Former President George W. Bush wrote his first piece for Substack, praising George Washington’s leadership as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. He emphasized Washington’s humility and his choice to give up power.
Bush published the essay on Monday, February 16, through In Pursuit, a Substack project focused on civic leadership and democratic renewal for the semiquincentennial. In the introduction, Bush expressed his gratitude for the chance to reflect on Washington as the country prepares for its 250th anniversary. He mentioned finding “comfort and inspiration” during his presidency by reading about former leaders and the qualities they had.
Bush referenced Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, and Ronald Reagan as examples. He then turned his focus to Washington, highlighting humility as the quality that stood out most to him. Newsweek, which reported on the Substack post on Tuesday, noted that Bush did not mention his father, former President George H.W. Bush, in the essay.
“Few qualities have inspired me more than Washington’s humility,” Bush wrote. He argued that power can corrupt leaders who hold onto it. Bush pointed to two key moments that he believed defined Washington’s example: his resignation of his military commission in 1783 after the Revolutionary War and his decision to step away from the presidency after two terms.
Bush wrote that Washington “could have remained all-powerful, but twice he chose not to.” He added, “In so doing, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to.” Bush quoted a commonly repeated statement attributed to King George III, stating that the British monarch supposedly said Washington would be “the greatest man in the world” if he stepped aside willingly. Bush said Washington’s resignation in Annapolis “shaped the foundation and future of American democracy.”
The essay also discusses parts of Washington’s early life and the self-discipline that Bush noted helped shape his public character. Bush mentioned that Washington’s father died when he was 11, describing Washington as mostly self-taught and “a voracious reader.” He highlighted Washington’s practice of copying maxims from “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation,” connecting those lessons to traits Bush considered essential to Washington’s leadership, including “self-control and courteousness,” as well as “modesty and diplomacy.”
Bush recounted Washington’s military service, including a battle in the French and Indian War where “four musket balls ripped through his coat” and his horse was shot. He noted that Washington later led the Continental Army for more than eight years. He described Washington as a commander who listened to his men, quoting Washington’s statement to Major General Stirling that “a people unused to restraint must be led; they will not be drove.”
Bush also referred to Washington’s presidency, noting that Washington stabilized finances, kept the country out of the French Revolutionary wars, and managed a contentious cabinet, among other achievements. He argued that Washington succeeded partly because he admitted his limits and relied on expertise, connecting that lesson to his own time in office. “For me, that lesson meant recognizing what I didn’t know as President, surrounding myself with advisors who did know what I didn’t know, and listening to them,” Bush wrote.
Bush’s essay is part of the ‘In Pursuit’ initiative, which aims to be a national history project leading up to the 250-year milestone.
