I've finished the O'Neill book......bush should be concerned

[cthrumatrix]

Let me first start by saying, anyone (press, TV, radio friends etc) that bash O'Neill, I have one reply -- did you read the book?

Most comments have been made:

* early Iraq planning (neocon's pushing)
* lack of bush leadership skills
* how everything is "politically charged and calculated"
* how almost everything is "scripted" for shrub
* and the list goes on ...adn you could quote numerous pages


What hasn't been shared is (IMHO)
O'Neill is the one who comes out "as a principled man ...by his actions:
---------------------------------------------------------------
* He stood up for Americans raising the deficit concern and how it would impact their social safety net (soc sec)
* He warned the president of the dangers of future govt obligations ($44 Trillion Govt gap in rev vs. exp ) ..the president shelved this report -- amazing.
* He went to Africa and tried to help those in need with plans of water well and need for fighting AIDS -- all this stopped. While the press only brought up the fact that he was with Bono on the tour.
* He fought hard for very high standards for CEO "accountability"...which was later watered down because CEO's didn't want potential litigation.
* He told Ken Lay that the govt. "would not bail" Enron out of financial insolvency...told the press of the conversation and reasons for the decline.

Quite frankly, he comes off looking like the most fiscally responsible one in the organization --- and fired as a result of that. If conservative republicans read this book ...I think even they would side with O'Neill.

This is bad news for bush*

[KoKo]

1. Thanks for the report on that. Hopefully others will read the book and

stay away from the "cables."

[cthrumatrix]

17. Another obvious problem - did shrub break any laws with his covert Iraq

agenda and WMD case. In the SOTU he said alot of things...nothing about having this idea from day one.

[madmax]

2. By the time I get my copy from Amazon

around Jan. 27th this will be 'old' news :(

[Tactical Progressive]

3. Then we should get Republicans to read the book

From 'one of their own' - an insider's report.

I think I'll buy the O'Neill book for myself and hand it around to Republican friends.

[cthrumatrix]

26. it would open their eyes to many things in our govt. and shrub

[HereSince1628]

4. I'm halfway through and what also comes across is that

O'Neill comes across as someone who believes he is a polymath.

Now in the common parlance of places like emode matching they call those types of people braniacs.

It seems obvious that O'Neill saw himself as being smarter, more rational and more broadly engaged intellectually than Bush and most of the core corps.

At the same time, Bush and the core corps probably saw O'Neil's behavior as acting like a know-it-all and sticking his nose in everywhere, especially where it wasn't wanted.

Maybe I'll be convinced otherwise in the last half of the book, but I have seen this in action.

[damnyankee2601]

16. This is kind of a silly complaint.

If a person is smarter than his/her co-workers, that does not invalidate their observations. Dimwitted jocks have been beating up geeks since the dawn of time because the geeks are a threat to their self-esteem. Still, all that violence has never proven the geeks wrong. To dismiss O'Neill's statements because you don't like his personality seems more like something a bunch of C-average morally-challenged frat boys would do. In fact, that seems to be waht happened. So whose side are you arguing?

[newyawker99]

34. Hi damnyankee2601!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[alfredo]

5. I guess in GOP speak, he was a loser. eom

[CPschem]

6. Has anyone read

the George Soros book, The Bubble of American Supremacy.. (or something like that)??? I saw it at the bookstore this morning- looks interesting. Anyone know if it's a good read?

[JeebusH]

7. bush should be concerned .. but won't

at least while the asses of every mediawhore still has "Property of GOP" still stamped on their asses

[lovedems]

8. I finished the book, too. I think the press is misrepresenting in a way

While he is critical of the idiot *, I find that the book is more critical of the administration. I got the sense that * really isn't capable of making a decision, so what his administration has done is surround him with people who "appear" to engaging in honest discussion and in reality are all arguing for the same thing. It is a reflection on his inability to think and a reflection on his administration unwillingness to debate an issue.

What I find rings true the most is how policy takes a back seat to politics. It is all about taking care of "the base". The base includes CEO's, the engery industry and the evangelicals. We can all agree, I think, that all of this administration policies have been unbalanced in their favor. They are taking care of "their own" at the expense of the average american.

The person who said, "we didn't listen to him when he Treasury Secretary, why would we listen to him now?" Obviously didn't read the book before making that statement because if they would have listened, we WOULD NOT be in record deficits. He is 100% against defecit spending and is the poster boy for fiscal responsibility.

BTW, the book makes Lindsay look like a total and complete idiot. He didn't like that man at all.

[cthrumatrix]

10. Plus Cheney remains secluded most of the book-- the energy panel

discussion was clearly damning...setting up the panel to only officially include "govt employees" so no records would need to be released.

