I have been staring a lot at the autographed picture of President George Bush on my bookshelf today. Thinking back to a time in America where our president was distinguished, and character mattered in the Oval Office.

I first met George Bush in 1987 when he was Vice President.

At that time he was soliciting support for his expected 1988 presidential run in a crowded Republican field.

To me, it was a no-brainer. Ronald Reagan, the political hero to many in my generation, backed Bush.

But many conservatives weren’t so sure. A war hero, and man who had dedicated his entire life to public service, just seemed too “soft” to hardliners.

I rejected that view.

Let me point out that before I got into broadcast journalism nearly 20 years ago, I was a political activist.

I grew in a very Republican community, and found myself volunteering for a variety of candidates at the federal, state and local levels.

By the age of 22 I was elected the youngest GOP county chairman in the country, and four years later I was elected a George Bush Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Houston.

(Let me emphasize here that when I left politics 18 years ago I re-registered as an Independent, which I have been ever since. My main enjoyment is politics wasn’t ideological, it was to outwit and better organize. And where I grew up, the Republican Party was the the only game in town. I write about my transition from politics to journalism at length in my book Front Row Seat at the Circus.)

In 1988, a year before being elected the Mohave County GOP chairman, I was elected to the state GOP executive committee.

As a college student, I tried to become a Bush delegate to the national convention in New Orleans that year, but fell one vote short at the state convention.

It was an important lesson for me in precinct organizing.

If you fail to do the grassroot work and arrive at a meeting outnumbered you lose.

It’s really simple math.

I was determined not to make that mistake again.

George Bush was elected president in 1988, and he promised to work with Democrats and lead our nation with integrity.

He did just that.

In 1992, now a county chairman in control of the rules and organization, I would make sure our entire slate of Bush delegates from our county won.

And we did, easily.

As the chairman, I had organized the elected precinct workers and made sure they were loyal to the slate we were running. Before the night started I correctly predicted what the final vote total would be.

The Bush campaign called me the day after the county meeting and invited me, on behalf of the president, to be on the “official” Bush slate for national delegate.

It was an honor that I had waited for since first meeting Bush in 1987.

Here’s a little look at how the political sausage is made:

In Arizona, the national delegates are elected either from congressional districts or from the general floor.

I was elected overwhelmingly from my congressional district because the Bush slate had the numbers.

The Bush team counted on me, as the county chairman, to “whip” my delegates into voting for the entire slate.

It’s a bit like herding cats.

“Can I vote for this person because I know them?” I would be asked by a delegate not quite sure about the process.

“Absolutely not! That could break our slate if you do that!” I would respond.

The day can be tough because some friends, many of whom had been involved in party politics for a long time, had not made the official slate.

So they run against it, some on alternative slates, which really upsets the presidential campaigns. It almost never works, but it can create some tense and difficult moments among friends.

Typically the campaigns will put their biggest names – governor, senators, congressmen, celebrities – on a slate to be voted on by the entire floor.

Name ID can help break a slate.

For instance, there were only a few Buchanan candidates who busted the Bush slate in 1992, including the controversial former governor Evan Mecham.

It’s very difficult for campaigns to control everyone voting a straight slate, even when you explain how important it is in order to win every delegate.

My memories of being a Delegate at that convention in Houston include Ronald Reagan giving what would be his final farewell address to the nation.

And George Bush “admitting” he made a mistake raising taxes.

But he hadn’t made a mistake.

He had been responsible, crafting a deal with the opposition party in an effort to get control of the huge budget deficits.

While Bush would lose reelection that year, his brave decision to do the right thing helped propel the economy to record growth throughout the 1990’s.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush, who we lost earlier this year, was his partner for 73 years.

Her decency, and wit, once you met her is something you would never forget.

I have never regretted believing in George Bush from the start of my own political career.

As a journalist, about every politician I’ve covered and interviewed, at least in my mind, has been compared to the level of competence of our 41st president.

When I think of George Bush, I think of honor, integrity, and true public service.

We are a better nation because he served as our Commander In Chief.

And I am a better man for having met him.

Rest in peace with your beautiful Barbara, Mr. President.