From a pampered son who showed little promise, to his rise to the presidency, George W. Bush has transformed himself through acts of will and faith. This book examines the psychological transformation of Mr. Bush and identifies the pivotal changes that allowed him to achieve success in his personal life and in the political arena, and shows how Bush's personal transformation has come to shape his political policies. Those four transformations define both his biographical psychology and his leadership psychology.

The 1 st transformation is of GWB from a relatively immature and unfocused adolescent, a somewhat aimless young adult, and a relatively unsuccessful middle- aged man to a maturing man whose purpose and skills have picked up warp speed in the last decade of his life.

The 2 nd transformation is as president before and after nine-eleven. Contrary to the arguments of Karl Rove, I think 9-11 did have a profound effect on GWB—not to mention of course his presidency. He went from having a purpose to having a mission.

The 3rd transformation is the Bush administration's ambition to transform American domestic politics from a left center to a right- center policy paradigm. And the 4 th transformation is of American's place and role in the world. Nine-eleven profoundly changed the international calculus, and America 's stance toward it, at least for the Bush Administration.

The man who battled--and defeated--his own inner demons has become a president determined to battle the demons of terrorism and extremism that prevent democracy from flourishing around the world. This psychological portrait provides an assessment of both the president's psychology and leadership and his prospects as a transformational leader.