Tuesday, January 18, 2011

George W. Bush : Decision Points


I have been reading a copy of the new George W. Bush book "Decision Points".

I received it as a birthday gift and I have been enjoying it for the past few weeks.

I don't think the former Presidents writing style is all that interesting, and he skips over large sections of his life, but there are many interesting revelations.

I had always thought Dick Cheney was gunning for the job of Vice-President. Turns out that he really didn't want the job! He encouraged George W. to look at other men for the job. Bush seriously considered Senator Jack Danforth of Missouri, but eventually realized he admired Cheneys intellect and skills too much to not offer him the position. Cheney was worried about his daughter being gay being a distraction to the election. Bush told him not to worry about it -- that he didn't care.

As a former political candidate myself, I enjoyed hearing the former Presidents perspective on how his life had run an unusual course. Sure, he was the son of a President, but that didn't guarantee him any success.

I really liked the former Presidents comparison of different parts of his life.
His amazement at his own personal turnaround was very revealing.

He said in the book that on his 40th birthday, he had woken up drunk.
A huge failure in business and in life.
On his 50th birthday, he was celebrating being re-elected as Governor of Texas and was being mentioned as a possible candidate for President of the United States.