Although journalist Russ Baker‘s careful research attempts to expose deficiencies of the Bush family, his book doesn‘t reveal any smoking guns or conspiracies hatched in the backrooms of America‘s political elite. (bloomsburypressamazon.com)
Well researched and skillfully written, “Family of Secrets—The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces that Put it in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America” doesn’t quite fulfill its promise.
One wonders about the amount of time, energy, and effort spent by the author and his researchers in checking every nook and cranny of the Bush family’s history, in the hope of finding smoking guns that ultimately prove the character deficiencies of two former presidents of the United States. In the end, Mr. Baker’s strenuous attempts dissipate into worthless innuendos, banal gossip, and wrong conclusions.
As anybody involved in the tough business of oil can attest, neither money nor fame is served on a silver platter. So it should not surprise anyone that, like many other businessmen, the elder Bush continually struggled for success and, along the way, made ample use of his connections.
Trying to incriminate G.H.W. Bush—as Mr. Baker does in his book—because he cooperated with individuals who might have been undercover CIA agents is patently unfair.
Unlike the great majority of Americans, some patriotically challenged intellectuals equate belonging to the CIA with committing a felony. They don’t acknowledge the CIA as an important and vital entity, engaged in defense of our national security.
In the turbulent world of international intrigue and rivalries, an American businessman must perform incredible maneuvers just to survive. If, by doing so, he also happens to serve American interests, home or abroad, so be it. It should never be condemned.
Mr. Baker seems to have difficulty understanding that the Cold War was a stark reality. To win, the United States had to marshal considerable human and financial resources. This is why, in his fervor to diminish the Bushes’ part in the spreading of democracy and freedom in the world, he badly missteps by tackling a subject about which his knowledge is woefully inadequate.
In discussing the Crusade for Freedom and the National Committee for a Free Europe founded by several Texan oilmen friends of George H. W. Bush, the author qualifies Radio Free Europe and its sister station Radio Liberty as “centers of anti-Communist propaganda.” This is not only factually erroneous, but also intensely offensive. He ignores the tremendous contribution the two radio stations made to the liberation of Eastern Europe from a cruel Communist dictatorship, disparagingly alluding to freedom fighters by placing the two words between quotation marks.
Mr. Baker and his researchers ought to know that hundreds of millions of Eastern Europeans were deeply grateful to the people who made possible broadcasts that pierced the Iron Curtain, giving them the courage to resist their oppressors. For this remarkable and appropriate initiative, George H. W. Bush and his Texan friends deserve high praise, not denunciation.
By allowing himself to be blinded by dogmatic views, Mr. Baker personally applied the coup de grace to his own credibility. He is no longer the objective journalist he pretends to be. As a result, his efforts to depict George H.W. Bush as possessing advanced knowledge of JFK' s assassination.
Concerning W., the author seems profoundly displeased with the high jinks of all sons raised in privilege. Focusing on the younger Bush’s life, Mr. Baker mentions a series of episodes which, in any other context, would have generated big yawns.
The fact that as a member of the Texas Air National Guard, W. had unceremoniously terminated a brief affair with a beautiful blonde is seen as a blemish on his character. Since neither Mr. Baker nor anyone else was privy to the lovers’ secrets, more circumspection would be in order.
Mr. Baker then takes ample space to cover an episode around W.’s uneasiness at the landing of his jet. The author tries to capitalize on an emotional imperfection, extrapolating it into another character deficiency.
Undoubtedly, as president, W. has more than filled his quota of mistakes. But so did others before him. What gives?
“Family of Secrets –The Bush Dynasty, The Powerful Forces That Put it in the White House and What Their Influence Means for America” by Russ Baker (2009) is published by Bloomsbury Press. Freelance journalist Justin Liuba may be reached at jliuba@yahoo.com.
