Interesting Facts about George W. Bush

George Walker Bush served as the 43rd president of the United States. He was elected and served two consecutive terms as president, from 2001 to 2008. Prior to becoming the president, he served as the Governor of Texas for 6 years. George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946 in Newhaven, Connecticut to George H. Bush (41st US president) and Barbara Bush.

Interesting Facts about George W. Bush

• Bush is the oldest of 6 siblings. His younger sister, Robin, died of leukemia in 1953, at the age of three.
• Texas is where Bush got his elementary education. For higher studies, he was sent to Yale University.
• Bush headed the cheerleading team at school, and was the head of the fraternity in his sophomore years. Like his grandfather, he also headed the Yale University 'Skulls and Bones' team.
• George Bush's father, George H. Bush served as the 41st US president, from 1989 to 1993.
• Unlike his father, Bush was an average student at school. He graduated from Yale University with a low C average. Nobody thought he would become the president. However, he always had leadership capabilities and stood out in that aspect.
• George W. Bush followed his father as president. He is the first son to do so since John Quincy Adams followed John Adams in the early 1800s.
• After Benjamin Harrison in 1888, Bush was the first presidential candidate to win the electoral college vote, but lose the popular vote.
• He had a nickname: "Dubya". Mexican cuisine is his favorite and not the southern beef steaks from Texas. He only drinks diet soda and his favorite ice cream flavor is Pralines and cream.
• Bush enjoys fishing and is passionate about baseball.
• In his early twenties, he got addicted to alcohol and was even arrested for drunk driving, in Kennebunkport, Maine (1976).
• He joined the Texas Air National Guard (1968-1973) and was trained as an air force fighter pilot.
• In 1975, he bought an oil company in Midland, Texas. Since he couldn't find any oil in Texas he sold his stock. Shortly after that the company went bankrupt.
• He bought part of the Texas Rangers baseball team and became the first managing general partner of a Major League Baseball team to become president.
• Bush and Laura Welch were married in 1977. He was introduced to Laura, a schoolteacher and librarian, at a backyard barbecue. He proposed to her after a three months courtship. The couple settled down in Midland, Texas and have twin girls: Jenna and Barbara Pierce Bush. Laura was a positive influence on Bush. He quit alcohol in 1998.
• Christian Methodist by religion, Bush is the third well known Methodist to hold the highest office in the US, after William McKinley and his father.
• Bush's viewpoints differed from the Methodist Church. The Church opposed capital punishment and the possession of hand guns. However, Bush supported both. He said that the entire country was not Methodist to make decisions in accordance with Church feelings.
• Bush granted funds for projects he did not support and believe in. For example, he granted funds for stem cell and embryonic research even though he did not support it.
• Bush's popularity scale features extreme statistics. His popularity increased after September 11 attacks, however, plummeted after failure to react during the Hurricane Katrina and the slump in US economy.
• Bush was nearly assassinated in 2005, while visiting the Soviet State of Georgia. A man named Vladimir Arutyunian threw a live grenade at him; fortunately it failed to explode.

George Bush started well, but ended on a bad note. He is succeeded by President Barack Obama.