George H. W. Bush

== Post-presidency (1993–2018) ==
{{Main|Post-presidency of George H. W. Bush}}

=== Appearances ===
After leaving office, Bush and his wife built a retirement house in the community of [[West Oaks, Houston]].<ref name=Feldman>{{cite news |last=Feldman |first=Claudia |url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1992_1099189 |title=Moving back to the 'hood .../CITIZEN BUSH |work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |date=December 13, 1992 |page=Lifestyle p. 1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208154849/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1992_1099189 |archive-date=December 8, 2012 }}</ref> He established a presidential office within the Park Laureate Building on [[Memorial Drive (Houston)|Memorial Drive]] in Houston.<ref>"[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ST&s_site=dfw&p_multi=ST&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF8EDE5F8E0428&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D Bushes upbeat for step-down]". ''[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]''. January 10, 1993. 1 News. Retrieved October 15, 2012. "Bush's Houston office will be in the Park Laureate Building on Memorial Drive"</ref> He also frequently spent time at his vacation home in Kennebunkport, took annual cruises in Greece, went on fishing trips in Florida, and visited the [[Bohemian Club]] in Northern California. He declined to serve on corporate boards but delivered numerous paid speeches and was an adviser to [[The Carlyle Group]], a private equity firm.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=540–541}} He never published his memoirs, but he and Brent Scowcroft co-wrote ''[[A World Transformed]]'', a 1998 work on foreign policy. Portions of his letters and his diary were later published as ''The China Diary of George H.&nbsp;W. Bush'' and ''[[All the Best (book)|All the Best, George Bush]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lozada |first1=Carlos |title=The memoir I wish George H.W. Bush had written |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/book-party/wp/2018/12/01/feature/the-memoir-i-wish-george-h-w-bush-had-written/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>

During a 1993 visit to Kuwait, Bush was targeted in an assassination plot directed by the [[Iraqi Intelligence Service]]. President Clinton retaliated when he ordered the [[1993 cruise missile strikes on Iraq|firing]] of 23 [[cruise missile]]s at Iraqi Intelligence Service headquarters in [[Baghdad]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/longroad/etc/assassination.html |title=frontline: the long road to war: assassination |publisher=PBS |access-date=September 5, 2010}}</ref> Bush did not publicly comment on the assassination attempt or the missile strike, but privately spoke with Clinton shortly before the strike took place.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=541–543}}

In the [[1994 United States gubernatorial elections|1994 gubernatorial elections]], his sons George W. and Jeb concurrently ran for [[Governor of Texas]] and [[Governor of Florida]]. Concerning their political careers, he advised them both that "[a]t some point both of you may want to say 'Well, I don't agree with my Dad on that point' or 'Frankly I think Dad was wrong on that.' Do it. Chart your own course, not just on the issues but on defining yourselves".{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=546–549}} George W. won his race against [[Ann Richards]] while Jeb lost to [[Lawton Chiles]]. After the results came in, the elder Bush told ABC, "I have very mixed emotions. Proud father, is the way I would sum it all up."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/09/us/1994-elections-nation-bushes-texas-elects-george-w-while-florida-rejects-jeb.html |title=The 1994 Elections: The Nation The Bushes; Texas Elects George W. While Florida Rejects Jeb |date=November 9, 1994 |first=Sam Howe |last=Verhovek |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Jeb would again run for governor of Florida in 1998 and win at the same time that his brother George W. won re-election in Texas. It marked the second time in United States history that a pair of brothers served simultaneously as governors.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rosenbaum |first=David E. |date=November 4, 1998 |title=George W. Bush Is Re-elected in Texas; His Brother Jeb Is Victorious in Florida |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/04/us/1998-elections-nation-governors-george-w-bush-re-elected-texas-his-brother-jeb.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 30, 2018}}</ref>

[[File:G & B. Bush F-SD-03-15575.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|George and Barbara Bush, 2001]]

