The Bushes Portrait of a Dynasty Author:Peter Schweizer, Rochelle Schweizer David Frum?s The Right Man gave readers one person?s view of the first year of the Bush White House. THE BUSHES presents the all-important backstory. In an unprecedented account of the family?s path to enormous wealth and to a level of political prominence and power that surpasses that of the Adamses, Roosevelts, and Kennedys, the Schwei... more »zers reveal the culture and values that make the Bushes tick.
Drawing on hours of interviews with Bush family members and friends, many of whom spoke on the record for the first time, the authors bring to light the inner workings of a family notorious for jealously guarding its privacy. They present never-before-published details about such sensitive matters as George W?s drinking problem, the family?s business dealings, the sibling rivalry between George and Jeb, and the special assignments George, Sr., and other family members carry out for the President. Their in-depth examination of the family?s approach to public service confirms George W?s and Jeb's insistence that they were never pushed into politics. While the Kennedys and other politically ambitious families are raised to meet specifically articulated expectations (and are punished for failure), the Bushes emphasize the family legacy, inculcating each generation with talk about how important politics is, making political involvement an integral part of the family?s identity. The decision to remain outside the political arena carries with it an unmentioned, but very real, sense of shame.
What distinguishes the Bush family most of all, however, is the lack of a top-down structure. Their free-flowing style resembles the establishment of a ?brand,? not a dynasty. Pragmatic and opportunistic, it has not only gotten them where they are today, it ensures that future generation will follow in their footsteps.« less