George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

During the summer of 1989, "Bush revealed himself to be a playful yet relentless
exhibitionist," wrote another commentator. "He was forever restless and rarely alone."
Out on the golf course, he called for silence: "All right, the crowd is hushed. They sense
that Mr. Smooth is back." Later, when it came time to play tennis, Bush ordered a press
aide to round up the photo dogs and reporters to "come see what Mr. Smooth is like on
the courts." [fn 25] For Newsweek, Bush's routine was a "pentathlon."
Bush's desire for frenetic movement, seeking in space what has been lost in time, carries
over into his notorious penchant for foreign travel. By July, 1991, he had logged 339,257
miles on Air Force One, and visited 32 countries, having surpassed in less than 30
months the previous record set by Nixon between 1969 and 1974. [fn 26]
Bush has a history of psychosomatic illness. During the 1950's, when he was in his early
thirties, he had been, according to his own account, a "chronic worrier." One morning
during a "hectic business trip to London" Bush had fainted in his hotel room, and was
unable to get to his feet. A hotel doctor thought he had food poisoning. Bush says he later
sought treatment from Dr. Lillo Crain at the Texas Medical Center. Dr. Crain told Bush
that he had a bleeding ulcer. "George, you're a classic ulcer type," Bush says he was told
by Dr. Crain. "A young businessman with only one speed, all-out. You try to do too
much and you worry too much." Bush says he expressed doubt there was any chance he
could change his ways. The doctor replied, "There'd better be, or you won't be around in
ten years, maybe five." Dr. Crain added: "If you want to keep this from happening again,
it's up to you." [fn 27] Bush claims he worked at "channeling my energies", and "never
suffered a relapse."
After Bush's May 10, 1989 White House physical examination, a cyst was found on the
third finger of Bush's right hand; this was surgically removed in October, 1989, and
pronounced benign. This was allegedly Bush's only problem. On April 12, 1990, White
House physician Dr. Burton Lee announced that Bush "is in truly excellent health." "He
continues to keep extremely fit through vigorous physical activity." Bush was diagnosed
with "early glaucoma" in his left eye, a condition that was treated with Betagen eye
drops. X-rays of Bush's hips and back confirmed the presence of a "mild degenerative
osteoarthritis," which allegedly had been discovered by previous examinations. [fn 2] On
March 27, 1991, Bush was given another routine physical, and the White House doctors
(and spin doctors) announced once again that their charge was in "excellent health."
On May 4, 1991, Bush delivered an address at the commencement exercises of the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. This campus had been the site of the first anti-war
teach in of the Vietnam epoch, in 1965, and the Ann Arbor campus had been the scene of
significant anti-war activity during Bush's Gulf adventure. Today Bar was also present.
His new speech writer Tony Snow, the former editorial page editor of the Moonie
Washington Times had contributed to a speech attacking the campus inquisition called
"political correctness." The scene was the cavernous Michigan Stadium south of the main
campus, a larger version of the Circus Maximus in Rome. Bush was looking for a wedge
issue for the 1992 campaign, and the campus dictators of the politically correct were a big