Bush supported his son's candidacy in the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 presidential election]] but did not actively campaign in the election and did not deliver a speech at the [[2000 Republican National Convention]].{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=552–555}} George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in the 2000 election and was re-elected in 2004. Bush and his son thus became the second father–son pair to each serve as President of the United States, following [[John Adams]] and [[John Quincy Adams]].{{sfn|Meacham|2015|p=560}} Through previous administrations, the elder Bush had ubiquitously been known as "George Bush" or "President Bush", but following his son's election, the need to distinguish between them has made [[retronym]]ic forms such as "George H.&nbsp;W. Bush" and "George Bush Sr." and colloquialisms such as "Bush 41" and "Bush the Elder" more common.<ref>{{cite book |title=41: A Portrait of My Father |first=George W. |last=Bush |author-link=George W. Bush |publisher=Crown Publishers |isbn=978-0-553-44778-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/41portraitofmyfa0000bush/page/265 265] |year=2014 |url=https://archive.org/details/41portraitofmyfa0000bush/page/265 }}</ref> Bush advised his son on some personnel choices, approving of the selection of Dick Cheney as running mate and the retention of [[George Tenet]] as CIA Director. However, he was not consulted on all appointments, including that of his old rival, Donald Rumsfeld, as Secretary of Defense.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=554, 563–564}} Though he avoided giving unsolicited advice to his son, Bush and his son also discussed some policy matters, especially regarding national security issues.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=567–568}}

In his retirement, Bush used the public spotlight to support various charities.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|pp=582–583}} Despite earlier political differences with Bill Clinton, the two former presidents eventually became friends.<ref>{{cite news |last=Healy |first=Patrick |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/19/us/politics/19memo.html |title=A Candidacy That May Test a Friendship's Ties |work=The New York Times |date=May 19, 2007 |access-date=May 22, 2011}}</ref> They appeared together in television ads, encouraging aid for victims of the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami]] and [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/PersonOfWeek/story?id=1446477 |title=People of the Year: Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush |work=ABC News |date=December 27, 2005 |access-date=September 5, 2010}}</ref> However, when interviewed by Jon Meacham, Bush criticized Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and even his son George W. Bush for their handling of foreign policy after the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/george-hw-bush-dick-cheney-donald-rumsfeld-iraq-jon-meacham/414343/|title=George H.W. Bush's Feuds With Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney Go Back 40 Years|first=David A.|last=Graham|date=November 5, 2015|website=The Atlantic}}</ref>

=== Final years ===
[[File:Five Presidents Oval Office.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|From left to right: George H.&nbsp;W. Bush, [[Barack Obama]], [[George W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Jimmy Carter]]]]

Bush supported Republican [[John McCain]] in the 2008 presidential election,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/18/AR2008021800930.html |title=George H. W. Bush Endorses McCain for President |date=February 18, 2008 |access-date=March 28, 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> and Republican [[Mitt Romney]] in the 2012 presidential election,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/George-HW-Bush-endorses-Romney/52521333006200/ |title=George H.W. Bush endorses Romney |date=March 29, 2012 |work=United Press International}}</ref> but both were defeated by Democrat [[Barack Obama]]. In 2011, Obama awarded Bush with the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the highest civilian honor in the United States.{{sfn|Meacham|2015|p=598}}

