George W. Bush

43rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-200943rd President George W. Bush, 2001-2009

43rd President George W. Bush, 2001-2009

43rd President of the United States
(January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009)

Full Name: George Walker Bush
Nicknames: "W"

Born: July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut

Father: George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018)
Mother: Barbara Pierce Bush (1925-2018)
Married: Laura Welch (1946- ), on November 5, 1977
Children: Barbara Pierce Bush (1981- ), Jenna Welch Bush (1981- )

Religion: Methodist
Education: Graduated from Yale University (1968); Graduated from Harvard Business School (1975)
Occupation: Businessman
Political Party: Republican
Other Government Positions:

  • Governor of Texas, 1995-2000

Presidential Salary: $400,000/year + $50,000 expense account

Presidential Election Results:

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
2000George W. Bush50,456,002 271
(map)Al Gore50,999,897266
(Votes Not Cast)1

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
2004George W. Bush62,040,003286
(map)John Kerry59,027,335251
John Edwards1

Vice President: Richard B. Cheney (2001-09)

Cabinet:

Secretary of State
Colin L. Powell (2001-05)
Condoleezza Rice (2005-09)
Secretary of the Treasury
Paul O'Neill (2001-02)
John W. Snow (2003-06)
Henry M. Paulson, Jr. (2006-09)
Secretary of Defense
Donald H. Rumsfeld (2001-06)
Robert M. Gates (2006-09)
Attorney General
John Ashcroft (2001-05)
Alberto Gonzales (2005-07)
Michael Mukasey (2007-09)
Secretary of the Interior
Gale Norton (2001-06)
Dirk Kempthorne (2006-09)
Secretary of Agriculture
Ann Veneman (2001-05)
Mike Johanns (2005-07)
Ed Schafer (2008-09)
Secretary of Commerce
Don Evans (2001-05)
Carlos Gutierrez (2005-09)
Secretary of Labor
Elaine Chao (2001-09)
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Tommy G. Thompson (2001-05)
Michael O. Leavitt (2005-09)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Mel Martinez (2001-04)
Alphonso Jackson (2004-08)
Steve Preston (2008-09)
Secretary of Transportation
Norman Y. Mineta (2001-06)
Mary E. Peters (2006-09)
Secretary of Energy
Spencer Abraham (2001-05)
Samuel W. Bodman (2005-09)
Secretary of Education
Roderick R. Paige (2001-05)
Margaret Spellings (2005-09)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Anthony Principi (2001-05)
R. James Nicholson (2005-07)
James B. Peake (2007-09)
Secretary of Homeland Security
Tom Ridge (2003-2005)
Michael Chertoff (2005-09)

Supreme Court Justices:
John Roberts, Chief (2005- )
Samuel Alito (2006- )

Notable Events:
  • 2001
    • On September 11, terrorists flew hijacked airplanes into both towers of the World Trade Center and into the Pentagon. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
    • On October 7, Bush announced the beginning of military action in Afghanistan.
  • 2002
    • In September, Bush addressed Congress and the UN Security Council to make a case for action against Iraq. Congress authorized force on October 10.
  • 2003
  • 2005
    • On August 28, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast causing devastation to New Orleans and surrounding areas.
  • 2007
  • 2008
    • On September 15, Lehman Brothers investment bank collapsed signaling the start of a global financial crisis.
    • Over the next three months, Bush signed bailout legislation for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, General Motors, Chrysler, AIG, and others.
Internet Biographies:
George W. Bush -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
Compiled by the White House.
George W. Bush -- from The American President
From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
George W. Bush -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
Facts about Bush and his presidency.
George W. Bush: Easy to underestimate -- from USA Today
Some history of Bush and his stance on major campaign issues. Written by the Associated Press.
George Walker Bush -- from Infoplease.com
Standard presidential biography.
The Life of George W. Bush -- from The Washington Post
Photo album of Bush's life from childhood until he ran for president.
Videos:
Other Internet Resources:
The George W. Bush Childhood Home
Located in Midland, Texas this is where the Bush family lived from 1951-1955. Celebrates the lives of two presidents.
George W. Bush Presidential Center
The Center works for domestic excellence and global leadership. Includes a museum and archives.
Health and Medical History of George W. Bush
Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
Points of Interest:
Additional Facts:
  • Bush was one of two managing general partners of the Texas Rangers baseball club from 1989-1994.
  • Of the 6 million votes cast in Florida in the 2000 election, Bush won the state's 25 electoral votes by 537 votes.
  • Bush is the only president to have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
  • Bush's 2002 State of the Union address was the first broadcast live on the Internet.
  • Bush was the first president to serve in the Air National Guard.
  • Bush was the first president to attend an Olympic Games in a foreign country. He attended the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
  • Bush was the first president to leave office while both parents still lived.
  • In 1993, Bush ran the Houston Marathon finishing in 3 hours 44 minutes. He is the only president to have ever completed a marathon at some point in their life.
Quotes:

“Life takes its own turns, makes its own demands, writes its own story, and along the way, we start to realize we are not the author.”

“If you don’t feel something strongly you’re not going to achieve.”

“We will bring the terrorists to justice; or we will bring justice to the terrorists. Either way, justice will be done.”

“Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.”

Previous President: Bill Clinton
Next President: Barack Obama