President Bush utilized several formal presidential powers after the 2001 terrorist attacks, including declaring war through Congress and taking charge of military strategies and decisions. He devoted the rest of his presidency to ensuring national security and rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan. While some criticized his use of media, Bush addressed the nation through formal addresses and did not lash out on social media.

1. images.businessweek.com
By Selia Wagoner

2.  National needs:
 As a result of the terrorist
attacks in 2001, our nation
looked to President Bush for
guidance on what steps to
take next. There are no
Constitutional rules about
declaring war after an attack,
but President Bush took
personal, defensive action in
order to protect America. He
devoted almost the rest of
his presidency for the
purpose of ensuring our washingtonpost.com
safety along with building up
the torn-down Arab nations
of Iraq and Afghanistan. Course text .

3.  Another informal power of the
President is the use of media
outlets. President Bush did not
misuse media outlets as some
presidents and current
campaign runners have.
President Bush tactfully
addressed the nation in State
of the Union addresses. He did
not explode on Facebook or
Twitter. He did not produce
mass amounts of hateful http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/11/02/big-blue-sky-
slander against that other country-and-the-senate/
candidates during election.
Instead, he did what he had to
to produce education reform Stevenson, Richard W. “Can Obama 2012
and protect our country. Replicate Bush 2004?”. nytimes.com.
October, 2011.

4.  A formal power that
President Bush certainly
utilized was the Power to
Make War, as granted in
the Constitution under
Article 1, section 8. In
order to wage war on
another “state” (country),
one has to make an
official declaration of skyvalleychronicle.com
war. President Bush
made this declaration on
September 20, 2001.
Yoo, John C., Deputy Assistant Attorney General Office of Legal
Counsel. justice.gov. Sept.,2001.

5.  Another formal power of
the President of the United
States is also to be in
charge of all military
strategies and decisions.
Many presidents did not
have a military background
of any kind, such as Wilson,
or Roosevelt, but this does
not just mean the use of
arms and weapons. This
chinadaily.com.cn
includes providing military
enforcement in National
issues such as rioting, or
protection in cases of
natural disaster. Course text