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angelsrgorgeous's review against another edition
4.0
The two things in this book that stuck out most to me, aside from its consistent focus on how idiotic it is to ignore and avoid evidence of actual, current situations as a means to make decisions, in favor of pushing your ideologically and fantasy-based decisions, is 1) the fact that the author pointed out, VERY clearly, that the administration was 100% focused on invading Iraq to replace Saddam long BEFORE the 9/11 attacks. This was during Bush’s FIRST term. Iraq was the focus of the administration’s foreign policym preceding all other their foreign policy matters. I am not one who believes in the far-flung 9/11 conspiracy theories, but I can’t shake how disturbing this fact is. 2) The second thing that was clearly emphasized was Bush’s general stupidity. The author never points this out in such a brash manner as I did above, but during encounter after encounter, Bush is characterized repeatedly as an empty-headed auto-motron. He daydreams consistently during meetings, makes up and uses ridiculously childish nicknames for the professionals he associates with, refuses to ask questions to understand situations (economic, social, environmental, foreign policy-based, etc.), and generally doesn’t send the message that he is concerned with the state of the country at all. Incredible how much power Cheney wields in this presidency, and how much ill-informed, purely academic (non reality-based), ideological power Wolfowitz has wielded through him. This is a very good book, and since it is a bit heavier on the economic talk, I recommend reading it using an audiobook, as that makes it convenient. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing through a close insider’s eyes the types of personalities that are running our country right now.
susiegorden's review against another edition
4.0
I actually still think this is one of the best criticisms of the Bush White House that is out there. It doesn't go off on a screed, but it is completely devastating. Through the microcosm of their treatment of Paul O'Neill, you get a really thorough understanding of what the hell went wrong. Everyone (except for the loony 25% fringe) says it now, but it is important to remember that O'Neill was the first insider to realize the problem of letting politics trump policy. And Suskind does a great job of describing O'Neill's "education."
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