, Columnist
George H.W. Bush Was the Nice Guy Who Finished First
Even by the standard of a kinder, gentler era, the 41st president enjoyed unusual respect across the political aisle.
November 5, 1988: The winner.
Photographer: Cynthia Johnson/Hulton Archive via Getty Images
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History takes awhile to render judgments, but the arc already is being kind to George Herbert Walker Bush. Particularly in foreign policy, the achievements of the 41st American president, nicknamed Bush 41 to distinguish him from his son, George W. Bush, No. 43, are widely recognized today.
What will preclude him from being considered one of the foremost U.S. presidents is his failure to win re-election. One-term presidents tend to suffer in rankings by reputable historians.