BY E.M. TRAN
emtran3@gmail.com
A recent poll shows a hike in former President George W. Bush’s approval ratings, which were almost rock bottom at 33 percent when he left Washington, and 25 percent (which he hit three times) at their overall lowest while he was in office. The survey indicates a rise to 47 percent.
This upsurge in nostalgia for George W.’s decidedly tempestuous two terms in the oval office can be explained in a number of ways.
First, that hindsight and distance from certain administrations usually soften the American public’s harsh criticisms. The same can be said for Presidents Truman and Nixon, whose end of term ratings were similarly low, but were later recognized by historians and scholars for implementing programs to contain communism and promote environmentalism.
While Bush’s decisions concerning excessive spending, the invasion of Iraq and Hurricane Katrina still cause deeply divisive responses, the passage of time has allowed emotions to settle, and thus, ratings to rise. Critics are hardly mollified in 2013, but the average citizen is now distracted by the consequences of the Bush Administration in the context of the Obama White House. Memories are short and the present is the most immediate for many forgetful Americans.
This hike in approval might also have something to do with Bush’s pointed silence since leaving politics behind. While it is more than obvious that Bush and his successor stand on totally different ground when it comes to most policies (he decries raising taxes on the rich and Obama’s healthcare law, for example), Bush has avoided making any public statements about his opinions. That, in conjunction with his gregarious personality as America’s grandpa, one who plays golf and paints dogs in his retirement, has made him much more appealing to a society enamored with superficial celebrity personalities — especially now that he is no longer responsible for the country.
His activities, now that he’s no longer president, are unquestionably passive. He’s learning to paint, specifically dogs, as well as self-portraits. He likes to golf, hunt, and fish. Making money is incredibly easy with the plethora of six-figure speeches he’s able to give around the country. The rise in his approval rating since his retirement seems unfair when we look at the events of his presidency, especially since his recreational lifestyle contrasts significantly to the political and philanthropic activism of other former presidents.
However, these moves on the part of Bush are not accidental, and seem clear now with the upcoming dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University. The library and the deliberate separation from anything even remotely political post-presidency are serving as methods to rehabilitate his historical legacy, which looked in particularly rough shape by 2009.
The library’s mission will be to serve “as a resource for the study of the life and career of George W. Bush, while also promoting a better understanding of the presidency, American history, and important issues of public policy.”
It’s the first presidential library of the digital age, and will include electronic records, including 200 million emails from the White House email system and 4 million digital photographs. The institute houses a Decision Points Theater in which visitors can walk and experience moments of difficult decision making Bush had to endure, and also portray to future generations the conservative vision of his presidency.
This library appears to be the vehicle in ameliorating his reputation with future historians and scholars, as well as succeeding generations. This library, which is supposed to be a public space where one can learn and self-improve, is actually just another tool for Bush to save his own ego.
E.M. Tran is in her first year of MFA graduate studies. She is from New Orleans, La. Follow her on Twitter @etran3.
