Bush, George W. (1946–)

The 43rd president of the United States (2001–2009) and son of the 41st president, George H. W. Bush, George Walker Bush was an unsuccessful candidate for the House of Representatives in 1978, and instead of running again he worked as an oil entrepreneur. In 1989 he became a shareholder of the Texas Rangers baseball team and worked with the team's media relations, which secured him both exposure and media attention that later garnered public and political support. He was inspired by Rev. Billy Graham and became a self-proclaimed “born-again Christian” after giving up alcohol in 1986. He and his family moved to Washington, D.C., in 1988 to work on his father's presidential campaign. George W. Bush networked to ensure an evangelical base in the primaries, ...