PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH - INAUGURAL PROGRAM SIGNED 11/30/1981 - HFSID 101861

GEORGE BUSH
George Bush signs the 1981 inaugural program for the inauguration of Reagan and Bush.
Inaugural Program signed: "George Bush/Nov. 30, 1981" on front cover, 28p, 8½x11. Complete program for the January 20, 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan as U.S. President and George Herbert Walker Bush as Vice President. The theme of the inaugural was "Beginning", and this inaugural was the beginning of eight years in office for both Reagan and Bush. The cover of the program, which was designed by Seldon Dix, Jr., is blue with white stars and lettering and a gold seal is embossed at upper margin. Inside pages include an introduction by Reagan, full color photographs and biographies of Ronald and Nancy Reagan and George and Barbara Bush, a two-page inaugural schedule, several articles, a list of the members of the inaugural committee and messages from co-chairmen Robert K. Gray and Charles Z. Wick. On July 14, 1980, the opening day of the Republican National Convention, George Herbert Walker Bush, who had originally announced his intention to be a presidential candidate, became the candidate for Vice President on the Republican ticket headed by former California Governor Ronald Reagan. On November 4, 1980, the ticket defeated incumbents Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale by 43.9 million to 35.5 million popular votes and 489-49 electoral votes. After the Reagan-Bush ticket was re-elected in 1984, Bush became the first acting U.S. President on July 13, 1985, when President Reagan underwent surgery for two hours and 53 minutes to remove a cancerous polyp from his large intestine. Under the provisions of the 25th Amendment, Reagan wrote to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate, in part: "I have determined and it is my intention and direction that Vice President George Bush shall discharge those powers and duties in my stead commencing with the administration of anesthesia to me in this instance...." When the President came to, as specified in the amendment, he wrote another letter to the two congressional leaders, in part: "I am able to resume the discharge of the Constitutional powers and duties of the Office of the President of the United States..." In 1988, Bush became the first incumbent Vice President to be elected President since Jackson's Vice President Martin Van Buren defeated William Henry Harrison in 1836. Bush had, perhaps, the most impressive resumé of anyone entering the White House: awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three air medals in WWII, Congressman (1967-1971), U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1971-1972), Chairman of the Republican National Committee (1973-1974), first Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing, China (1974-1975), Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (1976-1977) and Vice President (1981-1989). In his private life, he co-founded Zapata Petroleum and founded Zapata Off-Shore Co., serving as Chairman of the Board and CEO. Cover is slightly worn. Cover and pages lightly creased. Fine condition.