1. George Walker Bush (Dubya)

2. Election of 2000 Nominee George W. Bush Al Gore Ralph Nader
Party Republican Democratic Green
Home state Texas Tennessee Connecticut
Running mate Dick Cheney Joe Lieberman Winona Duke
Electoral vote
States carried DC 0
Popular vote 50,456, ,999, ,882,955
Percentage 47.9% % 2.7%

3. Bush v. Gore
The 2000 election came down to Florida, where there was problems with some ballots – “Hanging Chads” -votes had to be recounted by hand.
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to stop the recounts saying the recounts offered different standards, thus did not treat all voters equally.
Bush was declared the winner in Florida, and won the Electoral vote 271 to 266.
In 2002 election reform was passed to try to keep this from happening again.

4. “Compassionate Conservatism”
Bush ran on a platform of “compassionate conservatism” of keeping conservative principles, yet showing more concern for the poor.

5. Congress passed a $1.35 Trillion tax cut over 10 years.
Tax Cuts
The economic boom of the 1990s was ending as Bush became President. Bush promised a tax cut to boost the economy.
Congress passed a $1.35 Trillion tax cut over 10 years.

6. Environmental Issues
The US would not sign the Kyoto Protocols limiting carbon dioxide emissions saying it would cost too many US jobs.
Bush pushed for oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but Congress would not pass the legislation.

7. No Child Left Behind
Bush got Congress to vote for annual “end of grade” tests as a way to improve schools.

8. 9/11/2001
Airplanes hit the two towers of the World trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, DC and one plane crashes in Pennsylvania.
Over 3,000 Americans are killed.
Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda planned the attacks.

9. After 911
A new cabinet department, The Department of Homeland Security, is formed.
The Patriot Act is passed allowing secret searches, a nation-wide search warrant and wire-tapping and internet surveillance in cases involving terrorism.

10. Economic Downturn
After 911, the US economy took a steep downturn, especially in the airline business.
The rising unemployment, tax cuts, and growing war on terrorism caused a huge increase in the US budget deficit.

11. Arms Reduction
The US and Russia both agreed to reduce their number of nuclear weapons.

12. Wars
Oct – The US begins bombing al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and soon was sending ground forces.
March 2003 – The US invades Iraq after not allowing UN weapons inspectors in.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
In spite of both US and UN intelligence, no WMDs were ever found.

13. 2005 - Iraq held an election creating a new government.
2003 – Saddam Hussein is captured while hiding. He was tried for ordering mass executions and found guilty.
Iraq held an election creating a new government.
2006 – Hussein is executed.

14. Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay
Iraqi POWs were tortured by American guards at the Abu Ghraib prison in Bagdhad.
Many POWs were sent to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

15. The War Drags On
At the start of the Afghan War, Bush's popularity was the highest of any US president in history, but...
The fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan continued. Public opinion turned against the fighting which continued after Bush had already declared victory.

16. Enron and WorldCom
Enron, a Houston Texas energy company, was the largest bankruptcy in American history at that time. Shareholders lost nearly $11 billion over night.
2002 – WorldCom, the country's second largest telephone company went bankrupt after $3.8 billion fraud was discovered. It became the largest bankruptcy in US history until 2008.

17. Katrina
2005 – Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the US. New Orleans was devastated when levees along the Mississippi River failed.
Bush was blamed for the governments slow and inadequate response to the disaster.

18. Bush Looses Popularity
The war in Iraq, a sagging economy, Katrina, failure to reform Social Security, and several scandals by fellow Republicans in Congress all hurt Bush.
By the end of his second term, Bush's popularity was the lowest of any US President.