Second-Term Blues : How George W. Bush Has Governed

A Brookings Institution Press and American Enterprise Institute publicationAmerican presidents typically spend much of their first term trying to ensure a second term. Yet those "four more years!" are usually disappointing, replete with scandal, squabbling, plummeting approval, and few accomplishments. Thus far, George W. Bushs second term has largely followed that unfortunate pattern. In Second-Term Blues, John Fortier and Norman Ornstein lead a stellar cast of political analysts illuminating the priorities, governing tendencies, and leadership style of a president trying to steady his ship in rocky seas.While the media obsess over who will be elected, they rarely ask how a candidate would govern if elected. For example, how would the president approach other political institutions? Would foreign policy stress caution and coordination, or will the U.S. "go it alone"? What would be the tone of public persona and rhetoric? This is the first in-depth analysis of Bushs second go-round from that perspective.The

contributors include some of the shrewdest and best known observers of U.S. politics. David Sanger (New York Times) reveals how Bushs foreign policy, particularly on Iraq, defines and restricts his presidency. Dan Balz (Washington Post) dissects Americas changing political mood and considers how the presidents personal style fits into that milieu. Charles O. Jones, former president of the American Political Science Association, defines Bushs executive style: "Seemingly, where narrow-margin politics appears to call for sensitive mastery of Congress, President Bush employs an unrelenting executive style, among the most intense ever." In addition, Carla Robbins of the New York Times and Fred Greenstein of Princeton University make insightful contributions. This important book considers how all of this helps explain what weve seen coming out of Washington since 2001 and what it may portend for the future. [Publisher's text]

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