George W. Bush Launches Substack With Love Letter to George Washington: ‘For a Leader, Humility is the Ultimate Strength’

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Ex-President George W. Bush became the latest writer to join Substack on Monday, with the 43rd POTUS launching his blog with a lengthy post honoring George Washington on his birthday.

Bush’s 1,500 word tribute said Washington was an “exceptional” and “indispensable” man who did more than anyone else to set America up for an unparalleled run of success.

“Without him, there would be no America; and without America, the world would be a very different and much darker place,” Bush wrote.

The Texas Republican praised Washington for his military leadership during the Revolutionary War and lauded him for refusing to turn the fledgling USA into a monarchy, as well as his decision to step down as president after two terms.

“George Washington’s humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics,” Bush said.

His piece did not touch on anything tied to modern politics, and it did not reference recent leaders like Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or Barack Obama.

Bush said Washington “had his faults,” like being “prickly” towards others and making some “tactical errors” in battle. “Worst of all, he was — as were so many of his generation — a lifelong slave owner who never publicly condemned the institution,” Bush said.

He said it was vital to take into account the “totality” of Washington’s acts when judging him, though.

Bush added:

Our first leader helped define not only the character of the presidency but the character of the country. Washington modeled what it means to put the good of the nation over self-interest and selfish ambition. He embodied integrity and modeled why it’s worth aspiring to. And he carried himself with dignity and self-restraint, honoring the office without allowing it to become invested with near-mythical powers.

His new Substack blog has 1,700 followers by Monday afternoon. Bush is not following any writers on the platform, at least so far. You can read his full blog post by clicking here.

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