Former US President George H.W. Bush dead at age 94
George W. Bush’s emotional final words have been revealed, with a communist leader singing praise for the former US president.
Former US President George H.W Bush has died aged 94, his son George W Bush announced, following a long battle with a form or Parkinson’s disease.
Longtime friend of the 41st American President, James Baker, revealed to the New York TimesMr Bush’s touching final words before he passed away at his home in Houston, Texas.
In his final hours, Mr Bush received a call from his son George W Bush to say a final goodbye.
His son said he’d been a “wonderful dad”, to which Mr Bush replied: “I love you, too”.
He later died, surrounded by friends and family.
Tributes to Mr Bush, dubbed by some as “the most successful one-term president”, flooded in from around the world, even from those on the other side of the political divide.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev only sung praise for the former president, despite communism crumbling on his watch.
“It was a time of great change,” Mr Gorbachev told the Interfax news agency, “demanding great responsibility from everyone. The result was the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.”
Gorbachev said that he and his wife, Raisa, “deeply appreciated the attention, kindness and simplicity typical of George and Barbara Bush, as well as the rest of their large, friendly family.”
Their relationship allowed Bush and Gorbachev to push through some of the most significant US-Russia arms control agreements in history, including the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. They found that mutual arms reduction was the cornerstone of stability between their nations.
It’s a salient lesson at a time when relations between the US and Russia have hit their lowest point since the Cold War, and Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have called for substantial investments in new nuclear weapons, risking a return to an arms race.
“Gorbachev and Bush showed that cooperation on arms reduction can have a very stabilising effect on the situation and the relationship,” Mr Gorbachevs former translator, Pavel Palazhchenko said.
BUSH FAMILY’S TOUCHING STATEMENT
Mr Bush’s son revealed his father’s passing today in an emotional statement.
“Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died,” George W Bush wrote.
“George H.W Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for.
“The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens.”
Statement by the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, on the passing of his father this evening at the age 94. pic.twitter.com/oTiDq1cE7h
— Jim McGrath (@jgm41) December 1, 2018
Statement by President George W. Bush on the death of his father, President George H.W. Bush https://t.co/wDD0vnlN8U pic.twitter.com/t7UsDYSKY8
— George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) December 1, 2018
Current president Donald Trump and first lady Melania said they “join with a grieving nation to mourn the loss” of George Bush Snr.
“Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family and his country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service — to be, in his words, “a thousand points of light” illuminating the greatness, hope and opportunity of America to the world,” a Trump issued statement read.
Mr Trump also cancelled a planned news conference at the Group of 20 summit in Argentina, “out of respect for the Bush Family”
I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 1, 2018
....However, out of respect for the Bush Family and former President George H.W. Bush we will wait until after the funeral to have a press conference.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 1, 2018
“President Bush always found a way to set the bar higher … with sound judgment, common sense and unflappable leadership, President Bush guided our nation, and the world, to a peaceful and victorious conclusion of the Cold War.
“As president, he set the stage for the decades of prosperity that have followed. And through all that he accomplished, he remained humble, following the quiet call to service that gave him a clear sense of direction.
“We will remember President Bush for his devotion to family — especially the love of his life, Barbara. His example lives on, and will continue to stir future Americans to pursue a greater cause.”
Statement from President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the Passing of Former President George H.W. Bush pic.twitter.com/qxPsp4Ggs7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 1, 2018
Former president Barack Obama said the nation had lost a patriot.
Mr Obama credited him with “expanding America’s promise to new immigrants and people with disabilities and reducing the scourge of nuclear weapons to build a broad international coalition.
“And when democratic revolutions bloomed across Eastern Europe, it was his steady, diplomatic hand that made possible an achievement once thought anything but — ending the Cold War without firing a shot,” he said.
Former US Secretary of State James Baker said his legacy would forever be etched in the history of America and the world.
That legacy was marked well before his passing an indeed his inauguration as president which was praised for humility and unity.
“Some see leadership as high drama, and the sound of trumpets calling, and sometimes it is that,” he said at his inauguration. “But I see history as a book with many pages, and each day we fill a page with acts of hopefulness and meaning. The new breeze blows, a page turns, the story unfolds.”
Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard said: “The late President possessed an endearing sense of humour and always exhibited immense public grace. He was the patriarch of a great American family.
“At all times he was a true friend of Australia. He visited our country on a number of occasions. He was the first American president to address a joint sitting of our national parliament,” he wrote in a statement.
“I extend my deep sympathy to the late President’s family. He exemplified the best of his nation’s values in both war and peace.”
Former US President Bill Clinton said he was “forever grateful for the friendship we formed.”
