That was an excellent essay and I agree.
I loved Bush, even though it’s popular to diss him on Free Republic which is mean, ungrateful and tacky.
But Perry does combine the likeability of Bush with a far more conservative turn of mind.
That’s the whole meaning of the ‘who would you like to have a beer with’ phrase. It’s who you feel is a genuine person whose company you would enjoy and a person you could relax with while also admiring his leadership and principles.
The only time I read someone 'diss' W on FR was regarding his conservative credentials. The man was a class act and loved his country greatly - who can question that?
However, that does not excuse him for some of the things he did that hurt conservatism.