47 "He's a president, not a king": Peter Baker, "President Says He Ordered NSA Domestic Spying," Washington Post, December 18, 2005.

48 "seems to believe it is above": Ibid.

49 "just carrying too much": Dick Cheney, In My Time, 353.

50 "we aren't doing these things": Ibid.

51 308 to 122, again enough: U.S. House Clerk's Office. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll630.xml.

52 "a good man who honors": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, December 15, 2005, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051215-3.html.

53 "shocks the conscience": Gellman, Angler, 353.

54 "The rule is whether": Dick Cheney, interview with Terry Moran of ABC News, Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, December 18, 2005, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051218-4.html.

55 "in a manner consistent with": President's Statement on Signing H.R. 2863, the Department of Defense Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, December 30, 2005, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051230-8.html.

56 What about establishing: Michael Abramowitz, "U.S. Promises on Darfur Don't Match Actions," Washington Post, October 29, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/10/28/ST2007102801732.html.

57 "This work has been especially": George W. Bush, address to nation, December 18, 2005, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051218-2.html.

58 eight-point bump: George W. Bush's approval rating jumped from 39 percent in November to 47 percent in a survey December 1518, Washington PostABC News poll, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/19/AR2005121900924.html.

59 "I'm on my second": Rove, "Bush Is a Book Lover."

60 "I am and always have": Samuel Alito job application, November 1985.

61 "Are you really a closet": Amy Goldstein and Charles Babington, "Alito Leaves Door Open to Reversing 'Roe,' " Washington Post, January 12, 2006.

62 "Sit down," he urged: Steve Schmidt, author interview.

63 Elliott Abrams, thought: Abrams, Tested by Zion, 161.

64 would claim 76 of 132 seats: Scott Wilson, "Hamas Sweeps Palestinian Elections, Complicating Peace Efforts in Mideast," Washington Post, January 27, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012600372.html.

65 "What do you think": Rice, No Higher Honor, 417.

66 net oil imports had risen: United States Energy Information Administration, http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_neti_a_ep00_imn_mbblpd_m.htm.

67 replace more than 75 percent: White House Fact Sheet, "Advanced Energy Initiative," January 31, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060131-6.html.

68 "That was all him": Jim Connaughton, author interview.

69 The Senate had confirmed: U.S. Senate roll call record, January 31, 2006, http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00002.

70 "Keeping America competitive": George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 31, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060131-10.html.

CHAPTER 25: "PLEASE DO NOT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TODAY".

1 "The image of him falling": Dick Cheney, interview with Brit Hume, Fox News, February 16, 2006, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,185013,00.html.

2 "Harry, I had no idea you": Ibid.

3 "We have a problem": Neil Patel, author interview.

4 "Has the vice president's office": Scott McClellan and Anita McBride, author interviews.

5 "She felt very strongly": McBride interview.

6 "Mr. Cheney shook my hand": Gilberto San Miguel Jr., Kenedy County Sheriff's Department, police report, February 15, 2006, http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/texas-cops-release-cheney-shooting-report.

7 "What are we going to do?": Patel interview.

8 "We've got to get back": Patel and Lea Anne McBride, author interviews. McBride later married and now goes by Lea Anne Foster.

9 "Let's get it to the local press": Mary Matalin, author interview.

10 "We couldn't get hold": Dan Bartlett, speech to U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Sep-tember 13, 2007, http://www.leadingauthorities.com/speaker/dan-bartlett.aspx.

11 "tersely refused": Rove, Courage and Consequence, 46061.

12 "How are you doing?": Patel interview.

13 "You did a good job": McClellan interview.

14 "You are a fucking press": Administration official, author interview. In an interview, Matalin said she did not remember saying that but did not deny it either.

15 "We've got to make him": McClellan interview.

16 "Is this a big deal?": Matalin interview.

17 "I fired and there's Harry": Cheney interview with Hume.

18 "You know why I picked": McClellan interview.

19 "That had a big effect": Peter Wehner, author interview.

20 "People started rolling": White House official, author interview.

21 "I always value Dick": Jim Langdon, author interview.

22 "We've got a problem": Draper, Dead Certain, 36263.

23 "I really don't understand": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, Air Force One, February 21, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060221-1.html.

24 "I was trying to get him": Draper, Dead Certain, 36263.

25 "an immediate moratorium": Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman, "Bush Threatens Veto Against Bid to Stop Port Deal," Washington Post, February 22, 2006.

26 "This is as 9/11": Ellen Knickmeyer and K. I. Ibrahim, "Bombing Shatters Mosque in Iraq," Washington Post, February 23, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022200454.html.

27 "For the first time": Administration official, author interview. Meghan O'Sullivan, author interview.

28 "an odd man": Condoleezza Rice, No Higher Honor, 369.

29 "I think this is the day": Administration official and O'Sullivan interviews.

