This week on q a james man author and resident at John Hopkins School of advanced international studies. He talks about his biography of president george w. Bush. James mann a third of the biography on george w. Bush if a friend of yours who had never met george w. Bush and asked about him what would you say . I would say that he was a guy that was his son of a president. He had trouble dealing with that fact for the first 40 plus years of his life. Then he got his own personal life together enough to be a quite successful and true pa laetitia to be elected governor of texas, and then became the president of the United States. The first thing he would be known for at the time of his presidency and forever more with the fact that he was the president during the time of the september 11th attacks. He chose to wage a war in iraq that turned out to be a disaster. What were his early years like . He followed in his fathers footsteps. I see that quite literally, because he was forced almost
[inaudible conversations] id like to call this hearing to order. This hearing will be a little bit different. It is perhaps the first congressional hearing held during the extenuating circumstances of the pandemic. We have a sparse crowd and expanded bias the committees hearings to the guidelines put forth by the rules committee and attending physician. Id like to thank our members and staff for their patience and understanding as we work through the logistics in holding this hearing a part of the eversight of Intelligence Community. Members will be joining us on a rotating basis throughout the morning. And again this afternoon, as we move to a closed session. Their absence now is not a reflection of the importance they place on this matter. We have asked members to watch as much of the hearings as they can from their offices, only coming into the hearing room to ask questions. Id also like to thank the press corps for your accommodation of the restrictions were facing as we seek to fu
Thank you mister chairman. Congressman Us Intelligence community have an Important Role in warning our leaders about pandemics like covid19. Because outbreaks of course are not just the publichealth matter but also a matter of National Security based on public statements and reporting alone , do you believe that president from as accurately conveyed the severity of the threat of covid19 to the American People . Are you saying presently . We are in the midst of the pandemic presently , correct. The question because i guess im misunderstanding. Im sorry as he accurately reflected the status of the pandemic . The severity of the pandemic, yes. As he conveyed the severity of covid19 to the American People. I believe so. You do and according to april 27 2020 Washington Post article resident from receipt upwards of a dozen briefings on covid19 on the Us Intelligenceagencies between january and february. Of this year. During which time he repeatedly denied the severity of the threat. On janua
James i would say he was a guy who was the son of a president , had trouble dealing with that fact for the first 40 yearsplus of his life and then got his own personal life together enough to be a quite successful and shrewd politician to be elected governor of texas, and then became president of the united states. The first thing he would be known for then at the time of his presidency now and forever more will certainly be the fact that he was president at the time of the september 11th attacks and chose to wage a war in iraq that turned out to be a disaster. Brian what were his early years like . James well, he followed in his fathers footsteps and i say that quite literally, because he was forced almost to go to prep school at andover. He went to yale. He did many of the things his father did. It really in his mind, i think, it was not him. He once said many years later there were differences between him and his father starting with the fact that he went to Sam Houston Elementary S
Next, a forum on the federal governments response on the coronavirus. Former lawmakers and federal officials talk about the need for bipartisan leadership and the role of past crises in determining future actions. Welcome to a unique event to discuss the critical need for a healthy, bipartisan leadership at this time of covid19. And Christine Todd whitman im delighted to be cochair of the National Institute for civil discourse. The am tom daschle, one of cochairs as well. Along with christine im delighted to join her and keith to discuss the critical nature of bipartisanship as we look to our response to the covid19 crisis we are all facing. Ofad the responsibility being majority later during one of our last crises after 911. We learned the value, the importance, the critical nature of bipartisanship then. We hope we can apply those lessons and many more as we look to the challenges at we face in our country today. Already, and icd executive director. Capacityon is to build to engage d