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{{about|the 43rd U.S. president|his father and 41st U.S. president|George H. W. Bush}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable|The Honorable]]
|name = George W. Bush
|honorific-suffix =
|image = George-W-Bush.jpeg
|caption = Official portrait, 2003
|office = 43rd [[President of the United States]]
|vicepresident = [[Dick Cheney]]
|term_start = January 20, 2001
|term_end = January 20, 2009
|predecessor = [[Bill Clinton]]
|successor = [[Barack Obama]]
|order1 = 46th [[Governor of Texas]]
|lieutenant1 = [[Bob Bullock]] Rick Perry
|term_start1 = January 17, 1995
|term_end1 = December 21, 2000
|predecessor1 = [[Ann Richards]]
|successor1 = [[Rick Perry]]
|birth_name = George Walker Bush
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|7|6}}
|birth_place = {{nowrap|[[New Haven, Connecticut]], U.S.}}
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]
|spouse = {{marriage|[[Laura Bush|Laura Welch]]|November 5, 1977}}
|children = [[Barbara Bush (born 1981)|Barbara]] [[Jenna Bush Hager|Jenna]]
|parents = [[George H. W. Bush]] (father) [[Barbara Bush|Barbara Pierce]] (mother)
|relatives = ''See [[Bush family]]''
|education = [[Yale University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) [[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]])
|signature = GeorgeWBush Signature.svg
|signature_alt = Cursive signature in ink
|website = {{url|georgewbush.com|Official website}} {{url|georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu|Presidential Library}} {{url|bushcenter.org|Presidential Center}} {{url|georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/index.html|White House Archives}}
|nickname = {{Hlist|"Dubya"|"GWB"|George Bush Jr<ref>[[CBS News]], [http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/politics/campaign2004/05goptimelline.pdf George W. Bush Timeline]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/politics/dubya/ |title=What Does Dubya Mean? {{!}} Politics by Dictionary.com |work=Everything After Z by Dictionary.com |accessdate=December 2, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>}}
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
|branch = {{air force|United States}} {{*}}[[Texas Air National Guard]] {{*}}[[Alabama Air National Guard]]
|serviceyears = 1968–1974
|rank = {{Dodseal|USAFO2|25}} [[First lieutenant|First Lieutenant]]
|unit = {{Ublist|[[147th Reconnaissance Wing]]|[[187th Fighter Wing]]}}
|mawards = {{Ublist|[[United States Aviator Badge|Air Force Pilot's Badge]]|[[File:Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg|border|23px]] [[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award|Outstanding Unit Award]]|[[File:National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|border|23px]] [[National Defense Service Medal]]|[[File:USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg|border|23px]] [[Marksmanship Ribbon#Air Force|Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1627|title=Veteran Tributes|website=www.veterantributes.org}}</ref>}}
}}

'''George Walker Bush''' (born July 6, 1946) is an [[Americans|American]] politician and businessman. He was the 43rd [[president of the United States]] from 2001 to 2009. He is the son of former U.S. President [[George H. W. Bush]] and former U.S. First Lady [[Barbara Bush]]. Before becoming president, he was the [[Governor of Texas]] from 1995 to 2000. He is a [[United States Republican Party|Republican]].<ref name="nndb.com2">{{cite web|title=George W. Bush|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/360/000022294/|website=www.nndb.com}}</ref>

He flew warplanes in the Texas and Alabama Air National Guard. After graduating from Yale College in 1968 and Harvard Business School in 1975, he worked in the oil industry. In 1977, he married [[Laura Welch Bush|Laura Welch]] and ran for the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]], but lost. He later co-owned the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] baseball team.

In 1994, he was elected [[Governor of Texas]], defeating the incumbent governor, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Ann Richards]]. As governor, Bush successfully backed legislation for tort reform, gave more money for education, set higher standards for schools, and changed the criminal justice system. Bush also helped make Texas the leading producer of wind powered electricity in the U.S.

In [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]], Bush was elected President of the United States when he defeated Democratic incumbent Vice President [[Al Gore]] in a very close election. He became the fourth person to be elected president without winning the popular vote. He is the second son of a former United States president to himself become president, the first being John Quincy Adams, the son of John W. Adams.

