"America needs to be a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons. "

No Broccoli for This Bush!

George Herbert Walker Bush served the United States as President from 1989-1993. He is President George W. Bush's father.

Elder Bush held quite a different view of an invasion in Iraq than his son as expressed in his memoirs, A World Transformed. He writes, "Trying to eliminate Saddam…would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible.. We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq..There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land." Written five years ago, it makes one wonder how often these two talk.

Bush was born to Prescott Bush and Dorthy Walker. His father was the U.S. Senator from Connecticut and partner in Brown Brothers Harriman, a prominent investment banking firm. During his studies at Phillips Academy (1936-42), he was captain of the baseball team and a member of A.U.V ("Auctoritas, Unitas, Veritas" -- Latin for "Authority, Unity, Truth").

After graduation from Phillips Academy in June of 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy to study flight training. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. By 1944 he had flown 58 combat missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unity Citation award.

George married Barbara Pierce on January 6, 1945. The couple had six children: George W., Pauline Robinson, John (known as Jeb), Neil, Marvin, and Dorthy Walker. After World War II, Bush had vast dealings in Texas oil exploration. The business was highly speculative, but he had very good success. He secured a position with Dresser Industries. Years later this company merged wih Halliburton, whose former CEOs include Dick Cheney, Bush's Secretary of Defense and Vice President of the United States under son George W.

Bush served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Texas. Twice he ran unsuccessfully for the Senate. Then he was appointed to a series of high-level positions: Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U. S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1980 Bush campaigned for the Republican nomination for President. He lost, but was chosen as a running mate by Ronald Reagan. Bush then served as vice president during the two Reagan terms of the 1980s. In 1988 Bush won the Republican nomination for president and, with Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate, he defeated Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in the general election.

As president, Bush led the United States involvement in the Gulf War (1990-1991), prompted by the decision of Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait. The United States joined with the United Nations to prevent the forces led by Saddam from invading Saudi Arabia. He called his position in the war an act "against aggression." His poplularity rating soared immediatly after the liberation of Kuwait.

In 1992 Bush ran for a second term of office, but was defeated by Bill Clinton. Factors in his defeat include the economic recession of the late 1980s. Another may have been alienating many members of his conservative base by siding with the Democratic party to raise taxes despite a promise not to do so.

At the end of his presidency Bush returned to his home in Houston, Texas and his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He has recently published a book of letters, All the Best, George Bush, and co-authored A World Transformed, a book on foreign policy.

Bush banned broccoli from the White House and Air Force One, saying "I'm president of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli!."