USS George H.W. Bush: A Ship With a History

The father of the outgoing president likes to note that "we Bushes cry a lot." Well, here's cause for crying out loud.

On Saturday, January 10, the Navy will commission the aircraft carrier CVN-77, to be named USS George H.W. Bush. In a departure from tradition, the ship will be christened before it is finished. They seem in a hurry to burnish the reputation of the elder Bush while his son is still in office. But the truth is that this is not a case of an honorable man being honored, but of a continued cover-up of a shocking career. The former President calls the upcoming ceremony "the last big thing in my life," but he should not be allowed to shuffle quietly out of the limelight on the heels of this noble valedictory.

As I reveal in my new book, Family of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put it in the White House and What Their Influence Means for America, there are two George H.W. Bushes: the public one and the private one.

The public Bush 41 was acclaimed a war hero as a Navy pilot in World War II. The private Bush 41, against all Navy tradition, bailed out of the plane he was piloting while one or more of his crew remained on board to perish.

The public Bush 41 was an oilman and congressman who entered politics and then served in a wide variety of posts, from UN ambassador to Republican Party Chairman to director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The private Bush 41 was a deeply secretive man living a double life as an intelligence asset two decades before he was appointed CIA director as a purported "intelligence virgin." Though he served as director for just a single year, the Agency named its headquarters after him.

The public Bush 41 was a genial patrician who got along with everybody. The private Bush 41 was deeply connected to operations that damaged, removed or destroyed several American presidents. Bush 41, who has famously claimed not to recall where he was on November 22, 1963, the day JFK was shot, was a longtime friend of the man who mentored Lee Harvey Oswald. That Bush 41 placed a suspicious call to the FBI at the time of JFK's death to establish himself as being outside Dallas. He was connected to many figures surrounding Kennedy's motorcade and the events of that tragic day.

Naming this military vessel after George HW Bush is problematic, given the disrespect the Bush family has shown for the American constitution. And given the hatred unleashed the world over by the Bush name, asking US military personnel to serve on a carrier so named is surely exposing them to extra unnecessary risk. All around, this is one ship with a history before it ever sets sail.

Comments

[neumann]

I wish they would go back to the tradition of not naming naval vessels after living people. Gets around a lot of the nastiness. Put a couple of decades behind you before you decide you want to name your submarine the "USS Larry Craig"

[FighterPilot]

This entire aircraft carrier naming exercise is just the latest in the Bush family spinmeisters' attempts to manipulate the public's perception of them and manufacture "evidence" in support of favorable legacy reporting. George H.W. Bush's nagging problem began when Newsweek published his picture on its cover entitled "The Wimp Factor". Poppy has been attempting to distance himself from this ever since. Jumping out of airplanes [tethered to an expert parachutist] and arranging for his Presidential son Dubya to name an aircraft carrier after him are all part and parcel of this subtrefuge. It makes one wonder where Lloyd Bentsen is at a time like this. One can just hear him say: "George, I knew him well and can unequivocally say that you are no John Wayne".

[Skepticat]

Perhaps expensive warships should be named for the citizens who pay for them instead of politicians
consider the following:
USS Taxpayers of Ashtabula Ohio
USS Citizens without Affordable Health Care
USS Boondoggle
USS Billion Dollar Baby
USS Underfunded Infrastructure
USS Overcharged by Contractors.

[TJCole]

They should have named it:

The USS New World Order..!

[phinney]

I just saw this book at Border's this evening, and you know what I did...I hid it behind a stack of other books. I do that to Gore's books also.

[GoneAreRepugs22]

The other day I found copies of Coulter's books under stacks of other books as well!

[phinney]

I probably did that one also...

[williambanzai7]

Why don't they call it good ship mission accomplished.

[Decipherer]

I am no student of much less expert in military procurement, naval or otherwise, but would someone please tell me why in God's name we need yet another aircraft carrier now, with all the current and hideous long-term costs associated with building, operating, staffing, and maintaining this equipment?

Knowing how much this carrier is going to cost is perhaps more relevant to the country now than getting JFK assassination factoids about GHWB. If we're talking factoids, how about something new and substantive to connect the Bush family with the Nazi takeover of Germany in the 1930s, and Sen. Prescott Bush's reluctance to go to war against the Axis?

But, I digress. I'm not saying that huge aircraft carriers and the flotilla of vessels needed to protect them on and under water are not necessary to project U.S. power around the world when required, but when is enough enough?

When are we going to do something about the proliferating military-industrial complex that is strangling our country and economy?

[OldLeatherNeck]

While no fan of the Bush family and an ardent supporter of Obama, I can justify constructing a new aircraft carrier. In order to maintain the industrial capability of building ships in the US, we always have to have at least one aircraft carrier in some stage of production. Unfortunately, the latest one has been named after the father of the worst President in US History, GW Bush.

[change ready]

I heard it was built without a rudder since it nevers need to change its course.

[SimJack]

I find this move by the USN outrageous and disgusting. To the real heroes and honorable warriors that have defended this nation you have my apologies.

[FighterPilot]

Amen. At one time our Nation's aircraft carriers were more appropriately named after famous wartime engagements such as Midway and Coral Sea. These names honored both the Naval Service and the men who flew into battle from our carriers during time of war. Now the PR wags are attempting to use our carriers - Top Gun style - to recreate more favorable public images for otherwise undeserving politicians.

[twosexy4mycat]

JUST KNOW IT IS A CURSED SHIP WITH THAT NAME......­......

[1differentdrummer]

How did GHW spend time on a submarine?

[phinney]

It was a sub that rescued him from the ocen after his plane was shot down.

[tpfleming]

The Bush family connections are eye-openingly nefarious. Those who criticize any investigative journalist who exposes these connections is enabling the Bush family to keep its hands around America's neck.

Tim Fleming
www.eloquentbooks.com/MurderOfAnAmericanNazi.html
http://leftlooking.blogspot.com

[Karma7]

I hope that ship isn't destroyed like Bush destroyed our economy, or sink like his administration, which caused the deaths of millions, including many brave American Navy soldiers.

Naming this military vessel after George HW Bush is a disgrace and insult to our country.

The Bush name will live in infamy in our history, and I believe it may be a curse on that ship.

[randyjet]

Virtually ALL politicians were connected in one way or another to all the people around JFKs motorcade since he was a politician TOO! This is stupid stuff. As for his disregards for the Constitution, while it is true of his son, I cannot think of an instance with his presidency. Maybe you could provide SPECIFICS instead of innuendo and guilt by association.

[quadman]

Russ sold his 'authoritativie' book based upon innuendo and guilt by association. All he is doing here is trying to get some attention for his book. I guess that the sales have not been all that good.

[bujeeboo]

Well, he sold me.

[newpantaloons]

I just ordered it. It is exhaustively researched. Read it and let the 'veil fall from your eyes'.

[quadman]

"In a departure from tradition, the ship will be christened before it is finished."

Apparently, Russ knows little about naval tradition. Ships are christened when they are launched, not when they are commissioned.

[newpantaloons]

Oh, I get it. You are part of the "Bush Legacy Project", aren't you? You're sent to this site to throw any inane comment into the mix. OK, fine. But, really you should read the piece before commenting.

[BMSstudy]

Is 'quadman' right or wrong? Or does it matter to you just becasue he is bring up a point where the author might be wrong?

[quadman]

LOL! Just because I call Russ on an inaccuracy in his knowledge makes me part of the "Bush Legacy Project". Being the son of a sailor (a plank owner for that matter), I believe I know a bit on the subject. This has nothing to do with Bush's 'legacy'. Grow up and do some of your own research instead of marching in lock-step with your ideological brothers!