Bush's essential choice

Does he want to be in charge more than he wants to be successful?

Comments

[Jay@Soob]

I think he wants to be ultimately right with little regard to success or control.

[JRRICHARD]

He already knows he's right. He's not sure if he's in charge and isn't sure if he should/wants to be. Thinks everything will work out fine in the end. He needs to have a talk with the VP. We do Iran and our allies soon number one-- another good-sized system perturbation. I'd say Hezbollah gets active. the jihadist festival should be fun.

[William R. Cumming]

The assumption is that the President is insensitive or insulated. But from the standard of place in history, it is almost impossible to know where he will stand. It is fascinating that he has not been totally repudiated by even the majority of announced candidates for the Presidency in 2008. We know that anti-war fever could possibly drive the 2008 election, but there is no evidence that the fact of that election dominates this President's thinking. After all a quick Cheney resignation for health or other reasons would allow a major reshaping of the 2008 race. What impact would the selection of a Lieberman (converted by his hand to Republican dominance) by Bush as the sitting Vice President have on the 2008 election. It certainly would deprive the Democratic Party of a majority of the Senate. Maybe the blueprint of history has not yet been totally revealed.

[RKKA]

Look at how he did with every other organization he's ever had a hand in running. He ran them into the ground, because he goes with his "gut feeling" and sticks with it, despite the accumulation of indicators that he's made bad decisions. That's his pattern, established over decades.

I don't understand how people can think he'd do any different now.

[John McNamara]

The premise of the question is wrong. It doesn't matter whether any of us think he wants to be in charge. As CIC he IS in charge, just like Clinton before him, and so on. Unlike Clinton though, or Carter, when Bush is out of office, he'll retire to Texas and we'll rarely hear from him again, so I don't think he particularly relishes being in charge. The question of whether that trumps his desire to be successful is seems to suggest more about the views of the questioner than any answer could satisfy. Does any president want be unsuccessful?

[emjayinc]

W was right that we had a long way to go after 9/11- being put in charge of a system perturbation was not his choice, but his fate. The way he has stuck to his guns is evidence of an inner compass and gyro, I might call it a spiritual center. Being right, at least in his own mind, points pretty close to true north. What he seems to be mostly in charge of is himself, the rest is subject to the personality and process issues with which he deals--or doesn't. Others strive to control the herd of cats, allowing W to follow his compass. Being right in his own mind doesn't mean he can't change directions -- it only means he won't be stampeded by the voice of the mob, and is able thus to give time some time. Given the alternatives available in 2000 and 2004, I prefer the course we've taken, which has left a crooked wake, to one that would have featured a U turn.

[jamzo]

from what i see bush has a small active role, ii do not think he participates much, he is the "decider", he exercises several hours every day, and spends a large amount of time traveling to town meetings, troop assemblies, factory tours, and other places to generate news clips that enable the administration to have their viewpoint expressed in every news cycle

cheney & rummey seem to run war, terror, spying, international relations things and rove, gonzalez and bartlett seem to run domestic things

[Tom Barnett]

I gotta write more short, enigmatic posts.

Seem to get the best comments on them!