A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush

by Ronald Kessler

More than seventy-five books attacking George W. Bush have been published so far. Now, finally, there’s a book that sets the record straight against a backdrop of media bias. And it’s not by a conservative idealogue but by an award-winning independent reporter who set out to find the real President Bush behind the two-dimensional public image. Ronald Kessler was granted unique access to the West Wing and interviewed the key players of the Bush administration—from Condoleezza Rice to Karl Rove to the president himself. Kessler also interviewed Bush’s close friends, college roommates, and former aides.His surprising George W. Bush isn’t the most articulate or scholarly president in history, but he scores very high on the factors that count character and leadership. President Bush has a more clearly defined moral instinct, management style, and self-awareness than any other recent president.And without question, President Bush is the driving force behind his administration, not the pawn of anyone else. In an age when politicians notoriously hem and haw while trying to please everyone, he makes deft decisions very quickly. He is bolstered by his strong Christian faith and the resolve he gained after giving up alcohol.For many swing voters, this election will boil down to a matter of character. Kessler’s unconventional book—filled with news hooks about life in the West Wing—will help them understand the real George W. Bush. And for readers who already support the president, A Matter of Character is the book they’ve been waiting for.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, History, Presidents

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2004

About the author

Ronald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of 21 non-fiction books about the Trump White House, Secret Service, FBI, and CIA.

Kessler began his career as a journalist in 1964 on the Worcester Telegram, followed by three years as an investigative reporter and editorial writer with the Boston Herald. In 1968, he joined the Wall Street Journal as an investigative reporter in the New York bureau. He became an investigative reporter with the Washington Post in 1970 and continued in that position until 1985.

Kessler's new book is "The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game."

Kessler has won eighteen journalism awards, including two George Polk awards--for national reporting and for community service. Kessler has also won the American Political Science Association's Public Affairs Reporting Award, the Associated Press' Sevellon Brown Memorial Award, and Washingtonian magazine's Washingtonian of the Year award. Franklin Pierce University awarded him the Marlin Fitzwater Medallion for excellence as a prolific author, journalist, and communicator. He is listed in Who's Who in America.

"Ron Kessler...has enjoyed a reputation for solid reporting over the past four decades." Lloyd Grove, The Daily Beast. "Kessler's such a skilled storyteller, you almost forget this is dead-serious nonfiction..." Newsweek. "[Ronald Kessler] is the man who broke the story about the [Secret Service prostitution] episode in Cartagena...." New York Times. "His [Kessler's] book quotes both flattering and unflattering observations about presidents of both parties." FactCheck.org. "[Ronald Kessler] is one of the nation's top investigative journalists." Fox & Friends. "Ron Kessler appears to get everything first." Slate.

Ron Kessler lives with his wife Pamela Kessler in the Washington, D.C. area. Also an author and former Washington Post reporter, Pam Kessler wrote "Undercover Washington: Where Famous Spies Lived, Worked and Loved." His daughter Rachel Kessler, an independent public relations consultant, and son Greg Kessler, an artist, live in New York.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I went in with an open mind to try and see a balanced view of George Bush. Because the media has slammed him a lot. But that wasn't this book. While trying to refute various Media claims about Bush, it is like propaganda. NOTHING negative is said. Lets face it all people have negative sides. Kessler tries to portray Bush as a saint. And many of his refutations are one piece of a bigger criticism. Like her addresses only two elements of the Patriot Act criticims -- libraries and wiretapping. The Patriot Act has a lot more in it than that, that the media and others find faulty. In refuting Against All enemies by Richard C Clarke, counterterrorism chief for 4 administrations, he sticks to one main claim. And even if that claim were incorrect, the book itself shows strengths and weaknesses of all four administrations. Both sides. Something this book does not.

An unbiased biography would show strengths and weaknesses of the subject and admit that every person has both. This book does not do that. In addressing the way Bush makes decisions and sticks with them, he does not admit that this can be a weakness if the decision was wrong. At times Kessler also takes a mocking tone re. liberals, the media, Valerie Plame, The Clintons etc... That kind of tone is also not unbiased. It is actually rather unprofessional.

