In the aftermath of U.S. victory in the Gulf War, Bush was widely considered to be likely to win re-election, but Clinton defeated Bush in large part by focusing on the economy. Despite his defeat, Bush left office with a 56 percent job approval rating, and he remained popular with the public until his death in 2018. In polls of historians and political scientists, Bush is generally ranked as an average president. Bush's first major appointment was that of James Baker as Secretary of State; Baker was Bush's closest friend and had served as Reagan's White House Chief of Staff. Bush's first pick for Defense Secretary, John Tower, was rejected by the Senate, becoming the first cabinet nominee of an incoming president to be rejected.
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