Rating: 
Summary: The Right Man, and the Right Book.
Review: The hype of this book was nothing more than hype. Don't get me wrong, this book was excellent and gave you an almost true inside look on how the west wing works, but falls short of the complete insider's view. The best part of this book, it gives the names you hear everyday a character that the news cannot deliver to you. You find out how Karen Hughes acts and feels, and how the administration works, from the no marijuana after college rule, to the suit colors Bush makes his staffers wear. This book is a very interesting one to read and you fall right into it.
Rating:
Summary: Well wrinten, thoughful and insightful look at Bush WH
Review: This is the first major work by a true insider from the Bush White House and it paints a very detailed and vivid picture of the nature of Bush's approach to both the Presidency as well as how his White House staff operates.Frum is a former Wall Street Journal writer and has written on conservative social and political issues. He worked in the White House as a speech writer, focused on economic matters initially and then refocused on international issues after September 11th. While he's philosophically aligned with Bush he nevertheless was somewhat uninformed about Bush both personally and politically when he first appeared on the national scene (weren't we all) and somewhat ambivalent about him when he went to work for the Bush Administration. That sense of ambivalence comes through subtly throughout the book and lends it, to my mind, an additional layer of credence. The boom is very detailed and wide ranging. It covers policy, Bush's personal leadership style, his political philosophy, the usual White House intrigues--pretty standard stuff for this sort of effort. Several tings set this book apart, however. One is the simple dearth of genuine, detailed insider White House reporting that has emerged on this administration to date. Frum deftly explains that this is a function of several factors--this White House's penchant for security, the unusually close knit operating structure in the White House as compared to, say, the Clinton era, but most especially the incredible loyalty George Bush naturally inspires. Frum gives this penchant for loyalty the full treatment and it's a fascinating phenomenon to behold in this day and age. Another truly interesting facet is the ways in which the deep Christian fundamentalism of many bushies affects both the policy aspects of the administration but also--much more interestingly to my mind--the general day to day operations and culture of the White House. Frum also gives this the full treatment and it is, again, a fascinating look at this extraordinary aspect of the current administration. Frum also gives us an insider's insight into the wiles and intrigues of Washington politics. This is best exemplified in the "Axis of Evil" phrase, which Frum essentially originated (though his actual phrasing was "Axis of Hatred" modified to evil by Bush himself) and the aftermath of Frum's getting "credit" for it. The only negative I'd voice--and it's why this gets 4 rather than 5 stars--is that Frum inserts himself into the meat of the book a bit too much for my taste. This is neither billed as or written as a memoir as much as an insider takes on the WH--not on Frum. It's a minor quibble but nevertheless a bit less focus on Frum's personal situations would have been welcome once his qualifications, bonafides and so on were established. It's not so much that what he writes isn't interesting (he tales about being a foreign national (Frum's Canadian) working in the White House and the complications that this causes are often interesting and even entertaining, but nevertheless distracting from the main focus of the book. In the end though it's what he learned about Bush and what he came to believe about his abilities and destiny that are key, and they form genuinely fresh and enlightening look at the man, who he really is, and what he really stands for. What he has to say won't in general shock anybody who's read the title of the book, it's nevertheless firm and thoughtful insight about a man whose destiny is so critical and about whom we really, truly know very little. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: While "The Right Man" does offer a fair amount of insights into the Bush Administration (I liked the ground/passing game analogy to describe the relationship between Hughes and Rove), I must say I was a bit disappointed--even though it is still worth reading. This book has been hyped as an "insider's account" of the Bush Administration, but it reads more like an autobiography of David Frum's brief time in the White House. The Right Man is already a short book, but it would have been better had Frum left out some of his personal anecdotes and concentrated more on the inner-workings of the Administration. I agree with Frum's conclusion that Bush is the "right man" for president, but I fear Frum might not have been the right man to write this book (please forgive the pun).
Rating:
Summary: Of the 2 former Bush speechwriters' books
Review: I liked Matthew Scully's "Dominion" better. While I enjoyed Frum's book I didn't see anything really new or exciting behind the West Wing closed door. On the other hand Scully's book will change your life!!
Rating: 
Summary: whats to tell about the worst president we ever had
Review: The wrong man, cmon a book about the worst american Terrori...i mean president. this book is a joke. Save your money and donate it to a good cause.
To take him out of the oval office. and yes i did read it
Rating: 
Summary: President Bush is The Right Man at a right time
Review: David Frum put together a great read with The Right Man. The reader can follow Frum's metamorphasis from luke warm toward Bush to his recognition of Bush as not only a good man but the right man. I have always liked the President so this book wasn't going to convince me further, but I enjoyed the journey Frum took me on.
Frum recounts some of Bush's speeches post 9-11 and the writing was so vivid I could hear Bush over and over again as I read. At times I felt so conencted to Frum I felt I was a White House staffer. Bush haters need to give this book a try and at least be fair to whatever their beef is.
Rating:
Summary: How This Book Effected My Life
Review: You would expect good writing from a presidential speech writer. David Frum delivers, exceptionally blending a conversational style with historical fact. I was pleasantly surprised at Frum's ability to praise Bush without coming off as his campaign chair, and more like an admiring friend.
