You can't really talk about American power without talking about George Bush and family. It’s just not possible. Whether you love them or think they represent everything wrong with the "establishment," the Bushes have managed to do something almost no other American family has: they stayed relevant for nearly a century.
People always compare them to the Kennedys. But honestly? They’re nothing like the Kennedys. The Kennedys were about glamour, tragedy, and a sort of breathless Hollywood energy. The Bushes? They’re about the long game. They are the ultimate "grind it out" dynasty. From the oil fields of West Texas to the halls of the CIA and the Oval Office, the family tree is less of a tree and more of a massive, sprawling root system that holds up a huge chunk of the GOP’s history.
Where the Money and Power Actually Started
Most people think it starts with 41—George H.W. Bush. It didn’t. If you want to understand why this family became so dominant, you have to look at Prescott Bush.
He was a Senator from Connecticut, sure, but he was also a Wall Street guy through and through. He was a partner at Brown Brothers Harriman. That’s where the "Eastern Establishment" DNA comes from. Prescott was the guy who taught his sons that public service was a duty, but he also taught them how to network in rooms where the wallpaper cost more than a middle-class house.
George H.W. Bush, the first President Bush, actually tried to break away from that Connecticut shadow. He moved to Texas to get into the oil business. It sounds like a movie script. "Rich kid goes to the desert to find his fortune." Except he actually did it. He founded Zapata Petroleum.
But here’s the thing: he never really lost those Ivy League connections. He was a Yale guy. A Skull and Bones member. So, while he was wearing cowboy boots in Midland, he was still just a phone call away from the biggest banks in New York. That's the secret sauce of the Bush family. They are the perfect bridge between the "old money" North and the "new power" South.
The Complexity of George H.W. Bush
He was probably the most qualified person to ever step into the White House. Look at the resume. It’s insane. WWII pilot (shot down over the Pacific), Congressman, Ambassador to the UN, Liaison to China, Director of the CIA, Vice President.
Yet, he’s often remembered as a "wimp" during his early career—a label Newsweek famously put on a cover. It was a total misreading of the man.
H.W. was a pragmatist. He oversaw the end of the Cold War without a single shot being fired between superpowers. That’s a massive achievement that gets overshadowed by his "Read my lips: no new taxes" blunder. He broke that promise because he thought it was the right thing for the country’s economy. It cost him the presidency in 1992, but many historians now argue it actually set the stage for the 90s boom.
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George W. Bush: The Black Sheep Who Won
Then there’s "Dubya."
If H.W. was the dutiful son, George W. Bush was the guy who struggled to find his way until his 40s. He’s been very open about his past—the drinking, the lack of direction. He didn't have his father's diplomatic polish.
But he had something his father lacked: a common touch.
George W. Bush could talk to a guy at a NASCAR race and make him feel like they were best friends. That’s why he won. He was the "guy you'd want to have a beer with," even though he didn't drink anymore.
His presidency was defined by 9/11. There’s no getting around that. The Iraq War remains the most controversial part of the George Bush and family legacy. It split the country. It changed the Middle East forever. And it created a rift in the GOP that eventually led to the rise of populism.
The Matriarch: Barbara Bush
We have to talk about Barbara. Honestly, she might have been the toughest one in the whole bunch.
She was the "Enforcer." While H.W. was the diplomat, Barbara was the one who kept the family in line. She didn't care about trends or looking fancy. She wore fake pearls and spoke her mind. She was the anchor. When she died in 2018, it really felt like the end of an era for the family's public image.
She once famously said she didn't want Jeb to run for president because "we've had enough Bushes." She was right, at least in terms of the political climate at the time.
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What About the Rest of Them?
It’s not just the presidents. The family is everywhere.
- Jeb Bush: The "smart one" (according to the family). He was a highly successful Governor of Florida. He was supposed to be the next president, but he ran into the Trump freight train in 2016. It turns out, the country was tired of dynasties.
- Neil Bush: Mostly known for the Silverado Savings and Loan scandal in the 80s. Every family has a brother who causes a few headaches.