Bush was [[First inauguration of George W. Bush|inaugurated]] in January 2001. As president, his early focus was on domestic issues. He cut taxes, passed an education reform [[No Child Left Behind Act|bill]], made changes to Medicare, and changed abortion laws. On September 11, 2001, the United States was [[September 11 attacks|attacked]] by terrorists. As a result of these attacks, Bush created the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] and started a "[[War on Terrorism|War on Terror]]" that began with a war in Afghanistan in 2001. He also signed into law the [[Patriot Act]] in order to spy on people believed to be terrorists. In 2003, he ordered an invasion of Iraq, which started the [[Iraq War]]. The reason why he did this was because his administration claimed that Iraq had a [[Weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD) program, and that the Iraqi government was a threat to the U.S. However, no WMDs or a program for WMDs were ever found.

He was re-elected to a second term in [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]. In his second term, Bush reached multiple free trade agreements and was able to put [[John Roberts]] and [[Samuel Alito]] to the Supreme Court. He wanted to make major changes to Social Security and immigration laws, but these changes did not pass in Congress. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continued, and in 2007 he sent more troops to Iraq. Bush received criticism from both sides politically for his handling of [[Hurricane Katrina]] and for the midterm dismissal of U.S. attorneys. In December 2007, the U.S. entered the [[Great Recession]]. This made the Bush administration create programs protect the country's financial system, such as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Bush left office in January 2009 and was succeeded by Democrat [[Barack Obama]]. He has a [[ranch]] in [[Crawford, Texas]], which is near [[Waco, Texas|Waco]].<ref>{{cite news|date=January 20, 2009|title=Ex-President Bush and Wife Leave Washington for Texas|publisher=Fox News|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/20/ex-president-bush-wife-leave-washington-texas/|accessdate=January 20, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, he published a memoir called ''Decision Points''. His presidential library opened in 2013. He is not ranked very high in presidential opinion polls, but he has started to become more popular again after his presidency ended.

Bush was one of the most polarised U.S. presidents in history; he received the highest recorded approval ratings right after the 9/11 attacks, but one of the lowest such ratings during the 2008 financial crisis.

== Early life ==
[[File:GeorgeWBush1947.png|thumb|left|200px|Bush as an infant with his parents, 1947]]
Bush was born at Yale-New Haven Hospital in [[New Haven, Connecticut]].<ref>Greenstein, Fred I. The George W. Bush Presidency: An Early Assessment The Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore Maryland 2003 page 2</ref><ref>Marquez, Heron George W. Bush 2007 Twenty-First Century Books a division of Lerner Publishing Group Minneapolis Minnesota page 104</ref> Bush grew up in [[Midland, Texas|Midland]], [[Texas]]. He went to a high school called Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and graduated in 1964.<ref name="nndb.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/360/000022294/|title=George W. Bush|website=www.nndb.com}}</ref><ref>Bush, George W. Bush Decision Points Random House New York 2010 pages 11-13</ref> He went to school at [[Yale University]] from 1964 until he graduated in 1968,<ref>Kalb, Marvin, Deborah Kalb Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama Brookings Washington DC 2011 page 187</ref><ref>Aikman, David A Man of Faith: The Spiritual Journey of George W. Bush W. Publishing Group a division of Thomas Nelson Inc. Nashville Tennessee 2004 page 41</ref> with a bachelor's degree in history.<ref name="webcitation.org">{{Cite web |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html |title=George Bush |access-date=2009-11-01 |archive-date=2009-11-01 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5kwppnbYX?url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He joined the Texas Air National Guard in 1968<ref>Cohen, Daniel George W. Bush: The Family Business The Millbrook Press Inc. Brookfield Connecticut page 12</ref><ref>Burgan, Michael George W. Bush Profiles of the Presidents Compass Point Books Minneapolis Minnesota page 13</ref> (part of the [[United States National Guard]]) during the [[Vietnam War]] and became a fighter pilot but did not fight in the war. He left the Texas Air National Guard in 1973.<ref>Stecker, Frederick The Podium, the Pulpit, and the Republicans: How Presidential Candidates Use Religious Language in American Political Debate ABC Clio Publishing Santa Barbara California 2011 page 53</ref> In 1975 Bush earned an MBA from Harvard University.<ref name="webcitation.org"/>

