George W. George W. BushBush

Election of 2000Election of 2000 Democrats Democrats

nominated Vice-nominated Vice-President Al GorePresident Al Gore

Republicans Republicans nominated Texas nominated Texas Governor George Governor George W. BushW. Bush

Environmentalist Environmentalist and reformer Ralph and reformer Ralph Nader ran as an Nader ran as an independentindependent

ControversyControversy In one of the closest In one of the closest

elections in US history, elections in US history, Bush won by only 6 Bush won by only 6 electoral votes, thanks electoral votes, thanks largely to his victory in largely to his victory in FloridaFlorida

The votes in Florida The votes in Florida were so close that a were so close that a recount was called, but recount was called, but due to problems with due to problems with the ballots, recounting the ballots, recounting was difficult and was difficult and required too much required too much interpretation of voter interpretation of voter intentintent

Bush v GoreBush v Gore When Bush was When Bush was

declared the winner in declared the winner in Florida, Gore suedFlorida, Gore sued

The US Supreme Court The US Supreme Court was forced to rule on was forced to rule on the validity of the the validity of the election results and election results and found that a hand found that a hand recount of ballots, recount of ballots, requiring interpretation requiring interpretation of voter intent, was of voter intent, was unfair, thereby allowing unfair, thereby allowing the election results to the election results to standstand

George W. BushGeorge W. Bush 1946 – Present1946 – Present 4343rdrd President (2001 - President (2001 -

09)09) Former Governor of Former Governor of

TexasTexas Son of President Son of President

George H.W. BushGeorge H.W. Bush Former part-owner of Former part-owner of

the MLB’s Texas the MLB’s Texas RangersRangers

Only US President to Only US President to have an MBAhave an MBA

9/119/11 Sept. 11, 2001Sept. 11, 2001 Terrorists seized Terrorists seized

control of 4 airliners, control of 4 airliners, crashing 2 into the crashing 2 into the Twin Towers of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, 1 World Trade Center, 1 into the Pentagon, and into the Pentagon, and 1 into a field in 1 into a field in Pennsylvania, killing Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3000 Americans, nearly 3000 Americans, more than died at Pearl more than died at Pearl Harbor or on D-DayHarbor or on D-Day

Reasons for Reasons for AttacksAttacks

Al Qaeda cited Al Qaeda cited increased Western increased Western influence in the influence in the Muslim world, the Muslim world, the presence of US presence of US military bases in military bases in Saudi Arabia, US Saudi Arabia, US sanctions against sanctions against Iraq, and the US’ Iraq, and the US’ support for Israel as support for Israel as reasons for the reasons for the attacksattacks

Osama bin LadenOsama bin Laden 1957 – 20111957 – 2011 Billionaire member of Billionaire member of

a high-ranking Saudi a high-ranking Saudi familyfamily

Reported leader of al Reported leader of al Qaeda terrorist groupQaeda terrorist group

Believed to have Believed to have orchestrated or been orchestrated or been involved with multiple involved with multiple attacks, including the attacks, including the USS Cole bombing, US USS Cole bombing, US embassy bombings, embassy bombings, and attacks in London and attacks in London and Madrid in Europeand Madrid in Europe

The War on TerrorThe War on Terror After the 9/11 attacks, After the 9/11 attacks,

Bush declared a “War on Bush declared a “War on Terror” aimed at Terror” aimed at destroying terrorist destroying terrorist organizations anywhere organizations anywhere in the world and stated in the world and stated that any nation which did that any nation which did not support the US in this not support the US in this effort would be viewed as effort would be viewed as hostile to our interestshostile to our interests

Bush also vowed to Bush also vowed to engage in “preventive engage in “preventive war” against nations war” against nations which actively support which actively support terror groupsterror groups

Dept. of Homeland Dept. of Homeland SecuritySecurity

Created in 2002 to Created in 2002 to coordinate all federal coordinate all federal agencies in the fight agencies in the fight against terrorismagainst terrorism

Oversees the Border Oversees the Border Patrol, Coast Guard, Patrol, Coast Guard, Customs, Immigration Customs, Immigration and Naturalization and Naturalization Service (INS), Service (INS), Transportation Security Transportation Security Agency (TSA), and Agency (TSA), and Federal Emergency Federal Emergency Management Agency Management Agency (FEMA)(FEMA)

The Patriot ActThe Patriot Act Passed in Oct. 2001Passed in Oct. 2001 Allowed secret searches Allowed secret searches

in terror casesin terror cases Allowed wire-tapping, Allowed wire-tapping,

tracking of voicemail tracking of voicemail and e-mailand e-mail

Criticized by many as a Criticized by many as a violation of 4violation of 4thth Amendment protections Amendment protections against unreasonable against unreasonable search and seizuresearch and seizure

