Product Description
This is a short satirical script of a theatre play.It is not a book.As the title clearly
suggests, the script calls for the Water Boarding of President George W. Bush, a test which he fails miserably.
Unlike real life, the script provides for some very agressive questioning of President Bush and Vice President Cheney, over some of the very shady statements they made when they unleashed their propaganda offense to justify the invasion of Iraq.
The leaked Downing Street memo is covered in the script, together with other assorted boo-boos, with the President and Vice President being reduced to hiding behind the flag and saying that they had
"misspoked" and "misspeaked," with the Vice President supporting President Bush
"even if no weapons of mass deception are ever found in the White House."
This short satirical play is 25 pages long, with 22 pages thereof being allocated to the acting and speaking portions thereof proper.Basically, it is part of a complete, and much longer, satirical theatre play that I wrote titled "9-11-24-7," on the same subject, with the basic premise being that the Bush Administration manufactured a crisis by hyping the intelligence of the so-called Iraq threat, and that the true threat to America are the policies adopted by the Bush Administration.
As an example of the dialogue, for you, the reader, I have President Bush shucking and jiving, by saying:
"There were terrorists in Iraq in the first place, because when we invaded, they fought back, which only goes to prove that they were there already.Since they were there, that's why we invaded because they fought back, which fighting back took place after we invaded.Did I
just say those words?"
The play is not a dry and boing lecture, but is satirical, and funny, and tragic, all at the same time.
... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Humanist, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1072 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: From Watergate to downing street: lying for war.(Up Front: news and opinion from independent minds)(War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death)
Author: Norman Solomon
Publication: The Humanist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 65Issue: 4Page: 5(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

With the Bush administration in permanent crisis, a renowned Washington psychoanalyst updates his portrait of George W.'s public persona—and how it has damaged the presidency.

Insightful and accessible, courageous and controversial, Bush on the Couch sheds startling new light on George W. Bush's psyche and its impact on the way he governs, tackling head-on the question few seem willing to ask: Is our president psychologically fit to run the country? With an eye for the subtleties of human behavior sharpened by thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Justin A. Frank traces the development of Bush's character from childhood through his presidency, identifying and analyzing his patterns of thought, action, and communication. The result is a troubling portrait filled with important revelations about our nation's leader—including disturbing new insights into:

• How Bush reacted to the 2006 Democratic sweep in Congress with a new surge of troops into Iraq
• His telling habits and coping strategies—from his persistent mangling of English to his tendency to "go blank" in the midst of crisis
• The tearful public breakdown of his father, George H. W. Bush, and what it says about the former president's relationship to his prominent sons
• The debacle of Katrina—the moment when Bush's arrogance finally failed him

With a new introduction and afterword, Bush on the Couch offers the most thorough and candid portrait to date of arguably the most psychologically damaged president since Nixon.

Customer Reviews (19)

Kindle Edition
This book is way too long, it could have been written as an article. And it really doesn't validate it's claims, with documentation within the text. If you are going to discredit or criticize, you need to include references next to the statements. otherwise, you are just preaching to the Choir. Good Kindle book with Active TOC.

Great book!
This book explains so many things and is written so the reader can understand it without a M.D. in psychoanalysis. I sleep better at night knowing that dufuss is slightly retared and that is was'nt me imagining his incompetence.

Scary, but not as much as when it was first printed
I'm sure it's done a great deal of good for others, but I've always found psychoanalysis to be the ultimate in senseless navel-gazing (maybe that's my own psychosis talking!). Sometimes, after all, a cigar is just a cigar. The author of this 2007 update of a 2004 book attempts to psychoanalyze George W. Bush without the benefit of personal interviews, but he has a lot of reported history to go on: the loss of a sister at age seven, a horrible trauma that turned his autocratic mother's hair white; a busy and distant father; failure to live up to the old man athletically, militarily, or in business; a decades-long drinking problem, still untreated, that may have physiological effects today; a streak of bullying and sadism that began in childhood and continued into the Presidency; and lots more. The author makes a complex case for Bush as an unhinged, non-reflective megalomaniac with dozens of enablers to keep him cloistered away from reason and reality, but the difficulty comes from what he does *not* know. For example, Bush's infamous MISSION ACCOMPLISHED strutting may indeed serve his particular psychological needs, but who says it was his idea? Maybe Karl Rove should join the former president on the couch. Bush is without question a personally nastier man than he advertises (consider the frogs and fraternity pledges he tortured in his youth, or the death row inmates whose pleas he cruelly mocked with a snicker before execution) but at the same time extremely timid (his one-on-one with an unyielding Sen. Jim Webb about the senator's son in Iraq revealed the bully and the coward at the same time). It's a fascinating stew; as I said, I'm not sure how much of psychoanalytic theory I really believe, but it's possible to conclude that while George W. Bush was president, he demonstrated deep, certifiable psychological problems -- and that his psychoses helped do harm to the country. It is much easier to read this book in 2009 than it would have been in 2004.

