Julian E. Zelizer: 5 Myths about George W. Bush
[Julian E. Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, is the editor of"The Presidency of George W. Bush: A First Historical Assessment."]
September 11. Katrina. Iraq. These events will be forever linked with the presidency of George W. Bush. Now, with the release of his memoir,"Decision Points," the former president has the chance to defend his record and explain his actions. But as historians and the public alike look back on the Bush White House, will we be able to move past the persistent myths that endure about those tumultuous eight years?
1. George W. Bush was an uninformed Texas cowboy.
Nobody loved this myth more than Bush himself. During his 2000 campaign against Vice President Al Gore, Bush went to great lengths to depict himself as the down-home Texan whom voters could relate to. Even on a weekend when Gov. Bush was considering as momentous a choice as his vice-presidential running mate, reporters watched as Bush climbed into his sport utility vehicle and drove down the dirt roads of his Crawford ranch.
That image, of course, was at odds with his upbringing. Bush was born in New Haven, Conn., and his family moved to Texas seeking to establish an economic beachhead in the region's oil industry. With a grandfather who served as U.S. Senator from Connecticut and a father who worked as an oil executive before leading the CIA and eventually becoming president, Bush had plenty of blue in his blood. (The Andover-Yale-Harvard trifecta didn't hurt, either.)
Again in 2004, Republicans deployed the president's folksy image and manner of speech, contrasting Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry (the elitist who windsurfs off Nantucket) with Bush (the guy you'd rather have a beer with - even if he doesn't drink.)...
Read entire article at WaPo
September 11. Katrina. Iraq. These events will be forever linked with the presidency of George W. Bush. Now, with the release of his memoir,"Decision Points," the former president has the chance to defend his record and explain his actions. But as historians and the public alike look back on the Bush White House, will we be able to move past the persistent myths that endure about those tumultuous eight years?
1. George W. Bush was an uninformed Texas cowboy.
Nobody loved this myth more than Bush himself. During his 2000 campaign against Vice President Al Gore, Bush went to great lengths to depict himself as the down-home Texan whom voters could relate to. Even on a weekend when Gov. Bush was considering as momentous a choice as his vice-presidential running mate, reporters watched as Bush climbed into his sport utility vehicle and drove down the dirt roads of his Crawford ranch.
That image, of course, was at odds with his upbringing. Bush was born in New Haven, Conn., and his family moved to Texas seeking to establish an economic beachhead in the region's oil industry. With a grandfather who served as U.S. Senator from Connecticut and a father who worked as an oil executive before leading the CIA and eventually becoming president, Bush had plenty of blue in his blood. (The Andover-Yale-Harvard trifecta didn't hurt, either.)
Again in 2004, Republicans deployed the president's folksy image and manner of speech, contrasting Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry (the elitist who windsurfs off Nantucket) with Bush (the guy you'd rather have a beer with - even if he doesn't drink.)...