I would like to know the truth about a lot of the claims re Bush. I just don't trust Kessler's claims because of the tone and the lack of ANY criticism. Maybe someone else will analyze the same issues more professionally so I can have more faith in his claims.

I expected more from someone of Kessler's position.

[Angela Blount · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that I don't claim a political party. I vote for individual candidates on values and issues, by order of priority. It's always bothered me the lack of personal conviction and integrity that ever manages to be conveyed about -any- political candidates. The big hype is always how well they speak and how plastic hey present themselves in front of a camera. I couldn't be more disinterested in such superficial indicators. I'd rather a potential representative be plainly rough around the edges than have their edges concealed in a pretty frame. And as much as I've heard bits and pieces in media about George W, it has largely been very one-dimensional and obviously acrid.

I've felt like this book has helped me round out the man in my own head, and painted him as very much human. Not as a 'perfect' human, as I've noticed some mention about this book. No, this book offered a perspective of GW as more of a flamboyant, functional alcoholic trying to crawl out from under his father's shadow, who married a remarkable woman, and had a "come to Jesus" of sorts.

At times I felt like it didn't go into enough detail, but I was amazed at the clarity it gave me on pertinent issues of the early nineties that were near and dear to the Bushes, namely the plummeting test scores and soaring illiteracy rate in the public schools; the cause of which I wasn't fully aware of until reading this book. (Prompting some further research on the "whole word" method.) It was certainly worth my time. The kind of book you can comfortably read in bite-sized pieces, taking a little something away each visit.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Matter of Character reveals the fine print behind some of the decisions and efforts of President Bush and his Administration. It reinforces for me what a good and Godly man he truly is. He did his best for our Nation. He gave all. He kept us safe, tracked down terrorists, and defended Democracy around the globe.

Welcome home to Texas President and Mrs. Bush!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/galle...

[Stan Crader · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the dedication of the George W Bush library, people will be talking about Bush's presidency. And no doubt there will begin to be comparisons of G.W. Bush with other presidents. One may not agree with all of Bush's policies, but few can criticize his character.

Ronald Kessler does a superb job in revealing the person of George W Bush.

I have the opportunity to meet President Bush at the White House. From his firm handshake to his piercing eye contact, anyone who meets him is impressed that he's a man of substance.

Read it.

[David Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in the bargain bin at WalMart a couple of years ago and didn't get around to reading it until just now. It was published in 2004, and so is a bit dated, but still was a good read. I took much of what was written with a grain of salt, as its bias was clearly pro-Bush, but it seems that, unfortunately, any book on the Bush White House is heavily biased one way or the other. I think this book was at least as valuable as one coming from the Bush-hating left. My perspective is that of one who still respects the president (yes, I am one of the 30% who approves of his performance), and as such I think that, regardless of ones political stance, reading a book like this is important in gaining a more balanced view of how the President operates (and in understanding that most who work within his inner circle do not necessarily agree with the criticisms that are often heaped against him). Still, only 3 stars because of 1) the annoying tendency throughout the text to demonize the Clinton administration (and especialy President Clinton and Hillary), and 2) very little discussion of President Bush's weaknesses or mistakes.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book purports to be a biography of George W. Bush's White House years, and it certainly covers that time and covers the events that affected his presidency. The overwhelming problem is that this biography is so complementary that it's like an authorized biography done in the way that the Royal Biographers do biographies of the British kings and queens. Kessler has made George W. Bush into a Stepford President. He and his staff do no wrong and the nasty, nasty media (of which Kessler was once a member) and the obstructive Democrats are out to get this President. Because I had never read anything about George W. Bush before, I did get some information on his life and was reminded of some things I'd forgotten that he handled during his Presidency. Otherwise, I took the total adulation of George W. Bush and the writer's outrage at the media and the Democrats with a true grain of salt. Any other reader would be wise to do the same.

[Charles M.]

