George W. Bush - His Legacy

The Bush legacy-How will George W Bush be remembered?

Every commander in chief of the United States is remembered for just few seminal events or moments of their presidency. Bill Clinton will forever be associated with sex scandals despite the golden economy he presided over. John F Kennedy is considered a hero because of his handling of one moment in time (the Cuban missile crisis). George W Bush is no different. Two events have ruled his time in office and I suspect they will be his legacy. I am of course talking about 9/11 and the resulting war in Iraq. Bush’s presidency has been one of extremes as he has received both the highest and lowest approval ratings since polling began, ranging 90% immediately after the September 11, 2001 attacks, to 28% in June 2008.

It is perhaps easy to remember George Bush as a poor orator, someone who finished bottom of his class at Yale, basically a unremarkable man who should never have been president. In a time when the incumbent president is being forgotten in favour of the election race of the century it is simple to remember Bush as a thouroghly unpopular president who has stained America for the worse. However unintelligent, uneloquent George W Bush united a nation in the days following the 11th september 2001.His rousing sentiments spoken from the rubble of the world trade centre with the brave firefighters by his side showed a strong leader who loved his country. His reaction to 9/11 is essential in determining his legacy because it is an event that will be talked and learnt about in years to come. It is etched onto american’s hearts and minds and therefore for many so is George Bush. Once the war in Iraq is over the image of the falling towers will remain and the president will be remembered for handling this crisis. It is likely the atrocities in Iraq will seem distant to Americans as the ones still affecting the vietnamese every day do. Bush appeared strong capable and resolute after 9/11 and this I predict will have more staying power than the unpopularity regarding a middle- eastern war. When the president speaks about the terrorist attacks he appears to be deeply affected by them which speaks to Americans, it gives them solidarity and unity. As his press secretary recently said "The president thinks about 9/11 every single day when he wakes up and before he goes to bed.