In His Own Words: W. speaks - George W. Bush - Interview

National Review, Dec 31, 1999 by Ramesh Ponnuru

GWB: No, I think they didn't think he was smart. You've got to understand, if you don't come from Washington, you're not very smart. Even though you come from California or Texas-you know you may be bright in the eyes of your own constituents. I think the liberal media thought Ronald Reagan was not intelligent.

NR: Is there a snobbery?

GWB: I think there is elitism, I do. And, with Ronald Reagan, I also think that they disagreed with his point of view. I think they felt that his clear, strong stance against Communism was naive. I think they felt that his tax-cutting would ruin the economy. I think they felt that his ideas on welfare reform would leave people in the cold. And he proved them wrong. That's why he'll go down in history as a great president. He is a watershed president.

NR: Do you think the national media have been fair to you?

GWB: At times. And at times they haven't. Everybody wants a race. But the good news is, I know where my constituency really is: It's with the people. But I would say, at first, I intrigued people. And now I think we're settling into a traditional relationship with the liberal media and the conservatives. The other day, I'm standing up, and people say you're not smart enough. That's kind of an unusual question for someone who's been successful in life to be asked. But that's part of what's happening now among the media. And my only answer is, I'd rather be underestimated. There's a lady here in Texas named Ann Richards, who underestimated me.

NR: One helpful Clinton legacy is the treatment of their daughter. The media now should probably leave your daughters alone.

GWB: I hope so, but they won't.

NR: On another Gore adviser, you wouldn't spend five minutes in the same room with Naomi Wolf, right? That's just not your thing?

GWB: Not at all. I don't understand the mentality. I don't get what she brings.

It's just a scene up there-you know it as well as I do. There's a deal- there's a kind of the literati, and that's just not me. I respect smart people, I respect genius. I love good writing. But that's just not where I'm coming from.

So I want you to read this New Yorker article for the general election. It's one of the most amazing articles I've ever read. It was by some guy [Louis Menand] down at NYU or something who was interviewing Al Gore. Now, I'm a fairly well-educated person. I couldn't understand it. I could not understand what they were talking about. About halfway through the story, the guy starts saying, "I can't imagine having this conversation with George W. Bush."

NR: What are you doing New Year's Eve?

GWB: That's something we've having a little struggle about in our household. I'm on my daughters' side to rent a bus, load up 20-plus other kids, and go up to our lake house in East Texas. Their mom, on the other hand, hasn't quite bought into the program yet.

NR: Will you be attending Renaissance Weekend in January?

GWB: Wrong guy. Wrong guy. I'd rather be fishing.