50 Fun Facts About George H.W. Bush

George H. W. Bush was which number president?

He served from 1989 to 1993 after eight years as Ronald Reagan's vice president.

What was Bush's childhood nickname, a tribute to his grandfather 'Pop' Walker?

In the Navy his lanky frame earned him a second nickname, 'Skin'.

Bush's father Prescott represented which state in the US Senate?

Prescott won the seat in 1952, the year his son volunteered for Eisenhower's campaign.

On what occasion did Bush enlist in the Navy?

He became one of the youngest pilots in the Navy.

What aircraft did Bush fly in the Pacific?

The torpedo bomber could take off from carriers; his was the USS San Jacinto.

Which submarine rescued Bush after he was shot down near Chichijima?

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission.

How many combat missions had Bush flown by the end of his active service?

He also logged 128 carrier landings and 1,228 flight hours.

Where did George and Barbara marry in January 1945?

They had met at a Christmas dance in Greenwich in 1941.

What position did Bush play on the Yale baseball team?

He captained the team and played in the first two College World Series, batting and throwing left-handed.

Which secret society was Bush initiated into at Yale?

He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in economics in 1948 after an accelerated two-and-a-half-year program.

What company did Bush co-found in 1953 to drill in the Permian Basin?

He later ran its offshore subsidiary and moved the family to Houston.

Who defeated Bush in his 1964 run for the US Senate?

Bush lost 56% to 44% but ran well ahead of Barry Goldwater in Texas.

Who beat Bush in the 1970 Senate race in Texas?

Bentsen later ran for vice president against Bush's running mate Dan Quayle in 1988.

Which post did Nixon give Bush in 1971?

During his tenure the General Assembly voted to seat the People's Republic of China over Taiwan.

What role did Bush hold as the Watergate scandal unfolded?

He defended Nixon at first, then joined party leaders urging him to resign.

To which country did Ford send Bush as chief of the US Liaison Office?

The job made him de facto ambassador at a time when the US had no formal embassy there.

Which agency did Bush lead in 1976?

He stepped down on the day of Jimmy Carter's inauguration; CIA headquarters now bears his name.

What phrase did Bush use in 1980 to mock Reagan's tax-cut plans?

He repudiated the comment once he became Reagan's running mate.

Which 1980 contest did Bush win to claim 'the Big Mo'?

He took 31.5% to Reagan's 29.4% after 31 visits to the state, then lost New Hampshire badly.

Reagan picked Bush as running mate after talks collapsed for a ticket with whom?

Bush had thought his political career might be over after the primaries.

Bush became the first vice president to serve as acting president during what?

He held the role for about eight hours on July 13, 1985.

Who was Bush's opponent in the 1984 vice presidential debate?

She was the first woman on a major-party national ticket.

How did Bush describe his knowledge of the Iran–Contra arms diversion?

Biographer Jon Meacham found no proof he knew of the diversion but said he knew of arms-for-hostages.

Who ran Bush's 1988 campaign?

Roger Ailes was media consultant and George W. Bush worked on the campaign too.

What followed 'Read my lips' in Bush's 1988 convention pledge?

Breaking it in the 1990 budget deal damaged him with conservatives.

What was the theme of Bush's 1988 convention speech?

It referred to community organizations 'spread like stars throughout the Nation'.

Which Indiana senator did Bush choose as his running mate?

The campaign hoped his youth would appeal to younger voters.

Who did Bush defeat in the 1988 presidential election?

Bush won 426 electoral votes to 111 and 53.4% of the popular vote.

Bush was the first sitting vice president elected president since whom?

Van Buren did it in 1836, 152 years earlier.

Whom did Bush name Secretary of State in 1989?

Baker was a Houston friend from Bush's Zapata days; Cheney went to Defense.

Where did Bush and Gorbachev hold their December 1989 summit?

German reunification was the main topic; Bush left believing Gorbachev would negotiate in good faith.

Which German chancellor did Bush back in pushing for reunification?

Britain and France were wary; Germany reunified in October 1990 and stayed in NATO.

What did critics call Bush's 1991 address warning against 'suicidal nationalism'?

He feared Soviet collapse could leave nuclear arms in dangerous hands.

What was the codename of the 1989 US invasion of Panama?

Manuel Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990, and was later convicted on drug charges.

Which country did Iraq invade in August 1990, triggering the Gulf War?

Iraq and Kuwait together produced 20% of the world's oil.

What Gallup approval rating did Bush hit in March 1991 after the Gulf War?

It was the highest in Gallup's history at the time; he lost re-election 20 months later.

Which Canadian prime minister helped Bush negotiate NAFTA?

Bush signed NAFTA in December 1992, but Clinton won its ratification in 1993.

Which 1990 law barring discrimination against disabled people did Bush sign?

His son Neil's struggle with dyslexia was part of his motivation.

Which House Republican led opposition to Bush's 1990 budget deal with its tax rise?

The House rejected the first deal, causing a brief government shutdown.

Which two justices did Bush appoint to the Supreme Court?

Souter disappointed Bush by joining the court's liberal bloc.

What was the name of the Bushes' English Springer Spaniel?

Her Millie's Book hit No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction list in 1990.

Which Texas billionaire's third-party bid complicated Bush's 1992 re-election?

Perot took 19% of the vote, drawing equally from both major candidates.

What share of the popular vote did Bush win in 1992?

Clinton took 43% and 370 electoral votes to Bush's 168.

Where is the Bushes' famous summer home?

He also took annual cruises in Greece and fished in Florida in retirement.

Which former rival became Bush's friend and partner in disaster-relief appeals?

They appeared together after the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

Which president awarded Bush the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011?

The same year he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Where is the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library located?

It sits on the campus of Texas A&M, which also hosts the Bush School of Government.

What condition did Bush reveal in 1991 that his wife Barbara also had?

The thyroid disorder was revealed by The New York Times.

The USS George H.W. Bush is what kind of vessel?

CVN-77 was the tenth and final Nimitz-class supercarrier.

How old was Bush when he died in November 2018?

He was then the longest-lived US president until Jimmy Carter passed him in 2019.