Saturday, September 22, 2018

Bob Woodward - Fear - (Book Review)

Legendary journalist Bob Woodward presents his inside view of the Trump White House.  The view is unsettling but there is nothing really new here.  Most of the "explosive" episodes had already been made public.  No one tends to doubt the accuracy of Woodward's reporting.  His record with his previous books is exemplary.  The thing I wonder about is how he can report so many detailed word by word conversations.  I do not understand how he can do this without paraphrasing.

"Real Power is---I don't even want to use the word---fear."
-Donald Trump

Mattis corrects Trump on saying that McCain took the coward's way out by taking advantage leaving North Korea as a POW early.  P. 77

McMaster trashes Trump like he was a frat boy just getting by, doing as little as possible in college.  P. 86-87

Trump's management style is to "play it by ear."  P. 89

Failure is inevitable on the road to success.  P. 93

The utter folly of a preemptive attack on North Korea.  P. 95

Tweeting is the way he operates.  So unpresidential.  P. 104

Trump's outdated, 50/'s view of America.  P. 137

Praise for the Syrian attack.  P. 153

Out of sight, out of mind with Trump.  P. 158

The Comey firing comment with Lester Holt.  P. 164

Trump goes haywire learning of the appointment of Mueller.  P. 166

Blind-sided by Sesssions's recusal.  P. 168

Dowd could see that Trump was very lonely.  P. 169

The key was to fathom Trump's intent.  P. 173

Real power is fear.  Deny, deny, deny.  Never show weakness.  P. 175

Unending hatred of Sessions for his disloyalty.  P. 176

Ivanka and Jared freelancing in the West Wing.  P. 190

The Trump tower meeting disclosed.  P. 197

Twitter is his megaphone.  P. 205

Belittling Sessions.  P. 216

Trump doesn't understand the benefits of free trade.  P. 218

This is what craziness is like Priebus decided.  P. 225

By the time I was finished with this book I was tired of it, tired of reading about Trump.  Enough is enough.

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