However, O'Neill says at breaks all the lobbyist were there making their points sharing data and the names are in the books...all big corps...ken lay and others.

It makes Cheney look like "he's guilty" or at least the data and polciies would be damaging.

[lovedems]

15. It is obvious that * isn't in control of this government.

As far as the energy package, the lobbyists got EVERYTHING they wanted (it appears to me, judging by who was there and what the package looks like today) without having to sit in on the "task force".

My question to you, that I have been struggling with all day is, what do you think accounts for O'Neill's backpeddling? Do you think he wanted the book's publicity to be more about criticism of the administration and their decision making policy and less about the idiot. It seems to me that there aren't really that many quotes actually negative against* but those are the ones the media picked up and ran with. I just don't understand his reasons.

[cthrumatrix]

20. We need to "listen" to his eact words...not really backpeddling

when he says the NSC words were "red meat"...he's right ..they were.

As far as voting for shrub and having some media take things out of context quotes...this could be "word for word" what he was asked to say by ????

All else is documented ....it can be proved Suskind to the contrary. Note that "nobody" says he lied.

He might be afaid for what the truth may bring....and may God Bless him, his family and his loved ones for being a "truthful man" who wants to share his story.

[wryter2000]

9. Thank you

Still waiting for my copy.

Can I ask how you read the book so fast? Did you buy it yesterday?

I ask because I heard a report that someone had bought it at Walmart on Sunday. That is truly weird, because publishers do not like for stores to put out potential bestsellers early. They're really serious about that and will take steps to prevent it. Unless Walmart had special permission to sell the book on Sunday, they are in trouble with Simon and Schuster.

[cthrumatrix]

12. Bought it last night....finished this morning. I seriously wonder

if anyone had a "heads up on this". I can think of one action by the govt last week.

Remember they came out in favor of a state run oil approach for Iraq and many people were totally surprised by this approach beaucse where would the infrastructure investment $$$'s come from.

Well..whats in the book with oil companies etc....I think perhaps this press released for "damage control". I could be wrong.

[Selwynn]

11. Bought the book today. (nt)

[RamboLiberal]

13. He also fought for the admin to recognize Global Warming

Also in the infamous first NSC meeting they disengaged from Israeli/Palestinian peace talks, once more overruling Powell.

Thought Sharon's and the Israeli being tough would bring about peace talks. Bushie based his whole impression of the situation on one copter ride with Sharon over the Palestinian territories.

Oh and Bushie's first nickname for him was Pablo, then later when he was falling out of favor The Big O. Powell is balloonfoot.

Here's some good news - in my area Pittsburgh the bookstores sold out by 1PM yesterday - I'm glad I got my copy.

Book on O'Neill sells out fast in region

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

By Alana Semuels, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Readers curious to investigate the hype behind "The Price of Loyalty," Ron Suskind's new book about Paul O'Neill and the Bush administration, were hard-pressed yesterday to find a copy in Pittsburgh.

Interest was widespread in stores throughout the city, O'Neill's home before and after his 23-month stint as U.S. treasury secretary.

Barnes and Noble, Downtown, sold out of the book from pre-orders alone. Customers in the store were told to return later in the week. The chain's Squirrel Hill store sold out around 1 p.m., and a store manager did not anticipate new copies arriving until the end of the week. The book climbed rapidly to the No. 1 spot on the Barnes and Noble online best-seller list.

Border's in Monroeville does not take pre-orders and sold the last of its approximately 20 copies around 1 p.m. as well.

"We've had tons and tons of inquiries," said a salesperson at Bradley's Book Cellar, in Kaufmann's, Downtown. There was some confusion among customers regarding who wrote the book, but they knew they wanted it. "People were saying Wesley Clark wrote it, then that Paul O'Neill did," the Bradley's salesperson said. "Now, we have it on order."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04014/261248.stm

And from Dicky Mellon Scaife's rag:

Several days of round-the-clock TV news reports and talk-show appearances by Paul O'Neill fanned first-day sales of "The Price of Loyalty" around the country and here in Pittsburgh.
It is ranked the No. 1 best-seller on both the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com Web sites, which base their rankings on books they sell over the Internet.

And based on calls to a handful of local bookstores Tuesday evening, "The Price of Disloyalty" apparently was impossible to buy in Pittsburgh, where O'Neill still lives after his long career at Alcoa and brief stint in the Bush administration.

<snip>

A Barnes & Noble staffer called it "Hillary Clinton-level stuff" and said the O'Neill book "just flew out of here." A Borders staffer said "It's no 'Harry Potter,' but it sold better than we expected."

