George W. Bush Debuts Substack With Washington Love Letter

"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. 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."

"Without him, there would be no America; and without America, the world would be a very different and much darker place, Bush wrote. The Texas Republican praised Washington for his military leadership during the Revolutionary War and lauded him for refusing to turn the fledgling USA into a monarchy, as well as his decision to step down as president after two terms. George Washington's humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics, Bush said."

"His piece did not touch on anything tied to modern politics, and it did not reference recent leaders like Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or Barack Obama. Bush said Washington had his faults, like being prickly towards others and making some tactical errors in battle. Worst of all, he was as were so many of his generation a lifelong slave owner who never publicly condemned the institution, Bush said."

George W. Bush joined Substack and posted a 1,500-word tribute to George Washington on his birthday. Bush called Washington exceptional and indispensable, crediting him with setting America on a path to unparalleled success. Bush wrote that without Washington there would be no America and that the world would be darker without it. He praised Washington's Revolutionary War leadership, refusal to turn the nation into a monarchy, and his decision to step down after two terms. Bush acknowledged Washington's faults, including prickliness, battlefield errors, and lifelong slave ownership, while urging judgment by the totality of his acts and emphasizing Washington's integrity, dignity, and self-restraint.

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