Product Description
In one of the most unprecedented developments in the history of national politics, George W. Bush abruptly emerged to lead all presidential aspirants in the national polls for the 2000 election. Yet voters know very little about the man, beyond his famous name and his place in one of the nation's most powerful political dynasties.

First Son is a true, riveting family saga about extraordinary power and politics in America and in the unharnessed state--a state of mind--called Texas. The story begins with the turn-of-the-century emergence of the influential Bush-Walker clan and of Prescott Bush, the Connecticut patrician who ingrained in his family an ethos that continues to exert influence on his son, former President George Bush, and his grandsons, George W. and Jeb. How these scions of the Bush dynasty struggle to live up to their enduring legacy is the central theme of this colorful and perceptive portrait the first authentative book on the governor of Texas.

In the past year, award-winning Texas writer Bill Minutaglio has met with George W. Bush and interviewed dozens of people close to him, from his brother Governor Jeb Bush of Florida to uncles and cousins, from current and former political advisers to high-ranking insiders from his father's years in the White House. Fraternity buddies, political operatives, George W.'s employers, and even ardent critics of the Bush family bring this story to life--from the society circles in his native Connecticut to the family compound in Maine to the backwaters of his adopted Texas. The result is a book that is nuanced, insightful, and surprising in the contradictions and complexities it reveals about this man.

First Son vividly reconstructs George W. Bush's boarding-school days at one of the country's most exclusive institutions; his tenure in one of Yale's secret societies and as president of his unfettered fraternity; his attempts to follow his family's million-dollar path into the wide-open Texas oil patch; his role in major league baseball as the public face and head cheerleader for the Texas Rangers; and, finally, his rise to governor of Texas and national political force, executed with more hard-edged calculation than many people realize.

Written with precision, verve, and fair-minded balanace, First Son will be the political story of 2000--the eye-opening tale of a natural-born politician.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
The first of several Y2K biographies on Texas governor George W. Bush offers an in-depth look at both the Republican presidential candidate and his political family: Bill Minutaglio interviewed more than 300 people for First Son, including Bush and many members of his inner circle. The book focuses on the life of "Dubya"(the nickname used by the press and others to distinguish him from his father) and includes a combination of original material and information that has been reported elsewhere. It is neither pro- nor anti-Bush, simply reportorial and largely nonjudgmental. Readers won't find an answer to one of the season's most burning questions: Has Bush ever used illegal drugs? In a preface, Minutaglio piously says he won't stoop to such low levels. Yet one gets the sense that he won't go there because he doesn't have any hard evidence, as stories of Bush's heavy drinking are related without apparent reservation. Minutaglio, a writer for The Dallas Morning News, spends most of his time describing Bush's amazing and unexpected rise to fame. Dubya's own family, for instance, thought that younger brother Jeb would be the first to win an important public office. Yet Dubya exploited his family ties and personal charisma to have a successful business career in the 1980s and then beat a popular incumbent in 1994 to become Texas governor. (Jeb became governor of Florida in 1998, while his brother won a second term in Austin.) Minutaglio's narrative goes light on Bush's gubernatorial record and ends before his formal entry into the presidential race in 1999. Readers hungry for an overview of the man who would be president, however, could do much worse than start by looking here. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Actor Roscoe Born Reads This in Audio
Actor Roscoe Born who is Best known for his Emmy Award nominated roles of Robert and Quinn from 1990 and 1991 in the soap opera Santa Barbara reads this audio book with the same acting style and talents he showed in his acting roles.

Detailed Bio - Unconvincing Thesis
Minutaglio provides a detailed life of George W. Bush, from his birth in New Haven Connecticut to his first election as governor of Texas in 1994.(After that he only describes a few events from his eight years as governor and provides a brief afterword about the 2000 presidential campaign that, strangely, concludes without revealing the results of the Supreme Court decision that finalized the election.)

Yet he fails to demonstrate that W. is only, or even largely, the product of the Bush dynasty.He fails to explain why Bush follows more in the new conservative steps of Reagan than in the moderate, non-ideological path of his father Bush 41.He doesn't mention neoconservatism at all, although Condi Rice is mentioned in the last pages.Yes, he does describe important elements of continuity in the dynasty (education at Andover, Yale, and Harvard; work in the West Texas oil fields; and common political experiences), but he fails to examine the very important differences between the two men, differences that may prove to be even more important.

The book also overlooks the role of Bush's faith in God.He describes his 1986 decision to quit drinking as an effort to avoid embarrassing his father and calls his conversion experience an attempt to reach out to the Christian right.For someone like Bush who has been the most open president about his faith since William McKinley, this is a major oversight.Minutaglio should have explained how and why his faith was important to him and his political career.

As a biography the book is fair and even-handed, describing Bush's wayward years, his maturing, and his achievements in business and politics.It provides good insight into how Bush developed as a man and politician.But it stops as Bush begins to emerge on the national stage as Texas governor.

Minutaglio's writing is also repetitive, narrating the same incidents and characterizations at different places in the book.At times it seems disjointed, and he does a poor job of explaining where certain action occurs.But there are also some really funny stories, mostly at Bush's expense, in the book (e.g. the recycled Christmas cards and the cattle guard's uniform).

Overall, a decent and impartial biography of W.'s pre-gubernatorial life, although the indifferent writing makes it a bit plodding to read at times.

UNBIASED??THE AUTHOR SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF!!
THIS IS AN UNADULTERATED PUFF PIECE THAT EITHER HIDES, OBSCURES, IGNORES OR COMPLETELY FABRICATES A NEW HISTORY & PERSONA FOR GEORGE W. BUSH!

PLAIN & SIMPLE...THIS BOOK IS A JOKE...AND A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME & MONEY (WHICH I'D LOVE TO GET BACK PLEASE!)!!

The history of the Bush/Walker clan and the rise of George W
This is a nice book detailing the history of the Bush/Walker clan and the early life of George W. Bush.There is a lot of trash out there about this man and his politics, so it is hard to get a good biography of him.Make no mistakes, Minutaglio reveals a lot of the unsavory side of George W., but it is unbiased and he deals in facts.He also covers the strengths of this man, so the reader can get the good and the bad about him.The author only reveals the facts of his National Guard stint and the glosses over the drug allegations, so the reader cannot judge the current controversy over these allegations.I enjoy a book dealing in facts and not conservative/liberal conjecture.Minutaglio does a good job in this.
I especially like how Minutaglio reveals the personal relationship of George W. with his father.This is probably the most difficult aspect of this book, but the author summarizes their relationship well.Few other authors have attempted this with George W.
For those wanting a good biography of our 43rd President, this is nice book and read.For those wanting to read trash, go elsewhere--there is plenty to pick from.

Entertaining but BIASED!
I bought this book on a lark thinking it might actually be what the cover notes said is was "unbiased", but as soon as I saw Dan Rather's opinion on the book (printed on the back of the paperback I purchased), I should've known this book was not necessarily "the truth" on George W. Bush.Don't believe everything you read or hear from anyone in print or media.I encourage you to be selective and present things in context. . .

Speaking of things in context, I really can't trust this book as gospel because Minutaglio quotes sources in such a sporadic way, footnoting the quotes only to look more credible.The quotes are sometimes ridiculous and misplaced, it seems, but albeit, very entertaining.

That's just it, this book is entertaining and nothing more except to provide a biased peek at what Minutaglio believes is the driving force and reasons for our President's personality, politics, career choices, and other personal decisions.

Juicy.As in gossipy. ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for Bush's Brain

"Love him or hate him, Karl Rove is one of the most brilliant and successful political consultants of all time. In this riveting account, Wayne Slater and Jim Moore tell how he got there."
–Paul Begala, CNN’s Crossfire

"Bush’s Brain isn’t a hatchet job on George W. Bush. In fact, the two authors largely dispel the myth of Bush’s supposedly deficient IQ. But, more importantly, they lay bare the story of how Karl Rove may be the most powerful man in America. It’s a compelling story told by two veteran Texas journalists who don’t need a briefing packet to understand the men they’re writing about."
–Philip Bruce, KCET/PBS Television, Los Angeles

The most powerful individual in the United States may not be George W. Bush. It is probably Karl Rove, the President’s brilliant advisor. Who is this man and how did he acquire so much power? Having watched in awe for over fifteen years as they reported on the rise of Karl Rove, Moore and Slater expose the brutal and sometimes morally questionable, but invariably effective ways in which Karl Rove–and America’s political system–actually operate.Amazon.com Review
Political consultants are nothing new in American politics; they are the big guns called in to work on a campaign or deal with the occasional crisis, then dismissed for another day. Not so with White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove. Due to his close personal relationship and unlimited access to George W. Bush, as well as his control of the information that reaches the president, this "permanent consultant" occupies a unique spot in Bush's inner circle and in history. "His influence marks a transcendent moment in American politics: the rise of an unelected consultant to a position of unprecedented power," write authors Moore and Slater. Since Rove is ultimately responsible to Bush only, not to American citizens, he is not required to work openly. As a result, Rove is hardly a household name, despite his considerable clout. This intriguing and important book seeks to remedy this by offering a comprehensive look at this behind-the-scenes political guru. "Karl Rove matters to all Americans, many who have never even heard his name. While the president chafes at the description of Rove as 'Bush's Brain,' he can hardly deny that every policy and political decision either goes through, or comes from, the consultant," write the authors, leading them to pose the question, "Who really runs this country?"

Rove has been involved with the Bush family for nearly 30 years and has worked on every one of George W.'s campaigns. In great detail, the book shows how Rove led Bush, a "reluctant political warrior," all the way to the White House. The portrait of Bush and Rove's relationship is fascinating. Though opposites in many respects, they are an unusually effective political team. But where Bush seemed to fall into politics, Rove has been preparing for his current job all of his life, and Bush has served as a vehicle for Rove's considerable ambitions, the authors contend. "Without Karl Rove, there would be no President George W. Bush," they write. Moore and Slater look deeply into Rove's past to offer copious evidence of his political genius, his tenacity, and his remarkable success rate in getting his clients elected. The facts also portray Rove as unethical, vindictive, and a chronic abuser of power. Loaded with revealing anecdotes and inside information, this is essential reading for anyone looking to understand not only the Bush administration, but how politics really work. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Another typical Hit Job on Bush
You might as well save time and watch Keith Olberman than read this book.It is a typical hit job by the press.Don't waste your time or money, there are much better books out there that are far more balanced in the coverage.

Karl Rove: Svengali (or the Rasputin?) to the Western World
An interesting tale about how Karl Rove, son of a Rocky mountain geologist, and a "political savant extraordinaire," a virtual Bobby Fischer of politics, with the same kind of a political instincts and genius as Bill Clinton - was, since childhood, bent on becoming a "top behind the scenes man." And next to Dick Morris, he has perhaps succeeded in becoming the greatest one of our (or any) times.

Rove, single-handedly found, mentored, and fashioned a reluctant under motivated and under-performing peripatetic warrior, composed of the most meager of raw materials, into a conservative political superstar.

Left to his own devices, "Bush junior," would probably have preferred nothing more than remaining a spoiled, underdeveloped, under motivated, misdirected, mediocre, "kick-about" for the rest of his life. However, Rove saw, as few others did, a "diamond in the rough," and set about chipping away at the lackluster and peripatetic outer shell to get at the hidden untapped, underdeveloped inner treasures.