On November 5, 1977, Bush married [[Laura Bush|Laura Welch]].<ref>Andersen, Christopher George and Laura: Portrait of an American Marriage Avon Books New York New York 2002 page 150</ref> In 1978, Bush tried to get elected to Congress in West Texas, but lost. After that, he ran some oil companies and was one of the owners of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] baseball team. He thought about trying to become the commissioner of [[Major League Baseball]], but went into politics instead.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/sports/baseball/14bush.html?_r=1 |title=George W. Bush Is Back in the Rangers Front Row - NYTimes.com |first=Michael |last=Schmidt |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 13, 2010|location=[[New York, NY|New York]] |issn=0362-4331 |accessdate=April 24, 2011}}</ref> Bush is a [[Methodism|Methodist]].<ref name=Methodist>{{cite web|url=http://spectator.org/archives/2009/01/28/the-last-methodist-president|title=The last Methodist president|publisher=|access-date=2012-04-08|archive-date=2013-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509162814/http://spectator.org/archives/2009/01/28/the-last-methodist-president|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1994, he was elected to be Governor of [[Texas]],<ref>Rountree, Clark George W. Bush: A Biography ABC Clio Publishing Santa Barbara California 2011 page xxi</ref> defeating incumbent Democratic Governor Ann Richards.<ref name="webcitation.org"/>

== Governor of Texas, 1995–2000 ==
[[File:George_H._W._Bush,_Laura_Bush,_George_W._Bush_1997.jpg|left|thumb|Governor Bush (right) with father, former president George H. W. Bush, and wife, Laura, 1997]]
Bush announced he was running for governor in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election. His campaign focused on four themes: changing welfare, changing torts, crime reduction, and making education better.<ref name="msn" />

He easily won the Republican primary. His opponent was popular Democratic incumbent Governor [[Ann Richards]].<ref name="msn" /><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|date=September 15, 2005|title=Ann Richards|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|url=https://telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1528876/Ann-Richards.html|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=November 25, 2008|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1528876/Ann-Richards.html|archive-date=January 10, 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref> During the campaign, he said that if he was elected, he would sign a bill that would allow Texans to get permits to carry concealed weapons (this means a person can carry a weapon on them, as long as it cannot be seen).<ref name="concealed carry">{{cite news|last=Tapper|first=Jake|date=August 11, 1999|title=Guns and Money|work=Salon News|url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/08/11/gun/index1.html|url-status=dead|access-date=June 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724161725/http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/08/11/gun/index1.html|archive-date=July 24, 2008}}</ref> Bush won the general election with 53.5 percent against Richards' 45.9 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/uploads/gov1845-2010table.pdf|work=Texas Almanac|title=Elections of Texas Governors, 1845–2010}};

{{cite encyclopedia|work=MSN Encarta|title=George Bush|archive-date=November 1, 2009|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/George_Bush.html|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5kwppnbYX?url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Bush used a budget surplus (when the government makes more money than it spends) to pass a $2 billion tax-cut, which was Texas's largest.<ref name="SlaterBrain">{{cite book|title=Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential|url=https://archive.org/details/bushsbrainhowkar00moor|last1=Moore|first1=James|last2=Slater|first2=Wayne|publisher=Wiley|year=2003|isbn=978-0-471-42327-0|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/bushsbrainhowkar00moor/page/210 210]|oclc=51755949}}</ref> He used government money to fund organizations that teach people of the dangers of alcohol and drug use and abuse, and helping to reduce [[domestic violence]].<ref>{{cite web|date=December 1, 2005|title=Violence Against Women Act: History and Federal Funding|url=http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30871_20100226.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523120736/http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30871_20100226.pdf|archive-date=May 23, 2013|access-date=May 24, 2009|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] – The Library of Congress}}</ref>

