Talk:George W. Bush/Definition

Definitions are for minimal objective information

It is unlikely that anything needs to be quoted in a definition rather than the main article, but the only reason to use quotation marks in a definition is when a direct quote is being sourced. Further, a definition does not have the room for any balanced definition of political policies. Certainly for an incumbent or recent politician, policies and history belong in the article.

It would be reasonable to say Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. President during the American Civil War. It would be accurate, but inappropriate for a definition, to say that William Howard Taft was the only American president to become stuck in the White House bathtub, although it might be appropriate to say he is the only president that subsequently became a member of the Supreme Court. That Margaret Thatcher was PM during the Falklands War is a fact that could go into a definition, but it would be enough to state her party affiliation, not selected aspects of her economic policy. Howard C. Berkowitz 17:03, 28 October 2008 (UTC)