Rove, in the best of his Svengali-like roles, not only became the Rasputin to the Western World, but since every decision Bush has made -- from his two terms as governor of Texas through his two terms as President of the U.S. - have been "cleared" by Rove, he literally became not just Bush's alter ego, but his "uber-ego." Rove quite literally became Bush's brain. So much so, that, as the author notes: "it is hard to know where Bush's brain begins and Roves' ends."

How did Rove polish the dull and listless GW into spanking shiny brand new money?In the liveliest of prose, chocked full of lush and tasty details, this book gives the answer: Rove, like the inventor of the term itself, Dick Morris, is nothing but a "triangulator." His political philosophy is the same as Morris': See what the polls say, and then "spin the rhetoric" so that (even when it is not so) the President's policies "sound like" and "look like" what the President's political constituency thinks they want.

Rove owes a deep unacknowledged debit to the one who invented and patented this process, Dick Morris. Since Morris invented the process of triangulation during the Clinton administration, this period in U.S. history may someday be known as the "era of the super power-political triangulators." (no pun intended).

A fabulous but disturbing read. Five Stars

bush's brain or lack there of
this book shows that without someone else's input this president would not have made it to any elected position.it is all smoke and mirrors for this administration.

not good people...
This review is not a memoir. Nor is it a policy memorandum issued by the government or by a local think tank. Rather, it is an assessment of how our long-corrupt legal system is parlously close to establishing a precedent that will enable Karl Rove to waste our time and money. Note that some of the facts I plan to use in this letter were provided to me by a highly educated person who managed to escape Karl's flippant indoctrination and is consequently believable. The problem is, if I didn't sincerely believe that there is certainly reason to fear that imprudent beatniks will provide covinous franions with an irresistible temptation to palm off our present situation as the compelling ground for worldwide Fabianism by the next full moon, then I wouldn't be writing this letter. His true goal is to implement a hotheaded parody of justice called "Karl-ism". All the statements that Karl's helots make to justify or downplay that goal are only apologetics; they do nothing to stand up and fight for our heritage, traditions, and values.

If I may be so bold, only by taking risks and pushing boundaries with this letter can I operate on today's real -- not tomorrow's ideal -- political terrain. And let me tell you, my message has always been that Karl's decisions are ill-advised. It's that simple. My general thesis is that Karl has written volumes about how there is something intellectually provocative in the tired rehashing of larcenous stereotypes. Don't believe a word of it, though. The truth is that if he thinks that he can make me experience psychological stress or "cognitive dissonance", then he's barking up the wrong tree. I'll talk a lot more about that later, but first let me finish my general thesis: I don't care what others say about him. Karl's still cold-blooded, offensive, and he intends to wipe out delicate ecosystems. If you think that Karl's blessing is the equivalent of a papal imprimatur, then think again. If Karl wants to put a demented spin on important issues, let him wear the opprobrium of that decision. To bring the matter closer to home, let me remind you that we've all heard his yammer and whine about how he's being scapegoated again, the poor dear. It is not uncommon for Karl to victimize the innocent, penalize the victim for making any effort to defend himself, and then paint the whole addlepated affair as some great benefit to humanity. Have you ever had a bad dream about her trying to exhibit cruelty to animals? Well, I have news for you. That wasn't a dream; it was real. I would like to end on a heartfelt note. I find Karl Rove's failed attempts to create an infantile world of guilt and shame mildly amusing.

Absolutely chilling--and Rove is just one of the hit-men
Reading about Rove's contempt for fair play from the beginning of his career is absolutely chilling. The book is even-handed and meticulous, but presents so many cases where he damaged lives, careers and democracy with his political ruthlessness.
What's frightening is how much influence he has on Bush today, and the fact that he isn't the only Lee Atwater disciple wielding power in the current Republican Party. Read David Brock's Blinded By the Light for a complementary tale of manipulation and dissembling.
This book was obviously completed before the Republican ads that defeated Senator Max Cleland by calling him unpatriotic, even though Cleland had lost two legs and an arm in Vietnam--but that approach only buttresses the core points I take from this powerful book: The bullying tactics of people like Rove need to themselves become a political issue, because they represent a direct attack on our democracy.

Paul Loeb
Author Soul of a Citizen ... Read more

Product Description
George W. Bush: In the Whirlwind examines the beginning and early years of the Presidency of the 43rd President of the United States. New author Bryan LaBerge provides a mix of political savvy with an outside Washington DC common man perspective. In the Whirlwind explores a broad range of events and political topics that run the span of years from the 2000 Republican primary election through the mid-term elections of 2002.

Some think of Bush as not up to the task. Some believe him to be a product of the September 11 attacks. Still others think him an illegitimate President. In the Whirlwind takes these issues head on and answers them from a political outsider's perspective. Unlike many current books about George W. Bush, In the Whirlwind looks at the whole presidency of George W. Bush and not just one defining moment. The book provides the reader a big picture historical viewpoint that will leave them wanting more. ... Read more

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Impeachment for Christmas, Prosecution for New Year's
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3CCMBH56R3PKI The 35 Articles of Impeachment and the Case for Prosecuting George W. Bush ... Read more

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A Thomas Nelson Kindle book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Awesome perspective

"Pulling into the lot behind the Transition Headquarters, I was startled to see several black SUVs parked with their motors running and earnest looking men peering out the open windows - my introduction to the United States Secret Service.My first glimpse of the Secret Service agents drove home the point that I was about to embark on a journey that, if successful, would put me in close proximity to some of the most powerful and important people in the world.Great, I thought, no pressure at all."

Thus began Ron Christie's interview process for a position as a Deputy Assistant for domestic policy to Vice President-Elect Cheney.Throughout his page-turning book, Black in the White House, he weaves stories together from his three and one half year tenure in the White House that make it read more like a novel than a narrative.He provides a unique view of the Vice President, President and their respective staffs that is seldom, if ever, reported by the media.This book paints a portrait that reveals the true personalities of the leaders of the United States and the tremendous responsibilities they have.

Although sometimes sophomoric, maudlin and perhaps even pandering, Christie tells his stories as if he were a child marveling in awe at the world's leaders for whom he was asked to work instead of as a trained attorney who had important work to do.As a Deputy Policy Advisor to Senator George Allen (son of Redskin's coach Allen) for eight years, he was asked by the Republican Committee in December of 2000 to be an observer of the Presidential recount vote in Jacksonville, Florida.Shortly after flying to Florida, the Supreme Court ruled in George Bush's favor, George Bush became Presidential-Elect Bush and Ron Christie was asked to interview as a Deputy Assistant for domestic policy for Vice President-Elect Cheney.

During the waiting process after his interview, Christie candidly reveals his feelings of nervousness and uncertainty regarding his appointment.Waiting for the phone to ring, not sleeping at night, unable to think lucidly, he is no more than an average person waiting to hear the decision about their interview.Throughout the book he demonstrates his role as a normal person who is honored to serve the Vice President, President and his country by easily blending his responsibilities with his humbleness.He also makes it clear that the principals of President Bush's transition team (who would later become the cabinet and advisors after the inauguration) are extremely intelligent individuals who espouse a tremendous work ethnic in serving the Vice-President and President.Concurrently he also divulges their human and compassionate sides that few are privileged to see.

Christie worked intimately with Vice President Cheney's staff including Chief of Staff Scooter Libby, Dan McGrath, Mary Matalin and even Vice President Cheney himself.He tells tales of their dedication, character and wit.In one instance Christie was asked to attend a meeting with Vice President Cheney and noted historian Stephen Ambrose, who

was attempting to restore the Missouri River to resemble its appearance in time to celebrate the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's expedition.Ambrose indicated that his plan to dam the river was supported in Missouri and in several states downstream.Christie knew that Ambrose's assertion was erroneous and the Vice President, always with razor sharp perception, realized that Christie was uncomfortable and asked him if he had any questions.Christie questioned Ambrose why the Missouri House of Representatives voted 138-0 to denounce the plans and why Governor Bob Holden joined several other governors to write a letter to President Bush voicing their opposition.Not accustomed to being questioned, Ambrose probably expected VP Cheney to chastise Christie.Instead, Cheney asked Christie to draft a letter to Ambrose in which the VP would "express his inability to advocate Ambrose' plan to President Bush".

September 11, 2001 was a day that most Americans will never forget.For Christie and the White House staff it was a day of horror.Not only was the horror expressed for the victims in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon but it also extended to the White House staff that was literally in the direct line of fire.After it was clear that the crashes were an attack and not an accident, the White House staff was immediately escorted out of the building by the Secret Service and told to leave.Unfortunately most of them could not return to their homes since Washington was in pandemonium and all roads were completely blocked; many stayed at friends within the city.Two days later when it was safe to enter the White House the horror was repeated when they again had to be evacuated, this time due to a bomb scare.In essence, the security and comfort that was indicative of the White House had been indelibly shattered.Although terrified to return to the White House, the staff was reminded by Andy Card that they represented the President and now was the time to fight back by going about their business and not being intimidated by fear.Indeed, the urgency at hand changed the course of President Bush's presidency.Christie relates how difficult it was for all the members of the White House to continue to run the country.

In early 2002 Christie was asked to be the Special Assistant to the President to help run the USA Freedom Corps.Although honored to work directly for the President, Christie was torn by the thought of accepting the offer due to his loyalty to Vice President Cheney and also to his aversion of governmental programs, particularly those initiated by former President Clinton.However, after numerous discussions with the staffs of both the Vice President and the President, he learned that the President was a genuine supporter of the volunteerism movement in America after 9/11 and wanted to capitalize on the spirit running through the country during that time.He therefore accepted the commission.Thus began his association with the President of the United States.From Christie's vantage point, in opposition to the media, he saw the President as the leader of staff meetings who utilized the expertise of his cabinet, including the Vice President, for advice.The bottom line was that President Bush was the man in charge of the White House, not Vice President Cheney or anyone else.Period.




Christie did not turn his back on his black heritage and in fact almost resigned due to an incident by Mississippi Senator Trent Lott during Thanksgiving in 2002.While Christie was at his brother's home, Senator Lott was featured on CNN at Senator Strom Thurmond's one-hundredth birthday party.Lott was recalling Thurmond's unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1948 and lamented that Mississippi, which was opposed to integration, was only one of four states that supported him.Lott went on to say, "We're proud of it.And if the rest of the country followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either".Christie and his family were stunned.During the next few days in which the White House said nothing, Christie's parents asked him how could he work at the White House for a man who had refused to repudiate Lott's statement.Christie, wrestling with his admiration for President Bush and his agenda, could not sit by silently.Knowing it could cost him his job, he wrote a note to Andy Card expressing his dismay that the comment was not rebuked by the White House.Card, the Chief of Staff to President Bush and known in the White House for both his intense intelligence and hilarious practical jokes, invited Christie to a private meeting to discuss the relationship between blacks and the Republican Party.When asked to present his thoughts, Christie proposed that Republicans "should not be traveling to black neighborhoods and talking about crime, welfare reform and drugs" but should talk about "tax reform, school choice and home ownership".Rather that "bringing in the gospel choir to sing and sway in the East Wing during Black History month can't we do more than pander to those folks who then start criticizing us the second they leave the building"?Christie suggested that the President "should visit with small business leaders, doctors and investors who support his vision and happen to be black".Andy Card, displaying his honesty and sincerity, became an active participant and devoted significant amounts of his time to find ways in which the President's agenda could resonate with those who were skeptical about his policies.

Black in the White House made me feel that I was actually observing the leaders of the country on a personal level without the critical remonstrations of the media promoting their anti-Bush rhetoric.I was able to see, through Christie's eyes, the leaders in President Bush's cabinet as thoughtful, intelligent and sincere individuals who are honored to spend a few years of their lives dedicated to the President and the country.Although not intended to be an historical document, the book represents a view of the White House and the Presidency that is seldom revealed.It was refreshing to observe the White House from the perspective of someone who loves to be there rather than from someone who is there to condemn it.