In 1998, Bush won re-election with a record 69<ref name="msn" /> percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|date=November 3, 1998|title=Texas Gov. George W. Bush wins in landslide|publisher=CNN|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/governors/texas|url-status=dead|access-date=June 30, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515081611/http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/governors/texas|archive-date=May 15, 2006}}</ref> He became the first governor in Texas history to be elected to two consecutive four-year terms.<ref name="msn" /> In his second term, Bush promoted faith-based organizations and had high approval ratings.<ref name="msn" /> He proclaimed June 10, 2000, to be Jesus Day in Texas, a day on which he asked all Texans to "answer the call to serve those in need".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/readings/jesusdaymemo.html|title=Readings – The Jesus Day Proclamation {{!}} The Jesus Factor|date=April 29, 2004|website=Frontline|publisher=WGBH Educational Foundation|access-date=November 17, 2019}}</ref> In 1999, Bush signed a law that said electric retailers needed to buy a certain amount of energy from [[Renewable resource|renewable sources]].<ref name="txlaw">[http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=76R&Bill=SB7 SB7] [http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/76R/billtext/html/SB00007I.htm Law text]''Texas Legislature Online'', May 1999. Retrieved September 24, 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re/rps-portfolio.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304211930/http://seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re/rps-portfolio.php|archive-date=March 4, 2013|title=Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard|publisher=Texas State Energy Conservation Office|access-date=September 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=September 24, 2011|title=Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard|publisher=Pew Center on Global Climate Change|url=http://www.pewclimate.org/node/4120|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427041158/http://www.pewclimate.org/node/4120|archive-date=April 27, 2012}}</ref> This helped [[Wind power in Texas|Texas]] become the [[Wind power in the United States|leading producer]] of [[wind power]]ed electricity in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Koronowski|first=Ryan|date=January 19, 2011|title=It's Not Just Oil: Wind Power Approaches 8% of Texas Electricity in 2010|url=http://www.repoweramerica.org/states/texas/wind-power-in-texas/|access-date=September 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113144117/http://www.repoweramerica.org/states/texas/wind-power-in-texas/|archive-date=January 13, 2012}}</ref><ref name="mighty wind">{{cite news|author1=Galbraith, Kate|author2=Price, Asher|date=August 2011|title=A mighty wind|page=5|newspaper=[[Texas Monthly]]|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/mighty-wind/page/0/4|url-status=dead|access-date=February 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730212509/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/mighty-wind/page/0/4|archive-date=July 30, 2008|issn=0148-7736}}</ref><ref name="sector">{{cite web|date=July 28, 2011|url=http://windsector.tumblr.com/post/8182421573/swift-boats-and-texas-wind|title=Swift Boats and Texas Wind|publisher=Windsector.tumblr.com|access-date=July 31, 2012|archive-date=July 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730212509/http://windsector.tumblr.com/post/8182421573/swift-boats-and-texas-wind|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Critics said that during his time as governor, Texas ranked near the bottom in environmental evaluations. Supporters pointed to his efforts to raise the pay of teachers and improve educational test scores.<ref name="msn" />

During Bush's first term, he was seen as a future presidential candidate. After he was reelected in 1998, this belief grew. In 1999, he decided to seek the 2000 Republican presidential nomination.

==2000 presidential election==
{{further|2000 United States presidential election}}
Bush ran against then-Vice President [[Al Gore]] in the [[2000 United States presidential election]].<ref>Bush, George W. Decision Points Random House New York pages 67-78</ref> More than 100 million people voted on November 7, 2000.<ref>Scaros, Constantinos E. Understanding the Constitution Jones and Bartlett Publishers LLC 2011 page 4</ref> But the election was very close. When they began counting the votes, it became clear that whoever got the most votes in the state of [[Florida]] would win the election. But there were many issues with the ballots in Florida. Gore [[lawsuit|sued]] to get Florida to count the votes again. For more than a month no one knew who won the election. The [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] made a decision to stop recounting votes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_681500368_2/Disputed_Presidential_Election_of_2000.html |title=Disputed Presidential Election of 2000 |access-date=2009-08-31 |archive-date=2009-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820152834/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_681500368_2/Disputed_Presidential_Election_of_2000.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Gore decided to accept his loss on December 13 and Bush was declared the winner.<ref>Rountree, Clark George W. Bush a Biography ABC Clio Publishing Santa Barbara California 2011 page xxii</ref>

== Presidency (2001–2009) ==

=== First term, 2001–05 ===
[[File:George W Bush 2001 oath.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[First inauguration of George W. Bush]], January 2001]]
While he was president, George W. Bush signed the [[No Child Left Behind Act]] into law.<ref>Bush, George W. Bush Decision Points Random House New York page 307</ref> It was an education reform bill.

Bush was the first President of the United States to deliver a speech in both [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and in [[English language|English]].<ref>[http://www.buzzle.com/articles/interesting-facts-about-george-w-bush.html Interesting Facts about George W. Bush] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821075101/http://www.buzzle.com/articles/interesting-facts-about-george-w-bush.html |date=2011-08-21 }} at Buzzle.com</ref>

He added Part D to Medicare,<ref>Frolik, Lawrence A. The Law of Later Life Health Care and Decision Making American Bar Association 2006 page 15</ref> which gives older people free [[medicine]] if they can not afford it.

He also signed very large tax cuts (many of them were for the middle and lower class) during his presidency.

Bush did not approve of [[abortion]].<ref>Bush, George W. Decision Points Random House New York pages 112-113</ref> In 2004, he signed the Unborn Victims Of Violence Act<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040401-3.html|title=President Bush Signs Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004|website=georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov}}</ref> which made it so that if a pregnant woman is murdered, her murderer can also be charged with killing the [[fetus]] that the woman was carrying.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,115189,00.html | title=George W. Bush | website=[[Fox News]] | date=11 July 2022 }}</ref>

His first foreign policy test came when an American spy plane crashed in [[China]]. Bush peacefully [[wikt:negotiate|negotiated]] the release of the plane crew.<ref>Swansbrough, Robert H. Test by Fire: The War Presidency of George W. Bush Palgrave MacMillan New York New York 2008 pages 79-80</ref>
[[File:FEMA - 3904 - Photograph by SFC Thomas R. Roberts taken on 09-14-2001 in New York.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Bush at [[Ground Zero]] after the [[September 11 attacks]]]]
Eight months after Bush became president, the [[September 11 attacks]] occurred. Because of this, President Bush declared a [[War on Terrorism]].<ref>Atkins, Stephen E The 9/11 Encyclopedia ABC Clio Publishing Santa Barbara California 2011 page 210</ref>
[[File:REAGANBUSHEULOGY2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Bush delivers a eulogy at [[Ronald Reagan]]'s [[Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan|state funeral]], June 2004]]
Bush tried to do many things to stop another terrorist attack from happening. He ordered an [[invasion]] of [[Afghanistan]] in 2002.<ref>Shmitt, Steffen W. ; Mark C Shelley; Barbara A Bardes American Government and Politics Today 2010-2011 Wadsworth Political Science Boston Massachusetts page 232</ref> He did this because the leaders of Afghanistan were helping [[Osama bin Laden]], who was responsible for attacking America on September 11, 2001. Almost ten years later, on May 2, 2011 bin Laden was killed on orders of President [[Barack Obama]]. Bush asked Congress to do more to stop terrorism. As a result, Congress passed a law that created the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department Of Homeland Security]], a government department which tries to prevent terrorist attacks from happening. It also responds to emergencies such as floods or diseases.

He signed the [[Patriot Act]] (which allowed the government to listen to people's phone calls so it can track down terrorists which try to communicate with each other).<ref>Bush, George W. Decision Points Random House New York page 160-162</ref>

After Saddam refused to cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors<ref>Ofori, Nuku A World System in Flux: The Rise of Modern World Empire and its Significance in the Modern World System ProQuest LLC Ann Arbor Michigan 2009 pages 135-136</ref> and the United States Congress authorized Bush to invade Iraq if its government did not cooperate with the weapons inspectors,<ref>Kushner, Harvey W. Encyclopedia of Terrorism Sage Publications page 178</ref> Bush decided on the [[Gulf War]] in 2003<ref>Shmitt, Steffen W. ; Mack C Shelley ; Barbara A Bardes Wadsworth Political Science Boston Massachusetts page 232</ref> with several allies.<ref>Lansford, Tom 9/11 and the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: A Chronology and Reference Guide ABC Clio Publishing Santa Barbara California 2012 page 235</ref> Saddam Hussein was removed from power, and Iraq turned into a [[democracy]]. Over 100,000 people were killed in this war.

