The first year of the Clinton Presidency was filled with stumbles and scandals. In comparison, I'm wondering what Bush's first year of Presidency in 2001 was prior to 9/11? Obviously the election in November was very divisive, but how did his first year compare to Clinton's, Obama's and Trump's? Again, only going to September 10th 2001. By the time September 10th rolled around, had people accepted he was President? How was the economy? What was the general vibe like? I mean in that we went from Sax playing Clinton to Southern guy Bush? What were the biggest political issues in the US from January 20th 2001 to September 10th 2001?

It was like an extension of 1999 without the Clinton scandals. It wasn't a very politicized time.

Except for the recount controversy over Al Gore, but that was pretty much gone by spring 2001. The aftereffects of the .com bubble though did paint a somewhat murky future ahead, though most didn't expect it to last long due to this being still a very productive time in the development of tech. I remember the Chandra Levy case around this time, but it felt like a pretty stable time, with usual issues like military projects and federal funding. There was a lot of talk about missile defenses, globalization still a hot topic, and that Iraq had became America's greatest threat.

"Rarely is the question asked: is our children learning?"

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test."

Except for the recount controversy over Al Gore, but that was pretty much gone by spring 2001. The aftereffects of the .com bubble though did paint a somewhat murky future ahead, though most didn't expect it to last long due to this being still a very productive time in the development of tech. I remember the Chandra Levy case around this time, but it felt like a pretty stable time, with usual issues like military projects and federal funding. There was a lot of talk about missile defenses, globalization still a hot topic, and that Iraq had became America's greatest threat.


This.

There was speculation of an Iraq War even before 9/11.  9/11 just gave Bush the political capital to invade with much less opposition than he otherwise would have had.

This.

There was speculation of an Iraq War even before 9/11.  9/11 just gave Bush the political capital to invade with much less opposition than he otherwise would have had.


Yep. And if I recall correctly, upon his re-election he actually referred to it. Spending his 'political capital' trying for a tax overhaul, and (I think) reforming the middle east?

There was only about 8 months of the Bush presidency prior to 9/11. The Repubs owned the Senate by one-until May of 2001 when Jim Jeffords, a Repub from Vermont, crossed the isle, became an Independent and caucused with the Dems. He created a "Coup of One." 

Bush wanted to go after Saddam Hussein from Day One. He was trying to find any excuse to go after him. When al Quida attacked the U.S. he manipulated the intelligence to make it seem that Hussein had weapons of mass distraction destruction.

There was a website that was up LONG before Bush was elected that described how they planned to go into Iraq (that's where the oil is). The people who put up that website were many in the Bush Administration. 



Cat

Yeah, most of you guys are correct.

George W. Bush wanted to finish what his father started/didn't finish in 1991.

George H.W. Bush could have taken out Saddam in 1991 but didn't want to overstep the UN's objective (which was to just get Iraq out of Kuwait).