Frum's credibility lies in the fact that the book is filled with historical fact, not political grandstanding. Further, Frum was not a Bush fan when he began his tenure in the White House. Had he been one of Bush's long time big-business buddies and campaign contributor, I would have read the book through tainted glasses and been less inclined to accept it as anything more than propaganda. Instead, Frum reveals via firsthand accounts how his personal affinity and respect for Bush grew during his time as an economic speech writer, though he doesn't explicitly spell out the metamorphosis (I wasn't a big fan, now I am).
Historically speaking, the book is fascinating. From a fly-on-the-wall perspective, it's intriguing. Frum doesn't reveal anything the CIA would want kept under wraps, but he so brilliantly describes what's behind the White House walls-both atmospherically and aesthetically-it's the next best thing to a firsthand experience. He also provides many details about situations in the Middle East and abroad that built up to 9/11 and after 9/11.
Some will sniff at Frum's conservative leaning. I praise what I believe to have been a fair look at a critical time in U.S. history-the period from shortly prior to 9/11 to war time shortly post 9/11.
A couple of accounts Frum relates inched my media skepticism even further toward distrust. If I had to guess, I wouldn't say that was Frum's intent (to encourage distrust of the media). I do, however, think what he shared reveals something more specific than irresponsible reporting about the Bush presidency: that all things may not have been as they seemed, and that, perhaps, motives for going to war were more altruistic and accurate than many-outside the White House mind you-still claim.
David Frum couldn't possibly have known everything while working in the White House. He did, however, participate in meetings with the President, travel on Air Force One with the President, as well as participate in writing speeches for the President, some of which were edited by hand personally by Bush. Frum, the originator of the internationally scrutinized phrase "axis of evil," explains how that wording-turned-reason-for-war came into being. These are some of the experiences he includes in The Right Man. For his humility, his sharp writing ability, and his talent for recording historical detail, I'm now a Frum fan. Oh, and a die-hard Bush supporter.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Insights, But Probably Not for Everyone
Review: I have read a number of the reviews, and am somewhat disappointed that many reviewers take this space to express their own political views (generally along the lines of how "bad" a president George Bush has been), but not enough about the merits and entertainment value of this book. I mean, isn't that why we read books (or listen to a CD or watch a movie)? We want to be entertained, and maybe (hopefully) learn a thing or two along the way. On those standards, "The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush" passes the test easily. I read this book recently while on vacation, on a beach, to give you an idea of my state of mind while reading this book.
David Frum was a speechwriter on economic issues for about 14 months (early 2001 to early 2002). Is the account of the Bush-insider self-serving to a degree? Sure it is, but what's wrong with that? (Do you believe for one second that Bill Clinton's autobiography is not?) What appealed to me most were Frum's observations and insights on the "power struggle" between Karl Rove and Karen Hughes, and around them. In fact, for a White House administration that on the outside comes across well-disciplined, the overwhelming feeling one gets is that EVERYTHING is a power struggle. How anything ever gets decided anymore, is amazing to me.
The Amazon.com editorial review is sceptical that Frum left on his own device. I never got that impression. Frum's explanation that in a post-9/11 landscape, where economic issues are secondary to fighting the war on terrorosm, and therefore the need for a economic speechwriter is greatly diminished, came across as reasonable and credible to me. Maybe I'm just naive, who knows. In any event, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and that's good enough for me, although I imagine that many of the anti-Bush zealots may feel differently.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprise!
Review: Next time, George, maybe you could just surprise us with some balloons, or by jumping out of the closet or, you know, something that doesn't involve 940 dead Americans and, oh, ten or twenty thousand foreign civilians. But we're reviewing books here, not the subject of this book, hence the two stars.
While very much an insider, the self-promoting Frum is anything but objective. It has been mentioned elsewhere in these reviews that Frum was the speechwriter responsible for the "Axis of Evil" segment of Bush's notorious and world-alienating State of the Union address of January 2002. Slate has some excellent articles on Frum's contributions to Bush's speeches which demonstrate just how objective this insider is. Trusting the "dirt" dished by Frum is rather like putting your faith in Cheney's latest, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love KBR." Like believing in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Compassionate Conservative(R.TM). In short, if you're unsatisfied with the performance of the Bush administration, it's unlikely that this book is going to change your mind, given that the author was not only a part of that administration, but that his claim to fame is putting his foot squarely in Bush's mouth, among other places.
However, if you're the sort of reader who is interested in closed-loop, self-corroborating reports designed to reaffirm trust in a failed administration, I highly recommend "The Right Man." It's an essential source for understanding a controversial administration on its own terms.
Rating:
Summary: The Man Greed
Review: How stupid can David Frum be? Bush is a corrupt President only fighting for the big companys. Not for terror not for you. America has no allies to help aid this war, And why? Because no other country cares for helping America's most evil corporations. Dick Chaney cares for Helliburton but the rest of the world does not care about Dick Chanys money or about the Bush family. The rest of the world is not as miss lead as America. I say this not from left or right. John Kerry is not a good canidate but he NEEDS to win. This oil vampire must be stopped. But as far as left or right,both wings have failed this country. There needs to be a new way of thinking for this country. Don't listen to the two partys blindy. THINK FOR YOUR SELF. In the long run the answers AMERCIA'S PROBLEMS WON'T BE SOLVED BY THE RIGHT OR LEFT, but by the people who can think outside the box of the two parties. The answers will come from new concepts and new ideas. Do all you can to stop the patroit act and politions like Bush or Liberman. QUESTION AUTHORITY. Open your eyes. When authority is checked and closely watched they can't abuse their power.
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