The Ineffable Likability of Bush
His polling is among the worst of any president. He was used as a whipping post by all sides in the recent presidential election. And there are innumerable people, websites, and Facebook groups devoted to counting down his last days in office.
In spite of all of this, in his final days as President of the United States, George W. Bush seems to be re-embracing and re-inhabiting some of the charm and sincerity that ingratiated him to millions of Americans in 2000 and 2004.
Bush was sold to America as the candidate, “you’d like to have a beer with.” In both races there was a certain sincerity and likability that Bush radiated that lead him to victory over an impressive and experienced candidate and against impressive odds. Now, the degree to which one is inclined to “like” a particular person is no barometer of how good and competent a president that person is likely to wind up being. But, then again, likability isn’t entirely devoid of predictive value, either.
Likability is a measure of politician’s ability to connect with voters on a personal level: does she/he seem sincere? can I/we trust him/her? does she/he understand what I’m going through? will he/she do what is in my best interests? These are all vital questions for voters when choosing a president and they aren’t all thumb-twiddling.
The President of the United States is one of the most powerful individuals that voters elect to make decisions on their behalf. It only makes sense, then, that those voters would look for someone they think is sincere, that they can trust, who understands and relates to them, and who will make decisions in their best interests. In this regard, when compared to both Al Gore and John Kerry, it is no wonder that the world has seen eight years of George W. Bush.
Of course, the Bush administration has made some decisions that range from reckless and ill-informed to out-and-out disastrous.
From the violation of civil liberties, to condoning the use of coercive torture techniques, to the behemoth decision to invade Iraq, Bush’s legacy is rife with reasons for his low job approval rating. But as Scott McClellan points out time and time again in his dissenting opus What Happened, perhaps Bush’s biggest failure was his inability to live up to the reasons for his election and level with the American people about what he was doing and why.
Now, in his dying days in office, with the spectacle of Iraq slightly faded and the criticisms of Katrina and Miers and Plame dulled, that upfront candor and every-man accessibility seem to be sneaking back into Bush’s modus operandi. Reading the quotes and watching the videos from Bush’s recent interview with CNN’s Candy Crowley one is, perhaps, struck by the openness of dialogue that Bush offers.
His answers seem distinctly unscripted, his reactions truly genuine, and the thoughts Bush expresses are not so very different from the thoughts in the minds of many Americans sitting around the nation’s kitchen tables. Here, once again, when the pressure has eased, is the person to whom millions of people entrusted their futures and their lives. And it is, indeed, hard not to want to sit down and have a near beer with Bush in order to pick his brain and hear his thoughts on a variety of topics.
Bush exudes a subtle confidence, clarity, intelligence and warmth that is the hallmark of so many great men — his vision, when he has the space in which to communicate it, is compelling.
Sadly, while those qualities may be a necessary prerequisite for a great president, they are not sufficient to ensure a great president. Yes, George W. Bush is highly likable, and that gave him the potential to be a pivotal president. But at the end of the day, great presidents bring likability and a great deal more to the table. Bush’s presidency was pivotal, that much is true, but in, perhaps, many of the wrong ways.
11 Responses to “The Ineffable Likability of Bush”
[...] at The Moderate Voice I speak the unspeakable and explore why George W. Bush is still a really likable [...]
Welcome aboard, Scott!
I'm not sure how likable Bush really was in that interview. Is this the one where he flippantly said, “so what?” regarding Al Qaeda moving to Iraq only after the invasion?
In some ways Bush has become less of a lightening rod because the electorate has had a chance to repudiate him in November. Watching Bush reminiscing about his Presidency reminds me of Michael Scott – Steve Carrell's character in The Office – reflecting to the camera on the importance of some mundane task. It's like he's been play-acting as President the whole time.
I have never understood the whole “likeability” angle. I have never liked B*sh. On a visceral level, this drooling simpleton with the blank stare always made my flesh crawl.
On 9/11, I was prepared to mute my misgivings. He's not much of a President, I told myself, but he's the only one we've got. It took him only a few months to convince me that he was a soulless, opportunistic war criminal.
The next time i see him, I want him to be wearing an orange jumpsuit, handcuffs and leg irons, in the prisoners' dock at The Hague.
I find Pres. Bush to be a small man unable to admit a mistake or apologize for misery brought on to others because of his arrogance and ignorance. I find this insulting not 'likeable'.
“in his final days as President of the United States, George W. Bush seems to be re-embracing and re-inhabiting some of the charm and sincerity that ingratiated him to millions of Americans in 2000 and 2004.”
Yeah, like when he sat down with ABC’s Martha Raddatz for an exit interview in Iraq and claimed that one of the major theaters against al Qaeda turned out to have been Iraq, and Raddatz corrected him “But not until after the U.S. invaded.” Upon which Bush said, “Yeah, that’s right. So what?”
Now, that is “real charm and sincereity in his final days” It is also real respect for the American people whjo were lioed to, and those who sacrificed everything for “So What?”
Yeah, the likeability, sincerity and charm of a guy who took our country into an unnecessary war that ended up costing the lives of more than 4,000 of our finest..
Yeah, a real likeable, down-to-earth fellow.
“Bush exudes a subtle confidence, clarity, intelligence and warmth that is the hallmark of so many great men — his vision, when he has the space in which to communicate it, is compelling.”
Let me come back to this one, after I get off the floor from laughing, and have a few hours to spare…
Sorry.Not feelin' it.
Kind of like a lipsticked Pig…..
Hey folks,
Thanks for the comments.
It is certainly true that Bush isn't a likable character for everyone, you've all given lots of reasons why that's the case. I would only add that I was trying to separate people's inclination to like Bush from how he has worked out as a president. The two are interrelated, but not fused.
I'm gonna have to stick with his criminal disregard for human life. Coming in second would be his flagrant violations of the Constitution he swore to uphold.
I am so glad to come to these comments and find nothing but disagreement with the idea that somehow George W Bush is–my god, I can hardly bring myself to type this word–likable?
Nothing but disagreement.
You're free to like him yourself, of course. But do you really have any reason to proclaim him–gulp–likability is ineffable?
Your judgment seems pretty effable, you know?
Scott:
Looking back over the comments–including my own–I feel somewhat badly that you have reaped such an adverse reaction on one of your first posts. However, keep in mind that the negative reaction is really to the subject of your post—NOT your post.
As a matter of fact, I believe that you are quite courageous to take on such a position at this time in our “political climate.”
Look forward to future posts,
Dorian
George: my use of the term ineffable was a bit of a play on the common usage. My somewhat tongue in cheek reference was to the taboo related meaning of the word, as in: not to spoken.
Dorian: not to worry, I didn't expect the post to get much of a warm response. I recognized in writing it that claiming that GWB is likable is likely to result in mostly scorn. But, honestly, most of the comments on this post are pretty tame and are simply people expressing their views — most of them quite understandable and reasonable.
I should note that I don't personally approve of Bush's actions as president, I think his presidency has been, as I mention in the piece, anywhere from “reckless and ill-informed to out and out disastrous”. That said, I do think he has a certain likableness to him that I find fascinating. Certainly watching interviews with Bush as opposed to the other two politicians named: Gore and Kerry, I find Bush a great deal more likable.
But that sense of being likable didn't make him a good president and won't save the legacy he leaves behind.
Regardless, spirited discussion and the good natured clash of opinion lies at the heart of a vital democracy. So I welcome all comers in terms of comments and take no personal offense.