A World of One's Own -- Peeking into Bush: Peeking into Bush

Author: Zhang Guoqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: Bush possessed a very calm and composed demeanor. Even after 9/11, he did not change his daily habits: still going to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 PM, waking up at 5:30 AM, maintaining a seven-and-a-half-hour sleep; still eating lunch leisurely, leaving the Oval Office around 6:00 PM each evening to exercise on a stationary bike; still running in Camp David, almost every week, often leaving the White House early on Friday afternoons and inviting friends along; and still hosting dinner parties at the White House on weekends. At night, he often set aside time to read, often unrelated to current affairs—novels as well as history. His mindset had a strong suggestive effect on those around him and the general public, making them feel that everything was under control and nothing could threaten America's stability and prosperity. It was precisely this confidence and optimism that kept the public shopping happily and the economy recovering rapidly.
When discussing the 2004 U.S. presidential election, a Democrat made a remark that was quite surprising: "The Democrats have almost no chance of winning." In his view, despite the opportunities the Democrats found after the Iraq War, they could hardly pose a threat to Bush's re-election. When it comes to Bush's advantages, many people might think of counter-terrorism, the economy, and even Saddam's capture (arrest) as key keywords. However, in reality, even when the U.S. was entangled in the Iraq quagmire, facing severe counter-terrorism challenges, and experiencing an economic downturn, Bush's approval ratings remained high. Many voters seemed to ignore these negative factors—why is that? It is undeniable that Bush had a relatively low IQ. A study by the Roanoke College in Pennsylvania found that Bush's IQ was 91, half of his predecessor Clinton's (182), and the lowest among U.S. presidents in the past 50 years. Former President Bush Sr. was only slightly higher, at 98. In the 12 U.S. presidents over the past half-century, only Bush and his father had IQs below 100, yet they possessed extremely high emotional intelligence, which was truly his winning formula. Whether in terms of cooperation, leadership skills, or personal charm, Bush was no inferior to many outstanding leaders, especially after 9/11, when some of his traits were fully demonstrated and became key to winning public support.
Bush's approachability was a topic frequently discussed by the media. Some media outlets had reported on Bush's awkward performances, and even some of his slip-ups became international jokes. However, somewhat unexpectedly, Bush's lack of pretense and occasional clumsiness brought him closer to the public, making people feel he was a real person—someone with exceptional qualities but also ordinary aspects. Moreover, throughout his political career, Bush maintained a strong reputation for being down-to-earth: when he was governor, he would often stay for an hour after giving commencement speeches to shake hands with every graduate; at community gatherings, he would talk to each of the hundreds of people who came to see him; whenever passing through a hotel kitchen or the back entrance of a building, he would stop to chat with chefs, guards, and elevator operators; after disasters like terrible floods, hurricanes, fires, or terrorist attacks, he would rush to hug the affected people, comfort them, and bring them a sense of security. He always smiled and shook hands with everyone, gradually building a close connection with the public, and most people who had met him believed his feelings were genuine.
Bush's optimistic attitude also gave the public a sense of stability. Even in school, he had earned a reputation for being cheerful, optimistic, and a jokester, drawing attention. Unlike other students, Bush never tried to compete for honors in school but stood out through his sharp wit and ability to praise others. In high school, he became the school's leader, organizing weekend assemblies, founding the junior baseball league, and serving as its president. At Yale University, the deepest impression he left on his classmates was not his intellect or energy but his wide-ranging approachability. To meet more people, he would even stay up late memorizing student registration lists. Understanding that people need praise, respect, and recognition, he was always able to unite people others found difficult to unite. Despite the fact that almost everyone around him was highly capable, he had a way of making them follow his lead.
Bush also possessed a very calm and composed demeanor, even after 9/11. He did not change his daily habits: still going to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 PM, waking up at 5:30 AM, maintaining a seven-and-a-half-hour sleep; still eating lunch leisurely, leaving the Oval Office around 6:00 PM each evening to exercise on a stationary bike; still running in Camp David, almost every week, often leaving the White House early on Friday afternoons and inviting friends along; and still hosting dinner parties at the White House on weekends. At night, he often set aside time to read, often unrelated to current affairs—novels as well as history. His mindset had a strong suggestive effect on those around him and the general public, making them feel that everything was under control and nothing could threaten America's stability and prosperity. It was precisely this confidence and optimism that kept the public shopping happily and the economy recovering rapidly.
More importantly, Bush possessed a magical ability to paint inspiring future blueprints, which helped him perform exceptionally well after 9/11. During those difficult days, Bush not only showed his role as a commander-in-chief but also that of an advertiser, comforter, and motivator. He repeatedly told Americans that terrorist attacks would not defeat the U.S. and that the country would stand up even more brilliantly. Despite Bush's many perceived flaws and his foreign policy's lack of international popularity, at least domestically, many people still preferred to believe he could bring safety and economic recovery to the U.S., placing their trust in him far more than in the Democrats. Another advantage he had over his opponents was that he had a father who had been president. Former President Bush not only gave his son courage, advice, and a network of contacts but also left him with painful lessons. After studying his father's mistakes, Bush had almost no chance of repeating them.
Bush's perseverance was also remarkable. Looking back at history, we can see that many successful leaders shared a common trait: a strong sense of self and unwavering determination. Bush was such a self-assured, stubborn person who disliked those who did not stand with him on key issues and absolutely believed in his own correctness. It could be said that he trusted his judgment completely. Bush's tenacity and clear-cut personality had a significant impact on the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. His strong religious beliefs and intense sense of destiny made him very receptive to the idealist ideas of neo-conservatism. The Bush administration we saw was indeed a very hawkish government, with figures like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Bolton—each a powerful figure with deep working and ideological ties. Leveraging the 9/11 crisis, the hawks rose to prominence and achieved great success. With the hawks as a strong driving force and neo-conservatism as a powerful "spiritual weapon," Bush's global strategy became increasingly assertive and unstoppable, though his ideas and strategies were mocked as "upholding perhaps a 25th-century ideal of freedom while employing 1st-century Roman imperial methods."
In fact, since the 1990s, U.S. power has gradually shown absolute superiority, and its global strategy has revealed an air of "non-negotiable" dominance. Under the specific circumstances of 9/11 and with the active efforts of Bush and his team, the U.S. became even stronger and "unrestrained." However, time would eventually make the Bush administration realize the limitations of U.S. power. Although the U.S. could exert influence over the entire world in terms of both national strength and diplomatic systems, it also possessed unexpected vulnerabilities and lacked the ability to rule the world alone.