- Marvin Bush: Stays mostly out of the spotlight, working in investment and insurance.
- Dorothy Bush Koch: The youngest. She wrote a book about her father that is actually quite touching and gives a rare look at the man behind the "official" face.
- The Next Generation: George P. Bush (Jeb’s son) served as the Land Commissioner of Texas. He’s been the one trying to bridge the gap between the traditional Bush legacy and the modern, more populist GOP. It’s a tough tightrope to walk.
Why People Get the Bushes Wrong
There’s this idea that they are all the same. They aren’t.
H.W. was a classic internationalist. He believed in institutions, treaties, and slow-moving diplomacy.
W. was more of a "with us or against us" guy—a neoconservative who wanted to reshape the world.
Jeb was a policy wonk who loved the nitty-gritty of education reform.
They are also intensely private. For all the time they’ve spent in the public eye, they don’t "leak" like other political families. They have this code of loyalty that is almost omertà-like. You don't see Bushes writing "tell-all" books about each other.
The Kennebunkport Factor
If you want to understand the vibe of George Bush and family, you look at Walker’s Point in Maine.
That compound is the family's spiritual home. It’s where they go to recharge. It’s where they host world leaders like Vladimir Putin or Nicolas Sarkozy. There’s something very "old school American" about it—horseshoe pits, fast boats, and lots of dogs.
It’s a place that feels stuck in 1955. And in a way, that’s the Bush brand. Stability. Even when the world is going crazy, the Bushes are at Kennebunkport, playing golf and eating lobster.
The Legacy as it Stands Today
Right now, the Bush brand is in a weird spot.
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In the current Republican party, the "Bush Republican" is almost an extinct species. The party has moved toward a more populist, America-first approach that stands in direct opposition to the internationalism of H.W. or the interventionism of W.
But don't count them out.
The Bushes are survivors. They have a way of receding into the background and then reappearing when the country wants "normalcy" again. George W. Bush has seen his approval ratings climb significantly since leaving office. People miss his civility, even if they still hate his policies.
Actionable Insights into the Bush Influence
If you’re studying political dynasties or just curious about how power works in the U.S., here is how you can actually apply the "Bush Method":
1. Understand the Power of the "Lapsed" Network
The Bushes never let a contact go cold. Whether it was a donor from the 1960s or a foreign leader from the 1990s, they maintained those relationships. If you want to build a "dynasty" in business or local politics, your Rolodex (or LinkedIn) is your most valuable asset.
2. Diversify Your Regional Identity
The Bushes were both Connecticut Blue Bloods and Texas Oilmen. This allowed them to appeal to two very different types of voters. Being "multilingual" in a cultural sense—understanding both the boardroom and the backyard BBQ—is a superpower.
3. The "Long Game" Mentality
George H.W. Bush lost his first few runs for office. He didn't quit. He took "lesser" roles (like the UN or China) to build his resume. Most people quit after one big failure. The Bushes view a loss as a four-year waiting period.
4. Protect the Brand at All Costs
Notice how the family handles internal conflict. They do it behind closed doors. In a world of oversharing on social media, the Bush family's discipline regarding their private life is a lesson in how to maintain an aura of authority and dignity.
To truly grasp the impact of the Bush family, you have to look past the headlines and the late-night comedy sketches. They aren't just a political family; they are a permanent fixture of American institutional power. Whether they ever hold the presidency again is almost irrelevant—their fingerprints are already all over the 21st century.
Next Steps for Researching the Dynasty:
- Read "Destiny and Power" by Jon Meacham. It is the definitive biography of George H.W. Bush and uses his private diaries to show how the family actually operated behind the scenes.
- Visit the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. It provides an surprisingly candid look at the decision-making processes during the 2008 financial crisis and the war on terror.
- Analyze the 1992 Election. If you want to see the exact moment the "Establishment" lost its grip on the American voter, study the three-way race between Bush, Clinton, and Perot. It explains everything about our current political divide.