Bedford Public Library

Bush, Jean Edward Smith

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

contains biographical information

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Bush

bibliography

Jean Edward Smith

Distinguished presidential biographer Jean Edward Smith offers a critical yet fair biography of George W. Bush, showing how he ignored his advisors to make key decisions himself?most disastrously in invading Iraq?and how these decisions were often driven by the President?s deep religious faith. George W. Bush, the forty-third president of the United States, almost singlehandedly decided to invade Iraq. It was possibly the worst foreign-policy decision ever made by a president. The consequences dominated the Bush Administration and still haunt us today. In Bush, “America?s greatest living biographer” (George Will), Jean Edward Smith, demonstrates that it was not Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, or Condoleezza Rice, but President Bush himself who took personal control of foreign policy. Bush drew on his deep religious conviction that important foreign-policy decisions were simply a matter of good versus evil. Domestically, he overreacted to 9/11 and endangered Americans? civil liberties. Smith explains that it wasn?t until the financial crisis of 2008 that Bush finally accepted expert advice, something that the “Decider,” as Bush called himself, had previously been unwilling to do. As a result, he authorized decisions that saved the economy from possible collapse, even though some of those decisions violated Bush?s own political philosophy. Bush is a comprehensive evaluation of the Bush presidency?including Guantanamo, Katrina, No Child Left Behind, and other important topics?that will surely surprise many readers. Controversial, incisive, and compelling, it is thoroughly researched and sure to add to the debate over Bush?s presidential legacy

The wilderness years -- Turnaround -- "Don't mess with Texas" -- Governor -- The 2000 election -- The rule of law -- Inauguration -- March of the Hegelians -- Asleep at the switch -- Toppling the Taliban -- "L'état c'est moi" -- The torture trail -- Waging aggressive war: the prelude -- Invasion -- "Mission accomplished" -- Four more years -- Katrina -- Perils of a second term -- The mess in Mesopotamia -- Rummy walks the plank -- Bush takes command -- AIDS -- Quagmire of the vanities -- Financial Armageddon -- Finis