Afghanistan & the Afghanistan & the TalibanTaliban

Oct. 2001 – PresentOct. 2001 – Present US began campaign US began campaign

against Taliban forces in against Taliban forces in Afghanistan due to their Afghanistan due to their support of al Qaeda support of al Qaeda operationsoperations

By Dec. 2001, Taliban By Dec. 2001, Taliban had been ousted from had been ousted from leadership in the Afghan leadership in the Afghan government, but government, but continued to mount a continued to mount a resistance campaignresistance campaign

Over 2300 US soldiers Over 2300 US soldiers have died in the have died in the campaigncampaign

The Axis of EvilThe Axis of Evil Bush also focused US Bush also focused US

attention on North attention on North Korea, Iran, and Iraq Korea, Iran, and Iraq as major threats to as major threats to world peace and to world peace and to US securityUS security

He collectively called He collectively called these states an “axis these states an “axis of evil” in a speech of evil” in a speech in early 2002in early 2002

Iraq & WMDsIraq & WMDs Iraq was identified Iraq was identified

by the Bush by the Bush administration as administration as the greatest threat the greatest threat due to suspicions due to suspicions that they possesses that they possesses chemical, biological, chemical, biological, and possibly and possibly nuclear “weapons nuclear “weapons of mass of mass destruction” (WMD)destruction” (WMD)

Invading IraqInvading Iraq 2003 - 20112003 - 2011 After UN sanctions After UN sanctions

failed to satisfy US failed to satisfy US suspicions of Iraqi suspicions of Iraqi possession of WMDs, possession of WMDs, Bush authorized Bush authorized invasioninvasion

US quickly toppled US quickly toppled Saddam Hussein’s Saddam Hussein’s government, but no government, but no WMDs were ever foundWMDs were ever found

Almost 4500 US Almost 4500 US soldiers died in Iraqsoldiers died in Iraq

No Child Left Behind ActNo Child Left Behind Act Passed in 2001Passed in 2001 Required states to begin Required states to begin

using standardized testing using standardized testing in schools to measure in schools to measure improvements in educationimprovements in education

States which do not use States which do not use testing or which do not testing or which do not meet growth levels set out meet growth levels set out by the federal government by the federal government lose federal funding for lose federal funding for educationeducation

Allows parents to move Allows parents to move their children to another their children to another school if the school they school if the school they are in does not meet are in does not meet standards for growthstandards for growth

The The ColumbiaColumbia DisasterDisaster

Feb. 1, 2003Feb. 1, 2003 After suffering damage to

its heat-resistant tiles on take-off, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, killing all 7 astronauts on board and raining toxic debris across Texas and Louisiana

The remaining space shuttles were grounded for over 2 years while engineers studied what happened

2004 Election2004 Election Republicans Republicans

nominated Bush for a nominated Bush for a 22ndnd term term

Democrats Democrats nominated Sen. John nominated Sen. John Kerry of Kerry of MassachusettsMassachusetts

Bush won by a Bush won by a narrow margin, narrow margin, largely due to support largely due to support for his handling of the for his handling of the 9/11 attacks9/11 attacks

Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina August 2005August 2005 Killed over 1800 Killed over 1800

along the Gulf along the Gulf coast, heavily coast, heavily damaged city of damaged city of New OrleansNew Orleans

Bush endured harsh Bush endured harsh criticism, including criticism, including charges of racism, charges of racism, over the slow over the slow federal response to federal response to the disasterthe disaster

The Great The Great RecessionRecession

As federal deficits As federal deficits climbed in the mid-climbed in the mid-2000s, the US 2000s, the US economy became economy became unstableunstable

Over-extension of Over-extension of credit led to a collapse credit led to a collapse in the housing marketin the housing market

Sharp declines in Sharp declines in consumer spending consumer spending led to business led to business failures and a sharp failures and a sharp rise in unemploymentrise in unemployment

2008 Election2008 Election Republicans nominated Republicans nominated

Sen. John McCain of Sen. John McCain of Arizona for President Arizona for President and Alaska Governor and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for Vice Sarah Palin for Vice President, only the 2nd President, only the 2nd woman to ever appear woman to ever appear on a presidential ticketon a presidential ticket

Democrats nominated Democrats nominated Sen. Barack Obama of Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the first black Illinois, the first black candidate for president candidate for president in US historyin US history

Barack ObamaBarack Obama 1961 – Present1961 – Present 4444thth President (2009 – President (2009 –

Present)Present) First president from First president from

Hawai’iHawai’i Won 2008 election by Won 2008 election by

a wide margin, a wide margin, winning over 10 winning over 10 million more popular million more popular votes and nearly 100 votes and nearly 100 more electoral votes more electoral votes than his opponentthan his opponent