Forget the Bush family, they are the most negligible family in the country. They are unintelligent, they are reasonably decorative, they are obedient to the great economic powers. Nixon said something interesting to Murray Kempton about Bush senior when he became President. Murray and Nixon used to have lunch, and when Murray said, Well, what is this Bush like? Nixon said, Oh, nothing, nothing there, just a lightweight. He's the sort of person you appoint to things, like the U.N., the CIA. But that Barbara Bush, she's really something; she's really vindictive!-which was the highest complement that Nixon could deliver.
In a critical assessment of the Bush family, Gore Vidal dismisses them as lacking intelligence and merely ornamental figures in politics. He suggests that they are compliant with powerful economic interests and possess little substance, which is reinforced by a conversation between Nixon and journalist Murray Kempton. Nixon’s description of George H.W. Bush indicates that he viewed him as an insignificant player in the political arena, suitable only for appointive roles rather than leadership.
Despite Nixon's criticism of George Bush, he suggests that Barbara Bush is a forceful personality, describing her as vindictive. This contrast highlights the complexities within the family and perhaps reflects Nixon's unexpected appreciation for her assertiveness. Ultimately, Vidal presents the Bush family as representatives of a political elite that lacks depth and genuine leadership capabilities.
