Lasting Legacy of George W. Bush: A Look at the Influence on History
A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of George W. Bush across different fields.
George W. Bush served as the 43rd U.S. President (2001-2009). A Republican and son of President George H.W. Bush, he previously served as the 46th Governor of Texas (1995-2000). His presidency was largely defined by the September 11th terrorist attacks, leading to the launch of the War on Terror, including military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Domestically, he enacted education reform through the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as tax cuts and expansion of Medicare. His administration faced criticism for its handling of Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis of 2008.
1986: Decision to Give Up Alcohol
In 1986, George W. Bush decided to give up alcohol, attributing his decision to his wife's influence and his faith in God.
1995: Dickey-Wicker Amendment
In 1995, the Dickey-Wicker Amendment forbade federal funding for medical research involving the creation or destruction of human embryos.
1997: Senate Vote on Kyoto Protocol in 1997
In 1997, the Senate voted 95-0 on a resolution expressing its disapproval of the Kyoto Protocol which Bush cited in 2001.
2000: Government Spending and Revenue in 2000
In 2000, the federal government spending was $1.789 trillion and revenues were $2.025 trillion.
2000: Fiscal Year 2000 Surplus
In fiscal year 2000, the U.S. experienced a $237 billion surplus, marking the third consecutive surplus and the largest ever recorded.
January 2001: Unemployment Rate in January 2001
In January 2001, the unemployment rate was at 4.2 percent.
August 9, 2001: Executive Order on Stem Cell Research Funding
On August 9, 2001, George W. Bush signed an executive order lifting the ban on federal funding for research on existing stem cell lines.
2001: Opposition to Kyoto Protocol in 2001
In 2001, George W. Bush stated his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol, citing that the treaty exempted 80 percent of the world's population and would have cost tens of billions of dollars per year.
2001: Dow Jones Average When Bush Entered Office in 2001
In 2001, when George W. Bush entered office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 10,587.
January 29, 2002: State of the Union Address: Axis of Evil
In his January 29, 2002 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush asserted that an "axis of evil" consisting of North Korea, Iran, and Ba'athist Iraq was "arming to threaten the peace of the world", which became the basis for the Bush Doctrine.
June 2003: Unemployment Rate in June 2003
In June 2003, the unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent.
May 2004: High Approval Among Republicans
In May 2004, Gallup reported that 89 percent of the Republican electorate approved of President Bush.
December 2004: Approval Rating Dips Below 50%
In December 2004, President Bush's approval rating fell below 50 percent in AP-Ipsos polling, signaling a decline in public support.
2004: Poverty Rate in 2004
In 2004, the poverty rate peaked at 12.7 percent.
December 2005: Bush's Approval Rating
In December 2005, Bush's approval rating was at its highest point before declining until April 2013 when he reached the same approval rating.
March 2006: Obama's Criticism of Debt Ceiling in March 2006
In March 2006, then-Senator Barack Obama criticized raising America's debt limit as a sign of leadership failure.
July 19, 2006: Veto of Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
On July 19, 2006, George W. Bush used his veto power for the first time to veto the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which would have permitted federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
2006: Advanced Energy Initiative Launched in 2006
In his 2006 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush declared, "America is addicted to oil" and launched his Advanced Energy Initiative to increase energy development research.
June 2007: Enthusiastic Reception in Albania
In June 2007, President Bush received an enthusiastic welcome during a visit to Albania, where he was highly regarded for his foreign policy stances.
June 2007: Street Renamed in Albania
In June 2007, a street in Tirana, Albania, was renamed after George W. Bush, coinciding with the first-ever visit by an American president to Albania, showing recognition of his contributions.
July 2007: Unemployment Rate in July 2007
In July 2007, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.5 percent.
October 2007: Peak of Dow Jones Average in October 2007
In October 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average peaked at over 14,000 during George W. Bush's presidency.
December 2007: Start of the Great Recession in December 2007
In December 2007, the United States entered the longest post–World War II recession, due to a housing market correction, a subprime mortgage crisis, soaring oil prices, and other factors.
