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George W. Bush: in the Whirlwind

by Bryan LaBerge

335 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-0206; ISBN 1-55395-843-8; US$27.00, C$34.45, EUR22.40, £15.60

In the Whirlwind is an outsider's look at the tumultuous events leading up to and during the first two years of the Presidency of George W. Bush. It takes on the conventional wisdom of Washington and provides a true citizen's perspective on the forty-third President.

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts or Table of Contents      catalogue info

About the Book George W. Bush: In the Whirlwind examines the beginning and early years of the Presidency of the 43rd President of the United States. New author Bryan LaBerge provides a mix of political savvy with an outside Washington DC common man perspective. In the Whirlwind explores a broad range of events and political topics that run the span of years from the 2000 Republican primary election through the mid-term elections of 2002. Some think of Bush as not up to the task. Some believe him to be a product of the September 11 attacks. Still others think him an illegitimate President. In the Whirlwind takes these issues head on and answers them from a political outsider's perspective. Unlike many current books about George W. Bush, In the Whirlwind looks at the whole presidency of George W. Bush and not just one defining moment. The book provides the reader a big picture historical viewpoint that will leave them wanting more.

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About the Author Bryan LaBerge graduated from Liberty University in 1994 with a degree in Government. After a brief stint working in the US Senate, he joined the 1996 Republican Presidential Campain of Alan Keyes. Bryan has been active in many political campains on both the state an local level. He currently works in Public Relations for a Fortune 500 company. Bryan and his wife Mindy have two children.

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Sample Excerpts

"After the Declaration of Independence was signed, Virginia statesman John Page wrote to Thomas Jefferson: "We know the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?"

Much time has passed since Jefferson arrived for his inauguration. The years and changes accumulate. But the themes of this day he would know: our nation's grand story of courage and its simple dream of dignity.

We are not this story's author, who fills time and eternity with his purpose. Yet his purpose is achieved in our duty, and our duty is fulfilled in service to one another.

Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.

This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm."
President George W Bush
Inaugural Address,
Jan. 20, 2001

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The whirlwind of the American political experience and the storm of history continues to toss and turn the destiny of a great nation. The forty-third president's story is an interesting one, full of drama from the beginning. It is a story of a man who was beckoned by destiny's author to take the reigns of this nation. The times seemed to be peaceful and full of prosperity, however, it took an unpredictable turn like a funnel cloud across the plains of Kansas in the middle of spring. Many wondered if he had been tested enough to lead the United States. The testing began in earnest immediately prior to his first year in office.

George W Bush is unique in history for a variety of purposes and he holds a common bond with many previous presidents. For example, he joined John Quincy Adams as only the second son of a President to be elected to the same office. He shares an interesting electoral honor with Rutherford B. Hayes as the only Presidents to have lost the popular vote and win the Electoral College. He, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and James Madison are the only Presidents to have faced an attack on the Union by external forces. W., JFK, and Ronald Reagan are the only Presidents to have passed major tax reduction legislation in modern times. On any given day you can find a political strategist who is willing to compare the 43rd President with Herbert Hoover, William McKinley and even Theodore Roosevelt. These comparisons are made with both good and bad connotations.

This President's character and credibility have been assaulted from the very beginning ofthe 2000 campaign and through most ofthe year 2001, however, he remained above the fray. His calm collected demeanor and firm but relaxed disposition allowed him to take the situations facing him and the nation in stride. While at times he did not articulate as well as some previous Presidents, his vision and focus remained fixed. There are those political analysts who would disagree and wish to dramatically transform him following the events of September 11, 2001. However, he did not change he just remained calm and became more comfortable in the eye of the storm.

I am writing this book as an account ofthe unique style and blend this President has brought to the American political landscape. There are two sides to every story, yet for George W. Bush, only one has been told. I have become rather tired oflistening to those who would disparage this man. Granted the critics are a little less frequent than they once were but they are there nonetheless. This is not to say that I believe that we should not question but I also believe we ought to give credit when it is due.

