George W. Bush was a politician.
George Walker Bush ( born July 6 , 1946 ) is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 . He was also the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000 . Bush was elected president in 2000 after a close and controversial win over Democratic rival Al Gore , becoming the fourth president to be elected while receiving fewer popular votes than his opponent . The George W. Bush Presidential Center , which opened on April 25 , 2013 , is a complex that includes former President George W. Bush 's presidential library and museum , the George W. Bush Policy Institute , and the offices of the George W. Bush Foundation .