Bush 41 is one of those figures the mainstream media always hated, until he had nice things to say about Clinton.
Yes, we can say he really was a “nice guy”, both while as Reagan’s V.P., while as President and in retirement.
But seeing as most of what happened and was accomplished in his four years as president was set up for him by his predecessor - the end of the cold war, or was mishandled by him (failed to take out Saddam completely when he had the chance, leaving a bad situation festering and worse for a dozen years); so other than his nice demeanor I have never been enamored of his “accomplishments”. To me, from his campaign against Reagan on to the end, he was the establishments main establishment guy.
You can see it today in the universal media raising of their glasses to him, and somehow likely seeking in it all to say “and he was never like Trump”.
If Hillary had won, the dishonest media would not be praising GHWB today. They mocked him throughput his presidency. Now praising him is just a vehicle to stick it to President Trump. I’m skipping the news shows for the next few days.