Bush supported his son Jeb's bid in the [[2016 Republican Party presidential primaries|2016 Republican primaries]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/11/bush-father-son-want-jeb-bush-white-house/18873307/ |title=Bush father, son want Jeb Bush to run for White House |date=November 11, 2014 |newspaper=The Arizona Republic}}</ref> Jeb Bush's campaign struggled, however, and he withdrew from the race during the primaries. Neither George H.&nbsp;W. nor George W. Bush endorsed the eventual Republican nominee, [[Donald Trump]];<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/05/05/george-w-bush-trump-former-presidents/83962432/ |title=Bush 41, 43 won't be endorsing Trump |first=Eliza |last=Collins |newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> all three Bushes emerged as frequent critics of Trump's policies and speaking style, while Trump frequently criticized George W. Bush's presidency. George H.&nbsp;W. later said he voted for the Democratic nominee, [[Hillary Clinton]], in the general election.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/04/both-bush-presidents-openly-condemned-trump-book-claims-one-even-voted-for-clinton/ |title=White House attacks legacies of both Bush presidents after reports they refused to vote for Trump |last=Selk |first=Avi |date=November 4, 2017 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 4, 2017}}</ref> After the election, Bush wrote a letter to President-elect Donald Trump in January 2017 to inform him that because of his poor health, he would not be able to attend [[Inauguration of Donald Trump|Trump's inauguration]] on January 20; he gave him his best wishes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Feliks |title=George HW Bush sends personal note to Donald Trump on why he can't attend inauguration |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/george-hw-bush-donald-trump-inauguration-letter-president-attendance-a7534221.html |access-date=January 18, 2017 |work=The Independent |date=January 18, 2017}}</ref>

In August 2017, after the violence at [[Unite the Right rally]] in [[Charlottesville, Virginia]], both presidents Bush released a joint statement saying, "America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms[. ...] As we pray for Charlottesville, we are all reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city's most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4903103/george-bush-president-statement-hatred-charlottesville/|title= Both Presidents Bush Condemn Hatred a Day After Trump's Press Conference|magazine= [[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date= May 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/16/16156738/george-hw-bush-george-w-bush-statement-charlottesville-trump|title= Presidents George Bush and G.W. Bush issue joint statement condemning racism and anti-Semitism|website= [[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date= August 16, 2017|access-date= May 3, 2020}}</ref>

On April 17, 2018, Barbara Bush died at the age of 92<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nemy |first1=Enid |title=Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President and Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/us/barbara-bush-dead.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/us/barbara-bush-dead.html |archive-date=January 2, 2022 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 17, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> at her home in Houston, Texas. Her funeral was held at [[St. Martin's Episcopal Church (Houston)|St. Martin's Episcopal Church]] in Houston four days later.<ref name="houstonchroniclebushfamilyreleases">{{cite news|last1=Kamath|first1=Tulsi|title=Bush family releases details on Barbara Bush's funeral, public visitation|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Funeral-information-for-Barbara-Bush-has-been-12842950.php|access-date=April 18, 2018|work=Houston Chronicle|date=April 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Linge|first1=Mary Kay|title=Presidents pay their respects as Barbara Bush is laid to rest|url=https://nypost.com/2018/04/21/presidents-pay-their-respects-as-barbara-bush-is-laid-to-rest/|access-date=April 21, 2018|work=New York Post|date=April 21, 2018}}</ref> Bush, along with former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush (son), Bill Clinton and First Ladies [[Melania Trump]], [[Michelle Obama]], [[Laura Bush]] (daughter-in-law) and Hillary Clinton attended the funeral and posed together for a photo as a sign of unity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/barbara-bush-funeral-today-trump-melania-presidents/story?id=54630500|title=Barbara Bush remembered at funeral as 'the first lady of the greatest generation'|work=ABC News|first=Morgan|last=Winsor|date=April 21, 2018|access-date=April 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/23/politics/presidents-picture-barbara-bush-funeral-photographer/index.html|title= The story behind that viral photo of the past 4 presidents all in the same place|publisher= [[CNN]]|date= April 23, 2018|access-date= May 8, 2020}}</ref>

On November 1, 2018, Bush went to the polls to vote early in the midterm elections. This would be his final public appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/politics/george-hw-bush-final-public-appearance-voting/|title= George H.W. Bush Was Last Seen in Public 1 Month Before Death — and It Was to Vote with His Dog|website= [[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date= May 8, 2020}}</ref>

