Second-Term Blues: How George W. Bush Has Governed - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0815728840 ISBN 13: 9780815728849

Publisher: Brookings Institution Press and AEI, 2007

Synopsis

American presidents typically spend much of their first term trying to ensure a second term. Yet those "four more years!" are usually disappointing, replete with scandal, squabbling, plummeting approval, and few accomplishments. Thus far, George W. Bush's second term has largely followed that unfortunate pattern. In Second-Term Blues, John Fortier and Norman Ornstein lead a stellar cast of political analysts illuminating the priorities, governing tendencies, and leadership style of a president trying to steady his ship in rocky seas. While the media obsess over who will be elected, they rarely ask how a candidate would govern if elected. For example, how would the president approach other political institutions? Would foreign policy stress caution and coordination, or will the U.S. "go it alone"? What would be the tone of public persona and rhetoric? This is the first in-depth analysis of Bush's second go-round from that perspective. The contributors include some of the shrewdest and best known observers of U.S. politics. David Sanger (New York Times) reveals how Bush's foreign policy, particularly on Iraq, defines and restricts his presidency. Dan Balz (Washington Post) dissects America's changing political mood and considers how the president's personal style fits into that milieu. Charles O. Jones, former president of the American Political Science Association, defines Bush's executive style: "Seemingly, where narrow-margin politics appears to call for sensitive mastery of Congress, President Bush employs an unrelenting executive style, among the most intense ever." In addition, Carla Robbins of the New York Times and Fred Greenstein of Princeton University make insightful contributions. This important book considers how all of this helps explain what we've seen coming out of Washington since 2001 and what it may portend for the future.

About this title

About the Author:

John C. Fortier is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for The Hill. He is the author of Absentee Voting and Early Voting: Trends, Promises, and Perils (AEI, 2006). Norman J.Ornstein is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. He also serves as an election analyst for CBS News and writes a weekly column,"Congress Inside Out," for Roll Call.

Review:

"Although the book addresses a topic that many find confusing, the authors explain terms and issues clearly and concisely and make the topic easily accessible to the lay reader. The book offers insightful analysis of the important questions surrounding campaign finance laws and is an excellent reason for anyone interested in money and campaigns. Essential." —R. L. Welch, West Texas A& M University, CHOICE, 3/1/2007

"Those interested in presidential history, President Bush, and recent history will highly enjoy reading this book." — Curled Up with a Good Book, 9/20/2007

"As a worked aimed at alerting the media and the broader public to the issues of governing, Second-Term Blues succeeds admirably. Each of the chapters provides important historical background information pertaining to the George W. Bush presidency and each offers important and accessible insights into the performance of this president....it should be useful reading for anyone interested in understanding [Bush's] complex and controversial presidency." —James M. Penning, Calvin College, American Review of Politics

About this edition

• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press and AEI
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0815728840
• ISBN 13: 9780815728849
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 146
• Editor: Fortier John C., Ornstein Norman J.