President George Bush Sr in Houston hospital for bronchitis treatment

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/29/george-bush-sr-houston-hospital-bronchitis

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The former US president George Bush Sr is being treated at a Houston hospital for complications related to bronchitis. He is in stable condition, the hospital said on Thursday.

"President Bush has been in and out of The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center being treated for complications related to his bronchitis," Bush's office said, in a statement released by the hospital. "He is in stable condition, and is expected to be released within the next 72 hours."

The Houston Chronicle reported on Thursday that Bush, who is 88, has been in the hospital for a week.

Bush, a Republican and the 41st president, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W Bush, he also served as a congressman, UN ambassador, envoy to China and CIA director; he was vice-president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.

As president, Bush routed Iraq after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 and his approval ratings soared into the 90% range. But just 20 months later he was defeated in his re-election bid, by the Democrat Bill Clinton.