Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining & Delightful!
Review: All of the facts presented by Ivins helped to make Shrub even more entertaining, as well as plausible. This book is full of facts and anecdotes about the life of George W. Bush in Texas politics. It moves along pretty well while it observes humor to prove how Bush is certainly not presidential material. Ivins shows that Texas has not kept up with the rest of the country when it comes to issues like their environment, education, and the social and welfare system. Ivins says, "it is a common guess around the statehouse that Bush doesnt't even read the Governing magazine, which is the bible of state government. He has also said that he hates both meetings and briefings." With a Governor like this, how could a state keep up with issues concerning one's state? This book shows the reader that anyone can basically become Governor or President if he is funded properly and has many large companies as his supporters. The anecdotes and facts help to remain the book interesting till the end. My favorite part in the book has to be when Ivins states, "It's possible Bush's dislike of lawyers stems from the fact that he was rejected by the University of Texas Law School as a young man; this proves, as we have always suspected, that UT has higher standards than Harvard." If Bush is not accepted at one of the top schools of his own stae and is accepted at one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, then there exists some questioning there about how he got that far (as you observe from Shrub, it may obviously be a bribery issue). All of the stories presented cause us to suspect how Bush got where he stands now. I would recommend this book to other readers, especially to those who want to know the truth about Bush, but if you're a supporter of Bush, you'll probably just get aggravated with Ivins' fact.
Rating: 
Summary: An Unbiased Look at an Empty Suit
Review: Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose chronicle "Shrub"'s political life. What emerges is the unsavory picture of an empty suit for sale to the highest bidder. Shrub's reason for seeking the Presidency is apparently his burning desire to get revenge for his father's loss in 1992. Never mind that Daddy was the most ineffective President of the twentieth century; that the economy grew at less than half the rate it grew under any other administration since 1948. (In 1945-1948, the GNP actually shrunk, because of the changeover from an all-out wartime effort to peace.)Molly Ivins tells it like it is, giving Shrub what credit is due for not dismantling the improvements in the Texas school system made by the governors who preceded him; but also pointing out that he has successfully fought against implementation of clean air and water in Texas. Under Shrub's "leadership" Houston has supplanted Los Angeles as the city with the most polluted air. The polluters support Shrub and he supports their "right" to pollute. Shrub said that the problem isn't pollution, it's impurities in the air and water. This book, along with J. H. Hatfield's "Fortunate Son" and Russell Bowen's "The Immaculate Deception" should have been required reading before voting November 7.
Rating:
Summary: TEXAS-TWANGED MOLLY READS IT BEST
Review: When it comes to political commentary nobody is quicker on the draw than syndicated columnist Molly Ivins. Now she focuses her Texas size wit on the most talked about politician in the Lone Star State - George W. Bush, whom she calls "Shrub" or simply "Dubya." She calls the man who is our President a man you would have to work at to dislike, while she traces his sometimes circuitous political career and astutely assesses his qualifications. No one is better suited to read "Shrub" than the sometimes gravely voiced Texas-twanged Molly.
Rating:
Summary: Hoist on His Own Record: "Dubya's" Get-Over Broke Down
Review: I'm so glad this book came along. Even though I read it "after the fact" - it was published over half a year before George W. Bush's eventual presidential election victory, which the authors basically foresaw - it's helped me understand the Bush phenomenon and warned me about what it may augur for American political life. As a Government major in college, we learned that politics is not the science but "the art of who gets what"--where, when, how, and sometimes why. Politics greases the gears of government. Years later I heard about "Murphy's Laws of Government". One of my favorites boils down to: Never Listen to What a Politician Says--Watch What He Does. The big problem with Bush, as Ivins and Dubose see it, is that he's "weak on the governance side of politics," the critical area of executive leadership. "From the record, it appears that he doesn't know much, doesn't do much, and doesn't care much about governing...The puzzle of Bush is why someone with so little interest in or attention for policy, for making government work, would want the job of president." In other words, the peril of this Bush's presidency is the possibility of his disinterest when it comes to actually making things work. Yet, the machinery of government will continue, and if Bush doesn't set the political agenda and determine policy, someone else will--the question is who, and for whose tangible benefit. "Yet," Ivins and Dubose conclude, "his political skills can make him a valuable player if he's interested..." Bush was not my choice for president. Still, I quickly wearied of the media sneers and snide e-mails I received from friends, mostly reacting to the tele-Bush image, with his vacuous smile and oratorical meringue of bluster and blunder. I preferred to have a bit harder evidence of what makes Bush such a scary political entity. I appreciate what unapologetic liberal journalists Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose have done here, with admirable restraint (considering, in particular, Ivins' wit), to resolve the question, while honoring the age-old journalistic principle, Look at his record! (Especially if he wants to do for America what he allegedly did for Texas...) The public record is as interesting as the political record is brief. This is a man who's characteristically been able to capitalize on family name, class and school ties, other people's money, uncanny timing and a dash of chutzpah. Bottom line, he's had a fair amount handed to him, and practically followed his father into the presidency. However, Bush has skills and gifts of his own which cannot be overlooked. Dubya has a genius for fundraising, for co-opting political agendas, for having bright and fiercely loyal friends and staff, for political timing, and for being oblivious to people and issues that don't concern him. Ivins and Dubose document Bush's being a personable man who's difficult to dislike. He can be especially so in the arena of his genius, the clubhouse side of politics, the backslapping, deal-making realm, where he flexes his affability and macho competitiveness. People look for book smarts - well, yes, being a Yale grad and Harvard MBA - but what he is is politically shrewd. He rode into office on the back of Christian right support, but the partner he'll cling to, "what brought him to the dance," is Big Money. As Ivins and Dubose put it, he's "a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America...These are his friends, and he takes care of his friends--sign of a smart politician. That this matches up nicely with his major campaign contributions is a happy synergy..." The thing that makes this incisive little book so compelling, so disturbing, is not the presaging of George W. Bush himself, but the alarm it sounds to potential voters: Beware of the copy cats! Be wary of checkbook politics and policy-making! The authors quote a Mexican proverb: 'Between the word and the deed lies a big trench.' Before one begins to regret the aptness of that old adage about people getting exactly the kind of government they deserve, remember: Don't listen to what a politician says; the measure of their character is on the record.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent introduction to Dubya and Texas politics
