George HW Bush and the End of the Cold War: Crash Course US History #44

Summary

This CrashCourse episode explores the presidency of George H.W. Bush, covering his impressive resume, the 1988 election, his focus on foreign policy, the end of the Cold War, the Gulf War, and his domestic challenges. It highlights key moments like the 'Willie Horton' ad, the START treaties, and the economic recession that ultimately affected his re-election.

Takeaways

• 😀 George H.W. Bush had an impressive resume, including being a war hero, businessman, Congressman, ambassador to the UN, CIA director, and Vice President.
• 🏆 Bush was the son of a Connecticut Senator and had a strong background in foreign policy, which influenced his presidency.
• 🤔 Despite being from an aristocratic background, Bush was able to connect with voters by presenting himself as a Texan.
• 👀 The 1988 election was notable for its negative campaign tactics, with Bush's campaign effectively painting his opponent, Michael Dukakis, as weak on defense and crime.
• 🔍 The infamous Willie Horton ad was a turning point in political advertising, demonstrating the power of negative campaigning.
• 🌐 The end of the Cold War during Bush's presidency marked a significant shift in global politics, though he often doesn't receive full credit for it.
• 🔄 The reduction in nuclear weapons through the START I and START II treaties was a major achievement of Bush's foreign policy.
• 🌍 Bush's handling of the Iraq invasion of Kuwait showcased his decisiveness and ability to build a coalition, leading to a quick military victory.
• 🚀 The first Gulf War was a significant military success for the U.S., demonstrating technological prowess and strategic military planning.
• 💼 Domestic issues, such as the recession and Bush's broken promise on taxes, played a major role in his loss of public support and ultimately his re-election bid.
• 📉 The economic downturn and high unemployment rates during Bush's presidency highlighted the challenges of managing the economy and the impact on voters.

Q & A

Who is the main subject of the video script?

The main subject of the video script is George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States.

What significant event in the Cold War occurred during George H.W. Bush's presidency?

The Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War ended during George H.W. Bush's presidency.

What is the significance of the phrase 'Read my lips, No New Taxes!' in the script?

The phrase 'Read my lips, No New Taxes!' was a famous pledge made by George H.W. Bush during his campaign, which later became a significant issue when he authorized a tax increase.

What was the impact of the 1991 Gulf War on George H.W. Bush's approval rating?

The 1991 Gulf War lifted President Bush's approval rating to an unprecedented 89%.

What was the economic condition in the United States during George H.W. Bush's presidency?

The United States fell into a recession in 1990, which lasted until 1992, leading to high unemployment rates and job losses.

What was the role of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the script?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1991 during Bush's presidency, which was a significant legislative achievement.

Why was the 1988 presidential campaign considered to have ushered in an era of negative politics?

The 1988 presidential campaign is considered to have ushered in an era of negative politics due to the use of highly effective negative ads, such as the Willie Horton ad, which was instrumental in shaping public perception.

What was the controversy surrounding Dan Quayle's vice presidential candidacy?

Dan Quayle, known for his inability to spell 'potato' and his argument with a fictional television character, was chosen by Bush for his youth and family values image, but these incidents contributed to a perception of incompetence.

How did the end of the Cold War affect U.S. foreign policy?

The end of the Cold War left the U.S. in a policy limbo, as it removed the clear structure and enemy that had guided foreign relations for almost 50 years, leading to a period of confusion and messiness in foreign policy issues.

What was the significance of the Rodney King incident and the subsequent riots in the script?

The Rodney King incident and the subsequent riots in Los Angeles highlighted racial tensions and revealed fissures in American society, challenging the progress made in civil rights.

What was the impact of H. Ross Perot's third-party candidacy on the 1992 election?

H. Ross Perot's third-party candidacy won 19% of the vote, which was the best third-party performance since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912, and it contributed to George H.W. Bush's loss in the 1992 election.