=== Death and funeral ===
{{Main|Death and state funeral of George H. W. Bush}}
[[File:The United States Capitol (46125518422).jpg|thumb|upright=.95|Members of the public pay their respects at the casket of President Bush [[lying in state]] in the [[United States Capitol rotunda|Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol]] in Washington, D.C.]]
After a long battle with vascular [[Parkinson's disease]], Bush [[Death and state funeral of George H. W. Bush|died at his home]] in Houston on November 30, 2018, at the age of 94.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former President George H.W. Bush dead at 94 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-george-hw-bush-dead-94/story?id=44866630 |work=ABC News |date=December 1, 2018 |access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nytimes_obituary">{{cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |date=November 30, 2018 |title=George Bush, 41st President, Dies at 94 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/us/politics/george-hw-bush-dies.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/us/politics/george-hw-bush-dies.html |archive-date=January 2, 2022 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 30, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At the time of his death he was the [[List of presidents of the United States by age|longest-lived U.S. president]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Bowden |first=John |date=November 25, 2017 |title=Bush 41 becomes longest-living president in US history |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/361795-bush-41-becomes-longest-living-president-in-us-history/ |work=The Hill |location=Washington, D.C. | access-date=November 25, 2017}}</ref> a distinction now held by Jimmy Carter.<ref>{{cite news|last=Barrow| first=Bill| title=Jimmy Carter's new milestone: Longest-lived U.S. president| work=The Detroit News| url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/carter-president-longest-lived/39240613/| date=March 22, 2019| access-date=March 22, 2019}}</ref> He was also the [[List of vice presidents of the United States by age|third-oldest vice president]].{{efn|The longest-lived U.S. vice president is [[John Nance Garner]], who died on November 7, 1967, 15 days short of his 99th birthday.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Janna |date=January 22, 2009 |title=Texans who were presidents, vice-presidents |url=http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/leisure/texans-who-were-presidents-vice-presidents/article_6b538cd2-aa2a-53a2-bc6f-6df30cfadf71.html |work=Fort Hood Sentinel |location=Fort Hood, Texas |access-date=April 22, 2018}}</ref>}} Bush [[Lying in state#United States|lay in state]] in the [[United States Capitol rotunda|Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol]] from December 3 through December 5; he was the 12th U.S. president to be accorded this honor.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bush-expected-to-lie-in-state-in-us-capitol-in-line-with-tradition-trump-to-attend-funeral| title=George H.W. Bush to lie in state in US Capitol; Trump to attend funeral| last1=Pergram| first1=Chad| last2=Shaw| first2=Adam| others=[[John Roberts (journalist)|John Roberts]] contributed to this report| date=December 1, 2018|publisher=Fox News| access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=Individuals Who Have Lain in State or in Honor| url=https://history.house.gov/Institution/Lie-In-State/Lie-In-State-Honor/| publisher=Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> Then, on December 5, Bush's casket was transferred from the Capitol rotunda to [[Washington National Cathedral]] where a state funeral was held.<ref name=cbsnewsfuneral>{{cite news| author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->| title=Thousands honor former President George H.W. Bush at National Cathedral funeral| date=December 6, 2018| publisher=CBS News| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/president-george-h-w-bush-funeral-national-cathedral-washington-dc-live-stream-today-2018-12-05/| access-date=January 19, 2019}}</ref> After the funeral, Bush's body was transported to George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in [[College Station, Texas]], where he was buried next to his wife Barbara and daughter Robin.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/us/bush-texas-funeral-burial.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/us/bush-texas-funeral-burial.html |archive-date=January 2, 2022 |url-access=limited |url-status=live | title=For George Bush, One Last Funeral, and then a 70-Mile Train Ride| newspaper=The New York Times| date=December 12, 2018| last1=Fernandez| first1=Manny}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At the funeral, former president George W. Bush eulogized his father saying,
"He looked for the good in each person, and he usually found it."<ref name=cbsnewsfuneral/>