Another Viewpoint

Former Bush administration officials are kind of challenging the viewpoint espoused by Karl Rove that President Bush is a voracious reader. Former Colin Powell Chief of Staff Lawrence Wilkerson, who has become a strong critic of the administration, provides an interesting counterpoint to Rove:

"It allowed everybody to believe that this Sarah Palin-like President - because, let's face it, that's what he was - was going to be protected by this national security elite, tested in the cauldrons of fire," said Wilkerson.[...]

Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism adviser, said then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and her deputy, Steve Hadley, told him, "Don't give the President a lot of long memos. He's not a big reader."

Said an astounded Clarke: "Well, s---, I mean, the President of the United States is not a big reader?"

Ouch.