15 "The president believed as": Michael Gerson, author interview.

16 "He thought that guy is a zealot": Alan Simpson, author interview.

17 "I respect the jury's": George W. Bush, written statement on executive clemency for Libby, July 2, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070702-3.html.

18 broke with Bush over Iraq: In a speech on the Senate floor on June 25, 2007, Richard Lugar declared that the surge was unlikely to succeed and called for a change in strategy in Iraq, saying that otherwise "we risk foreign policy failures that could greatly diminish our influence in the region and the world." He said the president would have to downsize troop levels in Iraq and embrace more diplomacy. http://www.c-span.org/Campaign2012/Events/Sen-Richard-Lugar-R-IN-Senate-Floor-Speech-on-the-Iraq-War/7644/.

19 "You have no credibility": Woodward, War Within, 370.

20 did not think he could hold: Administration official, author interview.

21 "The surge can't last": Ibid.

22 reporting that the White House: David E. Sanger, "In White House, Debate Is Rising on Iraq Pullback," New York Times, July 9, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/09/washington/09prexy.html.

23 Lott was there and reported: Dick Cheney, In My Time, 46063.

24 voting two days later: The bill would require that American force levels in Iraq be reduced to "a limited presence" by April 1, 2008. The House passed it 223 to 201, with four Republicans joining the Democratic majority and ten Democrats voting no. U.S. House Clerk's Office, July 12, 2007, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll624.xml.

25 "He thought we were": Hadley interview.

26 "he really wasn't in the loop": Administration official, author interview.

27 "I wanted to respectfully": David Petraeus, author interview.

28 "It's not going to happen": Mike Mullen, author interview.

29 National Review collected: Kathryn Jean Lopez, "A Busy Saturday," National Review Online, July 20, 2007, http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/146196/busy-saturday/kathryn-jean-lopez.

30 "Dear Kate, Elizabeth, Grace": Dick Cheney, letter to his grandchildren, published in the Weekly Standard, August 6, 2007, http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/927hkdzx.asp?pg=2.

31 "The American people won't": Rice interview.

32 He sent a message to the Saudis: Dick Cheney, In My Time, 478.

33 "In terms of thinking": Cheney interview.

34 "revolt of the radical pragmatists": Douglas Ollivant, author interview.

35 He kept in his desk drawer: Peter Baker, "Exit Toward Soul-Searching," Washington Post, October 7, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/06/AR2007100601521.html.

36 "I feel like I'm deserting you": Ibid.

37 "That was the first time": White House aide, author interview.

38 "I don't understand": Baker, "President Besieged and Isolated."

39 "The president," a senior administration official: Ibid.

40 suggesting the decision was: In his resignation statement on August 27, 2007, Alberto Gonzales said, "Yesterday I met with President Bush and informed him of my decision to conclude my government service." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEm3dTTrLpc.

41 Tony Snow announced: Michael Abramowitz, "Tony Snow Resigns as White House Spokesman," Washington Post, September 1, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/31/AR2007083100664.html.

42 After peaking at 126: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, known as icasualties.org, http://icasualties.org/iraq/ByMonth.aspx. Note that this link goes to the page showing all co-alition casualties; to get the American casualties requires using the filter at the bottom.

43 fallen from 2,796 to 2,384: Iraq Body Count, http://www.iraqbodycount.org/analysis/numbers/2007/.

44 from 1,341 to 738: Ibid.

45 "The plan should be this": Administration official interview.

46 "That's our situation": Ibid.

47 "Get down": Joe Hagin, author interview.

48 "They felt the elation": Eric Draper, author interview.

49 "He's sent from central": Petraeus interview.

50 "My fighters will finish here": Lute interview.

51 "have dealt significant blows": David Petraeus, testimony before joint hearing of House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, September 10, 2007, Federal News Service transcript.

52 "Of course, al-Qaeda needs": Reid, Good Fight, 1011.

53 "you can't refer to Baker": Dick Cheney, In My Time, 46063.

54 "Did my visit endanger": Administration official, author interview.

55 "ordinary life is beginning": George W. Bush, address to nation, September 13, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070913-2.html.

56 "I've got a message": Petraeus interview.

CHAPTER 33: "DON'T SCREW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES"

1 "What are you talking": Christopher Hill, author interview. John Lackey pitched six innings in the series opener and gave up nine hits and four runs in the loss. The Red Sox swept the series in three games. http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2007_ALDS1.shtml.

2 "What we really need": Hill interview.

3 "What are you going to do": Eric Edelman, author interview.

4 "Dick, would you like to ask": Hill interview.

5 "The president is being sold": Edelman interview.

6 "I'm not a carbon copy": Mitt Romney, Republican presidential debate sponsored by ABC News, August 5, 2007. See transcript at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/us/politics/05transcript-debate.html?pagewanted=print.