===2004 presidential election===
{{further|2004 United States presidential election}}
In the [[United States presidential election, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Bush won again with a majority of votes. His opponent was [[Massachusetts]] [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[John Kerry]], a [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]].<ref>Bush, George W. Bush Decision Points Random House New York 2010 page 120, page 296</ref>

=== Second term, 2005–09 ===
[[File:President George W. Bush Delivers Inaugural Address.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Second [[inauguration]] of George W. Bush, January 2005]]
In 2005, [[Hurricane Katrina]] (the most destructive hurricane in American history) happened.<ref>Ouellette, Jeanine Dennis Feltgen Hurricane Katrina ABDO Publishing Company Edina Minnesota 2008 page 94</ref> It caused over 1800 deaths and caused billions of dollars of destruction. George W. Bush signed several acts into law which would help Hurricane Katrina victims.
[[File:Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Bush with [[President of Russia]] [[Vladimir Putin]], 2007]]
In the Iraq War, no weapons of mass destruction were found, and the Bush Administration was criticized for being wrong about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. Bush added more American troops to Iraq (which was called "the surge") to speed up the war. The surge was successful, and in result, Iraq had less violence.

Although the economy was doing very well during much of his presidency, in early 2008, the economy was slowing down. Bush signed a bill into law which would gave $600 to every American citizen, hoping that people would go out and spend the money so that it would prevent a [[recession]] (a bad economy) from happening.

Later in 2008, stock market crashed and the country fell into its worst recession since the [[Great Depression]]. Bush helped create a 700 billion dollar bailout, which would give money to corporations (large businesses) to prevent them from being bankrupt and to try to prevent the recession from getting worse.

Bush publicly supported Republican candidate [[John McCain]] during the 2008 presidential election,<ref name="msn.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.msn.com/|title=MSN - Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos|website=www.msn.com}}</ref> but [[Barack Obama]] won the election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html|title=Obama: 'This is your victory' - CNN.com|website=edition.cnn.com}}</ref>
During the last few days he was president, Bush gave his farewell address. He was succeeded by Barack Obama on January 20, 2009.

== Post-presidency (2009–present) ==
[[File:Living US Presidents 2009.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Bush with all living former presidents, including his father [[George H. W. Bush]], January 2009]]
After his presidency, Bush stayed away from the spotlight and did not want much attention. He said that he was not going to criticize President Obama.<ref name="msn.com"/> He began to build his presidential library in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2010/11/construction_to_begin_on_georg.html|title=Construction to begin on George W. Bush presidential library Tuesday; protests expected|first=Associated|last=Press|website=cleveland.com|date=16 November 2010 }}</ref> It was open to the public in 2013.
[[File:Four U.S. presidents in 2013.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Bush with [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Barack Obama]], January 2013]]
After over a year and a half of saying little in public, in November 2010, Bush appeared on several television interviews and released a book called ''Decision Points''. The book focuses on fourteen big decisions he made in congress, including quitting drinking, running for president, [[Hurricane Katrina]], invading [[Iraq]], and his response to the financial meltdown in 2008.

On May 2, 2011, President Obama called Bush, who was at a restaurant with his wife, to inform him that Osama bin Laden had been killed.<ref>{{Cite news|title=When Bush Got the Bin Laden Call (While Eating a Souffle)|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/05/when-bush-got-the-bin-laden-call-while-eating-a-souffle/238862/|date=May 13, 2011|last=Franke-Ruta|first=Garance|work=The Atlantic|accessdate=May 14, 2011}}</ref> The Bushes joined the Obamas in New York City to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. At the Ground Zero memorial, Bush read a letter that President [[Abraham Lincoln]] wrote to a widow who lost five sons during the Civil War.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/11/presidents-obama-and-bush-commemorate-911-anniversary/|publisher=CNN|date=September 11, 2011|title=Presidents Obama and Bush commemorate 9/11 anniversary}}</ref>

On August 6, 2013, Bush was successfully treated for a coronary artery blockage with a stent. The blockage had been found during an annual medical examination.<ref>{{cite web|title=George W. Bush has heart surgery|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/06/george-w-bush-heart-surgery/2622819/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=206567|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=August 6, 2013}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist|3|refs=
<ref name="msn">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html |title=George Bush |access-date=August 3, 2008 |publisher=MSN Encarta |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5kwppnbYX?url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html |archive-date=November 1, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline}}
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/georgewbush/ Official Biography at the White House]

{{USPresidents}}
{{GW Bush cabinet}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 2001–2025}}

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George W. Bush - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT at 19:33, 17 September 2022