Posted on 03/25/2006 5:56:48 PM PST by blam
First Lady 'is White House power broker'
By Philip Sherwell in Washington
(Filed: 26/03/2006)
Laura Bush plays a much greater role in shaping White House policy, appointments and even budgets than previously acknowledged.
Mrs Bush, 59, has stayed largely in the background for the past five years. White House advisers have portrayed her as the "non-Hillary" - a reference to her predecessor, Mrs Clinton, who made no secret of her interest in public policy during her eight years as First Lady.
Laura Bush admits she and her husband discuss appointments
But a different picture of the influence the quietly spoken former Texas librarian exerts on her husband, President George W Bush, emerges in Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady, to be published in America next week by Random House.
"The Bush administration asks for her opinion, and for any suggestions that she might have, on possible appointments and on issues affecting a range of agencies dealing with subjects which she has committed herself to promoting, or in which she has a strong interest," says its author, Ronald Kessler, who has been granted unprecedented access to family insiders and senior administration figures.
These issues include education, the arts, women's rights, and Aids. Because of her, Kessler says, budgets for some agencies have been increased or spared from cuts.
Kessler also claims that Mrs Bush vetoed an appointment to a senior political post, but has refused to give further details before the book is published.
Last year, in a rare public pronouncement, Mrs Bush openly encouraged her husband to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court, setting the scene for the botched nomination of Harriet Miers, the White House counsel, who is a family friend.
The First Lady acknowledged her influence on her husband's personnel decisions in a rare television interview with Larry King on CNN on Friday night.
"That's one of the things we do talk about the most," she said. "I know everyone as well as he does who works here. I've worked with them also. So certainly I would give him that kind of advice."
In the book, Kessler reveals that the First Lady became pregnant with her twins, Jenna and Barbara, only after taking powerful fertility drugs. The Bushes had been trying for children for three years before seeking medical help, according to Nancy Weiss, a close friend of the couple, from Texas.
Kessler describes how Mrs Bush continues to "bum" cigarettes from friends, even though she officially quit smoking more than 10 years ago, and retells how, as a 17-year-old, she accidentally drove through a red traffic light, killing a schoolmate.
Her CNN interview may be connected with the fact that Mr Bush's approval ratings remain extremely low. Mrs Bush consistently scores approval ratings of between 80 and 90 per cent and the White House likes to deploy her at times of political trouble for her husband.
After discussing a campaign to warn women of the dangers of heart disease, she also used the platform to defend the president's policies in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"It's very difficult to watch on television and see the loss of our soldiers in Iraq, and to get the idea that the Iraqis don't care - that they don't want us there, that it's a sacrifice they don't respect or regard," she admitted, adding firmly: "I think they do."
The revelation that the First Lady exerts a behind-the-scenes influence coincides with pressure on Mr Bush to breathe fresh life into his White House inner circle.
The President, renowned for his loyalty and dislike of staff changes, has previously indicated that he has no plans to shake-up the close-knit team of aides. However, when he was asked last week whether he would make changes, his response - "Well, I'm not going to announce it right now" - only fuelled speculation.
The future of Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, is also being debated by Republican insiders.
Is this some scheme to validate Hillary's presidential "experience" as Bill's spouse?
Oh, puu-leeease. Like it's bad for a man to consult his wife. Anyone who thinks the President's wife doesn't support and advise her husband is koo-koo. This is a smear a la Ronald/Nancy Reagan. Grrrr.
It is fairly clear that Laura makes W. more liberal.
Maybe she should focus on making him more decisive and articulate.
It isn't good or bad for a man to consult his wife.
It all depends on the quality of her advice. In this case, Laura seems to be a force for the liberal side.
Just this weeks "let get him" stratergery, I guess. It happens every Sat.
Of course it is. First thing I thought of when reading the article.
I had a feeling that she was behind the Harriet Miers pick.
IMHO, I think it is about the MSM saying that Cheney called the shots for the past 5 years, now W is on the war path and his approval ratings are bouncing back, they don't want to give Bush or Cheney credit so they say Laura is in charge to discredit them both.
*yawn.* this stuff, again?
**Is this some scheme to validate Hillary's presidential "experience" as Bill's spouse?**
YOU BET IT IS! The Left's propaganda is not very subtle anymore. It is way too transparent. When Republicans point out Hillary's abuse of unelected power, they will screech - Laura did it, too. EVERYBODY does it, so what.
Also the Left knows that the public are not hot on unelected wives taking power they were not elected to do. This could also be an attempt to blame Laura for the overspending in the White House. She has a high approval rating - much higher than Billary ever had.
Gee whiz, I think the President listens to opinions of people he trusts and then makes decisions. He's pretty good at chosing people, just not good at tossing folks overboard when he ought to. I would not include the First Lady in people to be tossed overboard :)
Ditto.
Well? It was OK when Hilly was CIC, wasn't it??? Thimk!!!
Imagine that, President Bush actually discussing more than 'what's for dinner'
with his wife!!!!
Most women who love their husbands just have an instinct about certain people. It's natural. I remember telling my husband on a few occasions "don't trust that person" or "Be careful with that person." It's a natural instinct most women have and when you love your husband you want to protect him. You can see what perhaps he can't see. Sometimes women's intuition is better than anything else in the world. Laura looks out for her husband and rightly so.
hilllereeee looked out for herself. Maybe she should have kept a better look out on ole willie.
However, I hate to sullie up my point about a woman in love as Laura is with any reference to the former occupants but...there ya have it anyway.
He is articulate enough. Perhaps he has a speech impediment. So what? He gets his point across. clintin was articulate but that didn't make him a better man. George W. Bush is a good, kind, loving man. Who the hell cares if he is not articulate...as long as he gets the job done.
Tell you what, the Telegraph has a hell of a lot of nerve talking about Laura this way, after the Shrew's peformance for eight years, then moving on to a Senator's position in a state where she had never lived.
Nancy and Laura take the heat, and Hillary gets a sweet pass and kudos from people professing to support strong women.
Nancy and Laura are ten times the woman Hillary is. Stick that in your tripe and poke it Telegraph.
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