30 reported as many as 1,300: Others disputed that figure. Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said the toll was 379, while the Interior Ministry said it was 1,077 and the U.S. military said it had confirmed 220 deaths. A joint Iraqi-American operations center reported receiving accounts of 365 civilian deaths, and officials at the center said the toll could reach 550. Ellen Knickmeyer, "Pressure Seen on Probes at Baghdad Morgue," Washington Post, March 1, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022801466.html.

31 "please help us": Administration official interview.

32 "He actually succeeded": Stephen Hadley, author interview.

33 "From the bombing": J. D. Crouch, author interview.

34 "I don't think anything": John Negroponte, author interview.

35 "Hey, up on the Hill": Graham, By His Own Rules, 6034.

36 "We don't have more": Ronald Neumann, author interview.

37 asked for $600 million: Neumann, Other War, 4041 and 4647.

38 less than the cost of: The war in Iraq at that time was costing $255 million per day, including both military operations and civilian reconstruction. See John W. Schoen, "How Much Is the War in Iraq Costing Us?," MSNBC, October 22, 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15377059/ns/business-answer_desk/t/how-much-war-iraq-costing-us/#.T3eGo3gjj-B.

39 "Who picked that baby-shit": Neumann, Other War, 5357.

40 "I am certain that all presidents": Laura Bush, Spoken from the Heart, 431.

41 "Mrs. Burr": Gridiron Club dinner, March 11, 2006. Author was in attendance.

42 "We're all burned out": Peter Baker, "Senior White House Staff May Be Wearing Down," Washington Post, March 13, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/12/AR2006031200821_pf.html.

43 was a "clusterfuck": George W. Bush, Decision Points, 9496. In an e-mail exchange with the author, Clay Johnson remembered applying that description specifically to the handling of Hurricane Katrina. Bush in his book remembered it being a more overall assessment of the White House organization.

44 "You don't know how": Senior administration official, author interview.

45 "My face must have betrayed": George W. Bush, Decision Points, 9496.

46 "his calm in crisis": George W. Bush, remarks, Oval Office, March 28, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060328.html.

47 Bush choked up: Hadley interview.

48 self-described "policy geek": Peter Baker, "Bringing Evolution, Not Revolution," Washington Post, March 29, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/28/AR2006032801804.html.

49 "the smartest person": Nicolle Wallace, author interview.

50 "Josh viewed his job": Michael Gerson, author interview.

51 "thousands" of "tactical": Condoleezza Rice made the comments in a question session after an address in Blackburn, England. See "Rice Admits Multiple Iraq Errors," BBC News, March 31, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4865344.stm.

52 "lack of understanding": Josh White, "Rumsfeld Challenges Rice on 'Tactical Errors' in Iraq," Washington Post, April 6, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/05/AR2006040502269.html.

53 "The American people are": Notes of conversation on April 12, 2006, provided to author.

54 had begun speaking out: David S. Cloud and Eric Schmitt, "More Retired Generals Call for Rumsfeld's Resignation," New York Times, April 14, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/washington/14military.html?pagewanted=all.

55 "We need to step up": Joshua Bolten, author interview.

56 "Secretary Rumsfeld's energetic": George W. Bush, written statement, April 14, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060414.html.

57 "I hear the voices": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, April 18, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060418-1.html.

58 asked for a show: Several participants, author interviews. Participants remember the timing differently. Some think it took place before the generals' revolt, but Joshua Bolten and Joel Kaplan recall it taking place afterward.

59 "You too?": Joel Kaplan, author interview.

60 "The president had not liked Jaafari": Administration official, author interview.

61 "It is time for you to go": Second administration official, author interview. See also Bumiller, Condoleezza Rice, 286.

62 "President Hu! Your days": Peter Baker and Glenn Kessler, "Bush, Hu Produce Summit of Symbols," Washington Post, April 21, 2006.

63 "You're okay": George W. Bush, comment to Hu, audible on CNN video of the event.

64 refused to attend: Lea Berman, author interview. See also Harwood and Seib, Pennsylvania Avenue, 11416.

65 "This was unfortunate": Baker and Kessler, "Bush, Hu Produce Summit of Symbols."

66 "Condi and I have something": Rice, No Higher Honor, 52627.

67 "I want you to know I'm serious": Rice interview.

CHAPTER 26: "I'M NOT SURE HOW TO TAKE GOOD NEWS ANYMORE"

1 done a poor job explaining: DeFrank, Write It When I'm Gone, 22122.

2 killed in Haditha: Tim McGirk, "Collateral Damage or Civilian Massacre in Haditha?," Time, March 19, 2006, http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1174649,00.html.

3 "the worst period of my": George W. Bush, Decision Points, 36768.

4 "He keeps a lot of that very": Friend of Bush, author interview.