A Matter Of Character: Inside The White House Of George W. Bush

Rating:
Summary: A Matter Of Character: Inside The White House Of George W. B
Review: After digging deeply into the inner sanctum of the White House and George W. Bush's personal life, Ronald Kessler discovered that most of what people think they know about Bush simply isn't true. For instance, that he's not very smart. That he can't focus on complex issues. That he has repeatedly and intentionally lied to the public. That he's narrow-minded about his Christian faith and his conservative beliefs. That he lets other people make the big decisions for him. All myths - driven mainly by biased reporting in the media." "Kessler has been granted extraordinary access to the administration and its key players, including Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, Andrew Card, Karl Rove, Condoleezza Rice, and many others. He discovers how Bush acts when the television cameras leave: honest to a fault, open to new ideas, grounded with common people, and powerful without pretense. He reveals how American's first M.B.A. president negotiates challenges such as terrorism, the economy, and education reform." "In addition to senior officials, Kessler also interviewed dozens of Secret Service agents, former presidential aides, and career White House employees - on deep background - who know the George W. Bush that the public never sees, and know how he really compares with his predecessors. And some of Bush's closest friends reveal how down-to-earth he has remained since his middle-class boyhood in West Texas

Rating:
Summary: Spicy but not especially nutritious
Review: Ever eat a meal that's spicy-hot but lacking in any real flavor? That's what this book is like.

Given America's new cottage industry of publishing Bush-bashing books, I'm the last person to begrudge the President's supporters from getting a little of their own back. In "A Matter of Character," Ronald Kessler mounts a spirited defense of GWB and fires broadsides at a great many of his critics -- from Ann Richards to Dana Milbank of The Washington Post to Joseph Wilson and the unlamented Tom Daschle.

From the "Inside the White House" subtitle, I was expecting this to have somewhat more insight on the organizational and operational dynamic at work. Instead, this portrait is largely personality-driven, and focuses on the key personalities in the Bush White House and how they relate to one another. It is largely, sometimes exceptionally, positive in that portrayal, even to the point of denying any tension at all between Colin Powell's State Department and Donald Rumsfeld's DOD. This particular argument runs so overwhelmingly against the tide of conventional wisdom at the time of publication that it made me wonder which side is the more delusional. I'm happy to celebrate a writer who takes a stand against the prevailing media, but even I had to question that assertion.

I started this review several months ago, and set it aside when I realized that, although I had read the book cover to cover less than a week before, it had made almost no lasting impression on me. The text is fiery, the point-of-view distinctive, and the arguments outside the mainstream. But for all that, several months later it just seems ho-hum to me. I'm glad others enjoyed it, but *de gustibus, non disputandum est.* It didn't do much for me.


Rating:
Summary: A Matter of Character: Inside The White House Of George Bush
Review: Finally an honest insight into the character and inter-workings of the George W. Bush White House. Very indepth research makes for a very interesting book done by a respected author and not the work of some cheap Bush basher.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, an honest account of GWB...
Review: If you are tired of reading all of the conspiracy theory type books about George W. Bush, buy a copy of this book. The author does a good job of avoiding the tabloid-style journalism which is far too common in books about Bush. And Kessler doesn't just write a glowing review. Instead, he presents the Bush's faults, and impartially describes how Bush goes about his decision making. This book is extraordinarily interesting and provides a much-needed non-partisan insight into our current President. Highly recommended!


Rating:
Summary: Its partisanship makes this dissapointing
Review: One only need to read the first few pages to get a "flavor" of this book. Those wanting a "fair and balanced" portrait cannot get it. The book does not even open with a discussion on the positives of this prez. but begins with negative attacks on the Clintons! Their source one supposed "anonymous" secret service agent who tells, as the author reports how horrible they are to white house staff. Forget what we know about Nancy Reagan, the Nixon kids and in-laws - let us talk about the Clintons behavior! George Bush has been president for four years and now has four more..those wanting to see what this is all about will not find it here.

Rating:
Summary: More Character Info Required
Review: President Bush does control weapons of mass destruction, is willing to invade other countries, and does condone the use of torture and other abuses of human rights. Accordingly, in order to make a case for character this book really needs to explain to us how Bush is fundamentally different from Sadaam Hussein.

Rating:
Summary: I've now read both extremes
Review: Since this review comments on two books, I have submitted it for both.

My brother, a conservative Democrat or liberal Republican but a man of principle either way, gave me Worse than Watergate by John Dean for Christmas. After reading that book, which did raise many questions in my mind, I immediately read A Matter of Character. I consider myself a compassionate conservative, but I am trained as a mathematician and engineer so I believe I am an objective thinker who formulates opinions based on verifiable facts and evidence.

