I'm sure that Bush the Elder really thinks this. But his fundamental problem is that he was never a very good politician. He was always better at government jobs to which he had been appointed. He won the presidency in 1988 because his opponent was a leftist loon and the glow of the Reagan administration was still with him.
In my opinion, Bush lost the presidency in 1992 during a key moment in the Richmond debate. That stupid pony-tailed guy in the audience got up and whined "You're our daddy! What about taking care of OUR needs?" Talk about a high, lobbed softball! Bush could have assured his re-election had he taken that clown's question and told him, "I'm NOT your Daddy. Grow up and take responsibility for your own life!"
I believe that after such an exchange, he would have cruised to a victory.
Yep! I voted for Bush despite that, but he fell for the bait and couldn't out Sugar Daddy Clinton. It killed any enthusiasm I had for Bush, which had already been wounded with his (don't) read my lips blunder. Wimp written all over him.