Former White House speechwriter Matt Latimer has a new book coming out about his years in the Bush White House that includes these comments by the President about the 2008 Republican ticket:
“I’m trying to remember if I’ve met her before. I’m sure I must have.” His eyes twinkled, then he asked, “What is she, the governor of Guam?”
Everyone in the room seemed to look at him in horror, their mouths agape. When Ed told him that conservatives were greeting the choice enthusiastically, he replied, “Look, I’m a team player, I’m on board.” He thought about it for a minute. “She’s interesting,” he said again. “You know, just wait a few days until the bloom is off the rose.” Then he made a very smart assessment.
“This woman is being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for,” he said. “She hasn’t spent one day on the national level. Neither has her family. Let’s wait and see how she looks five days out.”
And, of course, in a very short period of time the Palin train wreck was evidence…..to everyone except Palin and the true believers.
Bush also had a few comments about his 2000 nemesis John McCain:
Bush seemed to feel considerable unease with the choice of McCain as well. I think he liked Romney best. (The rumor was that so did Karl Rove.) My guess was the president hadn’t so easily forgotten the endless slights he’d suffered, but there was little he could do. To him, McCain’s defeat would be a repudiation of the Bush administration, so McCain had to win… I was once in the Oval Office when the president was told a campaign event in Phoenix he was to attend with McCain suddenly had to be closed to the press…
“If he doesn’t want me to go, fine,” the president said. “I’ve got better things to do.”
Eventually, someone informed the president that the reason the event was closed was that McCain was having trouble getting a crowd. Bush was incredulous—and to the point. “He can’t get 500 people to show up for an event in his hometown?” he asked. No one said anything, and we went on to another topic. But the president couldn’t let the matter drop. “He couldn’t get 500 people? I could get that many people to turn out in Crawford.” He shook his head. “This is a five-spiral crash, boys.”
Of course, much of the reason it was a “five spiral crash” was due to Bush own Administration. However, though I can honestly say it surprises me to say this, Bush was apparently absolutely right when it came to both McCain and Palin.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/15/first-on-the-ticker-bush-palin-aide-disputes-book-claims/
September 15th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Even a broken clock is right twice a day!
September 15th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Jesus christ I never thought I’d actually agree with Dubya…
September 16th, 2009 at 10:15 am
> However, though I can honestly say it surprises me to say this, Bush was apparently absolutely right when it came to both McCain and Palin.
No surprise there, he is a skilled politician. Just don’t ask him to make policy on anything important – you know, the half of politics that actually matters to us.