A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush - Softcover

Kessler, Ronald

3.64

203 ratings by Goodreads

9781595230140: A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1595230149 ISBN 13: 9781595230140

Publisher: Sentinel Trade, 2004

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A look at the real George W. Bush behind the public image draws on interviews with key players in the Bush administration, as well as with friends and colleagues, to reveal a man of clearly defined moral instinct and leadership style.

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Review:

George W. Bush is a direct and decisive man who is much nicer to his Secret Service agents than Bill Clinton was, according to author Ronald Kessler, and smarter than his critics believe him to be. A Matter of Character, Kessler's examination of the 43rd U.S. President, treads lightly on policy issues as the author instead focuses on Bush's positive personality traits and relates how those traits are positive indicators of his ability as a policymaker and leader of the world's lone superpower. Kessler spoke to several Bush cabinet members, long time friends of Bush, and other associates who speak, perhaps not surprisingly, in glowing terms of what a great guy he is. As for the criticisms of Bush, such as handling of pre-9/11 intelligence, the war in Iraq, and the economy, Kessler dismisses them as the product of jealous former employees, and a pervasive, biased liberal media (particularly Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank). By attacking the accusers instead of thoroughly dissecting the accusations, Kessler misses out on an opportunity to defend the president in a more substantive way. The portrait that ultimately emerges of Bush is not a particularly complicated one. He appears to be a man without flaw, and the book presents a similarly simple view of the greater political landscape: Bush and his allies as honest, shrewd, and virtuous, all others as jerks, fools, and ditherers. A Matter of Character lacks the complexity of Plan of Attack, the book Bob Woodward wrote after gaining similarly close access to Bush and his cabinet. It's more like a forceful piece of campaign material, passionate in its advocacy of the candidate and complete with a heroic black-and-white photograph on the cover, which will give Bush supporters plenty to cheer about. --John Moe

About the Author:

Ronald Kessler, an investigative journalist, is the bestselling author of fourteen nonfiction books, including Inside the White House, The Bureau, and The CIA at War. A former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, he has won sixteen journalism awards—including two George Polk awards, one for national reporting and one for community service.

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