Outlines

00:00

🇺🇸 George H.W. Bush's Presidency and the 1988 Election

The first paragraph introduces George H.W. Bush's presidency, highlighting his impressive resume and the significant historical events that occurred during his term, such as the end of the Cold War. It also touches on the 1988 election, where Bush's campaign used negative tactics to portray his opponent, Michael Dukakis, as weak on defense and crime. The infamous Willie Horton ad is mentioned as a turning point in political advertising. Additionally, the paragraph discusses Bush's background, his choice of J. Danforth Quayle as his VP, and the domestic and foreign policy challenges he faced.

05:05

🌍 The Post-Cold War Era and the First Gulf War

The second paragraph delves into the complexities of foreign policy in the post-Cold War era, including Bush's decisions to avoid involvement in Yugoslavia but intervene in Somalia. The paragraph focuses on the First Gulf War, triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and details the international response led by the United States. It describes the successful military campaign and the use of high-tech weaponry, which was a public relations victory for the U.S. The Mystery Document feature presents public opinion on the war, revealing a reluctance to serve despite approval of the conflict.

10:05

📉 Economic Challenges and the 1992 Election

The third paragraph discusses the economic recession that began in 1990 and its impact on George H.W. Bush's presidency. It explores the various factors that may have contributed to the downturn and the resulting job losses and rise in unemployment. The paragraph also addresses Bush's breaking of his 'No New Taxes' pledge, which damaged his credibility and contributed to his defeat in the 1992 election. The rise of third-party candidate Ross Perot and the eventual victory of Bill Clinton are mentioned, reflecting a shift in American politics and the challenges of adapting to a post-Cold War world.

Keywords

💡George HW Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush, commonly referred to as George HW Bush, was the 41st President of the United States. He is noted for his extensive resume prior to his presidency, including service as a Navy pilot, a businessman in the oil industry, a Congressman, ambassador to the UN, director of the CIA, and Vice President. The video discusses his presidency, highlighting his focus on foreign policy and his role in the end of the Cold War. His presidency is also marked by the famous pledge 'Read my lips, No New Taxes!' which later became a point of controversy.

💡Cold War

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, after World War II. The video mentions that the Cold War ended during Bush's presidency, which is significant as it marked a major shift in global politics and U.S. foreign policy. The script also discusses the START I and START II treaties negotiated under Bush, which were aimed at reducing nuclear weapons.

💡Dan Quayle

J. Danforth Quayle, commonly known as Dan Quayle, was the Vice President of the United States under George HW Bush. The script humorously notes his selection by Bush and his later notoriety for a public spelling error ('potatoe') and a debate with a fictional television character, Murphy Brown. Quayle's role in the Bush administration and his public image are part of the discussion on the 1988 election and the vice presidential selection process.

💡Michael Dukakis

Michael Dukakis was the Governor of Massachusetts and the Democratic nominee for President in the 1988 election, running against George HW Bush. The script describes him as perceived as competent but lacking in charisma and warmth. Dukakis' campaign is notably discussed in the context of negative campaign tactics, particularly the infamous 'Willie Horton' ad, which played a significant role in shaping public perception of his candidacy.

💡Willie Horton

Willie Horton was a convicted murderer whose case was used in a controversial political ad during the 1988 presidential campaign against Michael Dukakis. The ad, which featured a photo of Horton and criticized Dukakis for a furlough program that allowed Horton to commit additional crimes, is highlighted in the script as an example of the negative campaigning tactics that became more prominent in that election.

💡New World Order

The term 'New World Order' was used by George HW Bush to describe the post-Cold War era, suggesting a new era of international relations. The script discusses how the end of the Cold War left the U.S. in a policy limbo, as the traditional framework for foreign relations was no longer applicable. The phrase is used to illustrate the challenges and uncertainties faced by the U.S. in adjusting to a world without the clear adversary of the Soviet Union.

💡Gulf War

The Gulf War, also known as the First Iraq War, was a conflict that took place from 1990 to 1991 in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The script details how President Bush assembled a coalition to oppose Iraq's aggression, leading to a decisive military victory. The war is significant in the video as it showcases Bush's foreign policy decisions and the effectiveness of U.S. military power during his presidency.

