Mark McKinnon: I'm glad that smart, quietly reflective, contrite, humble Bush has published his book

[Amerigo Vespucci]

The George Bush I Know

by Mark McKinnon

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-08/george-bushs-decision-points-mark-mckinnon-on-the-former-presidents-book/?cid=bsa:mostpopular1



Every president becomes a caricature. The press, partisans, late-night shows, and other arbiters of our culture these days boil down complicated and multi-faceted personalities into one-dimensional punchlines. As President Bush writes in his new memoir, Decision Points, they "questioned my legitimacy, my intelligence, and my sincerity. They mocked my appearance, my accent, and my religious beliefs. I was labeled a Nazi, a war criminal, and Satan himself."

I'm glad President Bush has published Decision Points—not so much because I think it will help rehabilitate his image or improve his place in history, though I think it will help on those counts. I'm glad because I believe readers will get a sense of the George W. Bush who I've known for 15 years—a man who is very different than the distorted public image many have come to accept as accurate. Contrary to conventional wisdom, President Bush is very smart, quietly reflective, often contrite, and deeply humble. He is also a strong leader who, while relying on the strong counsel of many around him, makes his own decisions. He was secure enough to hire a vice president like Dick Cheney, and strong enough that it was never in doubt who was the boss. Just ask Scooter Libby, who Cheney said Bush was going to "leave a soldier on the battle field" by refusing to pardon him.

President Bush, in my view, wisely decided not to make his book a chronology of his administration. By writing about the most important decisions in his life, we get a view of those events that truly shaped his life and his presidency. And we come to gain a greater appreciation of just how complex and difficult the decisions a president must make truly are. As he says, the easy decisions don't get to the president's desk.

I have great respect and sympathy for anyone who serves as president today. Given the nature of the challenges we face and the complexity of the world in which we live, compounded by the evolution of technology and proliferation of new media, I doubt we will ever see a president again who remains popular beyond their initial honeymoon phase. I disagree with much of President Obama's politics, but I can only shake my head as I listen to all the wizards who think he can fundamentally change the arc of his presidency, if only he would "connect more with the American people.”

[Skittles]

1. bush should hang his head in shame for what he did to America

:puke:

[indepat]

2. How great he art, how great he art?

:shrug:

[Loki]

3. Oh for fucks sake.

He's still out there trying to polish that turd, and no matter how hard he tries he is still a piece of shit.

[ladywnch]

4. is there another George Bush who wrote a book?

maybe a home repair book.....something that might be useful to society?

[DCKit]

5. Shoot, I was feeling as if I were the shouting into the wind for a long, long time.

Seems as if pResident BushCo #2* and I remember things very differently.

"they "questioned my legitimacy, my intelligence, and my sincerity. They mocked my appearance, my accent, and my religious beliefs. I was labeled a Nazi, a war criminal, and Satan himself.""

I would add "drunk" and "fascist" to the list"... for a start.

[yurbud]

6. smart, reflective, contrite, and humble compared to other degenerate inbred trust fund babies?

[The Wizard]

7. The working title was

"Polishing a Turd."

[Zoeisright]

8. Oh, sure, lying mass murderer war criminals are ALWAYS humble and contrite.

NOT.