A World of One: 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: he still went to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 PM, woke up at 5:30 AM, maintaining a seven-and-a-half-hour sleep; he still ate lunch leisurely, left the Oval Office around 6:00 PM each evening, and then exercised on a stationary bike; he still went for long runs at Camp David, almost every week, often leaving the White House early on Fridays and inviting friends along; on weekends, he still invited friends to dine at the White House; and at night, he often set aside time to read, often unrelated to current events, with novels and history alike. His mindset had a strong suggestive effect on those around him and the general public, making them feel that everything was under control and that nothing could threaten America's stability and prosperity. It was precisely this confidence and optimism that allowed the public to continue shopping happily and for the economy to recover rapidly.
When discussing the 2004 U.S. presidential election, a Democratic Party member 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 keywords like counter-terrorism, the economy, and even the capture of Saddam (who was captured). However, in reality, even when the U.S. was 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 this? 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 son had IQs below 100, yet they possessed extremely high emotional intelligence (EQ), which was indeed his winning formula. Whether in terms of cooperation, leadership skills, or personal charisma, 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 his occasional slip-ups had become international jokes. However, somewhat unexpectedly, Bush's lack of pretense and occasional clumsiness brought him closer to the public, making people feel that he was a real person—someone with strengths but also ordinary qualities. Moreover, throughout his political career, Bush had always maintained a strong reputation for being down-to-earth: when he was governor, he would often stay for an hour after delivering commencement speeches to shake hands with each graduate; at community gatherings, he would talk to 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, security 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 endlessly, 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, establishing a youth baseball league, and serving as its president. At Yale University, the deepest impression he left on his classmates was not his intelligence or energy but his wide-ranging approachability. To meet more people, he would even stay up late memorizing student registration lists. Because he understood that people need praise, respect, and recognition, he was always able to unite people that others found difficult to unite. Despite the fact that almost everyone around him was highly capable, he had a way of making them bow to his will.
Bush also possessed a very calm and composed demeanor, even after 9/11, when he did not change his daily habits: he still went to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 PM, woke up at 5:30 AM, maintaining a seven-and-a-half-hour sleep; he still ate lunch leisurely, left the Oval Office around 6:00 PM each evening, and then exercised on a stationary bike; he still went for long runs at Camp David, almost every week, often leaving the White House early on Fridays and inviting friends along; on weekends, he still invited friends to dine at the White House; and at night, he often set aside time to read, often unrelated to current events, with novels and history alike. His mindset had a strong suggestive effect on those around him and the general public, making them feel that everything was under control and that nothing could threaten America's stability and prosperity. It was precisely this confidence and optimism that allowed the public to continue shopping happily and for the economy to recover rapidly.
More importantly, Bush possessed a magical ability to paint inspiring future blueprints, which allowed him to perform exceptionally well after the 9/11 attacks. During those difficult days, Bush not only demonstrated 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 U.S. would stand up even more brilliantly. Despite the many imperfections in Bush's appearance and his foreign policy's lack of popularity internationally, at least domestically, many people still preferred to believe that 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 connections 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 adherence to their convictions. 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 thought of the neoconservatives. 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 neoconservatism as a powerful "spiritual weapon," Bush's global strategy became increasingly assertive and unstoppable, though his ideas and strategies were mocked as "clinging to a 25th-century liberal ideal while employing 1st-century Roman imperial methods."
In reality, since the 1990s, U.S. power had gradually shown absolute superiority, and its global strategy had revealed a "take-no-prisoners" attitude. Under the specific circumstances of 9/11 and with the active efforts of Bush and his team, the U.S. became even stronger and more "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 power and diplomatic systems, it also possessed unexpected vulnerabilities and lacked the ability to rule the world solely with its own strength."