Loved this book!
This book is one of my favorites.Ron Christie's persective of the White House workings kept my attention from cover to cover.I have to tell you...his thoughts on some things made me laugh out loud and others made me cry.Thank you for the book Mr. Christie--and you are definitely not a "wart on history's nose".:-)

Where did they find this guy?!
I suppose that if you are a guileless, hard-core reactionary, then you'll really love Ron Christie's no-fault treatise on everything good about W's Whitehouse.

While I am an AA (African-American) with moderate political views, there is something simultaneously self-satisfied and self-hating about Mr. Christie's over-the-top conservative tome in which he anecdotes countless situations in which he is the only person of color in the room (one would not count Conde Rice).Here he finds few faults with the Bush administration while describing his Horatio Algers' climb to middle management in the Republican Guard.

He breathlessly reports of his adventures in becoming one of the youngest African Americans to navigate his way into the echelons of republican politics, without any self-acknowledgment that he may, in fact, just be a "token".

I'd say it was an interesting read if you want to understand how the Republican Party simultaneously manages to find no real value in diversity, while exploiting - in a nominal way - the value of having a symbolic representative.

This is a smug account of his interactions with politicos in the West Wing and it reads like a report on "What I Did Over my Summer Vacation".

Thoroughly unsatisfying for the political junkie
If you are looking for the proverbial "fly on the wall" perspective of the White House, this might fit the bill nicely.Christie gives a very...accessible account of what it's like to work for the President.Unfortunately, Christie's experiences (as he presents them anyway) come across as though he had about as much impact on meaningful policy as a real fly on the wall.Certain passages made me cringe as the author described being nearly paralyzed with awe every time he met high profile people for the first time.

I surely hope this was an editing error that slipped through but on page 233 Christie describes Karl Rove as being "thought by many to be the most powerful man in the White House other than the VP".If that was supposed to be a dig at Bush it's pretty unbecoming considering the way Christie fawns over W through the rest of the book.I STRONGLY suspect a junior proof-reader at publisher Nelson Current let her political views enter into her work and introduced the error as a prank.Pretty funny.

I wouldn't recommend this for those learning about politics, government and the executive branch either.It is too lean on how various departments and individuals work together to implement policy.Also lacking is any insight on how one gets to such a position.

Disappointing
I read Ron Christie's new book as I was looking to find some insight into how the Bush White House works. Having seen the author on a number of tv programs he comes across as earnest, forthright and dedicated to the conservative cause. Unfortunately, he hasn't been in the top echelon of decision-making to warrant a good book. It's too low-level.

I wish Mr. Christie well.....there's nothing more in his book that we already know, would care to know or will find out sooner or later. ... Read more

Product Description
George W. Bush chapter from the book-Facts about the Presidents, featuring data on the president-s background, life, and administration. Here you will find comprehensive,-uniformly arranged data on birth, family, education, nomination and election, congressional sessions, cabinet and Supreme Court appointments, vice president, first lady, and more--highlighting both the personal and political. Bibliographies guide readers to additional information on the president. ... Read more

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The Facts about the Presidents
I know this product well of old. I have previous editions. I enjoyed the current edition. I am a history lover so this well within my experience

Now in a fully updated eighth edition
Now in a fully updated eighth edition, "Facts About The Presidents From George Washington To Barack Obama" is an essential, core addition to every school and community library. Divided into two distinct parts, "Facts About The Presidents" offers biographical data on all 44 of America's presidents, as well as comparative data with respects to presidential chronology, family history, personal background, education and career, residence, physical characteristics, death and burial, commemoratives, and general statistics. Of special note is the section devoted to presidential elections, conventions, candidates, election returns, the vice-presidents, and more. "Facts About The Presidents" is an 816-page compendium of superbly researched, organized and presented information covering everything from presidential vetos to presidential salaries, making it an invaluable reference for students as well as an engaging browse for non-specialist general readers with an interest in those who have held the office and responsibility of presiding over the nation from its founding to the present day.
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“You can’t worry about being vindicated, because the truth of the matter is, when you do big things, it’s going to take a while for history to really understand.” —President Bush, in an exclusive interview with Fred Barnes for Rebel-in-Chief

With Rebel-in-Chief, veteran political reporter Fred Barnes provides the defining book on George W. Bush’s presidency, giving an insider’s view of how Bush’s unique presidential style and bold reforms are dramatically remaking the country—and, indeed, the world. In the process, Barnes shows, the president is shaking up Washington and reshaping the conservative movement.

Barnes has gained extraordinary access to the Bush administration for Rebel-in-Chief, conducting rare one-on-one interviews with President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and many other close presidential advisers. That access, along with Barnes’s extensive independent reporting and interviewing, produces an eye-opening look at this highly consequential—and controversial—presidency.

Rebel-in-Chief reveals:

• How Bush acts as an “insurgent force” in the nation’s capital—“a different kind of president” who is turning the Washington establishment on its ear

• How Bush is redefining conservatism for a new era—and creating a new Republican majority

• The inside story of how Bush has revolutionized American foreign policy—and how the president's crusade for democracy would have been anathema to Bush himself only five years ago

• When and why Bush decided to go into Iraq, even knowing that he was putting his political future at risk

• How a White House aide you've probably never heard of is shaping the Bush vision

• The surprising and important ways Bush's faith affects critical presidential decisions

• How Bush has outmaneuvered his political opponents and surprised members of the press who have dismissed him as an intellectual bantamweight

• How Bush routinely defies conventional wisdom because of his contempt for elite opinion and halfway reforms (“small-ball,” he calls them)—and why he usually wins

George W. Bush billed himself as a “different kind of Republican.” He has proved to be a different kind of president, too. And Fred Barnes’s riveting behind-the-scenes account helps us understand how much this “Rebel-in-Chief ” is reshaping the world around us.




Also available as a Random House AudioBook and an eBook


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (158)

FINALLY SOME APPRECIATION FOR A GREAT MAN
The main review at the beginning of this page states that everything in this book shows Bush to be right and everyone else to be wrong.I did not find that to be so.Even if this were true, isn't it time to have a book that does tell the good about a man who was our president for the past eight years!I am sick of the Bush bashing that I have listened to for so long.There is nothing about this presidency that could possibly equal the horrible things done during the Clinton era, yet Bush is ridiculed as being stupid, a thief, etc.

I believe history will show that President Bush was one of our finest presidents.I put him along side Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.I hope our country survives the next presidency so that we will be allowed to read about the great things George W. Bush did accomplish.

the devil is in the details
This is the second book I've read now regarding the politics surrounding the Bush Whitehouse. The first was Daydream Believers which offered a more critical assessment of Bush's policies. Rebel in Chief is a glowing and sometimes sycophantic laud of Bush. Instead of focusing on those surrounding the president, Rebel in Chief is much narrower in scope. And hence this may be why Bush comes off like such a maverick and hero.

Subjectivity aside, Barnes paints a picture of the president that I have seen elsewhere: a highly principled, idealistic leader of men who is not afraid of public opinion and sincerely wants to spread democracy. Bush believes that democracy is natural to mankind and can therefore be grown abroad. What I do not see in Bush, is an adherence to the Constitution and the ideals of the founding fathers. Bush may have democratic ideals but they're not necessarily American ones. This subtle shift is exemplified in the new conservatism that Bush is a poster boy for according to Barnes; it's a big government conservatism. An oxymoron for sure, but one that Barnes thinks most Americans are willing to warmly embrace. I find this brand of conservatism distressing for the fact that it continues the trend of giving power to the federal government and forever lessening the independence of the states. Bush's big government conservatism is a short step away from liberalism.

Barnes believes that Bush has been a huge success in `Republican ascendancy'. He says that red states have grown redder and blues states have shown signs of reddening. But I fear that the more correct analogy is that what we call `red' has been `bluified'.

Barnes does at times acknowledge the shortcomings of Bush but they are not dwelt on in any detail whatsoever. He does note that WMDs were not found in Iraq but leaves it at that.

Should this be the defining book on Bush? I would hope not. While an interesting read, a more critical account should also be looking into if you are planning on picking this book up.

Simplistic nonsense
Somehow, I suffered through this book. Yes, there were some interesting points. But I no longer remember them, as they were far outweighed by stupidity. This one is headed for paper recycling.

Overall, I agree with the wise reviewer who called his book "nothing more than romantic idealization."

For those who cheered the war on terror, please note, Bush effectively abandoned that long ago. His piece de resistance, as it were, accompanied 2008 plans to establish diplomatic relations with Iran---while Tehran plans tomanufacture nuclear weapons. And what of Bush's legendary do-nothing stance towards North Korea? The world must have blinked when Bush waved his magic wand and made the axis of evil go "pouf."

From our current vantage point, Barnes' simplistic glorification of Bush looks like village idiocy. Where ever does he see courage in this man, I wonder?

Liberal thinking seems lately to have sidestepped basic ideals like life and liberty. But liberals are hardly the monsters Barnes makes them out.

Conservative Republicans, meanwhile, can't possibly be as stupid as Barnes' world analysis might lead one to believe.

I doubt history will judge George W. Bush the worst president in U.S. history. Chronologically, that remains a toss-up between Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter.

But for sure, history won't judge George W. Bush the best U.S. president ever. Dream away Fred.

That halo is still best reserved for George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.

No one else has to date held a candle to either of them. Nor (contrary to popular opinion) does anyone on the horizon come close.

A Condensed Version of History
For those that don't know much about history, here is a condensedversion.

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer
and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter. The two most important events in all of history were:

1. The invention of beer, and

2. The invention of the wheel.

The wheel was invented to get man to the beer.

These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals.

2. Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to beinvented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement. Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberalmovement.

Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest becameknown as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats,the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic votingto decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beefwell done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Anotherinteresting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injuryattorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide fortheir women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys,lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today's lesson in world history...

It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above.

A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"The dignity of man is not shattered in a single blow, but slowly softened, bent, and eventually neutered.Men are seldom forced to act, but are constantly restrained from acting.Such power does not destroy outright, but prevents genuine existence.It does not tyrannize immediately, but it dampens, weakens, and ultimately suffocates, until the entire population is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid, uninspired animals, of which the government is shepherd."

Alexis de Tocqueville

Barne's Perspective of President Bush
Fred Barnes is a Fox television news analyst. He interviewed President George W. Bush and his top officials to report on the ways the Bush administration is using what he calls radical conservatism to effect change in the United States. This book is well written and covers foreign policy and faith-based initiatives. I will let you make up your own mind, but I will say that this book is an interesting read. ... Read more

Product Description
The Right Man is the first inside account of a historic year in the Bush White House, by the presidential speechwriter credited with the phrase axis of evil. David Frum helped make international headlines when President George W. Bush’s 2002 State of the Union address linked international terrorists to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. But that was only one moment during a crucial time in American history, when a president, an administration, and a country were transformed.

Frum worked with President Bush in the Oval Office, traveled with him aboard Air Force One, and studied him closely at meetings and events. He describes how Bush thinks—what this conservative president believes about religion, race, the environment, Jews, Muslims, and America’s future. Frum takes us behind the scenes of one of the most secretive administrations in recent history, with revealing portraits of Karl Rove, Karen Hughes, Condoleezza Rice, and many others. Most significant, he tells the story of the transformation of George W. Bush: how a president whose administration began in uncertainty became one of the most decisive, successful, and popular leaders of our time.

