Dubya, once in danger of becoming the next Quayle, had rewritten the rules. Rather than try to answer questions that baffled him, as his fellow Deke had so torturously done, Bush would project calm acceptance of how little he knew. Aided by the largely fawning media, Bush’s ignorance became an asset: something voters could relate to, a sign he was “authentic” and “down-to-earth.” When W. expressed scorn for Yale classmates who had “all the answers,” he was onto something. After all, no one likes a know-it-all. Especially one named Al Gore.
