Bush's Rep on the Rebound

As he negotiates the publicity circuit with his memoir, Decision Points, former U.S. President George W. Bush’s popularity is steadily rising.

As he negotiates the publicity circuit with his memoir, Decision Points, former U.S. President George Bush’s popularity is steadily rising.

It’s not the book that’s capturing attention so much as Bush’s demeanor on a seemingly endless parade of interviews --  Matt Lauer, Oprah, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, etc. He comes across as friendly, funny, candid, unapologetic and with considerable dignity and class, exuding charm and professing neither resentment nor acrimony for critics who so savaged him while he was in office.

Bush’s refusal to comment or criticize his successor in the presidency -  declaring he doesn’t believe presidents should do this - makes the likes of Jimmy Carter look pathetic if not crass.

On his book tour, Carter went to considerable pains to depict himself as one of the great presidents. He blamed the late Ted Kennedy for sabotaging his healthcare reforms, and justified everything he did as president. To some, the Carter presidency resulted in American hostages in Iran and encouraged Soviet expansion throughout Africa.

Bush is relaxed in his role as a former president -- “comfortable in his skin” as the cliché goes. He did his best, and never demeaned the office of the presidency.

It’s hard to equate Bush’s view of the presidency with President Obama’s lobbying and shilling for Democratic candidates in the recent midterm elections, which didn’t much help the Democrats, but did reduce his stature as President.

Bush insists he would not campaign for Republican candidates, feeling it inappropriate for an ex-President.

The most critical aspect of Bush’s presidency was going to war against Iraq on the basis of the false belief that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Bush acknowledges this error, but notes that every reliable source believed Saddam had such weapons.

Reality – if one dares accept it – is that Saddam himself may well have believed he had WMDs. His own people may have lied to him in order to protect themselves from his reprisals if they admitted they had no WMDs.

Colin Powell didn’t purposely lie to the UN about these weapons – he accepted what his and every other intelligence agency told him. Yes, it was a mistake, and Bush admits it. But he also believes Saddam’s regime was tyrannical and that 25 million Iraqis are better off with him deposed, as are neighboring countries threatened by Saddam.

That’s a valid point, and Bush argues it calmly and persuasively.

There is little in Decision Points that’s new or unexpected. Bush says he wrote it to clarify his legacy – for future historians (and the public) to know his thinking at the time decisions were made.

Bush clearly enjoys his new role. He radiates American aristocracy -- as oddly, does Bill Clinton these days. Both seem to like each other, and neither mocks or belittles predecessors, as the frightful Jimmy Carter does.

So far, Barack Obama has neither Clinton’s nor Bush’s perspective, and seems unable to accept that he may make mistakes – witness his recent desire for bipartisan support, where in the past he advised Republicans “to get out of the way” while his Democrats  imposed reforms. Not very presidential. Kind of foolish.

As time passes, Bush the younger looks better. Recent polls show his 34% popularity when he left office, is now 46% and climbing. A good guy, fun to be with, now that he’s no longer the boss.