Both books may be, and one book must be, wrong; President Bush can't simultaneously be the Dean's devil or Kessler's altar boy. Each author clearly had an agenda when writing his book so readers of each are very unlikely to change their opinion after reading both. Having now read both, I still believe Bush was the better person to receive my vote last November.

Dean's book claims that every conclusion presented is based on incontrovertible facts. To his credit, Dean does include pages of footnotes but he also reaches makes several unsupported conclusions. Paraphrasing the first I noticed, "Everyone knew that Jeb would deliver Florida to his brother, not matter what." This claim was not footnoted, nor was it supported with anything that looked like a fact even though "everyone knew it."

Dean devotes an entire chapter to suggesting that Dick Cheney is the first high-ranking executive branch employee to hide details of his health history from the American people. I guess Mr. Dean did not read Dallek's Unfinished Life, or a decent biography of T. Woodrow Wilson. Both men were at times practically, or perhaps actually, incapacitated by their infirmities; yet no one knew. How many painkillers did Kennedy need to function during October '62? Was the second Mrs. Wilson actually the first Mrs. President?

Kessler clearly spent a lot of time with people who love their long time friend, George. These people are loyal to him. Those who have not demonstrated their loyalty do not get to remain his friend. Did W. drink too much? Did he inhale? Many confirmed the stories released by the White House. None extended the envelope of young George's behavior beyond what George defined. That's how loyal friends behave. Is it how you get the dirt on a guy you like? No.

Kessler does provide some reasoning for why the Bush White House is so secretive (Dean says to the point of Nixonian paranoia.) W. was responsible for dealing with leaks during his father's campaigns and became something of an executioner (my word not his) for dealing with those individuals who placed their own interests above those of their President. W. debates issues, encouraging vigorous discussion. Then he decides and everyone is expected to fall in line. For those not familiar with how a team is supposed to function, this is a classic to moving forward.

As I said, reading both books is not likely to change anyone's mind. I read Character after reading Worse because Worse did raise some concerns in my mind. But I have completed the debate in my mind and now I intend to move forward. I hope that others will do the same.

Rating:
Summary: BUSH IS A GREAT PRESIDENT
Review: THE LEFT MAY TRY TO SPIN OTHERWISE BUT THE TRUTH IS HE IS A MAN OF CHARACTER AND A VERY SMART MAN. THIS COUNTRY IS LUCKY TO HAVE HIM IN PRESIDENT. CLINTON AND AL GORE WOULD HAVE HANDED AL QUEIDA THE KEYS TO THE COUNTRY. BUSH IS THERE PROTECTING US AND GIVING HIS ALL. THE GOP IS FAR ABOVE THE DNC RIGHT NOW. THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS IN SHAMBLES AND DISGRACE. THE LIBERAL WING OF THE PARTY IS ITS DEATH SENTENCE

Rating:
Summary: A Propaganda Piece
Review: This book grossly misrepresents Bush's character and actions. It tries too hard to paint a picture of a valiant man, when in reality, Bush is hardly worthy of such praise. This book is entirely right-wing propaganda.

Rating:
Summary: "Honesty. Integrity. Clarity of purpose".
Review: Well researched and an easy read, this is a good portrait of President Bush and those who surround him, from the friends he made at Yale who are still the friends he holds dear and trusts, to those closest to him in the administration; especially interesting are sections on the two strong and brilliant women who are close to him, Condoleezza Rice and Karen Hughes.

There is a section in Chapter 9 on the inner workings of the White house, and how it got to be the complex place it is now, with digital locators tracking every move of the First Family that is fascinating, as well as a rundown of things that happened behind the scenes on and immediately after 9/11, and the deterioration of the FBI under Louis Freeh (appointed in '93), who disdained technology and let the computer system in the department become totally inadequate for the needs of the time.
Mr. Kessler also covers incidents by the previous occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, terrible examples of how power corrupts, and what rudeness to those that serve in menial positions says about the state of a soul, as I believe one can tell more about a person from observing how they treat a waitress than by reading their personal journal.
Sixteen pages of b&w photographs, notes indicating Mr. Kessler's sources, and a bibliography complete the volume.

If you are like some of my Liberal friends who have allowed hatred to close their minds to any rational view or open discussion about President Bush (and nothing obstructs the brain cells like hatred), this book will probably make you gag, not only because it presents a man who is intelligent, disciplined, immensely likable, but one who is able to laugh at his own foibles...and there are few more engaging traits than self-effacing humor.
As for myself, I admire and respect President Bush, for his convictions and his courage to implement them, and found this book if not a great book, very informative, and at times quite entertaining.