[BertWheeler]

Bush didn’t redefine the Republican party so much as he led it astray. We’re not big govt guys and shouldn’t try to be.

[BertWheeler]

GWB equated the ENTIRE conservative movement with a weak political opponent like Gary Bauer? Gary Bauer is a great guy and he’s there for the conservative cause but he couldn’t compete with W on the political stage. Now though, books like this may be necessary for us to read because we’ve got some “course correction” to engage in as small government republicans.

The overreaching going on in the Obama administration may be a real blessing in disguise.

[dalebert]

ya bush failed as a conservative...but members of congress helped him.

[Night Hides Not]

IMO, Byron’s column should drive the final nail in the coffin of “compassionate conservative”.

[mysterio]

"Look, I know this probably sounds arrogant to say," the president said, "but I redefined the Republican Party."

"Redefined" is one way of putting it, I guess.

[Sudetenland]

Bush was never a "conservative" and anyone who thought he was never paid close attention to him and what he was saying when he began his run for office.

I voted for him because he was the only possible choice to defeat Gore and because he was a highly moral person. I never believed him to be a conservative. Only liberals like David Brooks ever called him "conservative."

On restoring integrity and morality to the White House I give him an A. On being the first "man" in the White House in 8 years I give him an A.

On judicial appointments, I give him an A. On taxes I give him a B, on initiating the Iraq war I give him an F. On pursuing the Iraq war once it was initiated I give him a B.On fiscal responsibility definitely an F. On immigration he gets an F---.

George Bush was a moderately left of center President with strong moral beliefs.

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

Another Blame Bush book?

Considering the things we're confronting on a daily basis from DC and the media, yet another book by yet another backbencher doing his little hatchet job on Bush/Cheney/Palin/whoever-is-now-on-the-hitlist is getting well past overdone. Not to mention a stone waste of time and paper.

I do believe that I'll place this tome on my reading list someplace behind john kerry's memoirs (whenever they come out).

[Rashputin]

People backing down rather than taking a stand had a lot more to do with Bush letting Congress worry about spending without getting in their way than it did with any core value he may have had. Were the republican fiscal attitude that was evident under Clinton still being espoused and adhered to by the House republicans, Bush would have been a fiscal conservative. From the vantage point of the presidency, the voice of the party is those they elect and the will of the party is what the elected fight for. With very few exceptions, republicans were fighting one another over pork not over which cuts or restraints were best.

Clinton looked good because of a responsible republican Congress, and Bush looked much worse than he really was due to an irresponsible republican Congress.

Regards

[Oldpuppymax]

Bush was FORCED to appoint Roberts to the court. Alito as well. Like his father, Bush is a limp-wristed, country club elitist...period. He is nothing remotely like a conservative, that being one of the reasons we find ourselves with Hussein occupying the Whitey House.

[McKayopectate]

I honestly believe that if it hadn’t been for 9/11, Bush would’ve led a very moderate ho-hum presidency and replaced after first term. I still respect the dude for support of the troops and fighting the fight that we needed, but I’m under no illusion that he was conservative. This doesn’t surprise me at all.

[elpadre]

Of the Bush years big spending, does anyone have a breakdown as to the spending above mandatory entitlement spent in dollars or percentages. And then of that amount, the break-down between spending on military/WOT and social programs??

It seems to me that the cost of re-building the military and waging war were the big ticket items of his administration. But then, I have never seen hard numbers.

I have always supported the DOD and Home Security spending.

[randog]

Yeah, ol' GW did a bang-up job steering the GOP....

[Bahbah]

This is a very good time for this to come to light and get an airing.

[crazydad]

BUSH IS GONE, MOVE ON!!!!!!!!!!

[BluesDuke]

The data in fact was marshaled and published in time enough for the Republican Party to have heeded the real lesson of 2006. This book should have been required reading for anyone preparing to vote in 2008, primaries and general election alike.

[Liberty Valance]

Oh, we heard about it BIG TIME right here on FR.