Quite a different view of the 43d president from what the liberal media has led us to believe. However, the book is not well written, describing Bush's personality, attention to punctuality and detail and his high IQ of 146 (apparently just behind JQ Adams and Nixon). The bkk mainly compares Bush's "class act" to that of Pres. Clinton and his bombastic 1st Lady, Hillary; and each president's way of treating their staff and dealing with problems/issues. It is author's theory that it defintely was Bush's personality and aggressiveness which led to running the taliban out of Afghanistan and bring down Hussein in Iraq (both, where Clinton had failed). Keep in mind that Kessler is a reporter for the liberal NY Times!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Kessler has wrote better books. It's really short and I expected so much more from him. I thought that he would explore why he thought President Bush had character. Just found it to be rambling about certain things then about other things there was nothing. I wanted him to explain different relationships that we has had with people like Karl Rove and Karen Hughes. He mentions them but not in detail. I think the most disappointing thing is how he handles President Bush's relationship with Laura. This book could have been a great study of a president instead it was a rehash of things already mentioned in the press.

[Michael Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and aptly titled read. Look at the reviews and you can tell the liberals from the conservatives. The liberals hate it because it isn't anti-Bush. The conservatives like it because it delves into the man and appears written by a person without an agenda to trash the man.

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fair read on the personalities of both George and Laura Bush.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I think the author did a great job of being unobjective and fair. I thought this book was really interesting and informative.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always interested to hear the other side of the story. While this book was very pro-Bush it also opened my eyes to how the media covers any story.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

That many of Bush's critics did not have their facts straight, and that at least on of his friends was willing to say that Bush was curious.

[Nathan Foy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. Pretty predictable. It was worth the read, but there was nothing learned from the book.

[Salena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a Bush fan, I found the book intriguing. I knew Pres. Bush was a Godly man of character. I just didn't realize to what extent!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge Ronald Kessler fan. His books on the FBI, CIA, and Secret Service are all above average.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting light read. From the beginning, I felt the author had an ax to grind rather than a story to tell.

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a few books by Ron Kessler. The ones I enjoyed the most were from secret service agents or White House staff members' viewpoints working for various first family members. Kessler has always come across to me as a neutral reporter, like giving the reader a tour of the grounds. And I like GWB a lot. In this book Kessler lays on the flattery too thick. It seems like his goal was to convince a democrat that Bush was a good president. His "yeah, but" arguments were ineffective in comparing Bush's character with Bill Clinton's. But, an interesting element was that with a 2004 copyright, this book is strangely prescient considering who's in the White House 20 years later. It definitely is a matter of character.

[Kay Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I’m a GW fan and was excited to read this book. Unfortunately it seemed more focused on his staff and the media and hostile democrats. I hoped to learn more about Bush, but really didn’t.

[Jane Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good insight into George W Bush's background and character. However it was written with a political bias, I thought.

[Jose · Rating 1 out of 5]

I Own a copy, was a fan then and read it then with enthusiasm, But I feel different about Bush as he is the establishment.

[Fmartija · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Matter of Character..." explores the White House as an organization led by President George W. Bush, his leadership style, and some of his motivations for pursuing certain policies. In contrast to President Bill Clinton's White House, which the author Ronald Kessler scathingly painted as an undisciplined frat party, President Bush's White House was highly organized, disciplined and loyal to President Bush. Admittedly, this book is highly complementary to President Bush, and generally critical of the Clinton White House. While it is easy to be skeptical of potential biases the author may harbor, it should be remembered that Ronald Kessler is likely highly connected (via secret service and other governmental agencies) to many witnesses of the 'behind the scenes' activities of both the Clinton and Bush White Houses. It is important to note that this book was written in 2004, only halfway through President Bush's overall presidential term. There are many significant events that took place during his presidency that had not yet taken place during the authorship of this book. However, I still believe this book is a source worthy of backchecking the caricatures of George W. Bush as portrayed in the press and by the Democratic national party, in order to better understand the real George W. Bush.

[Roger Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

An obnoxiously disgusting haggiography of one of the worse presidents ever.