The George H.W. Bush Years
1988-1992
Capitalizing on President Ronald Reagan’s popularity, Vice President George H.W. Bush ran for office and became the 41st President in 1988, with Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle as his vice president. Budget deficits leftover from the Reagan administration were a major problem for the incoming policy makers. Bush broke a campaign pledge and raised taxes.
His foreign policy decisions included military action in Panama, followed by a much larger operation, the Gulf War. He felt the war presented an opportunity for a new world order. There were also major events that changed the world’s political landscape. 1n 1989, the Berlin wall came down and, in December 26,1991, the Soviet Union dissolved. Bush’s military successes helped his popularity soared to 89%, a record high. He also appointed two Supreme Court justices during his time in office.
Despite his successes, the President’s polling numbers declined significantly due to an ailing economy, high unemployment numbers and his broken pledge not to increase taxes. All those factors helped a young governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton, capture the presidency in 1992. Just prior to leaving office President Bush pardoned six senior White House officials who had been involved in the Iran/Contra affair during the Reagan years.
On February 5, 1992, President Bush visited the National Grocers Association in Orlando, Florida. Some reports indicated the president was “amazed” by the technology and implied he was out of touch with the public. Others have denied the implication.
On October 13, 1988, the final presidential debate of the campaign took place at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. A dramatic question from CNN’s Bernard Shaw to Gov. Michael Dukakis became one of the most memorable moments of the entire campaign. (Credit: CNN)
The most remembered line from George Bush’s acceptance speech at the 1988 RNC was, “Read my lips…no new taxes!”. During his bid for re-election, those words came back to haunt him. He compromised with a Democratically-controlled Congress in 1990 and raised taxes to reduce the deficit. His competitors called him untrustworthy. (Credit: CNN)
Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis rode in an Abrams M1-A1-A tank on September 13, 1988. Trying to present a strong national defense image, Gov. Dukakis unfortunately donned a helmet that caused laughter among the assembled press corps. (Credit AP – Michael E. Samojeden)
Vice-President Bush with Sen. Dan Quayle in New Orleans on August 16, 1988. This was the initial introduction of Sen. Quayle as Bush’s running mate on the Republican ticket. Despite the surprise announcement, CNN was able to carry the event live. (Credit: CNN)
Before the start of the First Gulf War, President Bush traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with U.S. and British troops. During the visit. Gen. Norman Sckwarzkopf escorted the president around in an armored Humvee at an undisclosed location within Scud missile range of the Kuwaiti border. (Credit: David Valdez)
