Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush: on Principles & Values
Al Gore:
OpEd: Stiff and aloof candidate, but formidable and tough
Al Gore was a talented man and an accomplished politician. Like me, he had graduated from an Ivy League school and had a father in politics. But our personalities seemed pretty different. He appeared stiff, serious, and aloof. It looked like he had been
running for president his entire life. He brought together a formidable coalition of cultural elites & labor unions. He was plenty capable of engaging in class-warfare populism. He was also V.P. during an economic boom. He would be tough to beat.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 73-74
Nov 9, 2010
Bob Dole:
OpEd 1996: After first Baby Boom president, no reaching back
In 1996, the Republican Party had nominated Sen. Bob Dole, a World War II hero who had built a distinguished legislative record. I admired Sen. Dole. I thought he would make a good president, and I campaigned hard for him in Texas. But I worried that our
party had not recognized the generational politics lesson of 1992: Once voters had elected a president from the Baby Boomer generation, they were not likely to reach back. Sure enough, Sen. Dole carried Texas, but Pres. Clinton won reelection.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 59
Nov 9, 2010
Colin Powell:
2000: Selected for State because admired at home & abroad
The first selection for the Cabinet was easy. Colin Powell would be secretary of state. I had first met Colin at Camp David in 1989, when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He and Dick Cheney had come to brief Dad on the surrender of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Colin was wearing his army uniform. In contrast to the formality of his dress, he was good-natured and friendly.
He spoke to everyone in the room, even bystanders like the president's children.Colin was widely admired at home and had a huge presence around the world. He would credibly defend
American interests and values, from a stronger NATO to freer trade. I believed Colin could be the second coming of George Marshall, a soldier turned statesman.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 83
Nov 9, 2010
Dick Cheney:
2004: Offered that Bush run for re-election with another VP
In mid-2003, Dick made a startling comment: "You should feel free to run for reelection with someone else. No hard feelings." I asked about his health. He said his heart was fine. He just thought I should have the option to refashion the ticket.
His offer impressed me. It was so atypical in power-hungry Washington. It confirmed the reasons I'd picked Dick in the first place.I did consider his offer, about the possibility of asking Bill Frist. While Dick helped with important parts of our base
he had become a lightning rod for criticism. One myth was that Dick was actually running the White House . Everyone inside the building knew that was not true. But the impression was out there. Accepting Dick's offer would be one way to demonstrate that
I was in charge.
The more I thought about it, the more strongly I felt Dick should stay. I hadn't picked him to be a political asset; I had chosen him to help me do the job. That was exactly what he had done. Most important, I trusted Dick.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 86-87
Nov 9, 2010
George Bush Sr.:
1970: Ran for Senate unsuccessfully a second time
In 1970, Dad ran for the Senate again. We felt good about his chances in a rematch against Ralph Yarborough. But Yarborough had become so unpopular that he lost his primary to Lloyd Bentsen, a conservative Democrat. Dad ran a good race, but again came up
short. The lesson was that it was still very tough to get elected as a Republican in Texas.Soon there was another lesson. Defeat, while painful, is not always the end. Shortly after the 1970 election, Pres. Nixon made Dad ambassador to the UN. Then, i
1973, Nixon asked Dad to head the Republican National Committee. It turned out to be a valuable lesson in crisis management when Dad guided the party through the Watergate scandal.
Ford offered Dad his pick of ambassadorships in London or Paris,
traditionally the most coveted diplomatic posts. Dad had told him he would rather go to China, and he & Mother spent 14 fascinating months in Beijing. They came home when Ford asked Dad to head the CIA. Not a bad run for a twice-defeated Senate candidate
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 19
Nov 9, 2010
George Bush Sr.:
1988 cover of Newsweek: "Fighting the Wimp Factor"
One of my tasks [on my Dad's presidential campaign] was to sort through journalists' requests for profile pieces. When Margaret Warner of "Newsweek" told us she wanted to do an interview, I recommended that we cooperate. Margaret was talented and seemed
willing to write a fair piece. Dad agreed.Mother called me the morning the magazine hit the newsstands. "Have you seen "Newsweek"? They called your father a wimp," she growled.
I quickly tracked down a copy and was greeted by the screaming headline
: "Fighting the Wimp Factor." I couldn't believe it. The magazine was insinuating that my father, a World War II bomber pilot, was a wimp. I was red-hot. I got Margaret on the phone. She politely asked what I thought of the story.
I impolitely told her I thought she was part of a political ambush. She muttered something about her editors and hung up. From then on, I was suspicious of political journalists and their unseen editors.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 43-44
Nov 9, 2010
George W. Bush:
1977: Met Laura in July; proposed in Sept.; married in Nov.
