A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush [Hardcover]

Ronald Kessler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2004

More than seventy-five books attacking George W. Bush have been published so far. Now, finally, there’s a book that sets the record straight against a backdrop of media bias. And it’s not by a conservative idealogue but by an award-winning independent reporter who set out to find the real President Bush behind the two-dimensional public image.

Ronald Kessler was granted unique access to the West Wing and interviewed the key players of the Bush administration—from Condoleezza Rice to Karl Rove to the president himself. Kessler also interviewed Bush’s close friends, college roommates, and former aides.

His surprising conclusion: George W. Bush isn’t the most articulate or scholarly president in history, but he scores very high on the factors that count most: character and leadership. President Bush has a more clearly defined moral instinct, management style, and self-awareness than any other recent president.

And without question, President Bush is the driving force behind his administration, not the pawn of anyone else. In an age when politicians notoriously hem and haw while trying to please everyone, he makes deft decisions very quickly. He is bolstered by his strong Christian faith and the resolve he gained after giving up alcohol.

For many swing voters, this election will boil down to a matter of character. Kessler’s unconventional book—filled with news hooks about life in the West Wing—will help them understand the real George W. Bush. And for readers who already support the president, A Matter of Character is the book they’ve been waiting for.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

George W. Bush is a direct and decisive man who is much nicer to his Secret Service agents than Bill Clinton was, according to author Ronald Kessler, and smarter than his critics believe him to be. A Matter of Character, Kessler's examination of the 43rd U.S. President, treads lightly on policy issues as the author instead focuses on Bush's positive personality traits and relates how those traits are positive indicators of his ability as a policymaker and leader of the world's lone superpower. Kessler spoke to several Bush cabinet members, long time friends of Bush, and other associates who speak, perhaps not surprisingly, in glowing terms of what a great guy he is. As for the criticisms of Bush, such as handling of pre-9/11 intelligence, the war in Iraq, and the economy, Kessler dismisses them as the product of jealous former employees, and a pervasive, biased liberal media (particularly Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank). By attacking the accusers instead of thoroughly dissecting the accusations, Kessler misses out on an opportunity to defend the president in a more substantive way. The portrait that ultimately emerges of Bush is not a particularly complicated one. He appears to be a man without flaw, and the book presents a similarly simple view of the greater political landscape: Bush and his allies as honest, shrewd, and virtuous, all others as jerks, fools, and ditherers. A Matter of Character lacks the complexity of Plan of Attack, the book Bob Woodward wrote after gaining similarly close access to Bush and his cabinet. It's more like a forceful piece of campaign material, passionate in its advocacy of the candidate and complete with a heroic black-and-white photograph on the cover, which will give Bush supporters plenty to cheer about. --John Moe

About the Author

Ronald Kessler, an investigative journalist, is the bestselling author of fourteen nonfiction books, including Inside the White House, The Bureau, and The CIA at War. A former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, he has won sixteen journalism awards—including two George Polk awards, one for national reporting and one for community service.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sentinel HC (August 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595230009
• ISBN-13: 978-1595230003
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,223,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ronald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of nineteen non-fiction books about the Secret Service, FBI, and CIA.

Kessler began his career as a journalist in 1964 on the Worcester Telegram, followed by three years as an investigative reporter and editorial writer with the Boston Herald. In 1968, he joined the Wall Street Journal as a reporter in the New York bureau. He became an investigative reporter with the Washington Post in 1970 and continued as a staff writer until 1985.

Kessler's latest book is "The Secrets of the FBI." His previous book was "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect." USA Today described the book as a "fascinating exposé...high-energy read...amusing, saucy, often disturbing anecdotes about the VIPs the Secret Service has protected and still protects.....[accounts come] directly from current and retired agents (most identified by name, to Kessler's credit)....Balancing the sordid tales are the kinder stories of presidential humanity...[Kessler is a] respected journalist and former Washington Post reporter....an insightful and entertaining story." Kessler and the book were featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Kessler has won seventeen journalism awards, including two George Polk awards--for national reporting and for community service. Kessler has also won the American Political Science Association's Public Affairs Reporting Award, the Associated Press' Sevellon Brown Memorial Award, the Robert Novak Journalist of the Year Award, and Washingtonian magazine's Washingtonian of the Year award. He is listed in Who's Who in America.

Ron Kessler lives with his wife Pamela Kessler in the Washington, D.C. area. Also an author and former Washington Post reporter, Pam Kessler wrote "Undercover Washington: Where Famous Spies Lived, Worked and Loved." His daughter Rachel Kessler, a public relations executive, and son Greg Kessler, an artist, live in New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

166 of 207 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real George W. Bush is STANDING TALL!, August 7, 2004

By 

Carl Matthews "dellites" (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush (Hardcover)

Having been trashed to death with all of the ridiculous Bush-bashing books that came out earlier this year, what a refreshing change it is to read a book that is actually based on facts, not opinion. A book that is well researched and a book that tells the truth about a great man and a great President.

A Matter of Character is must reading for all Americans, especially those seeking the truth about our President, not just opinion, if not flat out lies like in the anti-Bush books.

The world of politics seems to be getting uglier and uglier. In 2000, we had Al Gores "win at any cost" agenda. Now we have some new opponents to President Bush who feel that "if we can't find any dirt on the guy, let's create some." Whatever happened to who is the best man for the job? Or arguing policies?


After reading A Matter of Character, you will realize that George W. Bush is standing tall indeed despite all the rhetoric and unfounded bullcrap.

A Matter of Character is a book that you must read.

94 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The man who brought respectability back to the Presidency, August 8, 2004

By 

Dawn Woolworth "I Quadrant Entrepreneur -Real... (Orlando, Fl) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush (Hardcover)

Say what you will about George W. Bush, but before you pass judgement on him, read A Matter of Character and see why George W. Bush is the man who brought respectability back to the Presidency of the United States and why he is the most qualified to help America to continue to grow after the Clinton Recession and why Bush will be around for FOUR MORE YEARS!

76 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First of all it's a fair book, August 8, 2004

By 

Judit Rasmussen (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Matter of Character: Inside the White House of George W. Bush (Hardcover)

Fairness is not very modern, but how refreshing. Finaly a book that takes a fair look at the President, the writher judges what he sees, not what is modern or smart to say when you are a singer or an actor on the far left.
A very recomented book !