My read of Bush: he was a genuinely good guy that was a bit of a "people pleaser", who possessed a deep-seated sense of inadequacy due to not feeling like he measured up to his highly accomplished father, and his similar footstep-walking younger brother. His decision to run...1/
....for president seemed to be a combination of several things. First, it simultaneously made George W a "peer" with his dad, while also allowing him to "best" his brother. Second, despite all of Clinton's flaws, much of country adored him. 2/
The thought of being "loved"/embraced on a national level probably triggered George W's people pleaser instincts. And finally, since the economy was roaring, and the country was doing well,.... 3/
....George W probably saw the presidency in a similar light to owning the Texas Rangers: be a figure head, sit in the sky box (white house), glad-hand/schmooze the fans (GOP/constituents), and let the product on the field/team (economy/country) do its thing. 4/
Then 911 happened, and the party, along with much of the countries innocence, came to an abrupt end. George W was not only unprepared for it, but he was unequipped for it. The neocons knew this, and manipulated/played him....5/
It became a Texas-sized, ego-driven mission for George W... where his need for affirmation and to be liked (people pleaser), to not be seen as "weak", and to not have to admit he was wrong/conned resulted in an aircraft carrier-landing, doubling-down, quagmire war presidency...6/
Unfortunately, many of those same factors/characteristics exist now with Trump, except at an exponentially more dangerous level: 7/
