man. John Connally is philosophically attuned to you. He is articulate and persuasive. I for one will
defend him against those in our own party who may not like him." [fn 8]
There is evidence that Nixon considered Connally to be a possible successor in the presidency.
Connally's approach to the international monetary crisis then unfolding was that "all foreigners are
out to screw us and it's our job to screw them first," as he told C. Fred Bergsten of Kissinger's NSC
staff. Nixon's bumbling management of the international monetary crisis was one of the reasonswhy he was Watergated, and Big Jawn was certainly seen by the financiers as a big part of the
problem. Bush was humiliated in this episode, but that is nothing compared to what later happened
to both Connally and Nixon. Connally would be indicted while Bush was in Peking, and later he
would face the further humilation of personal bankruptcy. In the view of James Reston, Jr., "George
Bush was to maintain a smoldering, visceral dislike of Conna1980's." [fn 9] As others discovered during the Gulf war, Bush is vindictive. lly, one that lasted well into the
Bush appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his pro forma and perfunctory
confirmation hearings on February 8, 1971. It was a free ride. Many of the senators had known
Prescott Bush, and several were still Prescott's friends. Acting like friends of the family, they gaveBush friendly advice with a tone that was congratulatory and warm, and avoided any tough
questions. Stuart Symington warned Bush that he would have to deal with the "duality of authority"
between his nominal boss, Secretary of State William Rogers, and his real boss, NSC chief
Kissinger. There was only passing reference to Bush's service of the oil cartel during his time in the
House, and Bush vehemently denied that he had ever tried to "placate" the "oil interests." ClaibornePell said that Bush would enhance the luster of the UN post.
On policy matters, Bush said that it would "make sense" for the UN Security Council to conduct a
debate on the wars in Laos and Cambodia, which was something that the US had been attempting to
procure for some time. Bush thought that such a debate could be used as a forum to expose theaggressive activities of the North Vietnamese. No senator asked Bush about China, but Bush told (^)
journalists waiting in the hall that the question of China was now under intensive study. The
Washington Post was impressed by Bush's "lithe and youthful good looks." Bush was easily
confirmed.
At Bush's swearing in later in February Nixon, probably anxious to calm Bush down after the
strains of the Connally affair, had recalled that President William McKinley had lost an election in
Ohio, but neverthless gone on to become President. "But I'm not suggesting what office you should
seek and at what time," said Nixon. The day before, Senator Adlai Stevenson III of Illinois had told
the press that Bush was "totally unquaUN. Bush presented his credentials on March 1. lified" and that his appointment had been "an insult" to the
Then Bush, "handsome and trim" at 47, moved into a suite at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in
Manhattan, and settled into his usual hyperkinetic, thryroid-driven life style. The Washington Post
marvelled at his "whirlwind schedule" which seemed more suitable for a "political aspirant than oneusually associated with a diplomat." He rose every morning at 7 AM, and then mounted his
exercycle for a twelve minute workout while taking in a television news program that also lasted
exactly twelve minutes. He ate a small breakfast and left the Waldorf at 8, to be driven to the US
mission to the UN at Turtle Bay where he generally arrived at 8:10. Then he would get the
overnight cable traffic from his secretary, Mrs. Aleene Smith, and then went into a conference withhis executive assistant, Tom Lais. Later there would be meetings with his two deputies,
Ambassadors Christopher Phillips and W. Tapley Bennett of the State Department. Pete Roussel
was also still with him as publicity man.
For Bush, a 16-hour work day was more the rule than the exception. His days were packed with one