2007: Financial Crisis and Low Approval Ratings
In 2007, George W. Bush faced one of his lowest approval ratings during the financial crisis.
2007: Economic Recession in 2007
In 2007, the United States entered the longest post-World War II recession during George W. Bush's presidency, amidst debates over immigration, healthcare, Social Security, economic policy, and treatment of terrorist detainees. Approval ratings declined, while disapproval numbers increased.
2007: State of the Union Address: Foreign Oil Reduction Pledge
In his 2007 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush renewed his pledge to work toward diminished reliance on foreign oil by reducing fossil fuel consumption and increasing alternative fuel production.
February 2008: Job Losses in February 2008
In February 2008, 63,000 jobs were lost, a five-year record, during the economic recession.
June 2008: Lifting of Offshore Drilling Ban
In June 2008, amid high gasoline prices, George W. Bush lifted a ban on offshore drilling, emphasizing the need for congressional action to access vast oil reserves and promoting alternative energy technologies as a long-term solution.
September 2008: September 2008 Financial Crisis
In September 2008, the financial crisis became more serious with the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and a federal bailout of AIG for $85 billion.
October 2008: National Debt Rises to $11.3 Trillion in October 2008
By October 2008, the national debt had risen to $11.3 trillion, more than doubling it since 2000.
2008: Bush's Legacy and the 2008 Financial Crisis
George W. Bush's handling of the 2008 financial crisis is seen by critics as proof that he was unfit to be president.
2008: Financial Crisis and Low Approval Ratings
In 2008, George W. Bush faced one of his lowest approval ratings during the financial crisis.
2008: Government Spending and Revenue in 2008
In 2008, federal government spending increased to $2.983 trillion while revenues increased to $2.524 trillion.
2008: Dow Jones Average When Bush Left Office in 2008
In 2008, when George W. Bush left office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 7,949, one of the lowest levels of his presidency.
2008: State of the Union Address: Clean Energy Fund Commitment
In his 2008 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush committed $2 billion over three years to an international fund to promote clean energy technologies and combat climate change, advocating for international agreements with commitments from major economies.
January 2009: Bush's Favorability Rating
In January 2009, Gallup reported Bush's favorability rating at 40 percent as he left office, marking a low point in public opinion at the end of his presidency.
March 2009: Bush's Favorability Rating
In March 2009, Gallup reported Bush's favorability rating at 35 percent, marking a low point in public opinion shortly after he left office.
2009: Bush ranked 36th-best president in C-SPAN Survey
George W. Bush was initially ranked the 36th-best president in C-SPAN's 2009 survey of historians.
2009: Final Approval Rating
In January 2009, at the end of his presidency, George W. Bush had one of the lowest approval ratings of any president in American history.
June 22, 2010: Bush's Comments on North Korea
On June 22, 2010, Bush commented on the suffering of the North Korean people under communism and criticized the regime's spending on luxuries and nuclear weapons.
July 2010: Bush's Favorability Rating Increases
In July 2010, Gallup noted that Bush's favorability rating had risen to 45 percent, a year after he left office. This indicated an initial improvement in public perception as he remained largely out of the news.
September 19, 2010: Olmert's Claim of Refugee Offer
On September 19, 2010, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed that George W. Bush offered to accept 100,000 Palestinian refugees as American citizens if a permanent settlement was reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
November 9, 2010: Release of Memoirs: Decision Points
On November 9, 2010, George W. Bush released his memoirs, Decision Points, discussing his presidency and key decisions.
2010: Tony Blair on Bush's Intelligence
In 2010, Tony Blair refuted the notion that President Bush was unintelligent, stating that it was "ludicrous" and that Bush is "very smart."
2010: Historians Rank Bush Low in Survey
In 2010, a Siena Research Institute survey of historians, political scientists, and presidential scholars ranked George W. Bush 39th out of 43 presidents. Survey respondents gave Bush low ratings in areas like economics, communication, compromise, foreign policy, and intelligence.
