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This constant interaction with the press and their barrage of (sometimes) irrational questions, and the way that he handled such interaction, led him to more of a comfortable, and comfortable individual.
Condoleezza Rice was also portrayed in a very confident light, and the reader is often surprised to discover that she was many times a guiding force in regards to how the main characters of the book interacted. Another surprising aspect concerning Rice is the large degree of confidence President Bush has in her judgment.
Oftentimes Rice is portrayed in the book as a coordinator, and she believed that was her role. "...she didn't feel it was her place to tell the president that this wasn't likely or possible. She was a coordinator. If pressed hard after the president had heard the views of the others, she would give her opinion, but only then." (pg 144).
Rice's role as coordinator seemed to be more involved with the president than even Vice President Dick Cheney's role. Cheney was oftentimes out of the scene due to the overwhelming number of threats against either the President or the White House. Cheney's desire was to protect the line of ascension, and he did so many times by staying away from those threatened areas or personages. When he was on the scene, he played the part of the informed, and thoughtful advisor to the president. He was characterized as a quiet individual, "but when he spoke, everyone listened."
The book did an excellent job of describing all the main characters and their roles in the events that took place. Especially enlightening to the reader was how the book portrayed President Bush. Many of his comments as quoted in the book show him to be a thoughtful and intelligent human being. For example on page 144 he is quoted as saying; "In an interview, the president recalled this day. One of my jobs is to be provocative, he said, seriously, to provoke people into - to force decisions, and to make sure it's clear in everybody's mind where we are headed....I was...
Did he explain or warn Rice or the other war cabinet members that he was testing, planning on being provocative?" He says no, he was the commander and that he did not have to explain why he says the things he says. Many times he wishes to have an explanation as to why people in the War Cabinet do the things they do, but at the same time "I don't feel like I owe anybody and explanation." (pg 146).
The book did an excellent job of weaving in the events as they happened and how those events affected the President and his war council. It also included the many events that were also happening not in regards to war but were side effects to the decisions made by the main characters. The events were used more along the lines of a global perspective and how the different countries reacted to certain events was quite intriguing. The changing and vibrant viewpoints from various country heads and how those events were perceived was especially enlightening.
The author did an excellent job of weaving the events and the responses to those events into a book. The book's subject is not one of which bestsellers are made, but Woodward did a good enough job that such a status could be very viable.
A especially enjoyed the fact that the book did not try to take either the President's viewpoint, or a viewpoint that was against what the President thought.
Instead the book does a good job being very impartial, offering few comments as to why the president or his war cabinet made the decisions they made, but rather used their own words and explanations for what they were accomplishing, or at least trying to accomplish.
Works Cited
Woodward, Bob. (2002) Bush At War, New York: Simon & Schuster
Works Cited
Woodward, Bob. (2002) Bush At War, New York: Simon & Schuster
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