💡Recession

The script discusses the economic recession that began in 1990 and lasted until 1992, which had a significant impact on George HW Bush's presidency. The recession saw a rise in unemployment and economic hardship, contributing to a decline in Bush's popularity and ultimately affecting his re-election prospects. The economic downturn is contextualized within broader discussions of U.S. economic policy and the challenges faced by the administration.

💡Rodney King

Rodney King was a Black motorist whose beating by Los Angeles police officers was captured on video and became a symbol of police brutality. The script mentions the 1992 acquittal of the officers involved, which led to widespread riots in Los Angeles. The incident and its aftermath are used to illustrate the racial tensions and social issues that were prominent during Bush's presidency.

💡Americans With Disabilities Act

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights law enacted in 1991 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The script briefly mentions the passage of the ADA as an example of 'New Deal style' legislation passed during Bush's presidency, highlighting the administration's role in advancing civil rights.

💡H. Ross Perot

H. Ross Perot was a Texas billionaire who ran as a third-party candidate in the 1992 U.S. presidential election, receiving 19% of the popular vote. The script discusses Perot's impact on the election, suggesting that his candidacy siphoned votes that might have otherwise gone to George HW Bush, contributing to Bush's loss in the election.

Highlights

Introduction to George HW Bush's presidency and his impressive resume including war hero status, political and business experience.

The humorous comparison of George HW Bush's career diversity to Barbie's.

Background on Bush's family origins and upbringing, contrasting the common narrative of self-made politicians.

Selection of J Danforth Quayle as Bush's VP candidate and the public perception of him.

Overview of Michael Dukakis as the Democratic opponent in the 1988 election and his public image issues.

Discussion on the role of negative campaign ads in the 1988 election and their effectiveness.

Impact of the infamous Willie Horton ad on the 1988 election and its role in shaping public perception of Dukakis.

George HW Bush's use of the term 'liberal' as an insult, marking a significant shift in American politics.

Bush's famous 'Read my lips, No New Taxes' pledge and its implications for his presidency.

Analysis of the end of the Cold War during Bush's presidency and its historical significance.

Details on the START I and START II treaties and their impact on nuclear disarmament.

Bush's foreign policy decisions during the Yugoslav Wars and the Somalia intervention.

Account of the first Iraq war, its military success, and its aftermath.

Reflection on the Mystery Document segment revealing public opinion on the Iraq war.

Economic recession during Bush's term, its causes, and its effects on his re-election prospects.

Bush's tax increase decision and its political repercussions, including the breaking of his 'No New Taxes' pledge.

The rise of third-party candidate H. Ross Perot and his impact on the 1992 election.

The election of William Jefferson Clinton and the factors that led to Bush's defeat.

Final thoughts on the George HW Bush administration's place in history and its lasting impact.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m John Green, this is CrashCourse U.S. history and we’ve finally done it we

have reached the moment where we get to talk about the presidency of George HW Bush.

The 2nd most important man named George Bush ever to be President of the United States.

A man so fascinating that we did not give him a face.

Mr. Green, Mr. Green, so we’re almost in the present?

Well we’re never really gonna get to the present Me From The Past because we’re always

in the past.

But you are like 20 years in the past which is soon going to create a time paradox that

I can not possibly deal with.

So I’m just going to let Hank deal with that over on the science shows.

Intro Anyway despite like calendars and everything,

the 1990s really began in 1988 with the election of George Herbert Walker Bush, who had probably

the best resume of any presidential candidate since Teddy Roosevelt.

I mean he was a war hero, having enlisted in the Navy upon graduating from high school

and then going on to become the youngest pilot in Navy history.

He flew 58 missions in the Pacific during WWII and received the Distinguished Flying

Cross for completing a mission in a burning plane before ditching into the sea.

So just consider that the next time you complete a heroic mission in Call of Duty 4.

After the war Bush went to college at Yale, and then moved to Texas where he made millions

in the oil industry.

