Love Jeb Bush or hate him, Dáte writes, but "if you want to see what he would do with the nation, take a good look at what he did here in Florida." Though the Palm Beach Post reporter admits he has a bit of an axe to grind after covering the younger Bush for eight years, he says it's on principle alone, as a critic of Jeb's autocratic ruling style, not his policies. As Dáte portrays it, Jeb Bush for president is less a question of "if" than "when." Yet the book is worth close attention regardless of what Jeb decides. Bush's personal story—his youth; his business relationships in Miami before taking office (which weren't always savory); his years spent running a highly secretive administration, obsessed with tax cuts and school vouchers—is a masterful lesson in political ambition. Most compelling is Dáte's examination of the constantly evolving history of the hypercompetitive, hyperpowerful Bush family dynasty; how the family has amassed, wielded and abused political power and entitlement; and how it has evolved after that power and entitlement have been transferred from one generation of leaders to the next. B&w photos. (Feb. 15)
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As a newspaper journalist, the author closely followed Jeb Bush's eight-year reign as governor of Florida. Now he distills his seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of the man (adding some of his own, often not-so-flattering personal opinions) into a sharply written and somewhat troubling chronicle of Bush's tenure. Date portrays Bush as a man who was groomed almost from birth to take his rightful place as president of the U.S and saw his dream snatched away by his own brother. Jeb also emerges as a man dedicated to serving the people of Florida who occasionally let his political ambition cloud his judgment. Supporters of Jeb Bush might take issue with the author's critical tone, but even they will have to acknowledge that Date has done his homework. It's not a pro-Bush book, but neither is it the kind of hatchet job some readers might expect, and others will crave. David Pitt
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About the Author
S. V. DçTE, Tallahassee bureau chief for The Palm Beach Post, is the author of Quiet Passion: A Biography of Senator Bob Graham and four critically acclaimed novels.
