ABSTRACT
Promising "a kinder, gentler nation" during his inaugural address in 1989, George H. W. Bush initially appeared to offer a more moderate agenda than had Ronald Reagan. However, those expecting a significant departure from the Reagan era were to be disappointed. Bush had not received a mandate for change from Reagan's policies in the 1988 election. He received 53.3 percent of the vote, and both houses of Congress were controlled by the Democrats. In addition, much of Bush's background before he was elected vice president and then president was in foreign affairs. He had served as ambassador to the United Nations, special envoy to China, and Central Intelligence Agency director. Under such circumstances, it was no surprise that the Bush administration increasingly turned to foreign policy issues over domestic issues as a way to make its political mark. His administration was generally unsympathetic to civil rights and civil liberties policies.