Then, he became a Congressman, and then ambassador to the UN, and then director of the CIA, and

then Vice President.

The guy had more careers than Barbie!

Plus like every great American politician George Bush grew up in hardscrabble poverty

working his way through the Depression…

just kidding he was the son of Connecticut Senator Prescott Bush.

But I guess after like 20 years of peanut farmers and former actors, America was ready

to have an aristocrat at the helm again, as long as he pretended to be from Texas.

Like certain Crash Course teachers wearing striped polo shirts George HW Bush was an

old school Episcopalion so he was never totally comfortable with like public professions of

faith.

So when it came down to pick his vice presidential candidate, Bush chose J Danforth Quayle aka

Dan.

A young, family values, senator from right here in Indiana.

Now these days of course Dan Quayle is primarily known for getting in an argument with a fictional

television character named Murphy Brown, and also for not being able to spell the word

potato, but once upon a time he was a promising young Republican.

Bush’s opponent in that 1988 was Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who was perceived

as competent but kinda heartless and weak and a little bit clueless.

As this famous picture of him in a tank indicates he was not a war hero.

But at the beginning of the Democratic primary the leading contender was actually the reverend,

Jesse Jackson, who had a legitimate shot at being the first African American Democratic

Presidential nominee.

That would have to wait.

Because instead the Democrats chose the northern, liberal governor Dukakis and paired him with

Texas Senator Lloyd, I’m gonna make Dan Quayle look good, Bentsen.

Which I bring up primarily to point out that Texas actually used to have Democrats.

So negative campaign ads had existed before 1988 but the 1988 election took it to an entirely

new level and ushered in an era of going negative in politics.

Like everybody says they hate negative ads, but they also work like the Bush campaign’s

efforts to make Dukakis look weak on defense and crime were brutally effective.

The most infamous ad featured Willie Horton who while on furlough from prison committed

rape and murder.

And even though Dukakis’ Republican predecessor had actually started the furlough program,

the Horton crime occurred while Dukakis was governor.

The ad featured a terrifying photo of Horton and prisoners walking through a revolving

door and it worked.

Dukakis was regarded as a liberal who was weak on crime.

In fact, it was George HW Bush who was the first to use the word liberal as an insult

in American politics, which represents the larger shifts that were happening.

So in retrospect, possibly the most important thing about the 1988 campaign was George Bush’s

famous pledge at the Republican convention: “Read my lips, No New Taxes!”

No way that’s gonna come back to bite him.

So once he was President, it’s not surprising that Bush focused more on foreign policy than

domestic concerns.

I mean that was his background with the UN and at the CIA.

But it also makes sense in the larger historical context because the Cold War actually ended

during Bush’s presidency.

Even though no one ever gives him credit for it.

I mean the Berlin Wall came down, Poland’s military rule ended, the Velvet Revolution

happened in Czechoslovakia during Bush’s watch.

Let’s go to the Thought Bubble The end of the Cold War was really a failure

on the part of the USSR rather than the result of successful American policies.

But it left the U.S. in something of a policy limbo.

I mean after all, the idea of a super-powerful malevolent Bowser Boss Soviet Union poised

to destroy the American Way of Life provided a comfortable structure for all our foreign

relations for almost 50 years as well as providing the reason for massive military build up and

all the jobs that came with it.

One positive result of the end of the Cold War was a reduction in nuclear weapons.

Under Bush the U.S. and USSR negotiated and implemented the START I and START II treaties,

which limited the number of warheads each country could possess to between 3,000 and

3,500.

I mean that was still enough to end human life on Earth several times over but it was

amazing progress.

The collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War led the president to declare

the dawn of a New World Order, but calling it a New World Order didn’t make foreign

policy any easier.

Without the Cold War to orient us foreign policy issues were much more confusing and

messy.

So for example, Bush kept the United States out of Yugoslavia, which disintegrated in

1991, turning into a bloodbath.