2010: Justice Department Investigation Conclusion
In 2010, the Justice Department investigator concluded that though political considerations played a part in as many as four of the attorney firings, the firings were "inappropriately political" but not criminal.
May 2, 2011: Obama informs Bush about Bin Laden's death
On May 2, 2011, President Obama called George W. Bush to inform him that Osama bin Laden had been killed.
May 2011: Osama bin Laden Killed
Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces under the Obama administration in May 2011, two years after Bush left office.
2011: Disagreed with Troop Withdrawal
In 2011, George W. Bush vocally disagreed with President Obama's withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, calling it a "strategic blunder".
February 2012: Gallup Poll on Bush's Reputation
In February 2012, a Gallup poll indicated that "Americans still rate George W. Bush among the worst presidents," although their views had become more positive since he left office. This marked a shift in public perception, though still largely negative.
2012: Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana Awarded
In 2012, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves awarded George W. Bush the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana for his work in expanding NATO, recognizing his contributions to international relations and security.
April 2013: Bush's Approval Rating
In April 2013, a poll conducted for The Washington Post and ABC indicated that Bush's approval rating stood at 47 percent approval and 50 percent disapproval, his highest approval rating since December 2005.
June 2013: Bush's Positive Ratings Exceed Negative
In June 2013, for the first time recorded by Gallup, George W. Bush's favorability ratings were more positive than negative, with 49 percent viewing him favorably compared to 46 percent unfavorably. This marked a significant turning point in public perception.
2013: PEPFAR's Impact
By 2013, The U.S. government had spent some $44 billion on PEPFAR and related programs which saved an estimated five million lives.
2013: Bush Comments on Historical Judgment
In 2013, George W. Bush said that "Ultimately history will judge the decisions I made...I did what I did."
June 12, 2015: Bush discusses ISIS and troop deployment in Iraq
On June 12, 2015, George W. Bush stated that "boots on the ground" were needed to defeat ISIS. He also defended his decision to increase troop deployment in Iraq to defeat Al Qaeda, rather than withdrawing them as some suggested.
2015: CNN Poll on Bush
In 2015, CNN polled Bush's favorability, the results of which improved by 9 points by 2018.
January 20, 2017: Bush attends Trump's inauguration
On January 20, 2017, George W. Bush and his wife attended Donald Trump's inauguration. Images of Bush struggling with a rain poncho went viral. Bush allegedly called the ceremony "some weird shit".
2017: Improved Public Image
In 2017, George W. Bush's public image saw greater improvement, with a YouGov survey showing 51 percent of favorability from Democrats, indicating a shift in perception across party lines.
2018: Favorable View of Bush
In 2018, a CNN poll found that 61 percent of respondents held a favorable view of George W. Bush, an increase of nine points from 2015, suggesting a continued improvement in his public image.
June 1, 2020: Bush Addresses George Floyd's Murder
On June 1, 2020, George W. Bush released a statement addressing the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests. He acknowledged racial injustices and called for America to examine its "tragic failures".
January 6, 2021: Bush Denounces U.S. Capitol Attack
On January 6, 2021, George W. Bush condemned the U.S. Capitol attack, calling it an "insurrection" and comparing it to how election results are disputed in a "banana republic".
July 14, 2021: Bush reaffirms opposition to troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
On July 14, 2021, George W. Bush reaffirmed his opposition to President Biden's withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, calling the plan "a mistake".
September 11, 2021: Bush Commemorates 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks
On September 11, 2021, George W. Bush gave a speech at the Flight 93 National Memorial on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, praising the heroism of those on Flight 93 and the spirit of America.
2021: C-SPAN's 2021 Historians Survey Ranks Bush as 29th-best president
C-SPAN's 2021 survey of historians ranked George W. Bush as the 29th-best president, after having previously been ranked 36th in 2009.
2023: Estimated Lives Saved by PEPFAR
By 2023, PEPFAR was estimated to have saved over 25 million lives, alleviating the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
