“In consequential times, George Herbert Walker Bush demonstrated the finest qualities of our Nation and humankind.” —Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan
The nation is mourning the passing of its 41st president, George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday, November 30, at the age of 94, just seven months after Barbara, his wife of seventy-four years, passed away.
President George H.W. Bush had served his country in several positions since he was an eighteen-year-old young man and from that day on he served in several positions from Congressman to ambassador to the
United Nations, Director of the Central Intelligence Administration (CIA), Vice President, and finally, President of this great nation.
Despite unprecedented popularity from this military and diplomatic triumph, Bush was unable to withstand discontent at home from a faltering economy, rising violence in inner cities, and continued high deficit spending. In 1992 he lost his bid for reelection to Democrat William Clinton.
He was the kind of person who never held bad feelings or a grudge against anyone, and as others bring their own experiences with the man known to many as “The Quiet Man,” we happen to have noticed that after
losing the number one job to Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush worked with President Clinton on numerous projects and an equal amount of charity work.
Unlike Senator John McCain, who even after death could not forget or forgive President Trump for winning the election in 2016 and did not allow the President to show him his last respects, George H.W. Bush
wanted President Trump to be at his funeral and made it known in life despite the tense relationship between the two families, showing class and that he was a good man.
Former senator Bob Dole, who had twice competed with Bush for the Republican presidential nomination, made an emotional appearance Tuesday afternoon in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
At 95, Dole looked far different than the man he was when he vied for the presidency decades ago. He was frailer now, and in a wheelchair.
His eyes were fixed on the casket before him. An aide helped Dole out of his wheelchair so he could stand briefly to give his former challenger a military salute and show his respect even if it was only for a few seconds, causing a moment of emotion by some of the attendees.
So far while penning this sad editorial on Tuesday afternoon we have not heard a word about the Senator for Nevada who never retires, former Majority Leader and thirty-six years in the United State Senate, Harry Reid, who may think he is too good to show President George H.W. Bush the respect that he earned through his personal and political career and as a great server of the country he loved so much.
A parade of prominent names also came Tuesday to bid farewell to the 41st president, their appearances reflecting chapters from his remarkable resume. Colin L. Powell, who Bush named as his chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came along with generals who served during the 1991 Persian Gulf War under Bush. Gina Haspel, the CIA director, approached with John Brennan and others who had similarly followed in
Bush’s footsteps in leading the agency.
A state funeral is being arranged with all of the accompanying support and honors. President Donald Trump has ordered the flag to be at half-staff in honor of the former president whose body was laid to rest at the Capitol Rotunda before taking his last trip to Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. for the memorial service, after which the body of the former president will be taken back to Texas where other funeral services will take place and his body will finally be put to rest by the side of his wife, who died in April of this
year.
At the time of this writing, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were walking in to meet with the Bush family to express their condolences in person and we pray that this could be the first step toward peace between the two families for a better future for this nation.
Maybe “The Quiet Man” was preparing this reunion before he passed on to create the opportunity to place these two men — with the help of their wives — in the same place at the same time to honor a man well
known for his sophisticated way of fixing the impossible. We hope so.
Follow