Rebel-in-Chief

[Adam's Apple]

Just finished reading Fred Barnes' new book about President Bush, Rebel-in-Chief. For anyone interested in getting a good look at President Bush as a politician and the current culture that dominates in Washington, D.C., this is a good book to read. Very insightful as to why Bush is hated so much by those who operate in Washington's environs.

 

[NATO AIR]

I'm sorry but I just read this book on my flight back from Hong Kong and think its utter crap.

Which is very sad because I really used to enjoy much of Fred Barnes' ideas and viewpoints.

This book was akin to a positive celebrity profile, free publicity for the president (and yes, i will admit that he does deserve some, as the competition has stacked both the debate and the odds against him with their demonizing of the president and his policies).

He portrays D.C. as still a very much liberal-run city (as far as the "beltway"... lobbyists, movers and shakers, leaders). That's total bunk, as anyone who has read from the man's own magazine (Weekly Standard) or other mags (The New Republic, The Economist) could tell you from articles they've published over the past 4 years about the mid-life of the GOP-controlled Washington since 1994. (in reference to lobbyists, corruption, influence peddling (of the legal and the dubious).

Half the time he's offering up Bush as some Messiah type figure. This is just pathetic. If you want my copy, I'll send it to you and you can give it to a friend. As it was the only book available for purchase of note at the BX in Yokota, I snatched it up hoping for a good read. How wrong I was.

You want a more honest, insightful portrayal of a public leader in the WOT that, while more narrow in scope of both length and issues, is far more superior? Go with "Thirty Days", by Peter Stothard. Neither book is very good compared to the wonderful biographies of presidents past, but Stothard's is far superior to Barnes lovefest.

 

[NATO AIR]

Oh forgive me, an even better book is "the Accidental American" by James Naughtie.

 

[Adam's Apple]

If you don't like Bush, you won't like Barnes' book, that's for sure. I like Bush and, from many of the other books I have read about Washington's culture, I could identify with many of the things Barnes writes about. The Democrats controlled Washington, D.C. for years--up until the mid-90s--so I don't think the current environment was caused by the Republicans coming to town ten years ago. The friction and extreme polarization comes from the "new" trying to change the "old" and "ingrained" ways of thinking. So far the Republicans haven't been successful in ridding Washington of that. There's still too strong a bond between the "old timers" and the MSM.

 

[NATO AIR]

If you don't like Bush, you won't like Barnes' book, that's for sure. I like Bush and, from many of the other books I have read about Washington's culture, I could identify with many of the things Barnes writes about. The Democrats controlled Washington, D.C. for years--up until the mid-90s--so I don't think the current environment was caused by the Republicans coming to town ten years ago. The friction and extreme polarization comes from the "new" trying to change the "old" and "ingrained" ways of thinking. So far the Republicans haven't been successful in ridding Washington of that. There's still too strong a bond between the "old timers" and the MSM.

I don't mind Bush at all. Some of the people around him are anthema to me, but that isn't my problem with the book. Its all fluff, very little substance.