was on someone else’s desk.
I had plenty to occupy my time. I went to work building the Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University, which will include an official government archive, a museum, and a policy institute dedicated to promoting education reform, global health, economic growth, and human freedom, with a special emphasis on creating new opportunities for women around the world. I am blessed to be the only president to leave office with both parents alive, and I’m grateful for the chance to spend more time with them. In June 2009, Laura and I joined our extended family in Kennebunkport to mark Dad’s eighty-fifth birthday, which he celebrated with another parachute jump. Mother quipped that his choice of a landing zone, St. Ann’s Episcopal, was strategic. If the jump didn’t turn out well, at least he’d be near a cemetery.
Every now and then, there are reminders of how much life has changed. Shortly after we moved to Dallas, I took Barney for an early-morning walk around our neighborhood. I hadn’t done anything like that in more than a decade. Barney never had—he’d spent his entire life at the White House, Camp David, and Crawford. Barney spotted our neighbor’s lawn, where he promptly took care of his business. There I was, the former president of the United States, with a plastic bag on my hand, picking up that which I had been dodging for the past eight years.
The day after I left office, I started writing this book. Working on it has been a great opportunity for reflection, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these thoughts as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.
When I chose to structure this book around major decision points, I knew it would mean leaving out some aspects of my presidency. I don’t fully cover foreign policy accomplishments such as the historic civil nuclear agreement with India or the Merida Initiative to fight drugs with Mexico. I devote just a few words to my record on energy and the environment, and I do not describe my decision to create the largest marine conservation areas in the world. I also omit an account of our successful efforts to improve services for veterans and reduce teen drug use and chronic homelessness. All these accomplishments are sources of pride, and I am grateful to those who helped make them possible.
Instead of covering every issue, I’ve tried to give the reader a sense of the most consequential decisions that reached my desk. As I hope I’ve made clear, I believe I got some of those decisions right, and I got some wrong. But on every one, I did what I believed was in the best interests of our country.
It’s too early to say how most of my decisions will turn out. As president, I had the honor of eulogizing Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon, once regarded as one of the worst mistakes in presidential history, is now viewed as a selfless act of leadership. And it was quite something to hear the commentators who once denounced President Reagan as a dunce and a warmonger talk about how the Great Communicator had won the Cold War.
Decades from now, I hope people will view me as a president who recognized the central challenge of our time and kept my vow to keep the country safe; who pursued my convictions without wavering but changed course when necessary; who trusted individuals to make choices in their lives; and who used America’s influence to advance freedom. And I hope they will conclude that I upheld the honor and dignity of the office I was so privileged to hold.
Whatever the verdict on my presidency, I’m comfortable with the fact that I won’t be around to hear it. That’s a decision point only history will reach.
am fortunate to come from a family of bestselling authors. My mother and father wrote fine books, as did my sister Doro. Closer to home, Laura wrote a bestseller, Jenna wrote a bestseller, and they collaborated on another. Even my parents’ dogs, C. Fred and Millie, authored their own works.
I was inspired by my family members’ success and, more important, sustained by their love. I thank Laura for her constant love and for sharing in the experiences that made this book possible. I thank our daughters, Barbara and Jenna, for their hugs and laughter. I am glad to have Henry Hager as my son-in-law. I appreciate the unwavering support of Mother and Dad. And I thank Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Doro for comforting their brother.
When I considered writing this book I knew the task would be a challenge. I did not realize how enjoyable it would be. The main reason is that I worked with Chris Michel. At the end of the administration Chris was my chief speechwriter. He knew how I talked and saw much of the history we made. His broad range of talents, from research to editing, has made the book project move smoothly. His upbeat personality was a constant joy. I will miss him as he heads off to Yale Law School.
This book took its first step toward publication when I hired Bob Barnett. Bob is a talented lawyer with sound judgment, unmatched experience, and great patience—which he showed by tolerating my frequent ribbing about his hourly rate. The truth is that Bob is the best in the business, and he was worth every penny.