But he sent troops into Somalia to help deliver food aid, resulting in the botched operation

described in the movie, and book, Black Hawk Down.

And then there was the foreign policy crisis that Bush handled decisively: Saddam Hussein’s

invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.

Bush brought the issue to the UN and ushered through a Security Council resolution that

set a deadline for Saddam to leave Kuwait.

When he didn’t meet the January 15, 1991 deadline, the U.S. had already put together

a coalition of 34 nations ready to make him leave.

America first launched a spectacular air war that destroyed much of the Iraqi defense capability.

And then our technological prowess was on display for the world on CNN, which featured

coverage of “smart bombs” blowing stuff up.

When ground troops led by General Norman z finally moved in, they were able to defeat

the Iraqi army in just 100 hours.

Thanks Thought Bubble.

So the Iraq war, I guess we now have to say first Iraq war, was a huge military success.

America lost fewer than 300 soldiers.

Iraq suffered somewhere between 1500 and 9500 killed in action.[1]

And the US’s military objectives had been achieved clearly and quickly.

And Bush claimed that the victory had forever banished the so called “Vietnam Syndrome,”

the reluctance to use American military power for fear of becoming bogged down in another

“quagmire.”

Now in hindsight, if the Americans had supported Iraqi efforts to topple Saddam Hussein and

build a new Iraq, we might have achieved that objective as well, but the mission under the

UN resolution was to get Iraqis out of Kuwait and so that’s what we did.

Bush didn’t want to take it any further.

Oh it’s time for the Mystery Document?

The rules here are simple I read the mystery document.

I either guess the author correctly or I get shocked.

“Five of the seven agree with President Bush that the war is just or at least necessary.

But not one wants to fight in it.

All are opposed to a draft, though a few said one might be necessary as a last resort.

They said they would gladly serve in non-military public service jobs.

“This might sound selfish, but I think it would be a shame to put America’s best minds

on the front line,” said Jason Bell, 20, a junior English major from Elizabethtown,

KY.

“If we have to go, we have to go, but I think it would be a shame.”

[2] Yeah, Jason Bell, that does sound selfish.

Alright Stan this is from like a newspaper or magazine.

I assume that you are using it to call attention to the fact that this was really the first

big American military initiative without a draft.

And it also reminds us that the war was not universally popular, I mean at least before

it was fought, after it was fought it pretty much was.

But I have no idea who actually wrote the piece in the mystery document, how would I

know that?

Is it a famous journalist?

Is it like David Halberstam?

No?

David Maraniss?

Who the hell is that?

Does he have a Wikipedia article?

Meredith does he have a Wikipedia article?

Alright apparently he does have a Wikipedia article.

He even won a Pulitzer Prize so congratulations sir.

Ahhh!

So the Gulf lifted the President Bush’s approval rating to an unheard of 89%.

And in April 1991 it looked like there was no way that George HW Bush would lose his

re-election bid, but he didn’t consider the domestic issues that were kind of important

to Americans.

We are very happy to talk about all the wars that we are fighting unless and until someone

raises our taxes!

So Bush wasn’t much interested in putting together a domestic agenda – he once called

it “the vision thing” – and anyway he would have had a hard time getting anything

through the Democratically controlled Congress.

So Congress continued to pass New Deal style “liberal” legislation including expanded

funding for Head Start and welfare, as well as a Family and Medical Leave bill (which

Bush vetoed twice) but eventually passed nonetheless.

With the Family Medical Leave Act of course America joined every other country in the

world in offering paid maternity and paternity leave to new parents.

What’s that?

We didn’t?

We still don’t?

We still don’t have that?

We still don’t have paid leave?

Oh god..

However you are no longer allowed to be fired for 12 whole weeks while you take unpaid leave

to care for your child.

That’s why Stan couldn’t replace me with text-to-voice software after my daughter,

Alice, was born.

But in news that actually was sort of cutting edge Congress also enacted the Americans With

Disabilities Act in 1991.

Before I talk about the recession that ended George Bush’s presidency I want to talk

about Rodney King.