Review: This is a well-written book that highlights some of the more notable times of George W. Bush's political life. Anyone looking for a gossipy insight into Dubya's private life during the 70's would be well advised to go elsewhere (try Fortunate Son if you can get your hands on it) as Molly Ivins goes out of her way to not dwell on the rumours that surround him. This book functions well as a summary of what Dubya has done (and, more importantly, what he hasn't done) during his time as Governor. It also brings the uninformed reader up to speed with the unique mechanics of the Texas political system. When I began this book, I knew next to nothing about the political state of affairs in Texas. The book provides a very insightful and humourous look into that state's system. By the end, I had learned quite a bit more than just what particular policies Gov. Bush had opposed or supported. As for how Bush himself comes off looking in the book, that probably depends on the reader's own prior political views. But Ivins gives a lot of detail into the role that money played in all of Bush's elections. The people who had Bush's ear in Texas were the one's signing the big checks, and I think it's impossible to read this book and believe that he has anyone else's interests at heart. On the other hand, she does give praise where she feels he has earned it. She discusses the role he has played in improving the Texas education system though she repeatedly points out that most of the turnaround occured based on programs that were started under the direction of the previous administration. But she does seem impressed by his willingness to try and his desire to improve the educational system even if his methods have not always turned out the expected results. All in all, I would recommend this book to everyone who gets an uneasy feeling when seeing politics in action on the nightly news.
Rating:
Summary: Hoist on His Own Record: "Dubya's" Get-Over Broke Down
Review: I'm so glad this book came along. Even though I read it "after the fact" - it was published over half a year before George W. Bush's eventual presidential election victory, which the authors basically foresaw - it's helped me understand the Bush phenomenon and warned me about what it may augur for American political life. As a Government major in college, we learned that politics is not the science but "the art of who gets what"--where, when, how, and sometimes why. Politics greases the gears of government. Years later I heard about "Murphy's Laws of Government". One of my favorites boils down to: Never Listen to What a Politician Says--Watch What He Does. The big problem with Bush, as Ivins and Dubose see it, is that he's "weak on the governance side of politics," the critical area of executive leadership. "From the record, it appears that he doesn't know much, doesn't do much, and doesn't care much about governing...The puzzle of Bush is why someone with so little interest in or attention for policy, for making government work, would want the job of president." In other words, the peril of this Bush's presidency is the possibility of his disinterest when it comes to actually making things work. Yet, the machinery of government will continue, and if Bush doesn't set the political agenda and determine policy, someone else will--the question is who, and for whose tangible benefit. "Yet," Ivins and Dubose conclude, "his political skills can make him a valuable player if he's interested..." Bush was not my choice for president. Still, I quickly wearied of the media sneers and snide e-mails I received from friends, mostly reacting to the tele-Bush image, with his vacuous smile and oratorical meringue of bluster and blunder. I preferred to have a bit harder evidence of what makes Bush such a scary political entity. I appreciate what unapologetic liberal journalists Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose have done here, with admirable restraint (considering, in particular, Ivins' wit), to resolve the question, while honoring the age-old journalistic principle, Look at his record! (Especially if he wants to do for America what he allegedly did for Texas...) The public record is as interesting as the political record is brief. This is a man who's characteristically been able to capitalize on family name, class and school ties, other people's money, uncanny timing and a dash of chutzpah. Bottom line, he's had a fair amount handed to him, and practically followed his father into the presidency. However, Bush has skills and gifts of his own which cannot be overlooked. Dubya has a genius for fundraising, for co-opting political agendas, for having bright and fiercely loyal friends and staff, for political timing, and for being oblivious to people and issues that don't concern him. Ivins and Dubose document Bush's being a personable man who's difficult to dislike. He can be especially so in the arena of his genius, the clubhouse side of politics, the backslapping, deal-making realm, where he flexes his affability and macho competitiveness. People look for book smarts - well, yes, being a Yale grad and Harvard MBA - but what he is is politically shrewd. He rode into office on the back of Christian right support, but the partner he'll cling to, "what brought him to the dance," is Big Money. As Ivins and Dubose put it, he's "a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America...These are his friends, and he takes care of his friends--sign of a smart politician. That this matches up nicely with his major campaign contributions is a happy synergy..." The thing that makes this incisive little book so compelling, so disturbing, is not the presaging of George W. Bush himself, but the alarm it sounds to potential voters: Beware of the copy cats! Be wary of checkbook politics and policy-making! The authors quote a Mexican proverb: 'Between the word and the deed lies a big trench.' Before one begins to regret the aptness of that old adage about people getting exactly the kind of government they deserve, remember: Don't listen to what a politician says; the measure of their character is on the record.
