In Bush's Farewell, a Self-Portrait of Decisiveness With Few Apologies - US News and World Report

In Bush's Farewell, a Self-Portrait of Decisiveness With Few Apologies - US News and World Report: "He dealt only minimally with his mistakes and failures. 'Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks,' he said. 'There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some of the tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.'...Bush has said repeatedly that history will vindicate him and that he will eventually be seen as a wiser, more prescient leader than he is given credit for today. But his standing with the public remains very low. The latest Gallup Poll finds that 61 percent of Americans disapprove of his job performance, while 34 percent approve, mostly fellow Republicans. This is almost as grim as Richard Nixon's ratings after he resigned in disgrace in August 1974, when Nixon had 66 percent disapproval and 24 percent approval, Gallup said."
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I have never been a Bush hater. I think he made some enormous mistakes, but for the most part he was trying to do what he believed were the right things. The problem is that he has a limited frame of reference and quickly seizes on certain courses of action that he can't change. He is not an introspective or particularly curious man, and has lived a live of almost infinite privilege that has left him with an enormous sense of entitlement.

Clearly he is a stubborn man, and I don't think that is necessarily a bad quality in a leader as long as there is a point where a reality check kicks in. For example, Lincoln's determination to keep the Union together and win the Civil War showed stubbornness, but he changed his approach at various points when things weren't working, and eventually won the war and kept the Union.

But with Bush, sometimes I get the sense that he really doesn't want to hear contrary opinions or facts that undermine his fixed ideas. That makes it easy for people to manipulate him. Just tell him there is a crisis and he has to act and make a hard decision right now, and there is only one course of action open. He will do it every time. Then just keep telling him what he wants to hear--things are going well; we will find the WMD; the Iraqis love us and want democracy; the bailout will work; whatever.

He also trusts certain people and won't change his opinion. His trust in Cheney and Rumsfeld, and also the slimy George Tenet, undid his administration. Contrary voices were shut out and Bush's stubbornness took over. The rest is history--which will not vindicate Bush, as he continues to believe.