7 "Absolutely not, because": Ibid.

8 had been a "train wreck": John McCain, joint appearance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, February 21, 2007, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2895526&page=1.

9 "Wait 'til her fat ass": Latimer, Speech-Less, 26970.

10 Clinton could be the Ike: Peter Baker, "Bush to Hillary Clinton: I'm Truman, You're Ike," The Trail, washingtonpost.com, September 21, 2007, http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2007/09/bush-clinton-will-be-democrati.html.

11 "there's not a liberal America": Barack Obama, keynote address, Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html.

12 "stunning" in its "naivete": George W. Bush, off-the-record conversation with journalists on October 9, 2007. The author was not among the journalists invited and therefore not subject to the ground rules. Notes of the meeting were provided to the author by a person in the room.

13 "This cat isn't remotely": Latimer, Speech-Less, 26769.

14 Obama and Clinton refused to commit: Democratic presidential debate, September 26, 2007.

15 "He was willing to cut loose": Condoleezza Rice, author interview.

16 "Don't screw with the president": Administration official interview.

17 undergone a "remarkable change": Abrams, Tested by Zion, 19697.

18 "Do I have an agreement?": Rice interview.

19 "including all core issues": Joint Understanding, Annapolis Conference, November 27, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071127.html.

20 "I can't read this": Rice interview.

21 some involving Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Jay Solomon, "Iran's Nuclear-Arms Guru Resurfaces," Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444230504577615971688458892.html.

22 "Sir, that is an interesting": Michael Hayden, author interview.

23 "primarily in response": Key Judgments, "Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities," National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007, http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf.

24 McConnell and Hayden did not want: Hayden interview and Mike McConnell, e-mail exchange with author.

25 possibility of "World War III": George W. Bush, news conference, October 17, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20071017.html.

26 "This is a disaster": Stephen Hadley, author interview.

27 "It was a huge blow": Ibid.

28 "The results give us a reason": George W. Bush, telephone call with Vladimir Putin, December 4, 2007. Notes of call provided to author.

29 "A country that had one can": George W. Bush, telephone call with Hu Jintao, December 6, 2007. Notes of call provided to author.

30 "merits our consideration": Gordon and Trainor, Endgame, 46768.

31 "a significant impediment": Administration official, author interview.

32 "I know there are people": Ibid.

33 "You're a terrible": Ibid.

34 A bipartisan commission: John M. Broder, "House, 314100, Passes Broad Energy Bill; Bush Plans to Sign It," New York Times, December 19, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/washington/19energy.html.

35 "The legislation I'm about to": George W. Bush, energy bill signing ceremony, December 19, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071219-6.html.

36 just twenty-three American: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, known as icasualties.org, http://icasualties.org/iraq/ByMonth.aspx. Note that this link goes to the page showing all coalition casualties; to get the American casualties requires using the filter at the bottom.

37 "The United States strongly": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, Crawford, December 27, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071227.html.

38 told him that the economy: Paulson, On the Brink, 8586.

39 Where Iraq had dominated: A Washington PostABC News poll released on November 4, 2007, found that 29 percent of those surveyed named Iraq as their top issue, compared with 14 percent who named the economy. In a later poll released January 12, 2008, 29 percent identified the economy as the most important concern compared with 20 percent who said Iraq. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_011408.html.

40 called his predecessor to: Heilemann and Halperin, Game Change, 227.

41 "In this election year": George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2008, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.html.

CHAPTER 34: "WHAT IS THIS, A CRUEL HOAX?".

1 "a more flexible standard": Paul D. Clement, Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae, District of Columbia v. Heller, January 2008. http://www.nraila.org/heller/primaries/07-290_PetitionerAmCuUSA.pdf.

2 "What do you want to do?": Joshua Bolten, author interview.

3 "What the fuck are you": Neil Patel, author interview.

4 "They were so angry": Ibid.

5 "You can't have more than": Bolten interview.

6 "It's a process foul": Ibid. See also Dick Cheney, In My Time, 495.

7 "Understood," Bolten replied: Bolten interview.

8 "He's the best vice president": George W. Bush, speech to Conservative Political Action Conference, February 8, 2008, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/02/20080208.html.

9 "Cheney's view was that all": White House official, author interview.

10 "Thank you for the peace": Peter Baker, "Bush, Feeling Appreciated Abroad," Washington Post, February 22, 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022101585.html.

11 "Of course, people talk": Jakaya Kikwete and George W. Bush, joint news conference, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, February 17, 2008, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/02/20080217.html.

12 spent $817 million to provide: Larry E. Andre Jr., the charge d'affaires at the U.S. embassy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, remarks at relief fund check presentation, May 27, 2009, http://tanzania.usembassy.gov/sp_05272009.html.