Now He Makes More Sense!
Outside of some serious psychobabble which was annoying at times, this revised edition helps explain the depth of the damaged psyche that was in charge of, and destroyed a lot of, this country. The Doctor/Author lays out a very valid analysis of the childhood trauma, parental influences and other dynamics which shaped Dubya. Such is the total disregard for the common man and lack of compassion, that the shame of the last eight years could have been so much different if only people had not believed the propaganda that shaped his personna. He was a sham and this book lays it out.

Helps me understand Bush
This is an in depth analysis of George Bush's personality and really helps me understand him better.I have turned my utter disdain for George Bush into empathy. ... Read more

Product Description
Saddam Hussein is the Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction!

Saddam is the greatest liar of our day and age. If you believe the majority media, you would believe that President Bush was a bigger fabricator of falsehoods than the butcher of Baghdad. Defending Liars tells you why the majority media and their allies in the Democratic Party are working for their re-election and not the success of the war on terrorism. Defending Liars, empowers the troops by telling the under spoken truths about President Bush and the war on Terror in Iraq. Defending Liars tells America where our intelligence community believes the WMDs are and that we know they did exist. We also know who helped Saddam move them out of the country. It sheds like on the media-obsession with Ambassador Wilson and Saddam's quest for Nuke's and provides careful insight into the heart of the American soul. Bloggers are calling this an essential read for conservatives needing the hard cold facts in defense of the war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Consequences Of Truth
Mr. Salter writes a poignant and simple perspective on the Iraqi War on Terror. Juxtaposed against Mr. Pollak's, the Coming Storm, Defending Liars delivers a simlilar but streamlined message regarding the abuses of the government of Saddam Hussein. The reader is reminded in a multiplicity of ways why our uniformed service members are still there and why they went in the first place. As the war has become more unpopular due to the steady beat of lies, half-truths and more from the leftist-press and the political oponents of the Bush Adminstration, these pages felt like a fresh and almost forgotten read on what was happening in in the days leading up to and following the war. I would strongly recommend that you read this book now, to obtain the insight that I received from reading this book. This book stands as a great argument to those who believed that there were no WMD's in Iraq, where they went, the operation of al-Queda in Iraq and the legality of the war in very palatable terms.

I am happy to note, in a very complex subject, Mr. Salter, was extremely easy to read. The book was well layed out and deserving of an award. The material was extremely well cited and researched. After reading this book, I was reminded of many reasons that have been lost in the majority discussion about Iraq. Thanks Mr. Salter for continuing to shine the light on a subject that the historical revisionists are already hard at work to further demonize and apologize for the greatness of the United States in the world.

More Right Wing trash
nothing to really say except it was a waste of money..

this guy must ne a neocon..

A Book for Me
I first found out about this book through a friend in Wisconsin.I was activated and I bought this book on Amazon and had it sent to Kuwait.I found this to be one of those books that was hard to put down, a must read to the end.I gave it around to the men and women in my unit and they also found it to be a very good book.I would tell anyone if they want some great facts to buy and read this book.A must read book.

Amazing New Author
I found this piece very informational as well as well researched. It must have taken a long time to gather this kind of information. Very factional and accurate. When you read this book you will realize how many other eliments are involved and how badly we need to hold our ground. It describes in detail how many aspects of our daily lives are linked already to the events that go on in Iraq and the Middle East. Overall, I think some parts were a little rough around the edges but being a new author and this book his first published, I find this author to be "TOP NOTCH" and his book to be a "MUST READ"
Rachelle

Defending Liars wins a 1st Place EVVY Award
Of the approximately 800 books published by Colorado publisher Outskirts Press in 2006, less than 5% are nominated to participate in the prestigious EVVY Awards, an annual independent book award contest sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. An Outskirts Press official Nomination is high recognition of a book's excellence in its own right and is the first step toward winning a coveted EVVY Award.

In its 13th year, the 2007 EVVY Awards are being held by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association to recognize excellence in self-published and independently published books. Entries are judged by a panel of independent judges who are experts and professionals in their respective category fields.

Howard L. Salter's political science book, Defending Liars, published in 2006 recieved a 1st place award. Contrubtions to this work included a prologue by Lt. Col. Gordon Cululu, numerous proof-reads by the 7.62 folks, loved ones as well as editing done by Maria Fernandes-Yeager of Eagle Eye Editorial Services in New York, NY.