Before becoming a White House speechwriter, David Frum was a highly regarded author of books and political commentary and an influential voice on the pages of The Wall Street Journal and The Weekly Standard. His commentary has been described by William F. Buckley as “the most refreshing ideological experience in a generation.” Now, in The Right Man, we see Frum as a front-row observer and participant. Not since Peggy Noonan’s account of her time in the Reagan White House has an insider portrayed a sitting president with such precision, verve, honest admiration, and insight.

The Right Man will command international attention for its thoughtful account of George W. Bush in the midst of his greatest challenge. It will be an essential reference for anyone seeking to understand who our president really is and how he is likely to lead us in the future.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
According to former White House speechwriter David Frum, George W. Bush is "a good man who is not a weak man. He is impatient, quick to anger; sometimes glib, even dogmatic, often uncurious, and as a result ill-informed." All the same--well, look at the book's title. Frum chronicles a tenure spent serving a president whom he comes to admire more after the events of September 11, 2001. It is after working with Bush in times of war that Frum says of Bush "outweighing the faults are his virtues: decency, honesty, rectitude, courage, and tenacity." The Right Man creates an arc in that Frum is originally dubious of Bush's leadership capacity and ends up sold on Bush as commander-in-chief. But in truth, Frum never has far to go. He's impressed with Bush from the start and when war comes, he's more impressed. And while the book is as much about the author as the president, sections, such as an argument with Barbra Streisand and a Washington Post gossip storm may strike the reader as somewhat petty. Fortunately, there are entertaining helpings of candor: the stringent White House dress code, infighting among cabinet members, and unbelievably cool Air Force One trips. Also of particular interest are events surrounding the controversial phrase "axis of evil": Frum helps coin it, his wife boasts of that fact in an e-mail to friends, the e-mail is widely forwarded, and, soon after, Frum resigns. While both he and the White House deny he was fired, Frum is so insistent on the fact that he quit on his own that it really makes you wonder. The Right Man is a multifaceted glimpse at the life of a White House insider and a president in a time of crisis; it should appeal to readers curious to learn about the inner workings of the American presidency. --John Moe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (81)

Maybe not the right man but still a worthy read.
After reading this book you still may believe that Bush is 'The Right Man' for the job of presidency. On the other hand you may not feel this way but at least you've taken the first step to looking at a different perspective. Frum provides a clear framework to choose your own opinions regarding Bush and the fact that Frum was not even pro Bush before he started to work at the white house is reason enough for anyone to read this book regardless of your political sides.

Unfortunately many people will likely pass by this book for the pure reason that they are in full disbelief that Bush ever became president or has any ability to maintain a stable country as president.Whether you are pro or not for Bush, he is still the President and if there is one book that I would want to read about the background and the framework within which he works, this would be the book.Frum is a grasping writer that you're not going to fall asleep reading and you will learn new things from inside the White House and about Bush himself.You don't have to agree with Bush or Frum but it never hurts to have another view.

well...
It's a decent book. I think David Frum has a bit of an ego problem, though, because some of the things he writes about seem unlikely to have happened for someone who was hired as an economic speechwriter. If you're looking for a book to really learn about President Bush, there are definitely better ones out there.

A very interesting book
Coming from Europe it can sometimes be hard to get an inside look at Bush which is not biased against him. This book served to let me see how Bush is seen from a conservative American perspective. In that respect it was very interesting. The book is also very well written, so it's pleasant to read. It should be noted though that the book is highly partisan, as can also be understood from several of the other reviews.

The main gripe I have with this book is that some of the attitudes expressed in it are not backed up by arguments. Thus the author states that when Bush canned Clinton's national health plan he was sending the money home. He thus indirectly makes a claim that this is a good thing without going into the debate of letting a minority rich part of the population pay some extra tax to fund a national health plan that will benefit extremely poor people. He also claims that the most extreme act of Saddam Hussein was an attempt to assasinate George Bush sr. This seems to be hyperbole when you think of how many people Saddam has killed with chemical warfare.

Bush is the wrong man
and the worst president within living memory.

he took the nation into an unnecessary war with Iraq.National Intelligence Estimates tell us that this war has only made America less safe because it serves to recruit and train jihadists

his fiscal policies benefit the wealthiest two percent while they balloon the national debt.

he has curtailed environmental protections of air and water.

he favors big business and especially big oil at the expense of the working and middle class, who have to pay interest on his bloated deficit.

he cloaks his sinister agenda under a smarmy, self-congratulatory facade of religion that has nothing to do with the Jesus of the bible.

He did not protect us from 9/11 even though he was briefed that bin Laden intended to attack the US.The incompetence of John Ashcroft as attorney general reflects the poor judgment of Bush who appointed him.

Bush is the right man to prove the adage that you can fool some of the people all the time.

A useful corrective to this book is Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis by Jimmy Carter.
On the bungled invasion and occupation of Iraq:
Ralph Peters, Lt Col USA (ret), Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century has a useful article on Rumsfeld that supports my review.
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq by Thomas E. Ricks
The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism by Andrew Bacevich

"Bush clearly indicates in advance exactly what he will do."
Frum gives us as clear a view as possible of how President Bush thinks,what his values are,what he plans to do and how he goes about accomplishing his goals.Frum demonstrates over and over again, that the image portrayed by most of the media in North America as well as around the world could not be further from the truth.The media was so slanted against President Bush for the two years leading up to the 2004,that they even believed their own misrepresentations.They had no idea that they were so off base and that President Bush would be re-elected.They haven't got over it yet.Rather than understanding why they lost they still think the voters got it all wrong.
Frum was there and tells what it was really like.You have only to read what he tells us;then ask yourself if that wasn't really what happened.The history and facts speak for themselves.Not everyone can write about this as Frum does;since few were there as he was.The media even got it all wrong,intentionally or not,why Frum left when he did.
Frum shows how President Bush utilizes his staff,but in the final analysis he is in charge and makes the decisions;not Cheney,not Rumsfeld,not Wolfowitz,not the Polls,not the big Corporations,not Haliburton,not the Jews,not the Religious Right,not his Texas pals,not the CIA,not the military and on and on.This is what his detractors have spun for the people to believe,and the only ones they convince is themselves.
Some of the words Frum uses to describe The President are:

"Steady,efficient,controlled"

"Moderation,persistance and boldness."

"Bush was not a lightweight.He was,rather,a very unfamiliar type of heavyweight.Words often failed him,his memory sometimes failed him,but his vision was large and clear.And when he perceived new possibilities,he had the courage to act on them;a much less common virtue in politics than one might suppose."

When asked,"Is it hard to make decisions as president?Not really.If you know what you believe,decisions come pretty easy."

"Presidents are either in command of events or at their mercy."It's easy to see how that applies to President Bush.

Though portrayed by his detractors as a reckless,redneck cowboy;"Bush's great gift to the country after 9/11 was his calm and self-restraint."

Frum tells us where the expression "Axis of Evil" came from and why it was used.

Find out the real reason the US doesn't buy into the International Convention on land mines,the Koyoto Accords and the International Criminal Court

"Bush does not lie to you.You had better not lie to him."

"Read George Bush's major speeches-and nothing else-and nothing he does will come as a surprise to you.Like Babe Ruth pointing to the stands before hitting a home run,Bush clearly indicates in advance exactly what he will do."

Frum even tells us about a line that never made it into a speech as it was "too bellicose". "Those who choose America for an enemy choose their own destruction.";even though it amply describes how right-of center Americans felt.

On Sept 20,2001 ,President Bush stated,"Every nation,in every region,now has a decision to make.Either you are with us,or you are with the terrorists.From this day forward,any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded as a hostile regime."

America pleaded for the freedom loving countries to join her in this War on Terror.Many abandoned her ,Canada included,tended to side with the european detractors.With an over abundance of left wingers and Socialists,it's no wonderas they don't understand,"The tough get going when the going gets tough."

The cover on the hard cover copy of this book is excellent. If nothing else ,it should prove to you that President Bush is the right man forPresident in these times.Sure he has a whole array of people to write great lines and speeches ,lots of people to set up photo ops; but this shot was completely unorchestrated.A retired fireman beckoned his President to join him on the roof of a truck and to say something.When unable to be heard, President Bush spontaneously said "Well I can hear you."
Then his face grew serious."I can hear you."The rest of the world hears you.
And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear from all of us soon."
I suspect this photo and statement will become the defining one of his terms as President.
Frum also treated us to another great insight into working at the White House:

"Now it was time to heed Andy Card's admonition:to remember that a White House job was an honor,not a career."That sure fits as a caption for the shot of the President on the back cover,as he takes a stroll on his ranch in Crawford,Texas.It sort of reminds one of the photos of President Truman taking a stroll in Independence Missouri after retiring from his excellent Presidency.
A great book!
... Read more

Product Description

An unethical and undemocratic cult of business leadership seems to hold sway over the minds of President George W. Bush and many other leaders in our society. According to ethics and leadership expert James Hoopes, this cult claims that leadership is attained and exercised through morality. But by instilling false pride and moral egotism in executives, the leadership cult intensifies the tendency of power to corrupt. For the first time, Hail to the CEO pulls back the curtain on the cult of moral leadership, revealing its dangers while showing readers how to lead with greater integrity and competence. What's more, it will help all citizens better guard their freedom against corrupt, ruinous decisions and the leaders who make them.

The notion of leaders as moral exemplars began in business schools and is increasingly influential in the rest of society. Bush, a veteran of corporate life, is our first president to hold the degree Master of Business Administration. As a result of his business education and business experience, he has carried the leadership cult into the White House—with disastrous results. Many others have deplored Bush's incompetence and moral arrogance. Hail to the CEO is the first book to explain that his failures—from faith-based initiatives to the unconstitutional war on terror—reflect not just on him but on the business culture that created him. Moreover, Hail to the CEO challenges many of the assumptions underlying today's conventional wisdom on leadership. It will show leaders, for example, that it is morally dangerous to manage by values rather than manage for values. Hail to the CEO offers a new model of leadership in which moral influence is earned, not used, by managing as competently and justly as possible. More important, by reminding citizens of the democratic principle that leaders may be moral menaces as well as moral exemplars, Hail to the CEO will help protect freedom.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

Water-tight analysis
Makes the case, thoroughly and systematically.Who can argue with this book?

Why won't Pelosi and the Dems DO THIS, for god's sake??? Worse than shameful, it is traitorous to their solemn oaths to defend the Constitution. They should be impeached for not impeaching Bush/Cheney.

Kucinich, maybe Conyers, maybe Feingold are the only ones with any integrity, it seems.

How ridiculous!!!!
The whole premise behind this book is ridiculous. In order to impeach a president there has to be a crime, that's what "High Crimes and Misdeamors" means. Thinking that the war is icky is not a reason to impeach. Representative Holtzman has put a final cap on a less than stellar record. BTW, if Bush was lying about the WMD's, does that mean Clinton was lying when he said Iraq had WMD's?

Me thinks I detect flop sweat
"Justthefactsmaam" seems to have his undies in bunch.Gee...I wonder why?Could it be that his neocon wet dream is going down in flames?The shame of it is that that the delusions of those filling George's empty head have done such harm to our country.Like that cockroaches thatknowingly skitter across the floor when the exterminator enters the room, Just and his friends need to crawl back into that dark moist hole of theirs and await the inevitable fumigation.Breath deep, Just...it will be over before you know it.

