# Impressions of George Bush's Intelligence **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441 "2006-01-04T19:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/21 "2006-01-05T00:51:12Z")
He definitely appears to have certain limitations. The impression I receive is of a lack of mental flexibility, and a dangerously narrow view of the world. On some occasions, GWB looked drunk to me; a lot of people have suggested that he’s an untreated addict who sometimes has a “dry drunk”. I don’t know if he’s actually stupid, but in public appearances he speaks as if his listener were a slow-witted child. (Though he may be on to something; last November, in man-on-the-street interviews, I heard a voter say “I like President Bush because he doesn’t make everything complicated. He presents things in simple black-and-white.” I don’t think it was satire.) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/22 "2006-01-05T01:37:26Z")
MacArthur’s firing was a masterpiece of politics, though. The way Truman lined the Joint Chiefs up… ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/23 "2006-01-05T02:11:17Z")
I have read somewhere (no, I don’t remember where, and have no cite, so maybe I’m wrong) that at one time he was told that his speech sounded too aristocratic or too educated for the target he was trying to reach, and that he was coached to be more humble and common, with the result we now see. I also have heard that he may have a degree of dyslexia. If that is in fact the case, I wish that he had owned up to it, as an example of how one can be successful regardless of that problem. Sort of how James Earl Jones will mention that he has a problem with stuttering. All speculation, I know. Without getting into politics, I have often wished that Mr. Bush were more facile and eloquent in his speech. After 9/11, for example, we badly needed a Churchill, and I envied the British the excellent rhetoric of Tony Blair. Of course, some of his constituents aren’t all that happy with Mr. Blair, either, so perhaps that’s not the most important thing, or else all of their politicians are just as well spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/24 "2006-01-05T03:31:57Z")
GW isn’t stupid. However, he is incredibly incurious, especially about situations and events in which he has an existing mindset. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/25 "2006-01-05T03:42:14Z")
Bush is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/26 "2006-01-05T03:56:49Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Bush is stupid. You forgot to add “a” “poopy-head” to your post. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/27 "2006-01-05T03:59:29Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Bush is stupid. [GWB]I know you are, but what am I?[/GWB] ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/28 "2006-01-05T04:05:46Z")
> [@Updike](#): > > You forgot to add “a” “poopy-head” to your post. :rolleyes: **Updike** , what’s your take on this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/29 "2006-01-05T04:13:39Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > **Updike** , what’s your take on this thread? That President Bush does not come across as a good public speaker (whether or not that’s an affectation of some sort, I don’t know), but poor public speaking skills don’t indicate stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/30 "2006-01-05T04:20:13Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I think it was in Fahrenheit 9/11, there was some old footage of W. Bush when he was an oil executive, and although the narration didn’t call attention to it, he seemed much more articulate. > > Whether he’s changed on purpose or what, I can’t say. But the difference was very noticeable. Perhaps he has suffered some brain damage from all the alcohol and drugs? Yes, I think he comes off as stupid and disingenuous. Whether it’s an act or the real deal remains to be seen. If he is much smarter than he acts why carry the act as far as he does? If he just wants to be folksy, it seems he could do it without the stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/31 "2006-01-05T04:43:48Z")
> [@Updike](#): > > That President Bush does not come across as a good public speaker (whether or not that’s an affectation of some sort, I don’t know), but poor public speaking skills don’t indicate stupidity. Fair enough. I’d say that perhaps his seemingly poor concentration when speaking, as well as his tendency to “divert” from the text he’s supposed to read from, would indicate that he might not be up to a normal level of intelligence - but yes, i’d agree with you in that it’s not as clear as poor public speaking = stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/32 "2006-01-05T05:19:13Z")
Bush has _stage fright_. I’ve read numerous accounts of people who say that the ‘private’ George Bush is nothing like the public one. A lot of people on both sides of the aisle will tell you that. In person he’s charming, competant, professional. Put him in front of a podium and he stammers, overcompensates with silly grins and gestures, and in general doesn’t come across well. You’ll notice from time to time that he occasionally gives a speech of real conviction, and his passion overcomes his fears. And then he turns in some pretty good performances. ---
**Author:** ![melunz67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@melunz67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melunz67)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/33 "2006-01-05T05:29:42Z")
I’d need to see the appearance of intelligence before I could tell you my impression. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/34 "2006-01-05T05:52:51Z")
I think he is a crafty motherfucker, playing a stupid act, and the game that he is playing is NOT in America’s best interests, and is not INTENDED to be in America’s best interests. It’s an attempt to place themselves at the top of a feudal aristocracy when the world moves to a globalized system, and there is no where else to expand to that will be outside of their sphere of influence, especially if they control the ability to go to space. I think Bush’s achilles heel is his vanity, and not his intellect. Erek ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/35 "2006-01-05T07:27:44Z")
As others have written, I think Bush consciously speaks in a different way when he is doing so publically. Unfortunately, what he perceives as being “populist” can also sound condescending or unintelligent to some listeners - there can be a sense of a “let me dumb this down so you can understand me” attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/36 "2006-01-05T09:17:59Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Bush has _stage fright_. I’ve read numerous accounts of people who say that the ‘private’ George Bush is nothing like the public one. A lot of people on both sides of the aisle will tell you that. In person he’s charming, competant, professional. Put him in front of a podium and he stammers, overcompensates with silly grins and gestures, and in general doesn’t come across well. How the hell does a guy with stage fright this severe become President of the US? ---
**Author:** ![Exploding\_Kitchen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Exploding\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exploding_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/37 "2006-01-05T09:55:08Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > How the hell does a guy with stage fright this severe become President of the US? 5-4. Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week. Try the potato skins… ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/38 "2006-01-05T13:23:35Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > Perhaps he has suffered some brain damage from all the alcohol and drugs? Indeed. He does exhibit some signs of “dry drunk” behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/39 "2006-01-05T13:30:58Z")
What do you think – would an intelligent-seeming Bush alienate more people than the dumb-seeming Bush does? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441/40 "2006-01-05T14:22:17Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > He has two major problems with his speaking: First off, when he tries to cultivate that “I’m one of you”, populist mien, he fails because we all know that he is not one of us. And yet he beat both Gore and Kerry, who both came off as elitist intellectuals. Dubya’s doing something right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressions-of-george-bushs-intelligence/338441.md?page=3)