George HW Bush, 41St president of the United States, he was the last of an “older breed of politicians” who treated the presidency with “the respect it deserves,” he said. Kostas Panagopoulos, professor of political science at Northeastern. Bush passed away on Friday, aged 94.
“She was the epitome of class and elegance,” Panagopoulos said. “He was a very humble civil servant who was taught to appreciate and respect his country and his duty to serve it in different capacities. That kind of respect and reverence was evident in his actions and his approach to the presidency,” which stands in stark contrast to today's fragile partisan political environment.
Political friends and foes took note over the weekend of Bush's example, especially after his presidency, of a politician who transcended partisanship. President Donald J. Trump, setting aside a hatred with the Bush family, praised Bush's leadership and designated Wednesday, December 5, as a day of national mourning.
But the end of the Bush presidency heralded a shift to a more negative political tone, and the sharpest partisan divide in US politics can be traced back to his loss to Bill Clinton in 1992, Panagopoulos said.
Kostas Panagopoulos
The surprise of Clinton's victory and Bush's defeat is not cause a change in political tone, Panagopoulos said, but instead coincided with several other factors—including birth of Fox News and his rise to power Newt Gidrich as Speaker of the House—which, (along with similarly divisive media and personalities on the other side of the spectrum), contributed to today's political trench warfare.
“I don't want to attribute causality, but I will say it had to do with the intensely partisan environment that has continued almost unabated to this day,” Panagopoulos said.
Bush was “one of the most experienced politicians ever elected,” said Panagopoulos, having previously served as a two-term congressman from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee, United States envoy to China, director of the Central Intelligence Agency and vice president under Ronald Reagan. Bush also served in the US Navy during World War II. His plane was destroyed in the Pacific in 1944.
Bush, a Republican, was in office for only one term, during which Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. However, he was able to score several victories, including his signature Americans with Disabilities Act, expelling Iraqi fighters from Kuwait, helping to end the Cold Warand reduction of global nuclear weapons.
“He was willing to cross the aisle — and let's not forget that during his presidency the Democrats controlled Congress, so it would have been almost impossible to get anything done if he wasn't willing to compromise — and he did it in a way that was respectful.” , said Panagopoulos.
Bush's presidency was not without controversy.
“For all that respect and deference, [Bush’s] The campaign gave us Willie Horton,” Panagopoulos said.
In his 1988 campaign against Gov. Michael S. Doukakis of Massachusetts (who is now Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Northeastern), Bush supporters ran a highly negative television ad which featured William “Willie” Horton, a black man and convicted felon. The ad was made a key point of reference for the “dog whistle politics” genre which exploits, in this case, racist ideology and fear to attract white voters.
“[Bush’s] The campaign gave us a very negative, racially motivated, political campaign that remains one of the classic examples of campaign negativity,” Panagopoulos said.
Overall, however, Bush's legacy is one of “respect, duty and commitment to serving the U.S. in many different capacities,” Panagopoulos said. “And that cannot be ignored.”
His legacy includes his sons, George W. Bush, who was 43rd president of the United States and Jeb Bush, who served two terms as governor of Florida and unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016.
Bush Sr.'s wife, Barbara Bush, too passed away This year. She received Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Northeastern in 1991 for her accomplishments as First Lady and for her advocacy of causes including youth literacy and civil rights.
