Despite his much-parodied admonishment to “be prudent,” George H. W. Bush was actually funny—and sometimes gleefully imprudent. On summer breaks from the White…
Despite his much-parodied admonishment to “be prudent,” George H. W. Bush was actually funny—and sometimes gleefully imprudent.
On summer breaks from the White House, Bush loved speeding full-throttle in his twin-engine, V-8 cigarette boat, to the white-knuckled terror of guests at his family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
And though he first bailed out of a cockpit at age 18, as a World War II Navy pilot in the Pacific, old age wouldn’t keep him from jumping out of still more airplanes.
Who can forget the image of a gleeful Bush, celebrating his 90th birthday four years ago with a tandem skydive — despite being wheelchair-bound and suffering from Parkinson’s?
His endearing quirks were many.
