The “Bush is dumb” meme was always unfair. Those who’ve known him, and not just his loyalists, have always disputed such a characterization. First off, something I didn’t know, “Bush scored a 1200 on the SAT (roughly equaling 1300 on today’s re-normed SAT), placing him in the top 16% of all college applicants.” We also know he had better grades than the smarter-seeming John Kerry at Yale…the best estimate of Bush’s IQ at 120-125, in the top 10% of the population and above average for a college graduate — about the same as estimated for Eisenhower and Ford.
The problem with Bush’s leadership style was never lack of intelligence. It was something much closer to intellectual laziness or lack of curiosity. As the authors put it: “Critics charge that President Bush does not seek out information or opposing viewpoints; disdains complexity, nuances, and expert opinion; views policy issues in black-and-white terms based on his own preconceptions; and, refuses to rethink problems or change his views. The research largely bears out these popular perceptions.”
I’ve always maintained that Bush wasn’t stupid, he just didn’t care to know. Biug difference.
“someone who had greatness thrust upon him.” Greatness? No, he failed big time. Thrusted by who?
Before he had the presidency thrust upon him (geez), he failed at everything he tried. This, even though the ventures were handed to him by his father and his ultra-rich pals. Why did they help him? Because Poppy Bush asked them to, and because they saw a future payback – time and again. They were right because they got him into the White House, and they got their rewards.
“It is evident to everyone else . . you don’t get to be President of the USA if you are dumb.”
Obviously wrong! You can get to be President of the USA if you are dumb and have enough influential friends and family. You can even get to own a baseball team on other people’s money that way.
Besides, getting to be President of the USA is not a reward for being smart, dumb or anything else. It is a job that must be done well.
As in everything else he dabbled in, he failed. This time, thousands of Americans died for it.
“The fact is nothing he did as president was smart, smart is as smart does.Can you imagine if he had gotten through privatization of Social Security and then the crash happened?”
AMEN, LEE
The worst thing is that so many Americans voted for him twice for the stupidest of reasons, and still refuse to see clearly.
Scoring high on MAMBIT (mental abilities measured by intelligence tests) is no indication of quality rational and veridical thinking. The correct term for Bush’s mental state is dysrationalia.
So, technically he’s not retarded. He has a brain but is too lazy to use it. That seems like the very definition of stupidity.