Decision Points

"Decision Points was actually a surprisingly good read. Not only does Bush give some pretty good general political insights ("I learned that allowing your opponent to define you is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in a campaign", "On my ninth day as president, my domestic policy team gathered in the Oval Office. Everyone was on time. That was what I expected. Timeliness is important to make sure an organization does not get sloppy"), but he also wrote with (what seemed like) real candor and transparency (for non-classified stuff). His honesty about his drinking problem and later totally quitting drinking was really powerful. I also thought that his explanation of his handling of the stem cell issue was particularly even-handed - and turned out to be vindicated after the discovery of non-fetal stem cells. There also were certainly some tear-jerker moments in the book - particularly regarding 9/11 victims and military casualties. Overall, I got the sense that Bush was a genius at personal relationships and was no slouch intellectually. He had a very coherent worldview (even if you don't believe with some of his fundamental beliefs - like American exceptionalism).<br/><br/>A few of my favorite passages:<br/><br/>Regarding how history will judge him:<br/>"That is the nature of the presidency. Perceptions are shaped by the clarity of hindsight. In the moment of decision, you don’t have that advantage. On 9/11, I vowed that I would do what it took to protect America, within the Constitution and laws of our nation. History can debate the decisions I made, the policies I chose, and the tools I left behind. But there can be no debate about one fact: After the nightmare of September 11, America went seven and a half years without another successful terrorist attack on our soil. If I had to summarize my most meaningful accomplishment as president in one sentence, that would be it"<br/><br/>Regarding government as an institution:<br/>"Our government would be more productive—and our politics more civilized—if congressional districts were drawn by panels of nonpartisan elders instead of partisan state legislatures. This would make for more competitive general elections and a less polarized Congress. Making the change would require politicians to give up some of their power, never an easy task. But for future presidents looking to tackle a big problem, this would be a worthy one to take on."<br/><br/>Regarding Kanye's "George Bush hates black people" quote:<br/>"I faced a lot of criticism as president. I didn’t like hearing people claim I had lied about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction or cut taxes to benefit the rich. But the suggestion that I was a racist because of the response to Katrina represented an all-time low. I told Laura at the time that it was the worst moment of my presidency. I feel the same way today"<br/><br/>In response to asking Hu Jintao what kept him up at night:<br/>"He quickly replied that his biggest concern was creating twenty-five million new jobs a year. I found his answer fascinating. It was honest. It showed he was worried about the impact of disaffected, unemployed masses. It explained his government’s policies in resource-rich places like Iran and Africa. And it was a signal that he was a practical leader focused inward, not an ideologue likely to stir up trouble abroad"<br/>"