These contributions have made it an amazing read for political science junkies and a unique story to be rememmbered regarding the reasons for why the United States went to war in Iraq. The historical revisionits have already attempted to undermine those perspectives in their quest to regain the Whitehouse in 2008. Read the book so we don't forget why we went there in the first place. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Campaigns & Elections, published by Campaigns & Elections, Inc. on August 1, 2003. The length of the article is 811 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Let's have some fun: how should President Bush spend his huge re-election campaign war chest? Let us count the ways--all 200 million of them.(On The Record)
Author: Ron Faucheux
Publication: Campaigns & Elections (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2003
Publisher: Campaigns & Elections, Inc.
Volume: 24Issue: 8Page: 7(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Wickedly clever and politically incorrect, The President's Secret IMs is a hilarious collection of imaginary online conversations between politicians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A great read
What a clever and entertaining book!Crittenden gets so totally inside the heads of Bush and his cronies (including his super-secret IM buddy President Clinton), that you really feel you've accidentally logged into the White House computer system.She pokes fun at everyone (from Jenna Bush to Pope Benedict to the Emir of Kuwait) and everything (from self-important media types to scheming Washington bureaucrats to American foreign policy) in such a skillful, stylish, and refreshingly non-abusive way that I found myself laughing -- but sympathetically! --at the foibles of public figures I thought I loathed.A terrific and fun read that people on both sides of the political divide will enjoy.

slighly humorous
I was perhaps expecting more humor. It did at times bring a smile to my face..

brilliant parody
this book is a hoot! It shows Bush and his cohorts exactly as we assume them to be, warts and all, but does it so amusingly I can't imagine even the subjects themselv es not being tickled by it.
Also a great way for the older generation to learn the arcana of Instant Messaing!

High-larious!
What a fun and witty book this is! For all of you political junkies out there, no matter what side of the aisle, I hope you enjoy reading these IMs as much as I did.

Uncanny perception or a secret source
Does the author have a secret inside source inside the White House, or has her teenage son hacked into Kickass 43's laptop? Whatever, this is a must read for those hooked on the vagagres on intentaional diplomacy. Yeah, I know it's computer-talk fiction, but the author has the likes of Tony Blair. Ladeezman Clinton and even Condy cutie-pie down pat. Hyey, Maybe the First Lady is the secret sourcce -remember her refering to her hubby as "Mr. Excitement.?" Whatever, a delicious book without malice but lots of perception. Even the Pope gets a laugh.

Frustrated conservative ... Read more

Product Description

Ever since George W. Bush began running for public office in the 1990s, questions have been raised in the public eye about his service in the Air National Guard during the late 1960s and early 1970s -- when countless American soldiers (John Kerry among them) were serving heroically in Vietnam. By the time of the presidential race in 2000, it was clear that Bush's record of service contained several troubling gaps -- especially in the period between May 1972 and May 1973, when Bush was supposed to have transferred to the Alabama Air National Guard. In early 2004, as the election season heated up, the White House bowed to pressure and released a host of documents related to Bush's service, promising that this disclosure would put the matter to rest. Yet the documents raised as many new questions as they answered. Now, for the first time, the comprehensive written record of George W. Bush's military career -- more than 250 pages in all -- is presented in book form. In his introduction and commentary, longtime activist and author Glenn W. Smith, the founder of Texans for Truth, highlights such questions as:

• How did Bush secure his acceptance into the National Guard, despite a long waiting list? Did his father pull strings, as some have alleged, to help him avoid the draft?
• Why did Bush suddenly stop performing his Guard service from mid-1972 to mid-1973, as the documents show?
• Did Bush truly perform sufficient duties to qualify for the honorable discharge he received, or was he given special consideration?
• In the summer of 1972, Bush failed to appear for his required physical, and was consequently suspended from flying. Why didn't he take the physical? And why has he claimed that he kept flying for the Guard?
• If Bush was present at the National Guard base in Montgomery, Alabama, during the disputed period, why has no one accepted the White House's pleas to step forward and confirm that he was there?
• And how do the now-discredited "Killian documents," first aired on 60 Minutes in September 2004, affect our understanding of Bush's Guard status?

Unfit Commander also tracks the Bush administration's efforts to defuse the controversy, from Bush's own claim that he "put in his time," to the White House's record of unyielding non-denial denials despite the persistent questioning of the press. And at the heart of the book are the documents themselves: from Bush's agreement that "failure to satisfactorily complete [full] pilot training will result in my being discharged," to his supervisor's statement that "Lt Bush has not been observed at this unit" during the critical period. A provocative exploration of this commander in chief's spotty record of personal military service, Unfit Commander is the place to start for anyone interested in getting at the truths of President Bush's character.

