Reagan's Disciple: George W. Bush's Troubled Quest for a Presidential Legacy

George W. Bush ran for office promising to continue what conservative icon Ronald Reagan started, and two years into his first term, Bush was still being described as "Reagan's son." Today, with the Iraq War spinning out of control and the Democrats in charge of Congress, Republicans and the conservative movement have all but abandoned George W. Bush. What happened? Did Bush change, or did his party's perceptions? Has the war and Bush's performance on other issues derailed the larger goals of the Reagan Revolution— and even undermined its foundations? Or does the nation remain on a conservative path despite Bush's low standing with his fellow Americans?

In Reagan's Disciple, two widely respected reporter/ historians provide an authoritative and concise investigation into these issues. They describe the essence of the 40th and the 43rd presidencies, and compare them to shed new light on the history of the past three decades. They show both how extraordinary a leader Reagan was, and how preposterous the expectations for Bush were from the beginning. As Americans look toward choosing a new leader in 2008, Reagan's Disciple will serve as an instructive tale for Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike.

Carl M. Cannon is the White House correspondent for National Journal, the author of The Pursuit of Happiness in Times of War, and co-author of Boy Genius: Karl Rove, The Architect of George W. Bush's Remarkable Political Triumphs. He lives in Washington, D.C. Lou Cannon covered Ronald Reagan for thirty-six years, first as a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, later as The Washington Post White House correspondent. The author of five other books on Reagan including President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime, he lives in Summerland, California.