Ragnar Danneskjold
11-12-2010, 08:10 PM
OK... So earlier this week when it was released, my copy of Decision Points, by President George W. Bush, showed up on my Kindle. I just finished it tonight.
Wow. What a nice inside-baseball story this is. Sure... it's no secret that I was (mostly) in line with Bush on his major decisions. A fan of his will probably have more fun reading this book than a detractor will. But I would issue a challenge to those that opposed Bush during his term: read this book. I think some of your preconceived ideas will be blown out of the water.
Some things didn't surprise me. Some things did. As fits his usual practice, he doesn't ever really get nasty... even in the places I wish he would. He stays classy, even when he's digging on somebody that deserves it. Some don't come out all so well. He nails some folk that really needed it: Jacques Chirac, especiallly. Some back home that needed naming-of-names get named.
The whole thing is a remarkably candid story about some very important times. I've always wondered, in those shots where you see a President of the U.S. and the President of Russia sitting together at the Olympics... and they're chatting back and forth... what are they saying? Two of the most powerful men on the planet making smalltalk. What sort of smalltalk is that, exactly? Well... we find out... and frankly I was put back in my chair with what Bush told Putin at the Olympics in China. Damn... say what you want but he's got cajones.
The people I would recommend this book for the most, are people that hate him. Most of them won't bother, of course, but they would benefit the most. Someting loud and clear that comes through is the thoughtfulness that went into every single decision. You may not agree with each decision, but you cannot say after reading this that he ignored other points of view. He understood them in spades.
I would highly recommend this book. It was a fun read that I couldn't put down.
Wow. What a nice inside-baseball story this is. Sure... it's no secret that I was (mostly) in line with Bush on his major decisions. A fan of his will probably have more fun reading this book than a detractor will. But I would issue a challenge to those that opposed Bush during his term: read this book. I think some of your preconceived ideas will be blown out of the water.
Some things didn't surprise me. Some things did. As fits his usual practice, he doesn't ever really get nasty... even in the places I wish he would. He stays classy, even when he's digging on somebody that deserves it. Some don't come out all so well. He nails some folk that really needed it: Jacques Chirac, especiallly. Some back home that needed naming-of-names get named.
The whole thing is a remarkably candid story about some very important times. I've always wondered, in those shots where you see a President of the U.S. and the President of Russia sitting together at the Olympics... and they're chatting back and forth... what are they saying? Two of the most powerful men on the planet making smalltalk. What sort of smalltalk is that, exactly? Well... we find out... and frankly I was put back in my chair with what Bush told Putin at the Olympics in China. Damn... say what you want but he's got cajones.
The people I would recommend this book for the most, are people that hate him. Most of them won't bother, of course, but they would benefit the most. Someting loud and clear that comes through is the thoughtfulness that went into every single decision. You may not agree with each decision, but you cannot say after reading this that he ignored other points of view. He understood them in spades.
I would highly recommend this book. It was a fun read that I couldn't put down.