Bush Diaspora

The publication of George W. Bush's memoir, Decision Points, has once more made the former president highly visible. But where have all the members of his administration gone? The Daily Beast tracks down the Bushies.

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---bush_dx7mqx — Then: POTUS
Now: Memoirist, Highly-Paid Speaker, Barney scooper
Status: Not forgiven, but no longer actively loathed

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---rumsfeld_xuewhl — Then: Secretary of Defense
Now: Memoirist, D.C. Hermit
Status: Known unknown
AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---cheney_mpexqt — Then: Co-President, or possibly President
Now: Memoirist, Friend of Mike Allen
Status: Equally menacing but without the power
AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---rice_wvswhh — Then: Secretary of State
Now: Sportswriter, Memoirist
Status: Still golden
Giuseppe Aresu / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---gillesepie_ydljbb — Then: Counselor
Now: Shadowy architect of the GOP’s midterm victory
Status: Scary in an inchoate sort of way
Joshua Roberts, Bloomberg / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---rove_i6pv6c — Then: Bush’s Brain
Now: Shadowy architect of the GOP’s midterm victory, Fox News pundit, Memoirist
Status: The pudgy face of Republican evil
Mark Wilson / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---powell_c8csuh — Then: Secretary of State
Now: Obama endorser, Bipartisan wise man
Status: Still holier-than-all-of-us
Karin Cooper, CBS News / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---mclelland_pwguls — Then: Press Secretary
Now: Snitch
Status: Heroic
Richard Drew / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---gonzales_a1utvn — Then: Corrupt Attorney General
Now: Second-Rate College Professor
Status: Everything Miguel Estrada isn’t
AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---miers_bzxhnd — Then: Supreme Court Nominee
Now: Second-Rate Lawyer
Status: Thankfully obscure
AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---browne_vndttz — Then: Bumbling FEMA Chief
Now: Denver Shock Jock, Disaster Consultant
Status: Nowhere to go but up
Stefan Jaffe, AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---ashcroft_gewq4m — Then: Attorney Geneal
Now: Hired Hack
Status: Irrelevant
AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---ridge_nk4iex — Then: Secretary of Homeland Security
Now: Hired hack
Status: Yellow alert
Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---gerson_efn3ul — Then: Chief Speechwriter
Now: Washington Post pundit
Status: Bush preservationist
Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---mehlman_razmtr — Then: architect of Bush’s re-election campaign,
Now: Gay Icon
Status: Confused
Jamie Rector / Bloomberg via Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---laura-bush_f2hivk — Then: First Lady
Now: Memoirist, Dallasite, Highly Paid Public Speaker
Status: Weirdly unchanged
Mario Tama / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---petraeus_n6x0sr — Then: Savior of Iraq
Now: Savior of Afghanistan
Status: Possibly presidential
Luca Bruno / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---barbara-jenna-bush_mctjam — Then: First Daughters
Now: Humanitarian and Teacher/ Today Show correspondent
Status: Single and married
Chip East / Reuters

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/barbara-jenna-bush---gates_bmtwnb — Then: Secretary of Defense
Now: Secretary of Defense
Status: The one thing Obama didn’t change
J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---yoo_pd8lhk — Then: Torture-Authorizing House Lawyer
Now: Berkeley Professor
Status: Grounded
Melissa Golden / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---jeb-bush_y1hwcn — Then: The good brother
Now: Party wise man, presidential timber
Status: Good and rising
Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---hussein_ooow41 — Then: Murderous dictator of Iraq
Now: Dead dictator of Iraq
Status: Over
Scott Nelson / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---chavez_nyupff — Then: Venezuelan president who smelled sulfur around Bush
Now: Ditto, with Obama
Status: Still a nuisance
Manuel Diaz / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---ahmadinejad_srqm97 — Then: Wacko President of Iran
Now: Wacko President of Iran
Status: Clownish
Kaveh Kazemi / Getty Images

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---kerry_qvbjv1 — Then: Presidential Pretender, 2004
Now: Environmentalist, Scott Brown’s Biking Partner
Status: Footnote
Drew Angerer / AP Photo

galleries/2010/11/09/bush-diaspora/jacobush-diaspora---gore_mdqqeh — Then: Presidential Pretender, 2000
Now: Environmentalist, Nobel Laureate
Status: Available
Richard Drew / AP Photo

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