Pabulum for Ideological Infants
This book is not so much a valid case for impeachment as it is a leftist, liberal propaganda piece that completely ignores `the rest of the story'. The reason that the Democrat controlled House and Senate is not pursuingimpeachment is because Democrat Strategists know that the process will only exonerate the president and they are better off leaving it as is, with so many gullible liberals actually believing the insipid nonsense continually cranked out by the leftist propaganda machine.

In the opening lines of the preface the authors make it clear that they have no intention of being honest when they say about the "wiretapping" of people on American soil making phone calls to known terrorists, "...the president declared that it was within his power to authorize the program, despite the law".

"Despite the law"?The authors failed to acknowledge the simple fact that there is a lot of grey area on this subject and according to some constitutional experts the president is breaking no law. ""I think there's a very powerful case that the president has independent authority" to order surveillance without a warrant, said Robert Turner, a University of Virginia professor who specializes in national security law."

The deceit continues with nearly an entire chapter on the Watergate break-in even though there is no valid comparison whatsoever to any actions by President Bush. There was more deception with the claim that Starr was recommending, "Congress undertake an impeachment inquiry - not into Whitewater - but into President Clinton's sexual involvement with a twenty something White House intern, and later government employee, Monica Lewinsky."(p.21)

Not quite, ladies, it had little to do with the sex itself and everything to do with `obstruction of justice' and `lying to the Grand Jury'. But your leftist liberal audience of ideological zombies will lap this stuff up. The truth counts for nothing with that bunch.

The nonsense continues on page 30 with the claim that, "The impeachable offense does not have to be a crime". Oh really? Says who? Oh, you debated this in a judiciary committee and came to this firm conclusion. Ipso facto, it's constitutional! Sorry...I am not buying it, and I doubt Congress would either.

The authors make an entire book out of discussing the following false claims pp. 34-35;

* "The president deceived Congress and thepeople in taking the country to war in Iraq"
While there may be plenty of dupes in congress the president did not deceive intelligent, aware, discerning people like me. Besides the fact that virtually every intelligence group in the world knew that Saddam had WMDs, and the fact that WMDs like SARIN and mustard gas were found, Saddam's Air Force General himself, General Georges Sada, tells the story of what happened to most of the chemical weapons. Also the case was at least three-fold as made before the UN by the US Secretary of State. The res 1441 violations alone were sufficient justification for the invasion.

* "The president directed an illegal domestic wiretapping program and other surveillance of Americans."
It has not been proven to be illegal. To claim that it was illegal is deceptive at best. You can say that your pal, Fred, thinks it is illegal. You cannot state outright that it is illegal without straining credulity.

*"The president permitted and condoned the use of torture or cruel treatment of detainees."
On p.126 the authors claim that, "Once allegations of torture and cruel and degrading treatment came to the president's attention, he failed to demand a complete and thorough investigation...." I don't think these authors have a reasonable perspective on this situation. Do you really think putting bags on people's heads and making them sit around naked with dogs barking at them is "torture"? Compared to what the Americans tortured at the Hanoi Hilton had to endure, do you really think that is "torture"? I don't think so.

* "The president showed reckless indifference to human life in the face of Hurricane Katrina and in equipping U.S. Soldiers and planning for the occupation of Iraq."
The authors show reckless indifference to logic and clarity of thought with this pointless blather. The mayor and governor were the first and foremost responsible parties for responding to the hurricane Katrina disaster and it was their incompetence that made that mess. After that it is FEMAs job to help out. It is NOT the job of the president of the entire country to get closely involved with natural disaster response and cleanup. The soldiers going into Iraq were the best equipped army in history and while the Iraq occupation has not gone perfectly it can hardly be called reckless.

*"The president tried to cover up his war deceptions with the leak of misleading classified information, an act that became entangled with the outing ofa CIA agent, a possible crime."
And publishing this sort of idiotic nonsense is a possible crime. Not only is the president allowed to release classified information, it is part of his job! The so called "entangling with the outing of a CIA agent" was mostly the work of yellow journalistic rags masquerading as `news'papers trying to pin it on Karl Rove when in reality it appears that it ultimately ended up being the work of a democrat columnist, Robert Novak.

Writing like "The Impeachment of GWB" is little more than pabulum for ideological infants. If your brain lacks the mental teeth required to intellectually masticate the truth, this book is for you.

An Honorable Solution
The authors have performed a valuable service for all United States citizens especially for all members of Congress who seem to fear the word, "impeachment", a word that should be considered the holiest word in the Constitution of the United States. The authors list in detail the high crimes and misdemeanors committed by President George H. Bush and Vice President Cheney. This is a solid guide book for the House of Reprentatives
that can save months of unnecessary research for a "smoking gun" and hopefully save thousands of lives in Iraq. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Robt Scheer tells all on all.
Playing President is an insghtful,well balanced review of six Presidents as candidates and as president that I would recommend to anyone who is concerned about where we are and how we got here. His assessment of Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush1, Clinton,and Bush2 is sometimes painful and sometimes complimentary, but always fair. This should be required reading for Pundits,and newspersons.

A Loose Collection of Impressions
The title of this book suggests something more than it is, a collection of the interviews that Scheer conducted in fleeting moments during the election campaigns of the presidents named. As such, the interviews are well worth reprinting and rereading, especially that with the enigmatic Jimmy Carter. One might have wished, however, that Scheer would have composed his retrospective thoughts about these interviews more thoroughly, evaluated the package more cogently. The book-in-hand seems just a bit lazy.

An impressive collection of informative interviews by award-winning "Los Angeles Times" journalist Robert Sheer
Playing President is an impressive collection of informative interviews by award-winning "Los Angeles Times" journalist Robert Sheer with the presidents Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush Senior. Deftly compiled and analyzed to create a sound basis for understanding each of these former presidents in terms of their respective parts played in the national debates and issues of their respective administrations, Playing President offers readers a wealth of insights into their lives, minds, and decisions which had historically influenced and shaped the American political front during the course of the second half of the twentieth century. A core addition to academic library "Political Science" reference collections, Playing President is very strongly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the American presidency for its wide-range of informative and first hand accounts drawn from direct interviews with the men who occupied that august office.

Essential Civic Education & Fun To Read

Let's forget about the founding fathers for a while. The recent flood of books on America's first generation of politicians has often been informative, but none is as immediately essential as Robert Scheer's new book on American presidents during the last four decades. Instead of revising portraits of men we recognize from old paintings, textbooks and wrinkled currency, Scheer gives us a study of the men we know from the televisions in our living rooms.

The book, delightfully titled, "Playing President: My Close Encounters with Nixon, Carter, Bush I, Reagan, and Clinton--and How They Did Not Prepare Me for George W. Bush" provides a real "fair and balanced" examination of recent presidential politics. But it also provides an incisive critique of our selection process. "After decades," Scheer writes, "I came to the conclusion that the process endured in obtaining electoral power tends to be the controlling influence on the candidate's behavior once in office." It's a frightening thought, but in chapter after chapter, he illustrates this point and identifies a system that, "stupefies rather than educates."

As a veteran teacher of history, government and politics I have learned that there is something dangerously fictional about all American presidents. Ask most high school students (or their parents) about any of the presidents since Nixon and you will be struck by the shallowness and predictability of the responses. Unfortunately, most of the pre-university textbooks to which we subject these students do little other than reinforce the caricatures. Playing President facilitates a better understand of the complexity behind the sound bites and rescues some of our immediate past from myth.

Of course, "Playing" is the indispensable word in the book's title. The book documents six men playing president in the manner of children playing at being what they think they should be while being watched by relatives at a holiday dinner. Scheer's book offers disheartening evidence that "playing" at president has become more important than "being" president.

Readers are treated to reflective and penetrating portraits beginning with Richard Nixon. Painfully aware of his own awkwardness, but always thinking about policy. Nixon offers advice that would be useful today if W. would listen, "Periods of confrontation," Nixon said, "strengthen dictatorships, and periods of peace weaken them."

Carter is portrayed as consciously creating himself as a character in his own version of a Faulkner short story. His Playboy interview should be required re-reading simply for all of the commentary that outshines the famous lust in Carter's heart. In the 1976 essay, "Jimmy, We Hardly Know Y'all" Scheer paints a vivid picture of a complex American South uneasy about confronting its own history. When he asks Carter's mother about the history of an integrated communal farm not far from Carter's Plains, Miss Lillian snaps back, "Why do you want to bring that up? It's over with."

Ronald Reagan knew just how to turn his head toward the camera. He was good at playing. Scheer documents how Reagan came alive on stage, so that even when he is spouting complete nonsense his audience wants to believe him. Summing up this talent for illusion, Scheer reports that, "Reagan can be magical on the stump, because he can convince even a cynical observer that he is a highly moral, honest, and purposeful man... [and] that allows the audience to ignore serious gaps in his knowledge, his lackluster eight years as Governor, and the reality that his own family life has been quite disorderly....people want the image more than the truth."

He was a hard act to follow. His successor, George Herbert Walker Bush, is the impossibly maladroit player, uncomfortable and arrogant at the same time. Scheer's encounters with this first Bush are interesting to read and often enjoyably hostile. Consider this bizarre response to a simple question about the Pentagon Papers, "I told you," snapped Bush, "I don't have a judgment; I don't have - I don't remember all that ancient history." And then, pages later, at the interview's end, Scheer asks him to be more explicit in reflecting on a situation in the middle east. And again Bush responds with revealing and angry impatience, "No, I couldn't. I've given you that, and that's all I'll give you." This is fun stuff to read and it would certainly liven up a classroom.

Bill Clinton comes off as a natural actor, always very, very smart, but sometimes twisting a fact or two for convenience. In the middle of a long chat, Scheer asks him to point out the best example of the get-off-welfare program that the Arkansas Governor had been touting. Clinton tells him to check out "Project Success" in Forrest City, but when he gets there he finds no evidence of any real project - successful or not. The reader comes away from this section convinced of both Clinton's unrealized potential and his real accomplishments.

The last section on George W. Bush is different from the others, but that much is hinted at by the best part of the title. Partly this difference is because Scheer has never engaged W. in an extended interview, but partly it is because George W. Bush really is different from all the others. The section title: George W. Bush - Perpetual Adolescence seemed to say it well enough. However, after reading the many columns that follow the introductory essay this reader preferred the title: George W. Bush - Dangerous Adolescent.

This is a serious and important book, but it is also a delight to read. If, like me, you have read some of the material before, reading it again forces one to recognize how vital it is to have reporters willing to spend the time, to listen, to investigate and to write of complexity. The clich? is that journalism is the first draft of history has been amended by suggesting an obvious tension between getting it first and getting it right. But over the years some journalists have gotten both. "Playing President" demonstrates that Robert Scheer has been both first and right for decades. ... Read more

Product Description
Modern presidents are usually depicted as party "predators" who neglect their parties, exploit them for personal advantage, or undercut their organizational capacities. Challenging this view, Presidential Party Building demonstrates that every Republican president since Dwight D. Eisenhower worked to build his party into a more durable political organization while every Democratic president refused to do the same. Yet whether they supported their party or stood in its way, each president contributed to the distinctive organizational trajectories taken by the two parties in the modern era.Unearthing new archival evidence, Daniel Galvin reveals that Republican presidents responded to their party's minority status by building its capacities to mobilize voters, recruit candidates, train activists, provide campaign services, and raise funds. From Eisenhower's "Modern Republicanism" to Richard Nixon's "New Majority" to George W. Bush's hopes for a partisan realignment, Republican presidents saw party building as a means of forging a new political majority in their image. Though they usually met with little success, their efforts made important contributions to the GOP's cumulative organizational development. Democratic presidents, in contrast, were primarily interested in exploiting the majority they inherited, not in building a new one. Until their majority disappeared during Bill Clinton's presidency, Democratic presidents eschewed party building and expressed indifference to the long-term effects of their actions.Bringing these dynamics into sharp relief, Presidential Party Building offers profound new insights into presidential behavior, party organizational change, and modern American political development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A True Contribution to the Field
A lot of books have been written on the U.S. presidency, but most are poorly written or provide only superficial discussion of the subject.Professor Galvin's book, by contrast, is not only a true contribution to the study of American presidents, but is elegantly written and a joy to read.

