By with us, brad, want to talk more about his life and legacy. Thank you for joining us. If you will stand by. Shannon this is breaking news. Im Shannon Bream at wagners World Headquarters in new york. President george h. W. Bush has died. He was 94, the oldest president in history. Bush 41 spent the summer at his home in maine, which he loved so much, he talked about how happy was to be there but returned in october to texas, where his spokesman said the president was looking forward to some proper texmex, the day after his stomach the funeral of his wife, barbara bush, he checked into a hospital with and infection. He went home a couple of days later. He had a former Parkinsons Disease. Doctors treated him for pneumonia and other infections in recent years. George Herbert Walker bush was born on june 12th, 1924. In milton, massachusetts, south of boston. He was a decorated u. S. Pilot who flew torpedo bombers, and survived being shot down during world war ii. He met barbara pierce at a christmas dance when they were just teenagers. They got married in 1945 when he was home on leave from the war. He later graduated from Yale University and then with bar but they moved to texas to work in the oil business and that is where he got into politics. He became a congressman and ran for congress in 1980. He lost the republican nomination to Ronald Reagan but became its Vice President and finally, eight years later, took the oath of office himself as commander in chief. On his watch, a lot of Foreign Policy got done. The berlin wall came down, the soviet union collapsed. When Saddam Hussein invaded kuwait, he defeated the iraqi forces. He also started a foundation to promote community service. After leaving the white house, barbara bush started a charity to help more people learn to
read. She was quite an advocate for literacy and was tireless about it. They were married 73 years, longer than any other first couple in u. S. History. They had six children, including a daughter who died of leukemia when she was just three. Theyve been open and talked about how difficult a time that was for them. Their eldest son, of course, george w. Bush became the 43rd president of the United States. They had 17 grandchildren and eight grandchildren, after barbara bush died, her husband said she would want life to go on. At the time, so cross the bushes off your worry list. Now they are together again. George w. Bush, the 41st president of United States, did tonight at 94. Bret baier looked back at the life of this american hero. For a new breeze is blowing, and a world refreshed by freedom seems reborn, for in mans heart, if not in fact, the day of the dictator is over. Bret george bushs hardest test as president was giving the
green light for operation desert storm. But he is credited with rescuing the tiny, oilrich nation of kuwait from Saddam Husseins Million Man Army of iraq. Before george Herbert Walker bush took his first step into the white house, he learned to walk in maine. Born june 12th, 1924, and the town of milton, massachusetts, a family already deeply involved in Public Service. He was the second of five children to dorothy and senator prescott bush. With high school behind him, george was accepted at el university, but what is education on hold. The start of the Second World War back at him to serve his country instead. In 1942, george bush celebrated his 18th Birthday by enlisting in the u. S. Naval reserve. Within a year, he was ensign bush, the youngest Fighter Pilot in the navy. Taking part in 58 Combat Missions in the pacific theater, bush was flying his plane on a
special Bombing Mission over china when he was shot down by the japanese and was forced to bail out at sea. He survived, though his crew did not. Im floating around in his raft, paddling, and then all of a sudden, saw this tower come up and saw the submarine service. Bret with the end of the war inside, bush set his sights on barbara pierce. The two but in 1945, while bush was still in the navy. They would have six children, Including Our 43rd president , george w. Bush. And popular florida governor, jeb. Bush left the navy and graduated from yale before he and barbara moved to texas to find his dreams on an oil field. By the age of 30, he was cofounder and president of the pot off chores, which pioneered experimental drilling equipment. Just like his father, he was attracted to Public Service and politics. After losing his First Political race for a senate seat in 1964,
he was elected to the House Of Representatives two years later. Serving two terms. Encouraged by Richard Nixon to run again for the senate in 1970, he was defeated a second time. He moved onto high government positions. In 1971, Richard Nixon appointed him ambassador to the united nations. In 1973, he became chairman of the Republican National committee, at the height of the watergate scandal. In that role, bush urged nixon to resign for the good of the party. I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Bret president gerald ford sent bush to china as a chief of the u. S. Liaison office. A short time later, he called him home to be director of the cia and bush was credited with bringing morel back to the agency. Bush last and left in 1977 on President Carter entered the white house. By 1979, he was ready to get back into the political ring. Ladies and gentlemen, i am a
