A matter of character : inside the White House of George W. Bush / Ronald Kessler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kessler, Ronald, 1943-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-.

Bush, George W.

Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946---Ethics.

Character--Case studies.

Character.

Presidents--United States--Biography.

Presidents.

Ethics.

United States.

Genre:

Biographies.

Case studies.

Physical Description:

xii, 306 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Sentinel, 2004.

Summary:

Honesty. Integrity. Clarity of purpose. These are the qualities that Ronald Kessler, author of the New York Times best-seller Inside the White House, discovered while investigating our current president who is so scrutinized -- and so criticized -- at home and around the world. After digging deeply into the inner sanctum of the White House and George W. Bush's personal life, 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 repeated 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 America'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. The pressures of the White House always expose the true character of any president. In this election year, as Americans reevaluate the qualifications and policies of George W. Bush, they will conclude that the most important consideration is character. And if all you know of Bush is what you've heard from the media, prepare to be surprised.

Contents:

1. Neither Fish Nor Fowl 5

2. The Sky's the Limit 13

3. A Practical Mind 23

4. Dipping Snuff 34

5. Oil Hustling 40

6. The Nomad 46

7. Dick and Jane 56

8. We Made It 70

9. Potomac Fever 80

10. Why Johnny Still Can't Read 91

11. A Trip on Air Force One 104

12. Spite 114

13. Eat, Sleep, and Be Merry 129

14. Sarasota 136

15. "I Hear You!" 149

16. Sneak and Peak 163

17. An Agent for Change 171

18. "Mr. Bush Okay!" 186

19. Sixteen Words 193

20. Bushie 206

21. Malleable Facts 219

22. A Leak 242

23. Baghdad 256

24. Liberal Ends, Conservative Means 265

25. The CEO President 274.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1595230009

OCLC:

55587227