Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House

At the Harvard Business School, which George W. Bush attended, there are many case studies about business partnerships. One of the recurring themes is that in tough times partnerships are easy. When everyone is struggling for a common goal, unity is always easier. But when a business starts to succeed, the partnership is always a lot tougher.

Political partnerships are different, but still similar. There is no bottom line to worry about, but when one partner starts to succeed politically, ahead of the other, usually there is trouble and strain on the relationship. The Bush/Cheney partnership is a good example.

It seems that every modern Presidential aspirant, when he picks a Vice-Presidential nominee, says that it’s going to be a unique and special partnership. The Bush /Cheney partnership was certainly true to that, especially given the events of 9/11 and the impact that the partnership had on the nation, in ways that we’ll be living with for decades to come.

That’s why New York Times, Chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker's new book, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House is so important and so central to understanding the history of the Bush administration.

My conversation with Peter Baker:

Rahm

He was the architect of Bill Clinton's efforts to make small issues add up to what some called the "incredible shrinking Presidency."  He has been attacked by the left for being to pragmatic, by the right for being to partisan.  He and the President have diverged on what should be the goals, aspirations and limits of the administration.  Arguably, with so many enemies, on all sides, he must be doing something right?  Rahm Emanuel is perhaps the most powerful chief of staff since Jim Baker served George H.W. Bush.  Yet his future may rest completely on the results of health care legislation this week.  N.Y. Times White House correspondent Peter Baker takes an inside look at "The Limits of RAHMISM" in his N.Y. Times Magazine cover story.

My conversation with Peter Baker:

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The responsibility of command

In the entire history of the US, only forty-four men have known exactly what it feels like to have the full weight of the nations security on their shoulders. Even fewer have assumed that mantel in a time of war.  As Barack Obama took office, the terrorist threat swirled around him. A year later, the failed Christmas day attack refocused Obama and the country on the threat of domestic terrorism.  Suddenly it wasn't just policy papers or briefings, but lives hung in the balance. N.Y. Times White House correspondent Peter Baker writes about this as the cover story in this Sunday's New York Times Magazine.

My conversation with Peter Baker:

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