Galvin's subject is presidential party-building:the extent to which presidents try to develop and expand their political parties while they are in office.This activity is ignored by most people, except for those occasions when party leaders complain that the president is not doing enough to help them out.Using detailed evidence, Galvin shows that since the 1950's, many presidents have, in fact, sought to build up their parties so they can win future elections -- with major consequences for the future viability of their party.Republican presidents are better party-builders than Democratic ones, but as Galvin shows, there is some fascinating variation within parties as well:Nixon, for instance, did pursue some party "predation" (though far less than people have claimed), while Kennedy and Clinton (2nd term) pursued a number of party "building" activities.

Full of rich historical detail and intelligent insight, Galvin's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the presidency and what presidents do besides push for legislation and deliver speeches. ... Read more

Product Description
George W. Bush came to the presidency in 2000 claiming to be the heir of Ronald Reagan. But while he did cut taxes, in most other respects he has governed in a way utterly unlike his revered predecessor, expanding the size and scope of government, letting immigration go unchecked, and allowing the federal budget to mushroom out of control.

Despite their strong misgivings, most conservatives remained silent during Bush’s first term. But a series of missteps and scandals, culminating in the ill-conceived nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, has brought this hidden rift within the conservative movement crashing to the surface.

Now, in what is sure to be the political book of the season, Bruce Bartlett lays bare the incompetence and profligacy of Bush’s economic policies.A highly respected Washington economist—and true-believing Reaganite—Bartlett started out as a supporter of Bush and helped him craft his tax cuts.But he was dismayed by the way they were executed. Reagan combined his tax cuts with fiscal restraint, but Bush has done the opposite. Bartlett thus reluctantly concluded that Bush is not a Reaganite at all, but an unprincipled opportunist who will do whatever he or his advisers think is expedient to buy votes.

In this sober, thorough, and utterly devastating book, Bartlett attacks the Bush Administration's economic performance root and branch, from the "stovepiping" of its policy process to the coercive tactics used to ram its policies through Congress, to the effects of the policies themselves. He is especially hard on Bush’s enormous new Medicare entitlement…and predicts that within a few years, Bush's tax cuts and unrestricted spending will produce an economic crisis that will require a major tax increase, probably in the form of a European-style VAT.

Bartlett has surprisingly kind words for Bill Clinton, whose record on the budget was far better than Bush’s. Whatever else one may think of him, Bartlett argues, Clinton cut spending, abolished a federal entitlement program, and left a budget surplus. By contrast, Bush has increased spending, created a massive entitlement program, and produced the biggest deficits in American history.

In fact, Bartlett concludes, Bush is less like Reagan than like Nixon: an arch-conservative Republican, bitterly hated by liberals, who vainly tried to woo moderates by enacting big parts of the liberal program. It didn't work then, and it won't work now—and may have similar harmful effects for the GOP.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

Bush Is Not A Conservative, Really I Promise You
Bartlett serves up the hypothesis that George W. Bush is not a conservative. He was not, and Bartlett shows how. Was Bush a right-wing politician? Yes, but that is not the same as being Conservative. That would be like saying the a McDouble from McDonald's is beef like the steaks served as Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. I mean technically they both are, but in reality they are two different things. The same could be said about Bush and Conservatives. The main reason Bartlett does not claim Bush as a true Conservative is wanton spending and effort to advance amnesty for illegals. Both of these missteps is enough to deny someone Conservative status because they violate two tenets of American Conservatism, fiscal responsibility and respect for the rule of law. So this might sound like nitpicking, but it is important to those who see themselves as real conservatives because it is part of what defines them, and this fact serves as the basis for Barnett's criticism of the Bush era.It is well-written and reads easy, so get it and enjoy.

Proving that Bush 2 was not a conservative
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R39LAATVLL3I8U I am Douglas Wolf the author of Marketing Me Book: How to keep your job in any economy. I have been a political activist since the early 1980's when I worked for a Republican Congressman from Minnesota. Bartlett convincingly makes the case that Bush was no conservative.

A scathing indictment of the 43rd president
Bartlett provides the reader with a well-researched, well-argued, and prescient analysis of the economic policies of George W. Bush, beginning with his opening chapter, I Know Conservatives, and George W. Bush is No Conservative, and proceeding with a detailed critique of Bush's approach to policy-making, taxation, trade, regulation, and budgets. Some will find the author's approach too academic: its 210 pages contain 707 footnotes, and the reference list cites roughly 800 articles from a wide range of scholarly publications, as well as newspaper columns and magazines. But Bartlett methodically makes his case that the 43rd president was an imposter who did great damage to the U.S. economy during his time in office, and did in fact, betray the conservative legacy of Ronald Reagan.

Considering that the book was published in 2006, two years before the September 2008 financial market meltdown, Bartlett has earned considerable street credibility with this book. Just look at page 18: "I believe there are gathering clouds of risk in the economy," he writes, "the housing bubble, international imbalances, and such - that could bring a flood of trouble at a moment's notice. When one of these problems reaches storm stength and brings on a market crash, such as those in 1987 and 1989, I believe that the political climate will change overnight."

No kidding. And just in case we missed it, Bartlett revisits his prediction of a financial crisis again near the end of the book, on page 171.

The book offers a trenchant critique of Bush's trade protectionism, the earmarks, pork barreling, and runaway spending in Congress that Bush never once vetoed, and Bush's staggering and unfunded new $8.1 trillion prescription drug entitlement program. If you want to know how Bush ran the U.S. treasury nearly into a state of insolvency, it's all there.

Bartlett takes the straightforward view that every government check writtenwill one day need to be cashed, He predicts sharply higher taxes in the years ahead to pay for Bush's proligacy. If there's a weakness in the book, it would be the two chapters on tax policy - 34 pages that have nothing to do with Bush at all, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of consumption taxes versus income taxes, on the premise that we're going to need one or the other, or both, to repay the money Bush wasted. Similarly, a 16-page chapter comparing Bush to Nixon says a lot about Nixon, and very little about Bush.

Bartlett should consider updating the book to cover the final two years of the Bush presidency, the ensuing financial crisis, and the fallout, including the ballooning budget deficit and the health care debate.

Party of Big Government Theocracy
This book provides a good insight into how the GOP went from small-government and minimized spending to big spenders as to maintain their power in DC. Essentially, the GOP gave up their principles for political gain. As such, the GOP mirrors the Democratic Party in enlarging government, but to their own contituents (Theocon and Neocon). While Bush did not start this trend, he embraced it through "compassionate conservativeness" very quickly and ensured the GOP stayed in power by spending money like there was no tomorrow. While the GOP were in power, Bush never vetoed one spending bill. Amazingly, after the Democrats took over the House and Senate, he got religion (so to speak) and transformed into a fiscal conservate who promised to veto every spending bill that went above his requested amount. Wow, I guess pigs do fly after all.

After all is said and done, the GOP is now the party of Big Government Theocracy as it caters to the "faith-based" with major spending and tilting the goverment to more "conservative" (if you can call it) direction. On that note, I do congratulate Bush and the GOP for delivering the big government that Pres. Clinton tried, but failed to achieved.

Very Important Book
I like this author's columns.He's well educated in economics and take a practical approach rather than dogmatic.But I was disappointed in this book.

First of all, this book is not what it purports to be.Maybe half of it is about the Bush administration.He spends the second half of the book on Clinton, Nixon, an inevitable tax increase and the subsequent administration.Bush bashing by conservatives was popular in 2006 so I guess the publishing company required Bartlett to make this the theme of his book.

The first half of the book that actually does cover the Bush administration seems misguided if not totally clueless.The book is written as if George W. Bush made all the decisions with respect to policies and procedures in his administration.The author only mentions Cheney twice, Karl Rove thrice.I mean come on.

Being that the Bush administration was covered in just 100 pages, it should come as no surprise that the book only gives a broad overview.There's nothing new here.Tax cuts, outrageous Medicare drug entitlement, restrictionist trade policy, decisions based on politics rather than sound policy...There are no scandalous revelations about the Bush administration that weren't already well known.

But the last few chapters of this book are worth the read.This author has some very important things to say about an imminent economic and fiscal crisis that our nation faces.First he explains in sufficient detail the unfathomable obligations for Medicare and Social Security.He concludes that the addressing of this crisis should involve benefit cuts and a tax increase.The author is adamant that a tax increase is necessary.Then he methodically lays out the specific tax increases he thinks are best.

There are more conservative economic hacks out there than one can count.They scream tax cuts tax cuts tax cuts and borrow from foreign interests to support irresponsible spending and entitlements.Bruce Bartlett is a conservative economist who is actually well educated and has the ability to generate an independent thought.The material in this book should be carefully considered by every American.
... Read more

Product Description
An insightful examination of what remains of the Reagan agenda in the Bush era by a father/son reporting team that has covered six of the last seven presidencies.

George W. Bush ran for office promising to continue what conservative icon Ronald Reagan started, and two years into his first term, Bush was still being described as "Reagan's son." Today, with the Iraq War spinning out of control and the Democrats in charge of Congress, Republicans and the conservative movement have all but abandoned George W. Bush. What happened? Did Bush change, or did his party's perceptions? Has the war and Bush's performance on other issues derailed the larger goals of the Reagan Revolution--and even undermined its foundations? Or does the nation remain on a conservative path despite Bush's low standing with his fellow Americans?

In Reagan's Disciple, two widely respected reporter/historians provide an authoritative and concise investigation into these issues. They describe the essence of the 40th and the 43rd presidencies, and compare them to shed new light on the history of the past three decades. They show both how extraordinary a leader Reagan was, and how preposterous the expectations for Bush were from the beginning. As Americans look toward choosing a new leader in 2008, Reagan's Disciple will serve as an instructive tale for Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Talk About Dramatic Irony...
I haven't read this book and don't intend to.I'm only writing this because these two nitwits clearly haven't a clue what Regan thought of George W. Bush.There is quote from the Regan Library archives in which Ronald Regan mentions George Senior asking the then President to find a job for his son (George W.) and Regan's personal thoughts, written in his diary, was nothing short of George W. Bush as a "Ner' do well son" of Bush senior and in fact Regan considered the "boy" as not too bright and possibly being able to "work in the mailroom"!

Ronald Regan would have rolled in his grave had he seen what little Bush did to this country.To even allow that jackass' image to grace the cover of a book with a man that history is proving at the very least, to be one of the most couragious leader's of our modern time is a pure disgrace!Bush is a far cry from Regan's disciple and wasn't even allowed in the oval office when Regan was President!

What is it that makes these Yahoos an authority on Regan?These two bumbling idiots should put down their crayons and actually visit the Regan Library, it's quite remarkable, as it what Regan did for our country to end the Cold War and squash Communism.

George Bush's role of a lifetime
Lou Cannon, author of several books about Ronald Reagan, has co-written "Reagan's Disciple", with his son Carl. A highly insightful, yet somewhat uneven book, it nonetheless makes some great comparisons between our nation's fortieth and forty-third presidents. Guess which one fares less well?

The authors state in the preface that this is a book with "a fair and balanced point of view". In many respects it is, but it's hard not to notice (at least with the elder Cannon) a sense of awe regarding his subject. Granted, Reagan's star has been rising in past years and the Cannons take full measure of it. That legacy is still in dispute with many of us, but this offering certainly makes Bush look inadequate in contrast. If Reagan brought the Republican party into unanimity a generation ago, Bush has almost singlehandedly squandered it, as the authors point out.

Much of "Reagan's Disciple" deals with war, beginning with a look at Woodrow Wilson's idealism, and subsequently how Reagan and Bush looked at war differently. Reagan, ever cautious about foreign entanglements, would almost certainly not have invaded Iraq as Bush did, much to everyone's chagrin today. The narrative of the Cannons is crisp but the subject matter tends to bounce around leaving a less than unifying story line. Yet the contrasting style of Reagan and Bush is the most fascinating part of the book and the authors tell this one well. While Reagan sought broad consensus and a balanced view, Bush has retained a small coterie of yes-men with hardly divergent views.

As we reach the end of the tragic Bush years, "Reagan's Disciple" is a reminder of the bookends of the Republican domination since 1980. The "Morning in America" brand of Ronald Reagan has been wiped clean by the miasma of the past several years. As the authors rightly suggest, when Bush comes on tv people either change the channel or put on the mute button...Americans stopped listening to him a long time ago. People will invoke Reagan's name for years to come, but Bush's legacy, undoubtedly, will be something quite different.

The Gipper's mantle doesn't fit on his self-proclaimed heir
Lou Cannon, journalist and historian, is one of Ronald Reagan's most prolific and reliable biographers (I think his President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime is still about the best bio yet written of our 40th president). Carl M. Cannon is a resourceful and clear-eyed reporter in the Washington of Bush 43. Together, they have produced an interesting book that gives us some valuable insights into the motivations and actions of the Bush presidency. It also, perhaps unexpectedly, shines a fascinating light on Ronald Reagan.

For years -- before, during, and after his time in the Oval Office -- Ronald Reagan was portrayed by his opposition as a dim ideological cowboy. In recent years, however, he has been granted a Strange New Respect (as R.E. Tyrrell might put it) by the Left -- in part, no doubt, to try to seize a bit of his own still-strong popularity with the American people for their own purposes, but also to use as a cudgel with which to beat the new, dimmer ideological cowboy, George W. Bush. To use the inevitable cliché -- so inevitable that even the Washington Post Book World review quoted on this page made use of it -- "George W. Bush, you're no Ronald Reagan."

It's one of the many paradoxical features of today's political scene that it's now the Left who sees in Ronald Reagan a nuanced, deliberative statesman, while the Right (or at least the neocon, Bushian right) honors a one-dimensional, caricatured memory of who Reagan was and what he believed. One of the most valuable parts of "Reagan's Disciple," I thought, was the Cannons' accurate portrayal of Reagan as a leader far more practical, realistic, and conciliatory than ideological; far less willing to put American lives on the line or rely on military muscle than anyone thought; and far more willing to draw on a broad range of advisers and opinions than is his ostensible philosophical heir, President Bush.

I found the most interesting parts of "Reagan's Disciple" to be the comparison of the two presidents' approach to warmaking. But the authors also discuss in some detail Supreme Court confirmation battles, the politics of White House personnel decisions, and what it means to be a "decisive" leader. There's also an interesting exploration of the validity of George W. Bush's current preferred presidential comparison, himself with Harry Truman: scorned and unpopular when he left office, but ultimately vindicated by history and honored in the memory of the American people. The Cannons find this comparison also ... imprecise.

As this primary season has shown, Ronald Reagan is still a touchstone of Republican politics. As the Cannons and other historians have noted, if all the presidents since 1945 operated in the shadow of FDR, the presidents since 1989 have operated in the shadow of Ronald Reagan -- a shadow that seems likely to stretch, like a movie gunslinger's at sunset, for a considerable time yet. With George W. Bush having so explicitly claimed the Reaganite mantle, a book like "Reagan's Disciple" was both necessary and inevitable. That it was done so well, and by two writers so well-qualified to draw conclusions, is something to be thankful for. With so many books written about the Bush presidency, from so many different directions and viewpoints, how can you tell which ones are worth reading? Here's my helpful hint: this is one of the good ones. ... Read more

Product Description

When it comes to reporting on politics, nobody does it smarter or funnier than bestselling author Molly Ivins. In Shrub, Ivins focuses her Texas-size smarts on the biggest politician in her home state: George Walker Bush, or "Shrub," as Ivins has nicknamed Bush the Younger.
        
A candidate of vague speeches and an ambiguous platform,Bush leads the pack of GOP 2000 presidential hopefuls; "Dubya" could very well be our next president. What voters need now is an original, smart, andaccessible analysis of Bush--one that leaves the "youthful indiscretions" to the tabloids and gets to the heart of his policies and motivations. Ivins is the perfect woman for the job.
        
With her trademark wit and down-home wisdom, Molly Ivins shares three pieces of advice on judging a politician: "The first is to look at the record. The second is to look at the record. And third, look at the record." In this book, Ivins takes a good, hard look at the record of the man who could be the leader of the free world. Beginning with his post-college military career, Ivins tracks Dubya's winding, sometimes unlikely path from a failed congressional bid to a two-term governorship. Bush has made plenty of friends and supporters along the way, including Texas oil barons, evangelist Billy Graham, and co-investors in the Texas Rangers baseball team. "You would have to work at it to dislike the man," she writes. But for all of Bush's likeability, Ivins points to a disconcerting lack of political passion from this ascending presidential candidate. In her words, "If you think his daddy had trouble with 'the vision thing,' wait till you meet this one."
        
Witty, trenchant, and on target, Ivins gives a singularly perceptive and entertaining analysis of George W. Bush. To head to the voting booth without it would be downright un-American.

From Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush

"        The past is prologue in politics. If a politician is left, right, weak, strong, given to the waffle or the flip-flop, or, as sometimes happens, an able soul who performs well under pressure, all that will be in the record."

 ¸         Bush's welfare record: "Texas pols like to 'git tuff' on crime, welfare, commies, and other bad stuff. Bush proposed to git tuff on welfare recipients by ending the allowance for each additional child--which in Texas is $38 a month."

 ¸         Bush and the Christian right: "Bush has learned to dance with the Christian right. It has been interesting and amusing to watch the process. Interesting because it's sometimes hard to tell who's leading and who's following; amusing because when a scion of Old Yankee money gets together with a televangelist with too much Elvis, the result is swell entertainment."

 ¸         Bush's environmental record: Since Governor Bush's election, Texas air quality has been rated the worst in the nation, leading all fifty states in overall toxic releases, recognized carcinogens in the air, cancer risk, and ten other categories of pollutants.

 ¸         Bush's military career: "Bush was promoted as the Texas Air National Guard's anti-drug poster boy, one of life's little ironies given the difficulty he has had answering cocaine questions all these years later. 'George Walker Bush is one member of the younger generation who doesn't get his kicks from pot or hashish or speed,' reads a Guard press release of 19...Amazon.com Review
"Youthful political reporters are always told there are threeways to judge a politician," write Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose inShrub. "The first is to look at the record. The second is tolook at the record. And third, look at the record." The record underscrutiny in this brief, informative book belongs to one GeorgeW. Bush--dubbed "Shrub" by Ivins--governor of Texas and 2000presidential hopeful. These two veteran journalists know how politicsare played in Texas and they've done their homework, writing acomprehensive examination of Bush's professional and political lifethat's a lively read, to boot. And if the title alone doesn't conveytheir particular slant, perhaps the following caveat from theintroduction will: "If, at the end of this short book, you findW. Bush's political résumé a little light, don't blameus. There's really not much there. We have been looking for sixyears."

Beginning with his admission to the Texas National Guard during theVietnam War (where he bypassed a waiting list of about 100,000), theauthors go on to deconstruct his losing congressional bid, his failedcareer as an oil executive, and his role as managing partner of theTexas Rangers baseball team, revealing how he was helped every step ofthe way by wealthy and influential friends of the family. Everpopular, Dubya has always been good at rounding up powerful players tobankroll a variety of ventures, including political campaigns. Forthis reason, explain the authors, along with his lineage and socialstatus, Bush's primary allegiance is to the business community. Whilehis speeches may deal with the "entertainment issues" of "God, guns,and gays," Bush is a "wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America,"they write. They further point out that Texas ranks near the bottom ofthe nation in terms of a number of social categories, such as poverty,health insurance for children, and pollution, spearing the governorfor his less-than-compassionate conservatism.

Shrub is not a complete Bush whacking, though. The authors laudthe governor's record on education, in which he has managed to raisestandards, push local control of schools, and launch a successfulreading campaign. They also cite his wooing of the Hispanic vote andhis ability to bridge the gap between the Christian right and theeconomic conservatives within the Republican party as evidence of truepolitical acumen, though they maintain he lacks a penchant for actualgoverning: "From the record, it appears that he doesn't know much,doesn't do much and doesn't care much about governing." Bush hasadmitted that he dislikes reading, particularly about policy issues,and that he hates meetings and briefings, causing the authors towonder, "The puzzle of Bush is why someone with so little interest inor attention for policy, for making government work, would want thejob of president, or even governor."

Love him or leave him, Shrub leaves much to consider about theman who would be president. And it can be read in about aday. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (138)

The tape is better than the book !
This story is written and NARRATED by the late, beloved and lamented Molly Ivins.Her gentle Texas twang is perfect for this story about Texas politics, and she gets a good chuckle from her own jokes.The best place to listen to this still-relevant story is in the car, on a long drive with a like-minded friend.You'll just howl with laughter.

Always appreciated Molly Ivins' point of view
I bought this for someone else, but had read it years ago.She was a terrific writer.Molly Ivins and Anne Richards were the best - they will be missed.Their wit was insightful and sharp.

Prescient
If more people had paid attention to Ms. Ivin's wryly-funny-but-dead-serious dismemberment of George W. Bush's erratic track record before the 2000 election, we might not have ended up in the mess we're in. She is sorely missed, but Jim Hightower, Bill Moyers, and other carry on in their own styles.

hindsight is 20/20
Well, you can't expect even-handedness in a book about the (at the time) future President Dubya, especially from the late Molly Ivins, fellow Texan and not exactly one of the Bush family's noted supporters -- but this quick-reading little tome is less overtly partisan than you might expect, actually giving 43 some credit in areas where he deserves it (education and, uh, education) in his reign as guv-ner of Tejas, and delving very little into his sordid party-boy past.Like many observers of the former president, she gives the man little credit himself for his "accomplishments" instead showing how at every turn he was picked by corporate powers-that-be and how at all of those turns he proved eager to please when it came to pushing an agressively Big Oil, anti-environmental, Big Money and damn-the-poor agenda.


Intended as a primer for those doubtful in 2000 of the damage that "Shrub" might be able to inflict, this might just as well have served as a cautionary tale to voters 8 years later, whether they planned to vote for McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden: yes, the candidate's preoccupations, strengths, weaknesses, and voting records certainly ARE a good predictor of what kind of President s/he might become -- and this little book proved to be stunningly prescient.

Get to know "W"
If you still can't believe the first eight years of this century were real, this book will convince you. This book should embarrass everyone who voted for this clown. ... Read more

Product Description
So, you think America is a democracy--with representatives of the people, elected by the people in free elections, doing the will of the people in governing the country?