Rating:
Summary: An Unbiased Look at an Empty Suit
Review: Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose chronicle "Shrub"'s political life. What emerges is the unsavory picture of an empty suit for sale to the highest bidder. Shrub's reason for seeking the Presidency is apparently his burning desire to get revenge for his father's loss in 1992. Never mind that Daddy was the most ineffective President of the twentieth century; that the economy grew at less than half the rate it grew under any other administration since 1948. (In 1945-1948, the GNP actually shrunk, because of the changeover from an all-out wartime effort to peace.) Molly Ivins tells it like it is, giving Shrub what credit is due for not dismantling the improvements in the Texas school system made by the governors who preceded him; but also pointing out that he has successfully fought against implementation of clean air and water in Texas. Under Shrub's "leadership" Houston has supplanted Los Angeles as the city with the most polluted air. The polluters support Shrub and he supports their "right" to pollute. Shrub said that the problem isn't pollution, it's impurities in the air and water. This book, along with J. H. Hatfield's "Fortunate Son" and Russell Bowen's "The Immaculate Deception" should have been required reading before voting November 7.
Rating:
Summary: Quick and Insightful
Review: One of the best anti-Bush books out there. Not because it is heavy and deep with insight and lengthy connections that lead to utter shock but because it's fast, sharp and somewhat balanced--sort of. Ivans has wit and twist of phrase that makes her writing especially enjoyable no matter what subject she's taking on. This is just one of a number of excursions into Bush-land that she guides us on. I'd like to see the collected works someday. There's something to be said for media that has a specific stance but allows you to feel your own feelings about the subject. Kind of an Erroll Morris approach--Fog of War (see it), Kurt Vonnegut --(read him), USA The Movie (definitely see it!), Trials of Henry Kissinger (see it). All available on Amazon or through other outlets. We should all read more and watch more media that teaches and preaches rather than revs us up with emptiness.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Written Editorializing
Review: The well-written editorializing in this book is frequently snide, sarcastic and pejorative -- literary tools to which one typically resorts when his/her position is wrong. Because facts, reason and truth work against the wrong position, tactics aimed at emotions -- such as a denigrating nick-name like "Shrub" -- are all that's left. And if the subject of this smear campaign happened to belong to the other political party, this author's view of him would be wonderful -- completely regardless whatever he might do or fail to do.
Rating: 
Summary: Here she goes again!
Review: How do two people write a book? Does Lou write a sentence, then let Molly add the cornpone phrase replete with bad spelling? I would say that he does the research and she strings together the results except that the final product is not what one would call a "literary" work. By that I do not mean that Molly cannot turn a phrase or even invent a few. What I mean is that the book is nothing more than a series of expanded columns that purportedly track the success of Bush 43 in the political realm. And what a short, sweet journey it has been. Out of nowhere, he rises to defeat a Democratic star for governor (Molly's friend, Ann, the REAL reason for her antipathy toward GW), According to Molly & Lou, though, it was all smoke and mirrors. There was no PUBLIC service behind it, no genuflecting at the altar of sacred icons - plus that godawful term "compassionate conservative" actually caught on and worked. Reading this book is like seeing a cat with his back arched "spittin' and rarin' to go!" (Molly talk there, folks). Quickly, we follow the travails of George, his pre-politics politicking for dear old Dad (also despised by Ms. Ivins), weighing the decision to run. Of course he is not serious about it (she is a mind-reader too) but by luck he wins. Then gall dern it! Bill Clinton comes in and starts "running the economy" (a term so juvenile as to defy description) and GW benefits from this great President's wise leadership. A rather tortured piece of logic but we'll let it go. And even though GW was the worst Texas governor in history the "people" (one of her pet phrases) overwhelmingly re-elect him in a HUGE win. Then first time out, he wins the GOP primary when in reality (surprise, surprise) McCain should have been annointed. She is particularly angry when minorities lend their support to GW - they should stick to voting for Southern Senators who railed against integration. It's all here in black and white and while it is lighter in tone that the followup it is still strictly newspaper-column in style, pamphlet-style in tone. Molly can't even give credit when credit is due - she must apply her own brand of peculiar interpretation of events sounding like a graduate of Conspiracy 101. Read the columns, skip the book.
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