Transformed by Crisis : The Presidency of George W. Bush and American Politics

The presidency of George W. Bush has been a curious one: born in contention, challenged by the most dramatic foreign directed attack on American soil, and transformed by a combination of crisis and conflict that has generated considerable support domestically. And yet, while much attention has been focused on the Bush administration's extrernal policies, how it has pursued its goals and had its effects on the domestic scene has been as important. Examining the push and pull of the Bush presidency by looking especially at domestic dynamics, the authors look at the tendency towards centralizing power and its implications for American politics. From the midterm elections of 2002, where the Republicans scored historic victories, to relations with the press, and from executive branch relations with Congress to increased federal involvement in education, the authors examine and shed light on crucial issues. This book examines how words and deeds in a time of crisis will define the Bush presidency place in American politics and history. Front Matter....Pages i-x September 11th and Bush’s Presidency....Pages 1-7 The 2000 Presidential Election of George W. Bush: The Difficult Birth of a Presidency....Pages 9-28 Ordinary Events and Extraordinary Times: The 2002 Congressional Elections....Pages 29-50 The Press, the Public, and the Two Presidencies of George W. Bush....Pages 51-71 Changing the Tone? Congressional-Presidential Relations in the Second Bush Administration....Pages 73-100 Mastering Presidential Government: Executive Power and the Bush Administration....Pages 101-117 Crisis and the Pursuit of Conservatism: Liberty, Security, and the Bush Justice Department....Pages 119-140 Gun Rights for Terrorists? Gun Control and the Bush Presidency....Pages 141-165 Acting Like a Colossus: Bush’s Foreign Policy, Unilateralism, and the Pursuit of Primacy....Pages 167-197 The Challenges Ahead: George W. Bush and the 2004 Election....Pages 199-207 Back Matter....Pages 209-216 Transformed by Crisis examines how the Bush presidency was born and was then profoundly altered by the terrorist bombings of September 11, 2001.