candidate for president of the United States. [cheers and applause] bret bush was seen as a moderate alternative to Ronald Reagan, but dropped out of the president ial campaign after a poor primary performances. A short time later, he accepted reagans offer to be his running mate. Reagan won in a landslide. During his eight years as Vice President , bush was credited with softening reagans view of the soviet union, and pressed hard on issues like deregulation and the war on drugs. In a natural progression, bush became the Republican Partys nominee in 1988, with senator dan quayle from indiana as his running mate. The Republican Team defeated Massachusetts GovernorMichael Dukakis and texas senator lloyd benson. I, drove Herbert Walker bush. During his presidency, the soviet union dissolved, the berlin wall fell, and my wall nor you go was in restaurant , securing the panama canal. When everything came to a head,
when iraqs Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring kuwait. We are not walking away until our mission is done, until the invader is out of kuwait. Bret president bush reacted quickly, committing over 400,000 u. S. Troops, and building a Strong Coalition of allies. Operation desert storm had begu begun. The majority of america supported the president s decision to throw Saddam Hussein back into iraq and bushs Popularity Rating hit an alltime high. Most thought he was unbeatable for a second term. But a broken campaign promise. Read my lips no new taxes. Bret would come back to haunt the 41st president. In the fall of 1992 with the war a distant memory, george bush lost reelection to former arkansas governor bill clinton. Bush traveled to kuwait to commemorate the gulf war in
1993. An Assassination Plot on his life was uncovered, but bush was unharmed. It was later discovered the poorly orchestrated plan was the work of the iraqi intelligence service. The Kuwaiti Court would convict all but one of the defendants. Bush retired to texas with barbara, getting in a few rounds of horseshoes and celebrating countless birthdays by parachuting out of planes, spending time with the family in maine, and reliving memories of when he was a boy. I can honestly say that the three most rewarding titles bestowed upon me are the three that i have got left husband, a father, and a granddad. Bret while retired, his wife was active, until the end. Joining forces with former political foe bill clinton to raise money for the victims of the 2,004 indian ocean tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The former president s formed a Close Friendship, continuing
their charity work and enjoying annual lunches at bushs home and using his experience and insights to serve as a quiet advisor to his eldest son, the 43rd president. Here, attending george w. Bushs president ial Library Dedication in 2013, and sharing a few words. Glad to be here. God bless america, and thank you very much. [applause] bret bush even kept up with Public Debate by joining twitter, where he often shared photos of his colorful socks, and became part of her signature look. Age brought health challenges, of course. A form of Parkinsons Disease that left him in a welchair, and brief hospital stays in his 90s for pneumonia, bronchitis, and a fall in his home. But not enough to keep them out of the limelight, throwing out the first pitch before a 2016 baseball game, and pregame ceremonies months later at the
super bowl in his houston hometown. Reuniting with his former running mate and Vice President dan quayle in july, and then catching a glimpse of the rare eclipse that crossed the country alongside his family in maine in august. One of his last public appearances was that his beloved wife barbaras funeral, where he met with former president s, first ladies, and the current first lady, melania trump. Bush recently returned to his Vacation Home to home of maine, joining fellow veterans for a Pancake Breakfast before he was hospitalized for low Blood Pressure and fatigue. This was the first time in decades that neither he nor his wife attended the annual memorial day parade. He wrote in a tweet, i am forever grateful not only to those patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, but also the Gold Star Families Heritage is imbued with their honor and harold is in. Not for his maturity and straightforward approach, george h. W. Bush called this country to be better, in hopes of inspiring the people to be great. I think historians are going to say that we did pretty well, and thats all right for me. Im not in any rush, and havent come a letdown and let them make that determination. Shannon we also have bread prayer with us, anchor of Special Report and the geopolitical anchor on the phone prior to bret, as i look at the piece, i am overwhelmed, when i think about, one of the first and foremost things i thought about was bush 41, his humility, especially given all he accomplished. Bret think about how many things president hw bush did. He was a navy pilot, world war ii vet, a congressman, a u. N. Ambassador, and envoy, a cia director, Vice President ,
