The “Super Outbreak”
In April 1974, an unprecedented U.S. weather event spanned the Midwest and South and resulted in 315 deaths, over 5,000 injuries and millions of dollars in property damage.
Ted Fujita | Mr. Tornado | American Experience
Ted Fujita was a Japanese-American engineer turned meteorologist. In 1971, he introduced the “Fujita Scale”, a six-point scale to classify degrees of tornado intensity.
Trailer | George W. Bush, Part 2 | American Experience
Part Two opens with the ensuing war in Iraq and continues through Bush’s second term, as the president confronts the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina and the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Extended Trailer | George W. Bush| American Experience
The latest in our award-winning series of presidential biographies, this film looks at the life and presidency of George W. Bush.
Trailer | George W. Bush| American Experience
The latest in our award-winning series of presidential biographies, this film looks at the life and presidency of George W. Bush.
Chapter 1 | George W. Bush, Part 2
The life and presidency of George W. Bush, from his unorthodox road to the presidency to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the myriad of challenges he faced over his two terms, from the war in Iraq to the 2008 financial crisis.
Saddam Hussein
Initially resistant to the neocons argument to invade Iraq right away, President Bush felt himself increasingly drawn to the idea. The reasons were not only political, they were personal. "Bush developed a sense that there was unfinished business from the first Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s, that leaving Saddam in power had been a mistake,” recalled journalist Barton Gellman.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction
The final nail in the coffin of the hunt for Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction came in January 2004 when David Kay told Bush the intelligence reports had been wrong. There were none. “It went to the heart of the Iraq question,” said journalist Peter Baker. “Did the administration mislead the public in some way? Did it intentionally deceive the American people in order to go to war?”
Media Gaffes
President Bush shone when he met voters in person, but that was not the case in television appearances. “He went into politics as a middle-aged person,” said chief speechwriter Michael Gerson. “He didn't have a set of acting skills that a lot of other politicians had developed over time.”
Financial Crisis
President Bush confronted the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression. “From the standpoint of an ongoing threat that everybody and government knew that we had to do something about, the financial crisis ... was really scary,” said chief of staff Joshua Bolten.
The Surge of Troops in Iraq
“To sell the surge to the American public, Bush had been forced to take a rare step — admit his mistake.” President Bush than enlisted the assistance of General David Petraeus to lead the surge, a move that later paid off.
Criticism and Hurricane Katrina
During his second term, President Bush was criticized for the federal government’s response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina. “Katrina ends up being a media domestic version of Iraq,” said journalist Ron Suskind.
The Fighter Pilot
To avoid combat in Vietnam, Bush joined the 147th Texas Air National Guard, along with other sons of wealthy and well-connected Texans. "In his heart of hearts he did not want to go to Vietnam,” said writer Bill Minutaglio, “but he knew damn well that his father's next step had been to join the military and then become a war hero."
Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
The behavior of American soldiers at Abu Ghraib shook President Bush, but, to him, there was no connection with his decision to approve harsh interrogation techniques on Al Qaeda suspects. "It showed the kind of rot that was occurring in Iraq under American occupation,” said journalist Elisabeth Bumiller, “and it showed how far off we had come from American ideals."
Neocons and Moderates
President Bush's cabinet included Donald Rumsfeld, who brought with him a coterie of advisors known as “neoconservatives,” and moderates such as General Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice. “I don’t think President Bush intentionally went for a team of rivals,” deputy chief of staff
Joshua Bolten said. “I think he went for a team of strong members and if that meant they were rivals, so be it.”
Occupying Iraq
After the U.S. took Baghdad, Iraq ground to a halt and became a free-for-all, as homes, stores, museums, hospitals & electric plants were looted. "There was a decision to be lean and count on others showing up to secure the peace,” recalled chief of staff Andrew Card. “There was not as much discussion that I remember in the National Security Council about the process of organizing a government."
Trailer | The Man Who Tried to Feed the World
The story of the man who would not only solve India’s famine problem but would go on to lead a “Green Revolution” of worldwide agriculture programs estimated to have saved one billion lives.
Search for high-yield Wheat
In the 1940s, plant scientist Norman Borlaug began cross-breeding wheat strains from different regions. He pioneered “shuttle breeding” which sped up the wheat breeding process.
Norman Borlaug
An American agricultural scientist from Iowa, Norman Borlaug bred climate agnostic wheat strains that resisted disease. He was dubbed the “Father of the Green Revolution” and in 1970 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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