Character Relationship Map: W.

Characters

• George W. Bush (played by Josh Brolin) — protagonist

  Main protagonist tracking his life from Yale initiation and early failures to becoming Texas Governor and U.S. President, culminating in the Iraq War and its political fallout.

• Karl Rove (played by Toby Jones) — supporting

  Bush's political advisor who encourages him to build a political career and warns him of his lack of prior achievements.

• Colin Powell (played by Jeffrey Wright) — supporting

  Secretary of State who advises against invading Iraq due to regional destabilization concerns, but is overruled by Cheney and Rumsfeld.

• Donald Rumsfeld (played by Scott Glenn) — supporting

  Secretary of Defense who insists on the Iraq invasion to secure U.S. global superpower status and spread democracy in the Middle East.

• Dick Cheney (played by Richard Dreyfuss) — supporting

  Vice President who overrides Powell's objections and strongly advocates for the Iraq War to maintain American dominance.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• George W. Bush → Dick Cheney (Professional President And Vice President) — Cheney is Bush's senior executive partner.

  Dick Cheney serves as Vice President during Bush's decision-making over Iraq.

• George W. Bush → Donald Rumsfeld (Professional President And Defense Secretary) — Rumsfeld is a senior defense official under Bush.

  Donald Rumsfeld serves as Secretary of Defense while Bush leads the administration preparing for war.

• George W. Bush → Colin Powell (Professional President And Secretary) — Powell is a senior cabinet official under Bush.

  Colin Powell serves as Secretary of State while Bush is President during the Iraq invasion debate.

• George W. Bush → Karl Rove (Professional Political Advisor) — Rove advises Bush during his transition into national politics.

  Karl Rove tells Bush that he has the potential to make a name for himself but has not yet done anything with his life.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Dick Cheney → Donald Rumsfeld (Alliance War Advocates) — Cheney and Rumsfeld form the administration's pro-invasion bloc.

  Cheney and Rumsfeld both overrule Powell's objections and insist that invading Iraq will secure the United States' global status.

• Colin Powell → Donald Rumsfeld (Conflict Policy Opponents) — Their disagreement centers on the consequences of war.

  Powell argues against invading Iraq because of destabilization risks, while Rumsfeld insists that the invasion will produce strategic and democratic g...

• Colin Powell → Dick Cheney (Conflict Policy Opponents) — Powell and Cheney directly oppose one another over the Iraq invasion.

  Powell warns that invading Iraq would destabilize the country, but Cheney insists that the war would secure American dominance and spread democracy.

Story Analysis

A political biography tracing Bush's struggle with failure, family legacy, ambition, and the consequences of the Iraq War.

Plot Progression

1. The Unsettled Heir — Bush moves through Yale, arrest, an abandoned oil job, and an unrealized baseball ambition. His reckless behavior exposes his distance from his family's political expectations.
2. A Public Failure — Bush enters electoral politics, meets Laura, and loses a congressional race after a damaging debate. The defeat reveals both his weaknesses and his unusual Republican support.
3. Finding A Political Self — Bush gives up alcohol, becomes a born-again Christian, and repairs his relationship with his family. Rove encourages him to create an independent political identity.
4. From Texas To Power — Bush gains experience with the Texas Rangers, wins the Texas governorship, and then becomes President. Earlier family and political tensions are transformed into national ambition.
5. The War And Its Shadow — After September 11, Bush authorizes the Iraq invasion despite Powell's warning and Cheney and Rumsfeld's competing assurances. The insurgency, absent weapons, and a haunting nightmare expose the conse...