George W. Bush – 43

George W Bush President 43 Presidents List

Introduction

George W. Bush served as the 43rd President of the United States. He served for two consecutive terms from 2001 to 2009. He is the son of George H. W. Bush who served as the 41st President of the United States. One of the most significant events during his presidency was the 9/11 attacks which mostly defined the Bush presidency.

Early Life

George W. Bush was born to the Bush family in 1946 in Connecticut. He grew up in Texas and had a brief military career in the Texas Air National Guard. He later gained business education from the Harvard Business School. After his business education, he launched his own business.

Political Career before Presidency

In 1978, Bush decided to launch his political career. He ran for a seat at the U.S. House of Representatives but lost the elections. When his father, George H. W. Bush ran for the office of the Presidency in 1988, Bush served as his father’s campaign advisor.

He gained valuable experience in this position. In 1995, Bush decided to contest the elections for the governorship of Texas. He won the elections and was re-elected to the position in 1998. During his term as the Texas Governor, his popularity remained high and he decided to participate in the 2000 presidential campaign.

Election as the President

During the 2000 presidential campaign, Bush’s main rival was Al Gore. He was able to defeat Al Gore and became the 43rd President of the United States.

Important Events during Presidency

The most significant event during the Bush presidency was the 9/11 attacks. In coordinated attacks, the terrorist group Al-Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 Americans while causing a significant damage to the U.S. economy. These attacks led to an immediate response from the Bush government.

President Bush and his administration decided to launch a war in Afghanistan, and later in Iraq, in response to these attacks. Terrorism became a key issue during the first term of President Bush.

President Bush and War on Terror

Following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush launched the War on Terror. This was a concerted military and non-military effort of the U.S. government to counter terrorism at all levels. As a part of this war, United States launched military invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the measures taken as a part of this war led to a direct decline in Bush’s popularity.

Re-election and Second Presidential Term

In 2004, Bush ran for re-election as the President. He won the elections and continued to serve for another four years.

Great Recession

During the second presidential term, President Bush faced the problem of Great Recession. This was a notable decline in the American economy which ultimately led to a Global Recession. The recession led to the collapse of a number of major financial institutions in the United States.

It also greatly increased unemployment rates domestically. The financial downturn contributed significantly in decreasing the popularity ratings of President Bush. By the time he left office in 2009, Bush had one of the lowest popularity ratings of any American president.

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