“From the moment I met him as a young governor invited to his home in Kennebunkport, I was struck by the kindness he showed to Chelsea, by his innate and genuine decency, and by his devotion to Barbara, his children, and their growing brood,” he said.
“I will never forget George H.W. Bush and President Clinton meeting me in my old hometown of New Orleans to show support and raise money after Hurricane Katrina. I send my love to his family tonight,” Ellen DeGeneres wrote on Twitter.
The New York Stock Exchange announced that it would close for one day in honour of Bush.
CARTOON GOES VIRAL, GIVES COMFORT
Clarion Ledger cartoonist Marshall Ramsey showed Bush flying his TBM Avenger, the same plane he flew in the Navy during World War II, up into the clouds to join his wife who passed away in April and their young daughter, Robin, who died from leukaemia at age 3 in 1953 in a cartoon which has gone viral.
Jenna Bush Hager, Bush’s granddaughter and Today Show personality in the US, shared the cartoon saying it gave her comfort.
“I had the opportunity to talk with my grandpa about the afterlife. This is what he said: He answered without any hesitation. ‘Yes, I think about it. I used to be afraid. I used to be scared of dying. I used to worry about death. But now in some ways I look forward to it.”’
Jenna continued: “And I started crying. I managed to choke out, ‘Well, why? What do you look forward to?’ And he said, ‘Well, when I die I’m going to be reunited with these people that I’ve lost.’ And I asked who he hoped to see He replied, ‘I hope I see Robin, and I hope I see [Barbara]. I haven’t yet figured out if it will be Robin as the three-year-old that she was this kind of chubby, vivacious child or if she’ll come as a middle-aged woman, an older woman. And then he said, “I hope she’s the three-year-old.”
GESTURE GOES VIRAL
A handwritten note from George Bush Snr. penned to Bill Clinton, who defeated him after one term in 1992, has gone viral in the hours after his death.
The gracious message was dated January 20, 1993. Mr Bush wrote:
“When I walked into this office just now I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too.
“I wish you great happiness here. I never felt the loneliness some presidents have described.
“There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.
“You will be our president when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well.
“Your success is now our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.”
George H.W. Bush’s letter to Bill Clinton, Inaugural Day 1993: pic.twitter.com/DDoObe0Anv
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) September 3, 2017
BERLIN CALLS BUSH THE ‘ARCHITECT’ OF GERMAN UNITY
German leaders paid tribute to Bush for his role in their country’s reunification, calling him a “true friend”.
Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined the role that Bush played in overseeing the end of the Cold War.
“Germany owes a lot to George H.W. Bush,” she said in a statement. “It was a stroke of luck in German history that he was at the head of the United States of America when the Cold War came to an end and Germany’s reunification became possible.
“The German people had a true friend in him ...” because at that historical moment he ” … gave us his trust and support”, Ms Merkel added.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said German unification in 1990 would “not have been possible without the trust and friendship” of the US and Bush.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Bush had been “among the architects of German unity” who supported unity “without reservations” from the start.
“In 1989, at a time of upheaval and challenges, when the blocs were staggering and the decades-long confrontation was beginning to crumble, he bravely seized the opportunity to end the Cold War,” Maas said.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, west and east Germany were unified in 1990.
THE 41ST PRESIDENT
George H.W Bush’s death follows that of his wife of 73 years, Barbara, who died aged 92 on April 17.
It was revealed at Barbara Bush’s funeral that George had been hospitalised at the same time as her.
“I think Dad got sick on purpose so that he could be with her,” Jeb Bush said during his eulogy to his mother.
George was admitted back into hospital the day after Barbara’s funeral when an existing infection spread to his blood.
Bush also spent time at Southern Maine Health care in May after he experienced fatigue and low blood pressure. He was taken there after he met with other military veterans for a pancake breakfast at the American Legion Post 159 in Kennebunkport.
He had spent every summer in the seaside town since childhood, except during World War II while he was a naval aviator.
Bush was the patriarch of one of America’s most formidable political dynasties. Not only was he the 41st President of the United States, he served as Vice President under Ronald Reagan for two terms, from 1981 to 1989, and his eldest son George W Bush also attained the White House as the 43rd President. His second son, Jeb, was the first two-term Republican governor of Florida and was an unsuccessful contender for the GOP’s nomination for the presidency in 2016, losing to Donald Trump.
EARLY DAYS: MILITARY CAREER AND MAKING MONEY
Prior to his political career, Bush served in the US Navy as an aviator during the Second World War.
Following his discharge from the military, he obtained a degree in economics at Yale before moving to Texas and establishing his own oil company. He proved to be a successful businessman and was a millionaire by the age of 40.
Developing an interest in politics, Bush joined the Republican party in 1959 and a few years later ran an unsuccessful campaign for the US Senate.