Customer Reviews (25)

Terrible, full of Liberal Lies, I wish I could give it minus five stars
While author pursue very Liberal agenda, he has no talent to describe, or logically lead discussion. In the book he is spewing hate toward his fellow Texan.I think, George Wmade own share of mistakes, buthe didmostly what he believe in, also he had to deal with biggestterrorist act in US history.He had to rebuild CIA, FBI, and all branches of military to fix the harm that was done by Clinton by cutting intelligence and military budgets. Obviously,he had more class than Barak Hussein.He did not blame Clinton for anything that went wrong with his presidency.

"Hot-Air" Smith
Objectively read the records and the facts show a person with a high level of achievement: a degree from Yale and several years of military service, often with exceptional marks. The writer shows a lot of bias.

great book, go buy it
i don't like bush at all, and i don't like the way he makes texans look; even though he isn't really a texan, he was born in conneticut. do yourself a favor, and buy this book.

Another Texan for Truth
As a Texan, I've taken a lot of good-natured ribbing from activist friends around the world.

They have told me that the best way to save the country would be to send Bush back to Texas. Because it ultimately implies that I and other Texans unanimously had supported Bush, this statement is a gross generalization. We actually had more reason to oppose his ascension than people from other states.

Plus, already knowing what Bush would do to America and the world if he (unlike the figurehead Texas Governor position) actually had power, provided all the incentive which I needed to vote against him in 2000 and 2004.

I and other alert Texans COULD NOT reside under the illusion that George W. Bush was somehow 'moderate'. We also knew that it did matter who actually won the presidential elections.

Mounting casualties in Iraq coupled with a skyrocketing federal deficit are affirming just how bad a Bush administration really is for the world. Amidst a growing number of 'Bush' supporter head-scratching and (actually) genuine bewilderment, we say "I told you so".

Continuing a pattern begun in early adulthood (to escape the Vietnam War he allegedly supported) Bush is a good-ole boy who depends on his family name and the monetary connections to avoid the situations which other Texans had to deal with.

Borrowing an `image' page from Ronald Reagan and his father's playbook, Bush intentionally cultivates an image of the 'rugged cowboy' who has made it on his own without any assistance.

In addition to downplaying the importance of government, the `cowboy' also is supposed to suggest that the president is a John-Wayne figure who will of course be able to protect the country against whatever is considered a threat.

Yet, the truth is that Bush is a naive and sheltered person who has never had to take responsibility for his actions.

This is why the Bush administration honestly is not bothered that they have lied to the American people, or are slaughtering American troops (who already face enough danger) with that same fabricated evidence about Iraq WMD's. As long as somebody else can go to war in their place, these people sincerely do not see a contradiction in their own actions.

Even if I have personally read the general gist of this book elsewhere, I was pleased to see it again. The truth always bears repeating.

The American people (and those in Texas) want to easily be comforted by 'security' images. Constant repetition of the real facts may thus be the very tool which encourages these swing voters to stop voting for the GOP---and/or recognize they are not the only Texans who hate Bush's war against the world. There are far more of us out here than the so-called liberal mass media has recognized.

Don't send Bush back to Texas, lock him up far, far away where he will never be able to hurt anybody again.

Clarification
Mr. Tom Shepherd of El Monte,CA should remember that Mr. Clinton lied about sex.This is hardly up there with lying about war and peace or phony-baloney drug benefits for seniors. As the bumper sticker says, "When Clinton lied, nobody died." ... Read more

Product Description
All the President's Spin, the first book from the editors of the acclaimed nonpartisan website Spinsanity, unmasks the tactics of deception and media manipulation that George W. Bush has used to sell his agenda to the American people.

From his campaigns for tax cuts to the debate over war in Iraq, President Bush has employed an unprecedented onslaught of half-truths and strategically ambiguous language to twist and distort the facts. Fritz, Keefer, and Nyhan's powerful critique of Bush's record of policy deception explains why the media has failed to hold him accountable and demonstrates the threat these tactics pose to honest political debate.

This is the essential book for every citizen who wants to understand how George W. Bush has misled the nation and why, if left unchallenged, all the President's spin could soon become standard practice -- a devastating development for our democracy.Amazon.com Review
It's no shock that an American president would employ skilled PR pros to carefully hone a message that makes the administration's objectives more palatable to the general public. It's a tradition that dates back decades. But it's another matter entirely to base an entire presidency on the bending, twisting, and distorting of the truth. According to authors Ben Fritz, Bryan Keefer, and Brendan Nyhan, the George W. Bush administration tiptoes around the definition of lying but still uses ambiguous language, selective use of facts, and shaky evidence to sell the American people on issues like the effect of tax cuts, the impact of a business-friendly environmental policy, and the reasons for going to war in Iraq. While the authors have plenty of blame to place on the administration, the news media are also fingered for parroting administration spin and reporting it, without verification or context, as objective fact. Fritz, Keefer, and Nyhan, founders of the political analysis web site Spinsanity, detail how Bush and company, more than any administration in history, cherry pick information that they find helpful, regardless of how representative it is of the overall truth, and then package it with a forceful and persistent presentation that eventually takes on the patina of reality. Democrats will also find that 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry appears very much up to playing the political game on Bush's terms as the authors dissect and deflate plenty of misleading primary season anti-Bush charges made by the Democratic nominee. All The President's Spin is richly detailed, not surprising given the sound bite-free task of picking apart political spin, and while it is intensely critical of Bush's messaging, it does not pass judgment on the wisdom or efficacies of the policies themselves. Any politician could take a lesson from the authors' clarity and comprehensive scope. --John Moe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