Back home in Midland in July 1977, an old friend wanted me to meet Laura Welch. She was gorgeous. She was intelligent and dignified, with a warm & easy laugh. If there is love at first sight, this was it.Laura and I discovered that we had grown up nea
each other and both attended San Jacinto Junior High. We had even lived in the same apartment complex in Houston.
I've never been afraid to make a decision, and in late September I made a big one. I said, "Let's get married." She said yes right away.
Ours had been a whirlwind romance, but we were ready to commit.
We picked the first Saturday available, Nov. 5, 1977. We had a small wedding with family and close friends in Midland. We had no ushers, no bridesmaids, and no groomsmen. It was just me,
Laura, and her dad to walk her down the aisle.
I believe there is a reason Laura and I never met all those years before. God brought her into my life at just the right time, when I was ready to settle down and was open to having a partner at my side.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 26-27
Nov 9, 2010
George W. Bush:
Religion in youth more a tradition than spiritual experience
Religion had always been part of my life, but I really wasn't a believer. I never went to church at Yale. I did go when I visited my parents, but my primary mission was to avoid irritating Mother. Laura and I started going regularly after the girls were
born, because we felt a responsibility to expose them to faith.I read the Bible occasionally and saw it as a kind of self-improvement course. But for the most part, religion was more of a tradition than a spiritual experience.
In the summer of 1985,
I was captivated by meeting Billy Graham. There's nothing wrong with using the Bible as a guide to self-improvement, he said. But self-improvement is not really the point of the Bible. The center of Christianity is not the self. It is Christ.
Billy had planted a seed. His thoughtful explanation had made the soil less firm and the brambles less thick. I could not have quit drinking without faith. I also don't think my faith would be as strong if I hadn't quit drinking.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 30-34
Nov 9, 2010
George W. Bush:
More than anyone, understood what run for president meant
More than almost any other candidate in history, I understood what running for president would entail. I had watched Dad endure grueling months on the campaign trail, under the constant scrutiny of a skeptical press. I had seen his record distorted, his
character attacked, his appearance mocked. I had witnessed friends turn against him and aides abandon him. I knew how hard it was to win. And I knew how much it hurt to lose.I worried most about our 17-year-old daughters, Barbara & Jenna. I had learne
that being the child of a politician is tougher than being a politician yourself. I understood the pain and frustration that comes with hearing your dad called nasty names. I knew how it felt to worry every time you turned on the TV. And I knew what it
was like to live with the thought that any innocent slip could embarrass the president of the US. I had gone through all of this in my 40s. My girls would be in college when I took office. I could only imagine how much more difficult it would be for them
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 35-37
Nov 9, 2010
George W. Bush:
1999: Felt call to run like Moses called to lead
The key question was whether I felt the call to run [for president]. During my second inauguration as governor, as we walked into the church, I told Mother I had been struggling with the decision. "George," she said, "get over it. Make up your mind, and
move on."Rev. Mark Craig, in his sermon, spoke about when God called Moses to action. Moses' first response was disbelief: "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?" He had every excuse in the book. He hadn't led a perfect life; he wasn't sure if people
would follow him; he couldn't even speak that clearly. That sounded a little familiar.
Mark described God's reassurance that Moses would have the power to perform the task he had been called to do. Then Mark summoned the congregation to action. Like
Moses, he concluded, "We have the opportunity, each and every one of us, to do the right thing, and for the right reason."
Then Mother caught my eye and mouthed, "He is talking to you." After the service, the pressure evaporated. I felt a sense of calm
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 60-61
Nov 9, 2010
Gerald Ford:
1980: Reagan considered offering "co-presidency"
Dad announced his candidacy for the 1980 presidential election. He was a long shot against Ronald Reagan, but he ran a strong campaign in Iowa and won an upset victory in the caucus. Unfortunately, his hot streak ran out amid the cold winters of
New Hampshire. Reagan defeated him there and continued on to the Republican nomination.There was a lot of speculation about whom Reagan would choose for vice president. At the convention in
Detroit, he was in discussion with Gerald Ford about some sort of co-presidency. They agreed it wouldn't work--a good decision. Then Reagan called Dad and asked him to be his running mate--an even better decision.
On election night, the Reagan-Bush ticket crushed Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale 489-49 in the Electoral College.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 42
Nov 9, 2010
Howard Dean:
OpEd: Pres. Bush hoped Dean would get Dem. Nomination
On New Year's Day 2004, Karl Rove had developed a solid campaign strategy. "If we do this right, it will come out just fine," I said. "Especially if they nominate Howard Dean." I knew the
Democratic front-runner, the former governor of Vermont, from events we had attended in the 1990s. Dean was loud, shrill, and undisciplined. I was pulling hard for him to get the nomination.