I cannot imagine a better editor than Sean Desmond, a Harvard-educated son of Dallas, Texas. Sean knew where to add detail, when to cut words, and how to bring my decisions to life for the reader. He did it all with patience, professionalism, and a good sense of humor.
I am grateful to the superb team at Crown Publishing. Steve Rubin and Jenny Frost showed confidence in this project from the beginning. Maya Mavjee and Tina Constable capably saw it through to conclusion. I appreciate managing editor Amy Boorstein, copyeditor Jenna Dolan, creative director Whitney Cookman, editorial assistant Stephanie Chan, publicity director David Drake, production director Linnea Knollmueller, interior design director Elizabeth Rendfleisch, and the many others at Crown and Random House who helped make this book a reality.
Much of the research for this book was conducted by the brilliant and tireless Peter Rough. Peter spent the past eighteen months digging through archives, searching the Internet, and sifting through reams of paper. His insights and resourcefulness improved this book in countless ways. He also fact-checked every word of it, with assistance from four former members of my speechwriting staff: Staci Wheeler, Mike Robins, Mike Hasson, and Matt Larkin. Gabriel Gillett, Paul Langdale, Chris Papagianis, Sarah Catherine Perot, Kerrie Rushton, Sara Sendek, Josh Silverstein, and others added valuable research.
I am indebted to the professionals at the National Archives and Records Administration for their assistance on this book. I am grateful to Alan Lowe, director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, and Supervisory Archivist Shannon Jarrett for making this project a top priority. Archivists Brooke Clement, Matthew Law, and Jodie Steck tracked down thousands of documents and photographs that helped refresh my memory and confirm details in my account. Sarah Barca, Tally Fugate, Peter Haligas, Neelie Holm, Bobby Holt, Elizabeth Lanier, David Sabo, and Ketina Taylor helped as well. I also thank the Presidential Materials staff of the National Archives in Washington— especially Nancy Smith, John Laster, and Stephannie Oriabure—who made many important, highly classified documents available for my use.
Many trusted friends contributed to this book. I am particularly grateful to those who reviewed the full manuscript: Steve Hadley, Josh Bolten, Andy Card, Blake Gottesman, Karen Hughes, Condi Rice, and Dana Perino, who also provided invaluable advice on publicity. Pete Wehner read much of the book in its early stages and made insightful comments. Brent McIntosh and Raul Yanes carefully reviewed the final draft. Many others made suggestions on key chapters, including Dan Bartlett, Ryan Crocker, Mark Dybul, Gary Edson, Peter Feaver, Joe Hagin, Mike Hayden, Keith Hennessey, Joel Kaplan, Eddie Lazear, Jay Lefkowitz, Brett McGurk, and Hank Paulson. They are responsible for many of the book’s strengths and none of its flaws.
Part of publishing a book as a former president is undergoing a declassification review. I was fortunate to have three capable lawyers help me navigate the process: Bill Burck, Mike Scudder, and Tobi Young. I am grateful to Bill Leary and his professional staff at the National Security Council, which helped expedite the review process. I also thank the dedicated men and women at the Central Intelligence Agency who helped check key facts.
Those who enjoyed the photo section can thank Emily Kropp Michel, who—along with the NARA team— sorted through many of the four million photographs digitally archived at the Bush Presidential Library. They received valuable guidance from Eric Draper, my chief photographer for all eight years, and former White House photographer Paul Morse.
The decisions I describe in this book would not have been possible without the service and support of many dedicated people over my fifteen years of public service. I thank Dick and Lynne Cheney for eight years of friendship. I appreciate the outstanding, selfless men and women who served in my Cabinet and on my White House staff, as well as on my campaigns and in the Texas governor’s office. Laura and I will always be grateful to the fine agents of the Secret Service, the military aides who were always at my side, the incredibly generous White House residence