The five golden PR rules
This book laid out the facts about Bush, his administration, and the way the media has played into all of his spin and "misleading" facts. This book takes an objective look at the tactics used by the administration spinkled with a few anti-bushisms. If you are looking for an angry anti-bush book this is not for you. Even when presenting infuriating facts about the lies and deciet found in the media and our presidency the authors do not present an angry public anywhere in the book. A book everyone should read if they care about their government and it's use of the media to get their own agendas in place.

Spin, misinformation, lies, disinformation, plausible deniability
This book BARELY scratches the surface of the lie machine that is the Bush administration. They cause a ten car crash and say they are working on recycling scrap metals..what is missing from this book is the OUTRAGE any decent journalist should feel- they lament that the media sits on its haunches and is spoon fed, but thats where the story ends and begins. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this and find out why major corporate media is allowing this load of manure to be fed to the public- whose pocket is being lined? What ever happened to unbiased, unpaid, investigative journalism? A free press is the foundation of liberty and our media has been patted on the head, given a sucker and told to wander on home.It doesn't take rocket science- listen to the interviews where they just repeat their point regardless of the question- its obvious manipulation- and the mass of America is swallowing it without looking at it.
We should have serious works by the media decrying this, but they just sit and whimper or say nothing to keep "access" open.
No government should be able to pull this!

All The President's Spin
SHOULD BE READ BY ALL AMERICANS WHO STILL BELIEVE THEY LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY

Finally--Fair Media Criticism
In a time when 99.9% of media criticism consists of people saying "I don't like what you are saying therefore you are wrong," Fritz and Co. actually use facts and reason when critiquing the media. Shocking, but effective.

How this book could have been much more fair & balanced
The authors make a decent case that Pres. Bush sometimes stretches the truth a bit. Though when push comes to shove, what he says, they admit, is generally correct. That the media doesn't do its job very well is hardly new or unique to the Bush Admin. It is somewhat laughable that the authors choose to focus on Bush's sometimes picayune distortions (e.g., when the basic point he is getting across is correct, and what he is saying is also factually correct -- on taxes for example -- yes, those he picked to highlight his tax plan make the plan look good, but it did cut taxes for all taxpayers, which was his point: 'This cuts taxes, it is a tax cut.'), and choose not to cover Clinton's far greater mendacity. Only one of these presidents was found to have lied under oath and sanctioned by a federal judge amd then later disbarred for doing so (Not to mention lying to the entire country numerous times by his own admissions.). To preserve their alleged neutrality, and to make this book a more fair look at spin that would have supported the purpose of their website and made this a truly nonpartisan book, that would have been read by a broader cross-section of the electorate, the book should have focused on Clinton AND Bush. Since this largely focuses on a President in office, the Kerry portions would have been better replaced with an expanded Clinton section. Especially in light of the fact that the whole phenomenon of spin came into the public eye during the '92 Clinton campaign, with J. Carville and G. Stephanoupolous spinning (and in turn being spun by Clinton & Clinton - see GS' ALL TOO HUMAN) madly to deflect bimbo erruptions they swore up and down had no factual basis. As later events and Michael Isikoff's excellent and fair book, UNCOVERING CLINTON, make clear, this was all designed to mislead the public and keep the electorate from knowing the truth, resulting in the dawning of a new age of degraded political discourse. Also, I must point out the irony of the authors' attempts at "spinsanity", unbiased analysis, here and at their website - 2 Democrats, no Republicans - why, what could possibly be more fair and balanced!? ... Read more

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

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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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This is the book that cracks the code of the Bush presidency. Unstintingly yet compassionately, and with no political ax to grind, Slate editor in chief Jacob Weisberg methodically and objectively examines the family and circle of advisers who played crucial parts in George W. Bush’s historic downfall.

