The Responses Were Inevitable
...But Who IS George W. Bush?
by Chris Andersen

Monday, Jan. 29, 2001(APJP)  -- I've been receiving some responses to my recent "Inevitability" column (I love the Internet). I tried to make the point in that column that it is a mistake to treat Bush as a mere doofus. I believe he is actually much more clever then most people credit him. He has an innate intelligence about what it takes to win people over to his side -- even when what he wants is antithetical to the goals of those he is talking to (witness the Democrats in Congress).

What he lacks is not intelligence but intellectual curiosity. He can figure things out, he just doesn't think he has to because... well, he's already figured it out.

But many of the comments I received prompted me to reflect further on Bush. I am nearly convinced that he is in his heart a right-wing ideologue who has a very black and white conception of the world (similar to many of the other right-wing opponents of Clinton over the years, such as Tom DeLay and Dan Burton).

The element that distinguishes Bush from DeLay or Burton is that he understands that the majority of the populous reacts negatively to this kind of extremism.

So he disguises it with clever phrases like "compassionate conservatism" and claims that he has a "good heart":

"I'm not a heartless conservative who wants to take away your baby's lollipop. I'm a conservative with plenty of heart -- who just happens to want to take away your baby's lollipop."

I think Bush deliberately plays up the "Dumbya" persona in order to fool people into underestimating him. He really doesn't care if people think he is dumb because he has the moral certitude that comes from "knowing" that he is on God's side.

But what DOES infuriate him is when anyone calls into question his moral rectitude.

Remember the campaign between Bush and McCain? Remember the most heated exchange of that campaign? It came during the South Carolina debate when Bush complained bitterly about McCain running an ad that compared Bush to Bill Clinton.

To Bush such an attack was simply not acceptable because he has a "good heart" and is therefore not anything like Bill Clinton.

Question his intelligence. But don't you dare question his integrity!

I think this is Bush's weak spot. His achilles heel if you will. He is perfectly content to let his opponents needle him about his lack of intelligence, intellectual curiosity, and poor grammar. In fact, the more time they spend collecting "Bushism" the less time they have to call into question his policies.

But if you even dare suggest that he is lacking in integrity, I believe he will reveal himself for the extremist that he is. His facade of "compassionate conservatism" will drop and he will be revealed as Tom DeLay with a more pleasing face.

There was one moment during the fall debates that really stuck in my mind. During the third debate (the one where they took questions from the audience), Bush was sitting in his chair, looking off into space with that characteristically goofy look, totally detached from the proceedings, not really caring what Gore was saying. But then Gore made some comment with reference to one of Bush's policy proposals (I forget which unfortunately) that appeared to call into question Bush's motivations.

In an instant Bush's head whipped around and he gave an incredible GLARE to Gore's back. And, since the camera was holding both of them in the frame, that glare went right into the TV picture and right into my soul. It was one of the most startling looks I have ever seen. It conveyed a monumental sense of hatred.

The fact that it came in an instant -- one moment dumb and goofy, the next moment, laser like intensity -- proved that Bush WAS paying attention, but only cared about what was said when it reflected on himself.

So, again, I think questioning Bush's brain power is a non-starter and may, ironically, help Bush get what he wants.

But question his character and the public may finally get a chance to see the real George W. Bush.