Bookstore managers at the national chains are not permitted to reveal specific sales figures or order amounts. But one said "we got 25 copies in and at 5:15 we had four left - and they were on hold." Another said, "We sold our per-store of allotment of 20 and could have sold three times as many."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/news/s_174411.html

[cthrumatrix]

25. and he really "set-up" Christine Whitman for failure...she will not be

pleased when people see how she was treated...simple mgmt communication from shrub could have saved embarrassment.

[Ernesto]

14. Just listened to O'Neill on NPR

What a GREAT whistle blower! The man is a classic economic techy nerd. Sounds like Greenspan when he speaks. VERY cautious about his statements. Don't expect flashy quotes from this fellow. Perhaps he is the kind of guy that "thoughtful" conservitives will listen to.......... Today's Fresh Air show dedicated an almost unprecedented full hour to this interview. It was great to hear a sophisticated white house insider confirm what so many of us @ the DU believe.

[lovedems]

19. any more "backpeddling" today? Just curious. n/t

[Terwilliger]

33. yes...says he regretted saying "blind man in room full of deaf people"

Completely undercutting any idea that he's out to tell the truth.

[underpants]

35. Why is he still appearing and promoting the book with Suskind?

IF he is truly backpedaling why would he still be going on NPR and such with the author?

[freesqueeze]

36. didn't he say he would rather use the term ...

disattached instead of blind. It seems like the backing off is that he wished he was more diplomatic and said the same things but in a less damaging way to the administration.

[Terwilliger]

18. I'm sure he's concerned

concerned about what to wear to the sercond inaugural gala.

[AP]

21. Where's my cheeseburger?

The NYT article today was very interestign.

It'd be funny if "Where's the Cheeseburger?" became a slogan this year.

[AP]

22. People here were hateful towards Bono for going to Africa with O'Neil.

I wonder if they'd like to revisit that assessment after reading the book.

[KayLaw]

23. Funny

According to that Hill article that was circulating a little while ago, the WH weren't even that concerned over this book, but were nervous about the next one due out by Clarke. Can't wait to see what that one says!

[leftchick]

24. My Barnes & Noble was sold out today!

I quized the gal helping me. I asked if they were selling like hotcakes and she smirked and said, "Well, yeah"! Woo Hooo. I need to order mine online as she said it would take a week if I ordered one today. I did by American Dynasty by Kevin Phillips before I left. The dust cover is vomitous though and I threw it right away. Have you seen it? Poppy looks like Jim Carrey's Fire Marshal Bill :puke:

[Dudley_DUright]

39. Mine too

I just ordered a copy online with a B&N gift card I got for Xmas. Thanks Santa!

[ElementaryPenguin]

27. Thanks for this. I plan on buying a copy today!

:thumbsup:

[cthrumatrix]

28. kick for the PM crowd

[underpants]

29. I'm only 135 pages in (March 2001) it already it is pretty damning

I knew what this was going to be about (other than the pragmatists vs. idealogues) and that was that W is basically a speechreader, a puppet.

That has been painfully obvious to the most casual observer and so far the book points directly to that. When he boasts about not reading a paper and only getting his information from certain people but then EVERYONE praises his leadership and decisiveness red flags shoot up. That is what I am getting out of it amongst other things.

Yes this is very damning but his crowd are the kind who will say "I don't need to read it!!!" and then comment on it.

O'Neill appears to be down the middle almost a-political and a great boss to have. Oh and the fact that he is self made would really sting any rightwinger who has bought into the whole "you MAY be rich some day" to see someone who is but that provided the material for this book.

One last thing, it doesnt' matter if he is backtracking now it is in black and white, it states right at the beginning that he proofread it and approved it. It hard to get a round back in the barrel.

[cthrumatrix]

30. I was suprised and am glad to have had Paul O'Neill serve this country.

I would not have wanted a "plant" for US Treasurer. He is going to be thanked by many dems/repugs.

[Terwilliger]

31. Hope you still feel that way next Repug administration he joins

if he's allowed to...but, hey, he's doing his level best to lick Bush's ass now

[cthrumatrix]

32. LOL...I think he is done serving as a politican -- doesn't fit the mold

in DC...too honest and a straight shooter...in reading, it seems he was always that way.

Maybe he'll become a dem. after the repugs 'abandon the whistleblower'.

[RamboLiberal]

37. O' Neill has a great reputation in Pittsburgh

One neat thing in the Alcoa Headquarters he designed was there were no executive offices, not even for him. Everyone worked in open work pods.

And he's done good charity work around here. He and Teresa Heinz are well-liked wealthy people in Pittsburgh.

[laruemtt]

38. thanks for the report.

i'll be picking it up along with dude where's my country on friday and spend the snowy weekend reading!