In this revealing and defining portrait, Weisberg uncovers the “black box” from the crash of the Bush presidency. Using in-depth research, revealing analysis, and keen psychological acuity, Weisberg explores the whole Bush story. Distilling all that has been previously written about Bush into a defining portrait, he illuminates the fateful choices and key decisions that led George W., and thereby the country, into its current predicament. Weisberg gives the tragedy a historical and literary frame, comparing Bush not just to previous American leaders, but also to Shakespeare’s Prince Hal, who rises from ne’er-do-well youth to become the warrior king Henry V.

Here is the bitter and fascinating truth of the early years of the Bush dynasty, with never-before-revealed information about the conflict between the two patriarchs on George W.’s father’s side of the family–the one an upright pillar of the community, the other a rowdy playboy–and how that schism would later shape and twist the younger George Bush; his father, a hero of war, business, and Republican politics whose accomplishments George W. would attempt to copy and whose absences he would resent; his mother, Barbara, who suffered from insecurity, depression, and deep dissatisfaction with her role as housewife; and his younger brother Jeb, seen by his parents as steadier, stronger, and the son most likely to succeed.

Weisberg also anatomizes the replacement family Bush surrounded himself with in Washington, a group he thought could help him correct the mistakes he felt had destroyed his father’s presidency: Karl Rove, who led Bush astray by pursuing his own historical ambitions and transforming the president into a deeply polarizing figure; Dick Cheney, whose obsessive quest to restore presidential power and protect the country after 9/11 caused Bush and America to lose the world’s respect; and, finally, Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice, who encouraged Bush’s foreign policy illusions and abetted his flight from reality.

Delving as no other biography has into Bush’s religious beliefs–which are presented as at once opportunistic and sincere–The Bush Tragedy is an essential work that is sure to become a standard reference for any future assessment. It is the most balanced and compelling account of a sitting president ever written.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

Angry priviliged kid + scheming madman + huge army = ???
I have to admit to being apathetic during both of 43's terms in office. I remember in 2004 many of my friends disclosing "If he gets re-elected I'm headed to Canada". I wasn't taking any notice .... After 43 left office I started to see more and more how his legacy is a trail of devastation that will resonate around the world for many years to come.

The Bush tragedy starts by defining one very pointed moment in Bush's two terms when, as passenger, he landed on the deck of the USS Abe Lincoln and came waddling into view in his flight suit. Remembering that moment and delving into Bush, the more relevance that moment has in defining Bush, his politics, his personality and his view towards leading the free world. Basically, "hey look at my crotch".

This book is probably the third or so I've read about the whole farce that was 43, Rove, Cheyney, Rice etc ... and, the overwhelming feeling is one of Bush wasn't really ever at the helm of his presidency other than symbolically.

The Bush Tragedy goes further than the others I've read in so much as it paints a very good picture of the Bush "dynasty" via it's history and melding with the "Walkers". Seems that the off springs all basically did the same thing in their search and quest for "independence". Which becomes apparent as you read through.

"W" seems to have been the laziest in terms of academics and self motivation. Stumbling into most of his life by way of privilege and "unseen" guiding hands (Mainly daddy's). His character is one of zero inquisitiveness, limited intellect and more suited to the ranks of the Armed forces as he's really just one of the boys. What sets him apart though is his overwhelming self-confidence and arrogance. In his mind he doesn't need what it takes to succeed as he just "knows" he knows how to.... some how.

When Mr Rove first met Bush, the sight of Bush in his Texan garb gave Mr Rove a political boner and the relationship that moved and shaped the free world into a tailspin had begun. I think Rove saw 43 as amiable, charismatic and, more importantly, VERY pliable. Rove had the skill to manipulate Bush in a way as to make Bush think he was driving when he was really 3 - 4 rows back.

Another feature of Bush that had Mr's Rove & Cheyney foaming is the fact that once W has made up his mind, either manipulatively or otherwise, he will not waiver and, should popular or public opinion go against him he just digs in deeper. Very powerful for those in the shadows trying to further their own agendas.

You get the feeling George is a sad person in so much as his whole adult life has been about proving himself either To his siblings, his father or pretty much everyone who knew him back in the early days. He really is a privileged nobody kid who, via his connections, gentle patting and nudging, made it to the most powerful spot in the world and then set it all on fire.

Highly recommended.

Interesting read
Very infomative well written book about the Bush presidency. I learned a lot about what was going on in the George W. Bush administration, his family and also Richard Cheney. I would recommend this book to learn about the Bush adminstration, the family and George Bush, the man. Thank you.

Good Family History
Though not a psychologist, Weisberg has created an excellent historical and psychological study of George W Bush.From his well known rivalry with his father, to his families less well known history of brashness, hotheadedness and proclivity for action over thought.Weisberg is a natural writer and it shows here.This is an enjoyable read, and anyone interested in the genealogical or psychological underpinnings for some of the former presidents actions will be well served by this book.

Douba
So much promise and so much disappointment.So it goes as Kurt Vonnegutt would have said.A mistake that we are still paying for.

