Bush Quote by Richard Cohen
“George W. Bush, a charming and utterly gracious man, was a catastrophic twofer. He took the United States to war in Iraq, a wrenching debacle: more than 4,000 Americans dead, nearly 32,000 wounded, and the Middle East destabilized with Iranian influence enhanced.”
About This Quote
Source Opinion Column: New York Times, 2008
The author criticizes Bush as a charming but disastrous leader whose decisions caused massive loss and regional instability.
In simple terms: Bush was charming yet caused great harm.
Key Takeaway
Recognize charisma can hide dangerous policies.
Themes
politics
leadership
war
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- election debates
- foreign policy analysis
- public accountability
- historical study
Key Concepts
charisma
policy failure
geopolitics
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do leaders have to prevent war?
- How can voters see beyond charisma?
A Different Perspective
Complex issues may be oversimplified; context matters.
![“I believe that this president [George W. Bush], regrettably, rushed us into a war, made decisions about foreign policy, pushed alliances away. And, as a result, America is now bearing this extraordinary burden where we are not as safe as we ought to be.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e84/john-f-kerry-996_alliances_i-believe-that-this-president-george-w-b_2887208.jpg)
![“If George Bush [Jr.] decided he was going to turn the troops loose on Syria and Iran after that he would last in office for about 15 minutes. In fact if President Bush were to try that now even I would think that he ought to be impeached. You can't get away with that sort of thing in this democracy.” quote by Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f71/lawrence-eagleburger-19898_decided_if-george-bush-jr-decided-he-was-going-t_38824.jpg)
