I never agreed with the Elder Bush’s politics, he was a child of privilege and he always ruled that way. But I have always been grudgingly supportive of his policies. The man put his sense of right and wrong on the line, and he didn’t always act out of personal gain. His wartime service was heroic, particularly when you consider his age. I’ll be the first to admit I would never have volunteered to go fight my country’s enemies unless I was forced to by personal selfish circumstances. He did it purely for love of country and I honor him for that.

And no one can deny his experience, talents and competence, as well as his commitment, even if you question how he chose to use them. His performance in recognizing the need, preparing for and winning the First Gulf War was a tour de force of diplomatic, military and geopolitical skill, and his knowing when to get OUT of Iraq after victory, when the stated mission was finished, was as courageous, correct and unexpected a political decision as I have seen in my lifetime. None of the Liberal leaders I championed showed that good sense.

And he managed the collapse of the Soviet Union, wisely resisting the urge to gloat and strut, twist the knife and pour salt on the wounds and take advantage of the short-term situation by risking long-term gain. Perhaps in the long term, the Cold War was destined to resume, after all, the rivalry between the US and USSR was never really about ideology, but that wasn’t his fault. He did the right thing, the honorable thing and I recognize it and honor it. Hopefully, someday, the Russian leadership will too.

But in my opinion, his wisest and bravest action was to decide to raise taxes even after he had publicly sworn to his constituency that he would not (“Read my lips!”). It was the right thing to do, it was not fair to kick the war bills up into the future to be paid by someone else. He knew it would cost him a second term, but he knew it was the right thing to do for the country. That shows integrity to me, even though I can see now that it was the defining watershed of the corrupt and conscienceless New Conservative Movement: Screw the country, just give me the tax cut. President Bush, like Teddy Roosevelt before him, understood that sometimes patriotism, practicality and decency trump ideology. He was, in that respect, the last true Republican.

RIP, George. You will be missed.