"Fear" Bob Woodward

This would be the space where I write my review of "Fear" by legendary Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward.  If there was only one thing I could look forward to after the swearing in, it would be what Woodward would write.  He's been at this longer than I've been alive, he's covered every era since Nixon.

But the value of this book to me maybe different than another reader's, because  this book went beyond an expose of the President's managerial skill,  it also aligned the players within the administration in ways that would be unremarkable, if it were not for the non-conformist in charge.

What this book revealed, beyond the dysfunction and dishonesty, which everyone should know by now, is how Trump's cabinet and administration barely resembled a team of advisers who were believers akin to the believers who voted for Trump in the first place.

For a man revered due to the perception that his competence and judgement  allow him to recognize our nations flaws like no other has, therefore a singular hope to fix them,   one could argue his first round of selections to join his team were anything but confirmation of this skill set.

His cabinet would look like my cabinet if I were making selections based on the greatness I already knew this country was basking in, and I wanted to continue that tract.

SPOILER ALERT:  Most of those cabinet members are gone now.  Which actually is a condemnation in and of itself...what kind of genius would select so many at odds with himself in the first place anyways? 

Perversely,  and why not perversely, the revelation that many members of Trump's administration and Cabinet were so proactively against their boss, it has forced me to temper a certain criticism I have had with Trump!

I just haven't decided if I'm happy with that or not.

The criticism that I have to amend is over the timing of the tariffs.   I admit,  I used the timing of the tariffs as evidence that trump was not that great negotiator that he would have me believe he is.  I argued that he promised these tariffs during the campaign, but it took him well over a year to enact them.  Long enough a delay to allow China, for example, to pin point reciprocal tariffs where they would hurt the most  --  the American farmer.   As well as make other arrangements for their agriculture goods, to our long term detriment.

Turns out that Trump wanted to slap tariffs on from the get go, but the newly revealed 'Steady State' kept him from doing so.  But like I said,  many of those actors are gone, with the ultimate affect that Trump is now getting his own way.

Is that good or bad?   It's a deeper question than that,  ask yourself is it good or bad that Trump had this sabotage, is that treasonous?

Again, what kind of genius would hire these type of people in the first place?

Aside from that personal revelation, this book was a tremendous and quick read.   A real page turner,  a look inside the Trump White House, and the perceptions that the closest people to him, have of him.

Those perceptions too are closer to what I had in mind, than say your average Trump supporter.  I'll let the words of his cabinet speak for themselves.  But I won't put them in print here,  too much vulgarity and besides,  most of those descriptions  were revealed already in the press.

Evidently Rex Tillerson did call Trump a,  'f*&^%$# moron' but he wasn't alone.

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