In 1971, he was appointed by then President, Richard Nixon, as US ambassador to the United Nations. He continued to support Nixon when the Watergate Scandal broke in 1973, but as Chairman of the Republican National Committee he eventually asked Nixon to resign for the good of the party.
Bush then took on the role of director of the CIA in the mid 1970s.
TWELVE YEARS IN THE SEAT OF POWER
In 1980, Bush became Vice President of the United States after losing the primaries to Ronald Reagan, who later won the general election. Together they served two terms in the White House.
In 1988, Bush ran for President, and won.
During his time as president, the Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet Union and communism collapsed, and the Cold War ended.
Bush’s actions after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait led to the destruction of Iraq’s armies and the restoration of Kuwait’s independence.
Bush’s popularity declined massively in 1990 after he broke a campaign promise not to raise taxes.
In 1992, Bush failed to be re-elected, losing to Bill Clinton. Eight years later, he helped his eldest son, George W Bush, become president by joining him on the campaign trail.
A STEADFAST UNION
Barbara Bush (nee Pierce) first met George H.W. Bush when she was 17 years old and they married in January 1945, when she was 19.
They had six children and were married longer than any presidential couple in American history.
The Bushes were renowned for the happiness of their marriage, which was underscored with gentle good humour.
George Jr revealed that a “crowning achievement” of his father, who was fond of coming up with nicknames for friends and family, was anointing Barbara, “The Silver Fox” in honour of her snowy white hair.
Upon her death, a spokesman for George Sr said he was “broken-hearted to lose his beloved Barbara, wife of 73 years. He held her hand all day today and was at her side when she left this good Earth.”
DECLINING HEALTH
Recent years have seen the former president’s health decline, including a diagnosis of vascular Parkinsonism that has left him wheelchair bound.
In April 2017, Bush spent two weeks in hospital for treatment of pneumonia and chronic bronchitis, a constant irritation of the lining of tubes that carry air to one’s lungs. Bush’s doctors said chronic bronchitis is a condition more prevalent with age and can aggravate the symptoms of pneumonia. Bush was hospitalised for 16 days in January 2017 for pneumonia. During that hospital stay, which included time in intensive care, doctors inserted a breathing tube and connected him to a ventilator.
He also was hospitalised in 2015 in Maine after falling at home and breaking a bone in his neck, and in December 2014 for about a week for shortness of breath. He spent Christmas 2012 in intensive care for a bronchitis-related cough and other issues.
Last year, he was one of many men in power who faced allegations of sexual harassment. Several women came forward to make claims against Bush, with accusations dating as far back to 1992. A spokesman for Bush said he apologised for any offence caused and that any inappropriate touching was “unintentional”.
TIMELINE
1924: George Herbert Walker Bush born on June 12 in Massachusetts to parents Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush.
1941: Bush postpones his university studies to enlist in the US Navy following attacks on Pearl Harbor. He had just turned 18 and was the Navy’s youngest aviator at the time.
1944: Bush’s plane is hit by enemy fire but he manages to complete his mission before ejecting from the plane. He is eventually rescued by a submarine.
1945: In January, Bush marries Barbara Pierce. Later that year, he receives an honourable discharge after the end of World War II.
1946: George and Barbara have the first of their six children — George W Bush, who will later follow his father’s footsteps to the White House.
1948: Graduates from Yale University with a degree in economics after just two and a half years of study.
1951: Bush gets into the oil and petroleum business. His success leads him to becoming a millionaire.
1964: After taking on the role as Chairman of the Republican Party in Texas, Bush decides to run for a seat in the US Senate but is unsuccessful.
1966: Elected to the House of Representatives.
1971: Becomes the US ambassador to the United Nations.
1976: Takes on the role as the director of the CIA.
1980: Bush campaigns to be president but is beaten in the primaries by Ronald Reagan, who wins the Presidency. Reagan selects Bush to be his vice President.
1984: Reagan is re-elected and Bush continues to serves as vice president.
1988: Bush finally wins the Presidential election after beating Democrat Michael Dukakis at the polls, becoming the 41st President of the United States.
1990: Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against those who are disabled. It is considered one of the greatest achievements during his presidency. He also increases taxes, breaking his “no new taxes” campaign promise. The move sees him lose public support.
1992: Bush loses the election to Bill Clinton.
2000: Joins the campaign of his eldest son, George W. Bush, who is elected as president.
2005: Teams up with Bill Clinton to raise funds for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. They raise more than US$100 million within just a few months.
2011: President Barack Obama presents Bush with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2012: Bush suffers health problems and is diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s.
2017: Bush is accused of sexual harassment with allegations dating back to 1992.
2018: His wife of 73 years, Barbara, dies at home in Houston, aged 92.
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