Check out "Rebel-in-Chief," by Fred Barnes

[DeepModem Mom]

From amazon.com:

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The Weekly Standard executive editor and Fox News personality preaches to the Crawford choir in this analysis-cum-tribute to the Bush presidency. Readers who keep pace with current events will find little new in Barnes's take on the president's policies, but what's instructive are the surprising glimpses into the personality of a man Barnes celebrates as an "insurgent leader" who's "an alien in the realm of the governing class" that despises all things Washington and revels in his status as "a revolutionary with a revolutionary vision." Indeed, the capital is a locale he regards as a "job site" at best and a "detention center" at worst where the increasingly Republican-populated Washington establishment is "reactionary" (and "Bush ignores them"), and the national press corps "reminded Bush of the liberal students he detested in his years at Yale." His disdain for newspaper-reading is well-known, but Barnes goes to great lengths to detail the president's copious book-reading habit (five to every one that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reads), from Michael Crichton's State of Fear and Margaret MacMillian's Paris 1919 to Natan Sharansky's The Case for Democracy and David McCullough's 1776. However, Barnes's cheerleading proves wearying after a few chapters: no matter what the topic, the president is right and everyone else is wrong. Bush, like Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt, has been "prematurely judged to fall short of presidential specifications," leaving Barnes to conclude "Bush is a president of consequence." Ardent partisans will enjoy this polemical valentine, which should be read with care by readers seeking fresh insights into the mind of the 43rd president.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
Praise for Rebel-in-Chief

“Think you know the real George W. Bush? You’re wrong. Fred Barnes has managed to entice a surprisingly private man to reveal important hidden aspects of himself and his very consequential presidency.” —Larry J. Sabato, director of the Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“No one in the Washington press corps understands George W. Bush better than Fred Barnes. He provides the best picture we have had yet of a president who is, as Barnes writes, ‘an inner-directed man in an other-directed town.’ I couldn’t put it down.” —Michael Barone, senior writer, U.S. News & World Report...

“A one-of-a-kind journalistic feat—getting inside the president’s view of himself and the presidency. Only Fred Barnes with his clear conservative credentials and unique access to the president could write this book. This is a direct and passionate trip into the heart of Bush country. Lucky for history.” —Juan Williams, senior correspondent, NPR

“George W. Bush is not an easy president to understand or to appreciate, even for his supporters. Now one of the nation’s great political reporters goes beneath the surface to reveal the president’s passion and vision. This is must-reading for Bush backers and Bush bashers alike.” —Robert D. Novak, nationally syndicated columnist

[ComerPerro]

1. Probably just another sycophantic love letter to Bush

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

2. Fred Barnes was always a twit. n/t

[The Revolution]

13. True

The thing I always remember about him was watching him on CBS's morning show on the morning of the 1998 elections. He was so confident that the republicans were going to pick up House seats, and they ended up losing five. It wasn't much, since the repubs still controlled the House, but I thought it was funny anyway. :D

[tularetom]

3. More "bush is an outsider" bullshit

This silver spoon sissy rich punk is the ultimate washington insider.

[question everything]

4. He was on Jon Stewart the other day (nt)

[Avalux]

5. Barnes on the Daily Show the other night -

falling all over himself with glee at the thought of an Alito confirmation, cause then they'll have all the power. Stewart asked him "don't you people have enough" and Barnes laughed hysterically. :eyes:

[iconoclastNYC]

6. He was on Jon Stewart recently

This dude came off as an obvious sycophant

[maxsolomon]

7. the man has been at the center of american politics since his 20s

his dad RAN THE FREAKING CIA! his dad was VICE PRESIDENT for 8 years & PRESIDENT for 4!

he's a priveledged frat boy dry drunk narcissistic asshole.

how the fuck does the president have time to READ BOOKS? maybe you should read your fucking PDBs instead.

[MODemocrat]

8. I saw this disgusting love-fest on Jon Stewart

Can't believe we are supposed to enjoy any part of this "prop-up Bush" book.:dunce:

[MakeItSo]

9. Any 3-ways with Gannon described in the book? eom

[MODemocrat]

15. Not sure about any 3-ways with Gannon

He was probaly too aroused by all of Bush's cleverness? to to even try to write about that. I don't know why Stewart wanted him on his show.:crazy: :thumbsdown:

[Yollam]

10. Oh yeah, what a rebel.

He always does exactly as he's told by the thugs who put him into office.

Rebel, my ass.

[lectrobyte]

11. I couldn't believe Barnes on TDS trying to explain how

Bush was a Rebel and not part of the Washington mainstream... Let's see, Cheney worked for Nixon, Rumsfeld was a Ford appointee and so on. What "outsiderness" is * bringing? I sure don't get it.

[Village Idiot]

12. "Rebel Without A Clue"

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Shouldn't that be "Criminal in Chief"?

[burythehatchet]

16. This is the same moron who called the Katrina response

a "bump in the road". Asshole.

[EstimatedProphet]

17. I don't know what's worse-

Fred Barnes book, or the reviews from scum like the ones they listed.

[CBHagman]

18. I don't buy the conceit.

No even slightly honest person with half a brain thinks that Bush is some kind of wonderful maverick who is in touch with the people and rose to power on a wave of populism, piety, and can-do spirit. Virtually every public office he's held has been obtained through an infusion of cash (from long-time GOP leaders and their allies, corporate and non-), negative campaigning, name recognition, and Bush's own vindictive, politically polarizing manner. An outsider he ain't.

Say it with me: Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was a Bush Pioneer, meaning he had raised more than $100,000 for the Bush campaign. This has been public knowledge for over five years.

In case you are interested and can stomach more of Fred Barnes, you might want to read the current issue of the Washingtonian for the article "George W. to Washington: Drop Dead." Barnes again tries to spin Bush as an outsider who stood up to the entrenched powers in D.C., but Bush just comes off as an incurious, insulated, mean-spirited big baby.

Unfortunately, the article itself is not online at the moment.

http://www.washingtonian.com/about/archive/2006/0601contents.html

George W. to Washington: Drop Dead
There’s not much about the nation’s capital that the President likes. He just works here, and he’d rather be in Texas. Here’s why. By Fred Barnes.