Bush Writes; Will You Read?

November 9 is a big day. Some think that is because former President George W. Bush will release his memoir titled Decision Points. I prefer the fact that the Indiana Chamber will be conducting its 21st Annual Awards Dinner (it will be my 13th); recognizing the Business Leader, Government Leader and Community of the Year; and bringing Tom Brokaw to the event to share his insights. More than 1,200 have already purchased tickets, but there’s room for more.

But, in order to give the second Bush his fair due, below (from the National Journal) is some info regarding his book. Will I read it? Probably. Not sure what I expect to learn new and it actually might be painful to relive some of the events of early this century, but it should offer some insights into the White House perspective.

Bush will recount some of the high and low points of his presidency, ranging from 9/11, sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq to his victorious 2004 reelection campaign to his administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina.

"I decided to take an untraditional approach," Bush says in a video promoting the book. "Rather than provide an exhaustive chronological account of my life and years in office, I wanted to give readers a glimpse of the presidency from my perspective." Hence the idea to focus on major decisions, he explains.

Bush says the book begins with his decision to stop drinking at age 40 ("a decision I could not have made without faith") and tells viewers that after a biographical overview of his life, he’ll offer a chapter on how he selected his Cabinet and senior staff.

Then he launches into a summary of the decisions he writes about in the book. He closes by saying that the book will recount what he did wrong, and what he’d do differently if he had another chance.

“Like” the Chamber; Win Free Tickets to Dinner Featuring Brokaw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All those who "Like" the Indiana Chamber Facebook page will be entered to win 2 free tickets & VIP reception passes to the 21st Annual Awards Dinner featuring Tom Brokaw on November 9. Just visit www.facebook.com/indianachamber, "Like" us and be entered for the mid-October drawing. Our Facebook page features many links to articles, blogs and our policy-related videos. We appreciate your support!

Brokaw Among Those Whose College Rejection had Positive Outcome

Building upon higher education week on our blog last week is an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal illustrating how getting rejected from their first college choices served to motivate some who became icons in their fields. Case in point is Tom Brokaw, broadcast journalist and keynote speaker at our 21st Annual Awards Dinner in November:

And broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw, also rejected as a teenager by Harvard, says it was one of a series of setbacks that eventually led him to settle down, stop partying and commit to finishing college and working in broadcast journalism. “The initial stumble was critical in getting me launched,” he says.

Catch the Brokaw CNBC Special on Baby Boomers

We eagerly await the visit from broadcasting legend Tom Brokaw, as he will keynote the Indiana Chamber’s 21st Annual Awards Dinner in November. And while Brokaw is retired from the national news, it seems he hasn’t quite given up his journalistic desire. Be sure to mark your calendars or set your DVRs to record his March 4 presentation on CNBC about the Baby Boomber Generation. Here is some info:

They were born between 1946 and 1964, a vast and prosperous group of Americans who lived through the Cold War, Vietnam, Watergate and the housing bubble.  They wore Buster Browns, played with hula-hoops, ate at the drive-thru and watched the Beatles play on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Raised during a time of unprecedented affluence, they exhibited extraordinary optimism and faith in the future.  Now, as the oldest among them approach the age of retirement, they face a world of new challenges and opportunities they never anticipated or dreamed possible. 

On Thursday, March 4th at 9PM ET/PT, CNBC presents “TOM BROKAW REPORTS: BOOMER$!” a CNBC original reported by NBC News Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw.  After defining “The Greatest Generation” in his bestselling book, Brokaw now turns his sights to their successors, the generation that vowed to change the world.

“Now, at this critical crossroads in the nation and in their lives, what do boomers do next – and how do they get there? It’s a question that affects all of us and will for a long time to come,” said Brokaw.

The Show is Over … Until Next Year

I have now been a part of 60% of the Indiana Chamber’s 20 annual award dinners. OK, even my 10-year-old son (who sometimes has math homework that just doesn’t look familiar; OK, it befuddles me on occasion) would nail that simple little math problem without blinking an eye.

What is the Annual Awards Dinner? More than 1,000 people from across the state coming together to celebrate business. After all the economic turmoil of the past year, a little celebration was definitely in order. Sure we’ve got our challenges, but this is a great state with excellent people working hard to make a difference.

No celebration is complete without awards. Check out the BizVoice magazine stories on our winners (videos now available):

  • Business Leader of the Year: John Swisher of JBS United in Sheridan, a success story 53 years in the making
  • Government Leader of the Year: Stan Jones, former Indiana higher education commissioner and a strong advocate for expanding educational opportunities
  • Community of the Year: Valparaiso for mixing public and private sector investment in improving the city’s entryways and infrastructure

The Capitol Steps, kings of political satire, made fun of all no matter their political persuasion. It was a simply hilarious show. If you missed it, mark November 9, 2010 on your calendars. It’s the 21st annual event, one week after our country’s midterm election, and we’ll have longtime journalist, author and all-around good guy Tom Brokaw offering his insights.

I’ll be there (assuming the Chamber still wants me) for lucky number 13 (60% of 20 = 12 for those who struggled with the math opening). Seriously, it’s a great event from start to finish (yeah, I know, I’m biased), but one you should take in for the experience. Trust me! You will enjoy.