A Noble Calling

Character and the George H. W. Bush Presidency

William Levantrosser, Rosanna Perotti

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Year: 2004
• eBook ISBN: 9780313072970
• Edition: 0
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Political History & Theory
• Index: Politics & International Relations

This book presents essays by cabinet members, world leaders, and scholars examining the formation of President George H. W. Bush's character and the factors that influenced his leadership as a legislator, a diplomat, and an American president. In many ways, the presidency of George H. W. Bush was a transitional presidency. The end of the Cold War ushered in a new world with the United States as the dominant power. While many might credit his predecessor, Ronald Reagan, as the one who brought an end to the conflict with the former Soviet Union, George H. W. Bush was an associate president, serving as Vice President during Reagan's two terms. While supporting the work of the Reagan administration and, therefore, providing some continuity with it, President Bush had a different style of leadership and new priorities to establish. This volume of essays by cabinet members, world leaders, and scholars examine the formation of Bush's character and the factors that influenced his leadership as a legislator, a diplomat, and an American president. His family background, his military service, his life experience before going into public life, and the various positions in government service are all reviewed by friends, colleagues, and objective observers. The end result is the most detailed examination ever attempted of Bush's character and its impact on his career.

Table of contents

• PREFACE
• INTRODUCTION William Levantrosser
• Part I. Molding Presidential Character: The Bush Apprenticeship
• Part II. The Bush Legacy: First Evaluations—Opening Ceremony Keynote Addresses
• Part III. Rating the Presidents
• Part IV. The Limits of Leadership: The Global Context
• Part V. New World Order: Nationalism and Internationalism
• Part VI. Ending the Cold War
• Part VII. The President as Straight Man: Humor of the Times
• Part VIII. Being Remembered: The Bush Presidential Library
• INDEX
• ABOUT THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS