Reply #49: What does "briefing" mean when we're talking about Shrub? [View All]

[amandabeech]

I recall reading, perhaps in one of Molly Ivins's columns, that when Shrub was governor, his aids would give him a memo, maybe 15-30 pages. Shrub would brush it aside and ask for a 10-15 min. oral summary. He apparently didn't like anything longer, and there's no indication that he went on to read the memos.

If someone just handed the PDB to him, then I don't think that we can say that Bush read it, any of it, with any certainty.

If someone "briefed" him by giving him a 10-15 minute oral summary, then only the briefer and the President know what information went into the summary.

If someone "briefed" him by reading him the PDB word for word, then it would be uncertain as to what parts Shrub actually heard, especially if the oral presentation last more than 10-15 mins.

So, how was the briefing done and who did it? Was there a quiz afterwords?

I think the question is really what did the various people around Shrub push him to do?