The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush (Thorndike Press Large Print Americana Series) - Hardcover

Frum, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786254351 ISBN 13: 9780786254354

Publisher: Thorndike Pr, 2003

Synopsis

The Right Man is the first inside account of a historic year in the Bush White House, by the presidential speechwriter credited with the phrase axis of evil. David Frum helped make international headlines when President George W. Bush's 2002 State of the Union address linked international terrorists to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. But that was only one moment during a crucial time in American history, when a president, an administration, and a country were transformed. Frum not only worked with Bush in the Oval Office, but travelled with him aboard Air Force One, and studied him closely at meetings and events. He describes how Bush thinks-what this conservative president believes about religion, race, the environment, Jews, Muslims, and America's future. Frum takes us behind the scenes of one of the most secretive administrations in recent history. Most significant, he tells the story of Bush's transformation: how a president whose administration began in uncertainty became one of the most decisive, successful, and in the US at least, popular leaders of our time. Frum is a front-row observer and participant. Not since Peggy Noonan's account of her time in the Reagan White House has an insider portrayed a sitting president with such precision, verve, honest admiration, and insight. The Right Man will command international attention for its thoughtful account of George W. Bush in the midst of his greatest challenge. It will be an essential reference for anyone seeking to understand who the US president really is and how he is likely to lead his country and the western world in the future.

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Review:

According to former White House speechwriter David Frum in The Right Man, George W Bush is "a good man who is not a weak man. He is impatient, quick to anger; sometimes glib, even dogmatic, often uncurious, and as a result ill-informed." Frum chronicles a tenure spent serving a president whom he comes to admire more after the events of September 11, 2001.

It is after working with Bush in times of war that Frum says of him "outweighing the faults are his virtues: decency, honesty, rectitude, courage, and tenacity." The Right Man creates an arc in that Frum is originally dubious of Bush's leadership capacity and ends up sold on Bush as commander-in-chief. But in truth, Frum never has far to go. He's impressed with Bush from the start and when war comes, he's more impressed. Fortunately, there are entertaining helpings of candour: the stringent White House dress code, infighting among cabinet members, and unbelievably cool Air Force One trips. Also of particular interest are events surrounding the controversial phrase "axis of evil": Frum helps coin it, his wife boasts of that fact in an e-mail to friends, the e-mail is widely forwarded, and, soon after, Frum resigns.

The Right Man is a multifaceted glimpse at the life of a White House insider and a president in a time of crisis; it should appeal to readers curious to learn about the inner workings of the American presidency. --John Moe

Review:

As you know David Frum was with us for two and a half days (28,29 and 30 May) to promote his "brilliant insider account of the Bush presidency" (Michael Gove, The Times) and we have arranged a solid programme of back-to-back book-based publicity on broadcast news programmes. We kick off with Start the Week(BBC1), and other highlights include Newsnight (BBC2) on Monday, a half hourspecial on Sky News, the Simon Mayo Show (BBC Radio 5) on Tuesday and BBC Breakfast (BBC1) on Wednesday which will also air on BBC Online, BBC World, BBCNews24. Additional publicity includes an interview for Scotland on Sunday newspaper and Good Morning Scotland (the Scottish equivalent of the Today programme), The Right Hook on Newstalk 106 in Dublin, Late Night Live on ABC Radioin Australia, the David Prever Show on LBC (transmission date of 6 May), andHardtalk with Tim Sebastian on News24. In addition, David Frum will be profiled in a Panorama special on BBC1 which will air in June - I'll let you know as soon as we have a confirmed transmission date. Informal signings include Politicos, Hatchards, and Blackwells. Reviews are also looking good with the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph already confirmed - more news next week. David has also written an early article for the EVENING STANDARD which ran on 27March and the EVENING HERALD (28 March). A hugely successful visit, with David also having meetings with eminent historians including David Pryce Jones, Andrew Roberts and William Shawcross. And Andrew Marr giving us a big plug inthe Daily Telegraph (30 April) and Mark Steyn giving us another in the DailyTelegraph on 13 May. Reviews are now coming in: "Frum's intriguing memoir covers an apocalyptic period in American presidential politics."THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Do read this book....... this well-written and highly intelligent analysisof Bush's presidency is a surprise, just as the presidency has surprised Frum, who joined George W. after his inauguration, despite thinking him intellectually muddled. 'MICHAEL PORTILLO, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH "In this revealing book, David Frum has given us a ringside view of George W Bush's presidency. Itshows us a politician who is more agile, imaginative and measured than his opponents, at home and abroad, ever suspected. It is fascinating stuff."GEORGEOSBORNE, THE SPECTATOR "An insider account of his time working and travelling with the president from inauguration to the time of writing." HERALD More ne

About this edition

• Publisher: Thorndike Pr
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0786254351
• ISBN 13: 9780786254354
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 413