Unfortunately, Dean's lead evaporated before he won a single delegate. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts claimed an upset victory in Iowa, won the New Hampshire primary, and cruised to the nomination.
A Vietnam veteran and four-term senator, Kerry was a hard worker, a polished debater, and a tough campaigner. I considered him a formidable opponent.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p.287
Nov 9, 2010
John Kerry:
OpEd: Bush & Rove saw flip-flop theme as key opening
Kerry claimed an upset victory in Iowa, won the New Hampshire primary, and cruised to the nomination. A Vietnam veteran and four-term senator, Kerry was a hard worker, a polished debater, and a tough campaigner. I considered him a formidable opponent.
Kerry also had weaknesses. He had the process-oriented mindset of a longtime legislator and a voting record that qualified as the most liberal in the Senate. In the fall of 2003, he had voted against an $87 billion bill to fund troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Shortly after he clinched the nomination, my campaign ran an ad highlighting his position. Kerry responded, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."
I spoke to Karl the moment I heard the sound bite. "There's
our opening," I said. "The American people expect their president to take a clear stand and defend it, especially when it comes to supporting troops in combat." We grabbed the "flip-flop" theme and ran with it for the rest of the campaign.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p.287-288
Nov 9, 2010
John McCain:
Bush: "I didn't campaign for McCain because he didn't ask"
On Tuesday, November 4, Senator Barack Obama was elected president of the United States. My preference had been John McCain. I believed he was better prepared to assume the Oval Office amid a global war and financial crisis. I didn't campaign for him, in
part because I was busy with the economic situation, but mostly because he didn't ask. I understood he had to establish his independence. I also suspected he was worried about the polls. I thought it looked defensive for John to distance himself from me.
I was confident I could have helped him make his case. But the decision was his. I was disappointed I couldn't do more to help him.The economy wasn't the only factor working against the Republican candidate.
Like Dad in 1992 and Bob Dole in 1996, McCain was on the wrong side of generational politics. At seventy-two, he was a decade older than I was and one of the oldest presidential nominees ever.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p.466
Nov 9, 2010
John Roberts:
1990s: Argued dozens of cases before Supreme Court
I knew John Roberts' record: top of his class at Harvard and Harvard Law School. Law clerk to Justice Rehnquist, dozens of cases argued before the Supreme Court. Roberts had been nominated to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in
1992, but he wasn't confirmed before the election. I had nominated him to a seat on the same court in 2001. He was confirmed in 2003 and had established a solid record. Behind the sparkling resume was a genuine man with a gentle soul.
He had a quick smile and spoke with a passion about the two young children he and his wife, Jane, had adopted. His command of the law was obvious, as was his character.I believed Roberts would be a natural leader. I didn't worry about him drifting
away from his principles over time. He described his philosophy of judicial modesty with a baseball analogy that stuck with me: "A good judge is like an umpire--and no umpire thinks he is the most important person on the field."
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 98
Nov 9, 2010
Ronald Reagan:
1980: Victory in New Hampshire primary sealed nomination
Dad announced his candidacy for the 1980 presidential election. He was a long shot against Ronald Reagan, but he ran a strong campaign in Iowa and won an upset victory in the caucus. Unfortunately, his hot streak ran out amid the cold winters of
New Hampshire. Reagan defeated him there and continued on to the Republican nomination.There was a lot of speculation about whom Reagan would choose for vice president. At the convention in
Detroit, he was in discussion with Gerald Ford about some sort of co-presidency. They agreed it wouldn't work--a good decision. Then Reagan called Dad and asked him to be his running mate--an even better decision.
On election night, the Reagan-Bush ticket crushed Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale 489-49 in the Electoral College.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 42
Nov 9, 2010
Ross Perot:
OpEd 1992: caused "two-front battle" in Bush election fight
Pat Buchanan, the far-right commentator, challenged Dad in the New Hampshire primary and came away with 37 percent--a serious protest vote.
To make matters worse, Texas billionaire Ross Perot decided to mount a third-party campaign. He preyed on disillusioned conservatives with his anti-deficit, anti-trade rhetoric. One of
Perot's campaign centers was across the street from my office in Dallas. Looking out the window was like watching a daily tracking poll.
Cadillacs and SUVs lined up to collect Perot bumper stickers and yard signs. I realized Dad would have to fight a two-front battle for reelection, with Perot on one flank and the Democratic nominee on the other.
Source: Decision Points, by Pres. George W. Bush, p. 48-50
Nov 9, 2010
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