Houston (II)

Until I read the chronology at the George H.W. Bush Monument, I had never realized how bad he was at actually being elected. Notable elected offices held:

Representative from Texas for the 7th District (November 1966; reelected November 1968);

president (November 1988).

Notable losses:

Senator (November 1964);

Senator (November 1970);

Republican presidential candidate (1980);

president (1992).

In between George (H.W.) was appointed to a great many things:

UN Ambassador (1971);

U.S. Liaison to China (1974);

CIA director (1976);

First National Bank (Houston) president (1977).

And, of course, his elected-appointment as Vice President (1980).

George (H.W.) was also acting president for 8 hours in 1985, as Reagan underwent colon surgery. Most of this time he spent playing tennis.

*

Behind the 8-foot tall George (H.W.) Bush statue at the George Bush Monument are four scenes from George (H.W.)'s life. In the first, he is dashingly donning his aviation gloves while sailors load or unload ammunition next to an airplane. In the second, George (H.W.) meets with some supporters—presumably oilmen, from the derrick in the background—while running for office, with his sleeves rolled and his jacket dapperly over one shoulder. In the third, he shakes Gorbachev's hand as the two of them watch a young German man take a sledgehammer to the Berlin Wall. In the last scene, and older George (H.W.) looks on, Barbara (I) beside him, as George (W.) is sworn in as president.

In every picture, George H.W. Bush watches someone else do the work.