1. George H.W. Bush's strongest suit as president was the deep experience, judgment, knowledge, contacts, and yes, prudence, that he brought to the role of Commander in Chief. Poster boy for the value of experience.
2. HW's weakest point as president was his lack of vision, philosophy, or constancy in domestic policy, as well as lacking the gift for communications to cover for that. Of course, he had less party support in Congress than all but a few presidents.
3. HW also came after 8 years of Reagan picking the low hanging policy fruit, so it was harder for him to build an obvious domestic agenda.
4. One way HW played to his strengths: Reagan's press conferences were rare prime time events. Reporters like Sam Donaldson came loaded for bear, Reagan parried with charm.
HW did frequent mid-day pressers. Less drama. Lower key approach killed them as spectacles.
HW did frequent mid-day pressers. Less drama. Lower key approach killed them as spectacles.
5. HW was flayed for picking Dan Quayle as VP, but today a guy with 6 years in the House & 8 in the Senate would seem almost overqualified for a national ticket. And Quayle was a frequently positive influence on the Administration.
6. The other thing that seems almost quaint in retrospect is how relatively scandal-free, for DC, 41's presidency really was.
