Winter Convocation 1999 had all the trappings of a presidential event: a military band and patriotic bunting, tight security, lots of media coverage, and the excitement of a crowd of 1,500 ticket-holders anticipating a momentous and historic occasion for Washington College.
George Bush, 41st president of the United States, was on hand to help Washington College launch its year-long celebration of the life of George Washington, the College’s founding patron. Marking the 200th anniversary of the death of the first president, it was the first time in more than 40 years that an American president had visited campus.
Ironically, President Bush’s own inauguration 10 years ago fell on the bicentennial of Washington’s inaugural. He quipped that even though it is “an honor to follow in Washington’s great footsteps to receive this degree,” he had no intention of following in Washington’s footsteps by dying, just yet.
Augmenting the star power on stage were Bush’s wife Barbara, who received the honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in recognition of her work as an advocate of family

of Congress should let the Constitution be their guide, and that former presidents shouldn’t interfere.
In fact, he said the only politics that interest him now are the politics of his two sons, Jeb and George W., who are serving as governors of Florida and Texas, respectively. “I can honestly say that, after all the high-level positions I’ve been privileged to hold, the three most important are the only three I have left—as a husband, a father, and a granddad.”
He appeared relaxed and at ease before the crowd as he articulated a message about the importance of strong American leadership abroad in ensuring a peaceful future. The world is a different place from the one he dealt with as president, he acknowledged, but with the victory in the Cold War came a new debate about American intervention abroad and a new set of problems.
“Ten years ago, our ability to lead was measured by how we responded to events rap (CONTINUED ON p.3)