18 years and apply to become an LDO (Limited-Duty Officer). Of course, the LDO program is a post-WW2 invention. Since 1991, no one becomes a USN officer from Day One. Even Canoe U grads have to wait 5 years and request a transfer to the USN. I know that some will try the aviation exception, but that did NOT apply, because that required that you already had to have a pilot’s licence with at least 400 hours of flight time BEFORE applying. The Navy only accepted a few of those and those without a college degree were only allowed to be Petty Officers (NCO), not full officers. Only the US Army did that. #FactsMatter
The TM over 5 years ago
Thank you so much, Nick, for helping us remember the kind of person America needs more than ever to lead our nation.
wolfiiig over 5 years ago
Watch Trump trying to steal center stage. Money doesn’t buy class.
Addled Brain over 5 years ago
Superior montage. ..Very well done.
rowena28 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Broken heart? That’s naive at best. He had a long-term affair. In France, when a former president died, both his wife & mistress attended the funeral. It was quite civilised. But our culture hushes these things up & pretends they don’t happen unless they are being used as a partisan weapon. The press didn’t talk about Bush’s mistress even though it was an open secret in DC because it wasn’t relevant. The Dems did not try to use it to bring him down, that’s a particularly Rethug form of hypocrisy.
Yammo Premium Member over 5 years ago
Thank you!