president , obviously, husband, father, a grandfather, greatgrandfather. In the wake of all of those things, he was one of the most humble people you would ever meet, and most people would tell you in interacting with president bush, he would be asking about you. He would be asking about how you were. There was no more figure in American History that i think bridges the gap between someone like President Reagan, who was largely credited for bringing down communism, but yet president george h. W. Bush is the person where the wall actually falls down during his presidency. You think back on history at these moments, president hw bush is going to be someone who
history probably smiles on quite a bit. Shannon absolutely, bret. Somebody who, what i think about the oldfashioned notion of someone really wanting to serve their country, we talk about his navy service and all the other posts that dont get as much attention because he ended up being the 41st president , he really was somebody who wanted to sort of keep his nose down. It wasnt about Scoring Bragging Points are getting attention. He really did have that from the gut, your country is important, you do serve it, and you do it quietly and humbly but you work hard at it. Bret nt instill that in his family. I mean, this is one of the most prolific political families weve ever seen. In u. S. History. The statement from his son, president george w. Bush, is quite something. He says, job, neil, marvin, dora, and i are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died. George h. W. Bush was a man of the highest character, and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire bush family is deeply grateful for 41 life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens. This is the statement from his son, president 43. I think what you really saw was in the funeral of barbara bush in april, something that he was saying goodbye and a lot of people who were close to president hw bush said they thought it was just a matter of time, because of their relationship was so close, that it was tough to see how he was going to, and his current state, last very long, but he did, and he was on twitter, he was
putting out statements, and i think tonight is something that this family was waiting for, but one that obviously they are saddened for. Shannon absolutely prior to bret, thank you so much. Our coverage continues on fox news channel, on cable and satellite. Well take you back to regular programming on the fox station. Im Shannon Bream for fox news in new york. We now have with us on the phone as well Chris Wallace, the anchor of Fox News Sunday who has spent many hours, many months and years covering the bush family and president bush 41 in particular. Chris, your reaction to the news tonight and your memories . Chris there is an old thing we used to say about baseball players, we used to say that ted williams was the greatest living baseball player, and i have felt for some time that george h. W. Bush was the greatest living american, and we have lost him tonight, i was
just watching brets wonderful obituary, and the thing that is so extraordinary about it, one is how many things he did. As bret pointed out, each chapter could have been a lifetime, but it was one trapper after another, and the thing that also really impressed me about george bushs life is that he could have let a much easier life. He was the son of a very wealthy, Establishment Family in greenwich, connecticut, and he attended Yale University and he basically lies about his age so he can get into the navy, and as bret pointed out, he was the youngest navy pilot to volunteer for his country, fly in the pacific, god shot down, ends up going back to yale and then after he graduates and again, his wife barbara, looking at the pictures of the two of them
together also from a very wealthy family in connecticut. The pearson family. They could have had a very easy, confident life, living in new england, the United States senator, but no, he leaves, goes to the part of the country he really does not know at all, texas, and becomes an oil man. Again, takes the hard road, not the easy road, and to make a name and a life for himself, and that was george h. W. Bush. One of the other things i think we need to point out, yes, he was a great gentleman, yes, he was extremely polished and great fun to be around, he was fiercely competitive, whether it was politics, whether it was a Horseshoe Game in the back of the white house, this he was a fighter. When he lost to bill clinton in 1992, and of course, this was just a year after he presided over the enormous victory in the
gulf war, over Saddam Hussein, so it was a huge disappointment, he was very hurt by it, but he picked himself up and let another faux life after that. Shannon he did. Chris, we talked about the family, the closeness that they have, along with the competitiveness, but really the marriage between him and barbara bush, 73 years, the longest of any first couple in our countrys history. It was really unique. They were equals. She was not your traditional first lady in a lot of ways. They always seemed to be having a great time together, to not only be spouses, but really be Close Friends and partners, and really each others biggest cheerleaders. Chris absolutely. She was known as the silver fox. She had a tart tongue to a certain degree. She was the leader of the family because he was off pursuing his various adventu