Because this revealed huge fissures in the American population and called into question

the achievements of the rights revolution.

In April 1992 an all white jury in Simi Valley found three of four policemen not guilty of

beating black motorist Rodney King, even though the incident had been recorded on videotape.

After the verdict, Los Angeles erupted into the deadliest riots seen in America since

the New York City Draft Riots. 52 people were killed and 2,300 injured in rioting that caused

$1billion in property damage.

So obviously race remained a volatile issue in the U.S.

It was also an issue that Bush seemed unprepared to deal with like he toured burned out LA

neighborhoods but had little in the way of real comfort to offer, contributing to the

perception that he was this millionaire, Ivy League-educated, Washington insider who was

out of touch with regular Americas.

But the biggest issue to most Americans was money.

America fell into recession in 1990 and the slump lasted until 1992.

It might have been caused by the end of the Cold War and the subsequent reductions in

defense spending, or by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan’s sluggish refusal to lower interest

rates, or maybe the economy just needed to reset at a lower number after growing every

year since 1982, or maybe macroeconomics is more complicated than who is President and

sometimes people unjustly get blamed or credited for things that they had very little to do

with.

Regardless, 4.5 million Americans lost their jobs and the unemployment rate rose from 5.3%

in 1989 to 7.5% in 1992, its highest level in almost a decade.

Along with the many thousands of manufacturing workers who lost their jobs in America’s

continuing de-industrialization, white-collar workers were thrown out of work, too, and

college graduates, of whom there were record numbers, couldn’t find work as they came

out of school.

Stop me if any of that sounds familiar.

One person who struggled to find a job after graduating during the Bush Recession was none

other than CrashCourse writer Raoul Meyer, who after sending 100 resumes out got 3 job

interviews and ended up working at a small independent school in Alabama, where he became

the teacher of … Me From the Past.

Now the recession was certainly bad for Bush politically, but what probably destroyed Bush’s

re-election hopes was the whole taxes thing.

In 1991, with tax receipts dropping and spending not slowing very much, President Bush did

something that now seems unthinkable: he authorized a tax increase.

And in doing this he called his conservative credentials into question.

Especially in the eyes of small-government-wanting-libertarian-leaning republicans.

They had never really trusted the faux Texan Bush anyway, but he had said, “Read my lips..”

and they believed him but it turned out he had no lips!

Now when coupled with Bush’s lukewarm support of the evangelical wing of the republican

party and his running mate’s inability to spell the word potato it all prompted a primary

challenge from conservative commentator Pat Buchanan.

Which he beat back easily, however some of the GOP voter base, especially the evangelical

Christians, stayed home on Election Day.

Then there was also a third party candidate, Texas Billionaire and muppet impersonator

H. Ross Perot, who won 19% of the vote (the best third-party performance since Teddy Roosevelt

in 1912) All of this came together to open the door

for a pudgy lad from Hope, Arkansas, who had never inhaled marijuana, and didn’t cheat

on his wife except for sometimes, named William Jefferson Clinton.

Looking back from today the fascinating thing about the George HW Bush administration is

that it seems like a weird interruption in a larger narrative.

For a couple decades we had seen increasing conservatism and rising partisanship and then

suddenly George HW Bush comes along and everybody kind of works together.

They didn’t always make good decisions when working together, but they did make decisions!

But what’s really fascinating to me is that if you’re from Eastern Europe or China this

period was one of the most important in history.

Whereas if you’re American arguably the most important thing the leader of this era

ever did was raise George W Bush.

For better and for worse America didn’t really change that much as a result of the

end of the Cold War.

But we’re creeping up now on the growth of the Internet which would change the way

that Americans and everyone else imagines history and everything else forever.

Thanks for watching.

I’ll see you next week.

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There’s also great perks and stuff, so check out Subbable and, thank you for watching Crash

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________________ [1] source for these numbers is Patterson,

Restless Giant p. 235.

[2] From “It’s Their War, Too” by David Maraniss Washington Post, 2/11/91