No President is perfect and George W Bush certainly has his imperfections as any other great leader. However, George W. has many critics who are willing to attack him for his weaknesses. Yet only few stand with him. This book will answer those critics and it will stand to speak ofthe man who rose from political obscurity to grasp a political mantle.

Chapter II.
Election 2000

The 2000 election brought the United States an election unseen in 100 years, an election so close that no clear winner immediately emerged. Texas Governor George W. Bush and Vice-President Al Gore played the political game of "Who will be President?" past the typical November 7 election outcome.

The nation was so equally split politically that half of those voting cast their ballots for Bush and half for Gore. The electoral balance came down to the state of Florida. Political and legal questions abounded. What were the dynamics that lead to such a close race? No one could have anticipated that Gore would win the popular vote and Bush the Electoral college. It was something that seemed a work of fiction, however, it was all too real.

It all starts with Clinton

There are several points in recent history you could pick out, when looking for the beginnings of this national division. Many pundits have tried to explain this as the revenge of the Bush family, W. restoring the family's honor while vanquishing the House of Clinton. While there may be undercurrents of this sentiment on the political landscape, this reasoning is too simple. Bush was not anointed for the Republicans because of his father, rather he was the best candidate they had to offer. His appointment was a combination of the blue blood's comfort with the family and the grass root conservative's support for the conservative ideals he displayed in Texas.

While the media and political pundits fell in love with Senator John McCain, the rest of the Republican Party had strong ties to Governor George W. Bush. McCain's followers included independents, some campaign-finance reform conservatives and the more liberal wing of the Party. Bush coalesced the Party's social conservatives and fiscal moderates and Bush proved to the Party that he could raise the money necessary to take on the Clinton fundraising machine.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Gore was fending off a lame attempt by former Senator Bill Bradley. Gore had sold the Democratic Party regulars on his tenacity, as he tore Bradley apart and reinforced his image as a political cutthroat. He balanced his loyalty to President Clinton, by holding positions on a few issues contrary to the President. However, he remained steadfast insisting that President Clinton may have made some personal mistakes but was "one of the greatest Presidents in history".

Chapter V.
Random Occurances

As the Bush administration began the work of governing and moving forward the ideas and principles from the campaign, incidents started cropping up. One such incident could even be traced to the economy a little prior to the Inauguration. Bush could feel the economic storm clouds gathering after several years of prosperity. The new economic data would test Bush's political acumen early in his tenure.

Recession

With the economy, the most important strategy for the Bush administration was to get in front of the American people and warn of an impending recession. Democrats hemmed and hawed about the new President "talking down" the economy, because they realized the power of this political issue. When people are out of jobs, they look for a politician to blame. This is why Clinton could defeat George Bush, Sr. by making his internal campaign slogan "It's the economy, stupid!" The Democrats would have a good opportunity to put George Win a corner early and make great inroads to retaking the House of Representatives and the Senate if they could claim he was an illegitimate president who wrecked the economy. An economy, they could point out, that had been sailing for eight years under Clinton/Gore.

When Bush and Cheney came out and started talking about the slowing economy, they placed a potential recession at the feet of the outgoing President. It was a brilliant political move. The Clinton administration, in the midst of trying to salvage a legacy, could not allow the one major gem of the administration to be tarnished. The Clinton Administration immediately set out to road block any thought of recession. The spin was on.

Prepare the Public The liberal's underestimation of Bush allowed for he and his vice president to put emphasis on the coming recession and to make a case before the American people that while they would bear the burden of the recession it was not of their making. The Bush team recognized an important principle of politics -- Make your case, don't let the opposition make it for you. They applied this principle just as they had done in setting expectations in the 2000 campaign debates. So Bush and Cheney went about spouting economic indicators like they were sport's scores. They also could use this positioning to help sell Bush's massive tax cut. The Democrats had nothing to counter with because too many of the partisans were still stuck in complain mode about the election results. It is almost like watching two competitors in a basketball game and one stops playing so they can complain about an officiating call they felt was wrong, meanwhile their opponent is at the other end of the court scoring points.

Additional Comments
Cover Design by Micheal LaBerge
White House Photo taken by Paul Morse

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Catalogue Information

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