America lost a visionary with Bush’s death

President had deep love of country, strong vision for country

On Friday night, America lost one of her leaders. George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, died at the age of 94 at his home in Houston.

Over the weekend, tributes to Bush poured in from all corners of America and the world, remembering his quiet strength, his sense of humor, and his love for his wife, his family and his country.

And one could truly see that love of country in Bush’s speeches.

“A President must be many things. He must be a shrewd protector of America’s interests; And he must be an idealist who leads those who move for a freer and more democratic planet. He must see to it that government intrudes as little as possible in the lives of the people; and yet remember that it is the nation’s character. And he must be able to define — and lead — a mission,” Bush said in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in 1988.

He spoke of the need for bipartisanship in his inauguration speech in 1989 — a need that resonates today, even louder, nearly 30 years later.

“To my friends, and, yes, I do mean friends — in the loyal opposition and, yes, I mean loyal — I put out my hand. I am putting out my hand to you, Mr. Speaker. I am putting out my hand to you, Mr. Majority Leader. For this is the thing: This is the age of the offered hand. … And we don’t wish to turn back time, but when our mothers were young, Mr. Majority Leader, the Congress and the Executive were capable of working together to produce a budget on which this nation could live.

“Let us negotiate soon and hard. But in the end, let us produce. The American people await action. They didn’t send us here to bicker. They ask us to rise above the merely partisan. ‘In crucial things, unity’ — and this, my friends, is crucial,” Bush said. He was right, and today, his words still apply.

As with every presidency, there were highlights and low moments for Bush. Only history can judge those moments. But Bush was aware of that, even at his inauguration, and while he knew the job would be daunting, his message was one of hope.

“… I see history as a book with many pages, and each day we fill a page with acts of hopefulness and meaning. The new breeze blows, a page turns, the story unfolds. And so, today a chapter begins, a small and stately story of unity, diversity, and generosity — shared, and written, together,” Bush said at his Inauguration.

Bush’s chapter has come to a gentle close. But his legacy, his words, and his vision will live on.

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