Think again.The growing disparity between rich and poor, the corrupting influence of money on politics, and the rise of mass media run by monied corporate interests virtually guarantee that elections--and the policies of the representatives selected by them--will favor the wealthy few over the poor and middle-class majority.

Who really wields the power in the hallowed halls of our elective institutions?

Why do major corporations and wealthy individuals donate large sums of money to both political parties?

What do these donors expect in return, and what happens when politicians don't deliver?

In this in-depth analysis of American presidential electioins over the second half of the twentieth century, author Daniel M. Friedenberg explains:

How large corporate donations and skillful media manipulation affect major-party candidate choices--perhaps more than voter preference.

Why many voters believe that there is no real difference between "liberal" and "conservative" majority-party candidates--and how this has affected voter turnout in recent elections.

Why presidents in the latter half of the twentieth century have gradually abandoned the New Deal concern for the underdog--and how it has contributed to the growing gap between the wealthy minority and the poor and middle-class majority.

What does all this say about the election system in a supposedly democratic society?And what can we do to change it?

Friedenberg offers real solutions to the problems facing the American election system, including a new focus on improved education for all to narrow the widening gap between rich and poor.He also explains how the vast technological resources unleashed by the computer revolution can be used to create a more equitable American future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Insatiably Funny - a general eye-opener!
I started reading this book with the fear that Friedenberg would start bashing particular Presidents based on their political affiliation, but I was glad to discover that he provides a critique of each leader without much bias to his own beliefs.While the tone of his narrative tends to side with the liberals, he nevertheless thoroughly scrutinizes each administration regardless of whether the leader was a republican or democrat. No president here was exempted from his criticisms. All were judged. His narratives contain numerous humorous anecdotes regarding the various presidents' personal and political follies.The information is also recent, ending with a look at the Clinton Administration and expressing some concluding remarks about what the Bush Administration might bring in the future. He focuses not only on each president's personal weaknesses, but he also connects these personal inadequacies to the president's national policies and the consequences of their failures.

His narrative is an easy read, and it is well-suited for the general public.It is not a concise academic analysis of political science and leadership.Rather, with its humor, wit, and sarcasm - this book serves more as a "wake-up call" by revealing to the public a side of the White House that is in many ways human and vulnerable to the machinations of human weaknesses and dark vices - such as immorality, corruption,greed, sexual scandals, racism, and ignorance.I mainly saw this book as a general read concerning politics, but because of the wonderful humor that it espoused, I simply could not put it down! Friedenberg's writing is crisp, vivid, smart, and funny. It was definitely a good read! ... Read more

Product Description
In the wake of the 2004 election, pundits were shocked at exit polling that showed that 22% of voters thought 'moral values' was the most important issue at stake. People on both sides of the political divide believed this was the key to victory for George W. Bush, who professes a deep and abiding faith in God. While some fervent Bush supporters see him as a man chosen by God for the White House, opponents see his overt commitment to Christianity as a dangerous and unprecedented bridging of the gap between church and state.

In fact, Gary Scott Smith shows, none of this is new. Religion has been a major part of the presidency since George Washington's first inaugural address. Despite the mounting interest in the role of religion in American public life, we actually know remarkably little about the faith of our presidents. Was Thomas Jefferson an atheist, as his political opponents charged? What role did Lincoln's religious views play in his handling of slavery and the Civil War? How did born-again Southern Baptist Jimmy Carter lose the support of many evangelicals? Was George W. Bush, as his critics often claimed, a captive of the religious right? In this fascinating book, Smith answers these questions and many more. He takes a sweeping look at the role religion has played in presidential politics and policies. Drawing on extensive archival research, Smith paints compelling portraits of the religious lives and presidencies of eleven chief executives for whom religion was particularly important.Faith and the Presidency meticulously examines what each of its subjects believed and how those beliefs shaped their presidencies and, in turn, the course of our history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Depth, Accuracy, and Perspective
Even though tomes have been written on the American presidents, Dr. Smith manages to bring fresh insight as a result of painstaking research. ( It could serve as a model for any student looking to document his research) The book is not "light" reading....but the author writes with clarity and with as much impartiality as humanly possible.I found his distinction between the ways that these presidents' faith shaped their policies to be thought-provoking. This book provides a strong framework from which to examine the coming election season.

Layperson and Lover of Presidental History
I encourage you to set aside a block of time each day as you loose yourself in the history and faith of each of these men. It is full of interesting faith facts that just a history of these presidents would never touch.I must confess it took me time to read and digest this book, but well worth the time.I look forward to reareading this book in order to grasp new facts that I did not glean from the first read.I would love to see it used in school class rooms everywhere. The research, notes and excellent writing of this work is outstanding!

Compelling, fascinating page-turner
A first-rate work in which eleven presidents are analyzed in terms of their religious beliefs and their actions. Solid framework of analysis. The work brims with new details, broad understandings, and sound and judicious conclusions. Impressive, varied bibliography. The copious notes, alone, are worth a close read. Sparkling writing and sound organization make this a page-turner.

A must read for 2007
If you are looking for fresh information about the role of faith and religion in the lives of some of America's greatest presidents then I highly recommend purchasing Faith and the Presidency.
The author, Gary Smith has done his homework. His research is very thorough and his style of writing is clear and free of technical jargon.
I thought the book presented a balanced view of democrat and republican presidents; and the author covers each president's religious affiliation without bias. After reading this book I finally understand why religion is such a hot topic during every presidential election.
Reading about Abraham Lincoln and how his faith helped him address the crises of the civil war is the best I have read to date.
Students, teachers of history, religious leaders and those with a love of presidential history need this book to complete their library. A must read for 2007!

Outstanding
Gary Scott Smith's Faith and the Presidency is fascinating to read and weighty in substance.Full of personal details drawn from the lives of various presidents as well as important observations about public policy and religious impulses, Smith hits the sweet spot between bold, exciting claims and strong supporting evidence.

I was particularly persuaded by the book's observation that the foreign policy of presidents more readily reveals their philosophical commitments because the U.S. presidency has greater latitude abroad than at home.

This is a book worth reading from cover to cover.Smith hits a home run with this exceptional book.A tour de force! ... Read more

Product Description
Were presidential campaigns always as bitter as they have been in recent years? Or is the current style of campaigning a new political development? In this revised and updated edition of Presidential Campaignsthe answers to these questions are clear: the race for the presidency, although at times mean and nasty, has always been an endlessly entertaining and highly-charged spectacle for the American public. This book unveils the whole history of American presidential elections, from the seamless ascent of General George Washington to the bitterly contested election of George W. Bush, bringing these boisterous contests to life in all their richness and complexity. In the old days, Boller shows, campaigns were much rowdier than they are today. Back in the nineteenth century, the invective at election time was exuberant and the mudslinging unrestrained; a candidate might be called everything from a carbuncle-faced old drunkard to a howling atheist. But there was plenty of fun and games, too, with songs and slogans, speeches and parades, all livening up the scene in order to get people to the polls.Presidential Campaigns takes note of the serious side of elections even as it documents the frenzy, frolic and the sleaze. Each chapter contains a brief essay describing an election and presenting "campaign highlights" that bring to life the quadrennial confrontation in all its shame and glory.
With a postscript analyzing the major changes in the ways Americans have chosen their Presidents from Washington's time to the present, Presidential Campaigns gives the reader a full picture of this somewhat flawed procedure. For all of its shortcomings, though, this "great American shindig" is an essential part of the American democratic system and, for better or for worse, tells us much about ourselves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Delicious Summary of All of America's Crazy Seasons
As we watch the Democrats and Republicans "square-off" again, Professor Boller has done a Yeoman's job with this classic of American politics, reminding us what this "National crazy season" is all about. Here in one volume, Boller summarizes all but the last four of America's Presidential campaigns: from the first, George Washington's in 1789, to the fortieth, Ronald Reagan's in 1980.

My favorite campaign is the 1876 disputed and brokered election, reminiscent of the "Supreme Court decided" 2000 election. The 1876 election took place in Philadelphia during the Nation's Centennial Year, between two Governors: Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio and Samuel J. Tilden of New York. Arguably this was the most controversial as well as the most defining campaign of all of American History. Hayes a Republican, known for his honesty and integrity and Tilden known as a reformer, squared off over how to deal with the remnants of the Civil War, the primary issue of which was how to end Reconstruction.

Tilden, the Northerner, and a pro-slavery proponent, sympathies lay with the South and with ending Reconstruction and removing Federal troops from occupying the South, thus leaving the South to manage its own affairs -- meaning of course leaving the problem of what to do with the freed slaves up to the white southerners. Under Tilden's formula the slaves were thus to be left to their own devices in a sea of hostile "foaming at the mouth" Southerners still licking their wounds from the lost of the Civil War. Hayes, though a Republican, was not a Radical "pro-freedom" Republican, and thus was only slightly less accommodating to maintaining the Reconstruction status quo than was Tilden.

When the dust settled, both were short of the necessary electoral college votes, with the 20 votes of SC, La., Fa., and Ore. still in doubt -- even though Tilden had garnered a quarter million more votes than Hayes. Tilden needed only one of the outstanding 20 Electoral College votes, while Hayes needed all 20. Yet after the back room haggling ended, a compromise was struck with Hayes declared the winner.Hayes may have won the battle but Tilden won the war: Reconstruction was ended; the ex-slaves were sacrificed in the process; and the "Jim Crow curtain" descended on the U.S. for the next one hundred years.

The book is well-research, written with the flair of a journalist and full of interesting anecdotes and colorful stories.

Five Stars

Fun and games with elections
This book reminds me again just how much fun the study of history can be.The basic facts of Presidential elections from the beginning to today are solid historical accounts. But they also include the tidbits of electoral trivia that go on in each election, but that are often obscure or unnoticed.This book is both informative and entertaining.I plan to give it as a gift to my opthomologist who is also a history buff.As a retired history professor I look forward to chatting with him during my annual examinations.

Delightful Insight to the History of our Elections
You wouldn't have recognized the election of 1789. There were no primaries, nominating convention, rival candidates, campaign speeches, or debates on public issues." (All quotes are direct from the book.) Yet the will of the people was perfectly expressed. Everyone simply agreed that Washington had to be the President. Four years later they had political parties, but both of them picked Washington. That was the end of the smooth sailing.

In 1796 Adams and Jefferson remained on friendly terms with each other, but had their supporters do a lot of name calling (sound familiar?).By 1800 Adams was calling Jefferson ... well, read the book. Suffice to say, the American way of politics was in full swing, has continued unabated until now and shows no sign of making significant changes in the future.

I must say that I do miss the rum. When Washington was running for the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758, there were 391 elgible voters. Washington gave them 160 gallons of rum. It's kind of a wonder just how they could vote.

This is a delightful book. I remember taking American History in college, and that was pretty dull. This reads like a novel, full of interesting anecdotes while conveying the facts as well.

A complete chronological history
Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington To George W. Bush by Paul F. Boller, Jr. is a lively, informative, and often surprising history of American presidential election campaigns. This is a complete chronological history of from the unanimously concented ascent of General george Washionhton, to the divisively contested Gore vs. Bush recall scandal. Presidental Campaigns is a superbly written and presented political history that, in these politically divise days of presential electioneering, deserves as wide a readership as possible among the electorate.

Wonderful Information in Bite Sized Chunks
I own a previous edition of this book. Facinating information about each campaign. You think 2000 was bad? Take a look at 1876 or 1824. I'd offer more in this review, but it's 4 am and I need to get back to sleep. ... Read more