The Political Rise of George H.W. Bush (1924-1988) | Full Documentary | American Experience PBS

The man behind a political dynasty. When George. H.W. Bush left the Oval Office in 1993, rejected after one tumultuous presidential term, his 30-year career in public service came to an abrupt and unexpected end. Despite soaring approval ratings following military victory in the Persian Gulf, his years as president after the war were marked by almost unrelieved decline. A sluggish economy and an earlier decision to raise taxes, despite an explicit campaign oath, led to his defeat. By the end of his term many observers dismissed him as an artifact of an irrelevant Cold War past. GEORGE H.W. BUSH reveals the 41st president as a pivotal player during a critical moment in U.S. and world history and in a powerful political dynasty, drawing upon unparalleled access to figures in George H.W. Bush’s private and public life, his personal letters, and interviews with his advisors and critics, including First Lady Barbara Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Mikhail Gorbachev, and more. PART ONE (1924-1988) follows George H.W. Bush from his childhood in Greenwich, CT, into WWII as the youngest combat pilot in the U.S. Navy, and to the oil fields of West Texas where he became a leader of the Texas Republican party. Stay tuned for PART TWO! Subscribe to be notified when the episode is available: https://www.youtube.com/c/AmericanExp... Official Website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexpe... | #ThePresidentsPBS © 2008 WGBH Educational Foundation This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station: https://www.pbs.org/donate Subscribe to the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/AmericanExp... Enjoy full episodes of your favorite AMERICAN EXPERIENCE shows anytime, anywhere with the free PBS App: https://to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR FOLLOW AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Newsletter: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexpe... Facebook:   / americanexperiencepbs   Instagram:   / americanexperiencepbs   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@americanexpe...