The Bush Tragedy
Everyone who has any interest in politics should read this very educational book.You will learn what actually made the Bush administration do what it did and who the principal characters were doing the forced leadership. ... Read more

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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
This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat Recorder, published by Pam Stein/Input Solutions on September 22, 2001. The length of the article is 529 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ARAB-US RELATIONS - Sept. 20 - Bush Speech Against Terrorism.(Brief Article)(Excerpt)
Publication: APS Diplomat Recorder (Newsletter)
Date: September 22, 2001
Publisher: Pam Stein/Input Solutions
Volume: 55Issue: 12Page: NA

Article Type: Brief Article, Excerpt

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat Recorder, published by Thomson Gale on April 15, 2005. The length of the article is 437 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ARAB-US RELATIONS - Apr 10 - Bush Rejects Reports Of US Plans To Attack Iran.
Publication: APS Diplomat Recorder (Newsletter)
Date: April 15, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 63Issue: 15

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat News Service, published by Arab Press Service on January 14, 2008. The length of the article is 2264 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: GCC+Egypt, Part Of US Alliance, Receive Bush With An Idea On Tackling Iran-Led Axis.
Author: Unavailable
Publication: APS Diplomat News Service (Newsletter)
Date: January 14, 2008
Publisher: Arab Press Service
Volume: 68Issue: 3

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat Recorder, published by Pam Stein/Input Solutions on March 20, 2004. The length of the article is 449 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ARAB-US RELATIONS - Mar. 19 - Bush Seeks Int'l Support For Iraq Efforts.
Publication: APS Diplomat Recorder (Newsletter)
Date: March 20, 2004
Publisher: Pam Stein/Input Solutions
Volume: 60Issue: 12

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... 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

The Bushes are the family nobody really knows, says Kevin Phillips. This popular lack of acquaintance—nurtured by gauzy imagery of Maine summer cottages, gray-haired national grandmothers, July Fourth sparklers, and cowboy boots—has let national politics create a dynasticized presidency that would have horrified America's founding fathers. They, after all, had led a revolution against a succession of royal Georges.

In this devastating book, onetime Republican strategist Phillips reveals how four generations of Bushes have ascended the ladder of national power since World War One, becoming entrenched within the American establishment—Yale, Wall Street, the Senate, the CIA, the vice presidency, and the presidency—through a recurrent flair for old-boy networking, national security involvement, and political deception. By uncovering relationships and connecting facts with new clarity, Phillips comes to a stunning conclusion: The Bush family has systematically used its financial and social empire—its "aristocracy"—to gain the White House, thereby subverting the very core of American democracy. In their ambition, the Bushes ultimately reinvented themselves with brilliant timing, twisting and turning from silver spoon Yankees to born-again evangelical Texans. As America—and the world—holds its breath for the 2004 presidential election, American Dynasty explains how it happened and what it all means.

Customer Reviews (191)

Excellent, unbiased account
Over two years have passed now since the end of the George W. Bush Presidency and I continue to shake my head in disappointment and regret about how things have turned out. I had high hopes for his team when he first came into office back in 2000. Now, to look back and see the devastation he wrought and how it will be years before our country recovers from his disastrous two terms, I wonder how I could have been so wrong about him, especially since I respected his father's experience and presidency. How could he have been so different? How could George W Bush, a man, it turns out, who brought nothing to the table in terms of intellect, experience, instinct or judgement, become an American President. These questions led me to try and learn more about not just George W Bush, but about his father and entire lineage, and how he was able to reach the pinnacle of American power based purely on his family name. I didn't want a book with an agenda, not a puff piece or tabloid gossip. I wanted an objective historical account of the facts, a biography and origin story of the family, and after checking out the dozens of books on the subject, I thought who better to trust than Kevin Phillips with an honest and thorough account. After finishing the book, I'm happy to report that that's exactly what I got.

The book's premise is the danger of dynasties in our political system and how it was something our forefathers warned against strongly for good reason. He then illustrates this point with a detailed study of the Bush dynasty, by far the most powerful political dynasty this country has ever known. He takes us back in time to when the Bush / Walker family began to consolidate their power and build their wealth around the turn of the 20th century. Their powerful network of friends from Yale and the Skull and Bones fraternity (in which they were all members) gave them connections throughout the worlds of finance, government, military and intelligence. These connections brought them enough political and financial power to ultimately elect a father and son to the Presidency of the United States separated by only eight years. Family members also held numerous other powerful business and governmental posts in which they were able to influence events in their favor. The foundation was laid by the earlier generations of the Walker and Bush families during World War I and II and then at the genesis of the military industrial complex. George H.W. Bush was able to continue the work of his father and father in-law in both the government, always keeping a finger in the intelligence community, and in business, going to Houston to take advantage of the oil boom. He finally left the business world after making a killing and concentrated on politics. His son, on the other hand, was able to take advantage of the good feelings about his father at the end of the scandalous Clinton administration and waltz into the presidency completely and utterly unqualified.

