George W. Bush: Difference between revisions

On June 1, 2020, Bush released a statement addressing the [[murder of George Floyd]] and the subsequent nationwide [[George Floyd protests|reaction and protests]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Oprysko|first=Caitlin|date=June 2, 2020|title=George W. Bush laments 'shocking failure' in treatment of black Americans|url=https://politico.com/news/2020/06/02/george-w-bush-protest-297133|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804065753/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-w-bush-george-floyd-death-statement|archive-date=August 4, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020|website=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/02/politics/george-w-bush-george-floyd/index.html|title= George W. Bush on George Floyd protests: 'It is time for America to examine our tragic failures'|publisher=CNN|access-date= June 1, 2020}}</ref> In the statement, Bush wrote that he and former first lady [[Laura Bush]] "are anguished by the brutal suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate our country".<ref>{{cite web|last=Watson|first=Kathryn|date=June 2, 2020|title=George W. Bush says George Floyd's death is latest "in a long series of similar tragedies"|url=https://cbsnews.com/news/george-w-bush-george-floyd-death-statement|access-date=June 1, 2020|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> He also elaborated on the racial injustices perpetrated by the police saying, that "it is time for America to examine our tragic failures", adding "Many doubt the justice of our country, and with good reason. Black people see the repeated violation of their rights without an urgent and adequate response from American institutions".<ref>{{cite web|last=Timm|first=Jane C.|date=June 2, 2020|title=Former President George W. Bush: 'It is time for America to examine our tragic failures'|url=https://nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-president-george-w-bush-it-time-america-examine-our-n1222591|access-date=June 1, 2020|publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> On July 30, Bush and his wife, along with former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, attended and spoke at the funeral for civil rights leader and congressman [[John Lewis]] at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/509787-george-w-bush-honors-john-lewis-he-believed-in-america/|title= George W. Bush honors John Lewis: 'He believed in America'|website= The Hill.com|date= July 30, 2020|access-date= July 30, 2020}}</ref>

Among the public, his reputation has improved since his presidency ended in 2009. In February 2012, Gallup reported that "Americans still rate George W. Bush among the worst presidents, though their views have become more positive in the three years since he left office."<ref name="gallup0212">{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=David |title=Gallup: Reagan and Clinton are favorite presidents |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/02/gallup-reagan-and-clinton-are-favorite-presidents/1 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=February 19, 2012 |archive-date=February 20, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220175717/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/02/gallup-reagan-and-clinton-are-favorite-presidents/1 }}</ref> Gallup had earlier noted that Bush's favorability ratings in public opinion surveys had begun to rise a year after he had left office, from 40 percent in January 2009 and 35 percent in March 2009, to 45 percent in July 2010, a period during which he had remained largely out of the news.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/141485/Bill-Clinton-Popular-Barack-Obama.aspx |title=Bill Clinton More Popular Than Barack Obama |date=July 21, 2010 |publisher=Gallup Politics |access-date=January 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122111932/http://www.gallup.com/poll/141485/Bill-Clinton-Popular-Barack-Obama.aspx |archive-date=January 22, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> A poll conducted in June 2013 marked the first time recorded by Gallup where his ratings have been more positive than negative, with 49 percent viewing him favorably compared to 46 percent unfavorably.<ref>{{cite web|date=June 11, 2013|title=Former President George W. Bush's Image Ratings Improve|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/163022/former-president-george-bush-image-ratings-improve.aspx|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Gallup|language=en}}</ref> Other pollsters have noted similar trends of slight improvement <!--by roughly five percentage points--> in Bush's personal favorability since the end of his presidency.<ref name="pollingreport.com">{{cite web |access-date=December 14, 2012 |archive-date=December 25, 2012 |url=http://www.pollingreport.com/BushFav.htm |title=George W. Bush: Favorability Ratings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225135929/http://www.pollingreport.com/BushFav.htm |url-status=live |publisher=pollingreport.com }}</ref> In April 2013, Bush's approval rating stood at 47 percent approval and 50 percent disapproval in a poll jointly conducted for ''[[The Washington Post]]'' and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], his highest approval rating since December 2005.<ref name=":6">{{cite web|last=Mali|first=Meghashyam|date=April 23, 2013|title=Poll: George W. Bush's approval rating rising post-White House|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/148406-poll-george-w-bushs-approval-rating-rising-post-white-house/|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en}}</ref> Bush had achieved notable gains among seniors, non-college whites, and moderate and conservative Democrats since leaving office, although majorities disapproved of his handling of the economy (53 percent) and the Iraq War (57 percent).<ref name="George W. Bush's approval rating just hit a 7-year high. Here's how.">{{cite news |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/23/george-w-bushs-approval-rating-just-hit-a-7-year-high-heres-how/ |title=George W. Bush's approval rating just hit a 7-year high. Here's how. |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |author2=Sullivan, Sean |date=April 23, 2013 |access-date=April 24, 2013}}</ref> His 47 percent approval rating was equal to that of President Obama's in the same polling period.<ref name=":6" /> A CNN poll conducted that same month found that 55 percent of Americans said Bush's presidency had been a failure, with opinions divided along party lines, and 43 percent of independents calling it a success.<ref>{{cite news |last=Steinhauser |first=Paul |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/24/cnn-poll-how-will-history-remember-george-w-bush/comment-page-8/ |title=CNN poll: how will history remember George W. Bush? |publisher=CNN |date=April 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428062154/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/24/cnn-poll-how-will-history-remember-george-w-bush/comment-page-8/ |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Bush's public image saw greater improvement in 2017, with a [[YouGov]] survey showing 51 percent of favorability from Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|title=When judging Presidents, most people rate the past higher than the present|url=https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/2017/10/25/when-judging-presidents-most-people-rate-past-high|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=YouGov|language=en-us}}</ref> A 2018 CNN poll subsequently found that 61 percent of respondents held of a favorable view of Bush, an increase of nine points from 2015.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 2018|title=CNN/SSRS Trump Inaugural Anniversary Poll (page 29)|url=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4356689/Trump-Inaugural-Anniversary.pdf}}</ref> The improvement has been interpreted as Democrats viewing him more favorably in response to [[first presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump's first presidency]],<ref>{{cite web|date=November 3, 2017|title=Democrats Want Trump To Be More Like Bush ... So He Could Actually Accomplish His Agenda?|url=https://reason.com/2017/11/03/democrats-want-trump-to-be-more-like-bus/|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=April 22, 2018 |date=April 25, 2017 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/04/miss-me-yet-george-w-bush-democrats/524175/ |title=How Democrats Came to Feel Nostalgic for George W. Bush|work=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |access-date=April 22, 2018 |date=October 23, 2017 |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/145456/liberals-stop-applauding-george-w-bush |title=Liberals, Stop Applauding George W. Bush|magazine=The New Republic|last1=Heer |first1=Jeet }}</ref> an assessment that has also been expressed by Bush himself.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/376909-bush-says-trump-makes-me-look-pretty-good-by-comparison-report/ |title=Bush says Trump 'makes me look pretty good' by comparison: report |last=Bowden |first=John |date=March 6, 2018 |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=April 22, 2018}}</ref>