Former President George W. Bush aimed subtle digs at Donald Trump in a Presidents’ Day message — laying out observations about the first nation’s first leader amid the country’s current troubled times.
The 43rd president of the United States described the significance behind George Washington’s leadership in a Substack piece for In Pursuit. And although he never named Trump specifically, Bush presented several definitions of what leadership should look like and why Americans need it ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“As president, I found great comfort and inspiration in reading about my predecessors and the qualities they embodied,” Bush wrote. “Abraham Lincoln’s resolve, Harry Truman’s decisiveness, Ronald Reagan’s optimism, and others reminded me of the challenges America has faced – and of the values that have helped us overcome them.”
The decisions Washington made years ago helped set the standard for future presidents, Bush wrote.
“Our first president could have remained all-powerful, but twice he chose not to,” Bush wrote. “In so doing, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to. His life, with all its flaws and achievements, should be studied by all who aspire to leadership. George Washington’s humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics.”
Bush identified some of the strengths that characterized Washington’s leadership and how that helped form the nation.
“With Washington, character was key – in this case his humility, perseverance despite difficult odds, indomitable will, and the loyalty he inspired in others,” Bush wrote.
Washington had planned to leave politics, and believed in limited power, only until he was called to serve again.
“The young republic was in crisis. The Articles of Confederation were failing, with the federal government virtually powerless. In 1787 Washington was called back to public life, where he presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia,” Bush wrote. “He was asked to serve because he was a national hero and a unifying figure, trusted by all, and unmatched in his ability to forge consensus. He could be given power because of his character; because everyone knew he would not abuse power.”
The nature of Washington’s modesty is what helped secure trust among the people he governed, Bush argued.
“Our first leader helped define not only the character of the presidency but the character of the country. Washington modeled what it means to put the good of the nation over self-interest and selfish ambition,” Bush wrote. “He embodied integrity and modeled why it’s worth aspiring to. And he carried himself with dignity and self-restraint, honoring the office without allowing it to become invested with near-mythical powers.”
“I often say that the office of the president is more important than the occupant; that the institution of the presidency gives ballast to our ship of state,” Bush added. “For that stability, we are indebted to the wisdom of our founding fathers’ governing charter and the humility of our nation’s first president. It has guided us for 250 years, and it will strengthen us for our next 250 years.”
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