Kevin Phillips does an admirable, thoughtful job of detailing the rise of the Bush family, their failures and accomplishments, and their politics and religion. He has no agenda except to illustrate the hazards of the multi-generational accumulation of power by any family in our American system. His central point is that it is dangerous and un-American when political power is passed from one generation of a family to the next, and that it has become more widespread today than at any other time in our country's history. He tells this story eloquently, in easy to read prose that makes for a very fast read. I highly recommend this book to anyone wondering about the origin and successes of the Bush family as well as how money and power wielded by well connected families has profoundly influenced recent American history.

Royalty is Un-American!
A documented indictment of the Bush/Walker clan, with longstanding ties to historically dubious characters, including Nazi German leadership and the oil-drenched bin Ladens of Saudi Arabia.Phillips leaves no stone unturned. A must read to caution us against the perils of dynastic rule.

Eye Opening
I read the other book by the author, "Wealth and Democracy" many years ago.


I read some of the reviews for "American Dynasty".I especially enjoyed reading about Prescott Bush and the early foundations of the family in business, energy, and finance.The family connections read like a Who Who of American business, and politics. The Bush family being well connected to the Robber Barons of their time, is a fact I find amazing.I found the book to be extremely well footnoted and documented, as I read most of them. Sometimes the author reaches out there, but it well within reason.

The language of book made it an easy read, and hard to put down at times.

I enjoyed this book.

Great Book for Bush-Haters
In "American Dynasty:Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush" former Republican strategist Kevin Phillips argues that four generations of the Bush family had only one imperative:the accumulation of power (mainly in finance and politics) for the empowerment and enrichment of the family.And so how is the Bush family different from the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Roosevelts, the Tafts, the Rockefellers, and/or any American family that holds power, has held power, or aims to hold power?

The book was written in 2004, the year of the epic last stand against George W. Bush's misrule, and Mr. Phillips obviously wrote the book for the fifty million Americans who absolutely hated George W. Bush - fifty million people whose worldview is so colored by their utter contempt and hatred of George W. Bush that they would find Mr. Phillips' tirade the equivalent of a mathematical proof, his corny phrases the wit of Shakespeare, and his accusing and acerbic tone the reason and patience of Lincoln.

In the accumulation of power, a family as coherent and as ambitious as the Bushes must be flexible and use whatever means are available to them.In Mr. Phillips' tale the founding father was George Herbert Walker whose financial success enabled his son-in-law Prescott Bush to become a Senator.A Yale Skull & Bonesman Prescott Bush through his schoolmates was also involved in finance, oil, intelligence services, and the industrializing and arming of Hitler's Germany.His son and 41st President of the United States George H.W. Bush was involved in a lot worse:the Iran-Contra scandal, the enabling of Saddam Hussein and Enron, the protection of corrupt regimes around the world including China and Saudi Arabia, etc.And the 43rd President was just a blatant opportunist and hypocrite, using his family's name and resources to establish a political brand, and then attaching himself to the rising tide of the Religious Right to sail into the White House.

For Kevin Phillips, the Bushes are guilty of collusion with America's enemies for the power and profit of their clan.And so?Kevin Phillips believes that this behavior is a threat to the ideals of the republic and to American democracy, but why would we expect the Bushes to behave any differently?Why should we hold them to a higher standard than the Clintons and the Kennedys just because the movement of the river that is history and society and culture has moved them to the very top at this particular juncture?Families are real and tangible and are more deserving and are more demanding of loyalty than nebulous concepts such as democracy and republicanism.

We live in a complicated, globalized world where the world's ruling families have more in common with each other than with their fellow citizens, and they find it in their best interest to co-operate together.And if these families use their nation's resources - whether it be energy, religion, intelligence, or the military - to advance their power and profit, should we blame the families for being self-interested or the nation for permitting it to happen through legal compliance, lack of regulatory oversight, the collusion of the elites, and the disinterest of the citizenry?

The Bush dynasty is not an accident of history that threatens American democracy:it is part and parcel of the current state of American democracy.Instead of damning the Bush family for being a family and behaving like such, Kevin Phillips would have done American democracy a greater service by detailing its deficiencies and deficits.

not for partisan hacks
Good book; not the usual Bush~bashing spiel. Rather than having an axe to grind, the author seemed objectively concerned. I'm not really into politics because of all the goofy partisan bickering, but my politically~inclined friend recommended this to me as a book that lacks that aspect.

Ivan Rorick ... Read more